Trades?

[Maxbialystock]

IMO, last winter produced some very good SPer signings, many the under the radar types, like Lugo, Imanaga and several others. Some had lower AAVs than Gio.

Of course this is hindsight, but many of us advocated for some of the mid level deals that could have been made while keeping us under the tax line.

These lost chances may have also brightened the next season or two, as well. It didn’t have to be all about 2024.

The problem is that by and large the Sox are horrible at trading for pitchers--some of which, I hasten to add, is because pitchers are unreliable. To me dumping Sale and going after Giolito are perfect examples of how stupid the Sox front office is. Right now the Sox are committed to paying Sale $17M and Giolito $38M--a total of $55M--for which the return will be miniscule.

I hasten to add that so far the return on Story and Yoshida is about as bad. Big bucks for tiny contributions to the team on the field of play.

[A Red Sox fan named Hugh]

A big RHB in the middle of the lineup would certainly help this team.
That plus another starter could put this team over the team this year going down the stretch. Especially if you have Casas coming back and not out.

[Old Red]

I put in Mayer/Anthony/Casas for Vlad into BTV for hahaha's and my computer actually started laughing at me.

I kid, I actually think this is a good case for why BTV isn't reliable. They seem to be undervaluing Vlad. According to them Boston should not only reject Casas for Vlad straight up (which I would) but Toronto has to add significant value to make it work.

Interesting that Toronto would have to add to the trade for Vlad-Casas straight up.

[Old Red]

A big RHB in the middle of the lineup would certainly help this team.
That plus another starter could put this team over the team this year going down the stretch. Especially if you have Casas coming back and not out.

I don’t expect much from Casas coming back at least for awhile. He’s a slow starter as is, and he’ll have been out a long time when he comes back.

[Maxbialystock]

A big RHB in the middle of the lineup would certainly help this team.
That plus another starter could put this team over the team this year going down the stretch. Especially if you have Casas coming back and not out.

True, but this Sox front office invariably goes after the wrong bat and the wrong arm.

[Old Red]

The problem is that by and large the Sox are horrible at trading for pitchers--some of which, I hasten to add, is because pitchers are unreliable. To me dumping Sale and going after Giolito are perfect examples of how stupid the Sox front office is. Right now the Sox are committed to paying Sale $17M and Giolito $38M--a total of $55M--for which the return will be miniscule.

I hasten to add that so far the return on Story and Yoshida is about as bad. Big bucks for tiny contributions to the team on the field of play.

As always thanks for clarifying all of this Max.

[Maxbialystock]

I don’t expect much from Casas coming back at least for awhile. He’s a slow starter as is, and he’ll have been out a long time when he comes back.

He severely injured himself by simply swinging at a pitch. That's all it took. So how can he or the Sox be sure it won't happen again?

[notin]

Interesting that Toronto would have to add to the trade for Vlad-Casas straight up.

Money and control.

Vlad makes $19.9mill this year and probably $25-30mill next year. And then his control ends. I know your proposal called for an extension, but that’s not part of what Toronto is trading…

[Bellhorn04]

True, but this Sox front office invariably goes after the wrong bat and the wrong arm.

Let's not get carried away. In 2018 we got Eovaldi and Pearce. In 2021 we got Schwarber. All very useful.

[notin]

Let's not get carried away. In 2018 we got Eovaldi and Pearce. In 2021 we got Schwarber. All very useful.

Even Weissert has been a decent acquisition so far. Ditto Slaten…

[moonslav59]

Casas would be part of the Vlad JR trade.

I’d rather have Casas for just 2024 than Vladdy. No way I would trade Casas for a rental.

[5GoldGloves:OF,75]

I’d rather have Casas for just 2024 than Vladdy. No way I would trade Casas for a rental.

If I had to predict, I'd say Vlad will become a DH before Tris. I don't know why; maybe because Casas is portrayed as a more quirky and/or intense player, a guy more likely to get in a groove when immersed in the perpetual two-way on-and-off-the-field, offense and defense game.

Vladdy looks more than happy to just get in the box and take his rips -- though he's always the first one out of the dugout whenever the boys overreact to perceived trouble.

Despite the early unexpected rotation success, the Sox biggest need -- AS ALWAYS -- is still starting pitching. There is zero MLB-ready mound depth in the system.

Looking at minor league stats, Wink and Criswell are the best options by far... After those two, Penrod has the top combination of WHIP and ERA, but alas: currently injured. Fitts is most likely to earn a regular turn in Boston's rotation in the second half.

It doesn't matter if the young stud position players aren't quite ready yet for prime time; it's never too early to stockpile arms. Stop blowing money on free agent reclamation projects, and deal position player depth for any available pitchers under 30.

[A Red Sox fan named Hugh]

With what some would describe as the "deepest farm system in baseball" you would think we could swing a few trades for rentals that strengthen the 2014 team without mortgaging the future at all.

[Maxbialystock]

Let's not get carried away. In 2018 we got Eovaldi and Pearce. In 2021 we got Schwarber. All very useful.

Agree completely on Eovaldi, who was fantastic for the Sox in 2018. Thereafter, kind of up and down in terms of IP: 67 in 2019; 48 in 2020, 182 in 2021, 109 in 2022. With Texas he had 144 last year and 73 so far this year. He entered MLB in 2011 at age 21, and his lifetime ERA is 4.07.

Schwarber could not have been better for the Sox in 2021, and I for one wanted him to stay, regardless of his defense. However, in 2022 the Sox still had JDM, plus their big problem was pitching, ranked 25th in MLB in ERA.

[Maxbialystock]

I’d rather have Casas for just 2024 than Vladdy. No way I would trade Casas for a rental.

Because Casas injury was the result of simply swinging at a pitch, I'm less sure than you he will bounce back as the Casas we saw last year and early this year. I agree he has demonstrated he can hit MLB pitching, but maybe his swing has changed or will change because of the injury.