2014 Offseason Thread

[RedSoxNC84]

Ben is going off here. He's going to make at least two more moves before he's done.

[a700hitter]

@alexspeier: Red Sox will be moving Jandel Gustave (rule 5 selection) to another team

Can they do that with a Rule 5 player. I thought you had 3 options-- keep him on the ML Roster for the entire season, give him back to the team that you took him from or trade with the team you took him from to keep him if you send him to the minors.

[Palodios]

If the Red Sox get an ace, what does this team look like? Deep rotation that gives innnings, solid bullpen, good defense, insane offense, great bench. Most of the team is young and heading into prime years. There will definitely be some question marks, but it feels like the Red Sox are getting close.

[a700hitter]

They have picked up a 3,4 and 5 to go with a pair of 5's in Buchholz and Kelly. Even if one of this group steps up as a #2, it leaves this rotation as very average at best. Lineups will not fear coming to town to take their cuts at any of these guys. What I have read about Masterson is not good. HIs velocity is down. He is 29 and while that is not old he is not a young kid who is still developing. Article makes his acquisition sound like a Dumpster Dive.

[Palodios]

They have picked up a 3,4 and 5 to go with a pair of 5's in Buchholz and Kelly. Even if one of this group steps up as a #2, it leaves this rotation as very average at best. Lineups will not fear coming to town to take their cuts at any of these guys. What I have read about Masterson is not good. HIs velocity is down. He is 29 and while that is not old he is not a young kid who is still developing. Article makes his acquisition sound like a Dumpster Dive.

 

Well, your optimism didn't last long

[a700hitter]

Well, your optimism didn't last long

I get the Miley and Porcello acquisitions. Rotations need innings eaters. I don't get the Masterson signing. He seems like damaged goods and his innings dropped off last year. Did they get him to be a rehab partner for Buch. As it stands now, this rotation will not scare anyone except Red Sox fans. More work needs to be done.

[User Name]

Masterson had been the picture of health for a number of years, but just happened to have a down year due to injuries. It happens, and it's nothing related to structural damage or catastrophic.

 

As for the fact that the rotation still needs work, everybody knows that.

[mvp 78]

Can they do that with a Rule 5 player. I thought you had 3 options-- keep him on the ML Roster for the entire season, give him back to the team that you took him from or trade with the team you took him from to keep him if you send him to the minors.

 

"Any player chosen in the Rule 5 draft may be traded to any team while under the Rule 5 restrictions, but the restrictions transfer to the new team. If the new team does not want to keep the player on its 25-man roster for the season, he must be offered back to the team of which he was a member when chosen in the draft."

[Bellhorn04]

The work is down to the #1 now.

[vjcsmoke]

When you're 25, they call those breakout years. He's about the same age as a lot of our starter prospects.

 

Porcello is an interesting player. Big tall guy, innings eater. But a groundball pitcher.

Last year was his best yet.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/porceri01.shtml

 

His control is very good to excellent, averages around 40-50 walks per season.

The negative is that he has given up more hits than innings pitched in just about every season.

And that is a concern.

 

With a groundball pitcher, you really need a strong infield defense to back him up.

His strikeout rate is also quite low, so he's not going to get you a lot of free outs that way.

 

I think the key for Porcello is how he plays to our park. If he can pitch to his strengths in the confines of Fenway and our defense gives him good to very good backup he could reach the next level. Which I envision would be a top flight #2 pitcher if he continues to improve.

 

Would I rather have Cueto? Of course. But Porcello is not a bad guy to get to help out a rotation that was clearly in bad shape and needed an overhaul. It's a start.

[mvp 78]

He's peak Derek Lowe. I'm ok with that as a 2-3.

[mvp 78]

To me was a fluke year... As I said Hopefully I eat my words.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/wade-miley-who-is-better-than-you-think/

[User Name]

From the article:

 

We know better than to attempt to measure a player’s value by single season numbers, and three years is a nice sample from which to draw a conclusion.

 

Why this is so hard to understand is beyond me.

[seabeachfred]

Miley had a 0.8 WAR in the NL with a ton of homers allowed. He moves to the NL east in one of the toughest ballparks for lefties to pitch in. He's gonna give innings, but they won't be good ones. I also don't get the trade. De la Rosa had some potential and had great stuff. Miley is who he is.

 

So is De La Rosa. He was s***** for the Dodgers, and while he improved some for us with a few good outings he also had some terrible ones as well. That's his history and being from LA I saw him enough a few years back to know that when things got tough he folded like a tent. He's back in the NL where he belongs and out of Boston, and thank God for that. As for Webster, I have even less to say about him except good riddance. He's a loser.

[seabeachfred]

I'd be surprised... scratch that... completely shocked if Miley is the best arm we acquire this off-season. I have absolutely ZERO doubt that this is but a precursor to bigger moves the Sox FO had in mind when they were waiting on Lester's decision. I suspect we'll see a move to sign Shields and they'll go hard to get Hamels as well, especially since the Phillies have finally relented and decided to blow up their s*** ass team like they should've done ages ago.

 

A rotation of Hamels, Shields, Miley, Buch, and Kelly to start the season would be pretty damn nice IMO. Combined with our lineup, I'd say we'd be back on track in a hurry.

 

I could live with that rotation Chief. We would have two decent pitchers who know how to compete and win at the top of the rotation and I think Kelly is a vastly underrated pitcher. I saw how he took it to the Yankees the next to last game of the season and with improved control he might be the surprise of the team. Miley could be f ine, but I like Porcello better and I hope we got him as rumors suggested. Put him in instead of Miley or Buch and we could win the AL East next season.

[seabeachfred]

I don't disagree but I hate to see young arms (2 in this case) go for another mid to back of the rotation guy. Smacks of panic to me. A huge glut of outfielders and we give up 2 young arms for Miley. No way that makes one bit of sense. Bring back Tim Wakefield!

 

CP, please take it from me......Rubby will never be the pitcher some here thought he would be. He hasn't the brains or staying power to be anything but a mid-reliever and Webster is a total fraud. We will never miss them and most likely both will be traded again and again until they are out of baseball within five years.

[seabeachfred]

I'd give up anything but Owens, Swihart and Betts.

 

Just tune in for a minute mvp. Rollins was just traded by the Phillies and they now need a shortstop. We have now gotten two ground ball starters in Miley and Porcello. This might be the time to trade Bogaerts as part of a big deal for Hamels, the No. 1 pitcher we need badly in my opinion. Yes, there are those who say X is a future superstar. I do not believe it anymore; in fact, another bad season and his market tumbles the way Bradley and Middlebrooks has. The Red Sox need to trade this guy now while his potential is high and the Phillies would bite on him. We could get a SS in a trade or put Holt there. We need solid infield defense for our new pitchers and with two good ones on the right side of the infield we are halfway there. At third Pablo fields everything at him but does lack range and Bogey doesn't have the range or the fielding ability. No Holt? Laugh at this if you will. Sign Lowrie, or, hold on tight, sign Drew. Yes that piece of crap I was denouncing all year. With a ST he would be better than he was last season. No Holt, no Drew, give Marrero a shot. If the Phillies ask for him as part of a Hamels trade we should snap at it fast. Betts and Swihart are non starters.

[seabeachfred]

I want to understand why you believe this is so.

 

Please enlighten me. Garcia.

 

Kelly has had some control problems. Pitching as a starter you can get by with three walks or so. As a reliever it could be a catastrophe. Kelly to the pen is ******** a dumb suggestion.

[SeanJohn93]

Masterson might serve as a bullpen arm instead of a starter

[seabeachfred]

@PeteAbe: Cherington said Sox are in a strong position with the rotation and don't necessarily need to add to it.

 

D'oh!

 

If he said that he's full of s*** and no Red Sox fan, writer or media person should allow him to get away with talking crap like that. We need both a No. 1 and a No. 2. Cut the crap Cherries and keep at it.

[seabeachfred]

User name and u like mediocrity.I have every right as a fan.Obviously u are drinking cherington' s kool-aid.Good luck with that pal lol.Maybe u want him to get Julian tavarez out of retirement.Get a clue man!

 

No D-money. What that guy does is always take the party line and supports whatever the front office dispenses. Just keep reading his garbage and you'll see for yourself. I have the guy on ignore but can't help when some one has one of his quotes in front of their own missive. I don't know who you mean by the other u but I've been dueling User for the past three years except for the latter part of 2012 and this year when his support for the front office and some of the players he loved came a cropper and he disappeared from the board.

[seabeachfred]

I get the Miley and Porcello acquisitions. Rotations need innings eaters. I don't get the Masterson signing. He seems like damaged goods and his innings dropped off last year. Did they get him to be a rehab partner for Buch. As it stands now, this rotation will not scare anyone except Red Sox fans. More work needs to be done.

 

More work has to be done? Hey my pal, a LOT MORE WORK HAS TO BE DONE. We also need a couple of bullpen arms and right now they are falling off the line in record numbers. Neschek, Bastardo, Gregerson and that Yankee closer....ALL GONE. Get busy Cherries. You work has improved but there is more to be done....much more.

[Jasonbay44]

I like Porcello, hes a good acquisition and should be a very good #2. I just hope he isn't our ace. I'm not as optimistic about the other two guys in Miley and Masterson, but I will be completely okay if they are the 4 and 5 starters.. As of now the rotation still looks pretty weak, but the off-season is far from over, If we an acquire a legit ace, I like our chances going into the season.

[cp176]

CP, please take it from me......Rubby will never be the pitcher some here thought he would be. He hasn't the brains or staying power to be anything but a mid-reliever and Webster is a total fraud. We will never miss them and most likely both will be traded again and again until they are out of baseball within five years.

 

I agree. I just am reluctant to trade power arms but in this case maybe it was the right call. I would trade the X man in a heartbeat. I think that he may become a decent hitter but if he is our future ss that is not good. He may get better but at his best he is average defensively. Our current catching position may become another area to look at in the future. If Switheart is as good as he projects to be, there will not be room for 2 catchers of the quality that it looks like we might have. There are plenty of options to throw out there to get the arm that we need.

[a700hitter]

"Any player chosen in the Rule 5 draft may be traded to any team while under the Rule 5 restrictions, but the restrictions transfer to the new team. If the new team does not want to keep the player on its 25-man roster for the season, he must be offered back to the team of which he was a member when chosen in the draft."

Thanks for the information. It doesn't seem like you could get much in return if you have to trade them with restrictions. I just don't remember rule 5 guys being traded except from the team they were taken from.

[mvp 78]

Thanks for the information. It doesn't seem like you could get much in return if you have to trade them with restrictions. I just don't remember rule 5 guys being traded except from the team they were taken from.

 

I think the rule 5 draft is silly anyway.

[mvp 78]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/majors/how-to-make-the-rule-5-draft-matter-again/

 

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/the-top-25-rule-5-draft-selections-1.3373923

[Orange Juiced]

More work has to be done? Hey my pal, a LOT MORE WORK HAS TO BE DONE. We also need a couple of bullpen arms and right now they are falling off the line in record numbers. Neschek, Bastardo, Gregerson and that Yankee closer....ALL GONE. Get busy Cherries. You work has improved but there is more to be done....much more.

 

A bullpen of Koji, Tazawa, Layne, Mujica, and Workman is a pretty good start.

[Palodios]

One reporter commented that the Phillies have lost a lot of leverage on Hamels this week. The Red Sox, Cubs, and Dodgers all filled holes in their rotation, and the Phillies have made it clear that they are selling because of the Rollins trade. It would be great to see the Red Sox pull him in -- I wonder if Cecchini still has enough value to headline that kind of deal.

[a700hitter]

One reporter commented that the Phillies have lost a lot of leverage on Hamels this week. The Red Sox, Cubs, and Dodgers all filled holes in their rotation, and the Phillies have made it clear that they are selling because of the Rollins trade. It would be great to see the Red Sox pull him in -- I wonder if Cecchini still has enough value to headline that kind of deal.

No. I don't think so.