How many rotations are good 5 deep? Plus you would have Cease on the horizon, possibly even next season.
Every bullpen has holes. Even the great ones. This is an area where I feel pretty confident the Sox can fill it in house. Burdi will hopefully be in the mix at some point as well. Ruiz, Bummer, Medeiros, Stephens and -- gulp--- Fulmer could all make contributions.
Trading Dunning would hurt, and realistically, Bumgarner doesn't make sense for the Sox because they aren't in a one year desperate to win situation, I was playing like a one year situation because I wanted to be a stickler for a one-off scenario like southsider. But anyways, trading those guys, well, it can be done without crippling the system. Rutherford is what, 4th -- 7th on the minor league OF depth chart, depending on your view (personally I like him and would have him on the higher end of that). Dunning looks like he will be solid, but he is a pitcher that had an elbow issue problem and hasn't pitched above AA. That isn't depleting the system. Dunning would hurt though, and I would try my best to make it someone else. I may personally prefer to trade Madrigal than Dunning actually, but I'm a pitching guy.
I am actually very curious to see what happens to Greinke. I think if a team is willing to pick up 25 mil per year on him, then it wouldn't take that much prospect-wise, but who knows.
Let's say that they trade Rutherford, Dunning and Collins. That doesn't seem like it sets you back very much. You'd still have your top level hitters, and pitchers. Collins would hurt as his OBP is a rare tool, as his a catcher, but that is a question in itself.
They wouldn't exactly be broke long term. Bumgarner is a one year deal. He moves on, Kopech comes in. Greinke's money is gone after 3 years. Moose would probably be 2-3 years. The only real long term commitment would be Harper. And I think most would be ok with that.
The thing about having all the minor league depth, is that, the plan at least, should be those guys filling those holes. Hamilton, Burdi, Burr, Fry, Frare, Johnson and more to fill the bullpen. Kopech, and Cease at the top of the rotation. Robert, Basabe or Gonzalez in CF.
Again, I know this isn't realistic at all. That isn't the point.
More to the point, is that if the Sox want to be competitive in 2020, they need to make some strides this season. Because while it is unrealistic to expect a 30 game improvement this season, when they can spend and there are elite talent free agents, it is just as crazy to think they will make the jump next year, when there aren't the same talents available. This also doesn't account for guys that could make the leap. Maybe one or more of Moncada, Anderson, Lopez or Palka makes a leap next year. Maybe they won't. But even if they get marginally better, it makes a difference.
I just don't see the point in being completely hopeless. Maybe it is being realistic, but why shout other people down for having hope? That just seems stupid.