Potential Roster Moves for 2014 and Beyond

[BosRedSox5]

I like the pitching match ups for Boston. This is their chance to stake a claim to still being in the AL East race. Taking at least 2 out of 3 is imperative, losing a sweep should start the selling process in earnest.

 
I would never want the Red Sox to lose against the Yankees... but I think one of the worst things that could happen this season is for the Sox to keep hanging in there to the point where we're not sellers and ends up missing the playoffs. Even if by some miracle the team made the playoffs and was then bounced in the first round it'd be a waste. Just sell. 

 

[Rasputin]

If the REd Sox are going to do anything this year, they gotta start winning series.

This is a winnable series.

 

[Rasputin]

I would never want the Red Sox to lose against the Yankees... but I think one of the worst things that could happen this season is for the Sox to keep hanging in there to the point where we're not sellers and ends up missing the playoffs. Even if by some miracle the team made the playoffs and was then bounced in the first round it'd be a waste. Just sell. 

Fuck no.

This is not a team that needs a ton of pieces to be one of the best teams in the game. It's got most of those pieces, and a fuckton of talent that is major league ready or damn close to it.

We can ride that edge between spending a ton to get an impact player and selling a ton to get a lot of help for later. Hell, we could trade Peavy to open up a rotation slot and trade Barnes and Ranaudo for an outfielder that will be around in 2015.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

 
I would never want the Red Sox to lose against the Yankees... but I think one of the worst things that could happen this season is for the Sox to keep hanging in there to the point where we're not sellers and ends up missing the playoffs. Even if by some miracle the team made the playoffs and was then bounced in the first round it'd be a waste. Just sell. 

 
I don't understand this mentality.  The ONLY reason the team should be selling off players is to make room for a youngster that has made a strong case to be brought up (and at minimum makes the team no worse, if not better).  The list of players that fits that description, for now, begins and ends with Peavy.  If one of the catchers at Pawtucket were hitting better, the list might expand to Pierzynski or Ross.  But that's about it.
 
Otherwise, anything the team does should be with the intent of winning more games this year, with the caveat of not mortgaging the future to do so.  If that means standing pat or even being minor "buyers" (like how they were buyers in 2010 when they acquired Saltalamacchia for nothing), so be it.

 

[BosRedSox5]

Well obviously if we have a chance to get a useful player for this season and beyond we should take it. I'm just saying that it's possible we're better off in 2014 with Stephen Drew at short... but if we had a deal available for him we should take it. Maybe same with Peavy, or AJP, or Miller, or Koji, or Breslow, or Gomes. Maybe we're a better team in 2014 with those guys, but I don't really care if there's a deal involving any or all of them that helps for 2015 and beyond. 
 
I don't disagree at all with the idea that we should try to get guys like Salty or a young outfielder because those moves would be made to make our team better in 2015, even if it involves trading prospects. 
 
My point is, that if the team hangs in there as a contender they'll lose that ability to make deals that improve the team for 2015 because they'll be more worried about the 2014 team than I think they should be. 

 

[joyofsox]

Brandon Workman has pitched at least five innings and allowed no more than three runs in each of his first eight major league starts (which includes both 2013 and 2014).
Over the past 100 years, he is only the second Red Sox pitcher to do that. Dave "Boo" Ferriss did it over his first nine starts in 1945.

 

[The Gray Eagle]

The only reason to "sell" right now is to open up roster spots and/or playing time, as we're not going to get anything much at all for anyone we don't want next year. Peavy needs to go, not because we're going to get any kind of return but because we need the roster spot.
 
Selling usually means trading good veterans for young talent. We don't really have any good veterans that we don't want next year too. So there's no need to sell in the usual sense. Clear out some guys who won't be here next year? Sure, but don't expect anything back for them. And don't do it until you've got someone ready to take over for them.
 
We've got a couple good candidates for Peavy's spot, so we should move him. No one else has a replacement yet (I think we'd be just as good overall offense + defense with Vazquez catching as Pierzynski, but the team clearly does not agree, so it's not gonna happen yet.) If we keep losing for another couple weeks, then Drew is probably next up on the dumping block, once we get either Victorino or Middlebrooks back. We're not going to get anything good for him either though.
 
People want to "sell" Lester, but we would need to bring back more value than the high pick we'll get for offering him the qualifying offer to even consider it. That's probably more than any other team would offer, since the Red Sox value those high picks quite a bit. We should be trying to get him to sign an extension anyway, we'll need him next year or we'll probably have to sign someone to a worse contract to replace him. 
 
By the 4th of July, we could be as close to first as maybe 5 games, or as far out as maybe 10 or 11 games. This is a big week. If we go 5-2, we should still be in contention for the division in early July. If we go 2-5, we'd be 10 games under .500 with another week off the schedule. Anything in between and we're not quite done but running out of time to put up a fight.
 
Might be time to bring up Markus Lynn Betts, who is now over 100 PAs in AAA and hitting .330/.422/.455 with 7 stolen bases, reaching base in every game. You could replace Herrera with Betts and see if he can give us a lift. But that depends if the team thinks he's ready for it yet. 

 

[Rasputin]

Alex Speier had something today (yesterday?) about Betts and how the Sox are likely to call him up soon (measured in weeks or maybe days) and it seems to me that a few weeks would give them some time to get some initial returns on JBJ's new stance.

If we assume for the moment, that JBJ's new stance works, we can call up Betts to play right, stick Holt in left, and win the World Series again. Or something.

It's entirely possible that we go into 2015 having used 2014 to incorporate rookies at short/third, left, center, right, and two rotation spots. That would take quite a bit of luck from here, but damn...it would be cool.

 

[E5 Yaz]

There's something else to consider here on the idea of "selling." Is moving Peavy, or Drew or Gomes or even AJP actually "selling"? Of those, it should be argued that only AJP would throw the Sox into unknown territory. Trading off underperforming spare parts is different than moving a player -- such as Lester or Koji or a piece like Miller -- that would significantly weaken the current team.
 
There's a middle ground here. You're not going to get much beyond salary relief or rookie playing time for those players at the back end of the Sox roster. But moving them isn't tantamount to a fire sale.
 
As for the Yankee series, the pitching match-ups look favorable and 2 win series isn't out of the question. And that wouldn't give the Sox "false hope." Management knows the holes they've dug for themselves thus far

 

[nattysez]

If you're going to move Peavy to make room for youngsters, the same thing should be done with Drew.  Both guys are blocking a young player from getting experience at his preferred position.  They need to give X as much time as possible at SS, both for his own development and to figure out whether he can play competently enough at SS that he can stick there for a few years.  They gain nothing from continuing to trot Drew out there.  There must be a team out there that needs a defensive replacement SS other than the MFY.

 

[glennhoffmania]

If Victorino ever comes back, is there any chance that Drew goes to the bench instead of Holt?  Or would that be admitting to a big mistake so it would never happen?

 

[HriniakPosterChild]

If you're going to move Peavy to make room for youngsters, the same thing should be done with Drew.  Both guys are blocking a young player from getting experience at his preferred position.  They need to give X as much time as possible at SS, both for his own development and to figure out whether he can play competently enough at SS that he can stick there for a few years.  They gain nothing from continuing to trot Drew out there.  There must be a team out there that needs a defensive replacement SS other than the MFY.

Who plays 3rd? Brock Holt is talented, but he can't play infield and outfield in the same game.

 

[StuckOnYouk]

I don't mind Betts being called up in the next week or two if the club thinks they need his bat up here ASAP, but I really want Jackie's gold glove to stay in CF. Keep him in the 9 hole. 

 

[Rasputin]

There's something else to consider here on the idea of "selling." Is moving Peavy, or Drew or Gomes or even AJP actually "selling"?

It isn't, or at least, it isn't necessarily.

I think most of us are confident that if Peavy gets shuffled off to the lesser league, Workman or DLR can do the job as well or better and if both are necessary and DLR hits an innings cap, that the best of the rest of the AAA starters can do the job considering that the job mostly amounts to not being terrible.

If Wombat comes back and hits, I think there are a lot of folks who would be comfortable shuffling Drew off and going with Wombat at third and X at short. I'm not sure Middlebrooks is going to be back in time, and I would rather have the depth than whatever the return would be for Drew.

Gomes is borderline useless and if he got DFA'd for Betts, the list of people who would be upset might not get to two.

A few posts back when I was talking about walking that edge between buying and selling, this is the kind of thing I was talking about.

Trade Peavy to open space for DLR. Trade Barnes or Ranaudo for outfield help (or maybe just call up Betts.)

 

[chrisfont9]

I am torn. On the one hand, I want the Yankees' rotation to have the bleakest possible future. On the other hand, I don't want them to realize it until Lester is off the market.

 

[Rasputin]

I don't mind Betts being called up in the next week or two if the club thinks they need his bat up here ASAP, but I really want Jackie's gold glove to stay in CF. Keep him in the 9 hole. 

Holt - Bradley Jr. - Betts
Bogaerts - Drew - Pedroia - Napoli
The shithead
David Ortiz

 

[joe dokes]

And that wouldn't give the Sox "false hope." Management knows the holes they've dug for themselves thus far
 

 
This can't be said enough. "Oh my God, I hope they lose more games so that the front office doesn't fuck it all up and think they can win something" baffles me.  The Sox are playing. I hope they win. Anything else I just dont get.

 

[Super Nomario]

Gomes is borderline useless and if he got DFA'd for Betts, the list of people who would be upset might not get to two.

Gomes is borderline useless, but borderline useless means he's been our best-hitting OF this year (except for BROCK HOLT!). He's got 50 points of OPS on Bradley, Victorino, Nava, and Sizemore.

 

[mfried]

Gomes is borderline useless, but borderline useless means he's been our best-hitting OF this year (except for BROCK HOLT!). He's got 50 points of OPS on Bradley, Victorino, Nava, and Sizemore.

Going forward - if/when Shane returns I hope never to see Gomes vs. RH pitching again.  Altogether, Nava is a better hitter - but vs. RH pitching it's no contest.

 

[absintheofmalaise]

Broke this out of the SGC thread for this series.

 

[nvalvo]

 
This can't be said enough. "Oh my God, I hope they lose more games so that the front office doesn't fuck it all up and think they can win something" baffles me.  The Sox are playing. I hope they win. Anything else I just dont get.

 
Hasn't Cherington earned our trust? He took over a disaster of a franchise and won a World Series with it in like 20 months. 
 
Not all the moves will work out, but they will be well-reasoned. 

 

[Rasputin]

Gomes is borderline useless, but borderline useless means he's been our best-hitting OF this year (except for BROCK HOLT!). He's got 50 points of OPS on Bradley, Victorino, Nava, and Sizemore.

Which is largely irrelevant going forward. Sizemore is gone. Nava is pretty much back to his old self, and for all his offensive struggles, Bradley offers something that Gomes couldn't even dream of.

 

[MakMan44]

Which is largely irrelevant going forward. Sizemore is gone. Nava is pretty much back to his old self, and for all his offensive struggles, Bradley offers something that Gomes couldn't even dream of.

I'm not disagreeing with you, re: your point on DFAing him. However, seems like Gomes still has some use in the LF platoon even with a Bett's promotion since Vic doesn't seem particularly close to returning. 

 

[Super Nomario]

Which is largely irrelevant going forward. Sizemore is gone. Nava is pretty much back to his old self, and for all his offensive struggles, Bradley offers something that Gomes couldn't even dream of.

Gomes is what he is: an averageish right-handed bat (OPS+ 111 last year, 109 career) who provides little defensive value. On an offense as bad as Boston's, that's not useless.
 
EDIT: And while you're right that having the best year to date doesn't make him the best hitter in the OF, it's reasonable to imagine he might be. His career OPS+ is almost identical to Nava's 108, Bradley's a terrible hitter thus far, and Victorino's health is a big question mark for the rest of 2014. I don't understand DFAing him.

 

[plucy]

Sixteen games to the ASB. That should be the period to assess whether this team can turn it around. If the Sox don't gain ground on the division or in the WC race, then commence the sell-off preparations.
In the meantime there is an opportunity to tinker with the roster. Call up Betts, option Herrera, skip Peavy's turns in the rotation for RDLR. Start shopping Peavy but don't toss him away on a DFA.They will be playing with a short bench but the flexibility within the nine players covering seven field positions should cover any needs. "Rest" Drew in favor of X a few days, use Betts across the OF. I hesitate on Vasquez as another poster noted because of the need to learn the staff and call a game at this level, but give Ross a DL rest and let V catch Workman and RDLR, maybe work with Lester, if that will provide a spark.
There is risk but this team needs a jump start. See if they can get anything going. If not, commence the sell off after the ASB because there will not be enough time to get back in it.

 

[benhogan]

Which is largely irrelevant going forward. Sizemore is gone. Nava is pretty much back to his old self, and for all his offensive struggles, Bradley offers something that Gomes couldn't even dream of.

Well if Nava is "back to his old self" which means he is an on-base machine vs. RHP,  platoon him with Gomes in LF.

 

[Rasputin]

I'm not disagreeing with you, re: your point on DFAing him. However, seems like Gomes still has some use in the LF platoon even with a Bett's promotion since Vic doesn't seem particularly close to returning. 

If your outfield is primarily Holt, Bradley, Betts, I'm not sure you're going to be platooning anyone. Sure, he could pinch hit for Bradley, but he couldn't back up first the way Nava could. Although I suppose Holt could back up first and make room for some more Gomes time.

 

[Rasputin]

Well if Nava is "back to his old self" which means he is an on-base machine vs. RHP,  platoon him with Gomes in LF.

In the context of a Holt, Bradley, Betts outfield, there isn't room.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Well if Nava is "back to his old self" which means he is an on-base machine vs. RHP,  platoon him with Gomes in LF.

 
Isn't that what they've been doing since Nava returned?  Gomes has started exactly two games against RHP since Nava was recalled.  In both cases, Nava started in RF with Holt in CF for one and at 1B in the other (Wednesday).
 
But the question at hand is who gets sacrificed in bringing back Victorino and/or calling up Betts.  In either case, the player added to the roster is going to be given the bulk of playing time at some position, therefore someone has to go.  Gomes is arguably the most fungible piece the team has with Victorino and/or Betts on the roster.

 

[MakMan44]

If your outfield is primarily Holt, Bradley, Betts, I'm not sure you're going to be platooning anyone. Sure, he could pinch hit for Bradley, but he couldn't back up first the way Nava could. Although I suppose Holt could back up first and make room for some more Gomes time.

That's true. My OF was Nava/Gomes, Bradley, Betts. I think it's unlikely Holt keeps hitting this well, which would slide him back into a super sub role but if he does, I can see the case for getting rid of Gomes pretty easily. 

 

[Plympton91]

If you're going to move Peavy to make room for youngsters, the same thing should be done with Drew.  Both guys are blocking a young player from getting experience at his preferred position.  They need to give X as much time as possible at SS, both for his own development and to figure out whether he can play competently enough at SS that he can stick there for a few years.  They gain nothing from continuing to trot Drew out there.  There must be a team out there that needs a defensive replacement SS other than the MFY.

Everyone who still thinks Bogaerts is the long-term shortstop on a homegrown Red Sox team needs to go read the Deven Marrero adopt-a-prospect thread.

I think it would be a crime if they didn't resign Lester, Uehara, and Miller.
Those three are key to competing in 2015. Give them market value in dollars and years and be done with it.

They should also resign Gomes, who is still mashing lefthanders and playing average defense in leftfield. Gomes will require neither a long term commitment nor a ton of money. Given the paucity of outfield talent generally, letting him go is foolish unless some team massively overpays. To do otherwise would be to repeat last year's mistake with Salty and to a lesser extent, Drew. Even if Betts appears ready, Middlebrooks and Bradley show that can be a mirage. Thus, the most secure path to a better outfield in 2015 is to keep the Gomes/Nava platoon and let Betts or Bradley ride the shuttle to guard against injury or nonperformance elsewhere.

If they can get something for Peavy, where they've got 2 or 3 options, or Breslow, who can be replaced by Doubront in the pen, then great. Otherwise I don't see how they get better with their current philosophy; there aren't any Napoli, Victorino, or Drew's available this offseason, let alone 3 of them.

But, while stockpiling prospects is always an option, they really do have plenty of guys in the range they're going to get for these guys. In fact, that's a range where you can almost always get a minor league free agent who's just as valuable. I'd rather see them trade Peavy and Breslow for Tabata or Nolan Reimold or something like that. Though Breslow's team option for 2015 may help them net a little more for him.

 

[MakMan44]

Assuming Betts and Bradley lock down RF and CF next season, what does Gomes do that Brentz can't? I'm making a slight leap here in assuming he comes up at some point this season and shows some ability to hit ML pitching, but barring an inability to do so I think he should provide the same role as Gomes is this season, at the very least. 

 

[Plympton91]

Has Btz ever had a year at any level of minor league ball better than Gomes 2012? At this point, a realistic planner would assume that in a best case scenario, Bryce Brentz might someday have one season equal to Gomes' career averages. Go compare Gomes' minor league numbers to Brentz at the same ages. There's no comparison

 

[Super Nomario]

If your outfield is primarily Holt, Bradley, Betts, I'm not sure you're going to be platooning anyone. Sure, he could pinch hit for Bradley, but he couldn't back up first the way Nava could. Although I suppose Holt could back up first and make room for some more Gomes time.

A righthanded bat off the bench seems to me to fit better in that scenario, given that the two weakest hitters (AJP and JBJ) are lefties, and Drew's the other guy you might PH for. They can option Nava down.

I'm not going to lose any sleep if they jettison Gomes and its hard for me to imagine it's really going to matter, but it doesn't seem like a smart move to me either.

 

[ArgentinaSOXfan]

I think its pointless to know what our OF will look like this season. Its a wasted season, like it or not. Coming off a WS season, its not hard to swallow it. 
Hopefully they dont rush Mookie and let him a tad longer down in AAA. 
No silly trades. Sellers. 
Focus in 2015 and beyond, every roster move or transaction should have and only that in mind, forget 2014. 

 

[Bone Chips]

Focus in 2015 and beyond, every roster move or transaction should have and only that in mind, forget 2014.

This is exactly how I feel. And I hope they start acting quickly, because this current squad has become totally unwatchable. Honestly, if Pawtucket games were on cable tv I would be watching those games rather than the Red Sox right now. Bring up the kids please.

 

[nattysez]

For the sake of comparison, Theo has said explicitly that Kris Bryant, who killed AA and is currently on fire in AAA, will under no circumstances be called up this year.  I'm curious why our FO would take a different approach with Mookie.

 

[Plympton91]

Bryant doesn't have to be put on the 40 man roster if he's not brought up, unless I'm counting wrong Betts has to be added this winter either way.

I want them to make move that mean the 2015 season won't be over by Memorial Day the way this season was. That means the trades they make should be to position themselves to improve the major league roster in 2015. If they get more "prospects" by selling, they should become buyers during the winter meetings. Go out and use the prospects to get a major league catcher and if you want Bogaerts back at SS, a major league 3Bman.

 

[Rovin Romine]

 
Isn't that what they've been doing since Nava returned?  Gomes has started exactly two games against RHP since Nava was recalled.  In both cases, Nava started in RF with Holt in CF for one and at 1B in the other (Wednesday).
 
But the question at hand is who gets sacrificed in bringing back Victorino and/or calling up Betts.  In either case, the player added to the roster is going to be given the bulk of playing time at some position, therefore someone has to go.  Gomes is arguably the most fungible piece the team has with Victorino and/or Betts on the roster.

 
 

That's true. My OF was Nava/Gomes, Bradley, Betts. I think it's unlikely Holt keeps hitting this well, which would slide him back into a super sub role but if he does, I can see the case for getting rid of Gomes pretty easily. 

 
Herrera still has options.  Drew isn't hitting.  
 
I'd go with a Nava/Gomes, Bradley, Betts OF.  Holt at 3B, Xander at SS.  Herrera at Pawtucket or Drew released/traded.  
 
The Mookie call up only makes sense if the Sox think they're still in it.  Overall, I'd be fine with them punting on the season and getting playing time for the younger guys - just so long as they don't start the FA clock ticking on some of them for no reason.  

 

[MakMan44]

Has Btz ever had a year at any level of minor league ball better than Gomes 2012? At this point, a realistic planner would assume that in a best case scenario, Bryce Brentz might someday have one season equal to Gomes' career averages. Go compare Gomes' minor league numbers to Brentz at the same ages. There's no comparison

Will Gomes be a better player than Brentz next season? Almost certainly. Is the gap going to be so large that it's worth paying a few extra million for him? That's a little bit tougher. I'm suggesting maybe not. If the FO disagrees, bringing back Gomes isn't going to kill them, but I don't think it's an outlandish suggestion to see if their in house RHH OF can be the 4th OF next season. This isn't Ellsbury vs JBJ 2.0. 

 

[rymflaherty]

Bryant only has 475 milb plate appearances.
Betts is up to 1,202. It may in fact be wise to take the same approach Theo is with Bryant, but if Betts does get the call up, the Sox FO might feel more comfortable due to the sample size.

 

[Plympton91]

Will Gomes be a better player than Brentz next season? Almost certainly. Is the gap going to be so large that it's worth paying a few extra million for him? That's a little bit tougher. I'm suggesting maybe not. If the FO disagrees, bringing back Gomes isn't going to kill them, but I don't think it's an outlandish suggestion to see if their in house RHH OF can be the 4th OF next season. This isn't Ellsbury vs JBJ 2.0. 

This teams payroll may be less than 130 million next year at the rate they're going. They can afford certainty in the short side of a LF platoon.

 

[Bigpupp]

Bryant doesn't have to be put on the 40 man roster if he's not brought up, unless I'm counting wrong Betts has to be added this winter either way.

You're counting wrong. 4 seasons for high school kids (not counting their signing season). He signed in 2011 so they don't have to add him until after 2015.

 

[ivanvamp]

In the context of a Holt, Bradley, Betts outfield, there isn't room.

 
This sentence is, when you really stop and think about it, astounding.  
 
Bradley:  .209/.289/.298/.587, 64 ops+
Holt:  hitting great (.323/.366/.450/.816, 126 ops+), but is still technically a 26-year old rookie who entered this season with a career ops+ of 67
Betts:  stud prospect but before this season had never played above A+ level ball
 
And THAT outfield makes it such that there is no room for a Nava/Gomes platoon.  
 
I mean, it's unbelievable.  This is the worst Sox' offense in forever, and yet they "have no room" for what was a very productive platoon just last year for the team that won the World Series.
 
I honestly don't know what to make of that situation.  Is that a good sign for the future of the Sox?  Or is it just the most bizarre sign that this team is godawful this year?  I have no idea.

 

[LostinNJ]

They are clearly trying to set themselves up for a period of dominance based on a solid core of cheap, homegrown talent, with plenty of room in the salary budget to fill holes as necessary. If that's the plan, they're not going to screw it up just for the sake of the 2014 season. It will be better for the team in the long run if Betts continues his development at AAA. I do not expect or want to see him in Fenway before rosters expand.
 
Every decision over the next three months should be about succeeding in 2015 and beyond.

 

[Plympton91]

You're counting wrong. 4 seasons for high school kids (not counting their signing season). He signed in 2011 so they don't have to add him until after 2015.

I thought the signing season did count?

 

[Plympton91]

 
This sentence is, when you really stop and think about it, astounding.  
 
Bradley:  .209/.289/.298/.587, 64 ops+
Holt:  hitting great (.323/.366/.450/.816, 126 ops+), but is still technically a 26-year old rookie who entered this season with a career ops+ of 67
Betts:  stud prospect but before this season had never played above A+ level ball
 
And THAT outfield makes it such that there is no room for a Nava/Gomes platoon.  
 
I mean, it's unbelievable.  This is the worst Sox' offense in forever, and yet they "have no room" for what was a very productive platoon just last year for the team that won the World Series.
 
I honestly don't know what to make of that situation.  Is that a good sign for the future of the Sox?  Or is it just the most bizarre sign that this team is godawful this year?  I have no idea.

The question is how good Betts is in CF, because then the obvious move is to just replace Bradley with Betts and keep Nava/Gomes in LF while Bradley rides the shuttle.

 

[Bigpupp]

I thought the signing season did count?

 
It does. I was wrong about how many years though.Its 5 for high school players. So he still wouldn't be eligible until after 2015 Go here for a list of when all Sox minor league players are Rule 5 eligible.

 

[Rasputin]

 
This sentence is, when you really stop and think about it, astounding.  
 
Bradley:  .209/.289/.298/.587, 64 ops+
Holt:  hitting great (.323/.366/.450/.816, 126 ops+), but is still technically a 26-year old rookie who entered this season with a career ops+ of 67
Betts:  stud prospect but before this season had never played above A+ level ball
 
And THAT outfield makes it such that there is no room for a Nava/Gomes platoon.  
 
I mean, it's unbelievable.  This is the worst Sox' offense in forever, and yet they "have no room" for what was a very productive platoon just last year for the team that won the World Series.
 
I honestly don't know what to make of that situation.  Is that a good sign for the future of the Sox?  Or is it just the most bizarre sign that this team is godawful this year?  I have no idea.

It's a sign that we were talking about a hypothetical situation where things are different than they are now.

 

[TheRooster]

Why am I still seeing Ross getting at bats?  He's 37 and hitting .180.  Would Vasquez really be worse?  The Salty decision has really not turned out well so far.