A Realistic View at 2023: Part I

[Bellhorn04]

@MacCerullo

The #RedSox announce they've traded Hoy Park to the Atlanta Braves for a player to be named later. Park was DFA'd earlier this week to make room on the 40-man for Kenley Jansen.

 

The Free Wheelin' Chaim Bloom

 

And they traded a very young pitching prospect for Park.

 

Someone make it make sense.

[notin]

And they traded a very young pitching prospect for Park.

 

Someone make it make sense.

 

There’s always players who go through this type of thing every off-season. Essentially this trade has turned it Inmer Lobo for a PTBNL from Atlanta…

[Bellhorn04]

There’s always players who go through this type of thing every off-season. Essentially this trade has turned it Inmer Lobo for a PTBNL from Atlanta…

 

I get that. But how do these transactions benefit the Red Sox? Or is it just a make-paperwork-project kind of thing?

[notin]

I get that. But how do these transactions benefit the Red Sox? Or is it just a make-paperwork-project kind of thing?

 

Boston, like Atlanta, saw something in Park they liked. But apparently Boston was not so enamored with Park that they needed to keep him on the 40 man (like they keep doing with Ort for some reason). So they DFAd him, probably hoping he’d clear waivers.

 

Atlanta also liked Park, and probably about as much as Boston. They might DFA him for the same reason Boston and Pittsburgh did.

 

A few years back, there was a pitcher named Sandy Rosario who was DFAd and claimed maybe 7 or 8 times in one off-season. Teams liked him, but they didn’t love him…

[Bellhorn04]

Boston, like Atlanta, saw something in Park they liked. But apparently Boston was not so enamored with Park that they needed to keep him on the 40 man (like they keep doing with Ort for some reason). So they DFAd him, probably hoping he’d clear waivers.

 

Atlanta also liked Park, and probably about as much as Boston. They might DFA him for the same reason Boston and Pittsburgh did.

 

A few years back, there was a pitcher named Sandy Rosario who was DFAd and claimed maybe 7 or 8 times in one off-season. Teams liked him, but they didn’t love him…

 

What puzzles me is why they would get rid of Lobo, a lottery ticket pitcher. Why not hang onto him and see if he develops into something? Why would you not want to do that?

[mvp 78]

And they traded a very young pitching prospect for Park.

 

Someone make it make sense.

 

The guy they traded was young, but not really a prospect. He was a lefty that could throw strikes but had no velo whatsoever. He was the fringiest of fringe. We will never hear of Lobo again.

[mvp 78]

Boston, like Atlanta, saw something in Park they liked. But apparently Boston was not so enamored with Park that they needed to keep him on the 40 man (like they keep doing with Ort for some reason). So they DFAd him, probably hoping he’d clear waivers.

 

Atlanta also liked Park, and probably about as much as Boston. They might DFA him for the same reason Boston and Pittsburgh did.

 

A few years back, there was a pitcher named Sandy Rosario who was DFAd and claimed maybe 7 or 8 times in one off-season. Teams liked him, but they didn’t love him…

 

I think they liked Park and hoped to have him clear waivers. However, I heard he would have had the ability to request his release if he passed through waivers and he didn't want to go to AAA.

[Hugh2]

The 40 man is full. If you’re about to trade for someone or sign someone, someone has to get DFAd or traded. They are getting something for him.

[moonslav59]

Park traded for PTBNL or cash.

[moonslav59]

The Wallace for Mills trade and Hosmer DFA stirred up some 40 man roster talk, but what about the 26 man roster configuration?

 

I have to think someone is going to be traded, or our IL list will be crowded on opening day- maybe some with phantom injuries.

 

The 13 pitchers without any more additions (and I hope the plan is to add a SP'er and not move Houck to the rotation.)

 

SP1 Sale or Paxton (the other on the IL)

SP2 Whitlock

SP3 Houck

SP4 Bello

SP5 Pivetta

 

Swingman: Crawford or Winckowski/Seabold/Mata (the others in AAA)

 

Closer: Jansen

RP2: Martin

RP3: Schreiber

RP4: Barnes

RP5: Joely

RP6: Mills

RP7: Brasier (DFA or IL?) or Taylor/Kelly/German/Mata/Wink/Seabold (later:Walter/Murphy)

 

If we add another pitcher to the 26, does Brasier finally reach his 99th life, or do we trade someone from these 13? The pitchers with options are our better ones.

[Hugh2]

Park traded for PTBNL or cash.

 

Could be traded for someone better than Lobo

[Bellhorn04]

1) Extend Devers

2) Sign Eovaldi or Kluber

3) Sign Andrus

 

At least it'll look like they're trying.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1) Extend Devers

2) Sign Eovaldi or Kluber

3) Sign Andrus

 

At least it'll look like they're trying.

 

Add both for #2 or one plus Wacha... and of course, half of Hill, who will be ready to step in when someone else inevitably crumbles and has to be shut down for the rest of the year.

[Bellhorn04]

Add both for #2 or one plus Wacha... and of course, half of Hill, who will be ready to step in when someone else inevitably crumbles and has to be shut down for the rest of the year.

 

I'll drink to that.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I'll drink to that.

 

I've been hitting it harder these past three winters, and not just in pandemic isolation. Bloom's loading all my baseball card binders onto the lifeboats, but he keeps surrounding me with new boxes of old commons.

 

Hopefully, the keg won't run dry before we reach the depths of Davey Jones' locker. Or Mickey Dolenz'...

[notin]

I've been hitting it harder these past three winters, and not just in pandemic isolation. Bloom's loading all my baseball card binders onto the lifeboats, but he keeps surrounding me with new boxes of old commons.

 

Hopefully, the keg won't run dry before we reach the depths of Davey Jones' locker. Or Mickey Dolenz'...

 

No Monkees jokes!!! You tork…

[moonslav59]

1) Extend Devers

2) Sign Eovaldi or Kluber

3) Sign Andrus

 

At least it'll look like they're trying.

 

We might have barely enough to also sign Conforto, too, or some other defensive OF'er, especially if the Devers extension starts in 2024.

[notin]

We might have barely enough to also sign Conforto, too, or some other defensive OF'er, especially if the Devers extension starts in 2024.

 

The OF choices are fading, but I prefer Brian Anderson over Conforto. But not by much…

[Hugh2]

The OF choices are fading, but I prefer Brian Anderson over Conforto. But not by much…

 

Isn’t Brian Anderson (saved from Swanson) the highest WAR position player left on the FA market?

 

Unless a trade is brewing, Broom certainly missed the boat.

[moonslav59]

The OF choices are fading, but I prefer Brian Anderson over Conforto. But not by much…

 

It's slightly comforting to know there are 2 not one remaining.

 

He said he wanted to add a catcher, too, so I'm not sure he views adding a RF'er as doable, unless via trade, or if he does nothing at SS/2B.

 

It's hard to know what the number 1 priority is, right now, other than extending Devers.

 

1. SP

2. SS

3. RF

4. C

 

We could add CF (Kike to 2B), or 2B (Story at SS), or solid RP (like Fulmer and Houck to SP), or even LF (Yoshida at DH near FT), but to me, the top 3 I listed are far and away, our biggest need areas and were on day one (maybe RP was tied for 3rd).

 

We've spent $40M and filled one top 4 need.

[Old Red]

It's slightly comforting to know there are 2 not one remaining.

 

He said he wanted to add a catcher, too, so I'm not sure he views adding a RF'er as doable, unless via trade, or if he does nothing at SS/2B.

 

It's hard to know what the number 1 priority is, right now, other than extending Devers.

 

1. SP

2. SS

3. RF

4. C

 

We could add CF (Kike to 2B), or 2B (Story at SS), or solid RP (like Fulmer and Houck to SP), or even LF (Yoshida at DH near FT), but to me, the top 3 I listed are far and away, our biggest need areas and were on day one (maybe RP was tied for 3rd).

 

We've spent $40M and filled one top 4 need.

I keep hearing how much money the Red Sox have to spend on here, but I haven’t heard one word from the Red Sox on what they expect the payroll to be next year. They might not spend what the expectations are on here

[moonslav59]

I keep hearing how much money the Red Sox have to spend on here, but I haven’t heard one word from the Red Sox on what they expect the payroll to be next year. They might not spend what the expectations are on here

 

Yes, agreed. I have said, a few times, we may not spend up to the line.

 

We don't know, if we can trust anything Sox brass has said, and I'm not usually the one to take them at their word, but they did say they wanted to add 8-9 players, and they've added 5. They did promise Kike, they'd "be better," and it's hard to claim we are, so far, although IMO, we are better at more positions, now, than worse over 2022.

 

Even if we add very little or no more money, the fact remains, we spent about half our winter spending budget on LF/DH, which was maybe 7th or 8th on my high need ranking list.

 

Okay, one could claim a big bat, regardless of position was a top 4 or 5 need, but there were plenty of big bats around that play RF, SS or even C, CF or 2B,

[Old Red]

Yes, agreed. I have said, a few times, we may not spend up to the line.

 

We don't know, if we can trust anything Sox brass has said, and I'm not usually the one to take them at their word, but they did say they wanted to add 8-9 players, and they've added 5. They did promise Kike, they'd "be better," and it's hard to claim we are, so far, although IMO, we are better at more positions, now, than worse over 2022.

 

Even if we add very little or no more money, the fact remains, we spent about half our winter spending budget on LF/DH, which was maybe 7th or 8th on my high need ranking list.

 

Okay, one could claim a big bat, regardless of position was a top 4 or 5 need, but there were plenty of big bats around that play RF, SS or even C, CF or 2B,

We do agree on the LF/DH should have been down on the importance list, and a RF with a power bat should have been a much greater need, and of course the always needed pitching, pitching, and more pitching.

[notin]

I keep hearing how much money the Red Sox have to spend on here, but I haven’t heard one word from the Red Sox on what they expect the payroll to be next year. They might not spend what the expectations are on here

 

Very true. They may spend more or less.

 

But we do know these two non-disputable facts.

 

1. The money isn’t coming from a bottomless pit.

2. The Sox budget isn’t relying on input from Talksox, so complaining about people discussing it may not have the desired effect.

[notin]

It's slightly comforting to know there are 2 not one remaining.

 

He said he wanted to add a catcher, too, so I'm not sure he views adding a RF'er as doable, unless via trade, or if he does nothing at SS/2B.

 

It's hard to know what the number 1 priority is, right now, other than extending Devers.

 

1. SP

2. SS

3. RF

4. C

 

We could add CF (Kike to 2B), or 2B (Story at SS), or solid RP (like Fulmer and Houck to SP), or even LF (Yoshida at DH near FT), but to me, the top 3 I listed are far and away, our biggest need areas and were on day one (maybe RP was tied for 3rd).

 

We've spent $40M and filled one top 4 need.

 

Soxprospects puts the Sox down for needing SP, SS and RF.

 

Id prefer Yoshida at DH if he isn’t very good in the OF, and the lack of a good DH market does help make that case…

Edited December 17, 2022 by notin

[Old Red]

Very true. They may spend more or less.

 

But we do know these two non-disputable facts.

 

1. The money isn’t coming from a bottomless pit.

2. The Sox budget isn’t relying on input from Talksox, so complaining about people discussing it may not have the desired effect.

Once again a wrong conclusion that pointing something out is not complaining. How do you know Henry is not a bottomless pit?

[Bellhorn04]

How do you know Henry is not a bottomless pit?

 

Because he wouldn't pay Mookie what he wanted. Because he wouldn't pay luxury tax 3 years in a row. Because Trevor Story is the biggest signing since he hired Bloom. Because Price's contract is now #22 on the list of biggest contracts.

[Old Red]

Because he wouldn't pay Mookie what he wanted. Because he wouldn't pay luxury tax 3 years in a row. Because Trevor Story is the biggest signing since he hired Bloom. Because Price's contract is now #22 on the list of biggest contracts.

 

I already knew all of that, but because Henry didn’t do any of that doesn’t mean he couldn’t if he wanted to.

[Bellhorn04]

I already knew all of that, but because Henry didn’t do any of that doesn’t mean he couldn’t if he wanted to.

 

No, but it means he doesn't want to.

[Old Red]

No, but it means he doesn't want to.

 

That we agree on, and to get more spending money this year JH upped ticket prices.