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I don't think it is. They will lose a certainty after this year in Lynn so they need a certainty in return. You think it's Kopech. I think it could be Kopech . You could be right but I'd rather be more certain. The Dodgers can afford to lose in the playoffs because they are in them almost every year and eventually that pays off in a World Series win. The Sox rarely make the playoffs and certainly don't spend like the Dodgers. Our playoff appearances are rare gems that need to be polished and taken advantage of with a World Series win in the short window the Sox are going to have. All this talk about the future and selling out for this year means nothing. How often do we as fans get sold a bill of goods about the future and we still haven't had 2 playoff appearances in a row. Time for people who care about winning to wise up, grab the brass ring while you're still on the merry-go round, because if the past leadership of JR is any indication we won't be on the ride long.

But the question still remains is that good enough to win a World Series ? I know you just enjoy baseball and winning is secondary but the goal for most here is to win a World Series and established quality pitching, barring injury as you say, are much more likely to provide, well, certainty , rather than 3 of the 4 you named being, for lack of a better word, uncertainties.

Let's hope by then it isn't too little too late and it's more meaningful than a token gesture.

I took that into consideration with my "how confident are you that the Sox have the best offer" comment, because if you make that offer that means you already are willing to take on the salary.

I guess we will have to see today Robert's prognosis before discussing this more. Just remember Engel was on the 10 day IL and his return has been delayed more than a month after that. The Sox will be very cautious with him .

Bryant will be much sought after. The Cubs will wait until the trade deadline and take the best offer. How confident are you the Sox have the best offer and that the Cubs actually trade him to the Sox ?

I'm open to your suggestions. When Eloy comes back you have 2 DH's and a 1st baseman playing LF. Not terribly versatile and a detriment for going deep into the playoffs and a bigger one for the World Series.

Keuchel will be 34, Cease has one good start this year and Kopech will be in his 1st year of starting . How confident are you in the Sox finding a #2 starting pitcher . FA ? Trade ? That's what you will need to make a World Series next year and that's only if Cease can become good and Kopech can be good starting for a whole season. Too may variables.

I'm the 1st one to say it's a long season and even said the Robert injury could be a blessing in disguise just as the Eloy injury has been so far in providing opportunities to Vaughn and Mercedes. But it's one thing to lose a power hitting, bad fielding, injury prone OF and yet another to lose your best defensive and perhaps the most valuable player overall along with Eloy for an extended period of time. I know what I have been proposing is out there but I'm trying to figure out what can realistically be done to save this season because it could also go south very quickly. I'd like some other suggestions then besides mine to make the team better in the immediate future besides just hoping the Sox can survive. That way I don't have to feel the brunt of Tapia sucks, I don't trust Mercedes, Eloy is the future, let's wait it out stuff.

That's a good point but I'm expecting no less than a month and that's being optimistic.,

It's never just one starter. It hasn't been in the last 2 years and it wont be next yr. The Sox lucked into Rodon being good. Resigning Lynn would help but how likely is that ? And who actually wants to sign him at his age for 2 or 3 more seasons ?

So get more for him or miss the playoffs this year. Pretty simple. Maybe you rather trade Vaughn or are fine with missing the playoffs again and wasting the good group of starting pitching we have. Either decide to try something drastic or remember that you wanted to play for the future when they waste another year.

So you trade Vaughn for a significant upgrade or you trade Eloy ? Mercedes is no use to an NL team. Trade pitching prospects when Rodon and Lynn are gone next yr and Keuchel is another year older ?

And the window gets smaller and smaller every year. Last year was a playoff team they choose not to mortgage the future for. This year is a playoff team that is being derailed by injuries so hey dont mortgage the future again. There's always 22, 23 while Keuchel gets older, Lynn is gone, Rodon is gone. Kopech steps right into the rotation but who else ?

Define terrible. He's currently worth.3- .5 WAR depending if its bWAr or FWar. Is anyone in the Sox current group of OF's worth that ?

I agree but it's also less then ideal throwing this season away when the starting pitching might be the best we have in the rebuild window. How confident are you that this is a playoff team without Robert and Eloy for 2-3 months.

Ok I can accept that. I did ask at one point if Eloy was worth more than Tapia since he was injured. If that's the case I still prefer for this not to be a lost season if both Eloy and Robert are out another 2 months or more with the starting pitching looking good. Once the Sox fall below .500 or have more injuries and miss the playoffs maybe then you change your mind once we start hearing "wait til next year" once again. It's perfect for JR to keep stringing this along.

He's an injured player now and a big injury risk moving forward . Tapia's no superstar but Eloy is no great WAR producer . Because of Tapia's speed and hit tool he's worth.3-.5 WAR so far this season. I suppose I am over hyping him because I imagine a .300 hitter with speed and versatile enough to play all 3 OF positions, sort of like a Tim Anderson type who provides much better OF depth. If you think Eloy is worth more than him you just answered my question if the Sox could get more than Tapia for him. Right now I'd rather take my chances on Mercedes and Vaughn and add another piece who will help in the playoffs and with depth and team speed than I am waiting around for Eloy and see what the Sox will do with him Vaughn and Mercedes, a group of either 3 DH's or 1 LF and 2 DH's.

I agree as you can see by my last sentence right after the part you bolded, but do the Sox agree ?

No a real trade. Tapia is a good offensive and defensive player with a lot of speed and a great hit tool who can play all 3 OF positions. What is Eloy to the Sox right now. Nothing. What is he when he comes back ? a DH ? Our LF ? What happens with Vaughn and Mercedes ? I'd rather have a good OF who can hit with speed now than replace Vaughn or Merdedes if they both continue to hit well.

A savior who said that ? I think he's the obvious choice in CF now between Hamilton, Leury and Luis Gonzalez.

I guess it depends on if Vaughn is better in LF than Eloy and an almost equal hitter, if not now ,then in the near future and if Mercedes can be a productive DH the rest of the season. I don't want the season to go down in flames because of Eloy's and Robert's injuries and possibly more injuries, not when the pitching staff looks good. I mean if you want to go with someone like LHH Sam Hilliard from Colorado he's 27 tons of power and can also play all 3 OF positions. He also K's a lot but how long does Colorado keep him ? What would it take to get Hilliard ?

I actually wonder if Colorado would be interested in an injured Eloy. They might drool over his bat in Colorado. Could the Sox get back more than Tapia for him or not even get Tapia for him since he's injured ? Can you imagine the speed of the Sox then ? Give up the power of Eloy for more speed and defense and hit tool ?

I know there are plenty of Engel detractors who think he is who he is but since he's been under Menchino's tutelage he has shown some improvement as a hitter. He still doesn't take walks and K's a lot. Plus you have to wonder about his recent injury and why it took so long to come back from it. From my perspective there's only one way to look at this. Just as Eloy's injury provided opportunities for Vaughn in LF and Meredes at DH , Roberts injury now provides an opportunity for Engel to show he can do the job. Coming off an injury ,I'm a little skeptical that he will provide much offensively but I am hoping for the best and that the rash of injuries now will end up providing opportunities that make the team better as a whole once Robert and Eloy return . The Sox will be hesitant to make any trade for an impact OF because they don't wish to hurt the future of the team out of desperation. As long as no one is running away with the division the Sox will bide their time and ride the storm out whether we like it or not. But the present still means very much too when this might be the best starting pitching group we are going to have for a while if it lasts all season.

Right and who gives a CF who can hit away for cheap ? If you want Vaughn to play all the time that means there has to be a good OF on the bench for late inning defense in Vaughn's place. Bench Eaton make him 4th OF ? Is someone like Gregory Polanco any better ? Nope. Pittsburgh won't play him against LHP. Raimel Tapia isn't a free agent til 2024 so I would suspect Colorado would require something substantial for him but he can play all 3 OF positions . Someone like him would be ideal but at this point in the season he's been pretty valuable. He just doesn't have the power nor natural CF prowess of Robert. But he is very fast and a has a good hit tool . Plus Colorado probably asks for Vaughn in return as do most clubs were the Sox look to make a trade for an impactful OF.