Jose Abreu

If it means we get a real SP upgrade, trading Sheets and then signing Joc would be a good move

Yup. He's basically left field only right now, and part of the reason Tampa is trading him is because he's more of a DH.

I think you're joking but even on offense, Seby was much worse than Collins last year. The 3 homer game is all anyone remembers though. I think they'll trade for a backup catcher in the coming weeks

Agreed. I also think people have trouble separating process from results and don't understand how unlucky Vaughn was last year, especially late in the year. To put up league-average results (with underlying metrics to suggest that they should've been slightly better) after skipping AA and AAA and playing new positions all year is incredible. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Vaughn has an all-star caliber year at the plate.

Yes — and it worked. You'd think, if anything, his performance would make them even more comfortable jumping the market to get their targets

Sure, let's talk about him. Agreed, but I'm hoping that for the sake of R/L balance they at least talk to Abreu about going TA-Robert-Grandal-Abreu to start

Between this (broken wrist), the shoulder injury he won't get surgery on despite the high re-injury risk, and all the money invested in him, it's safe to say we won the trade.

I like Kelly and Graveman but it is kind of weird that both of the big reliever signings have either a nerve issue or a spinal tumor that apparently can't be removed

If they get one of the big name right fielders then I'll be ok with this

Solid replacement for Tepera. With him, Graveman, Bummer, and Crochet, I feel good about the middle reliever/set-up depth leading up to Hendriks

Would be especially interesting as his top suitor (Miami) probably isn't after him nearly as much anymore given the Jeter/financial situation

Someone needs to tell him he doesn't work for Reinsdorf anymore, he can be honest

Why do we still use the "1 in 200 year event" or, for the Texas issues earlier this year, "1 in 100 year event" for events that are much more likely to occur in the future than ever before?

Looking at changes from the current roster relative to mid-September: Up: Grandal, Hamilton, Engel, Marshall, Crick Down: [2 extra spots], Lamb [DFA], Wright, Ruiz Wishful thinking: Sheets up, Goodwin DFA Wright getting optioned is kind of obvious with Lopez taking his role, could even happen for Grandal tomorrow. Crick for Ruiz is what I'm least sure of but I don't really see Ruiz making the playoff roster.

Thanks for reading

My two cents if anyone's interested TL/DR: Kimbrel's fastball command is a (correctable) issue, but he has been more unlucky than bad since the trade

Right? There's no way they could be this dumb. Do they know something we don't about the 2022 season (lockout, shortened season, etc.)? The rationale from Katz makes it even worse -- it made sense before Kimbrel and Tepera, but not anymore. The idea that having Kopech unavailable for a few days puts the team at a competitive disadvantage just no longer applies, especially when Kopech only pitches once every 3-4 days in the first place.

Burger too, to some extent. I was sure both were gone

Maybe they're trying for something bigger (Story/Baez) and will end up settling for an Escobar, Harrison, or Cabrera type once it's clear that they won't convert on a bigger target. I know you could argue that Escobar is closer to the fist group than he is to the second one, but it's the only explanation I can think of for why they haven't already traded Lazaro Leal/[insert worthless minor leaguer here] for a Josh Harrison type's contract

It's a buyer's market, particularly at 2B. The idea that the Sox "don't have the prospects" to acquire 2 months of a dirt-cheap Josh Harrison or Asdrubal Cabrera is asinine. These types of rentals never go for real prospects

I think it's a mix of the Padres pieces being underrated and Frazier being much less valuable than people presumed

They attempted to trade for him prior to the season, whether they still like him is anyone's guess

Another difference, in addition to what some have pointed out, is that a struggling artist that waits tables is making a living through another endeavor. Minor league baseball players are still playing baseball, and no matter how much MLB owners try to cry poor by funneling profits into other books, they can absolutely afford to at least pay the players a living wage. The Twitter account @MiLBAdvocates has been really active this season and has done a good job of highlighting some of MiLB's issues, to the point where certain organizations have even changed practices in-season as a result of the backlash

I don't really see a way of him making the team in September either. We have 26 right now, none of which are particularly easy candidates to be sent down for Jimenez, Lamb, or Robert. Not to mention a hopeful acquisition at 2B. Burger or someone could be traded, but I'd imagine those extra spots would go to guys like Hamilton, Sheets, or Goodwin since Jimenez/Robert/Lamb will take their ABs

I would not be surprised if one of Crochet or Cease is traded this month (obviously for someone controlled, not a Story type)