2020-2021 Offseason Thread

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Well, you can’t go by what he did in Tampa. He had no budget there.

 

Did Friedman clean house in LA? That’s the model to follow. Friedman didn’t trade Seager and sign Correa/Lindor/Baez. And he probably won’t.

 

The Dodgers were loaded this year; the Red Sox played like they were fall-down drunk. I don't view guys like Bogie and Vazquez as guys Bloom would want to replace, but as trade chips who could be replaced (or even upgraded, depending on market availability), while bringing back the best possible returns in other areas of need.

[Bellhorn04]

The Dodgers were loaded this year; the Red Sox played like they were fall-down drunk. I don't view guys like Bogie and Vazquez as guys Bloom would want to replace, but as trade chips who could be replaced (or even upgraded, depending on market availability), while bringing back the best possible returns in other areas of need.

 

Trading Bogie opens up a rather sizable hole. He's been a 5 WAR per year player since 2015.

[moonslav59]

Trading Bogie opens up a rather sizable hole. He's been a 5 WAR per year player since 2015.

 

Indeed, but we would not be handing him away for nothing.

[Bellhorn04]

Indeed, but we would not be handing him away for nothing.

 

I realize that. But Gold Gloves seemed to be suggesting he would not be all that difficult to replace or upgrade. I was sort of trying to elicit some clarification on that from him.

[notin]

The Dodgers were loaded this year; the Red Sox played like they were fall-down drunk. I don't view guys like Bogie and Vazquez as guys Bloom would want to replace, but as trade chips who could be replaced (or even upgraded, depending on market availability), while bringing back the best possible returns in other areas of need.

 

The thing is, if trading Bogaerts and replacing him with, say, Correa is an upgrade, why wouldn’t the interested team just go get Correa? It’s not like Bogaerts is playing a minimum wage contract either. And the price for Correa will likely be similar...

[Bellhorn04]

The thing is, if trading Bogaerts and replacing him with, say, Correa is an upgrade, why wouldn’t the interested team just go get Correa? It’s not like Bogaerts is playing a minimum wage contract either. And the price for Correa will likely be similar...

 

And Bogaerts has that opt out in his contract, too, which is not a real attraction for other teams.

[jacksonianmarch]

Okay, I am perplexed. Robby Ray just got a 1 yr $8 mil deal. He finished the year in the pen, but clearly they hope he is good to go back to the rotation. But if that train-wreck is worth $8 mil on a 1 yr deal, how is Hand not worth $10 mil on a 1 yr deal?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I realize that. But Gold Gloves seemed to be suggesting he would not be all that difficult to replace or upgrade. I was sort of trying to elicit some clarification on that from him.

 

First, Bloom has few really good MLB trade chips beyond maybe a couple prospects he doesn't want to deal. Bogie is one that can bring back a good return for a rebuild; yes, he has an opt-out, but that also might be a reason to trade him sooner rather than later -- remember, how we had to get something for Mookie before he walked.

 

Second, as far as replacing/upgrading X, there is no doubt that the best players soon available on the free agent market -- and maybe for the next several years -- are all shortstops. But that fact doesn't necessarily mean Bogaerts is a goner, as Bradford's column today seemed to echo what some of us have been toying with the past two months: maybe, just maybe, X moves to third and Rafie moves to first.

 

The whole idea is how the Red Sox can best facilitate the transition to acquiring better players to make a better team.

[jacksonianmarch]

I honestly think the sox should trade Xander. 2 more years and he will opt out and get a mega deal. He will bring back a metric ton of talent and if the sox really like him long term, they can convince him to sign in a couple years when they're ready. The only complicating factor is Lindor. Yes, Lindor has one less year of control, but he is the greater player and plays the same position. If the sox want to cash in on Xander, their best bet is to do so after Lindor is moved or after some suitors with massive offers are rejected.

[mvp 78]

Source: #RedSox among teams to express initial interest in free agent RHP Matt Shoemaker, who started Game 1 of the Wild Card Series for Toronto. He posted a 4.71 ERA in 6 regular-season starts. @MLB @MLBNetwork

[Bellhorn04]

I honestly think the sox should trade Xander. 2 more years and he will opt out and get a mega deal. He will bring back a metric ton of talent and if the sox really like him long term, they can convince him to sign in a couple years when they're ready. The only complicating factor is Lindor. Yes, Lindor has one less year of control, but he is the greater player and plays the same position. If the sox want to cash in on Xander, their best bet is to do so after Lindor is moved or after some suitors with massive offers are rejected.

 

"A metric ton of talent". What are you talking about? Baseball Trade Values has Xander with a surplus value of 21.8 million.

[Bellhorn04]

notin's proposed trade of Bogaerts to Cleveland for Triston McKenzie was accepted by BTV. McKenzie is a top-rated pitching prospect, but with some injury issues that have depressed his value somewhat.

 

Then you just have to get busy replacing Bogaerts...

Edited November 9, 2020 by Bellhorn04

[Bellhorn04]

Bogaerts also has a no-trade clause, of course...

[notin]

notin's proposed trade of Bogaerts to Cleveland for Triston McKenzie was accepted by BTV. McKenzie is a top-rated pitching prospect, but with some injury issues that have depressed his value somewhat.

 

Then you just have to get busy replacing Bogaerts...

 

A trade that would be dependant onCleveland moving Lindor, which is actually very likely.

 

The downside is it leaves the Sox without a shortstop and that plethora of talent class is not for another full season.

 

Of course, this poster has always been a big Andrelton Simmons fan and thinks he would work out nicely in Boston...

[moonslav59]

A trade that would be dependant onCleveland moving Lindor, which is actually very likely.

 

The downside is it leaves the Sox without a shortstop and that plethora of talent class is not for another full season.

 

Of course, this poster has always been a big Andrelton Simmons fan and thinks he would work out nicely in Boston...

 

That is the type of scenario I could see Bloom working out. I'm worried about adding a pitcher with health concerns, though.

 

(I'd love to see Simmons as our FT SS.)

[Bellhorn04]

You two would trade anything that isn't nailed down, as the saying goes.

[moonslav59]

You two would trade anything that isn't nailed down, as the saying goes.

 

I would not trade Devers, DHern or Sale.

 

I am not "for" trading many other players, unless the return is better for the longer term.

[mvp 78]

I would not trade Devers, DHern or Sale.

 

I am not "for" trading many other players, unless the return is better for the longer term.

 

What's the hold up on trading DHern (aside from being a cost controlled asset)? It seems pretty obvious he doesn't have starter upside anymore.

[Bellhorn04]

Bogaerts's opt out after 2022 is a bit troublesome, of course. I wonder if they might make an offer to tear up the existing contract and replace it with a new one - maybe 5 years and 110 million? That would guarantee him an additional 30 million. The AAV would only go up by 2 million a year.

[mvp 78]

Bogaerts's opt out after 2022 is a bit troublesome, of course. I wonder if they might make an offer to tear up the existing contract and replace it with a new one - maybe 5 years and 110 million? That would guarantee him an additional 30 million. The AAV would only go up by 2 million a year.

 

I would do that in a heartbeat. Not sure Xander would.

[notin]

I would not trade Devers, DHern or Sale.

 

I am not "for" trading many other players, unless the return is better for the longer term.

 

I don't think Sale is all that tradable...

[mvp 78]

Robbie Ray just signed 1/8 with TOR. That doesn't seem like a huge underpay to me. Will be interesting to see how the FA's shake out going forward.

[notin]

I would do that in a heartbeat. Not sure Xander would.

 

I didn't think he would ever sign the extension with Boston in the first place. His agent (Scott Boras) does always recommend against doing exactly that. So it does lead me to believe he is the rare case that says he wants to play in city X for his whole career and might actually mean it...

[notin]

Robbie Ray just signed 1/8 with TOR. That doesn't seem like a huge underpay to me. Will be interesting to see how the FA's shake out going forward.

 

Ray needed a short team value-rebuilder. He had a horrible season last year, despite actually having increased velocity...

[mvp 78]

Robbie Ray just signed 1/8 with TOR. That doesn't seem like a huge underpay to me. Will be interesting to see how the FA's shake out going forward.

 

MLBTradeRumors had projected him at 1/6M.

[mvp 78]

Ray needed a short team value-rebuilder. He had a horrible season last year, despite actually having increased velocity...

 

I think that seems like a pretty good deal for Ray. If this market was really down, why would Ray get offered 8M?

[notin]

I think that seems like a pretty good deal for Ray. If this market was really down, why would Ray get offered 8M?

 

Well, it is a paycut. His non-pro-rated salary last year would have been $9.4 million...

[harmony]

In the past decade trades have presented the most efficient means of adding talent because the free agent market was getting increasingly expensive.

 

With the rumored crash of the free agent market, trades may become less appealing because trade assets have salaries largely set before the crash of the market.

 

If in fact free agent bargains can be found this offseason, those underpriced assets can become valuable in the future trade market if the free agent market recovers.

 

Or not.

[Bellhorn04]

In the past decade trades have presented the most efficient means of adding talent because the free agent market was getting increasingly expensive.

 

With the rumored crash of the free agent market, trades may become less appealing because trade assets have salaries largely set before the crash of the market.

 

If in fact free agent bargains can be found this offseason, those underpriced assets can become valuable in the future trade market if the free agent market recovers.

 

Or not.

 

Economic pessimism can change to optimism pretty quickly, as we can see in the stock market today.

[mvp 78]

Well, it is a paycut. His non-pro-rated salary last year would have been $9.4 million...

 

And his performance in 2020 didn't really elicit a pay increase. Seems like a reasonable contract to me.