Can you imagine a defensive IF with Madrigal, Machado and Moncada with Anderson in RF? Nothing would get through defensively and the OF speed in CF and RF would be off the charts.

Many people said it at the time that Harper was the guy the should have pursued more vigorously. Looking at their needs right now, that couldn't be more correct. They need a RF who bats L with power and high OBP.

If they had landed him all they would be looking for this off season is a big SP and a little BP help and they would be ready to contend.

There seems to be a divergence in opinion between the eyeball test and the metrics on Moncada's defense. I heard Darrin Jackson refer to Moncada as Gold Glove caliber the other night. I don't necessarily see Moncada as a Gold Glover, but every time I've been able to watch a game he's seemed absolutely fine to me. However, he's -.5 dwar on baseballreference.com.

defensive metrics are completely unsatisfying. They are almost entirely lacking in the scientific certainty of offensive stats yet they are referenced with the same weight.

I really like him at 3B. He is always moving forward, never waiting for a bad bounce. He is as quick as anyone out there. The worst part of his game are popups. He and Anderson look at each other practically begging the other guy to take it on anything popped up on the left side of the field.

It's more fun to be a victim

There will never be an effective vaccine. I'll never get one anyway.

Matz: During Machado's first few seasons in Baltimore, he suffered two knee injuries and had the look of a star-crossed talent whose career could be torpedoed by health issues. But since 2015, nobody in baseball has played more games than Manny. That includes another 147 this year. So at least the Padres have been able to count on their $300 million man posting up. Beyond that, Machado's OPS+ is currently 106, which is depressingly close to league average (100). Some of that has to do with leaving Camden Yards, but still. And Machado's defense -- which is supposed to be his calling card -- has been good but not great. I'm issuing a C-plus.

Miller: B. Machado always looks terrifying at the plate, but he has really been great as a hitter for only three years, out of eight, and never transcendent. I keep waiting for him to turn into a 1.000 OPS player -- he was still only 26 for most of this season -- but he keeps gravitating toward the high .700s. His defense still makes him very valuable, a star, but the odds that he'll never win an MVP award are increasing.

Schoenfield: I miss the younger Machado, who sprayed line drives all over the place and played third base like Brooks Robinson. He has morphed into too much of a one-dimensional hitter (the player who once hit 51 doubles has hit just 20 this year) and that one dimension -- home runs -- doesn't play as well in San Diego as it did in Baltimore. He's still above average in the field, but he has lost a step from his all-world days when he first came up. Besides that 106 OPS+, he also leads the NL in double plays grounded into. Meh. C-plus.

For instance they were never taught that Columbus was a slave owner.

It's more fun to be a victim

There will never be an effective vaccine. I'll never get one anyway.

no they wouldn't

In year 1 he would have pushed Yolmer out of the lineup and probably moved Timmy to an easier IF position. In Year 2 Timmy would be moved to RF with the IF transforming into a lockdown defensive group when Madrigal arrives. The only thing they would need to fill this off season would be DH and maybe not even that.

Compare that to Yoan Moncada who is signifcantly better offensively, younger, cheaper and easily has the tools to be at least comparable defensively to Machado. Its a bullet dodged. We can be pissed about the circumstances but things would look really, really bleak if we were paying this guy $30m a year.

They need another starting pitcherg, a center fielder, and 75% of a bullpen on top of a DH should they not resign Abreu.

Use the $300 million to shore all that up and extend the Eloys, Moncadas, and Giolitos etc. In doing so, there is no reason this team cannot at least compete for a WC/Division next season, and be in the mix for preseason favorites to win the pennant in 2021 and 2022.

So you're gonna move everyone around to make room for a .750 OPS player and pay $300m for the privilege? I just don't get it. There are simpler ways to get to the same place that don't involve blowing your entire payroll on one good-not-great player.

If anything we should be upset about not getting Harper, as they could very clearly use him.

Sox look pretty smart in trying to at least have some sort of incentives at the end of the deal.

They look smart because they could say they offered him a contract at the most money, while neither is true. The Sox knew he was not taking an incentive laden deal.

If you look at the timeline and facts of the negotiations, the Sox were never serious about getting him. He sat on their best offer for what seemed months looking for anyone to beat them. When someone did, he came back to the Sox to up the offer. They responded with a non offer, offer.

and some fans want to give them praise for it

They pulled the wool over fans eyes again. Those who were able to see through their bs were attacked by the front office.

I have MANY years of experience in trying to appreciate steaming piles of dogshit.

It's more fun to be a victim

There will never be an effective vaccine. I'll never get one anyway.

They look smart because they could say they offered him a contract at the most money, while neither is true. The Sox knew he was not taking an incentive laden deal.

If you look at the timeline and facts of the negotiations, the Sox were never serious about getting him. He sat on their best offer for what seemed months looking for anyone to beat them. When someone did, he came back to the Sox to up the offer. They responded with a non offer, offer.

and some fans want to give them praise for it

They pulled the wool over fans eyes again. Those who were able to see through their bs were attacked by the front office.

If he proves to be a terrible contract I think wanting those protections was valid.

They look smart because they could say they offered him a contract at the most money, while neither is true. The Sox knew he was not taking an incentive laden deal.

If you look at the timeline and facts of the negotiations, the Sox were never serious about getting him. He sat on their best offer for what seemed months looking for anyone to beat them. When someone did, he came back to the Sox to up the offer. They responded with a non offer, offer.

and some fans want to give them praise for it

They pulled the wool over fans eyes again. Those who were able to see through their bs were attacked by the front office.

For instance they were never taught that Columbus was a slave owner.

There is not a damned thing wrong with people who are bull shitters.

Sox look pretty smart in trying to at least have some sort of incentives at the end of the deal.

The fact that they identified him as THE target and then went out and failed to land him with no other suitors until someone finally came in and swooped him up is what is frustrating.

It tells me everything I need to know about how the front office operates.

For instance they were never taught that Columbus was a slave owner.

Many people - on this board - was Keyser. He was correct about a lot of things regarding the Sox.

It's more fun to be a victim

There will never be an effective vaccine. I'll never get one anyway.

The fact that they identified him as THE target and then went out and failed to land him with no other suitors until someone finally came in and swooped him up is what is frustrating.

It tells me everything I need to know about how the front office operates.