A Realistic View at 2023: Part I

[moonslav59]

As great as Story looked on defense at 2B, this year, despite that game losing error early on, I'm fine with keeping him at 2B, but it would be cheaper to find a decent 2Bman than SS, this winter.

 

I'd like to see us sign Swanson. I'm not sold on Anderson but maybe could be convinced.

 

I doubt we go large enough to get Bogey, Correa or Turner.

[mvp 78]

He might be better suited for second base. It is similar to shortstop , but a bit easier. I think a lot of his errors came on throws from deep short.

 

He has looked really great at 2b. Just keep him there IMO.

[Old Red]

As great as Story looked on defense at 2B, this year, despite that game losing error early on, I'm fine with keeping him at 2B, but it would be cheaper to find a decent 2Bman than SS, this winter.

 

I'd like to see us sign Swanson. I'm not sold on Anderson but maybe could be convinced.

 

I doubt we go large enough to get Bogey, Correa or Turner.

 

You wanted Baez signed to play SS last offseason. How has he done this year?

[a700hitter]

Now, Hosmer is on the IL. What is his injury?

[moonslav59]

How's this for a blueprint to a winning 2023 season?

 

BTV accepted this as a "Moderate overpay" by the Sox:

Bello & Yorke to MIA for Pablo Lopez (2 yrs of control) & Jacob Stallings (2 yrs of control for the catcher the Sox tried to acquire, last winter)

 

QO accepted: Michael Wacha

 

Sign:

SS: Dansby Swanson

CF: Enrique Hernandez

RF: Brandon Nimmo

RP: Michael Fulmer

RP: Matt Strahm

 

1. Nimmo RF

2. Swanson SS

3. Devers 3B

4. Story 2B

5. Verdugo LF

6. Hernandez CF

7. EValdez/Arroyo/Hosmer/Dalbec DH/Bench

8. Hosmer/Casas/Dalbec 1B

9. Stallings/McGuire C

 

SP1 Lopez

SP2 Sale/Paxton

SP3 Wacha

SP4 Pivetta

SP5 (Sale/Paxton/Whitlock) Crawford/Winckowski/Seabold/Mata/Walter/Murphy

 

Closer: Houck

RP2: Whitlock (SP?)

RP3: Schreiber

RP4: Fulmer

RP5: Strahm

RP6: Barnes

RP7: Brasier/Davis/German/ (any converted SP'er)

Edited August 23, 2022 by moonslav59

[moonslav59]

Now, Hosmer is on the IL. What is his injury?

 

Back injury.

 

ETAs:

Bello (Groin) & Danish (Forearm)- late August

Story (Hand) & Hosmer (Back)- early September

Nate (Shoulder) & Houck (Back)- mid September

 

Sale (Wrist), Paxton (Elbow) & Taylor (Back)- ????

[dgalehouse]

Now, Hosmer is on the IL. What is his injury?

 

Maybe he hurt his back wrestling with Kacie.

[Old Red]

Now, Hosmer is on the IL. What is his injury?

 

No, No, No on Franchy again.

[Oscars]

Moon your proposed roster is a big improvement on this years team.

I would like to see a lot more pop from LF, so I would like to see Verdugo traded. 10 HRs from a left fielder playing half his games at Fenway just isn’t enough.

As this team still needs more HRs a bopper at DH would be good.

Edited August 25, 2022 by Oscars

[moonslav59]

Moon your proposed roster is a big improvement on this years team.

I would like to see a lot more pop from LF, so I would like to see Verdugo traded. 10 HRs from a left fielder playing half his games at Fenway just isn’t enough.

As this team still needs more HRs a bopper at DH would be good.

 

I tried to keep it simple and modest, but I agree about LF and DH. It's usually easy to find 1 year fill-ins for those positions.

 

The rotation, pen and pitching depth looks greatly improved, IMO.

[Bellhorn04]

How's this for a blueprint to a winning 2023 season?

 

BTV accepted this as a "Moderate overpay" by the Sox:

Bello & Yorke to MIA for Pablo Lopez (2 yrs of control) & Jacob Stallings (2 yrs of control for the catcher the Sox tried to acquire, last winter)

 

QO accepted: Michael Wacha

 

Sign:

SS: Dansby Swanson

CF: Enrique Hernandez

RF: Brandon Nimmo

RP: Michael Fulmer

RP: Matt Strahm

 

1. Nimmo RF

2. Swanson SS

3. Devers 3B

4. Story 2B

5. Verdugo LF

6. Hernandez CF

7. EValdez/Arroyo/Hosmer/Dalbec DH/Bench

8. Hosmer/Casas/Dalbec 1B

9. Stallings/McGuire C

 

SP1 Lopez

SP2 Sale/Paxton

SP3 Wacha

SP4 Pivetta

SP5 (Sale/Paxton/Whitlock) Crawford/Winckowski/Seabold/Mata/Walter/Murphy

 

Closer: Houck

RP2: Whitlock (SP?)

RP3: Schreiber

RP4: Fulmer

RP5: Strahm

RP6: Barnes

RP7: Brasier/Davis/German/ (any converted SP'er)

 

Not bad. Reasonable.

[moonslav59]

Not bad. Reasonable.

 

I'd like to see one of two moderate additions, perhaps on 1 year deals.

 

Choose 1-2 from...

OF/DH

1B/DH (DFA Hosmer and/or demote Dalbec)

C who can also hit

SP depth

Pen depth

[Bellhorn04]

Jose Abreu might be on the radar as a DH/1B.

[notin]

I'd like to see one of two moderate additions, perhaps on 1 year deals.

 

Choose 1-2 from...

OF/DH

1B/DH (DFA Hosmer and/or demote Dalbec)

C who can also hit

SP depth

Pen depth

 

For LF, Ian Happ?

 

BTV accepted Duran and Wicky Gonzalez. (BTV posted it as a featured trade. Still up as one.) Career .348 OBP. Only 1 year left. Cubs reportedly shopped him at the deadline.

 

Bring back Kike for CF and Verdugo to RF.

[notin]

Jose Abreu might be on the radar as a DH/1B.

 

It’s a good thought, but it also blocks Casas unless they bench (realistic), DFA (very realistic) or trade (not so much even at min wage) Hosmer…

[Hugh2]

Bello might be the best pitching prospect to break Boston's rotation since Clay Buchholz (think healthy Clay). And he's showing glimpses of it at the MLB level. His innings, velocity, and stuff has ticked upwards every single year and he's shown bat-missing ability at the MLB level. Also, as good as Stallings is, he's a defense-first catcher who is a .700 OPS guy career and sub .600 this year. McGuire isn't much of a step-down, quality defense and how much better is Stallings bat?

 

I like having Bello in the rotation next year, and love the potential he and Whitlock bring there, but having two youngsters also brings a level of uncertainty that really makes me want to strengthen the top of the rotation. I'd love to see a trade for a young cost controlled pitcher. Sandy Alcantara from Florida might be a pipe dream, but it's not like they're going to compete in the next couple of years. An elite prospect package might do the trick.

 

I'm thinking Alcantara for Pivetta/Marcelo Mayer/Nick Yorke/Ceddanne Rafaella. BTV has this as a slight underpay for us but I think it's fair. Pivetta gives them a good MLB pitcher to replace Alcanatars innings for the next several years and the 3 prospects give them huge future value. I'd offer at least one of Eovaldi/Wacha a QO (if not both). If he was seriously tradeable, you might have to replace Yorke with Bleis, or just add him in.

 

Alcantara

Sale

Wacha/Eovaldi

Whitlock

Bello

Paxton

 

There's a lot of potential in that rotation, if Sale gets healthy that's a WS-caliber rotation. That also gives you a core rotation of Alcantara/Bellow/Whitlock that's locked up for years.

[Hugh2]

^^^ let me dream

[Bellhorn04]

It’s a good thought, but it also blocks Casas unless they bench (realistic), DFA (very realistic) or trade (not so much even at min wage) Hosmer…

 

Not if Abreu is primarily DH'ing.

[notin]

Bello might be the best pitching prospect to break Boston's rotation since Clay Buchholz (think healthy Clay). And he's showing glimpses of it at the MLB level. His innings, velocity, and stuff has ticked upwards every single year and he's shown bat-missing ability at the MLB level. Also, as good as Stallings is, he's a defense-first catcher who is a .700 OPS guy career and sub .600 this year. McGuire isn't much of a step-down, quality defense and how much better is Stallings bat?

 

I like having Bello in the rotation next year, and love the potential he and Whitlock bring there, but having two youngsters also brings a level of uncertainty that really makes me want to strengthen the top of the rotation. I'd love to see a trade for a young cost controlled pitcher. Sandy Alcantara from Florida might be a pipe dream, but it's not like they're going to compete in the next couple of years. An elite prospect package might do the trick.

 

I'm thinking Alcantara for Pivetta/Marcelo Mayer/Nick Yorke/Ceddanne Rafaella. BTV has this as a slight underpay for us but I think it's fair. Pivetta gives them a good MLB pitcher to replace Alcanatars innings for the next several years and the 3 prospects give them huge future value. I'd offer at least one of Eovaldi/Wacha a QO (if not both). If he was seriously tradeable, you might have to replace Yorke with Bleis, or just add him in.

 

Alcantara

Sale

Wacha/Eovaldi

Whitlock

Bello

Paxton

 

There's a lot of potential in that rotation, if Sale gets healthy that's a WS-caliber rotation. That also gives you a core rotation of Alcantara/Bellow/Whitlock that's locked up for years.

 

The Marlins are the place to talk for SP.

 

The one guy they may not want is Pivetta. Even IF they deal Alcantara, they still have Lopez, Sanchez, Rogers, Garrett, Hernandez, Cabrera and Max Meyer fighting for SP innings.

 

Reportedly they were asking for the moon for Lopez. Their price for Alcantara is likely lifting. Ditto Trevor Rogers.

 

I’ve always liked the very underrated Eleiser Hernandez, but his injury problems figure to be more problem than solution. But maybe Edward Cabrera or Sixto Sanchez are realistic targets…

[moonslav59]

Jose Abreu might be on the radar as a DH/1B.

 

On a 1 year deal- very nice!

[moonslav59]

For LF, Ian Happ?

 

BTV accepted Duran and Wicky Gonzalez. (BTV posted it as a featured trade. Still up as one.) Career .348 OBP. Only 1 year left. Cubs reportedly shopped him at the deadline.

 

Bring back Kike for CF and Verdugo to RF.

 

I'd rather keep RF defense a top priority and Verdugo in LF.

[moonslav59]

Bello might be the best pitching prospect to break Boston's rotation since Clay Buchholz (think healthy Clay). And he's showing glimpses of it at the MLB level. His innings, velocity, and stuff has ticked upwards every single year and he's shown bat-missing ability at the MLB level. Also, as good as Stallings is, he's a defense-first catcher who is a .700 OPS guy career and sub .600 this year. McGuire isn't much of a step-down, quality defense and how much better is Stallings bat?

 

I like having Bello in the rotation next year, and love the potential he and Whitlock bring there, but having two youngsters also brings a level of uncertainty that really makes me want to strengthen the top of the rotation. I'd love to see a trade for a young cost controlled pitcher. Sandy Alcantara from Florida might be a pipe dream, but it's not like they're going to compete in the next couple of years. An elite prospect package might do the trick.

 

I'm thinking Alcantara for Pivetta/Marcelo Mayer/Nick Yorke/Ceddanne Rafaella. BTV has this as a slight underpay for us but I think it's fair. Pivetta gives them a good MLB pitcher to replace Alcanatars innings for the next several years and the 3 prospects give them huge future value. I'd offer at least one of Eovaldi/Wacha a QO (if not both). If he was seriously tradeable, you might have to replace Yorke with Bleis, or just add him in.

 

Alcantara

Sale

Wacha/Eovaldi

Whitlock

Bello

Paxton

 

There's a lot of potential in that rotation, if Sale gets healthy that's a WS-caliber rotation. That also gives you a core rotation of Alcantara/Bellow/Whitlock that's locked up for years.

 

I don't think MIA wants a guy about to reach his last two rather expensive Arbs in Pivetta.

 

I'd love Alcantara over Lopez, but Lopez is also reaching his last 2 Arb years and would cost way less in return.

 

Another idea might be to take on Av. Garcia's dead money contract to bring down the return cost way down. Maybe he can bounce back as RF/DH type for us.

 

I'm fine with trading some prospects, but this deal would be a lot to give up. (Not saying I'm against it, but it's a tough choice, and they might demand Bleis.)

[moonslav59]

The Marlins are the place to talk for SP.

 

The one guy they may not want is Pivetta. Even IF they deal Alcantara, they still have Lopez, Sanchez, Rogers, Garrett, Hernandez, Cabrera and Max Meyer fighting for SP innings.

 

Reportedly they were asking for the moon for Lopez. Their price for Alcantara is likely lifting. Ditto Trevor Rogers.

 

I’ve always liked the very underrated Eleiser Hernandez, but his injury problems figure to be more problem than solution. But maybe Edward Cabrera or Sixto Sanchez are realistic targets…

 

Luzardo might be the easiest one to pry from MIA, but for good reason.

[Hugh2]

Luzardo might be the easiest one to pry from MIA, but for good reason.

 

No point in trading for garbage, we actually have a decent amount of pitching, we need high-end pitching. If it ain't an ace it's a complete waste of resources

[Hugh2]

I don't think MIA wants a guy about to reach his last two rather expensive Arbs in Pivetta.

 

I'd love Alcantara over Lopez, but Lopez is also reaching his last 2 Arb years and would cost way less in return.

 

Another idea might be to take on Av. Garcia's dead money contract to bring down the return cost way down. Maybe he can bounce back as RF/DH type for us.

 

I'm fine with trading some prospects, but this deal would be a lot to give up. (Not saying I'm against it, but it's a tough choice, and they might demand Bleis.)

 

You're also trading for a guy who is arguably the best pitcher in baseball, of course, the price is going to be high. I'm sure Pivetta doesn't make or break the deal, you can always throw in another MLBer or take another player back to make the money owrk. BTV actually has this as an underpay for us.

[moonslav59]

You're also trading for a guy who is arguably the best pitcher in baseball, of course, the price is going to be high. I'm sure Pivetta doesn't make or break the deal, you can always throw in another MLBer or take another player back to make the money owrk. BTV actually has this as an underpay for us.

 

I get it, and I'm always for upgrading the rotation from the top, and the more years of team control at a low/lower cost- the better.

 

I was just trying to point out that MIA would probably rather have Blies or Walter than Pivetta.

[JDavis76]

Bello might be the best pitching prospect to break Boston's rotation since Clay Buchholz (think healthy Clay). And he's showing glimpses of it at the MLB level. His innings, velocity, and stuff has ticked upwards every single year and he's shown bat-missing ability at the MLB level. Also, as good as Stallings is, he's a defense-first catcher who is a .700 OPS guy career and sub .600 this year. McGuire isn't much of a step-down, quality defense and how much better is Stallings bat?

 

I like having Bello in the rotation next year, and love the potential he and Whitlock bring there, but having two youngsters also brings a level of uncertainty that really makes me want to strengthen the top of the rotation. I'd love to see a trade for a young cost controlled pitcher. Sandy Alcantara from Florida might be a pipe dream, but it's not like they're going to compete in the next couple of years. An elite prospect package might do the trick.

 

I'm thinking Alcantara for Pivetta/Marcelo Mayer/Nick Yorke/Ceddanne Rafaella. BTV has this as a slight underpay for us but I think it's fair. Pivetta gives them a good MLB pitcher to replace Alcanatars innings for the next several years and the 3 prospects give them huge future value. I'd offer at least one of Eovaldi/Wacha a QO (if not both). If he was seriously tradeable, you might have to replace Yorke with Bleis, or just add him in.

 

Alcantara

Sale

Wacha/Eovaldi

Whitlock

Bello

Paxton

 

There's a lot of potential in that rotation, if Sale gets healthy that's a WS-caliber rotation. That also gives you a core rotation of Alcantara/Bellow/Whitlock that's locked up for years.

 

Thanks, I just spit my coffee through my nose......

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I appreciate the idea of trading prospects for a top of the rotation ace, but I'm can't package the Red Sox' best four position players: Mayer, Yorke, Rafaela and Bleis (who is worth at least as much as Yorke and Rafaela, not half as much like on BTV)... I'm not counting Casas, because in my opinion he's already the starting first baseman for '23.

 

That's a Soto-type package, and Alcantara isn't on the same Hall of Fame track; not yet, anyway. There aren't any young pitchers with 22 WAR in five years through age 23, like Soto. The only one under-30 is Aaron Nola, and he's already 29. The closest to a younger guy in his prime is Shane Bieber: 14.1 WAR through age 27. For someone like him, I can part with either Mayer or Bleis... but not both.

[dgalehouse]

Nick Pivetta will turn 30 before next season. He has a career ERA of 5. Yeah , he should bring back a nice return in any trade.

[notin]

Not if Abreu is primarily DH'ing.

 

Sure if both Hosmer (1b) and Casas (DH) are playing.

 

Not that Hosmer should be a consideration for Abreu. If the Sox sign Abreu, Hosmer is a DFA candidate…