None is this is going to assuage anyone. Pulling out anecdotes of the good ole days (when the point is they WEREN'T good ole days, e.g., Musial), or invoking the Nomar trade (where they got back a hell of a lot more than they did this time--well, I admit, they didn't get anyone with sexual assault charges against them--there is that) won't do squat. Find me someone who was against the trade before who, after hearing Henry, is now persuaded.
As for your assurance that Mookie will be back in a year, I'll take that bet. You name the stakes.
I agree with all that.
I guess it was just the acknowledgement of just how BIG & HISTORIC a move this was, combined with my feeling that we got very little in the trade.
It wasn't anything I didn't know, just a further hollowing of the rational.
When it comes down to it, I'm HIGHLY DOUBTFUL the guys we got net us hardly anything. Sure! We clear up salary space, and can now afford 2 front line guys for 1. I get that. I just think... what the hell?? We could do that at the end of the season, and enjoy Mookie for another year.
I'm happy to be rid of Price, but that does leave us with 2 huge holes to fill this year. When our SR is already in serious trouble, & quite likely plagued by injury already.
I have little confidence in any of the pickups.
Vergugo looks like a run of the mill guy, easily picked up next year for the money?
Hell, idk? Can't even really explain why I felt so shitty after the statement? It was well stated, but I felt it could have been left unsaid.
RedSoxDirtdog 19
Calm down. I've been tamed.
I guess all it comes down to is....
There is absolutely NOW WAY to feel good about this!
Ironically, JH mentions Nomar & Jacoby?
BOTH were injury plagued, & BOTH had worn out their welcome with the hard core Sox fans.
Mookie? His acknowledgement that we are talking about a Stan the Man, Demagio, Ted William's, Yaz, et al, was just more salt in the wound.
YES! I fully realize I've see-sawed back & forth, at one time trying to rationalize a tough business decision, & now days later bemoaning a devastating loss....
It is what it is. Wish I felt better about the pick ups, but i just don't.
RedSoxDirtdog 19
Calm down. I've been tamed.
It sure beats a comp pick.
We'll never know about winning in 2020 had we kept Betts, so that argument can never be settled.
I see Verdugo as better than "run of the mill". Downs has real talent and is immediately our 1 or 2 best prospect. Wong is a long shot but could be a nice DH/utility guy. The $16M saved on Price x 3 years could be huge, especially if Bloom works his budget magic.
When you say it's gonna happen now
When exactly do you mean?
Past Lester, the rest of your list was not at the top of their game when they left the Sox. I don't even know what "The Rooster" is doing on this list though he was one of my favorite Sox players. Virtually all except Rick were much older than Mookie and or had sustained enough abuse from the game to be well past their prime.
True. I think Burleson might not belong on the list, but he wasn't old.
Is there anyone you'd put behind Lester?
Certainly, Roger Clemens.
(I'm not counting prospects traded that became great, either- like Bagwell or Schill or even Cecil Cooper.)
Mo Vaughn?
George Scott (1st time)?
Reggie Smith?
Paplebon?
Ellsbury?
Burks?
Beckett?
Bill Lee?
Hurst?
Tiant?
Also, while Boggs was 35 when he left Boston, he did go on tho hit .803 in 2600 PAs with NYY. Damon was 31 and hit .821 in NY (4 yrs) in over 2500 PAs. Burleson was 29, and played very little after the trade, but he was prime when he left. (True, he was no Betts or Fisk.)
When you say it's gonna happen now
When exactly do you mean?
Speaking of Manny Ramirez, It is so weird seeing he had those two awful last seasons with the White Sox and Rays. I honestly had completely forgotten he played for Tampa in 2011 for 5 games and went 1-17.
It was a bullshit deal plain and simple. You trade away likely one of the best to play the game and receive none of what you need the most in return. You can live with the line of it was the best that could have been done all you want to, personally i think that it was a desperate move by an organization that had no need to be desperate at all. i wish these young men that came to Boston the best along with the rest of the guys whose names I have never heard of as we move forward. i'll tune in to watch from time to time I'm sure but this trade hurts.