Texsox

2:15 am stop?

By some accounts he had multiple offers from franchises more successful than us. Dropping off from HoF levels over the next couple seasons will still have him well above average in baseball. Plus he works his ass off, he's not going to just sit back and collect checks.

Averaging less than a goal per game isn't going to get them any further. I know the old cliché that defense wins championships but drawing your way to a WC isn't doable.

x2

I think he'll deserve consideration and probably would be an easy choice if he played four or five more years here instead of Cuba.

Really? Do you think they will pick up another 1b or try to resign Gurriel?

As the receiving GM how much would you give up? Would you pay his entire prorated salary? Or ask the Sox to pick up some? Toss is a player? Likely they would have received literally nothing is return and probably had to pick up some of the contact. Then it would have been labeled as White Flag II. Smart franchises don't do that.

As a GM how much would you have given up to get him for a couple months?

Good point.

It seems like teams have traditions, good and bad, at certain positions. The Packers have had great QBs, the Bears not so much. I'm thinking for the Sox it's first base. I'm hoping AV can be a worthy heir to the throne. Jose certainly added to the greatness during his tenor.

AV is finally playing his usual position. So there is cause for optimism. I think it's a step down for the Sox but a great opportunity for Jose and Houston. I hope he wins a championship with them. Defecting in his late 20s (or so) probably will prevent him from compiling HoF numbers, but projecting backwards he probably would have at least garnered some attention. The king is dead, long live the king.

I can't imagine the emotions.

It's too crazy expensive in Texas. Guys think I'm lying when I tell them a friendly farmer in Illinois just give permission in exchange for some meat. Plus up north the deer have been eating free corn all fall. Here it's $3,000+ for a decent lease plus buying and hauling corn and filling feeders. My daughter and son in law fill my freezer from their deer lease when I ask.

With the lineup changes I can't see how comparisons to 20/21 are valid. I don't think it's outrageous to believe the team just floats along and plays at .500 again. I can barely consider it negative thinking. But yes, Jack is a sky is falling poster most of the time. And like a broken watch that is right twice a day, he's got a reasonable point right now. Currently we have lost more than we have gained. Until we see who replaces the players who are leaving, .500 may be a valid goal.

Agreed. Mine was a separate question. It seems like starters are becoming more like long relief guys. Pacing to get into the seventh just isn't a priority. Five hard and watch the rest of the game from the bench is the direction baseball is heading.

Isn't every starter in baseball turning into a five and dive?

He does. But how is it outrageously negative to believe a .500 team who is losing their best player ( and one of the best in baseball) over the past eight seasons, at least one OF starter, has an unproven manager, a weak front office, and a cheap owner will stay at .500? Seems like it's outrageously positive to believe this .500 team will get appreciably better this off season. But yeah, he's always negative but in this case negative is a logical conclusion to make.

For long stretches Tony didn't have many options. Lots of injuries. But I'll agree Tony defended most of his players too much. Besides Mercedes I can't think of any player he didn't praise in public. Perhaps the new guy will be more honest. Imagine a manager saying Garcia sucks and shouldn't be on a top team, or possibly any team. Instead of praising the guy.

@Balta1701 I agree with everything except I wouldn't call his (short) MLB stay a success. In fact I'll call it a disappointment and I can't even blame Tony. My memory may be spotty but I recall Tony trying to find good spots for him. The more I think about it the more I'm thinking 2nd shouldn't be a top priority, more of a focus on a lefty bat for the OF, pitching, and if something falls in place at 2nd go for it.

I assume you mean for this coming season. I would guess that teams have won WS titles with rookies in a couple starting, playing everyday, spots. Was 11 games enough to gauge his readiness? Probably not, but he did appear over matched at times and didn't inspire a lot of enthusiasm. He's 22 and has been in the system for five years now, so maybe they are souring on him. I hope not. For his development would a season of hitting below .200 while sharing time as a starter be better for his career or a season at AAA?

Exactly my point. Hahn has a tougher job than many fans want to believe.

Guys with his level of experience should be making that amount, otherwise the owners are just raking profits. With the profits teams are making we should be complaining that other players with his experience and productivity aren't earning $5 mil a year.

I hope agents and other GMs don't know what the Sox need. They may ask for more in return. Just highlighting the world that Hahn has to work in.

A year ago we wanted every player to have a Garcia level contact or better. f*** the owners and their profits. Anyone then who said players got to much money was attached.

As much as I want a full house cleaning, when I'm not disgruntled, I go back to professional gamblers picked the Sox opening day roster to not only win their division but win a playoff series. Journalists agreed. Fans here agreed. The multiple failures aren't solely or even largely his fault. I'm willing to watch what happens this next season. Plus, I'm trying to regain some enthusiasm for the franchise.