2023 Free Agents

[notin]

Must still be in "hoard prospects" mode.

 

Our best prospects traded under Bloom, and correct me if I'm wrong, have been...

 

Aldo Ramirez for Schwarber

 

Jay Groome for Ferguson, Rosier and Hosmer plus cash.

 

 

Alex Scherff!!

[moonslav59]

Not much left for catching options.

 

There was talk we wanted to "add a catcher," but no word on him being a starter, back-up or organizational depth beyond Kaleb Hamilton.

 

Alex Scherff!!

 

How could I forget!

 

Don't forget Nicholas Northcut!

 

Three years and that's what we come up with. You think it might be time they go slightly bolder?

[moonslav59]

I once counted 20 prospects DD traded that were at one time or another a top 20 prospect on soxprospects.com. To be fair, several were traded after dropping in the rankings, and some were no longer top 20 when traded, but still: compare that to Groome, Aldo, Scherff and Northcut.

 

No doubt, our recent teams, and the 2024 team could look a lot better had we traded even 10 prospects, but that has not been part of the plan.

[a700hitter]

Yankees preparing an offer for Rodon.

 

Bloom is picking out furniture for the basement.

[notin]

Yankees preparing an offer for Rodon.

 

Bloom is picking out furniture for the basement.

 

Think the Sox should give a 7 year $200 mill contract to a starting pitcher who averages 106 IP per season for his career?

 

The Sox are better off counting on Paxton and Sale…

[Hugh2]

Think the Sox should give a 7 year $200 mill contract to a starting pitcher who averages 106 IP per season for his career?

 

The Sox are better off counting on Paxton and Sale…

 

That doesn’t matter, none of this matters. What matters is someone else is spending a ton of money. It could be on a bat boy and it wouldn’t matter.

[Bellhorn04]

Think the Sox should give a 7 year $200 mill contract to a starting pitcher who averages 106 IP per season for his career?

 

The Sox are better off counting on Paxton and Sale…

 

Looks like that's exactly what they're doing. Yay.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

We've seen this offseason three times already in the Bloom Era. Moves are being made all over the big leagues, big time free agents are signing, and other desirable pieces are getting traded.

 

Meanwhile, Bloom says he might make a significant trade or a significant signing... reports show the Red Sox are interested in several players... and we wait.

 

When it comes to spending money, many defenders point to the owners holding him back. But what about trades? Does anyone think the owners have any say in which prospects aren't allowed to be dealt for a quality pitcher or catcher or outfielder who can field his position and freaking hit?

 

When Bloom crosses a busy street in Boston, do co-workers gather at the front office windows, yelling and imploring him to make it before he gets flattened?

[Bellhorn04]

We've seen this offseason three times already in the Bloom Era. Moves are being made all over the big leagues, big time free agents are signing, and other desirable pieces are getting traded.

 

Meanwhile, Bloom says he might make a significant trade or a significant signing... reports show the Red Sox are interested in several players... and we wait.

 

When it comes to spending money, many defenders point to the owners holding him back. But what about trades? Does anyone think the owners have any say in which prospects aren't allowed to be dealt for a quality pitcher or catcher or outfielder who can field his position and freaking hit?

 

And it looks like he whiffed on a chance to get William Contreras for a relatively small cost in prospect talent.

 

Chaim is moving in very mysterious ways.

 

We are going to see some moves, I have little doubt about that. Whether we're going to like them, who knows.

[Hugh2]

We've seen this offseason three times already in the Bloom Era. Moves are being made all over the big leagues, big time free agents are signing, and other desirable pieces are getting traded.

 

Meanwhile, Bloom says he might make a significant trade or a significant signing... reports show the Red Sox are interested in several players... and we wait.

 

When it comes to spending money, many defenders point to the owners holding him back. But what about trades? Does anyone think the owners have any say in which prospects aren't allowed to be dealt for a quality pitcher or catcher or outfielder who can field his position and freaking hit?

 

When Bloom crosses a busy street in Boston, do co-workers gather at the front office windows, yelling and imploring him to make it before he gets flattened?

 

Why give up all that future value for a guy who can't put you over the top? you add to a winning team NOT a losing team so I think trading prospects right now is a dumb idea....next year? maybe not. I just think it would be a slap in the face to fans to put together the last few years they have, rebuilding the farm, and then blowing their load prematurely as an overreaction. Despite all their failures, the one good thing they've got right recently is rebuilding the farm, and I don't mind trading prospects away for MLB pieces, that's 1/2 the reason your farm is there! but not for a last-place team.

 

This team needs to show me they can win first before I feel they should go that route.

[Hugh2]

And it looks like he whiffed on a chance to get William Contreras for a relatively small cost in prospect talent.

 

Chaim is moving in very mysterious ways.

 

We are going to see some moves, I have little doubt about that. Whether we're going to like them, who knows.

 

A similiar package from the Sox may have been Mata/Rafaella/Anthony/Dalbec Is that relatively small? IDK maybe, but I'd rather grab a right-fielder or a SP for giving up that kind of talent.....not a catcher. Not that I don't value the position, but I think Wong/McGuire are fine, and it's not that I don't value the catching position, it's just that I'm comfortable enough with those two there to prioritize upgrades at RF/SS/SP above the position.

[redsoxrules]

Bloom is probably waiting it out to pick up the left overs so he can save 2 mil.

[redsoxrules]

Yankees are reportedly looking into Fernando Tatis Jr. Man no one really wants Correa since the cheating scandale. It's pretty evident

[Hugh2]

Yankees are reportedly looking into Fernando Tatis Jr. Man no one really wants Correa since the cheating scandale. It's pretty evident

 

I highly doubt this. How often does the top or one of the top free agents in the market hold out? this is be zero means unnatural for a guy of his caliber to hang around this long....there's still over two months until pitchers and catchers report.

[redsoxrules]

I highly doubt this. How often does the top or one of the top free agents in the market hold out? this is be zero means unnatural for a guy of his caliber to hang around this long....there's still over two months until pitchers and catchers report.

 

He had the same problem last year. He took a 3 year deal from the Twins

[Hugh2]

He had the same problem last year. He took a 3 year deal from the Twins

 

I'm sure there was a larger deal out there for him. That deal was all about the opt-out, thinking there would be more money for him this year. That was always the Boras plan, Scott Boras knows what he is doing....and look at the market this year? they obviously guessed right.

 

I'd be willing to be Correa gets $300 million this offseason. As a baseline, he's getting 300 milliion.

[Bellhorn04]

A similiar package from the Sox may have been Mata/Rafaella/Anthony/Dalbec Is that relatively small?

 

Did you look at the prospect the Brewers gave up? I read he was their #8 prospect. That's all they gave up.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Why give up all that future value for a guy who can't put you over the top? you add to a winning team NOT a losing team so I think trading prospects right now is a dumb idea....next year? maybe not. I just think it would be a slap in the face to fans to put together the last few years they have, rebuilding the farm, and then blowing their load prematurely as an overreaction. Despite all their failures, the one good thing they've got right recently is rebuilding the farm, and I don't mind trading prospects away for MLB pieces, that's 1/2 the reason your farm is there! but not for a last-place team.

 

This team needs to show me they can win first before I feel they should go that route.

 

I'm not even thinking about contending in 2023 -- even if they sign Correa, right now this club looks worse than 2020, when the Sox had better players still in their primes.

 

But the only way to improve for the future is to start in the present. And that all begins with an ace at the top of the rotation. Sign Correa, and trade a package centered around Mayer for a Bieber or Alcantara. Let's be serious: the projected '23 Sox rotation is a disaster waiting to happen, even if Bello develops overnight into an All-Star. And that includes after they sign another #4 or #5 starter from the winter leftovers table.

 

If Devers won't sign at any price, trade him to the Mets for Alvarez or Baty. The Mets are in go-for-it mode and may actually give up something decent, especially since they look willing to pay whatever it takes.

[Hugh2]

Did you look at the prospect the Brewers gave up? I read he was their #8 prospect. That's all they gave up.

 

Yeah that 3 team trade is just hurting my brain right now.

[Hugh2]

I'm not even thinking about contending in 2023 -- even if they sign Correa, right now this club looks worse than 2020, when the Sox had better players still in their primes.

 

But the only way to improve for the future is to start in the present. And that all begins with an ace at the top of the rotation. Sign Correa, and trade a package centered around Mayer for a Bieber or Alcantara. Let's be serious: the projected '23 Sox rotation is a disaster waiting to happen, even if Bello develops overnight into an All-Star. And that includes after they sign another #4 or #5 starter from the winter leftovers table.

 

If Devers won't sign at any price, trade him to the Mets for Alvarez or Baty. The Mets are in go-for-it mode and may actually give up something decent, especially since they look willing to pay whatever it takes.

 

Actually, I don't agree with this at all. You need a complete roster top to bottom. The Angels arguably had the best pitcher and hitter in baseball and they sucked.

 

If this year's free agency spending spree has taught us anything, it's that teams are no longer going to be able to build thru free agency but rather only supplement. Teams that can develop talent and create their own MLB players will be rewarded. Yes you could trade for an ACE tomorrow, but probably have to give up Mayer/Bello/Bleis in the process. That hurts the future, and if your team isn't good enough to win with an addition now why make your present lukewarm to have a s***** future?

 

I'm all for trading prospects, but here's a time and place for everything. There's no way a last place team with a losing record should be trading from their prospect depth.

[mvp 78]

Bloom is probably waiting it out to pick up the left overs so he can save 2 mil.

 

All so that he can still accidentally go over the lux tax at the trade deadline again.

[mvp 78]

Actually, I don't agree with this at all. You need a complete roster top to bottom. The Angels arguably had the best pitcher and hitter in baseball and they sucked.

 

If this year's free agency spending spree has taught us anything, it's that teams are no longer going to be able to build thru free agency but rather only supplement. Teams that can develop talent and create their own MLB players will be rewarded. Yes you could trade for an ACE tomorrow, but probably have to give up Mayer/Bello/Bleis in the process. That hurts the future, and if your team isn't good enough to win with an addition now why make your present lukewarm to have a s***** future?

 

I'm all for trading prospects, but here's a time and place for everything. There's no way a last place team with a losing record should be trading from their prospect depth.

 

Aside from Ohtani and Trout, the Angels have a pretty pathetic organization.

[Old Red]

All so that he can still accidentally go over the lux tax at the trade deadline again.

 

He only went over the lux tax at the trade deadline, because he was looking for that third option in the fork in the road. He found it.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Actually, I don't agree with this at all. You need a complete roster top to bottom. The Angels arguably had the best pitcher and hitter in baseball and they sucked.

 

If this year's free agency spending spree has taught us anything, it's that teams are no longer going to be able to build thru free agency but rather only supplement. Teams that can develop talent and create their own MLB players will be rewarded. Yes you could trade for an ACE tomorrow, but probably have to give up Mayer/Bello/Bleis in the process. That hurts the future, and if your team isn't good enough to win with an addition now why make your present lukewarm to have a s***** future?

 

I'm all for trading prospects, but here's a time and place for everything. There's no way a last place team with a losing record should be trading from their prospect depth.

 

That's ok for a small market team willing to wallow in the basement for another three to five years. Building a contender around an ace isn't new, though, and I'm only going to use my experience as a Red Sox fan for proof. It goes beyond just acquiring a piece to put them over the top, like Sale and/or Price.

 

In 1997, the Sox' record was 78-84 -- the exact same W-L as this past season, except they finished two games out of last place. Then they traded for Pedro Martinez, and he immediately changed the entire culture in Boston.

 

In 1983, the Sox' record was again 78-84 -- bad enough for 6th place (in a 7-team AL East), 20 games out of first. The next year was Roger Clemens' rookie year, and he soon changed the entire culture in Boston.

 

From 1968-71, the Red Sox won around 86 games per year, but finished between 17 and 22 games back. They could hit, but never had a real ace pitcher. Then beginning in 1972, they had Luis Tiant atop the rotation, and they were contenders the rest of the decade.

 

All these guys were true aces, innings eaters, bullpen savers, and studs to supplement with other #2s and #3s. There were always plenty of candidates to step into the latter roles, where less pressure existed...

[Bellhorn04]

All so that he can still accidentally go over the lux tax at the trade deadline again.

 

Or accidentally stay over...

[mvp 78]

Yes, the Sox need an ace to lead the staff. Unfortunately, they decided to leverage a lot of $$$ towards Sale when they should have just saved that money for someone else.

[harmony]

Yeah that 3 team trade is just hurting my brain right now.

The comments at BTV share your sentiments:

 

https://www.baseballtradevalues.com/trades/trade-114286/

[moonslav59]

Yeah that 3 team trade is just hurting my brain right now.

 

The Braves gave up 6 players/prospects! People laugh at my 4 for 2 deals.

[notin]

The Braves gave up 6 players/prospects! People laugh at my 4 for 2 deals.

 

There was a huge drop off in talent after Contreras and Muller.

 

I noticed old friend and perennial waiver-wire fodder Joel Payamps was somehow involved in that deal, likely only to free up a 40 man roster spot for Oakland…

[notin]

Yes, the Sox need an ace to lead the staff. Unfortunately, they decided to leverage a lot of $$$ towards Sale when they should have just saved that money for someone else.

 

It’s very hard to envision them getting one. This season might rest heavily on the shoulders (and elbows) of Sale and Paxton…