SoxBlanco

I’m 38. Discovered this place during the winter meetings at the start of the rebuild. I wasn’t on Twitter and still remember refreshing constantly as the Sale trade broke.

He knows that. He was trying to say that it’s not true that the Sox don’t have a lefty in the rotation, because they have Keuchel.

Does this make it more likely that we trade for Gavin Lux? @Harold's Leg Lift

But even if the Sox had a top 5 payroll in April, you would not be happy if they got to that number by signing a bunch of smaller contracts. And you're not wrong. I agree with you there. I just want to point out that there are two different complaints here: 1. The Sox won't spend and will never have a top 5 or 10 payroll. 2. The Sox won't ever sign the big names because they are afraid to dish out a big contract. The issue for you is #2, which is definitely fair. But I constantly see #1 being argued and discussed around here (not necessarily by you), and I don't think that's much of an issue anymore. It's pretty obvious we will have a high payroll this year (yes, I understand "high" is a relative term).

I think there's a decent chance we end up with either Gray, Castillo, Mahle, Bassitt, Montas, or Manaea. I think there's an even better chance that we end up with either Conforto, Castellanos, or Bryant.

Werther’s are fantastic.

Anderson SS Robert CF Schwarber DH Abreu 1B Grandal C Eloy LF Moncada 3B Vaughn 2B Conforto RF Defense is laughable, but that lineup would MASH. 😂

You are acting like the offseason is over tomorrow. The Sox will make more moves.

You're wrong. The Sox should absolutely make moves to get better. When did I say otherwise?

What have Boston, Tampa, Houston, and the Yankees done to make themselves better? Those were the other "good teams" that made the playoffs last year.

Doesn't Castillo only have two years of control? I'd rather just grab Bassitt for a year if Castillo would cost Vaughn+.

I hear ya, and I don't disagree. Two questions regarding a potential Bassitt trade: 1. A Bassitt trade would be similar to the Lynn trade last year in terms of cost, right? 2. If we make a trade like that, who are the best free agent starting pitchers next offseason (assuming we don't extend Bassitt like we did Lynn)? I suppose Google can quickly tell me the answer to that, so I'll get on that as soon as I hit "Reply".

Good to hear from you. Any free agent rumblings? You hearing anything on Conforto?

Agreed. That’s why we need to add another arm that isn’t a bargain signing. Go trade for Castillo or one of the Oakland pitchers. We’re not automatically screwed because we didn’t land Gausman or Ray.

Of course. Well, definitely better than Keuchel and probably better than Cease, but I guess nobody knows what he will look like next year. But the point is that those guys wouldn't have guaranteed us an ALCS. I really wanted one of them also, but we're not doomed now. Bassitt is an example of somebody who could be just as good as those two guys. Hell, who would have thought Rodon would be as good as he was last year? Most people were furious that we settled for him last offseason.