caulfield12 Posted August 1 Share Posted August 1 https://www.si.com/mlb/2025-trade-deadline-reflected-hard-truth-about-playoff-baseball Likely why Getz moved Taylor there...the whole idea of starters being so much more valuable based on fWAR and bWAR got flipped on its face as guys like Gallen, Alcantara and Keller stayed put. Would have had four elite guys moved at the deadline if not for the Clase gambling investigation. Doesn't even count Bednar going to NY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted August 1 Author Share Posted August 1 Wouldn't be a surprise at all to see Shane Smith, Oppor and McDougal all moving into the 2026/27 pen with Vasil swapping places with Smith... Hagen Smith turning into the next Andrew Miller...perhaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BamaDoc Posted August 1 Share Posted August 1 Maybe some of our failed minor league starters like Pallette, Dalquist, and Kelley become something worthwhile as relievers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted August 1 Share Posted August 1 23 minutes ago, caulfield12 said: Wouldn't be a surprise at all to see Shane Smith, Oppor and McDougal all moving into the 2026/27 pen with Vasil swapping places with Smith... Hagen Smith turning into the next Andrew Miller...perhaps. Shane Smith into the bullpen next year? Maybe at some point in August or September to finish the year and keep innings down, but there has to be a near zero chance of that happening to start next year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted August 1 Author Share Posted August 1 22 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said: Shane Smith into the bullpen next year? Maybe at some point in August or September to finish the year and keep innings down, but there has to be a near zero chance of that happening to start next year. What were the spring training odds of Grant Taylor being one of two Sox closers by mid summer? Smith would be able to ramp up to 97-100 in short 2-3 inning outings. Struggled all season going into the fifth and sixth...then hit his 2024 IP totals. Let's not forget he doesn't have a ton of mileage on his arm because of how little he pitcher for Wake Forest. That said would have to clean up the walks and HBP and stick with just 2-3 pitches instead of 4-5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted August 1 Share Posted August 1 9 minutes ago, caulfield12 said: What were the spring training odds of Grant Taylor being one of two Sox closers by mid summer? Smith would be able to ramp up to 97-100 in short 2-3 inning outings. Struggled all season going into the fifth and sixth...then hit his 2024 IP totals. Let's not forget he doesn't have a ton of mileage on his arm because of how little he pitcher for Wake Forest. That said would have to clean up the walks and HBP and stick with just 2-3 pitches instead of 4-5. There has been talk of Grant Taylor being a reliever for years. The difference? Shane Smith has four months of history at MLB of being a really good starting pitcher. Grant Taylor has never been able to do that at the MiLB level Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted August 1 Author Share Posted August 1 https://www.mlb.com/news/trade-deadline-takeaways-2025 See point #2 here as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted August 1 Author Share Posted August 1 (edited) Shane Smith's effective run lasted 2 1/2 months...not four. https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/gamelog/_/id/5201814/shane-smith Edited August 1 by caulfield12 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestEddy Posted August 1 Share Posted August 1 56 minutes ago, caulfield12 said: https://www.si.com/mlb/2025-trade-deadline-reflected-hard-truth-about-playoff-baseball Likely why Getz moved Taylor there...the whole idea of starters being so much more valuable based on fWAR and bWAR got flipped on its face as guys like Gallen, Alcantara and Keller stayed put. Would have had four elite guys moved at the deadline if not for the Clase gambling investigation. Doesn't even count Bednar going to NY. There really wasn't a clear cut "ace" being dangled, though. Joe Ryan of the Twins was the only guy whose name I heard that seemed like a stud. Teams who needed starters filled in the back of their rotations, but I didn't get the sense that there was anyone outside of Ryan or Cease who were really being offered, and the Twins and Padres were probably asking a huge price for them. These are the starting pitchers who were traded. I don't think any of these guys are game 1 starters for their new teams. Dustin May Merrill Kelley Chris Paddack Michael Soroka Zack Littel Shane Bieber Charlie Morton Bailey Falter Nestor Cortez Jordan Montgomery Adrian Houser I get the notion that bullpens are important in the playoffs. I doubt that's why the Sox plugged Taylor into the back of their bullpen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeC Posted August 1 Share Posted August 1 4 hours ago, caulfield12 said: What were the spring training odds of Grant Taylor being one of two Sox closers by mid summer? I don't follow betting odds that closely, but before the season started, I didn't think that Vegas considered the possibility of the Sox needing a closer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted August 1 Author Share Posted August 1 4 hours ago, WestEddy said: There really wasn't a clear cut "ace" being dangled, though. Joe Ryan of the Twins was the only guy whose name I heard that seemed like a stud. Teams who needed starters filled in the back of their rotations, but I didn't get the sense that there was anyone outside of Ryan or Cease who were really being offered, and the Twins and Padres were probably asking a huge price for them. These are the starting pitchers who were traded. I don't think any of these guys are game 1 starters for their new teams. Dustin May Merrill Kelley Chris Paddack Michael Soroka Zack Littel Shane Bieber Charlie Morton Bailey Falter Nestor Cortez Jordan Montgomery Adrian Houser I get the notion that bullpens are important in the playoffs. I doubt that's why the Sox plugged Taylor into the back of their bullpen. Obviously the Sox aren't a playoff team until at least 2028...the point is Taylor's worth is far from being suppressed if he can become an elite or at least quasi elite closer. Other than Kelley...all the guys on the traded list are essentially #4-5 back of the rotation guys at this point in their careers. Houser obviously has pitcher better than that, but kind of a journeyman prior like Fedde, who technically was traded as well. Marlins didn't like what they were getting offered for Alcantara as well as Cabrera. Gore didn't have the offers, you can go down the line and look at all the Top 1-3 starters supposedly on the market. Keller from Pitt, etc. You can actually make the case Taj Bradley to the Twins was the most talented guy move with team control for 2-4 years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted August 1 Author Share Posted August 1 14 minutes ago, JoeC said: I don't follow betting odds that closely, but before the season started, I didn't think that Vegas considered the possibility of the Sox needing a closer. Venable certainly didn't want to name anyone the first 2-3 months. Felt like Leasure or Wilson more often than not...even Eisert depending on matchups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted August 1 Share Posted August 1 I suppose there's some argument that all these relievers moving at the deadline is indicative of how they aren't really worth that much — teams are happy to get rid of them given the opportunity. Compare by contrast the number of shortstops being traded. And then think about the lack of good SP being traded and maybe that's because good SP are so scarce that they are very valuable, beyond the reach of teams who are knowingly making short-sighted moves and don't want to mortgage the future. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenSox Posted August 2 Share Posted August 2 Really could have used a lot more buying out of these AL Central teams. Need them to deplete their farm systems during Sox rebuild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chw42 Posted August 2 Share Posted August 2 (edited) Rick Hahn was indeed ahead of his time Edited August 2 by chw42 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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