The Red Sox Just Won the Winter Meetings...Already

It's been a few years of this, but every single year one singular team will collect a number of new players at once, and everyone will exclaim that they're headed for the World Series, regardless of their actual state. It's been the Marlins, Blue Jays, Padres and Diamondbacks at several different times.

Today, the Red Sox got their turn...and this one's actually scaring me a bit.

Over the course of the day, they managed to add...

• Brewers reliever Tyler Thornburg, in exchange for third-baseman Travis Shaw, who'll be a big help as several aging members of the bullpen start to trickle out.
• Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland, in a contract, who'll be a defensive step up from Hanley Ramirez, and give a bit more flexibility for the DH position.
• and, most importantly, CHRIS SALE, from the White Sox, in exchange for Yoan Moncada and Michael Kopech. Sale, paired with David Price and Rick Porcello, could be a huge part of a three-headed monster of pitchers.

Of course, there is the issue of Chris Sale's left-handedness being a hindrance as he enters Fenway Park, enemy of lefties everywhere. Sale's one of the best pitchers in the league, and I'm hoping he'll get something good out of this, but part of me is worried that, like Price, his numbers might dwindle a bit, and might not be as good as they'd be if he stuck in Chicago.

Still, all three moves combined add to a strong team basically fine-tuning itself, and preparing to be even stronger in 2017. Which...DOES NOT BODE WELL for anyone else in the division. First of all, it spells doom for Toronto, who...probably aren't going to be too impressive in 2017, Donaldson notwithstanding. Secondly, it spells doom for the Yankees, who were trying to make a comeback. Thirdly, it spells doom for the Orioles, who might not even be effective if the Sox are just gonna swat them around.

It also spells doom for the Rays, but...what the hell else is new?

Just like last season, with the Sox' additions of David Price and Craig Kimbrel, part of me's worried. The team's strong enough, but with only David Ortiz not coming back from last season, and now Pablo Sandoval looking to make a huge comeback...it's not looking good, as a Yankees fan.

Again, the good thing about these big Winter Meetings add-frenzies is that they never usually amount to immediate success...but this is the Red Sox. They've proven me wrong before.