GreenSox

But the context in which they decline Rodon but pick up Kimbrel's option, makes the move indefensible. The risks on Kimbrel were higher, and the value much smaller. Part of this, I'm sure, was due to the Hahn/Haber general fixation on relievers, from allocating a large part of the budget to them, to using multiple high draft picks on relievers, and then to Kimbrel over Rodon.

This winter, Rick Hahn has had "a place at the table" and Jeremey Haber has had "good conversations" with other clubs. If the results don't flow from this righteous effort, we can all take comfort knowing that no one will be more disappointed than Rick.

They've done many contract dumps; some to create room, others just to dump.

I certainly hope they don't give him away, or use him to move another contract. But they've done that before. And then I wonder who they could sign that would require additional payroll room; if it's Gallo, that would be ridiculous.

I knew this guy couldn't hit, but after checking Fangrahps I have learned that he can't defend either. Oh Joy! Gavin Floyd was kind of a basket-case with the Phillies. Productive for the Sox. (as an aside, Garcia for Floyd and Gio was perhaps Williams' best trade). Also McCann Also, Quentin as mentioned above, although after 3 years, the Sox just jettisoned him for a AAAA pitcher for some reason.

They don't have any money to spend because it was wasted last offseason by the Front Office. And they have so many holes because the rebuild was ridiculously thin, with marginal improvement, if that, in the farm and player development. The first good season out of a 3/4 year rebuild and the farm is ranked #30. Inexcusable. The FO didn't even try to shore up infrastructure (analytics, e.g.) that could compensate for the owner's reluctance to signed high price players. Now why JR puts up with such a FO is beyond me; there's no way he tolerates poor performance in his non-baseball businesses.

There's no way that JR became a billionaire employing slugs as his top managers and executives. And yet, with this baseball team, that's exactly what he does.

All things that were said in 2016, and here we are.

Just a point of order: that's nowhere near one of the 5 worst trades in Sox history. Probably not even in the top 10 worst trades this century.

key word

I agree. But the only one of those I can recall Hahn making was Narvaez for Colome. The Dodgers could clearly use Anderson, but they don't really have a lot of young major leaguers to trade. You'd likely have to get a 3rd team that is rebuilding involved: Pirates?

If you want to retool the minor league system, those trades are generally best done in July. Anderson's value should be higher with improved play, Giolito's value should be higher with a better season and the value of pitchers, esp. on short term deals, is higher in July. One caveat, however, that this is one lazy front office that has frequently napped during July. And even for the rebuild, they took only the sales of Sale, Eaton and Quintana seriously; the rest were lazy moves or giveaways for Rule 5 eligible players.

Oh for the days of "premium talent", even if it turned into Yonder Alonso.

Unbelievable, isn't it?

How has he worn out his welcome?

I'll also point out that Zeby was pretty darn good last year; now it's no cinch that he repeats it it. He also takes his walks and his fangraphs defensive numbers were solid. He is an overlooked bright-spot in a dismal year.

Boy did that inflated WAR pay off. Sale was so good (production + contract) that it was almost impossible to get full value for him. Cease, who may be the most valuable pitcher in baseball as a trade commodity, is almost in the same place, but he doesn't have those 3 years locked-in at a fixed cost.

Murphy is why I'm good with the D-only catcher approach. The premium that you have to pay for offense that, on it's own (not relative to position) isn't particularly good, is immense. And I know that he's a great defensive catcher - but the price is inflated because of the O. C is the place for a hole on offense; And RF, a position where hitters with Murphy's numbers abound (with one notable exception), isn't the place.

Oh I know he's just guessing like the rest of them. Seems like a reasonable guess. I'd never seen the page until the Senga post above. Yes Frazier is someone we could use as a Leury upgrade

While the Sox couldn't "afford" Senga's interpreter, this one is believable.

Without question, Gallo was better with the Dodgers. His batting average improved from .159 to .160 for the season, thanks to his .162 average with the Dodgers. He was also a much around hitter with the Dodgers, once he was able to escape the pressure of playing in New York. His OPS improved from .621 to .638, thanks to raking at a brisk .671 in the City of Angels. There is a concern that he could be just a south-western guy, raking in humid Texas and sunny LA, while struggling in New York.

Also something Gallo did not do last year. He may walk a lot, but his OBP is not good. Signing Gallo is rabbit's foot stuff.

He's been terrible for the last season and a half. There are low batting averages and low OBP and then there is .162 and .277.

I believe that's how we got Narvaez and Yermin. Sort of surprised we didn't do more, considering that we actually had some success there.

Phillies selected 7 in the minor league phase; I think the Astros picked 5.