A Realistic View at 2023: Part I

[Tedballgame]

In my dreams, Mets are completely out of it by the All-Star break and they make Verlander available. Of course we are in contention so we swoop in and pick him up.

 

Welcome to Fantasy Island.

[moonslav59]

Why would you DFA a guy on an MiLB contract?

 

My bad. I thought he was a 40 man roster addition.

[moonslav59]

The point is that the big boys are playing chess and Bloom is playing checkers.

 

Ever watch War Games?

 

Remember the theme?

 

"The only winning move is NOT to play."

[mvp 78]

@RedSox

The #RedSox have added six non-roster invitees to the team’s 2023 Spring Training roster: pitchers Norwith Gudino and Oddanier Mosqueda, catchers Caleb Hamilton and Ronaldo Hernández, outfielder Narciso Crook, and infielder/outfielder Niko Goodrum.

 

Gudino - RP from SFG

Mosqueda - RP was in POR last year

Hamilton - defensive C with pronounced platoon split

Hernandez - currently playing well in Colombian winter league, but is no longer on 40 man

Crook - OF from CHC, high k numbers, but is a good clubhouse guy

Goodrum - SS that we all know and love

[mvp 78]

@SPChrisHatfield

For those wondering, there is usually a MLFA NRI announcement right about now, whereas guys getting NRIs who are in the system get announced later.

 

I expect guys like Shugart, Altavilla, Koss, Fitzgerald, Santos will be on that list.

[moonslav59]

Here's what I'd like to see done:

 

Trade: Dugo, Duran, Dalbec and Murphy

to MIA

For: Luxardo (SP w 4 arb yrs of control- est $2M in '23), Rojas (SS- one year remaining at $5M) & A Garcia (RF salary dump- 3 yrs at $12M each with $5M buyout/$13.25M tax)

 

Lux tax hit for 2023: -$5.5M Dugo + $15M

 

That leaves enough to maybe sign Kluber and Nate, but I'd sign Kluber & Fulmer.

 

Here's the 2023 Red Sox:

 

1. L Yoshida LF/DH

2. R Story 2B

3. L Devers 3B (extended, starting in 2024)

4. R Turner DH/ 3B-1B

5. L Casas 1B

6. R Kike CF

7. R Garcia RF/DH

8. L McGuire/ R Wong C

9. R Rojas SS

Bench: Arroyo, Refsnyder, Wong and EValdez

 

S1 Sale/Paxton

S2 Kluber

S3 Whitlock

S4 Bello

S5 Pivetta

 

RP1 Jansen

RP2 Martin

RP3 Houck

RP4 Fulmer

RP5 Schreiber

RP6 Barnes

RP7 Joely

RP8 Mills/Brasier/Taylor/Crawford/Kelly/German/Mata...

[notin]

@RedSox

The #RedSox have added six non-roster invitees to the team’s 2023 Spring Training roster: pitchers Norwith Gudino and Oddanier Mosqueda, catchers Caleb Hamilton and Ronaldo Hernández, outfielder Narciso Crook, and infielder/outfielder Niko Goodrum.

 

Gudino - RP from SFG

Mosqueda - RP was in POR last year

Hamilton - defensive C with pronounced platoon split

Hernandez - currently playing well in Colombian winter league, but is no longer on 40 man

Crook - OF from CHC, high k numbers, but is a good clubhouse guy

Goodrum - SS that we all know and love

 

So Crook is a good guy?

[moonslav59]

So Crook is a good guy?

 

Only if he helps us put up crooked numbers.

[Tedballgame]

Ever watch War Games?

 

Remember the theme?

 

"The only winning move is NOT to play."

 

That will get you some last places finishes. Like last year. The Sox are now like the December 26th shoppers. Out there looking for great bargains after not wanting to pay top dollar for the good stuff. You get what you pay for. The roster now (I know, it may look different by opening day) is a last place team in the AL East.

[dgalehouse]

The Sox are obviously not trying to keep pace with the top teams in MLB. However, there is some decent talent on the club. Could it be enough to eke out a spot in the ever-expanding playoffs? We will see.

[notin]

The Sox are obviously not trying to keep pace with the top teams in MLB. However, there is some decent talent on the club. Could it be enough to eke out a spot in the ever-expanding playoffs? We will see.

 

I do think giving up on the season before Christmas is crazy. But they do need to make more moves in the next 7 weeks…

[notin]

Only if he helps us put up crooked numbers.

 

I’ve seen Crook play a few times. He’s AAAA talent…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I’ve seen Crook play a few times. He’s AAAA talent…

 

Otis Nixon says he is not a lawman.

[moonslav59]

That will get you some last places finishes. Like last year. The Sox are now like the December 26th shoppers. Out there looking for great bargains after not wanting to pay top dollar for the good stuff. You get what you pay for. The roster now (I know, it may look different by opening day) is a last place team in the AL East.

 

Did you look what the O's and Rays lost and gained?

 

I'm not expecting great things, either, at least as the roster looks, now, but I still don't think we should have paid any of these mega deals, this winter. There were some deals, I liked, and thought they'd have been good for the Sox, but not playing the mega contract game, at all, may be the right choice,

[Tedballgame]

Did you look what the O's and Rays lost and gained?

 

I'm not expecting great things, either, at least as the roster looks, now, but I still don't think we should have paid any of these mega deals, this winter. There were some deals, I liked, and thought they'd have been good for the Sox, but not playing the mega contract game, at all, may be the right choice,

 

I agree with you about those mega deals being given out this year. None of those guys are worth what they are getting. The Sox screwed up by not signing Mookie or getting equal value for him and by not locking up Xander when they could have. Had they kept those two, they would still have a nucleus of stars to build around. As it is now, if they don't sign Devers, Sox fans will be waiting to see if Casas and/or Mayer can be stars.

[moonslav59]

I agree with you about those mega deals being given out this year. None of those guys are worth what they are getting. The Sox screwed up by not signing Mookie or getting equal value for him and by not locking up Xander when they could have. Had they kept those two, they would still have a nucleus of stars to build around. As it is now, if they don't sign Devers, Sox fans will be waiting to see if Casas and/or Mayer can be stars.

 

I agree, but I do wonder, if JH kept the budgets the same as he did, what sort of players could we have filled the rest of the roster with- the types we saw in 2020?

 

Remember, no Mokkie trade, no Price trade, either.

 

I'm not saying it would be impossible, but it's not as simple as just saying sign them both and we'd be better. JH would have had to have spent more, too.

[notin]

I agree with you about those mega deals being given out this year. None of those guys are worth what they are getting. The Sox screwed up by not signing Mookie or getting equal value for him and by not locking up Xander when they could have. Had they kept those two, they would still have a nucleus of stars to build around. As it is now, if they don't sign Devers, Sox fans will be waiting to see if Casas and/or Mayer can be stars.

 

 

The thing is, had the Sox signed Betts after 2018 like they tried to, they very likely don’t extend Bogaerts and he leaves after that season to free agency. DD didn’t even extend Bogaerts until after talks with Betts broke down. And that payroll was already at record level for the team…

[moonslav59]

The thing is, had the Sox signed Betts after 2018 like they tried to, they very likely don’t extend Bogaerts and he leaves after that season to free agency. DD didn’t even extend Bogaerts until after talks with Betts broke down. And that payroll was already at record level for the team…

 

I doubt Bloom would have been able to dump Price's contract by himself. Maybe he trades Bogey and Price combined.

 

Unless JH spent way more than he did in 2020, 2021 and 2022, I'm not sure having Betts and Price is anywhere near a lock on us being better. That's $60M a year, which was more than we spent before 2020 and 2021 and about what we spent before 2022. We'd basically add nobody.

 

Also, during that time, the only call-ups were Houck, Duran, Downs, Crawford and worse.

[notin]

I doubt Bloom would have been able to dump Price's contract by himself. Maybe he trades Bogey and Price combined.

 

Unless JH spent way more than he did in 2020, 2021 and 2022, I'm not sure having Betts and Price is anywhere near a lock on us being better. That's $60M a year, which was more than we spent before 2020 and 2021 and about what we spent before 2022. We'd basically add nobody.

 

Also, during that time, the only call-ups were Houck, Duran, Downs, Crawford and worse.

 

If the Sox had signed Betts and then likely not extended Bogaerts, then Bogaerts isn’t around for Bloom to trade him with Price. That off-season, Bogaerts would have been a free agent shortstop with a QO..

[moonslav59]

If the Sox had signed Betts and then likely not extended Bogaerts, then Bogaerts isn’t around for Bloom to trade him with Price. That off-season, Bogaerts would have been a free agent shortstop with a QO..

 

He could have extended Bogey and traded him with Price- perhaps to LA.

[moonslav59]

RIP Denny Doyle

[notin]

He could have extended Bogey and traded him with Price- perhaps to LA.

 

I’m pretty sure if they signed Betts, it would have meant no extension for Bogaerts period. And then unloading Price gets very complicated…

[Bellhorn04]

I doubt Bloom would have been able to dump Price's contract by himself. Maybe he trades Bogey and Price combined.

 

Unless JH spent way more than he did in 2020, 2021 and 2022, I'm not sure having Betts and Price is anywhere near a lock on us being better. That's $60M a year, which was more than we spent before 2020 and 2021 and about what we spent before 2022. We'd basically add nobody.

 

We didn't unload all of the $60 mill, of course. We were still on the hook for $16 mill of Price's salary.

 

So the net increase in AAV would have been $44 mill. Talent-wise we'd have Betts instead of Verdugo.

[mvp 78]

I’ve seen Crook play a few times. He’s AAAA talent…

 

They do need to field a AAA ballclub this year.

[mvp 78]

The thing is, had the Sox signed Betts after 2018 like they tried to, they very likely don’t extend Bogaerts and he leaves after that season to free agency. DD didn’t even extend Bogaerts until after talks with Betts broke down. And that payroll was already at record level for the team…

 

That's fine. Mookie is the better long term option IMO. They can't sign all of them, but they should sign the best of them.

[mvp 78]

I’m pretty sure if they signed Betts, it would have meant no extension for Bogaerts period. And then unloading Price gets very complicated…

 

Don't unload Price and then you eat that contract and you can't afford the dead weight of the Sale contract. Sale walks. Oh no! Maybe it also prevents you from trading for JBJ's dumb contract!

[oldtimer]

Latest loose talk is about a blockbuster trade with the Giants. They get Devers, thinking we won't sign him, but who have they got that we would want? I presume young talent plus a proven MLer.

[mvp 78]

Devers, Wong

 

Bart, Yastrzemski, Schmitt, Matos

[notin]

Don't unload Price and then you eat that contract and you can't afford the dead weight of the Sale contract. Sale walks. Oh no! Maybe it also prevents you from trading for JBJ's dumb contract!

 

Absolutely some positive possibilities.

 

Mostly still having Betts. But I do believe that building around Betts and Bogaerts was going to be off the table. That’s my only point here…

[Tedballgame]

Latest loose talk is about a blockbuster trade with the Giants. They get Devers, thinking we won't sign him, but who have they got that we would want? I presume young talent plus a proven MLer.

 

Their top 5 prospects plus a major league starting pitcher should do it.