A Realistic View at 2023: Part I

[moonslav59]

If Henry changes his mind, he has not learned the quickest fix involves spending lots and lots of money. If he’s not on board with doing that, he’s more likely to see what happens…

 

I do believe he will spend more. I'm not sure he ever matches the Price deal, again, or at least for a while longer, but there are other ways to spend, and spend a lot.

 

I really don't see that he feels "now is the time," and it seems like many here feel this team sucks, so if they are right, no wonder he does not want to throw good money after bad, and he prefers to wait until the farm and roster depth has reached the point where a Price-type deal seems like it would be all that is needed to get us back to WS glory.

 

To me, "the plan" looks pretty clear, even if they don't and won't come out and say it.

 

Add pieces that should help keep us interesting and at least hopeful in March, while making no long term deals that clash with the time frame they see as "the right time" to turn to free agency for major additions and not just "bridges."

 

I think the Story and Yoshida signings make it appear they think we are getting close, and both of them will be here for "the window."

 

I was hoping the window opened in 2023. I felt $90M and an influx of ML ready prospects could get us there. The massive explosion of top end FA salaries kinda put a crimp in that idea, but I still think we could get to respectability, and frankly, I think we are pretty close, right now.

 

That's not to say I'm happy with everything that went down, this winter. Losing Bogey sucks, but I'm not sure it was a clear mistake not signing him to what BorA$$ would have taken at any point along the way. What puzzles me more is spending such a large chunk of the budget on two guys who look to be better at DH than LF (Yoshida) and 3B/1B (Turner), AND LF, 1B and 3B were not even near what I felt were our high need areas going into this winter. I think both will be fine players and should come close to making up for losing the production of Bogey and JD. I'm hopeful better health from Story, Kike and Devers will make up the rest and more.

 

I love the pen additions and await the day we DFA or trade Brasier.

 

I like moving Whitlock to the rotation, now that the pen is solid, and I think he and Bello will do well.

 

I'd like to see us add another solid SP'er, but I seriously doubt that happens. The faith in Sale and Paxton always seemed misplaced. I like the Kluber addition, especially when compared to what other FA options and prices were out there. I think his addition per dollar might be the best SP'er signing, this winter.

 

We need a SS, even if just for a year. Keeping Story at 2B and Kike in CF makes the team way better on D. There are enough options out there to make it happen at minimal cost- in dollars and or trade capital.

 

If we do that, I might end up feeling better about 2023, this March than I did in March 2022, after the Story signing, and certainly better than I felt in March 2021 and 2020.

[notin]

I do believe he will spend more. I'm not sure he ever matches the Price deal, again, or at least for a while longer, but there are other ways to spend, and spend a lot.

 

I really don't see that he feels "now is the time," and it seems like many here feel this team sucks, so if they are right, no wonder he does not want to throw good money after bad, and he prefers to wait until the farm and roster depth has reached the point where a Price-type deal seems like it would be all that is needed to get us back to WS glory.

 

To me, "the plan" looks pretty clear, even if they don't and won't come out and say it.

 

Add pieces that should help keep us interesting and at least hopeful in March, while making no long term deals that clash with the time frame they see as "the right time" to turn to free agency for major additions and not just "bridges."

 

I think the Story and Yoshida signings make it appear they think we are getting close, and both of them will be here for "the window."

 

 

Can’t agree. If you going to sign a big money free agent to a long term deal, the time” isn’t when it pushes you over the top; “the time” is when that player is available. One year deals out you over the top. Large long term contracts can be just as foundational as the farm (but in much small quantities).

 

I love the pen additions and await the day we DFA or trade Brasier.

 

I like moving Whitlock to the rotation, now that the pen is solid, and I think he and Bello will do well.

 

 

Love the additions. Hate moving Whitlock there.

 

The true “secret ingredient” that makes a rotation successful isn’t the salary of the pitchers in it or their career ERAs or whatever. It’s health. The more starts and IP you get from your 5 best the faster you close any gaps in quality against other rotations. I don’t think it’s crazy to think that the team that has the fewest rotation injuries every year probably finishes very, very high.

 

That’s why the Sox need to leave Whitlock (who had too many issues last year) and Houck (who ended the year on IL after back surgery) in the bullpen. Sale and Paxton are problematic enough, and while Kluber was certainly needed, he’s not exactly the key to a healthy rotation either. If the Sox had Jansen, Martin, Schreiber, Houck and Whitlock in the bullpen, along with Barnes, Joely, and Brasier (or better yet, Fulmer), they could get by with an ace-free rotation since the SP wouldn’t be required to pitch very many IP in each game compared to the other team…

[notin]

I do believe he will spend more. I'm not sure he ever matches the Price deal, again, or at least for a while longer, but there are other ways to spend, and spend a lot.

 

I really don't see that he feels "now is the time," and it seems like many here feel this team sucks, so if they are right, no wonder he does not want to throw good money after bad, and he prefers to wait until the farm and roster depth has reached the point where a Price-type deal seems like it would be all that is needed to get us back to WS glory.

 

To me, "the plan" looks pretty clear, even if they don't and won't come out and say it.

 

Add pieces that should help keep us interesting and at least hopeful in March, while making no long term deals that clash with the time frame they see as "the right time" to turn to free agency for major additions and not just "bridges."

 

I think the Story and Yoshida signings make it appear they think we are getting close, and both of them will be here for "the window."

 

 

Can’t agree. If you going to sign a big money free agent to a long term deal, the time” isn’t when it pushes you over the top; “the time” is when that player is available. One year deals out you over the top. Large long term contracts can be just as foundational as the farm (but in much small quantities).

 

I love the pen additions and await the day we DFA or trade Brasier.

 

I like moving Whitlock to the rotation, now that the pen is solid, and I think he and Bello will do well.

 

 

Love the additions. Hate moving Whitlock there.

 

The true “secret ingredient” that makes a rotation successful isn’t the salary of the pitchers in it or their career ERAs or whatever. It’s health. The more starts and IP you get from your 5 best the faster you close any gaps in quality against other rotations. I don’t think it’s crazy to think that the team that has the fewest rotation injuries every year probably finishes very, very high.

 

That’s why the Sox need to leave Whitlock (who had too many issues last year) and Houck (who ended the year on IL after back surgery) in the bullpen. Sale and Paxton are problematic enough, and while Kluber was certainly needed, he’s not exactly the key to a healthy rotation either. If the Sox had Jansen, Martin, Schreiber, Houck and Whitlock in the bullpen, along with Barnes, Joely, and Brasier (or better yet, Fulmer), they could get by with an ace-free rotation since the SP wouldn’t be required to pitch very many IP in each game compared to the other team…

[Bellhorn04]

With the addition of Kluber, we should see Houck in the pen.

 

With Whitlock, I can see both sides of the argument. I'm not unhappy they're going to try him as a starter again. And I assume if it doesn't go well he will become a bullpen man for life.

[moonslav59]

I do believe he will spend more. I'm not sure he ever matches the Price deal, again, or at least for a while longer, but there are other ways to spend, and spend a lot.

 

I really don't see that he feels "now is the time," and it seems like many here feel this team sucks, so if they are right, no wonder he does not want to throw good money after bad, and he prefers to wait until the farm and roster depth has reached the point where a Price-type deal seems like it would be all that is needed to get us back to WS glory.

 

To me, "the plan" looks pretty clear, even if they don't and won't come out and say it.

 

Add pieces that should help keep us interesting and at least hopeful in March, while making no long term deals that clash with the time frame they see as "the right time" to turn to free agency for major additions and not just "bridges."

 

I think the Story and Yoshida signings make it appear they think we are getting close, and both of them will be here for "the window."

 

 

Can’t agree. If you going to sign a big money free agent to a long term deal, the time” isn’t when it pushes you over the top; “the time” is when that player is available. One year deals out you over the top. Large long term contracts can be just as foundational as the farm (but in much small quantities).

 

 

 

Love the additions. Hate moving Whitlock there.

 

The true “secret ingredient” that makes a rotation successful isn’t the salary of the pitchers in it or their career ERAs or whatever. It’s health. The more starts and IP you get from your 5 best the faster you close any gaps in quality against other rotations. I don’t think it’s crazy to think that the team that has the fewest rotation injuries every year probably finishes very, very high.

 

That’s why the Sox need to leave Whitlock (who had too many issues last year) and Houck (who ended the year on IL after back surgery) in the bullpen. Sale and Paxton are problematic enough, and while Kluber was certainly needed, he’s not exactly the key to a healthy rotation either. If the Sox had Jansen, Martin, Schreiber, Houck and Whitlock in the bullpen, along with Barnes, Joely, and Brasier (or better yet, Fulmer), they could get by with an ace-free rotation since the SP wouldn’t be required to pitch very many IP in each game compared to the other team…

 

Good point on when "the right guy" is available, but say we felt a guy like Price was exactly what we wanted and needed after 2020, but the influx of farm help was not due for 2-3 more years. Why sign a guy who will be post prime when the window is reached?

 

Now, signing a guy like Devers would be a different story, as his prime will overlap the projected window.

 

On Whitlock, I wanted him in the pen, too, along with Houck, but once we added 4 Rp'ers and only 1 SP'er, despite losing our best 3 from '22, I'm fully on board with Whitlock joining the rotation. If he does well, he's more valuable giving us 150-180 IP than 80-110.

[moonslav59]

With the addition of Kluber, we should see Houck in the pen.

 

With Whitlock, I can see both sides of the argument. I'm not unhappy they're going to try him as a starter again. And I assume if it doesn't go well he will become a bullpen man for life.

 

I've always felt like Houck's profile fits the pen more than the rotation. I just hope they stick with set roles, all year, even if someone else gets hurt.

 

We have other options to fill in if a SP'er or RPer gets hurt. I actually really like our pitching depth more than in a long time.

 

5 SP: Sale, Kluber, Whitlock, Bello, Pivetta

Depth: (before needing to use Houck) Paxton, Mata, Crawford, Walter, Winckowski, Murphy, Seabold (Drohan/Santos)

 

8 RP: Jansen, Martin, Houck, Schreiber, Barnes, Joely, Taylor, Brasier

Depth (options remaining) Mills, Kelly, German, Crawford, Mata, Walter, Murphy, Ort, DHern, Winckowski, Seabold (Paxton, if all 6 SP'ers are healthy) then Whitlock, maybe, if not Bello or Pivetta.

[notin]

With the addition of Kluber, we should see Houck in the pen.

 

With Whitlock, I can see both sides of the argument. I'm not unhappy they're going to try him as a starter again. And I assume if it doesn't go well he will become a bullpen man for life.

 

That is good.

 

Now if Sale and Paxton are both healthy, does it push Whitlock back into the pen? (Answer: No. It pushes Bello down to Worcester. But I’d prefer Bello in the rotation and Whitlock in the pen.)

[Bellhorn04]

That is good.

 

Now if Sale and Paxton are both healthy, does it push Whitlock back into the pen? (Answer: No. It pushes Bello down to Worcester. But I’d prefer Bello in the rotation and Whitlock in the pen.)

 

Lots of interesting possibilities. Hopefully it's a "good problem" as they say. We've had enough bad problems.

[moonslav59]

That is good.

 

Now if Sale and Paxton are both healthy, does it push Whitlock back into the pen? (Answer: No. It pushes Bello down to Worcester. But I’d prefer Bello in the rotation and Whitlock in the pen.)

 

What are the odds Sale, Paxton and Kluber are all ready to start their next turn, at the same time? Factor in lesser chances that Pivetta, Bello or Whitlock may miss time, here and there, I doubt we'll have to use Bello in the pen or send him to AAA for more than a week or two. We may want to limit his innings, anyway and could even "piggyback" with someone like Paxton for a while, or we could go with 6 starters for a while, like the Astros did, but I'm not keen on that idea.

 

I'm not trying to be pessimistic, but my guess is a SP'er will be on the IL or even the 60 day IL for more than 66% of the season, and with the idea of keeping Bello's IP under 140 or so, I doubt we face these choices being discussed, very often, anyway.

[moonslav59]

The 2018 rotation and starter depth reached a point where they felt the need to trade for Eovaldi, at the deadline.

 

The starting 5 was meant to be: Sale, Price, Porcello, ERod and Pomeranz

The depth, before Nate, was Brian Johnson, Steven Wright and Hector Velazquez. William Cuevas and Jalen Beeks each started a game. Beeks was traded for Nate. Pretty good depth, but I like the depth we have, now more, and it certainly looks deeper if not higher quality- for what that is worth.

 

2019 saw the same starting 5 back, although with much worse numbers, and Nate only started 12 games. The depth was Velazquez, Johnson, Cashner and Weber/Lakins. Yuck!

 

2020 was a yuck of a rotation and depth, especially since Sale and ERod missed the whole short season. The 5: Nate, Perez, Godley, Mazza, Weber. The depth was Houck, Brewer, Hart, Kickham, Triggs and the deadline acquired Pivetta.

 

2021 was supposed to include Sale for more than 9 GSd with Nate, ERod, Perez, Richards and Pivetta. That's actually a nice 6, if healthy. The depth was a capable Houck, but then Peacock, Seabold and Crawford. I like this year's depth more.

 

2022's rotation was not thought to be all that great in March. Adding Wacha and Hill did not wow anyone, but they both did pretty well. Again, Sale was supposed to give us a half season and maybe Paxton, too. Neither did. The expected 5: Nate, Wacha, Hill, Pivetta and Sale/Paxton. The depth was Crawford, Whitlock. Houck, Winckowski and Seabold with Bello rising more quickly than some expected.

 

2023, now has Whitlock and Bello in the 5, along with Pivetta, Kluber and Sale/Paxton hopes, again. I'm counting those 6 as 5 and thinking having the 6 does not add depth, but the depth still looks very promising. Not proven, but promising:

 

Mata

Crawford

Walter

Winckowski

Murphy

Seabold

(Drohan/Santos)

Last resort: Houck

 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

That is good.

 

Now if Sale and Paxton are both healthy, does it push Whitlock back into the pen? (Answer: No. It pushes Bello down to Worcester. But I’d prefer Bello in the rotation and Whitlock in the pen.)

 

Counting on Sale and Paxton? I'm not even counting much on Kluber, who obviously has seen better days.

 

This prediction is based entirely on arms under 30: the only way this rotation gets the Red Sox into contention is if Whitlock is as dominant as a starter as he was as a reliever in '21, and Bello becomes the first homegrown All-Star since Lester. And that includes another injury-free season of innings by Pivetta, who'll be 30 in February.

 

Whitlock-Bella-Pivetta: that's the Big Three to give fans hope... though maybe their career years are a few seasons away. Mix in a fill-in month by Houck, a spot start stint by Crawford, and a September infusion of Mata taking regular turns...

 

Of course, rotation success has to be contingent upon strength up the middle, with a D whiz shortstop meshing with Story at second and Kike in center... and maybe led by an offensive star like Brian Reynolds, recruited in July for some prospects who've made surprise progress in '23.

[moonslav59]

Counting on Sale and Paxton? I'm not even counting much on Kluber, who obviously has seen better days.

 

This prediction is based entirely on arms under 30: the only way this rotation gets the Red Sox into contention is if Whitlock is as dominant as a starter as he was as a reliever in '21, and Bello becomes the first homegrown All-Star since Lester. And that includes another injury-free season of innings by Pivetta, who'll be 30 in February.

 

Whitlock-Bella-Pivetta: that's the Big Three to give fans hope... though maybe their career years are a few seasons away. Mix in a fill-in month by Houck, a spot start stint by Crawford, and a September infusion of Mata taking regular turns...

 

Of course, rotation success has to be contingent upon strength up the middle, with a D whiz shortstop meshing with Story at second and Kike in center... and maybe led by an offensive star like Brian Reynolds, recruited in July for some prospects who've made surprise progress in '23.

 

What's your over/under on games started by Sale+ Paxton and Sale+Paxton+Kluber.

 

Mine might be:

 

32 Sale (18) + Paxton (14), and maybe that's wishful thinking.

 

54 Sale (18) + Paxton (14) + Kluber (22)

 

If we can get 54 from those 3 and 32 from Pivetta, that leaves 74 from...

 

28 Whitlock

26 Bello

20 Mata, Walter, Murphy, Crawford, Winckowski., Seabold (Houck?)

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

What's your over/under on games started by Sale+ Paxton and Sale+Paxton+Kluber.

 

Mine might be:

 

32 Sale (18) + Paxton (14), and maybe that's wishful thinking.

 

54 Sale (18) + Paxton (14) + Kluber (22)

 

If we can get 54 from those 3 and 32 from Pivetta, that leaves 74 from...

 

28 Whitlock

26 Bello

20 Mata, Walter, Murphy, Crawford, Winckowski., Seabold (Houck?)

 

Honestly, I expect one to not even make it out of Florida, and spend the summer at some rookie camp rehabbing; another will make four sporadic starts, break down by Memorial Day and be shut down by June. The third will rotate on and off the IL as the Sox try to keep him eligible to flip at the deadline. Over-under: 20.

[harmony]

The true “secret ingredient” that makes a rotation successful isn’t the salary of the pitchers in it or their career ERAs or whatever. It’s health. The more starts and IP you get from your 5 best the faster you close any gaps in quality against other rotations. I don’t think it’s crazy to think that the team that has the fewest rotation injuries every year probably finishes very, very high.

That was certainly true for the 2022 Seattle Mariners, who suffered no injuries in their starting rotation.

 

The Mariners went with an opener in three games but Robbie Ray, Logan Gilbert and Marco Gonzales each made 32 starts. Matt Brash and George Kirby combined for 30 starts while Chris Flexen and Luis Castillo combined for 33 starts. Injuries were not the reason that Kirby and Castillo replaced Brash and Flexen in the Seattle rotation.

 

Absent a trade, Seattle will return those seven starters with prospects Emerson Hancock, Taylor Dollard, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo providing starter depth. Although the Mariners are rumored to be willing to trade a pitcher, odds are that the M's are unlikely to field an injury-free rotation in 2023.

[moonslav59]

Honestly, I expect one to not even make it out of Florida, and spend the summer at some rookie camp rehabbing; another will make four sporadic starts, break down by Memorial Day and be shut down by June. The third will rotate on and off the IL as the Sox try to keep him eligible to flip at the deadline. Over-under: 20.

 

20 for all 3?

 

Man, pessimism rules, here.

[moonslav59]

That was certainly true for the 2022 Seattle Mariners, who suffered no injuries in their starting rotation.

 

The Mariners went with an opener in three games but Robbie Ray, Logan Gilbert and Marco Gonzales each made 32 starts. Matt Brash and George Kirby combined for 30 starts while Chris Flexen and Luis Castillo combined for 33 starts. Injuries were not the reason that Kirby and Castillo replaced Brash and Flexen in the Seattle rotation.

 

Absent a trade, Seattle will return those seven starters with prospects Emerson Hancock, Taylor Dollard, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo providing starter depth. Although the Mariners are rumored to be willing to trade a pitcher, odds are that the M's are unlikely to field an injury-free rotation in 2023.

 

If you look at the Sox ring seasons, it's no coincidental that nearly all of them included very few starts by the 6th or 7th starters:

 

GS

2004:

33 Pedro & DeLowe

32 Schilling & Arroyo

30 Wake

5 by 3 others

 

2007

32 Dice-K

31 Wake

30 Beckett

24 Schillin

23 Tavarez

11 Lester

11 by 3 others, including Buch who would have been top 5.

 

2013

33 Lester

29 Lackey & Dempster

27 Doubront

16 Buchholz

10 Peavy (acquired mid season)

18 by 4 others

 

2018

33 Porcello

30 Price

27 Sale (Yes, Chris Freakin; Sale!)

23 ERod

11 Pomeranz & Eovaldi (acquired mid season)

14 by 4

 

Non Ring Years GS beyond top 5

33 by 6 SP'ers in 2002

23 by 5 in '03

18 by 5 in '05 (30+ starts by Clement, Arroyo, Wake & Wells)

50 by 9 '06

30 by 6 '08

37 by 6 '09

23 by 3 '10

36 by 5 '11

32 by 4 '12

54 by 6 '14 (4 SP'ers traded)

38 by 7 '15

29 by 5 '16

26 by 5 '17

35 by 10 '19

21 by 11 '20 (60 gm season!!! and Sale & ERod not counted as a top 5'er!)

25 by 5 in '21

46 by 7 in '22

 

Note: these numbers do not reflect the true nature of non top 5 GS'd. Take 2017 as an example:Fister was 5th.

[Nick]

This is what the future looks to be.....it's a start, upgrade at every opportunity

1B Casas

2B Story

SS Mayers

3B TBD/Dalbec

DH Turner and his clones

LF Yoshida

CF Rafaela

RF TBD

C Wong

SP1 Bello

SP2 Whitlock

SP3 Houck

SP4 Mata

SP5 Kutter

Pen....Young gun non-starters.

[moonslav59]

This is what the future looks to be.....it's a start, upgrade at every opportunity

1B Casas

2B Story

SS Mayers

3B TBD/Dalbec

DH Turner and his clones

LF Yoshida

CF Rafaela

RF TBD

C Wong

SP1 Bello

SP2 Whitlock

SP3 Houck

SP4 Mata

SP5 Kutter

Pen....Young gun non-starters.

 

McGuire has 3 years of control. I'm not sure how far out your list is, but he's our catcher for 3 more years.

 

If this list is beyond 3 years, then Bleis and others should be on it.

 

Also,... (I know you did not list RPers)

 

5 years: Houck, Kelly & German

4 years: Schreiber

3 years: Joely, Taylor

[moonslav59]

This is what the future looks to be.....it's a start, upgrade at every opportunity

1B Casas

2B Story

SS Mayers

3B TBD/Dalbec

DH Turner and his clones

LF Yoshida

CF Rafaela

RF TBD

C Wong

SP1 Bello

SP2 Whitlock

SP3 Houck

SP4 Mata

SP5 Kutter

Pen....Young gun non-starters.

 

Soxprospects.com has a future rosters page and omitted McGuire, too.

 

Here's what they have, but I added McGuire:

 

2025

SP: Sale, Whitlock, Bello, Mata, Walter

Pen: Houck, Schreiber, Kelly, German, Crawford, Wink, Murphy, Mills

C: McGuire, Wong, Hickey

1B: Casas, Kavadas

2B: Story, EValdez

SS: Mayer, Bonaci

3B: Dalbec, Lugo, Jordan

LF: Yoshida

CF: Rafaela

RF: Duran, Abreu

DH: Yorke

 

2026: replace___ with _____

Sale w Wikelman/Perales

Duran w Bleis

Add to bench: Romero, Anthony, Paulino

 

[Nick]

Thanks Moon...I don't know where I saw it but Rafaela is major league ready defender in the outfield. He is Mookie Bettsisque.

[Nick]

Soxprospects.com has a future rosters page and omitted McGuire, too.

 

Here's what they have, but I added McGuire:

 

2025

SP: Sale, Whitlock, Bello, Mata, Walter

Pen: Houck, Schreiber, Kelly, German, Crawford, Wink, Murphy, Mills

C: McGuire, Wong, Hickey

1B: Casas, Kavadas

2B: Story, EValdez

SS: Mayer, Bonaci

3B: Dalbec, Lugo, Jordan

LF: Yoshida

CF: Rafaela

RF: Duran, Abreu

DH: Yorke

 

2026: replace___ with _____

Sale w Wikelman/Perales

Duran w Bleis

Add to bench: Romero, Anthony, Paulino

 

 

Might as trade Devers for a major league ready player with few years of team control (or just extend him and plug the 3B hole)

[moonslav59]

The 13 man pitching staff choices for opening day will surely be influenced by injuries and options remaining.

 

Here are the options remaining. If none are listed, it's zero.

 

SP

Sale

Paxton

Kluber

Whitlock 3

Bello

Pivetta

Crawford 2

Winckowski 2

Seabold 1

Mata 1

Walter 3

Murphy 3

 

Jansen

Martin

Houck 2

Schreiber 3

Barnes

Joely

Brasier

Mills 1

Taylor 2

Kelly 3

German 3

DHern 1

Ort 2

 

[moonslav59]

Thanks Moon...I don't know where I saw it but Rafaela is major league ready defender in the outfield. He is Mookie Bettsisque.

 

Rafaela is defensively ready, now. He's plus-plus in CF and apparently plus at SS and 2B, too.

 

If he can hit just .675, he's likely going to have a pretty long ML career.

[moonslav59]

Might as trade Devers for a major league ready player with few years of team control (or just extend him and plug the 3B hole)

 

There is just no way a comp pick for Devers is acceptable.

 

Lock him up by opening day, or trade him.

 

Everyone knows my preference.

[Nick]

Does Devers bet on himself for his walk off year? Aaron Judge made the right decision. But the Yankees had to keep him. If Devers plays well. he will price himself out of Sox reach.

[Nick]

I believe Devers ranked 9th at 3B in fWar or RPI (I forgot). Is that worth $30M?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I believe Devers ranked 9th at 3B in fWar or RPI (I forgot). Is that worth $30M?

 

With Raffy, it's more than just WAR... a team would be investing in Warcraft and Warpaths in his role as Warlock.

 

There are few hitters with the potential to absolutely wreck an opponent like when Devers gets hot. And he has already done it when it has counted the most: in Yankee Stadium, in playoff games, in the final weekend of the season with a wild card at stake... pinch-hitting in the 9th inning of a tied World Series game.

 

Maybe he won't get better as a third baseman. But imagine how good he'll be at the plate if he matures and becomes just slightly more disciplined...

[moonslav59]

With Raffy, it's more than just WAR... a team would be investing in Warcraft and Warpaths in his role as Warlock.

 

There are few hitters with the potential to absolutely wreck an opponent like when Devers gets hot. And he has already done it when it has counted the most: in Yankee Stadium, in playoff games, in the final weekend of the season with a wild card at stake... pinch-hitting in the 9th inning of a tied World Series game.

 

Maybe he won't get better as a third baseman. But imagine how good he'll be at the plate if he matures and becomes just slightly more disciplined...

 

He's already improved enough on D to not be a minus.

 

Devers Forevers!

 

[jacksonianmarch]

Thanks Moon...I don't know where I saw it but Rafaela is major league ready defender in the outfield. He is Mookie Bettsisque.

 

Mookie Betts is heading for first ballot HOF. That’s the dumbest statement ever

[moonslav59]

Mookie Betts is heading for first ballot HOF. That’s the dumbest statement ever

 

He was talking about defense.