Maybe we pile them in one spot?
So far we've seen:
Vasquez gone for Houston's #29 & #30.
Deikman gone for a nothing hitting catcher and cash/PTBNL.
Pham in for cash/PTBNL.
Well, um, call this my initial reaction on the Diekman trade. If Wong is supposed to be so geed defensively, why isn't he promoted to learn the ropes with Plawecki? If we're going to have to deal with having a nothing hitting catcher, he had better be lord king stud behind the plate. Personally, I'd hoped Hernandez could get some time, too. Especially with 'Tek there to offer words of wisdom. Goes for Wong, too. I don't know anything about that Reese feller, but we should have gotten more for Diekman unless it was a pure salary dump. We'll see what that PTBNL is?
And on Pham: Does Bloom know anything about just how valuable clubhouse chemistry is? I can't wait to see Cora and him clash. Think that PR director is going to be able to keep Pham's mouth shut? Good luck! I hope I'm wrong, but talent does not bounce from team to team to team for no reason. (see AJ Pierzinski, Carl Everett and that reliever that wouldn't walk back to the dugout with his bullpen mates at the end.) This is the town that protested outside Fenway in the off season to persuade Henry to NOT go for A-Rod. I mean, come on!!!
On the Vasquez trade, I hate seeing him go. It's hard to see the forest for the trees with something like this happens. I'm seeing potential in the OF'er as an all around player, and we severely lack OF depth. The infielder has found hitting this year, but has been labeled as "fringy" on defense. All to be determined. Basically, we may have upgraded the Arauz spot? Fitzgerald should had it, but went into a 2 month and counting slump. Fringy defense does not mean a Franchy thing. Franchy is a legend on defense, a nickname away from being up there with "Dr Strange Glove". I hope he does not block Rafaela. Plus defender that can play anywhere type AND can hit.
I guess I'm not thrilled with the return yet? Bloom cautioned us to wait for the rest of the puzzle. Um, sure, but that doesn't mean you have to get questionable..... oh whatever.
Vaz didn't make a lot of sense, it's not like he's saving a bunch of bucks and the return is so-so, but they basically traded 2 months of Vaz for 2 prospects which is okay I guess.
Any move that got Diekmann off this team was good with me. Plus they didn't give up anything for Pham, even though nobody can figure out the plan for him. I'd rather have Duran out there and learning than Pham, but maybe he's a replacement for a JBJ trade? None of these moves would seem to have any impact on a) this year or b) the future.
Quote from: longgame on August 02, 2022, 08:01:48 AM
Vaz didn't make a lot of sense, it's not like he's saving a bunch of bucks and the return is so-so, but they basically traded 2 months of Vaz for 2 prospects which is okay I guess.
Any move that got Diekmann off this team was good with me. Plus they didn't give up anything for Pham, even though nobody can figure out the plan for him. I'd rather have Duran out there and learning than Pham, but maybe he's a replacement for a JBJ trade? None of these moves would seem to have any impact on a) this year or b) the future.
Diekman's last outing was unfortunate. His delivery looked more in control and straight at the hitter. The velocity was strong. Then he snapped off that back foot slider and it all went to hell after that. He's never been Mr Control. I guess he's sort of the poster child for the 'pen's struggles with the BB.
I think he'll do better in Chicago, though not hugely better with BB department. Serviceable. I hope the PTBNL is worth something. I hate not giving our two AAA catchers a chance. Same principle as Duran getting needed experience.
As far as the Pham deal, there's some history at Tampa with Bloo m and Pham. He came to Rays from Cardinals in 18 or 19, and Bloom was impressed..
A caveat on "wait for the rest of the puzzle", Bloom said that last December after Renfroe for JBJ, then he did next to nothing after the new MLBPA contract was agreed to.
Soto and Bell both going to the Padres. Pads going all in this year.
Chaim Bloom could not be awoken to give a comment.
Quote from: longgame on August 02, 2022, 11:20:22 AM
Soto and Bell both going to the Padres. Pads going all in this year.
Chaim Bloom could not be awoken to give a comment.
Part of that deal was Hosmer to Nats. But Hosmer had a no-trade clause for Nats. Bob Nightengale said Hos is no longer in the deal, but it still goes forward. A tidbit they could be looking for a third team to pick Hosmer and his 3 years @$18m AAV.
Does anyone know a team that needs a 1B? ;D
Quote from: longgame on August 02, 2022, 01:10:38 PM
Does anyone know a team that needs a 1B? ;D
Jeff Sanders, a beat writer, tweeted that Hosmer is going to Red Sox. There’s lots of crap on twitter. Another confirmation is in order.
Mark Feinsand confirms it,
The Red Sox will acquire Eric Hosmer, per source. Hosmer rejected the trade to the Nationals earlier today. It remains to be seen whether the Padres will pick up a portion of Hosmer’s $39M, or perhaps send a prospect with him to Boston.
In isolation, I just love me some Eric Hosmer at 1B. Big picture could be fascinating. Going to be interesting. Especially with Casas in the wings.
Something that actually makes sense. Addresses a big hole at 1B and they don’t have to pay much. They have him for 3 more years and could be a good piece to give Casas time to develop and then mentor him when he gets here.
Verbiage on MLB.com states a significant amount of the $$ being paid the the Padres. Hopefully enough to make him moveable should Casas arise. TBD
I think JDM stays on board. Looks like Bloom is still shopping our pitchers with about two hours left to trade.
Sources say they've (Phillies) talked to the Red Sox about Nathan Eovaldi and Rich Hill, and to the Giants about Carlos Rodon. And still in conversation with the Angels on Syndergaard.
The pitcher Sox traded is Groome. To Padres. The kid had an up and down career with the Sox system.
Boston is acquiring prospects Corey Rosier and Max Ferguson, Cotillo reports.
3:59pm: There are multiple players involved in the deal, tweets Chris Cotillo of MassLive. Robert Murray of FanSided reports (on Twitter) that Boston is sending pitching prospect Jay Groome to San Diego.
I don't really get this Hosmer deal. The other two we're getting look like toss-ins. We give up Groome for a position player we hope to not need next year?
In the Groome deal I haven’t liked beyond their bios. Both 23 yo. Ferguson was a 5th round draftee by Padres in2021. Played 2B, preseason all-American at Univ of Tenn. Rosier , an OF, was picked in 12th round by Seatle in 2021 , to Padres in the Frazier deal.
New Red Sox 2B/SS/CF Max Ferguson was the Padres 5th rd. pick in 2021 out of Tennessee. This year in 432 PA in A/A+: .221/.365/.358 w/6 HR, 55 SB, 17.4% BB & 23.4% K. Best tools are speed & defense. Needs to get stronger. Bat is light & has struggled since he was promoted to A+.
The MLB network guys are laughing and wondering how the Padres pulled off that trade.
Quote from: MongoLikeSox on August 02, 2022, 04:31:16 PM
The MLB network guys are laughing and wondering how the Padres pulled off that trade.
Looks like it was down to numbers. Groome was on the 40 man, had one option left. After TJ his FB was sitting at 87-88. The Sox have some hard decisions in off season who to put on 40 man, who goes on Rule 5.
Mongo, they found out that Padres are indeed picking up all of Hosmer’s $44mil contract through 2025. That might explain the two young, questionable kids for Groome. A way of Pads saying, that will help our image with San Diego fans after the Soto part of the deal turned out great. Baseball exec’s are really strange people.
Oh, good. That makes it much easier to swallow, and gives us an insurance policy if Casas doesn't work out. I am so much gonna like having another professional hitter on the team, not to mention the obvious defense upgrade.
I hope I'm wrong on Pham.
They sent Franchy down! My goodness, that was something else.
Groome's certainly been an injury issue. Hopefully it turns for him.
Quote from: MongoLikeSox on August 02, 2022, 07:12:57 PM
Oh, good. That makes it much easier to swallow, and gives us an insurance policy if Casas doesn't work out. I am so much gonna like having another professional hitter on the team, not to mention the obvious defense upgrade.
I hope I'm wrong on Pham.
They sent Franchy down! My goodness, that was something else.
Groome's certainly been an injury issue. Hopefully it turns for him.
The Franchy reference is just speculation on how Sox handle the new additions with the old roster. Not official.
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on August 02, 2022, 07:19:22 PM
Quote from: MongoLikeSox on August 02, 2022, 07:12:57 PM
Oh, good. That makes it much easier to swallow, and gives us an insurance policy if Casas doesn't work out. I am so much gonna like having another professional hitter on the team, not to mention the obvious defense upgrade.
I hope I'm wrong on Pham.
They sent Franchy down! My goodness, that was something else.
Groome's certainly been an injury issue. Hopefully it turns for him.
The Franchy reference is just speculation on how Sox handle the new additions with the old roster. Not official.
That was their first official transaction yesterday listed on the MLB site. "Boston Red Sox optioned CF Franchy Cordero to Worcester Red Sox."
So, we had 4 trades.
Vasquez for 2 upper level top-30 prospects having breakthrough years.
Diekman for a weak hitting Catcher with a caught steeling rate near Vasquez's.
Hosmer (paid in full???) and 2 top-30 prospects(really? Not too sure) for Jay Groome(Our #11)
Pham for a PTBNL and/or Cash
We had 4 7 8 pressing needs.
1B
RF offensive production
CF offensive production and defense
back end bullpen*
The healing powers of mythical springs.
Big League ready depth in the OF/IF and Bull pen. One could argue starting pitching.
Strike throwing bull pen
Roster Crisis looming
We had some strengths and Advantages
The injured has started to filter back in
Strong Catcher, SS and 3B(at least offensively) and DH
Upper level minor league starting pitching
So how did we do?
I think they did okay. It didn't make sense to go all in, as much as it didn't make sense to have a fire sale. They got much needed help at 1B with no impact. Groome was a question mark since returning from injury. Still not sure what the Vaz deal got them. Pham isn't a game changer but what an upgrade over Franchy.
The main thing is they didn't hurt the team, they still don't have much of a postseason chance this year but they can address their real needs in the offseason when there are more options and less to give up.
I am still trying to make sense of the Vaz trade. In general, I think it was a mistake but confess I do not know enough of the two prospects he got.
I do not like the McGuire acquisition regardless of his worth as a player. Nearly twenty years ago Henry got rid of a couple good ball players because of their alleged moral turpitude. Why he tolerated this acquisition is beyond me unless he was not aware of his record.
Like most I do not believe Bloom.has a well thought out strategic direction. Like it was said Bloom still has a small market mentality. I believed he would have dumped Bogaerts and JDM if it weren't for the backlash he was getting. I suspect but do not know that Henry seeing the clamor vetoed any such move at least for the time being.
My 2 cents, the McGuire thing was more a deep backup move, sorta like Cubs dealing for old friend Sandy Leon in case they lost Contreras. Did I read Vaz shot his mouth off and got punished? I really think Bloom is just as interested in WhiteSox ptbnl than McGuire in that deal, another lottery ticket.
Anyways Ive seen Sox will look for another catcher in the hotstove, Contreres or maybe Vaz again? Plawicki, Ronaldo Hernandez or Wong do not look like your everyday catcher. And they sign another OF better than Pham, Kike' again? Mancini? One opinion I saw was going after Dansby Swanson if Bogey cleans out his locker.
For a moment, let's say that Vasquez was a dissenting ring-leader. Just for discussion. That being the case, it's not an uncommon move in the least in the real world to pick off a highly visible and audible target. The rest scurry back into some form of behavior. I'm not convinced that falls entirely into this bucket, though.
I don't doubt that there was something related to that notion, either.
You don't give up your #1 catcher - BY FAR - if you are serious about contending. Not without replacing him with an upscale or popular known option. He knows these pitchers and they know him. Not unless he is the problem behind the pitching struggles. If we can assume he is not the problem, then the risk of pitching getting even worse exists. Every pitcher on the team as to re-establish a comfort level with the catchers. It's too big of a risk. The wrong position to unload for 2023-2024 prospects.
So yes, I'm still struggling with the Vasquez deal. I think I will like the return, though.
Quote from: MongoLikeSox on August 03, 2022, 09:26:48 AM
For a moment, let's say that Vasquez was a dissenting ring-leader. Just for discussion. That being the case, it's not an uncommon move in the least in the real world to pick off a highly visible and audible target. The rest scurry back into some form of behavior. I'm not convinced that falls entirely into this bucket, though.
I don't doubt that there was something related to that notion, either.
You don't give up your #1 catcher - BY FAR - if you are serious about contending. Not without replacing him with an upscale or popular known option. He knows these pitchers and they know him. Not unless he is the problem behind the pitching struggles. If we can assume he is not the problem, then the risk of pitching getting even worse exists. Every pitcher on the team as to re-establish a comfort level with the catchers. It's too big of a risk. The wrong position to unload for 2023-2024 prospects.
So yes, I'm still struggling with the Vasquez deal. I think I will like the return, though.
To get into an old arguement, I recall a couple of the pitchers preferred Leon catching over Vaz, Porcello for one. For whatever reason, the pitchers ERA is 1.5 in last two games in a complicated equation!
Over at AAA the Valdez prize, Enmanuel Valdez starts today playing 2B and batting cleanup. Maybe gets a stolen base if nothing else.
He basically questioned if Bloom was committed to winning, clearly said in frustration.
Quote"Do you think Chaim (Bloom) believes in the team?" he was asked, a reference to the chief baseball officer who appears ready to shed any number of pending free agents, Vazquez included.
"I don't know," he said.
To me the bigger deal is this is another good homegrown player that got dumped. Does it matter if we build a good farm system if we just trade them away when they mature into complete players?
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on August 03, 2022, 10:43:14 AM
Quote from: MongoLikeSox on August 03, 2022, 09:26:48 AM
For a moment, let's say that Vasquez was a dissenting ring-leader. Just for discussion. That being the case, it's not an uncommon move in the least in the real world to pick off a highly visible and audible target. The rest scurry back into some form of behavior. I'm not convinced that falls entirely into this bucket, though.
I don't doubt that there was something related to that notion, either.
You don't give up your #1 catcher - BY FAR - if you are serious about contending. Not without replacing him with an upscale or popular known option. He knows these pitchers and they know him. Not unless he is the problem behind the pitching struggles. If we can assume he is not the problem, then the risk of pitching getting even worse exists. Every pitcher on the team as to re-establish a comfort level with the catchers. It's too big of a risk. The wrong position to unload for 2023-2024 prospects.
So yes, I'm still struggling with the Vasquez deal. I think I will like the return, though.
To get into an old arguement, I recall a couple of the pitchers preferred Leon catching over Vaz, Porcello for one. For whatever reason, the pitchers ERA is 1.5 in last two games in a complicated equation!
Over at AAA the Valdez prize, Enmanuel Valdez starts today playing 2B and batting cleanup. Maybe gets a stolen base if nothing else.
The interesting thing will be if the pitching settles down will the Sox leak out that they didn't like how Vaz called games? I've been joking that dumping him launched a winning streak, and there's been plenty of talk about Sox pitchers' pitch selections, but I'd hate to see him get trashed by the team as they like to do.
Indeed, I remember that argument. Porcello called him the heart and soul of the pitching staff in 2018.
The up in the zone pitching was part of the problem. Anyone happen to flashback to last year's playoffs when Alvarez hit a waist-high, outer-thirds fast one off the wall last night? I can go the whole rest of the year without seeing that tried again.
Quote from: MongoLikeSox on August 03, 2022, 05:44:25 AM
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on August 02, 2022, 07:19:22 PM
Quote from: MongoLikeSox on August 02, 2022, 07:12:57 PM
Oh, good. That makes it much easier to swallow, and gives us an insurance policy if Casas doesn't work out. I am so much gonna like having another professional hitter on the team, not to mention the obvious defense upgrade.
I hope I'm wrong on Pham.
They sent Franchy down! My goodness, that was something else.
Groome's certainly been an injury issue. Hopefully it turns for him.
The Franchy reference is just speculation on how Sox handle the new additions with the old roster. Not official.
That was their first official transaction yesterday listed on the MLB site. "Boston Red Sox optioned CF Franchy Cordero to Worcester Red Sox."
Now when do they DFA him once and for all and when no other team claims him WE RELEASE THE BUM? He can't field, can;t
, run and strikes out even more than the disgraceful Bradley. Send him away,,,please!!!!!!
The Vaz prize, Enmanuel Valdez got an opposite field dinger in his second at bat in Worcester today. Unless Story is out for an extended period into Sept, Emanny, a 2b, probably won't get a Sept callup. Casas can preserve his rookie status on Aug 19 for a callup.