poppysox

I think the odds of getting Ryu and/or Keuchel are quite good. We have both the money and the need. Their appeal for me comes in the fact that 3 year deals are possible.

Kole Calhoun is starting to feel like the easy way to greatly improve the position while not spending foolish money or giving up worthwhile prospects. I still prefer Pederson but only if the asking price is modest.

We've lost exactly 1 targeted free agent and we were the high bidder. I don't think this qualifies as a trend.

Castellanos and Ozuna both bat right handed. Castellanos can't catch the ball and Ozuna is recovering from shoulder injury. My guess would be Pederson.

Ryu and Keuchel each offered 3 years at 15 million would work for me at this point. Some risk but a fair degree of possible upside as well. Way better gamble than Bum at 100.

"confident we can resign Betts" ...where is this confidence going to came from?

I'm arguing that extensions are absolutely necessary. If you can't get them done...trades at the two year mark are absolute necessary. What Baltimore did with Manny Machado was GM malpractice.

What's he worth with two years?

Betts is a great player but sadly for Boston...one year rentals just don't have much value relative to the player being traded. I hope we remember this when Moncada, Robert and Anderson are two years out. We need to extend them or trade them while they still hold top value.

I'm thinking right along those same lines. MadBum is not worth 100 and just because agents talk up 100 and maybe more...just doesn't make it so. If FO thinks he is 5/80-90 that should be the offer. My preference would be Ryu but Bum is fine at sane money.

When you trade a teams best player it's predictable your fans will go nuts.

Your point is excellent. Robert, Madrigal, Lopez, Cease, Collins, Kopech, Rodon, as yet unnamed New RF & Pitchers are all unknown commodities. Without a doubt they will not be at their ultimate best for 2020. On the other hand... every one of those people will be an improvement over who they are replacing. They will get better with time...but they will be better than who they replace immediately. Since it's Dec. 5 and not Mar. 5...we don't know the names of 5 or 6 of these new people so it's hard to project how many wins can we expect in addition to 2019's 72 win total. I'm very confident that this group of new players takes us to the low eighties in win totals even at very modest performance levels. I'm hoping for better than minimum performance levels out of Madrigal, Robert and Kopech etc. but you are right it took Moncada several years so some of these new guys will probably disappoint at some level. So...can we compete in 2020...yep but things have to break right. I feel a low of 84-85 and high of 95 with hope that the pitcher RH can find will be at least above average. Our division isn't so tough that the top end of predictions wouldn't get us to the Division title. In 2021 we can contend for the whole ball of wax. Keep posting...I like how you think.

It's understandable to be disappointed but not mad at the FO imo.

I wouldn't mess with Moncada's head by putting him at 2nd...a position he wasn't very good at defensively.

We were heavy into Machado. The baseball Gods saved us from ourselves and gave us a better third-baseman. As I said earlier...if Moncada is willing to play right field I'm happy to get Rendon. Maybe this is the baseball Gods plan all along.

Our best deals come out of the blue. Grandal was a pleasant surprise. These deals that are be talked about for days just seem to blowup. RH does his best work in stealth mode.

December 5 is a little early to throw in the towel. It ain't over til RH says it's over.

Guys with 4.5 ERA's are going to win quite a few games with our improved defense and greatly improved lineup. Grandel is going to help as well. Our pitchers don't all need to win 1-0 & 2-1.

Darvish is an interesting name at the right price.

If the 200 million is workable and Moncada is both willing and able to move to RF I'm all in. If what happens is we trade Madrigal so that Moncada can move to 2nd where he really isn't defensively very good...no interest. Since I doubt both the 200 price tag and Moncada's willingness to move to RF... don't expect this move to happen.

Any two of the 3 guys you mention would greatly improve the rotation we start the season with. Who knows...one of them could prove to be better than Wheeler. We have to play the hand dealt to us.

Unfortunately, you need to have Gio/Moncada/Robert types of players extended before they get two years from free agency. The sooner you do it the cheaper. You can't let this type of player walk without getting excellent compensation. This can't happen with only one year left to sell.

These guys getting 9 figures can afford to leave a few million on the table for preferences such as hometown and weather. The other normal guys follow the money. The whole super star thing is hard to compute for average joes. What is troubling to me is guys like Wheeler are not super stars but getting that kind of money. One or two of these big deals going South and you are sunk for the next decade. Heavy duty gambling.

No argument there.

Your last sentence is not true. We will undoubtedly sign a right fielder and some bullpen pieces at a minimum.