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Post by berkley on Nov 21, 2023 21:19:04 GMT -5
Watched the Grey Cup today, a day late. I'm not an enormous fan of American-style football, even in its Canadian version, but this was a good, evenly-matched game that came right down to the last play, exactly what you'd want in a championship game.
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Post by MRPs_Missives on Dec 5, 2023 22:18:41 GMT -5
Prince HalSo the Sox first big move of the off-season (aside from one minor trade already made) was the ship Alex Verdugo to of all teams, the New York Yankees (did you expect me to come back and not talk about the Sox? foolish mortals). Sox outfield was crowded, Verdugo had plateaued, has effort issues at times, and was a pending free agent after next season, so was expendable. They got a major league reliever, the Eastern League pitcher of the year and a raw big unit (6'8") lefty who was drafted last year but did not pitch post draft in return. To be honest, I didn't think they would get a lot back for 1 year of Verdugo, and I don't know how any of them will work out in the long term, but if Weissert (the only ML ready arm in the bunch) can be a reliable middle inning bridge and handle even medium leverage situations out of the pen, it will be a decent deal. If either of the prospects pan out, it could be a good deal. Opening up an outfield spot for some of the younger players is a big help, and getting Verdugo out of that clubhouse is a net positive. -M
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Post by Prince Hal on Dec 5, 2023 23:24:09 GMT -5
MRPs_Missives , Glad to see baseball back here... Was just reading up on the guys we got. That we got guys, and not just one, was a pleasant surprise. Given that Verdugo’s probably slated to be a place- holder for the Yanks, if only one works out, we got a good deal. My cynical side questions why the Yankees would do a three-for-one, but that’s me. Verdugo needed to go, for both his and the Sox’ benefit. No matter what the result of the trade on the field for the Sox, this will be seen as a good move by Breslow. And it’s certainly a win for Cora.
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Post by MRPs_Missives on Dec 6, 2023 0:16:52 GMT -5
MRPs_Missives , Glad to see baseball back here... Was just reading up on the guys we got. That we got guys, and not just one, was a pleasant surprise. Given that Verdugo’s probably slated to be a place- holder for the Yanks, if only one works out, we got a good deal. My cynical side questions why the Yankees would do a three-for-one, but that’s me. Verdugo needed to go, for both his and the Sox’ benefit. No matter what the result of the trade on the field for the Sox, this will be seen as a good move by Breslow. And it’s certainly a win for Cora. He may get flipped in a deal for Soto, and those may be players/prospects the Padres weren't interested in, but the Sox weren't going to trade for Soto (nor should they be trying to). And yes, I was surprised they got multiple arms for Verdugo as well. I see the usual malcontents who complain Breslow didn't get a front line starter for their beloved Dugie (they're delusional) who is a gold glove caliber defender, or complaining it's a bad deal because no one would give up Mookie for those guys (they need to let the Mookie deal go, no one was going to give up a haul for 1 year of him and he wasn't going to resign with the Sox, they got what they could, no one was offering more because no one thought he would sign and extension with Boras as his agent), and those who complain that if the Yanks include him in a deal for Soto this hurts the Sox and they should have kept him instead, but really, it's a lot more than I thought someone would give up for him. If its the only move the Sox make, I wouldn't be satisfied, but as one of a series of moves I like it. I don't think any of the front line starters are going to sign or get traded until Yamamoto makes his decision (and Ohtani) as those two moves are creating a logjam holding up everyone else and his signing will set the market for all the other free agent pitchers as teams who whiff on Yamamota will likely be willing to pay more for the other pitchers, so no agent is going to sign their client before that. I think it means that this Winter Meetings will be short of big moves as Yamamota is said to be waiting at least another week before deciding. I also watched Cora's presser at the Winter Meetings today and he had a couple of interesting things to say. -M
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Post by MRPs_Missives on Dec 6, 2023 16:45:36 GMT -5
Prince HalRed Sox radio broadcaster Joe Castiglione was selected as the 2024 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually for excellence in broadcasting by the National Baseball Hall of Fame. -M
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Post by Prince Hal on Dec 6, 2023 17:03:10 GMT -5
Prince Hal Red Sox radio broadcaster Joe Castiglione was selected as the 2024 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually for excellence in broadcasting by the National Baseball Hall of Fame. -M Yeah, Joe has been here since dirt was new, so... Never been a favorite of mine. And so far, it doesn't look as if Yankees are looking to flip Verdugo to SD as part of a Soto deal. Not sure quite what Cora is driving at with his remarks about "team building" by going bowling or to an escape room. His idea or Breslow's?
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Post by MRPs_Missives on Dec 6, 2023 18:24:04 GMT -5
Prince Hal Red Sox radio broadcaster Joe Castiglione was selected as the 2024 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually for excellence in broadcasting by the National Baseball Hall of Fame. -M Yeah, Joe has been here since dirt was new, so... Never been a favorite of mine. And so far, it doesn't look as if Yankees are looking to flip Verdugo to SD as part of a Soto deal. Not sure quite what Cora is driving at with his remarks about "team building" by going bowling or to an escape room. His idea or Breslow's? Whatever it is, it's a far cry from the 7 players, 7 cab days of yore. -M
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Post by Prince Hal on Dec 6, 2023 18:33:13 GMT -5
Yeah, Joe has been here since dirt was new, so... Never been a favorite of mine. And so far, it doesn't look as if Yankees are looking to flip Verdugo to SD as part of a Soto deal. Not sure quite what Cora is driving at with his remarks about "team building" by going bowling or to an escape room. His idea or Breslow's? Whatever it is, it's a far cry from the 7 players, 7 cab days of yore. -M It was 25 cabs back in '78. The best way to build a team is to get to work doing whatever it is your team is supposed to be doing.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Dec 6, 2023 18:46:40 GMT -5
Feels like Breslow is trying to get the next Garret Whitlock so they can revel is taking a potential star from NY again (though Whitlock hasn't worked out as well as his early promise). Decent haul for Verdugo.... I'll miss him though. when he was going well he is massively entertaining, but I agree he seems to have plateau-ed. I was expecting him to develop more power (Home runs or doubles) and get closed to .300).
He definitely needed to go, unless they were going to trade Duran in a package for a good starter.
fingers crossed that get Yamamoto...
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Post by MRPs_Missives on Dec 6, 2023 19:01:08 GMT -5
My gut tells me Yamamoto isn't coming to Fenway. My guess is they add Jordan Montgomery and reunite with Eduardo Rodriguez for rotation additions, unless they swing a trade for someone.
I keep hearing they have interest in adding former Astros catcher Maldonado to help with pitching because of the way he handles pitchers. I never liked him in Houston, and he seems like a black hole in the line up. They do need some catching depth, but I am mostly ok with Wong and McGuire until Kyle Teel is ready for the bigs, which likely means the Sox will sign Maldonado to a multi-year deal. As long as they don't try to move Wong to 2B to fill that hole as he came up as a C/2B.
-M
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Post by MRPs_Missives on Dec 7, 2023 0:02:10 GMT -5
Well so much for E-Rod, he just signed a 4 year deal with the Diamondbacks for about $20 million per year.
-M
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Post by Prince Hal on Dec 7, 2023 12:15:54 GMT -5
I want to have faith in Breslow, but it’s getting more difficult. Agree about YY not coming here, but we gotta get a couple of decent pitchers.
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Post by MRPs_Missives on Dec 7, 2023 13:27:07 GMT -5
I want to have faith in Breslow, but it’s getting more difficult. Agree about YY not coming here, but we gotta get a couple of decent pitchers. Reports are he wants to be in New York and it's down the Mets & Yankees. Bright lights, big city, allure of the myth of New York outside of the US seem to be big factors for him. -M
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Post by Prince Hal on Dec 7, 2023 14:16:33 GMT -5
I want to have faith in Breslow, but it’s getting more difficult. Agree about YY not coming here, but we gotta get a couple of decent pitchers. Reports are he wants to be in New York and it's down the Mets & Yankees. Bright lights, big city, allure of the myth of New York outside of the US seem to be big factors for him. -M Can't blame him. I wonder if the Mets will always have a dollar more than the Yankees as they get to the nitty gritty.
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Post by MRPs_Missives on Dec 7, 2023 14:24:48 GMT -5
Reports are he wants to be in New York and it's down the Mets & Yankees. Bright lights, big city, allure of the myth of New York outside of the US seem to be big factors for him. -M Can't blame him. I wonder if the Mets will always have a dollar more than the Yankees as they get to the nitty gritty. Maybe, but somehow no matter how much they spend, they can't get over the hump it seems. I'd be scared he doesn't pan out if the Mets sign him because everything they touch seems to fall apart. If he goes to the Yanks, maybe Cole will show him how to use the sticky stuff to be even nastier than his stuff already is. Severino's gone, so someone has to carry that torch. If I were him, I would have taken the Dodgers money, pitchers seem to thrive there without any controversy and he could still have gotten the bright lights big city effect with LA and Hollywood. -M
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