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Great , get back in the game and 2 walks to open the inning. Need the GB DP badly.

It's working . He's old enough to know how to go oppo and not over swing when he's expecting the pitches away from a hittable pitcher.

There we go Yas !

Good start.

That's fair. I just feel it's vitally important to get an everyday guy who can play against LH and RHP along with Wendel as the strong side of a platoon w/ Big Energy. Get that pitcher moving around on the rubber and throwing to both sides of the plate. Too RH and its just easier for a pitcher to get into a groove throwing 70% of the time to RHH. If it's 50/50 balanced I think the likelihood of mistakes to all hitters is higher especially when there are productive LHH. Or you can group a bunch of lefties against a RHP without saying 1/2 of them are non productive. (Leury, Sheets, McGuire 1st half Grandal and Moncada)

Not exactly the most powerful lineup. Come on Tony how many games do you think the Sox can win without hitting HR's especially in Coors .

You don't like Happ or think he'll be too costly from the Sox perspective ?

Ok that still doesn't eliminate scouting reports on him from after they passed on him. I'm sure they didn't have unlimited funds to spend on Intl. players and targeted other priorities. As i said Preller identified middle of the diamond players like SS and CF way before the Sox did. It was just a goodG.M and good scouting organization taking advantage of a backwards organization. One advantage the Sox had was Paddy and they have never used him to his full capabilities trading away Itnl. money, signing older guys, pretty much ignoring the Dominican Republic. That's all on Jerry.

Why don't you do some research on it? Could be they maxed out the Intl. bonus on other guys that they thought more highly of and when he got updated reports on Tatis later he decided to act while the Sox didn't pay attention to updated reports on him or didn't even have updated reports like the Padres did.

All acquisitions are run through all the top brass with either verbal or written inputs from scouts and analytics if they even analyze that far down (hopefully). I don't know if Jimmy is privy to who insisted on Shields more but he's certainly talking like he knows that and taking the heat off Hahn. I've said it the past but it's very possible that he's operating with one hand tied behind his back. But the buck has to stop somewhere and he's the one with the G.M title next to his name.

Not just a wild man but him or scouts or the whole team identified middle of the diamond players as having the most value way before anyone in the Sox organization did.

It''s almost like you're saying Preller got lucky asking for some obscure prospect when in reality his bloodline meant something and theirs scout probably liked him a lot. Maybe, just maybe, it's better to be cautious when another GM tries take someone that Paddy signed with MLB bloodlines without giving that player a chance to show what he's capable of in professional ball in the states.

You can't lump Moncada in with the rest of those guys who are old or have never been productive. Moncada is neither of those things and a plus defender and him getting right would be sooo helpful. Eloy you just throw your hands up in the air and say UGH ! If only that guy could stay on the field and actually learn to pull the ball and hit some 450ft HR's again, not to left center or center field where HR's go to die with the "new" ball but actually down the LF line or straightaway LF. Get closer to the plate and use that power to hit some HR's to LF . If little dudes like Altuve, Lindor and Albies can do it so can Eloy. The new ball made pulling it even more important unless you are Judge or Stanton .Plus the Menechino strategy of hitting is neither conducive to the new ball or to the small OF of Guaranteed Rate Field where hard hit doubles and triples go to die. Multiple singles do no good with a team of guys who can't walk and the ones who can walk haven't been productive at the plate.

Then you can narrow it down to LHH or SH who can also hit same handed pitcher well and play the OF competently with some speed and some power and the list becomes much shorter. More important in the OF but I'd love to have Joey Wendle be the strong side of a platoon with Harrison.

Think of the trade deadline as a chance to right some wrongs over the last 2 disastrous periods, last years trade deadline and the off season. Find some LHH like Wendle and Happ. Delete Leury and Sheets from the 26. Rent a guy like Martin Perez known for his success this year against the Astros and a lefty reliever like Matt Moore. Or they can go for some youth like Jesus Sanchez and Ken Okbert from the Marlins along with Wendle getting 3 guys from one source would be fine. No idea who we give up for those 3 since Sanchez was a 55FV prospect has many years of control as does Okbert. Or discuss Chisholm. He's supposed to be back some time in September.

That's been my fear ,that Kopech would be treated just like Rodon. Kopech is coming from a better place than Rodon because of the innings he pitched last year and better mechanics but still being his 1st full year starting in MLB his arm has to be starting to feel it.

Then eat his contract or eat some of it in a trade. DO anything to rid yourself of him. I know they won't do it but they should. Once again that ridiculous Hahn or TLR contract for him sucks and the previous trade deadline and off season from Hell persists in handicapping the window.

Give me Joey Wendle and Happ and things will get better against RHP. Happ almost seems like a Menechino disciple with his different approach this year. Haven't checked his ground ball rate but he is hitting for higher average, less hard contact , less power , cut down on K's. But for his game he's made it work for him from both sides of the plate. Much more consistent now.

According to MLBTR about Kopech : Pitching coach Ethan Katz pushed back against the idea that Kopech will be on any sort of innings limit this evening (via Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times)

2nd base : Joey Wendle 32 ,LH, hits RHP well. Could become the strong side of a platoon with Harrison . Good fielder probably a notch below Harrison. Can play 3rd and SS too. Has also played OF but not lately. If Leury has any options left send him down. Makes bench Stronger. OF : If the options of Gallo or Happ aren't what you are looking for. Then there's Jesus Sanchez 24, LH, of the Marlins who I just previewed above who basically gives you the same production of Gallo but still has very nice upside if he can ever learn to take some pitches. Not a FA till 2028. If the Sox are going to give up Vera ,I'd rather it be for Sanchez but Happ is still the best option for the immediate future. Relief Pitcher: Matt Moore LH seems like a nice get. Shouldn't cost much. Starting pitching: Martin Perez 31, LH ,Having a great season. Probably lots of teams in on him ,10-2 record, 2.59 ERA, 3.12 FIP, 2.6 fWar, Astro's killer. Lower hanging fruit is Quintana but never let him face a lineup the 3rd time through. All in all Wendle and Happ would be nice upgrades for the offense and bench from the left side and right side too because Happ is a SH. Get's rid of Leury and Sheets from the 26.

Joey Wendle would be a good get and I like Jesus Sanchez. Of course if you get Chisholm probably don't need Wendle but he's still a nice piece 1.6 fWar in only 49 games LH, plays 2nd, SS and 3rd hits RHP well. Stuck with Leury but could be a starter at 2nd base . He is currently healthy and I'd expect him to be moved. Sanchez , 24 is 6'3 220 ,11HR's Barely hitting .200 OBP terrible, K's nearly 27 % , Good OF defensively for his size , chases too many pitches. But very talented. Raked in the minors but looks like once he reached AA it took him a while to figure out the upper levels but he eventually found his way. He's probably at that stage now in MLB it'll just be that he's AAAA player but too early to give up on him. Had a 55 FV so he's got tools. Fangraphs rated 55 prospects who were traded at the 2019 trade deadline and had Chisholm (55FV) 2nd and Sanchez 3rd commenting : "Corner outfield prospect with plus-plus bat speed and a track record of performance. Plate discipline is below average, creating risk he falls short of offensive potential." There's also JJ Bleday 24 , LH OF ,2019 1st round pick 4th overall pick. Just 40 FV. 55 on Raw Power and 55 Field . Steven Okert is a controllable LH RP. 2.14 ERA but 4.37 FIP 30.7 K % , 11.4 BB%. Obviously would cost more than someone like Matt Moore.

Good luck man.Some good thoughts and prayers headed your way.

I do hope you know that the Extend TLR tag I put on the thread is just a continuation of I think it was @KrankinSox running joke about extending TLR.

Can't forget Moncada showing signs and Kelly and Lambert actually pitching well in the pen. Although streaky relievers are normal but I like when they streak on the good side !

Tradewinds