Rainy day around here.
Pretty much setting us up for the sweep
Also Fenway Park apparently still has tickets available for the game. SAD!
But guess I can't blame the fans.. this team has been absolutely pathetic in the 1st two games and it would be one thing if they had hard fought losses, but none of them have been.
If they do get swept, FIRE FARRELL, and find a POWER BAT (or 2) in FA or via trade.
I've defended Farrell long enough but getting swept a second straight year in ALDS with all this talent is just unacceptable.
Yeah, I mean I don't hate Farrell, but I think it's time for a new face.
And I am all for trading for a power bat, but would rather not sign one via FA. It's like every big FA we signed this past decade ends up being massively overpaid and is beyond a disappointment. I know it shouldn't make a difference how they are acquired, but it seems to in the Sox case.
I'd agree but signing a FA with just $$$ seems wiser than say... trading prospects/players for Stanton and that massive contract.
JD Martinez, Hosmer, Jay Bruce - options in FA.
If you want to trade for an upgrade, trade Bogaerts. 0-9 in 2 playoff games, ANOTHER 2nd half slump, and the SCOTT BORAS CLIENT isn't worth the 100M+ contract he will get in a few years.
I'd much rather keep Nunez and his .310 avg (15 HR ability at Fenway) than X-Man (slightly overrated IMHO). His defense may be poor but Bogaerts' defense isn't exactly elite either.
Oh, I get that I am being irrational. Signing a FA is almost always better than trading top tier prospects (although the Sale deal and that amazing contract was fantastic); it's just that the Sox can't seem to catch a break on their FA signings.
Not sure what the heck happened to Bogaerts or any of the Sox hitters. Even some of our best pitchers fell off a cliff or got injured (Porcello, Price, Wright, Rodriguez) at the start of the season. It's amazing we made the playoffs, at all.
I will be interested to see who we bring in next season. We can't go forward with Ramirez and Betts as our top power hitters, especially when the HR ball is 'trendy' again.
Yep, well said. TP.
And it's sad that in the year where "HRs were king", the Sox were like dead last in hitting HRs.
It's showing in THIS series too. Astros have 6 HR to Boston's 0.
Sox have to claw and scratch for each run, and the Astros just hit solo shots or 2-run shots very quickly. Both irritating and sad to see. Like you can tell the Sox are trying to drive in runs but they simply don't have the power to hit HR's (except for Betts, Ramirez who have also underwhelmed this season and playoffs).
My guess is, JD Martinez is their Plan A option, Hosmer Plan B, and trading for Stanton is a Plan C/D option (if he's truly made available in trade talks).
Marrero apparently is great friends with Hosmer and they played together before MLB, so that could help in recruiting.
TP back at ya.
I'm just not sure how I hope the Sox approach FA this year. I would be pretty dissatisfied if we paid $23M+ to Martinez to be a DH (and is going to be 30) or Hosmer who hasn't exactly lit the world on fire.
Stanton's contract is insanity. I get what the Marlins were doing when they signed him to it - they were able to get a few extra years of him at a bargain price before shipping him off to the Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers, etc. The 59 homeruns were incredible, but it's not like he has ever come close that before. I am not sure taking him on for 10 years / ~$300M is exactly the smart thing to do, but I do like him better than Martinez/Hosmer. He would also help solve the face of the franchise issue.
Yeah I understand all that, it's all risky, but they have to do something, because going into the 2018 season with a similar lineup (aka no power or true home run threat) would be a big L, and unfortunately could just lead to more of the same. They need to find a power bat somewhere, someway.
I wonder if in a Stanton deal, they could ask MIA to eat up say $45M, so that Boston gets the remaining 10/250M (remaining 25M/Year), and they give MIA like 2 good/decent prospects, another "meh/lottery" prospect, and maybe Bogaerts OR JBJ. (Then re-sign Nunez)
Something like that if they go towards the trade route.
But I would NOT trade a Devers, Betts or Benintendi in any Stanton deal, no way (unless MIA ate like half the contract which they obviously won't)