Blooms moves or lack thereof

[SeaBeachFred]

I guess it's an okay move.  Bloom likes his misfit toys, that's for sure.  Pretty grizzled rotation of Sale, Kluber and Paxton but a lot of upside, just don't know how high the chance is of that upside showing itself.

My take is that signing Kluber was a better move for us than resigning Hill.  Rich was pretty shitty this past season, usually getting nailed for four or five runs almost every outing.  And he 43.  Kluber is no spring chicken either but is five years younger and I believe he does b ring more to the table than hill.  Hill does bring napkins and a tablecloth; Kluber might bring a pitcher of water or lemonade.  Kluber by a shade, but we still suck and SB Bloom is still the total failure in my book.

[elktonnick]

Fred I agree.  However my reaction to Kuber signing is that Bloom is doing the bare minimum to give the appearance that the team can be relevant.

If this team can win more games than last year will only be a result of a diminished number of games against the ALE. .They still will finish last.

[MongoLikeSox]

4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 5a, 5b, 5c, 6a, 6b, 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d. That's our depth chart. Most teams stack 'em like 1-2-3-4-5 and so on. Not us. We got two aces and a #2 all of whom done lost it years ago.

Anyone else seeing Houck as the odd man out again? I'd be a little more sympathetic had he not been one of the catalysts for two of our worst slumps last season.

[longgame]

4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 5a, 5b, 5c, 6a, 6b, 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d. That's our depth chart. Most teams stack 'em like 1-2-3-4-5 and so on. Not us. We got two aces and a #2 all of whom done lost it years ago.

Anyone else seeing Houck as the odd man out again? I'd be a little more sympathetic had he not been one of the catalysts for two of our worst slumps last season.

I’m guessing Sale, Kluber, Paxton Pivetta and Bello as starters assuming they are all healthy which is probably 50/50.  I have no idea if Sale or Paxton will be able to start the season.

[MongoLikeSox]

Devers and Sox avoid arbitration for the final year of control and agree to a $17.5M salary for 2023. The 'Sox maintain that they are still trying to sign Devers. To me, it points to anything but an imminent agreement.

Meanwhile, no official signing of Turner and Kluber. Holiday season down-time? Slow review of medical records? No room on the 40-man Roster without trades or DFA'ing someone? It's still quite a mess.

Very few trades out there. Mostly for people we don't have. Strong OF bat for strong BP guy, or stud catcher for all-star catcher and decent(not great) pitching prospects. Another one involved stud OF'er for good OF bat and a top stud catching prospect. We may not have been at the table near the end of any of these deals.   

[longgame]

Things are very quiet at Fenway.  Of course they were busy with their hockey team playing at their baseball stadium so who cares, right?

I was watching MLB last night and they were torching the Red Sox.  Verducci said Devers is gone by July.  Peavy can't believe what a mess they've become.  They listed all the players they've let go - see also Mongo's list - and you've got a pretty decent team among them.  They said as we have, that they made a couple of decent veteran bullpen moves (in an era when 25 year olds throwing 103 dominate) and there is possible, but somewhat unlikely upside with Sale and Paxton, but there doesn't appear to be any sort of plan, strategy, direction happening.  They mentioned that baseball, especially in the northeast, was Red Sox and Yankees and then everyone else.  Now they're clearly the 5th place team and are outshone in the northeast by both NY teams and the Phillies - all who shelled out some big contracts.

[Sea Dog 23]

Yep Devers and his agents are heading out the door.  The new economics of baseball put him in the $30 mil club.  Is a limited 3B/future DH worth that?  He!! NO.  But those are the contracts being awarded players and their fans.

For Henry , Devers is out of the market for the new Boston makeup. Consider Bloom’s biggest deals since his arrival are Trevor Story at 6/$23.3m AAV and Yoshida at 5/$20m AAV.  They aren’t gonna be a party to the Devers bidding.  It is just 6 weeks until they toe the rubber against the Braves.  They’re still missing a SS/2B, strong RF, one pitcher, and a major league catcher.  Some talk they’re interested in Padres SS Ha Seong Kim for Nick Pivetta.  That would be weird, having seen Padres take our 2022 SS Bogaerts and giving maybe our healthiest pitcher.  Long story short, Bloomers promise to Kike’ 2023 would be a better team was a bald faced lie.  We are about to lose our top three 2022 players for BA, OPS, RBIs.

[longgame]

Devers may get one of the biggest contracts ever given his age, especially if he has a great season - but the Sox will dampen those chances as they'll be a poor team.  But I'd expect someone will give him 12 years. 

[elktonnick]

Color me stunned 11 years 331 million extension for Devers.  Guess Henry got the  message at Bruins game.

[Sea Dog 23]

Color me stunned 11 years 331 million extension for Devers.  Guess Henry got the  message at Bruins game.

Just heard that on ESPN radio.  Color me puzzled

[elktonnick]

Color me stunned 11 years 331 million extension for Devers.  Guess Henry got the  message at Bruins game.

Just heard that on ESPN radio.  Color me puzzled

Facing a fan revolt, Henry had to realize that  he needed to change course. 

[Sea Dog 23]

Twitter report that the new salary begins in 2024 and includes a $20 mil “signing bonus”  I think the math leaves the Sox about $25-mil to spend on the’23 roster and stay under the lux tax line. 
Another source I read today is $17 mil left to spend.

[MongoLikeSox]

Dang!!!!  I am truly stunned. Absolutely stunned. No way and wow. I hope it happens.

[longgame]

Definitely shocked and a hell of a contract for the kid.  Now he needs some help!

[SeaBeachFred]

Dang!!!!  I am truly stunned. Absolutely stunned. No way and wow. I hope it happens.

Shock , stunned, you name it, I've got it, but I just hope that contract becomes official with Devers' name on the dotted line.