The 2021-2022 Offseason Thread

[mvp 78]

But it was only one one knee, so he would wind up running around in circles...

 

The healthy knee would be getting stronger due to getting extra use while he was rehabbing the injured knee.

[notin]

He was pretty far down on my list, but do you really think he is clearly better than Valdez or Davis?

 

I doubt we get below #3 or #4 on my list, anyway.

 

I think chances of him getting DFA'd are up there with my chances of winning Mega Millions without buying a ticket.

 

He might wash out and get released at some point this year, but he was good enough to justify his $1.2mill AAV even with his horrific second half, his BB issues and his 5.00 FIP.

 

I would say there is absolutely no chance he gets DFAd in front of the Rule 5 draft. Chances that he is still with the club in September are closer to 75%. And maybe it's in the 10% range for picking up his option after the season...

[notin]

The healthy knee would be getting stronger due to getting extra use while he was rehabbing the injured knee.

 

OK, so wider circles...

[mvp 78]

Are these guys you think another team might select?

 

I can't see us protecting any of these promising prospects. They may not even protect the 7 we've talked mostly about.

 

Fitzgerald and Kelly are maybes. Rafaela is a no. Maybe the Sox prefer protecting Kelly over injured Ward? Maybe they don't think Arauz will get any better and they add Fitzgerald as the taxi squad guy?

 

I'd rather have Fitzgerald than Potts.

[mvp 78]

OK, so wider circles...

 

Seems good for running around the bases.

[moonslav59]

Fine, but they don't need to DFA 8 guys either.

 

My list of 8 was not intended to imply we might DFA (or trade) 8 of our borderline roster players. The list was meant to show we have 8 players that might be discussed, if we need to open up a roster slot or two.

 

I'm not very good at predicting who gets DFA'd first. For months I had Marcus Wilson #1, but he ended up being like #5 or 6.

 

No way we DFA all 8.

 

I do think Bloom might value a player another team DFA's more than he values some of the players on this list, and could, essentially, flip one for another.

[moonslav59]

I think chances of him getting DFA'd are up there with my chances of winning Mega Millions without buying a ticket.

 

He might wash out and get released at some point this year, but he was good enough to justify his $1.2mill AAV even with his horrific second half, his BB issues and his 5.00 FIP.

 

I would say there is absolutely no chance he gets DFAd in front of the Rule 5 draft. Chances that he is still with the club in September are closer to 75%. And maybe it's in the 10% range for picking up his option after the season...

 

He's not that good.

[mvp 78]

He's not that good.

 

He's not that bad.

[moonslav59]

Fitzgerald and Kelly are maybes. Rafaela is a no. Maybe the Sox prefer protecting Kelly over injured Ward? Maybe they don't think Arauz will get any better and they add Fitzgerald as the taxi squad guy?

 

I'd rather have Fitzgerald than Potts.

 

I don't think we protect Ward.

 

I could see flipping Fitzy for Arauz. I think Kelly for Valdez is a longer stretch.

[moonslav59]

He's not that bad.

 

There will be players DFA'd in the next 24 hours that have very similar profiles.

 

5.4 BB/9

1.5 HR/9

1.453 WHIP

.768 OPS Against

 

Only Richards and Perez pitched more innings and had a worse OPS Against on the Sox than Hirokazu.

 

Can he do better? Sure.

 

Did he have some nice stretches? Yes.

 

Is he easily replaceable? Indeed.

 

Edited November 18, 2021 by moonslav59

[mvp 78]

I think answers we may get in the next 24 hours are:

 

How do the Sox value Plawecki in relation to the younger catchers (is there a move to put Cottam on the 40 man)?

 

What is the value the Sox place on some of the "high ceiling" low A guys that are truly a few years away (Jimenez/Rafaela)?

 

Are they willing to risk Ward being selected even though he only has a few innings in AA and will 26 when he picks up a ball again?

 

Which of the Feltman/Santos/Kelly/German guys do they see contributing in 2022?

 

Time to move on from Arauz and find a better solution for backup IF?

 

Sox have added interesting names in the past and have left off a few guys that we thought were sure locks for the 40 man.

[mvp 78]

I don't think we protect Ward.

 

I could see flipping Fitzy for Arauz. I think Kelly for Valdez is a longer stretch.

 

It could be Kelly instead of Feltman.

[notin]

Fitzgerald and Kelly are maybes. Rafaela is a no. Maybe the Sox prefer protecting Kelly over injured Ward? Maybe they don't think Arauz will get any better and they add Fitzgerald as the taxi squad guy?

 

I'd rather have Fitzgerald than Potts.

 

You really think the Sox are going to protect a 27yo utility infielder with no MLB experience? If he ever added to the 40 man roster, it will be to make his debut.

 

I'd protect the younger Yairo Munoz before I protected Fitzgerald...

[mvp 78]

You really think the Sox are going to protect a 27yo utility infielder with no MLB experience? If he ever added to the 40 man roster, it will be to make his debut.

 

I'd protect the younger Yairo Munoz before I protected Fitzgerald...

 

I was surprised when they didn't use him during last year's COVID outbreak. I think they brought up Jack Lopez instead because they were less concerned about impacting his development.

 

Fitzgerald is much better than Munoz. Fitzgerald has a higher OBP, k's less and is a much better defender. He's also only 6 months older than Munoz.

[notin]

I wanted to highlight these 3 guys because we really haven't talked about them very much on here.

 

First, Fitzgerald is a UTIL guy. He OPS'd 862 between POR and WOO last season. Above average at short, but really can play all over (Sox MiLB defensive player of the year 2019). The only downside is that he'll be 28 next season. Do the Sox see him as a legitimate backup for 2022? If so, they'll retain him.[/Quote]

 

Fitzgerald's biggest problem is that utility infielder is easily the deepest position in the Sox system. Right now Fitzgerald is behind Arroyo, Arauz, and Yairo Munoz (and maybe another name or two). He's also the oldest player of the 4 and the only one never to play in MLB.

 

Zack Kelly was a MiLB FA last year. Sox put him in the bullpen and his stuff ticked up. He has a "heavy" fastball. WHIP of 1.08 between POR and WOO last season. Maybe not a high leverage reliever, but a guy who could stick in a MLB pen today.

 

Kelly was terrific last year for the Sox minor league system. He is also getting up there for a proispect as he turns 27 in March.

 

He very well might get selected and might even be a decent addition for another team. He certainly should make his debut in MLB this year if he is healthy. Not sure if he makes sense to protect, but he does make more sense than a few guys currently on the 40 man. (Hudson Potts, I'm looking at you.) And he makes a ton more sense than Fitzgerald.

 

Rafaela is only 21 and still in Low A with Jimenez. Sox MiLB defensive player of the year. UTIL guy like Fitzgerald, but further away. A more athletic version of Fitzgerald, but really too far away to have an impact on the current Sox team. I don't see them carrying him AND Jimenez on the 40 man for 2 more years until they are even close enough to contribute.

 

For some reason, soxprospects.com lists him as the starting CF for Greenville. If so, that entire outfield with Rafaela, Jimenez and Decker are guys that arguments can be made for and against. But to me, this guy is not even on the radar...

[mvp 78]

Zack Kelly - Right-handed pitcher

2021 highest level: Worcester

The 26-year-old Kelly was signed as a minor league free agent in January of 2021 and had a very impressive showing across Portland and Worcester. In 45.1 innings, Kelly struck out 69, walked only 18 and allowed 31 hits. He had a 2.18 ERA and 1.081 WHIP overall and allowed only two home runs all year. Kelly has a very heavy fastball in the mid-90s and a pair of averageish secondaries. His has shown the ability to limit hard contact and miss bats, but was also repeating Double-A at the start of the year. The Red Sox did re-sign him early this off-season, which seems to indicate how they value him, and as a result they could look to protect him to ensure he is in the organization next year.

 

This last sentence may give a clue as to what they will do with Kelly. He was a MiLB FA this offseason. They could have waited until after Friday's deadline to re-sign him which would have avoided putting him through the Rule 5 process.

[mvp 78]

Fitzgerald's biggest problem is that utility infielder is easily the deepest position in the Sox system. Right now Fitzgerald is behind Arroyo, Arauz, and Yairo Munoz (and maybe another name or two). He's also the oldest player of the 4 and the only one never to play in MLB.

 

Yes, Fitzgerald is behind Arroyo since Arroyo is the starting 2b. I'm not sure that Arauz and Munoz should be ahead of him in the depth chart.

[notin]

I was surprised when they didn't use him during last year's COVID outbreak. I think they brought up Jack Lopez instead because they were less concerned about impacting his development.

 

Fitzgerald is much better than Munoz. Fitzgerald has a higher OBP, k's less and is a much better defender. He's also only 6 months older than Munoz.

 

He might only be 6 months younger, but Munoz has spent parts of 3 seasons in MLB.

 

I'll have to take your word that he is a better defender, but the folks at soxprospects write them up such that it could be interpreted differently.

 

One advantage is that maybe Fitzgerald is less of an ******* than Munoz, who clearly has some issues considering how he left the Cardinals organization in a flull blwon hissy fit...

[mvp 78]

He very well might get selected and might even be a decent addition for another team. He certainly should make his debut in MLB this year if he is healthy. Not sure if he makes sense to protect, but he does make more sense than a few guys currently on the 40 man. (Hudson Potts, I'm looking at you.) And he makes a ton more sense than Fitzgerald.

 

Potts was absolute garbage last season, is second full season in AA. That 30% k rate isn't going to get him far, especially since his power dropped off.

[mvp 78]

He might only be 6 months younger, but Munoz has spent parts of 3 seasons in MLB.

 

I'll have to take your word that he is a better defender, but the folks at soxprospects write them up such that it could be interpreted differently.

 

One advantage is that maybe Fitzgerald is less of an ******* than Munoz, who clearly has some issues considering how he left the Cardinals organization in a flull blwon hissy fit...

 

I was high on Munoz after 2020. I thought he had a chance to make the opening day roster as a backup. Sox clearly thought otherwise and only brought him up when the COVID emergency happened.

[notin]

I was high on Munoz after 2020. I thought he had a chance to make the opening day roster as a backup. Sox clearly thought otherwise and only brought him up when the COVID emergency happened.

 

THe thing is, whether or not Fitzgerald is ahead of Munoz or the reverse, both are behind Arroyo and Arauz on the utility infielder depth charts. And after today, we might even put the name Jeter Downs on that list, because he will be more likely to get a short-term call-up than Fitzgerald simply by being on the 40 man roster...

[notin]

Potts was absolute garbage last season, is second full season in AA. That 30% k rate isn't going to get him far, especially since his power dropped off.

 

One thing we all seem to agree on is that if any minor leaguer gets DFA'd off the 40 man roster, it should be Potts. I certainly hope Bloom is also in agreement with us as well.

 

I do think however, Potts might get a mulligan because missing 2020 might not have helped him out much. There will be some players who simply fell behind due to the pandemic and they might get one more chance.

[mvp 78]

Right now, I'd go:

 

Downs - 40

Bello - 40

Winckowski - 40

Crawford - 40

Santos - 40

Kelly - 40

German - 40

 

Potts - DFA

 

Sox would have one open slot for Rule 5 pick.

[mvp 78]

THe thing is, whether or not Fitzgerald is ahead of Munoz or the reverse, both are behind Arroyo and Arauz on the utility infielder depth charts. And after today, we might even put the name Jeter Downs on that list, because he will be more likely to get a short-term call-up than Fitzgerald simply by being on the 40 man roster...

 

Even if Downs is hitting .400 in May, I think they leave him in AAA for the whole season.

 

I think I'm just out on Arauz. I'd rather they went out and signed Iggy as a backup.

[notin]

Right now, I'd go:

 

Downs - 40

Bello - 40

Winckowski - 40

Crawford - 40

Santos - 40

Kelly - 40

German - 40

 

Potts - DFA

 

Sox would have one open slot for Rule 5 pick.

 

Would you DFA Potts over Austin Davis?

 

While having an open spot on the 40 man is necessary to make a rule 5 pick, you also have to have an open spot on the 26 man roster to keep him...

[mvp 78]

One thing we all seem to agree on is that if any minor leaguer gets DFA'd off the 40 man roster, it should be Potts. I certainly hope Bloom is also in agreement with us as well.

 

I do think however, Potts might get a mulligan because missing 2020 might not have helped him out much. There will be some players who simply fell behind due to the pandemic and they might get one more chance.

 

Rosario could go.

 

I like Valdez, but they were weird about pitching him last season.

 

Austin Davis is a capable reliever, but he doesn't come back to haunt you if you dump him.

 

I think those 4 guys are the easiest to move off the roster.

[mvp 78]

Would you DFA Potts over Austin Davis?

 

While having an open spot on the 40 man is necessary to make a rule 5 pick, you also have to have an open spot on the 26 man roster to keep him...

 

100%. I think Davis has some value for 2022. I think Potts has to repeat AA again this season (where he's played since 2019).

[notin]

Even if Downs is hitting .400 in May, I think they leave him in AAA for the whole season.

 

I think I'm just out on Arauz. I'd rather they went out and signed Iggy as a backup.

 

 

Sure but what if Downs is still batting .370 in July and Arroyo injures himself, probably by brushing his teeth too aggressively. He might get a call, but that was not my point. My point was Downs, call-up or not, is ahead of Fitzgerald in Bloom's cyber-Rolodex. And also in the alphabet.

 

The thing about Arauz is he cna go back and forth between Boston and Worcester. Iglesias is not a replacement for Arauz; he would be a replacement for Arroyo...

[notin]

100%. I think Davis has some value for 2022. I think Potts has to repeat AA again this season (where he's played since 2019).

 

Well, yes, but there was no 2020 in between the two season he played there.

 

I am all for giving Jeter Downs a do-over for how missing 2020 clearly affected him (among other factors). Therefore I am extending that same courtesy to Potts. For one more season only. And maybe not a full one...

[moonslav59]

It could be Kelly instead of Feltman.

 

True.

 

I'm really not sure how highly Bloom or other GMs value Feltman.