Free Agency this off-season

[MongoLikeSox]

We got this guy, though. Minor league signee & Spring Training invite. Kind of hidden and buried amongst 1/2 dozen or so other ST invites and a couple kid/amateur signings. Almost like they didn't want anyone to notice.  thumb_u 
https://www.mlb.com/player/jamie-westbrook-642197?stats=career-r-hitting-minors&year=2023

[longgame]

We got this guy, though. Minor league signee & Spring Training invite. Kind of hidden and buried amongst 1/2 dozen or so other ST invites and a couple kid/amateur signings. Almost like they didn't want anyone to notice.  thumb_u 
https://www.mlb.com/player/jamie-westbrook-642197?stats=career-r-hitting-minors&year=2023

28 years old and yet to crack the bigs, but a good season last year.  Seems a typical Sox pickup.

[MongoLikeSox]

They did lose a depth MI with Fitzgerald being selected in the AAA Phase of the Rule 5 draft. Not that they were ever going to use him. He got screwed over. I hope the crow embarrasses the 'Sox brass.

Back to Starting Pitching
The MLB site said yesterday that Yakamoto is due to visit the Red Sox in the next few days. He's already visited with the Mets, Yankees and Giants. The same article suggested the Blue Jays as being in the short list, too.

The Royals are supposedly close to signing Lugo out of San Diego. 3 years, $45M. It's impossible to imagine which direction the Red Sox took. The writers all say the Sox were interested. If so, they A: Balked at the 3 year commitment, B: Are being really cheap with a veil of BS akin to last season, C: Are making headway for what they think are better options in the moderately priced category, D: holding all their cards for the big prizes or E: considering blockbusters on rentals.

[longgame]

Sox pick up Cooper Chriswell, 27 year old reliever with Rays who pitched in 12 games in 2 years.  The dumpster diving continues.

[MongoLikeSox]

Sox pick up Cooper Chriswell, 27 year old reliever with Rays who pitched in 12 games in 2 years.  The dumpster diving continues.

oh geeez!!!! That's a MLB deal 40-man spot deal. This really is a dumpster dive by every definition. Crap!!!!

"Come meet the new boss! Same as the old boss!" - The Who

[longgame]

You wonder who they're going to miss out on and what reclamation project they're going to sign every day.

[SeaBeachFred]

They did lose a depth MI with Fitzgerald being selected in the AAA Phase of the Rule 5 draft. Not that they were ever going to use him. He got screwed over. I hope the crow embarrasses the 'Sox brass.

Back to Starting Pitching
The MLB site said yesterday that Yakamoto is due to visit the Red Sox in the next few days. He's already visited with the Mets, Yankees and Giants. The same article suggested the Blue Jays as being in the short list, too.

The Royals are supposedly close to signing Lugo out of San Diego. 3 years, $45M. It's impossible to imagine which direction the Red Sox took. The writers all say the Sox were interested. If so, they A: Balked at the 3 year commitment, B: Are being really cheap with a veil of BS akin to last season, C: Are making headway for what they think are better options in the moderately priced category, D: holding all their cards for the big prizes or E: considering blockbusters on rentals.

I'll take option B until I see this front office more than a bunch of incompetent buffoons who don't know shit from Shinola where talent lies and be willing to ante up the cash for it.  Certainly Prune Face is AWOL and his underlings are about as worthless as a swimmer trying to glide his way across a lake in a suit of armor.  Absolutely disgusting.

[SeaBeachFred]

Sox pick up Cooper Chriswell, 27 year old reliever with Rays who pitched in 12 games in 2 years.  The dumpster diving continues.

Hey Mongo, look at what Ted just wrote and you have your answer.  Dumpster diving at its best with empty suit Breslow quickly turning into a human pumpkin.

[MongoLikeSox]

All is quiet on the Yakamoto and Imanaga fronts, but the former is supposed to meet with the sox within the next few days. Speier downplayed the possibility of signing him Thursday while the MLB Red Sox site is talking it up.

Meanwhile, another FA pitcher fell off the board with Wacha getting a 1 year deal with the Royals for $16M with a 2nd year $16M player option. Good for KC. Their second deal in the past couple of weeks.

A player we were never going to get was Tyler Glasnow, whom the Dodgers acquired for a decent Pitching prospect who's already had some good MLB time and a good looking OF'er who made his debut last season. The Dodgers took on Margot's contract as well. They did this on the condition that Glasnow sign and extension and it looks like it's final. Looks like 5 years, $135M extension for someone who has not made more than 21 starts since he floated between Pittsburgh and AAA in 2017. Good work if you can get it.

Clock's a tickin'!

[elktonnick]

If the Sox really want Yakamoto then Henry must meet with him in person.  Steve Cohen went to Japan and then had Yakamoto over to his house.  It will take personal intervention by Henry to out do Cohen.  Like the old saying goes," Never speak to the monkey when the organ grinder is in the room." 
If the Sox lose out on Yakamoto, it is all Henry's fault, not Breslow. I think this is a test of ownership's real commitment.  No more bull  on how much they care.

[SeaBeachFred]

If the Sox really want Yakamoto then Henry must meet with him in person.  Steve Cohen went to Japan and then had Yakamoto over to his house.  It will take personal intervention by Henry to out do Cohen.  Like the old saying goes," Never speak to the monkey when the organ grinder is in the room." 
If the Sox lose out on Yakamoto, it is all Henry's fault, not Breslow. I think this is a test of ownership's real commitment.  No more bull  on how much they care.

But deep down Elk you know that Henry is trying to throw a load of poop at us and, unfortunately the pink hats and boot lickers are about to follow the pied piper into the drink.  Besides, by now, most everyone following the Red Sox knows Prune Face has horse dung people skills and most likely would make a negative impression on Yamamoto anyway.  Still it would be good for him to try, and in the meantime have Breslow start earning his money by going out and signing two pitchers in case we once again fail to connect with some real talent in Yamamoto.

[MongoLikeSox]

This is an awful mess that FSG and Bloom left for Breslow to clean up.

Breslow's playing a dangerous game right now. I'm not saying he's up to the task, but he's got one helluva sell job in front of him that will require a player to have trust in a situation that has proven to only be untrustworthy for a long time. 

[longgame]

Nice blog post from this guy, sums things up nicely.  https://diehardbostonsportsfans.com/boston-red-sox-still-doing-it-wrong/

It seems like they're putting all their eggs in one basket and if they fall short on Yamamoto they're screwed.  Part of me says in the old days we'd get a newspaper article about the Winter Meetings and maybe an update now and then and therefore maybe we overreact to the lack of Sox news.  But the game now is all out bidding for anyone who has a WAR over -2 and the money is more out of control than ever. If the Sox want to play, then they need to pony up.  If not, sell the team.

Meanwhile, every time I read about a new sports venture, the latest being a pro indoor golf league, FSG is right up there as an investor.  Invest in the properties you have.  Why are the Sox the least important of his properties? 

[SeaBeachFred]

Nice blog post from this guy, sums things up nicely.  https://diehardbostonsportsfans.com/boston-red-sox-still-doing-it-wrong/

It seems like they're putting all their eggs in one basket and if they fall short on Yamamoto they're screwed.  Part of me says in the old days we'd get a newspaper article about the Winter Meetings and maybe an update now and then and therefore maybe we overreact to the lack of Sox news.  But the game now is all out bidding for anyone who has a WAR over -2 and the money is more out of control than ever. If the Sox want to play, then they need to pony up.  If not, sell the team.

Meanwhile, every time I read about a new sports venture, the latest being a pro indoor golf league, FSG is right up there as an investor.  Invest in the properties you have.  Why are the Sox the least important of his properties?

It makes no sense Ted except to say that the Red Soxare no longer of any importance to John Henry, other wise he would not stand for six last place finishes in the past 12 seasons.

[MongoLikeSox]

And Ysmamoto joins Ohtani and Glasnow in LA. Anyone think the dodgers are setting themselves up for an even more impressive 2-3 year run? Yikes. I can't imagine that situation looking anything but appetizing for Yamamoto. Part of a super team, I mean.

Well, here's to hoping the 'Sox show patience and keep their youth for another year at the expense of giving Montgomery and/or Imanaga bigger contracts than they want to dole out.

Yeah, and it was some extra sand in my undies last night when the FSG owned Pittsburgh Penguins skated circles around the 'Canes last night with the help of some awful officiating (again). At least we got an OT point.