A Realistic View at 2018: Part II

[sk7326]

No impact pitchers.

 

Nope. The only impact starter that can be had on the market is Cole Hamels. JA Happ will help somebody, but a distinct step down - not exactly the caliber we need if we're making a move for the rotation.

 

That said, Kelvin Herrera and Raisel Iglesias are both high quality relief arms. Roberto Osuna before his assault charge was another.

[notin]

No impact pitchers.

 

Well, no impact starting pitchers...

[mvp 78]

Herrera would be a good get. In the playoffs, teams go to the pen earlier and earlier. Need to fill it with dominant arms.

[notin]

Herrera would be a good get. In the playoffs, teams go to the pen earlier and earlier. Need to fill it with dominant arms.

 

The problem is, Herrera could be a very tough get for Boston. While he won't go for a package like the Cubs paid for Aroldis Chapman, he isn't likely to move as cheaply as Addison Reed last year.

 

But bolstering the bullpen would definitely be a smart strategy at the deadline, since starters go fewer innings not only in the post-season, but in the regular season as well..

[mvp 78]

The problem is, Herrera could be a very tough get for Boston. While he won't go for a package like the Cubs paid for Aroldis Chapman, he isn't likely to move as cheaply as Addison Reed last year.

 

But bolstering the bullpen would definitely be a smart strategy at the deadline, since starters go fewer innings not only in the post-season, but in the regular season as well..

 

He's a UFA this offseason. I don't think he's going to command a king's ransom.

[notin]

He's a UFA this offseason. I don't think he's going to command a king's ransom.

 

Even if it's not a king's ransom, can the Sox outbid anyone else who wants him? The minor leagues are about as barren right now as they were in the Steve Lomasney era.

 

Houston, for example, is very likely to be looking for a closer. They can easily top anything the Sox offer without even depleting their minor league depth.

 

Unexciting players like Tyler Clippard or David Hernandez might be more realistic targets for the Sox...

[mvp 78]

Even if it's not a king's ransom, can the Sox outbid anyone else who wants him? The minor leagues are about as barren right now as they were in the Steve Lomasney era.

 

Houston, for example, is very likely to be looking for a closer. They can easily top anything the Sox offer without even depleting their minor league depth.

 

Unexciting players like Tyler Clippard or David Hernandez might be more realistic targets for the Sox...

 

SoxProspects compared it to 2011 before the Betts draft. I'm sure they still have some guys they could move for Herrera, but you may have to give up Johnson and Hembree.

[notin]

SoxProspects compared it to 2011 before the Betts draft. I'm sure they still have some guys they could move for Herrera, but you may have to give up Johnson and Hembree.

 

The poblem I have with comparing it to 2011 was that farm had a lot of players who were marginal talents, but at least were above A-ball. Of the top 8 in the Sox farm (per soxprospects), only Jalen Beeks and Sharwyn are above A-ball and not suspended.

 

And MLB-readiness now is a very big factor in trades. I am not a huge Beeks fan, but right now he might be the biggest trade chip in the Sox minors. If you were the Royals GM, would you want Beeks as the headliner in a trade for Herrera, your best expendable trade chip?

 

Johnson is another trade chip, but if the Sox cannot really afford to deplete starting pitching depth. Hembree is a throw-in at best, especially for a rebuilding team. His exclusion should be far from being a deal breaker...

[moonslav59]

The poblem I have with comparing it to 2011 was that farm had a lot of players who were marginal talents, but at least were above A-ball. Of the top 8 in the Sox farm (per soxprospects), only Jalen Beeks and Sharwyn are above A-ball and not suspended.

 

And MLB-readiness now is a very big factor in trades. I am not a huge Beeks fan, but right now he might be the biggest trade chip in the Sox minors. If you were the Royals GM, would you want Beeks as the headliner in a trade for Herrera, your best expendable trade chip?

 

Johnson is another trade chip, but if the Sox cannot really afford to deplete starting pitching depth. Hembree is a throw-in at best, especially for a rebuilding team. His exclusion should be far from being a deal breaker...

 

You never know how opposing teams value our players. For all we know, KC might prefer Swihart to Johnson or Beeks.

 

Here's a question: what if we trade Castillo and pay $7M of the $11M owed? If the team we trade him to, adds him to their 40 man roster, does that $7M then count on our luxury tax budget?

[OH FOY]

Detroit, White Sox, and Orioles next 9 games. They got to do a beatdown, on all three. 6-3 Minimum.

[mvp 78]

The poblem I have with comparing it to 2011 was that farm had a lot of players who were marginal talents, but at least were above A-ball. Of the top 8 in the Sox farm (per soxprospects), only Jalen Beeks and Sharwyn are above A-ball and not suspended.

 

And MLB-readiness now is a very big factor in trades. I am not a huge Beeks fan, but right now he might be the biggest trade chip in the Sox minors. If you were the Royals GM, would you want Beeks as the headliner in a trade for Herrera, your best expendable trade chip?

 

Johnson is another trade chip, but if the Sox cannot really afford to deplete starting pitching depth. Hembree is a throw-in at best, especially for a rebuilding team. His exclusion should be far from being a deal breaker...

 

I wouldn't give up Beeks for Herrera. They have a bunch of young bullpen profile arms to deal though. They have bullpen depth, not starting pitching depth.

[mvp 78]

You never know how opposing teams value our players. For all we know, KC might prefer Swihart to Johnson or Beeks.

 

Here's a question: what if we trade Castillo and pay $7M of the $11M owed? If the team we trade him to, adds him to their 40 man roster, does that $7M then count on our luxury tax budget?

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/rusney-castillo

 

Thanks to changes made in the new collective bargaining agreement, the Red Sox would have the average annual value of Castillo’s contract (around $10.4MM) counted on their luxury tax calculations through the end of the outfielder’s deal in 2020, even if they called up Castillo for even just one day or dealt him to another deal and ate part of the salary obligations.

 

Great job with that CBA guys! Tony Clark is a real deals maker!

[OH FOY]

Hanley comes off the books after this year, they can now bring up Castillo, if they feel he can help for next year. After this season Rusney is now an option. Edited June 5, 2018 by OH FOY!

[mvp 78]

Hanley comes off the books after this year, they can now bring up Castillo, if they feel he can help for next year. After this season Rusney is now an option.

 

No, because they still have to pay arbitration raises.

[OH FOY]

Last year of his contract is 14 million, what the hell was Ben thinking?

[sk7326]

Last year of his contract is 14 million, what the hell was Ben thinking?

 

Winning a bidding war. The Cuban market got overheated with the changes to bonus pools for the other latin american countries.

[mvp 78]

Winning a bidding war. The Cuban market got overheated with the changes to bonus pools for the other latin american countries.

 

They also were feeling stupid for not bidding on Abreu.

[notin]

Hanley comes off the books after this year, they can now bring up Castillo, if they feel he can help for next year. After this season Rusney is now an option.

 

But not a likely one.

 

Not only do they have to pay arbitration raises, as noted before, but they also might want to replace Kimbrel and/or Pomeranz. Maybe Kelly replaces Kimbrel, but he is FA as well and would need to be signed.

[notin]

They also were feeling stupid for not bidding on Abreu.

 

They did bid on Abreu, just not as much as the White Sox.

 

Abreu said he went to the White Sox because of the larger number of Cuban players, despite us all knowing the money was a big factor. So it looked to me like Castillo was bid on heavily so as not only to miss out on the next Abreu, but also maybe to increase the number of Cuban players and make the Sox look more appealing to other Cubans. Kind of like how Rosenthal wrote an article that the Sox had no black players and therefore might look less appealing to black free agents. And then that off-season, the Sox added Mike Cameron and Bill Hall on their way to becoming a more appealing destination for Carl Crawford. (Oops.)

 

And while the Sox did miss out on Abreu, he really does look like he only good Cuban to come out at that time. We also missed out on Erisbel Arrabuena and Yasmanny Tomas and no one is upset about that..

[mvp 78]

They did bid on Abreu, just not as much as the White Sox.

 

I honestly don't believe that story. It came out 9 months after he signed and was during a really s***** season for the Sox. To me, that story was just damage control and there's no way to prove it either way.

[vegasbob]

Detroit, White Sox, and Orioles next 9 games. They got to do a beatdown, on all three. 6-3 Minimum.

 

I think they will get the three series wins going 6-3 or 7-2. The amazing thing about the current record is that Pedroia has been a non-factor all season (and may continue that way), Betts and Bogaerts both on the DL before May 31, JBJr-Vazquez-Leon-Swihart all below .200 most of the 60 games so far, Pomeranz a late starting dud , even Sale and Kimbrel a little inconsistent. If you didn't know about the 41 wins vs 19 losses, you would think this team was at .500 at best.

 

The biggest question may be whether Mookie's "sore side" is temporary or a serious oblique strain as has been opined by some.

[notin]

I honestly don't believe that story. It came out 9 months after he signed and was during a really s***** season for the Sox. To me, that story was just damage control and there's no way to prove it either way.

 

Really?

 

I live in Chicago and the story when he signed was the White Sox acquired him by outbidding the runner-up Red Sox.

 

Regardless, given the Cubans who came out at that time, teams probably should have withheld bidding on any of them. There were far more expensive busts than worthwhile contracts...

[mvp 78]

Really?

 

I live in Chicago and the story when he signed was the White Sox acquired him by outbidding the runner-up Red Sox.

 

Regardless, given the Cubans who came out at that time, teams probably should have withheld bidding on any of them. There were far more expensive busts than worthwhile contracts...

 

That wasn't the story here and my cursory search of all the Chicago news from October 2013 doesn't bring up anything about the Red Sox.

[notin]

That wasn't the story here and my cursory search of all the Chicago news from October 2013 doesn't bring up anything about the Red Sox.

 

https://www.mlbdailydish.com/2013/10/17/4849688/jose-abreu-rumors-astros-red-sox-white-sox-finalists

[moonslav59]

I wouldn't give up Beeks for Herrera. They have a bunch of young bullpen profile arms to deal though. They have bullpen depth, not starting pitching depth.

 

Herrera is very good, but he's a 2 month rental.

 

Tough call.

[cp176]

I might have misread you. If you mean a better hitter than Leon, Vazquez, and JBJ, I can't quarrel with that. I thought you meant the whole team.

 

Max - you thought that I implied that Swihart would be the best hitter on our team? I really hope not but whatever I guess.

[mvp 78]

Herrera is very good, but he's a 2 month rental.

 

Tough call.

 

I'm a Beeks fanboy.

[notin]

I'm a Beeks fanboy.

 

I think he's kind of meh. I'd put his ceiling as LOOGY.

 

But maybe he will turn into something special someday. I've been wrong before, like when I said Travis Shaw was a bench bat at best...

[Nick]

https://www.mlbdailydish.com/2013/10/17/4849688/jose-abreu-rumors-astros-red-sox-white-sox-finalists

 

lol....check mate.

 

I will bet anyone million that there was an article about sox coming in second, behind the White Sox. I'm not betting it's true, but there was an article.

 

Just because a guy on this board hasn't seen it doesn't make it didn't happen.

[notin]

lol....check mate.

 

I will bet anyone million that there was an article about sox coming in second, behind the White Sox. I'm not betting it's true, but there was an article.

 

Just because a guy on this board hasn't seen it doesn't make it didn't happen.

 

And of course, look who is in the picture with Abreu...