A Realistic View at 2021: Part I

[Bellhorn04]

Probably not the players we would think might be part of a longer term prebuild lan.

 

But as you've suggested, there's not much point in us signing players to only one-year deals. And some other teams will feel the same.

[Bellhorn04]

With only an hour and a half to go until the deadline for extending qualifying offers, the only publicly announced QO has gone to Mets righthander Marcus Stroman.

 

What if that is the only qualifying offer? What would that say about the free agent market?

 

To me it says there's still a huge amount of certainty about COVID-19, which there is.

[dgalehouse]

Five finalists for Sox managerial position:

 

MLBTR:

 

"...the likely list of finalists includes Red Sox manager Alex Cora, Marlins bench coach James Rowson, Pirates bench coach Don Kelly, Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza, and a new candidate to the race — former big league outfielder Sam Fuld, currently the Phillies’ director of integrative baseball performance."

 

 

My bookie still says Cora is a lock. I have to say that I am impressed with Sam Fuld . " Director of integrative baseball performance " sounds really important . Much better than bench coach. Although I have no idea what it actually is .

[harmony]

My bookie still says Cora is a lock. I have to say that I am impressed with Sam Fuld . " Director of integrative baseball performance " sounds really important . Much better than bench coach. Although I have no idea what it actually is .

This poster is partial to Stanford grads such as Sam Fuld. From Wikipedia: "During the baseball off-season, Fuld returns to Stanford to pursue a master's degree in statistics.[14]":)

 

Alex Cora will be a fine pick.

[Bellhorn04]

My bookie still says Cora is a lock. I have to say that I am impressed with Sam Fuld . " Director of integrative baseball performance " sounds really important . Much better than bench coach. Although I have no idea what it actually is .

 

"Integrative baseball performance" sounds like it came out of a random word generator. It looks even longer next to his short little real name.

[moonslav59]

When you say discount return values, do you mean the trading team would eat half the contract, like we're doing with Price? That may be hard for a mid-market team to pull the cord on; they'd reduce their payroll, but also their chances if they're giving up their best player. You know, like the Beantown Tankers did in '20 (only for that team, they gave up a great one to get rid of a grate one... and then changed their minds on the graterol).

 

They may decide to trade away players making just $5-10M, who are not "overpaid" just to cut their losses. They may ask for less in return than they normally would.

 

I wasn't really think of them paying part of the salary, but I guess those types of deals could occur, too.

 

I was just speaking in the hypothetical. If nobody wants Hand at $10M, they probably don't want some capable players on their roster, right now making $5-15M. Good players.

[dgalehouse]

This poster is partial to Stanford grads such as Sam Fuld. From Wikipedia: "During the baseball off-season, Fuld returns to Stanford to pursue a master's degree in statistics.[14]":)

 

Alex Cora will be a fine pick.

 

Okay Harm , Fuld never could hit a lick , but I guess he is a thinker. I'll stick with Cora.

[notin]

Okay Harm , Fuld never could hit a lick , but I guess he is a thinker. I'll stick with Cora.

 

Fuld had a career OPS of .632. Cora had a career OPS of .648.

 

If hitting is a requirement, both these guys are out...

[dgalehouse]

Fuld had a career OPS of .632. Cora had a career OPS of .648.

 

If hitting is a requirement, both these guys are out...

 

Slight edge to Cora in career OPS. Cora has managed a championship team , but Alex did not major in statistics at Stanford . So , advantage Fuld for that . I guess it's a toss up . But the guys down at Clancy's all think it will be Cora. So, I'm sticking with that.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Slight edge to Cora in career OPS. Cora has managed a championship team , but Alex did not major in statistics at Stanford . So , advantage Fuld for that . I guess it's a toss up . But the guys down at Clancy's all think it will be Cora. So, I'm sticking with that.

 

Cora got his masters in rings: as a benchwarmer in '07, coach in '17, and manager in '18. He also hit 89 foul balls in one at bat and then homered... as a Dodger.

[moonslav59]

Sox decline option on Marin Perez.

 

One more rotation slot to fill.

 

$6M added to the spending budget.

[notin]

Sox decline option on Marin Perez.

 

One more rotation slot to fill.

 

$6M added to the spending budget.

 

And Perez is still an option...

[notin]

Slight edge to Cora in career OPS. Cora has managed a championship team , but Alex did not major in statistics at Stanford . So , advantage Fuld for that . I guess it's a toss up . But the guys down at Clancy's all think it will be Cora. So, I'm sticking with that.

 

Sox already danced with Cora once.

 

If rings were all that mattered, Francona would still be in Boston...

[notin]

My early Sox FA predictions

 

First of all, I predict the Sox do NOT claim Brad Hand. As I am operating on the assumption that I have no idea how they really make decisions, I figure it makes absolutely no sense to pass on him. Which is why they will. And since Cleveland was unable to get so much as an A-ball wild card for him in a trade, everyone else will, too.

 

That out of the way, these predictions each carry a standard 50% chance of being correct. Either they sign the guy or they don't. End of explanation.

 

But here are the names.

 

1. Brad Hand. He's signing somewhere. No one needs pitching more. Just not for $10mill

2. Kevin Gausman. Not exactly the starter we want. But he seems like one of those guys analytic-types like too much.

3. Brad Miller. He's just too perfect of a fit as a left-handed bench bat that can play multiple INF/OF positions. If they don't sign him, I plan to invoke my same logic for not claiming Hand. But I think the money saved on Hand pays or him.

4. Trevor May. He's better than you think.

5. Mike Zunino. Bloom acquired him before. He's a good field/no hit catcher they can pair with Plawecki to free up Vazquez for a trade, which they will do. Unless I am also wrong here.

 

That is all...

 

With Gausman getting a QO - something I did NOT see coming - I would consider him no longer an option. Taijuan Walker now becomes much more likely...

[Nick]

The four main players the Red Sox traded at the August 31 deadline -- Moreland, pitchers Heath Hembree and Brandon Workman and outfielder Kevin Pillar -- are all free agents. Boston acquired Potts, Rosario and pitchers Nick Pivetta, Connor Seabold and Jacob Wallace in three separate deals.

 

Good job by Bloom.

[Bellhorn04]

Sox already danced with Cora once.

 

If rings were all that mattered, Francona would still be in Boston...

 

"Already danced once" - what does that mean in this context? Cora would still be Red Sox manager if not for his suspension, which of course had nothing to do with his management of the Red Sox.

[Bellhorn04]

The four main players the Red Sox traded at the August 31 deadline -- Moreland, pitchers Heath Hembree and Brandon Workman and outfielder Kevin Pillar -- are all free agents. Boston acquired Potts, Rosario and pitchers Nick Pivetta, Connor Seabold and Jacob Wallace in three separate deals.

 

Good job by Bloom.

 

Great job, in fact.

[mvp 78]

Sox already danced with Cora once.

 

If rings were all that mattered, Francona would still be in Boston...

 

He should be.

[notin]

"Already danced once" - what does that mean in this context? Cora would still be Red Sox manager if not for his suspension, which of course had nothing to do with his management of the Red Sox.

 

Well, slight alteration to that timeline in that Cora was fired prior to being suspended. While no doubt the suspension was a major factor in firing him, that still leaves the majopr question. Is he the guy Bloom wants? It's hardly uncommon for a new GM to sweep clean and leave his fingerprints all over dugout management. So did Bloom think cora was his manager going forth, or was he just going to be the stopgap guy for what was an inevitable bad season, sort of like other managers like Dale Sveum in Chicago? Had Cora not been suspended, it is possible he could have been fired after the inevitable last place finish.

 

That he is still under consideration obviously bodes well for Cora, but he also could have been brought back by now. One unknown obstacle is if Cora actually wants to come back to Boston. Or if he wants to come back over whatever Bloom is offering.

[mvp 78]

Well, slight alteration to that timeline in that Cora was fired prior to being suspended. While no doubt the suspension was a major factor in firing him, that still leaves the majopr question. Is he the guy Bloom wants? It's hardly uncommon for a new GM to sweep clean and leave his fingerprints all over dugout management. So did Bloom think cora was his manager going forth, or was he just going to be the stopgap guy for what was an inevitable bad season, sort of like other managers like Dale Sveum in Chicago? Had Cora not been suspended, it is possible he could have been fired after the inevitable last place finish.

 

That he is still under consideration obviously bodes well for Cora, but he also could have been brought back by now. One unknown obstacle is if Cora actually wants to come back to Boston. Or if he wants to come back over whatever Bloom is offering.

 

If Bloom didn't really want him, why reach out to him multiple times? Maybe he's like 75% on board? Maybe Cora's not 100% on board? IDK.

[notin]

If Bloom didn't really want him, why reach out to him multiple times? Maybe he's like 75% on board? Maybe Cora's not 100% on board? IDK.

 

Maybe he only wanted him short term?

 

That he is not back now means at the very least, either Bloom was not totally committed to him or that Cora is not totally committed to coming back.

 

I mean, some of this could easily be on Cora...

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

If Bloom didn't really want him, why reach out to him multiple times? Maybe he's like 75% on board? Maybe Cora's not 100% on board? IDK.

 

Or maybe the callbacks are coming from the guys signing the checks.

[moonslav59]

Sox already danced with Cora once.

 

If rings were all that mattered, Francona would still be in Boston...

 

I don't think they really wanted to cut Cora loose in the first place.

[moonslav59]

Great job, in fact.

 

To use the criteria some have used for the DD trades, what have any of these guys done for us already?

[dgalehouse]

To use the criteria some have used for the DD trades, what have any of these guys done for us already?

 

Well , they all have names . So you can make a list of them. It sounds good that way. Are they any good ? That remains to be seen.

[Bellhorn04]

To use the criteria some have used for the DD trades, what have any of these guys done for us already?

 

You're right, except we got these guys for virtually nothing.

 

And Pivetta did have a couple of good games!

[Bellhorn04]

I don't think they really wanted to cut Cora loose in the first place.

 

Of course they didn't.

[mvp 78]

I don't think they really wanted to cut Cora loose in the first place.

 

Then they should have just kept him and had him serve his suspension.

[moonslav59]

Well , they all have names . So you can make a list of them. It sounds good that way. Are they any good ? That remains to be seen.

 

Same with many of the guys DD traded- the jury is still out.

[moonslav59]

Then they should have just kept him and had him serve his suspension.

 

Better press this way.