And the off season begins (2018-19)

[moonslav59]

Blake OPS'd 613 last year. 707 from 8/22 on. That's just not good enough to keep around as he isn't a great defender anywhere on the field. If he's an adequate C, you suck it up. I'm just not sure he'll hit the ceiling that some people dream about on here.

 

His sample size was small and spread out. I'm not sure we can read too much into his 2018 OPS or recent OPS.

 

I think he can hit, but with Chavis and Ockimey being rule 5, I doubt Swihart stays with this club. We may trade Swihart and Ockimey for a RP'er or a prospect not needing to be on the 40 man roster next year.

[mvp 78]

Chavis is rule 5. He either starts the season on the 25 man roster or traded. He will not pass through the rule 5 draft untaken.

 

Dalbec is NOT rule 5. He may make the 40 man roster mid season, but he will not on opening day, even with a stellar spring.

 

 

He can start the season on the 40 man roster and be fine.

[notin]

Chavis is rule 5. He either starts the season on the 25 man roster or traded. He will not pass through the rule 5 draft untaken.

 

Dalbec is NOT rule 5. He may make the 40 man roster mid season, but he will not on opening day, even with a stellar spring.

 

 

Chavis has 3 options left. He only needs to be added to the 40man roster, right? The 40man roster does keep him out of the Rule 5 draft...

[moonslav59]

Chavis has 3 options left. He only needs to be added to the 40man roster, right? The 40man roster does keep him out of the Rule 5 draft...

 

Yes, you're right. I was thinking of the 25 man roster for the team who selects a rule 5 player. My bad.

[Nick]

It sure makes 2019 discussion easy knowing you have the world championship in back pocket.

 

At worst

 

Sale, Price, Porcello, E Rod, Wright, Johnson and Hector as starters.

Barnes, Brasier, Workman, Hembree, Thornburg, Smith, Maddox, Poyner in the pen.

Vazquez, Moreland, Holt, Xander, Devers, JD, Beni, JBJ and Betts in the field.

 

That's probably good enough for wildcard spot.

 

Sign Eovaldi to a 4 year deal. Sign Kelly and trade for a cost controlled closer. Sign Pearce to a two year, $15M deal.

Edited October 29, 2018 by Nick

[Tedballgame]

More likely, we won't get much for Leon or Swihart, so we might keep all 3 again, but have Swihart work out at 1B and 3B in the off season.

 

We also have rule 5 guys to trade or make room for on the 25 man roster:

 

Victor Acosta

Christopher Acosta

Yoan Aybar

Roldani Baldwin

Trey Ball

Juan Barriento

Edilson Batista

Eduard Bazardo

Jordan Betts

Marino Campana

Rusney Castillo

Michael Chavis

Luis Colmenares

Eduard Conde

Harrison Cooney

Jake Cosart

Ricardo Cubillan

Enmanuel De Jesus

Chad De La Guerra

Jhonathan Diaz

Jerry Downs

Nick Duron

Junior Espinoza

Willis Figueroa

Devon Fisher

Austin Glorius

Daniel Gonzalez

Juan Hernandez

Darwinzon Hernandez

Oscar Hernandez

Tyler Hill

Dedgar Jimenez

Trevor Kelley

Trenton Kemp

Matt Kent

Travis Lakins

Marcos Lantigua

Adam Lau

Deiner Lopez

Isaias Lucena

Chris Madera

Danny Mars

Algenis Martinez

Tate Matheny

Kevin McAvoy

Daniel McGrath

Samuel Miranda

Joseph Monge

Mark Montgomery

Jhon Nunez

Josh Ockimey

Angel Padron

Yorvin Pantoja

Yankory Pimentel

Roniel Raudes

Austin Rei

Hildemaro Requena

Denyi Reyes

Eddy Reynoso

Jeremy Rivera

Jake Romanski

Teddy Stankiewicz

Kevin Steen

Cole Sturgeon

Josh Taylor

Luke Tendler

Josh Tobias

Carlos Tovar

Kyri Washington

Jantzen Witte

Kyle Wren

 

.

I believe they just have to be on the 40 man roster to be protected from Rule 5 draft.

[notin]

I believe they just have to be on the 40 man roster to be protected from Rule 5 draft.

 

And the 4 highlighted names are really the only ones that need to be added. The Sox should have little trouble accommodating them...

[oldtimer]

Pretty clearly we are the best team in baseball going forward. Other teams will be trying to get better and have both money and resources to make significant changes. They will want to close the gap on us and no doubt will try to sign some of our key resources to weaken us. Kimbrel, Kelly and Eovaldi are expected targets. We may have to throw in the towel on at least one of those but may be able to keep two, if we shed Pomeranz and perhaps Kimbrel as his value in the market may be more than his worth to the team.

 

We need to look at our weak spots and try to bolster those for the 2019 season while trying to stay under the luxury tax penalty limit if at all possible. Moon has done and no doubt will continue to point out our options in that regard.

 

In my opinion our most glaring needs will be finding a replacement closer, rounding out our starting pitching with a 5th capable starter, dealing with the uncertainty at second base and making decisions for our catching stategy going forward. We will go into the season with 13 members of our 25 man roster taking up the field positions and catching. Our outfield is set, our designated hitter is as well. I think Devers will be given a chance to improve at 3rd, Bogey at short and either Moreland or Pearce at 1st. Pedroia is the uncertainty at 2nd but assuming he starts we have 9 defined positions and can have 4 other players. Obviously we need at least one additional catcher so it leaves us open for 3 utility players. Holt is a no-brainer as he can fill many positions and we will need backup support for the infield and outfield. Pearce has limitations as far as flexibility being mainly a 1st baseman or DH candidate. Nunez is flexible enough to backup a number of positions and is a ML level hitter with so so defense. Lin is still out there as is Chaviz. A lot will key around how Cora wants to go with the catcher.

 

it will be difficult to balance our needs, pay our players and stay under the luxury tax limit. DD has done a great job so far so I trust in him.

[Slasher9]

I think DD keeps Kelly. and that's it.

kimbrel, pearce, pom, swi, evo, kinsler all gone.

i would like to see pearce & evo stay but i dont think it's gonna happen.

[notin]

I think DD keeps Kelly. and that's it.

kimbrel, pearce, pom, swi, evo, kinsler all gone.

i would like to see pearce & evo stay but i dont think it's gonna happen.

 

Pearce is 35 and never really had any type of contract. He won't be too expensive to keep, and in act replacing him might be more expensive if the Sox don't do it from within.

 

The WS MVP won't effect his price tag. David Freese has won that award in the past (as a starter no less) and it didn't appear to make any GM ever think they had to overpay to keep him.

 

The Chris Young/Jonny Gomes/Mitch Moreland contract should suffice...

[harmony]

Pearce is 35 and never really had any type of contract. He won't be too expensive to keep, and in act replacing him might be more expensive if the Sox don't do it from within.

 

The WS MVP won't effect his price tag. David Freese has won that award in the past (as a starter no less) and it didn't appear to make any GM ever think they had to overpay to keep him.

 

The Chris Young/Jonny Gomes/Mitch Moreland contract should suffice...

To be fair, David Freese was a 28-year-old pre-arbitration player with only two years of MLB service when he was named most valuable player of the 2011 World Series and National League Championship Series.

[jacksonianmarch]

Pearce is gonna do what he always does. He’ll land with a s***** team or a team in need and get as much playing time as he can. Then he’ll either be useful on the trade market or implode. I can see a team like Baltimore sign him again and trot him out there to teach the kids how to play. I could also see him do that same in KC. If he is looking for a path to PT on a contender, Cleveland has EE at 1b and he’s a DH. Pearce could easily start there. He’d also make the most sense for CLE since the path to the title next year is gonna run through Boston and a lefty killer like Pearce would be better utilized against the Sox than for them. He’s gonna capitalize and earn some bank this offseason. I doubt it would be in Boston unless DD sweetens the pot and offers him years with a low AAV and a wink and nod deal to cut him when he wants to retire so he gets the whole deal. He is 35 and hasn’t really raked it in. He’s gonna go to the highest total bidder

[Kimmi]

It is uncomfortable talking about this so quickly - we just witnessed an all-time great team mow down arugably the toughest road a playoff team has ever had to go.

 

I don't even want to think about the off season until we at least get past the parade!

 

Take some time to just enjoy the beautiful and magnificent season that the Red Sox just had!

[jd98]

I remember a poster earlier this year saying the Sox gave up too much (Beeks) for Eovaldi and that they gave up a too good of a prospect for Pearce. LOL!

 

The Eovaldi one may have been me, but I liked the Pearce trade. I didn't like the Kinsler trade. I was way wrong about how good Eovaldi would be, but even in hindsight I still wouldn't do the trade. As great as he was in the postseason, the Sox still extremely likely win the WS without him. I had said they need to win the WS after that trade (and Kinsler one), and they did, so I'm not complaining. Back on board the DD train.

[jacksonianmarch]

The Eovaldi trade came while the league was still figuring out who he was after surgery. And while his ERA and peripherals were solid as a Red Sox, one must remember that he only threw 54IP in 12 games in Boston, 11 of those were starts and one 2IP relief appearance. In those 11 starts, he didn’t even average 5IP. Now part of that was his inconsistency and another may have been babying him a bit with a big lead and his injury history. The Sox didnt take the kid gloves off until the ALDS. He got on a run which earned him probably 8 figures per annum or more. He became, for 3 weeks, what everyone has been waiting for him to become. Beeks may end up a good pitcher. Eovaldi will likely go elsewhere and sign a lucrative deal. Either way, DD struck gold here

[Larry Cook]

Bullpen thoughts:

 

We make kimbrel a qualifying offer, but no doubt he moves on.

 

Then we trade for the reds closer. Maybe move chavis, dalbec and houck for him.

 

Kelly will probably move along as well with a chance to be a closer somewhere.

 

No doubt in my mind that come August, unless injured, we will see durbin and/or Hernandez in Boston. Durbin is the perfect 8th inning guy.

[Station 13]

Eovaldi may be looking at Rich Hill money, who like him was often injured. Hill makes close to $20M next year as part of his back loaded deal.

[jacksonianmarch]

Eovaldi is gonna get more than Rich Hill money. Hill was 35 when he signed. Eovaldi will be 29 in February.

[jacksonianmarch]

Bullpen thoughts:

 

We make kimbrel a qualifying offer, but no doubt he moves on.

 

Then we trade for the reds closer. Maybe move chavis, dalbec and houck for him.

 

Kelly will probably move along as well with a chance to be a closer somewhere.

 

No doubt in my mind that come August, unless injured, we will see durbin and/or Hernandez in Boston. Durbin is the perfect 8th inning guy.

 

Iglesias has the power DD is looking for, but he showed an uncanny ability to get taken deep. 1.5 HR/9IP is a lot, especially in the NL. Move him to Fenway and he might not be the right fit

[d-money]

I really hope we find a way and resign eovaldi. There’s always injury concern with him but he still throws pretty hard.

[jacksonianmarch]

The EEI guys had a good point with eovaldi. DD loves power starters. They’re wondering if DD goes hard after Eovaldi and moves on from Porcello, who he’d probably get a good return from on a one year deal

[Fan_since_Boggs]

I wouldn't trade for a closer, not when the Red Sox could find one in free agency (perhaps Zach Britton) and likely have a future closer in their minor league system in Feltman. The Red Sox need a bridge closer to Feltman. They could sign Britton to a one year pillow contract that would allow Britton to reestablish his value as a closer, something he didn't do on the Yankees last season.

 

The Kinsler trade was a bad move--gave up Ty Buttrey for a washed up player. However, Dombrowski was a genius for trading for Eovaldi and Pearce. He is clearly the best GM in baseball.

 

I'm not saying the Red Sox will sign Bryce Harper but they should at least inquire into his services and see how high the offers are going. Theoretically, the Red Sox could trade Bradley Jr., move Betts to CF, and open up a spot for Harper in RF. JD Martinez will probably opt out after the 2019 season, freeing up money and there is no guarantee the Red Sox will resign Bogaerts. At the end of the day, I think Harper is going to the Phillies for over 400 million. The Phillies have the resources to get it done and are eager to spend and compete again.

 

I like the strategy of trading Porcello and resigning Eovaldi. One thing for certain, the Yankees have little chance to sign Eovaldi--after all, Cashman dumped him when he needed TJ surgery. I doubt Eovaldi has any interest in returning to an organization that treated him like that.

 

I wouldn't make Kimbrel a qualifying offer. There is a chance he may accept it.

Edited October 30, 2018 by Fan_since_Boggs

[jacksonianmarch]

Kimbrel isn’t accepting a QO. No way

[Slasher9]

Kimbrel isn’t accepting a QO. No way

 

i hope not.

[moonslav59]

Since we went over the luxury tax limit, Kimbrel's 100% sure rejection of the QO we give him will net us, I believe, only a 4th round pick.

[Bellhorn04]

Eovaldi may be looking at Rich Hill money, who like him was often injured. Hill makes close to $20M next year as part of his back loaded deal.

 

Might be a good comp Station.

 

Hill's deal was 3/48.

[Slasher9]

Since we went over the luxury tax limit, Kimbrel's 100% sure rejection of the QO we give him will net us, I believe, only a 4th round pick.

 

thats fine. i'm actually OK watching Kimbrel pitch for another team without any compensation whatsoever.

[Bellhorn04]

I like Kimbrel a lot. But his tenure with us was perfect. We won the ring, he was OK at best in the postseason, didn't blow any saves, but demonstrated pretty conclusively that there's no need to spend big to bring him back.

[moonslav59]

thats fine. i'm actually OK watching Kimbrel pitch for another team without any compensation whatsoever.

 

Me, too, but I was hoping we'd get a decent sandwich pick or something. It's been a long time since the days we stock-piled comp picks.

 

Here's a history of our comp picks (Oh, the good 'ole days!):

 

Kopech 2014 (Ellsbury)

Johnson & P Light (who got us Abad) 2012 (Papelbon)

JBJ & Swihart 2011 (Beltre)

Barnes & Owens 2011 (VMart)

Workman 2010 (JBay)

Ranaudo (who got us Robbie Ross) 2010 (B Wagner)

S Fife (who helped us get E Bedard) 2008 (Gagne)

N Hagadone (small part of VMart trade) 2007 (Alex Gonzo)

Daniel Bard 2006 (Damon)

Ellsbury & Lowrie 2005 (OCab)

Hansen (small part of JBay trade) 2005 (D Lowe)

Buchholz 2005 (Pedro)

 

Looking at this list, one could extrapolate on the Nomar trade that brought us OCab and a ring in 2004. OCab then brought us Ellsbury and a ring in 2007 & 2013 plus Lowrie, who brought us Holt and a ring in 2018. Ellsbury then brought us Kopech, who was a major piece in the Chris Sale trade and a ring in 2018.

 

Some gifts just keep on giving!

 

 

[S5Dewey]

Me, too, but I was hoping we'd get a decent sandwich pick or something. It's been a long time since the days we stock-piled comp picks.

 

Here's a history of our comp picks (Oh, the good 'ole days!):

 

Kopech 2014 (Ellsbury)

Johnson & P Light (who got us Abad) 2012 (Papelbon)

JBJ & Swihart 2011 (Beltre)

Barnes & Owens 2011 (VMart)

Workman 2010 (JBay)

Ranaudo (who got us Robbie Ross) 2010 (B Wagner)

S Fife (who helped us get E Bedard) 2008 (Gagne)

N Hagadone (small part of VMart trade) 2007 (Alex Gonzo)

Daniel Bard 2006 (Damon)

Ellsbury & Lowrie 2005 (OCab)

Hansen (small part of JBay trade) 2005 (D Lowe)

Buchholz 2005 (Pedro)

 

Looking at this list, one could extrapolate on the Nomar trade that brought us OCab and a ring in 2004. OCab then brought us Ellsbury and a ring in 2007 & 2013 plus Lowrie, who brought us Holt and a ring in 2018. Ellsbury then brought us Kopech, who was a major piece in the Chris Sale trade and a ring in 2018.

 

Some gifts just keep on giving!

 

 

 

You never cease to impress me with the stuff you can pull up. Do you remember all this, or do you have it stored in files somewhere?