SCCWS

Boston has to find a RH starter to replace Porcello. I would assume they will try and get one dealing Price or Bradley. Doesn't seem to be any other rumors floating although new GM seems to be playing things close to the vest which is to be expected.

Kluber to Rangers. https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/28304613/sources-rangers-agree-trade-indians-ace-corey-kluber

I don't think they will trade Evoldi. With Porcell leaving, he is their only RH starter. Price makes more sense but obviously his deal will require a lot of work to balance off. I also think Bradley will be moved.

I followed you up to Pomeranz. I assume you meant him as a bullpen piece since his starter days since 2017 have been pretty bad.

I think you and I didn't realize rosters were frozen as of yesterday.

This FO has a poor track record in recent years for spending. But too many posters are giving up in the first few weeks of December. So far the Sox have not given up any quality assets and have added Grandal. There are weeks for Hahn to bolster our pitching staff and find a quality RF. Too many posters are acting like Spring Training opens this weekend. Hahn has 2 more months to re-do the roster before we see the final product. Then we can praise or trash him.

Porcello to Mets so Rodrigues will not be included.

Cinci and St Louis media say they are in but time will tell. I think St Louis is the team to watch out for.

I think Bradley and his $10mil will also go.

Another wildcard is the Cole signing. Yankees will go into ST as the prohibitive favorite. It will be interesting to see what Boston will now do from a payroll standpoint.

Two thoughts: There are 5 teams interested but we don't know how interested. If 3 or 4 are truly interested, Bloom has some leverage. Price appears to be liked by his teammates but is not very popular w fans and he has a lot of media issues. He is regularly trashed on Boston sports shows.

As I posted earlier, every media type has another take from their "source" Feinsand notes that the Red Sox have no desire to attach a desirable young player such as Andrew Benintendi to Price in order to simply shed the remainder of his contract. The Athletic’s Chad Jennings offers a similar sentiment (subscription required). “I don’t think we’d ever want to rule anything out,” chief baseball office Chaim Bloom of parting with prospects to help facilitate a Price trade (quote via Jennings). “But so much of what we’re always going to be trying to accomplish, but certainly now, is to make sure we have as strong a farm system as possible.” https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/12/david-price-trade-rumors-red-sox-padres-wil-myerss.html

" Boston might have to get creative to offload the 34-year-old, potentially attaching an enticing young pitcher or paying down some of Price’s salary to facilitate a trade." Another take with a pitching prospect attached. Hahn needs to wait for the rumor that Sale is attached to the Price trade and then jump on it. That rumor should be around by the weekend.................. https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2019/12/david-price-trade-rumors-cardinals-white-sox-among-5-teams-in-on-boston-red-sox-starter-report.html

https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2019/12/david-price-trade-rumors-cardinals-white-sox-among-5-teams-in-on-boston-red-sox-starter-report.html

That makes no sense unless other teams are involved. Boston brought up a young 2nd baseman last year who played well and they still have Pedroia coming off surgery under contract. Their top 2 positional prospects are a AAA and A 1B. They are going to want MLB ready pitching especially if Price goes and Porcell signs elsewhere. If we are involved and no 3rd party, I got to think Cease is one of their targets.

FWIW-- On local sports report last night in Boston, they said St Louis seemed to be the best possibility for a Price trade. No mention of anyone else involved. Because Boston has a new GM, it seems there are less rumors which would make sense since local media doesn't have as many "connections" yet.

A different take on pitching as it relates to Porcello and other fly-ball pitchers. He is only 31 but had a bad 2019. This offseason is weird in terms of trying to project performance because we are missing an extremely basic piece of information about the coming season: What’s the baseball going to be like. It’s a stain on the league that this is even a question — do whatever you want with the ball, but be open about it — but this is where we are. Last year, as we know, MLB had bouncy balls that resulted in absurd offensive numbers around the league. Pitchers like Porcello, who were prone to home runs as it was, seemed to suffer the most. Everyone gave up more homers, but for pitchers like Porcello they jumped from an acceptable rate to a nearly untenable one that resulted in too many short outings. If the 2019 baseball is back for the 2020 season, Porcello is a lot less valuable than he would be if they went back to a more stable ball. That this is even part of the equation makes things much more complicated, and thus is in and of itself an argument against Porcello. https://www.overthemonster.com/2019/12/9/21002518/boston-red-sox-offseason-rumors-rick-porcello-free-agent

FWIW--Media people love to create rumors so they get attention. Boston Globe indicates Jackie Bradley is the OF the Red Sox are trying to unload since he comes w a high price tag. Benintendi does not.

FWIW--- JDM had some no trade clauses in his previous deal so i am sure he has some in this one as well.

This move seem strange but it is early December. You have to wait till all the moves are done. The winter meetings have just started and last year we even saw signings as late as February. When pitchers and catchers report, we should have a better feel for how Hahn has spent money and hopefully improved the roster.

Just me but I live part of year in New England. No White Sox rumors I have seen lately. But I don't see us trading w Boston since they want young staring pitching so you can bet Cease would be their target.

He had a hell of a year. But he is 36 so I think if you are trading Lopez, you want to get someone who would give you 3-4 years. Morton pitched almost 200 innings last year so maybe he can go to 38-39 but it would be risky.

Snell just signed a 5/$50 in the spring so I would think at that price the Rays would want a haul. The Pham trade is still not complete. Some questions on his elbow remain.

Not sure they even have one in stock, but saw an MSN article today listing GM's on the hot seat. Our very own Rick Hahn was listed. I stopped reading the article at that point.

Very possible. You would hope they are being consulted especially if it is a trade scenario. But even FA signings must involve a "group" decision as to what the scouts have seen/heard about a FA target's most recent performance as well as clubhouse effect.