Balta1701

A bullpen pitcher with only 1 year pre-arb remaining and a guy in the low minors? I don't think that comes close to Benintendi alone.

Hypothetically, if it was Price + Benintendi for Bummer and Stiever, no money moving, how's that?

They're about where we were a few years ago; they really don't have anyone left in their system that anyone cares about. They cleaned it out to win that title. MLB.com ranked them 30th out of 30 franchises after the trade deadline. Dombrowski effect.

But they're being paid $37 million give or take.

Removing that salary from Boston could very well be worth more than it was to Seattle due to the Tax and the multi-year repeater issues...and due to the impending Betts FA. Seattle didn't need to do that deal. Boston...they might need to do something like this.

Just because the Metropolitans did something stupid doesn't mean we have to. The other comp here is the Adrian Gonzalez deal, where the Dodgers basically gave the Red Sox nothing IIRC.

You can't replace David Price with a guy who is already in your rotation, especially if Kopech is on an innings limit. You've spent $32 million on David Price next year, where are you getting the money to sign a guy good enough to move Lopez permanently to the bullpen? You might get lucky and Dunning or Rodon could be that injury replacement, but if one happens early in the year, it's Coveytime.

Crazy idea: Which contract would Boston like to move more...David Price...or Chris Sale? I'm out.

"Price was no where near a 2 WAR pitcher, he accumulated 2 WAR." Seriously, health does count on this. I'd still do that deal, but you can't tell me a guy who accumulated 2 WAR is "no where near a 2 WAR pitcher" when 2 of the last 3 years he's put up 2-ish WAR due to injuries. IF we can't keep him healthy then he's an expensive Carlos Rodon.

If you are signing Grandal, the motivation for Moustakas is far lower because you've found yourself LH hitting, middle of the order help, and you still have RF where you can add another LH bat if you're really after balance. If you sign Grandal and still want a DH, now you're in a much stronger place to go after Castellanos or Encarnacion (or trade for Martinez). You may as well hold onto Sanchez or pick up some other bench option (maybe one who can be a stronger backup SS like Iglesias) rather than going after Moustakas in that case. The downside of that set of moves, IMO, is that it leaves me fewer resources to spend on the pitching staff, which is still the way I'd handle this.

I'd react negatively and I think Cole is likely the smartest signing we could make.

I agree. At the very least bring in someone cheap to fill those positions. What's the point of bringing in the best player on the market if you're not at least taking a stab at filling your other 2 holes.

You mean what he did when he was a 32 year old? C'mon. He's a good hitter, but "he's good for the same performance in his 37-38 year old seasons that he did when he's 33-34", i mean maybe, but that's a bet that you'll lose more than you'll win.

And the .810 OPS he put up in 2018?

He wasn't the best and needed work but Collins was not this epic black hole at the catching spot that people want him to be.

FWIW, it was 115 in 2018 and Steamer's projection for him next year is 117.

He's a reasonable candidate as a "6th starter", who takes some starts until Kopech is ready, moves back and forth to the bullpen a couple times, maybe does some injury-replacement stars during the year.

Like you said, it's "not going to happen." Thank you for your agreement.

According to ESPNs probabilities the Bulls had a 97% chance of winning this game in the 3rd quarter.

If he accepts the Qualifying offer he receives a 1 year, $18 million deal. There is no reason for either side to continue negotiating, that's a contract offer.

By definition signing a contact that is not the qualifying offer is rejecting the QO.

Go for Calhoun or Reddick if you want a placeholder since we could use the LH balance.

People here were willing to give up a slight bit of cash as a free agent signing, I don't see a problem with that concept.

I figure he's much more of a minor league deal/invite to spring training with whatever team he wants kinda guy

Not what I was replying to, suggestion was that this guy was back of rotation signing, meaning we have confidence that if Kopech isn't ready to start the year, this guy is.