Just some Sunday morning musings on the Sox, amidst the Antonio Brown mania and on the heels of a disgusting loss after being shutdown by worthless JA Happ of the Yankees.
-Time to deal Mookie and JD(if he opts in) and see what you can get. The pitching needs to be the major point of emphasis this winter. So disgusted and tired of this revolving door of relievers starting and then stating pitchers not being able to go past 5 innings. In a Mookie deal, if they can get starting pitcher Kyle Wright and center fielder Christian Pache (Braves top pitching and outfield prospect who should be ready by 2020, then perfect.) Mookie is from Nashville with Atlanta being the closest competitive baseball team. JBJ can play RF.
-Sign Gerrit Cole to a 7yr/240 mil deal. Overpay? Maybe....but one that's worthy. Who knows what on earth we're going to see next year from Sale, Price and Eovaldi. If these 3 guys break down with injuries, as might as well kiss the next 2-3 seasons goodbye. Not to mention, Sale isn't out of the Tommy John woods yet (and wonder if that might be the best thing for him, so at least he can come back healthy in 2021.)
-Sign a closer...whether it's thinking big like Will Smith (no, not the actor), Aroldis Chapman (if he opts out of deal with Yankees) or even a smaller acquisition like Daniel Hudson or Steve Cishek.
-Going to back the starting rotation, move either Price or Eovaldi to the bullpen. More than likely Eovaldi as I feel he might have more longevity as a reliever.
-Trim the fat and get rid of the worthless relievers like Steven Wright, Hector Velasquez, Josh Smith and Ryan Braiser.
-Call up some of the top prospects like Bobby Dalbec, Tanner Houck and Kyle Hart. Maybe Houck or Hart can be slotted in as a 5th starter. Time of integrate some of your farm system into the big league roster. Bryan Mata and Denyi Reyes could be ready by mid-season as well. Play Dalbec at 1st and leave Devers at 3rd. Chavis can platoon at DH and at 2nd base with Marco Hernandaez OR, stick it to the Yankees and sign Didi Gregorious to play 2nd base. Imagine an infield of Devers, Bogaerts, Gregorious and Dalbec.
-Let Holt, Moreland and Porcello walk.
-Turn a new page in 2020 and field a team that can compete for another World Series.
Lots of money off the books with Betts, Martinez, Porcello, Moreland, Holt, Pearce and the contracts of Nunez and Pablo off the books.
Will the Sox do ANY of this? Probably not.