2020-2021 Offseason Thread

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

People who are considering the 2021 sox a finished product are going to be mistaken at any point this year. You dont have to like it, but this is a rebuilding team. The rebuild isnt going to be perfect along the way. Let's be honest, the sox are a distant fourth in the division in talent. They're gonna slow play Sale, ERod will take some time to return to his prior conditioning. Richards will be needed to be a horse, something he hasnt done in awhile, not impossible for him, but hasnt done it in awhile. Eovaldi will need to be healthy, which he has never shown he can do. Perez is a 5th starter punt. Pivetta is a failed prospect with potential, but zero expectations. The pen has a few guys with talent, but on the whole it is a s***** pen. The lineup has a some question marks and a gaping hole in CF that may include LF if Beni is moved. It isn't a good team. Could it surprise and be a playoff contender, maybe, but in a division where they are clearly 4th and with the play being so centered around your division, there is a good chance this team wins 75 games if they are lucky and is out of it early.

 

Obvious post, obvious source. Sox fans will never get to will a winner in Boston just because they want one, and Yankee fans will never get to will a winner in NYC just because they want one.

 

Like notin has pointed out with W-L records, there's not much difference between winners and losers, especially clubs that added recently-injured veterans this offseason they're hoping will give them a boost. Teams with young, healthy talent stand to make the most improvement. Some of it can be sudden.

 

Jarren Duran was the Winter League playoffs MVP this past weekend.

[jacksonianmarch]

Obvious post, obvious source. Sox fans will never get to will a winner in Boston just because they want one, and Yankee fans will never get to will a winner in NYC just because they want one.

 

Like notin has pointed out with W-L records, there's not much difference between winners and losers, especially clubs that added recently-injured veterans this offseason they're hoping will give them a boost. Teams with young, healthy talent stand to make the most improvement. Some of it can be sudden.

 

Jarren Duran was the Winter League playoffs MVP this past weekend.

 

I think the biggest point here is that you have to be realistic with your expectations and that "going for it" which won the 2018 WS has its costs. This is it

[Bellhorn04]

And the reason we do not have enough starters is two of our two 5 have shown the inability to pitch a full season these past few years. So why are we forcing them into roles where they have to?

 

That's not the only reason we don't have enough starters.

 

The Yankees are in much the same situation with Kluber and Taillon.

 

They just have a lot more depth than we do.

[Bellhorn04]

I think the biggest point here is that you have to be realistic with your expectations and that "going for it" which won the 2018 WS has its costs. This is it

 

Realistically, all a Sox fan can ask for this year is a puncher's chance at a wild card spot.

 

A couple more solid additions and we could be there.

[jacksonianmarch]

That's not the only reason we don't have enough starters.

 

The Yankees are in much the same situation with Kluber and Taillon.

 

They just have a lot more depth than we do.

 

Taillon has more been snakebit than anything else. Testicular cancer after his debut then TJS in 2019? Taillon has a predictable recovery and should be pretty solid in 2021. Kluber, I have literally no idea what to expect as he was snakebit in 19 then had an injury that has proven to sap power (same muscle that Jake Peavy tore, although Kluber didnt need surgery like Peavy did). Kluber is also 36. I would also put Richards in the snakebit category, although of his own decision. If he got TJS when he first hurt his elbow, he would be 3 years past it by now and would have gotten a pretty lucrative deal. The biggest part of your point is the depth. The sox have Pivetta still in the rotation on OD. That's not a good plan to win. Eovaldi and Perez in the rotation too where both have been less than stellar additions. Depth beyond the top 5 is pretty thin until Sale returns.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

That's not the only reason we don't have enough starters.

 

The Yankees are in much the same situation with Kluber and Taillon.

 

They just have a lot more depth than we do.

 

I'd argue that Boston (or anyone) could have packaged together four very young, low-level minor leaguers -- unrated or not projected as future stars -- for a guy who didn't even pitch in 2020 like Taillon.

 

For those who may argue the Red Sox just aren't good enough yet to be making such a move, I'd counter that I cannot imagine a time that Chaim Bloom would trade four prospects for any one pitcher... ever.

[moonslav59]

Beni isn't being traded. It only made sense if they were signing a big bat for LF. They don't have enough room to sign Ozuna.

 

They need a closer and a CFer still.

 

It makes sense, if we use Renroe FT in LF or platoon (Chavis hits RHPs better) with someone, and we get a cheap CF'er who can actually field well.

 

IMO, it doesn't make sense trading Beni while his stock is low, but I think he's gone.

 

BTW, his $6M would allow for another signing (CF/ RP) or a better signing.

[notin]

That's not the only reason we don't have enough starters.

 

The Yankees are in much the same situation with Kluber and Taillon.

 

They just have a lot more depth than we do.

 

..which means they are not in the same situation. Also, unlike us, they have a bullpen...

[harmony]

Too many fans want the Red Sox to spend right up to the luxury tax threshold. The front office might want to hold back.

 

The Sox have already spent $17 million of the reported available $30 million on Kike Hernandez and Garrett Richards. If the Sox planned to crash through the first CBT limit they probably would have set their sights higher.

 

Or not.

[Bellhorn04]

..which means they are not in the same situation. Also, unlike us, they have a bullpen...

 

Yes, we're in a poor position. But I don't think moving Eovaldi or Richards to closer will do much to fix it.

[moonslav59]

Too many fans want the Red Sox to spend right up to the luxury tax threshold. The front office might want to hold back.

 

The Sox have already spent $17 million of the reported available $30 million on Kike Hernandez and Garrett Richards. If the Sox planned to crash through the first CBT limit they probably would have set their sights higher.

.

 

We also spent over $5M on Renfroe+ Andreise.

 

My guess is we keep $2-5M for dealine deals, if needed, or we trade Beni to add $6M to the spending budget and to use to fill a bigger need than LF- namely, CF and closer.

[moonslav59]

Yes, we're in a poor position. But I don't think moving Eovaldi or Richards to closer will do much to fix it.

 

I don't either, but if we fail to add a closer, we will need to find one within the system.

 

Maybe Barnes can step it up.

 

DHern walks way too many batters to be considered.

 

Who else is left? Pivetta or Houck?

 

Bazardo?

 

(I'm not kidding. Our choices are really that slim!)

[Bellhorn04]

Too many fans want the Red Sox to spend right up to the luxury tax threshold. The front office might want to hold back.

 

We can want whatever we like. I want them to go over the threshold, personally. But yeah, it's their call...

[Bellhorn04]

I don't either, but if we fail to add a closer, we will need to find one within the system.

 

Maybe Barnes can step it up.

 

DHern walks way too many batters to be considered.

 

Who else is left? Pivetta or Houck?

 

Bazardo?

 

(I'm not kidding. Our choices are really that slim!)

 

Surely to God we'll sign a reliever with a few saves on his resume...

[moonslav59]

We can want whatever we like. I want them to go over the threshold, personally. But yeah, it's their call...

 

I'd like to see Henry decide to spend like a maniac every winter, but it's not happening.

 

Periodic resets are part of our plan. If by going over, this year, we will be forced to reset a year earlier down the road, then I'm for not going over.

 

Why go over during a year we have such slim chances? Save it for a year we can win it all.

 

This is all theoretical, as we may have a new agreement and system in place, very soon.

[moonslav59]

Surely to God we'll sign a reliever with a few saves on his resume...

 

We could sign or add a closer and still not have one. Remember how Koji became our closer?

 

I happen to think we will add a closer- like Colome. That should end this talk.

[mvp 78]

@lindseyadler

Source: The Yankees have traded Adam Ottavino to the Red Sox.

[moonslav59]

@lindseyadler

Source: The Yankees have traded Adam Ottavino to the Red Sox.

 

Hmmm...

 

I wonder who for.

[Bellhorn04]

Didn't see that coming.

[mvp 78]

@lindseyadler

Adam Ottavino is in the last year of a three-year, $27m contract. Salary for 2021 is technically $8m, but $9m counts against the luxury tax by AAV. Yankees needed an additional 40-man spot and this gives them some more cushion if they want to stay under CBT threshold.

[mvp 78]

Didn't see that coming.

 

No one ever expects the Spanish Inquisition.

[moonslav59]

MLBTR

 

The Yankees have traded right-hander Adam Ottavino to the Red Sox, reports Lindsey Adler of The Athletic (via Twitter). Joel Sherman of the New York Post adds that the Yankees are sending Ottavino and a prospect to Boston. The Red Sox are taking on “most” of Ottavino’s $9MM salary, per Sherman, which will help the Yankees to distance themselves from the $210MM luxury-tax barrier — a threshold they were nearly up against prior to agreeing to this swap.

 

He's owed $8.85M with a lux tax hit of $9M.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

MLBTR

 

The Yankees have traded right-hander Adam Ottavino to the Red Sox, reports Lindsey Adler of The Athletic (via Twitter). Joel Sherman of the New York Post adds that the Yankees are sending Ottavino and a prospect to Boston. The Red Sox are taking on “most” of Ottavino’s $9MM salary, per Sherman, which will help the Yankees to distance themselves from the $210MM luxury-tax barrier — a threshold they were nearly up against prior to agreeing to this swap.

 

He's owed $8.85M with a lux tax hit of $9M.

 

Hey -- we saved $1M rather than sign Hand. Now we can use it to sign Marisnick!

[moonslav59]

No one ever expects the Spanish Inquisition.

 

Getting Ottavino may feel like the Spanish Inquisition, but I guess there is hope he pitches like 2018-2019 (1.14 WHIP and 12.5 K/9 in 144 IP).

 

He just turned 35.

[moonslav59]

Hey -- we saved $1M rather than sign Hand. Now we can use it to sign Marisnick!

 

LOL!

 

Does make me shake my head in wonderment.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Getting Ottavino may feel like the Spanish Inquisition, but I guess there is hope he pitches like 2018-2019 (1.14 WHIP and 12.5 K/9 in 144 IP).

 

He just turned 35.

 

JD is doing somersaults -- that's one less righty slider he has to flail at.

[mvp 78]

Hey -- we saved $1M rather than sign Hand. Now we can use it to sign Marisnick!

 

4D chess!

[mvp 78]

@PeteAbe

Red Sox have yet to put Perez or Richards (or Hernandez - ed) on the 40. Now Ottavino joins the list.

 

So more moves to come. They're at 39.

[notin]

@PeteAbe

Red Sox have yet to put Perez or Richards (or Hernandez - ed) on the 40. Now Ottavino joins the list.

 

So more moves to come. They're at 39.

 

I'm putting my money on Payamps and Springs...

[mvp 78]

I'm putting my money on Payamps and Springs...

 

Pedroia, Marcus Wilson, Walden