I find the whole "how much does he care" exercise "silly." Mostly because I don't think it makes one micro-shit worth of difference.
Craig Breslow: Red Sox CBO
- Thread starter soxhop411
- Start date
He lost interest in that around 2005-2006 and fell apart by 2012.
I don't think Henry lost interest completely in the Red Sox either. I also don't think he is trying actively make them lose like some sort of Major League (the film) scheme. I do think the investment and focus of FSG has definitely shifted away from the Red Sox. I also think they spent the last five years really avoiding an accountability for this team and performance in a way he never would have accepted 20 years ago.
Think of the all hands on deck after "Chicken and Beer" and now look at what Bloom decimated this team into. The response from FSG and Henry is night and day.
I don't blame Henry for not wanting to eat shit for FSG hiring Bloom or the current state of the team but if FSG still wants to charge top three for average ticket price and put out the Bloom era they are going to have to someone come out and take accountability. Usually that starts at the top. Otherwise people are right to jeer and boo these people because lets be honest it is a lot better FSG for people to boo and jeer than to not give a shit. Once they get into that spot, they are going to start losing money on the investment.
It is funny because Kraft is clearly aware of this. Wyc didn't like it but Ainge jumped on the grenade for him. FSG can't even muster some sacrificial lamb to look like someone is in charge? Sam Kennedy should have been fired or moved out of the Red Sox but instead they gave him an ownership piece. This is how the Red Sox started their fun slippery ride back back before Henry.
Hopefully Breslow can take the pieces they have which is not terrible and build something back up. That said, nothing the ownership group has done since COVID would make anyone think this team isn't in its Season 8 of Game of Thrones.
Noted. I’m glad you registered your opinion. I will make sure that it is included in this month’s SoSH newsletter which should be hitting inboxes the day before Thanksgiving.
Perfect. I have a half day of work that day and will be able to dive right in.
Nice timing, a TON of ad revenue incoming from the Black Friday shopping circulars.
John Henry may have been an advanced stats aficionado and worshipper of Bill James when purchasing the Sox, but he was never a GM or scout. Henry was more hands on for the first several years, just due to having all hands on deck for ANY action or advancement on player personnel, ballpark/fan experience, etc. would be an improvement on the previous leadership. But from the ownership box, unless your name is George Steinbrenner so much of the management is in year-to-year execution rather than on a daily basis. Once you have confidence in your process and hiring procedure, it *should* allow an owner to focus on other items to grow their portfolio/business. I am sure Henry thinks pursuing these other operations FSG has their hand in is a feature and not a bug for the Red Sox, much like a diversified stock portfolio helps you to keep steady on your investments, even as one asset may be losing value while another flourishes.
I don't understand the calls for Henry to involve himself in the day-to-day of the team's affairs in some quixotic quest for "accountability" (lol). FSG has its ownership structure, and one of its key executives, Sam Kennedy, runs the Red Sox. Bloom had 2 down years after an ALCS appearance. But owners don't fire themselves if the GM fails; that's the way all sports work, including baseball. Instead, the owners find a replacement and move on. FSG wasn't exactly overly patient with Bloom, given that he was given a mandate to rebuild via a process that typically takes 5-7 years. But appeasing the fanbase has become a requirement for the baseball ops position, so I guess it was time to move on.
But the less someone like John Henry is involved in the day-to-day, the better off the team will likely be.
But the less someone like John Henry is involved in the day-to-day, the better off the team will likely be.
Apparently Breslow can't hire anyone from the Cubs for a year.
https://www.marqueesportsnetwork.com/after-craig-breslows-departure-where-does-cubs-pitching-infrastructure-go/
Sidenote, this was a pretty funny back & forth between Breslow & Hoyer.
There's other details in here about the infrastructure Breslow helped build up with the Cubs.
https://www.marqueesportsnetwork.com/after-craig-breslows-departure-where-does-cubs-pitching-infrastructure-go/
Sidenote, this was a pretty funny back & forth between Breslow & Hoyer.
The Athletic "surveyed 16 agents, who were granted anonymity in exchange for their candor" about the Winter Meetings and the offseason in general.
https://theathletic.com/5109432/2023/12/04/mlb-winter-meetings-ohtani-soto-mets/
They included a Breslow question:
https://theathletic.com/5109432/2023/12/04/mlb-winter-meetings-ohtani-soto-mets/
They included a Breslow question:
More no votes than yes:
The majority went with TBD. Well, no one can prove them wrong.
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I know anonymous agents are not the be-all and end-all of knowledge about the Red Sox but it is interesting to hear how what they have to say tells us about the perception of the organization throughout the sport.
That certainly seemed to be the perception around SoSH, which faded a bit after the Breslow hire.
This negative perception of the organization surprised me. Is this a common point of view, that the Sox organizational culture is bad?
Certainly agents will notice when team payroll drops from consistent top-4 or top-6 to 12th or whatever we were. But after hearing a bunch of "People in the game didn't like dealing with Chaim and his indecisiveness" it's interesting to hear the focus on the ownership instead.
Which jibes with my take on the Bloom firing, which is that he was scapegoated for doing exactly what ownership hired him to do -- get something for Mookie, get under the luxury tax threshold, and fill the prospect pool.
Agents want to get as much money as possible for their clients, and lately the Sox haven't spent (except for Devers) the way they expect them to.
Ergo, they want to let the Sox know that they're pissed, and try to get their fan base to egg them on to spend $ on their player-clients. Nothing more to see here, in my (uninformed) opinion.
Ergo, they want to let the Sox know that they're pissed, and try to get their fan base to egg them on to spend $ on their player-clients. Nothing more to see here, in my (uninformed) opinion.
I have to agree; other POBOs didn’t like working with Bloom for his indecisiveness, and agents weren’t happy because he wasn’t spending.
Have there been any big contracts given out over the past 3-4 years that you wish the Sox had landed? I'm honestly struggling to think of any - maybe Eovaldi, but the timing of that one has been covered before.
Counting the Devers deal, where do the Sox land in total contract the last two offseasons? I'd think with Devers, Story, and Yoshida, it has to be fairly high, wouldn't it?
Clearly not top of the league high like they used to be, but this window features some anomalous factors (Texas, San Diego and Philadelphia in their boom cycles after not spending for half a decade; Judge's record-breaking contract; Steve Cohen generally going nutzoid).
Clearly not top of the league high like they used to be, but this window features some anomalous factors (Texas, San Diego and Philadelphia in their boom cycles after not spending for half a decade; Judge's record-breaking contract; Steve Cohen generally going nutzoid).
Unfortunately, both Eflin and Senga didn't want to play for the Sox. Senga wanted to play for a team ready to win now (whoops!) and that removed us from the list and Eflin used our offer to get more out of the Rays... I mean we can be jealous of the deal, but we couldn't have signed either player to that deal...
Yeah, Eflin is probably the only one, and I am not convinced that 1) he had any actual interest in coming to Boston, since reports said he took less to go to Tampa, and 2) that he would have been any good in front of the Red Sox defense.
Number 2 is the same concern I have about Jordan Montgomery, FWIW (not much).
Number 2 is the same concern I have about Jordan Montgomery, FWIW (not much).
I do wonder if the Breslow, Bailey, and now Willard hires are at least partially about addressing this, if it's a trend. I've long thought there was reticence among free agent starters to come to Boston for a confluence of factors (bad weather, hitters' park, AL East, etc.). Establishing the org around the league as a kind of Pitching Academy — especially one run by a well liked former journeyman MLB player — could be a good way to counter that.
It definitely seems like they are all in on the pitching academy idea.
Assuming Rafaela is who they say he is in CF, and that he can hit in a way that allows him to play the majority of the team's innings there (not convinced), I think that getting a 2B who can play something resembling a human being and not a rubber statue is the second most important part of addressing the pitching staff this year. Seeing Enmannuel Valdez taking 2B reps all over the Sox Xittersphere the last week is not solving that problem to me.
I remain excited about the long term health of this organization. I fear that this year is going to end up another shitshow, though.
Cora and Breslow were interviewed on MLB network
Quotes are below (via unroll link and not twitter)
Alex Cora
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1731772053479436430.html
Craig Breslow
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1731766947727958328.html
Quotes are below (via unroll link and not twitter)
Alex Cora
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1731772053479436430.html
Craig Breslow
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1731766947727958328.html
Thanks very much for posting the interviews that way, not on Xitter.
I didn't quite understand what Cora meant about Story going to Dallas to be around some kids and help them to build a winning culture. Dallas?
I am guessing they are talking about this:
https://www.mlb.com/news/trevor-story-to-host-winter-camp-for-red-sox-infielders
All the emphasis on "our guys getting better" makes me restless. I mean, I know they need to advocate for guys on the roster, can't throw anyone under the bus -- but it feels like they are prepping the fanbase to lower their expectations about new acquisitions.
Thanks for that info. A guy who could learn something from Story is Devers, but I'm not dreaming that he would condescend to attend a kiddies camp.
Depends on your definition of "large", I suppose. But just to the bolded above, I'd be more than happy with any of:
Freddie Freeman - 6/$162m/$27m. (Casas ideally as the DH but also could have been traded to acquire long term SP).
Klye Schwarber - 4/$79m/$19.25m (Obviously you wouldn't have he and FF both, but I'd be thrilled with either - in this scenario Casas is still at 1b and Schwarber is the DH).
Seiya Suzuki - 5/$85m/$17m (I'd far rather have him than Yoshida, but I do like Yoshida, to be clear - but I'd rather have Suzuki for less money and it's not close).
Dansby Swanson - 7/$177m/$25.25m (and if we could have gotten Bogey for anything close to this, I'd have done that first, obviously).
Justin Verlander 2/$87m/$43m.
Eovaldi, as has been gone over plenty.
Chris Bassitt 3/$63m/$21m (I think the stability he'd provide as an innings eating 2/3 would have been incredibly valuable).
Senga (if we'd signed some of those deals, maybe he thinks Boston IS a contending team - who knows).
Nola (understood he wanted to go back to Philly, but I'd have given him 8/$200m if he'd have signed it).
To be fair, at the time I also would have taken the deals for Taillon and Scherzer (and advocated strongly to trade for Scherzer at least year's deadline).
FWIW, I would not have wanted to pony up what was eventually given to Judge, Seager, Correa (after the injury news), deGrom or Semien. However, Texas had to show that they were serious about contending so made some overpays (Seager and Semien) and I think the Sox are in a similar spot right now if they want to land any premiere FAs. (I'd overpay all on the pitching side right now, FWIW, b/c I think our pitching is Bello and a lot of things that cannot be depended upon.)
Edit - I understand that people are going to argue "that isn't where the Red Sox were at the time" or such things. I get that. However, I don't think the team should have in any way, shape or form completely disregarded starting pitching over the long term the way that they have for the past several years. I thought it was a mistake then, and I continue to believe it was a mistake. I hope it's one they don't continue to make (and I believe Breslow will address this enormous deficit) but until he actually makes a move to address the rotation long term, it's all hoping and I get that.
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An excellent list, to which I'd eagerly add Gerritt Cole, Jose Berrios, and Mookie Betts. These are all really good players who help their teams win, which is want fans should probably want instead of being obsessed with not "overpaying" anyone.
*Ducks* (I wouldn't have paid Mookie what he got - to be clear, I'm probably wrong, but I wouldn't have done it at the time and don't blame the Sox/Bloom for not doing it).
However, I was trying to stick with free agents and not extensions. Players that were - ostensibly at least - available to anyone and not under contract when they signed.
I suppose we can add Stroman, Rodriguez and Wacha's deal with SD to the list, but they're all FAs again now, so it seemed counter productive.
Adding to other lists:
- Zack Wheeler (5/$118M)
- Kevin Gausman (5/$110M)
- JT Realmuto (5/$115M)
- Marcus Semien (7/$175)
Wheeler is probably the best $100M+ pitcher contract ever, no? ~20 WAR in his first four seasons of that five year contract. 2.90 FIP over 630 innings. And that includes a COVID shortened 2020. Gausman looks like he's on track to do a Wheeler too.
Semien is the RHH middle infielder we wish Story was and he actually plays 162 games per season.
Craig Breslow on what the Red Sox have accomplished at the winter meetings:
"Certainly I would have liked for this time to have been more productive in terms of actually walking out of here with starting pitching or right handed bat. We can't control those things. I think it's just really important to remain disciplined, to run in our own race."
Via @ChrisCotillo.
I’m not sure who he was expecting to sign before the dominoes started to fall? Perhaps he’s been working trade proposals with nothing developing?
"Certainly I would have liked for this time to have been more productive in terms of actually walking out of here with starting pitching or right handed bat. We can't control those things. I think it's just really important to remain disciplined, to run in our own race."
Via @ChrisCotillo.
I’m not sure who he was expecting to sign before the dominoes started to fall? Perhaps he’s been working trade proposals with nothing developing?
Semien is a baller. I thought that was kind of an overpay for Texas at the time, but he's been a brilliant signing. He's produced 29 WAR over the past five seasons, and that includes a lost 2020 during the COVID year.
Good thing Breslow is still in his honeymoon period, because Chaim Bloom would have been buried for saying that.
Me, if I were Craig Breslow's PR guy:
"You don't need to say 'position player capital'. Just 'position players' will do fine."
Perfect. See 0:25-0:50:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmkCmJtK6X8
This was a nice lesson for the kids about how life is not a competition. Major League Baseball, however, is.
Edit to say: I’m withholding any judgement on Breslow until a future date in the medium distance, but run our own race was a dumb thing to say in the context of running what we hope will be a competitive baseball team.
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Sure, it's a competition. But the team should not be operating reactively either. Yes, the Yankees got Soto, but that doesn't mean the Sox need to do something in reaction to that trade. Rather see them stick to the plan Breslow had going into the offseason.
I think it’s still an open question as to how much of any potential action is Breslow and how much is Ownership’s… the same really applies to Bloom.
Yeah, everyone should remember that the Mets and Padres "won the offseason" last winter.
Isn't this the case 99% of the time, at least from information available at hand.
In hindsight we "learn" what is leaked, but we have no way of knowing.
For all we know Bloom literally begged for the money to sign Freddie Freeman, extend Bogaerts at Semien's deal, Kevin Gausman and to trade for and extend Luis Castillo and was told "no chance."
Of course, Ownership might have also strongly suggested he sign Freddie Freeman, extend Bogaerts at Semien's deal, sign Kevin Gausman and trade Tanner Houck, Nick Yorke, Jarren Duran and Brandon Walter for Luis Castillo and was told it didn't fit the minors timeline and they said "fine, we hired you to run baseball ops, run baseball ops" and that was that.
Fair, but I think it's also fair to point out that perception was that Boston "lost" it's off-season (and traded deadlies) in 2022 and again in 2023 and here we are...
Not sure where we are but you kind of covered the real issue earlier: we don't know what's behind the curtain any more than we know what the future holds. Just gotta be patient I guess.
I get what Breslow is saying but run your own race is a stupid analogy. All teams are competing within the same finite pool of resources / players. If another team signs player a, the Sox by definition can not.
A more accurate comment would have been just saying they are sticking to their guiding principles and trusting their evaluations/process. But this would be viewed as Bloom-speak and pissed off the fan base. Not that running their own race didn’t.
A more accurate comment would have been just saying they are sticking to their guiding principles and trusting their evaluations/process. But this would be viewed as Bloom-speak and pissed off the fan base. Not that running their own race didn’t.
I kind of demo'd this argument in the Minor League forum, but let me craft it a bit better here & prepare for the backlash...
I think the order of preference for me is as follows:
Plan A - Sign Yamamoto or Ohtani
If either player is interested in having you on a level playing field among their favorites, be the highest bidder at almost any cost. Then you could comfortably add a secondary rotation piece if you get Yamamoto & probably two secondary pieces if you get Ohtani.
Plan B - Add two or three secondary pieces for ~decent value
This isn't like 6/$180m for Jordan Montgomery, it's finding a few guys who the pitching brain trusts believes in their stuff, & who have past success, but they think they can get more success out of. Imanaga/Lugo/Flaherty/whoever they identify as actual difference makers at decent values.
Plan C - A year of evaluation
Hyopethically - prices are bonkers, teams are asking for unrealistically damaging packages in return for pitchers who may not even be difference makers...so let's not kill our future trying to compete in a year where maybe we really can't in a way that looks useful moving forward.
i. Data points as to why this may be something they are already considering in some form:
a) Breslow is new on the job & is in the process of learning & evaluating EVERYONE. Cora has one year left on his contract, all the legacy FO people have been put on notice they're being evaluated. Breslow doesn't know whose opinion to trust, yet.
b) Breslow has made it clear they have no interest in trading for players with 1 year left on their contract (rentals).
c) The Red Sox traded Verdugo who is on an expiring contract.
d) The Red Sox haven't done anything yet in terms of acquisitions outside of long-term cost controlled pitching.
e) Breslow has talked a lot about sustainability.
f) Breslow does not have a particular allegiance to the players Bloom has acquired and may not see how they form a cohesive team that is ready to compete.
ii. Why this wouldn't be a bad thing:
a) Time is a flat circle & a '24 where we're evaluating C Note, Abreu, Valdez, etc etc would be a fun & important developmental year. Maybe we call up Yorke, Mayer, Teel & maybe even Anthony by the end of the year & let them keep their rookie eligibility to try to get ROY in '25 & get that extra 1st round pick. Want to try Winckowski as a starter? Mata as a closer? The world is your developmental oyster.
b) This would free us up to trade ALL of our expiring contracts for full value. I want to trade Kenley regardless, but him, Pivetta, Martin, Sale? All in play. People don't want to pay Sale's or Jansen's full contract? No problem, we're staying under the tax for one more year anyway so we'll take on some or most of it for better prospects.
c) Stay under the tax one more year & hoard resources for when it's really time to really make a push. Take the opportunity to make long term commitments to Casas, Bello, or anyone else you think deserves it.
d) Add layers of depth to the system, get all your ducks in a row, & get more of Breslow's type of players into the developmental system.
iii. Why this shouldn't be Plan A (or B), but is better than Plan D:
Yoshinobu Yamamoto & Shohei Ohtani should be Plan A. Both would provide huge buzz & both would likely be even more valuable in '25 than '24, & if they want to compete in '24 to appease them, you do it. If they're on board the '25 & forever train, that's even better, but the fact is, someone is going to pay them infinity $ & if they don't want to come to Boston, infinity + 5 isn't going to get it done.
If the market for guys you like & think are going to help put you over the top this year isn't prohibitive, great. Get it done. But if those things aren't on the table, don't just overpay the crap out of people you don't really believe in to win a press conference or show concrete results or whatever buzzwords you want to excuse for making panic signings to appease the unappeasable. Signing mid players to big contracts is a ticket to being mid. The Red Sox shan't be mid. Bloom got hate from both sides for trying to thread the needle & ~compete while building the farm system. Let's stop the Kluberization of the Red Sox & really build toward something quickly & completely from top to bottom.
iv. The "The Red Sox didn't bring Breslow in to just be like Bloom & the PR would be horrible" argument:
The difference between this plan under Breslow & what we could do under Bloom is 3-fold:
a) We're focused entirely on process & not on trying to win 85 games. Bloom didn't do things in '22 to make '23 better, & it cost us in '23. Taking a step back in '24 so we're loaded up for '25 & beyond is sensible. Seeing if we have the right manager, and the right front office staff, and the right hitting coaches in place is sensible. & we are clearly indicating what our plan is by trading away all the expiring guys & not trying to sell that we're all in on competing when we clearly aren't. By all indications, Casas & Bello are great guys who are fun interviews and fun to root for. Lean into the personalities of the young guys & let them cook.
b) Bloom was mostly given a grace year in '20, especially after the playoff run in '21, with the exception of being forced to trade Mookie. A new CBO can reasonably be given the grace to take some time to get their people in the door & evaluate all systems in a way that Bloom would not get, or deserve, at this point.
c) Bloom would not be able to say at a pre-season press conference the things that Breslow can say. Bloom would not be able to say we don't have the pieces in place to be a World Series contender, yet, and we need to strengthen our base & core talent & make sure we have the correct people in place throughout the organization because people would ask him wtf he's been doing with the past 4 years of his life & how is he suddenly going to be able to make pitching happen out of thin air. Bloom wouldn't be able to say look at all the strides the Cubs made in pitching while I was there, and point to Justin Steele, Javier Assad and several others. He wouldn't be able to say look what I did with the Giants pitching staff & point to Logan Webb, Kevin Gausman & several others. He wouldn't be able to say look what I did with the Twins pitching staff & point to Jhoan Duran, Bailey Ober & several others. Breslow, unlike Bloom, can say TRUST ME, I will develop pitching & we will succeed once we have my players in the door, with my coaching staff, and we will be able to build a sustainable winner.
Would it be better for PR if we drastically overpaid for Jordan Montgomery & Lucas Gioloto? Sure, probably...until everyone realized how bad those contracts were within the next couple years & the way the Red Sox were limited as a result. I think if we don't get guys we are comfortable with at prices were are comfortable with, going all-in on '25 makes a ton of sense. & that can include a big multi-year Brandon Woodruff deal, a somewhat big multi-year Tyler Mahle deal, & utilizing resources for '25 when teams like the Yankees are already trying to flex their financial might & prospect capital for '24.
I think the order of preference for me is as follows:
Plan A - Sign Yamamoto or Ohtani
If either player is interested in having you on a level playing field among their favorites, be the highest bidder at almost any cost. Then you could comfortably add a secondary rotation piece if you get Yamamoto & probably two secondary pieces if you get Ohtani.
Plan B - Add two or three secondary pieces for ~decent value
This isn't like 6/$180m for Jordan Montgomery, it's finding a few guys who the pitching brain trusts believes in their stuff, & who have past success, but they think they can get more success out of. Imanaga/Lugo/Flaherty/whoever they identify as actual difference makers at decent values.
Plan C - A year of evaluation
Hyopethically - prices are bonkers, teams are asking for unrealistically damaging packages in return for pitchers who may not even be difference makers...so let's not kill our future trying to compete in a year where maybe we really can't in a way that looks useful moving forward.
i. Data points as to why this may be something they are already considering in some form:
a) Breslow is new on the job & is in the process of learning & evaluating EVERYONE. Cora has one year left on his contract, all the legacy FO people have been put on notice they're being evaluated. Breslow doesn't know whose opinion to trust, yet.
b) Breslow has made it clear they have no interest in trading for players with 1 year left on their contract (rentals).
c) The Red Sox traded Verdugo who is on an expiring contract.
d) The Red Sox haven't done anything yet in terms of acquisitions outside of long-term cost controlled pitching.
e) Breslow has talked a lot about sustainability.
f) Breslow does not have a particular allegiance to the players Bloom has acquired and may not see how they form a cohesive team that is ready to compete.
ii. Why this wouldn't be a bad thing:
a) Time is a flat circle & a '24 where we're evaluating C Note, Abreu, Valdez, etc etc would be a fun & important developmental year. Maybe we call up Yorke, Mayer, Teel & maybe even Anthony by the end of the year & let them keep their rookie eligibility to try to get ROY in '25 & get that extra 1st round pick. Want to try Winckowski as a starter? Mata as a closer? The world is your developmental oyster.
b) This would free us up to trade ALL of our expiring contracts for full value. I want to trade Kenley regardless, but him, Pivetta, Martin, Sale? All in play. People don't want to pay Sale's or Jansen's full contract? No problem, we're staying under the tax for one more year anyway so we'll take on some or most of it for better prospects.
c) Stay under the tax one more year & hoard resources for when it's really time to really make a push. Take the opportunity to make long term commitments to Casas, Bello, or anyone else you think deserves it.
d) Add layers of depth to the system, get all your ducks in a row, & get more of Breslow's type of players into the developmental system.
iii. Why this shouldn't be Plan A (or B), but is better than Plan D:
Yoshinobu Yamamoto & Shohei Ohtani should be Plan A. Both would provide huge buzz & both would likely be even more valuable in '25 than '24, & if they want to compete in '24 to appease them, you do it. If they're on board the '25 & forever train, that's even better, but the fact is, someone is going to pay them infinity $ & if they don't want to come to Boston, infinity + 5 isn't going to get it done.
If the market for guys you like & think are going to help put you over the top this year isn't prohibitive, great. Get it done. But if those things aren't on the table, don't just overpay the crap out of people you don't really believe in to win a press conference or show concrete results or whatever buzzwords you want to excuse for making panic signings to appease the unappeasable. Signing mid players to big contracts is a ticket to being mid. The Red Sox shan't be mid. Bloom got hate from both sides for trying to thread the needle & ~compete while building the farm system. Let's stop the Kluberization of the Red Sox & really build toward something quickly & completely from top to bottom.
iv. The "The Red Sox didn't bring Breslow in to just be like Bloom & the PR would be horrible" argument:
The difference between this plan under Breslow & what we could do under Bloom is 3-fold:
a) We're focused entirely on process & not on trying to win 85 games. Bloom didn't do things in '22 to make '23 better, & it cost us in '23. Taking a step back in '24 so we're loaded up for '25 & beyond is sensible. Seeing if we have the right manager, and the right front office staff, and the right hitting coaches in place is sensible. & we are clearly indicating what our plan is by trading away all the expiring guys & not trying to sell that we're all in on competing when we clearly aren't. By all indications, Casas & Bello are great guys who are fun interviews and fun to root for. Lean into the personalities of the young guys & let them cook.
b) Bloom was mostly given a grace year in '20, especially after the playoff run in '21, with the exception of being forced to trade Mookie. A new CBO can reasonably be given the grace to take some time to get their people in the door & evaluate all systems in a way that Bloom would not get, or deserve, at this point.
c) Bloom would not be able to say at a pre-season press conference the things that Breslow can say. Bloom would not be able to say we don't have the pieces in place to be a World Series contender, yet, and we need to strengthen our base & core talent & make sure we have the correct people in place throughout the organization because people would ask him wtf he's been doing with the past 4 years of his life & how is he suddenly going to be able to make pitching happen out of thin air. Bloom wouldn't be able to say look at all the strides the Cubs made in pitching while I was there, and point to Justin Steele, Javier Assad and several others. He wouldn't be able to say look what I did with the Giants pitching staff & point to Logan Webb, Kevin Gausman & several others. He wouldn't be able to say look what I did with the Twins pitching staff & point to Jhoan Duran, Bailey Ober & several others. Breslow, unlike Bloom, can say TRUST ME, I will develop pitching & we will succeed once we have my players in the door, with my coaching staff, and we will be able to build a sustainable winner.
Would it be better for PR if we drastically overpaid for Jordan Montgomery & Lucas Gioloto? Sure, probably...until everyone realized how bad those contracts were within the next couple years & the way the Red Sox were limited as a result. I think if we don't get guys we are comfortable with at prices were are comfortable with, going all-in on '25 makes a ton of sense. & that can include a big multi-year Brandon Woodruff deal, a somewhat big multi-year Tyler Mahle deal, & utilizing resources for '25 when teams like the Yankees are already trying to flex their financial might & prospect capital for '24.
This is excellent. I hope they see the options similarly (and am confident they do, they have far more info than us). The only bad option is chasing your tail for PR value and overpaying a guy or guys whose red flags you ignore and hope for the best. Or trading away the future on a similar risk, though as you say it sounds like Breslow is pushing back on that. I'd love to get one of the three Japanese players -- Imanaga only costs you money, and probably not that much of your CBT. But in any case, IMO the Sox are in a position of strength with really high prospects not far off, and if the fanbase refuses to understand anything less than a splashy FA signing, just don't read the papers.
If we know what he's saying, does it really matter? Look at the world we live in, EVERYTHING is a trigger to someone. That is a non political statement and should not be viewed as such or used as a tool to derail the thread.
If they opt for plan C I hope the owners are ready for more plummeting ratings and interest in the team. Ultimately sports are entertainment and people have limited time and attention spans. If the team isn't successful and/or doesn't have marketable players they will not get eyeballs and butts in seats.
It may be a long term play that makes sense, but that doesn't mean people will tune in to watch it play out.
I love the red Sox and always will but my own time is limited now with a wife and two small kids. So while I will continue to follow the team's every move here and in the news, if the product on the field isn't worth my time I won't tune in.
It may be a long term play that makes sense, but that doesn't mean people will tune in to watch it play out.
I love the red Sox and always will but my own time is limited now with a wife and two small kids. So while I will continue to follow the team's every move here and in the news, if the product on the field isn't worth my time I won't tune in.
One little correction to my plan: You can't do all of (1) stay under the luxury tax, (2) sign players like Woodruff & Mahle to long term deals, (3) subsidize players you're trading away to get better prospects & (4) extend your cost controlled guys unless the extensions kick in the year after. My preference would probably be to do the last 3 of things things & go over the tax, but if they wanted to stay under & do 1 or 2 of those 3, that would be ok, too.
Other that Ohtani & Yamamoto, which free agents would you consider marketable players that fans would come out to see play? Mayer, Teel & Anthony all have the potential to be very marketable players, especially among a fan base that can say they were in on them from the beginning. Same with Casas & Bello. Jordan Montgomery & Dylan Cease aren't putting butts in seats in Fenway Park.
Winning of course does, no matter who is on your team almost. But I don't think you're winning at a high enough level with acquisitions like that to justify the potential damage to future winning.