We wait.
Yes, we do wait for his lockout mess to find some resolution. But a far more interesting conversation when it comes to unanswered questions involves Red Sox chief decision-maker Chaim Bloom.
The Red Sox' fans' relationship with Bloom right now is rooted in the infatuation that comes with making the American League Championship Series. But if it is to be true love - at least until another World Series title is secured - there is one final piece of the puzzle that has to be uncovered.
The willingness to not only accept John Henry's Venmo, but also actually spend it.
Will Bloom identify and then allocate top dollar for a primary piece of his team's foundation? More specifically, is a partnership with Carlos Correa an actual reality?
The Atheltic's Ken Rosenthal got people buzzing once again by surfacing the possibility of Correa making Boston his next home, raising some very pertinent points in dissecting the pros and cons. The Bloom money-allocation question was, of course, near the top of the list, especially considering the team's chief baseball officer hasn't signed a deal more than $14 million since his arrival and comes from a place in Tampa Bay that has thrived on frugality.
But, dollars and cents aside, there are two names that have to be at the forefront of this conversation: Xander Bogaerts and Marcelo Mayer.
Bogaerts' existence is the most immediate roadblock when it comes to a clear path for Correa - who is believed to be asking for more than Corey Seager's 10-year, $325 million deal with the Rangers.
Barring a significant downturn in Bogaerts' output in 2022, the Red Sox shortstop still undoubtedly opt-out of his current contract. As he pointed to WEEI.com in June, times have changed since agreeing to that contract extension in April 2019.
"Obviously, I know I love the city, but you know how all those guys are getting paid and stuff like that," Bogaerts said. "So when that time comes we’ll see what happens. It’s very interesting. A lot of guys are getting what they deserve. We’ll see what happens."
What Bogaerts and his agent, Scott Boras, undoubtedly believe the 29-year-old deserves something in line with what the rest of the cream of the shortstop crop is starting to reel in. Yes, the defensive analytics does Bogaerts no favors, but this is still perhaps the premier offensive player at his position. Since signing his current deal, he has the third-highest OPS of any American League hitter, and second-best OPS among all shortstops.
So, just move him to second or third base, sign Correa, and all problems are solved. Not so fast.
Rosenthal rightly focused on the challenge that would come with shifting Bogaerts to second base in what might be a shortened spring training. (The images of Will Cordero trying to acclimate himself to second base with the Red Sox in 1996 still stings.). That really isn't the issue when it comes to Bogaerts, however,
The way second base is played in this day and age thanks to shifts isn't nearly as challenging as years past, as has been evidenced by less-than-fleet-of-foot third basemen landing at the position. If you go that route, it is basically sealing Bogaerts decision to find employment elsewhere.
This is a player who may not be playing shortstop five years from now, but certainly has his eyes set on staying at the position for at least a good chunk of whatever his next contract looks like.
A move to third base would actually make more sense, but the Rafael Devers decision - with his crack at free agency coming after the 2023 season - doesn't line up with the immediacy of the Correa/Bogaerts issue. And even if Bogaerts falls in love with the idea of playing alongside Correa in the middle of the infield, the momentum of Nick Yorke permanently manning second base by 2024 is hard to ignore.
That leads us to Mayer.
It is understandably a leap of faith relying on a 19-year-old who has 91 professional at-bats to be plopped in as the infield's anchor three years from now. But when you have secured this kind of talent, with these kind of expectations, such a scenario has to be introduced.
You sign Correa, that is your shortstop for the next 10 years. He is only 27 years old and is still a very, very good defensive player at his position. Nobody would be clamoring for this guy to make a move to second base when Mayer is ready.
Bloom will pay for certainty at some point, but not likely when there are other more financially-manageable options on the horizon.
Truth be told, the uneasiest aspect of relying on youngsters is still needing middle-of-the order anchors along the lines of Devers, Bogaerts, Correa and even J.D. Martinez. And, no matter how you slice it, those sort of bats are going to cost some money when 2023, 2024 and 2025 roll around. Easing in guys like Triston Casas, Yorke and Mayer has always been the proper path.
So, while it is a great distraction from the parking lot reporting in Jupiter, Fla., Correa-to-the-Red Sox has more moving parts than most would want to admit.
That, however, doesn't mean we should stop talking about the possibility. Why not? What else do we have at this point?