turnin' two

This was so brutal.

I don't know if this is fair. Obviously it could be true, but Maggs never put up outlandish home run numbers, and his jump, from 14 one year to 30 the next, was going from his first full season to his second. It could have been roids, but it also could have been him knowing how to be an MLB player. If Vaughn had hit 30 HRs this year after hitting 15 last year, no one would have batted an eye and said, must have been roids...

Man. Old days. They had half priced monday and pepsi half priced Tuesdays. 2 games for the price of one. I did that alllll the time. Early 2000s.

Man. Moment of silence. A true legend.

We don't know what to do, so we won't do anything!

I just threw up a little. Not like I didn't know it having to watch Grandal, Moncada and Leury. But still seeing it is bad.

Well, there's the winner to a slogan for this year's team.

I wouldn't be interested in trading for him, I have to say.

"what the F was that?

There's no other way to say it. This is a terrible loss. I'm so sick of saying that this season. Just a terribly played game all the way around.

Bless you my friend. Good luck. You are in my prayers.

This doesn't even consider the emotional costs...

Imagine how that guy would have reacted to intentionally walking a guy with 2 strikes on him.

I forget, is he the one where the buscone reportedly showed up waving a gun around when the Sox were going to sign him? Marte maybe?

Yeah no doubt. I am in no rush to trade Vaughn, or even talk about him. But for Soto? Yeah. In that case I'd trade him.

Neither of those things are the point at all. Extending him doesn't matter. You'd still have him for 3 playoff runs. And you could make due with the bad farm system. They have good young controllable talent on the team they could trade. And even if you don't get him, fine whatever, other teams clearly have better farm systems and if you don't matchup with a package around Eloy or Vaughn, then you don't matchup. But there is no excuse for not trying. Make it hurt the Dodgers or Yanks or Cards a bit more. Try to get the best young hitter in the game? "nah, it'll be too hard" is a BS excuse.

This is so frustrating. I wonder if Hahn and Co even know who Soto is. Maybe they don't watch NL games or interleague games, or all star games, or read anything about baseball. Ignorance is the only reason to not be in on acquiring one of the best players in the game that clearly fit a need and your teams competitive window.

The American Colas

In a trade situation they don't have a choice. You trade for him, he's gonna play or sit out. I see nothing in it for him to sit out for the next 2 seasons.

Who knows, because you know teams like the Dodgers and Padres are involved, and they've shown a willingness to do things the Sox won't. But this is the type of move that sends a big message. If I'm the Sox I' offering something like this: Eloy, Montgomery, Vera. --OR-- Vaughn, Colas, any non Vera pitcher. If they also want Sosa or Ramos or Popeye, I'm not hesitating. I don't think I'd trade Vaughn and Montgomery in the same deal. And honestly, I don't think I trade them at all if this isn't Juan Soto. Eloy is a but tricky. I really have no idea how teams would value him (I obviously value Vaughn a bit more highly). I love the guy. But he isn't a great fit (positionally), and we can't really depend on him. I don't think the Nats would scoff at Eloy and Montgomery or Vaughn and Colas. And yeah, Soto isn't signing an extension here. No way the Sox are giving half a billion dollars to a guy. But that still gives you 3 potential postseasons with one of the elite hitters in the game. Oh yeah, he hits left handed, and plays a position of need. Will it slam close the window after that? Maybe. But that window may be gone anyways. Take your best shot. Get the best player to make a run.

I agree with both of these. With Eloy, Vaughn, Robert, Pollock and Engel (and of course Leury) they have enough OF coverage. They can send down Sheets and just use Grandal as a DH (which is probably a good thing). Then they rotate Eloy, Grandal Vaughn and Abreu through LF, DH, and 1B. At least for a while. And as mentioned Eloy could end up on the DL, or Robert, or maybe one of other catchers get injured opening up a can of coke over the break. There's a way to make it work. They could also trade or DFA Grandal, but that doesn't seem likely. They really have to hope he has a 2nd half like last year and isn't a permanent black hole.

Geesh. Soto with that right field.

Still better than the purple stuff. Sorry I couldn't help myself.

Right. There aren't many dudes taller than 6'8 in general.