fathom

I think I look at it this way...if they get Manny cause of it, then it was a brilliant trade. If not, I much would have rather had Avi for the same amount or let Palka get all those at bats than Alonso will get (assuming they go out and get another outfielder). If it's going to be a rebuild year, then Palka should get an opportunity and not a veteran player.

wouldn't be so sure, as there's still Delmonico and Leury

or Abreu is getting dealt

didn't he literally say a week ago they don't want stop-gap measures?

Palka-Engel-Eloy?

Was literally just going to post something very similar

sorry, was based off the comment that Hahn said in regards to Alonso was signed to help the team and nothing to do with the ancillary benefits. If the Sox don't sign Bryce or Manny, I guarantee Alonso is the whipping boy on this board in 2019.

of course, as if the Sox don't get Alonso, then fans will not like Alonso very much

I know I've been the optimistic one in this thread, but if Hahn is being truthful and the Sox didn't intend to bring in another first baseman this offseason and the deal didn't even start getting discussed until Thursday, it does worry me a bit that this is desperation.

Hahn's a comedian now I see

and if the Sox and Phillies both offer 350, does anyone think having his closest friend doesn't help the Sox?

if the plan backfires and they don't get Manny or Bryce, then who cares about the Indians saving 9 million. Not going to be actually competing with them in the coming year anyways. It's real simple, for anyone thinking this move makes no sense, that should be a good thing as it likely means it makes sense to the people who actually know what's going on.

This was from a few days ago from a good Yanks source:

if some of the fans on here think that Hahn and the rest of Sox management is too dumb to figure this stuff out, then they really might as well just stop watching baseball until Reinsdorf sells the team.

In which case the Sox deserve to have no one go to their games. I have a hard time believing they would troll the fragile fan base this badly.

The Sox can EASILY make sure he doesn't get over 500 at bats if they don't want that threshold to get met.

sure that could be possible, but he would have basically manipulated Hahn into taking on 9 million dollars and risking future negotiations with the Sox for his list of clients. This is a guy with a lot of big named guys, not just Manny/Alonso.

I think it's more likely that Abreu is dealt if they strike out in the next few weeks on the big 2

yet he retweeted his own article like 5 times this week about Harper and opt-outs implying the Cubs would be smart to do it.

collateral damage, no hard feelings

to quote Chris Jericho, "you just made the list"

can we just ban everyone with a number after their screen name?

or it gives them more flexibility to take on Kemp's contract in a Kluber trade where they're getting guys like Verdugo and Ruiz, etc.

acquiring Yonder also doesn't hurt in terms of the public relations for Machado if he ends up choosing the Sox (because they would have offered the most money). He can always say that the Alonso angle was one of the deciding factors.