2023 Free Agents

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Depends.

 

The Sox could deal Barnes ($10.6mill including buyout) for Paul DeJong ($9mill) and fill their shortstop void, which then fills the second base void when Kike flips over to the other side of the diamond.

 

But given Barnes’ strong finish, should they?

 

If Barnes is back and has his usual good first half, he should be a deadline candidate for a contender to swap for a prospect in return. Considering his history of unreliability and his age, picking up his option is unlikely. Matt's not going to be a core member of the next great Red Sox team. Maybe his son or grandson will be?

[Bellhorn04]

How much over were we last year?

 

About 6 mill.

[notin]

If Barnes is back and has his usual good first half, he should be a deadline candidate for a contender to swap for a prospect in return. Considering his history of unreliability and his age, picking up his option is unlikely. Matt's not going to be a core member of the next great Red Sox team. Maybe his son or grandson will be?

 

So do you trade him now?

 

His good first half might be worth acquiring for some team. If the Sox are out of it at the deadline, there will be no shortage of tradable pieces…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

So do you trade him now?

 

His good first half might be worth acquiring for some team. If the Sox are out of it at the deadline, there will be no shortage of tradable pieces…

 

Teams may shy away from his full year contract, but go for half when they know they're going for it (and have established that he's been consistent in '23) in July...

[Tedballgame]

Nobody would take Barnes' full contract right now. Sox are better off keeping him this season and letting him play out his deal.

 

If he has a good first half, Chaim can give him a big extension.

[mvp 78]

So do you trade him now?

 

His good first half might be worth acquiring for some team. If the Sox are out of it at the deadline, there will be no shortage of tradable pieces…

 

He has no trade value right now. It would be dumb to trade him today.

[notin]

Teams may shy away from his full year contract, but go for half when they know they're going for it (and have established that he's been consistent in '23) in July...

 

 

Well if you’re the Cardinals, and you have this $9mill shortstop who plays great D and has serious pop, but struggles mightily against MLB fastballs, and that you demoted to the minors last year, do you take a flier on Barnes, knowing worst case scenario is you lose $1.6mill?

 

And if you’re Bloom, do you want a prospect - even a fringe one - included?

[moonslav59]

If Barnes is back and has his usual good first half, he should be a deadline candidate for a contender to swap for a prospect in return. Considering his history of unreliability and his age, picking up his option is unlikely. Matt's not going to be a core member of the next great Red Sox team. Maybe his son or grandson will be?

 

I don't get the history of unreliability part. Barnes has been an exceptionally consistent pitcher for about 7 years. He had one funk that may have been injury related, where he had a stretch of 10-15 IP implosion.

 

FIP

3.72 '16

3.33 '17

2.71 '18

3.28 '19

4.84 '20 (23 IP in short season)

3.21 '21

3.87 '22

 

 

[moonslav59]

He has no trade value right now. It would be dumb to trade him today.

 

You assume no GM sees his upside and values him as highly as you and I do? (I think he pitches well, this year, and would rather not trade him, either.)

 

Yes, classic sell low, but we could trade him for an equally "sell low" SS or 2Bman.

[moonslav59]

How far has Chapman's stock fallen?

 

He just signed with the Royals for $3.75M/1 w incentives.

[Bellhorn04]

How far has Chapman's stock fallen?

 

He just signed with the Royals for $3.75M/1 w incentives.

 

Lucky he got a job at all.

[dgalehouse]

Chapman had a poor year with a 4.5 ERA . But more than that , he apparently quit on his team and walked out on his teammates.

[moonslav59]

Lucky he got a job at all.

 

I think he has $4M in performance bonuses.

 

I thought there was a cap on those.

[moonslav59]

Chapman had a poor year with a 4.5 ERA . But more than that , he apparently quit on his team and walked out on his teammates.

 

His teammates didn't mind.

[Hugh2]

What did they do about it last year? They were over before they started the season. They are under now. Are they going to add more?

 

Yes, but they could have got under at the deadline if they wanted too. I don’t want to say they went for it but they didn’t give up either. They also didn’t need to reset last year, there’s more pressure to do so.

 

I’m also not saying they definitely will, only that if they did go over and Chose to get under at the deadline….moving those contracts are your best options.

[moonslav59]

Yes, but they could have got under at the deadline if they wanted too. I don’t want to say they went for it but they didn’t give up either. They also didn’t need to reset last year, there’s more pressure to do so.

 

I’m also not saying they definitely will, only that if they did go over and Chose to get under at the deadline….moving those contracts are your best options.

 

If the plan was not to go for it in 2023, it did not matter much on when we reset. For the extended future, it's better we reset in '23 than in '22, if we only stayed under one year.

 

I had hopes we'd think we could be more highly competitive, this year, and splurge a little more, but it was not to be.

 

Other than the Yoshida deal, the rest seem like placeholder deals with an eye on maybe being highly competitive in 2024, since more deals are 2 year deals or have 2nd year options than any other year under Bloom.

(Story: 4 more years, but was signed last March.)

Devers 10

Yoshida 5

Jansen 2

Martin 2

Turner 1 + 1 (such a high buyout, it's essentially a 2 yr deal)

Kluber 1+ 1

Joely 1 + 1 (then, arb 3)

Mills is pre-arb

(McGuire has 3 arbs left.)

 

Kike 1 (extended last summer)

[Deja Doh]

The reality for us Red Sox fans is that this is going to be a long long season with nothing to look forward to and little to cheer for. There is almost no chance that we break even and no chance we are making the playoffs. This is a joke of team, the lineup is Terrible. This is on Bloom and Cora (both of whom should have been fired last year). Where is the power?

 

Let's look at the line up from last game of 2022 (which we won). Of those left, only 4 have ever hit triple figures in hits in a season (Dalbec 1, Kiki 2, Verdugo 3, Devers 4). We have two quality proven starters in that lineup left. Sure, we have Story and now have added Turner, but that's not enough.

 

Kiki

Devers

Bogaerts

Verdugo

JD

Hosmer

Arroyo

McGuire

Almonte

*Dalbec

*Chang

*Wong

*Casas

[moonslav59]

The reality for us Red Sox fans is that this is going to be a long long season with nothing to look forward to and little to cheer for. There is almost no chance that we break even and no chance we are making the playoffs. This is a joke of team, the lineup is Terrible. This is on Bloom and Cora (both of whom should have been fired last year). Where is the power?

 

Let's look at the line up from last game of 2022 (which we won). Of those left, only 4 have ever hit triple figures in hits in a season (Dalbec 1, Kiki 2, Verdugo 3, Devers 4). We have two quality proven starters in that lineup left. Sure, we have Story and now have added Turner, but that's not enough.

 

Kiki

Devers

Bogaerts

Verdugo

JD

Hosmer

Arroyo

McGuire

Almonte

*Dalbec

*Chang

*Wong

*Casas

 

Prepared to be shocked.

[moonslav59]

Pablo Lopez to Twins for Luis Arraez (with Jose Salas & Byron Chourio)! Edited January 20, 2023 by moonslav59

[moonslav59]

Maybe now MIA will trade us Wendle.

[notin]

The reality for us Red Sox fans is that this is going to be a long long season with nothing to look forward to and little to cheer for. There is almost no chance that we break even and no chance we are making the playoffs. This is a joke of team, the lineup is Terrible. This is on Bloom and Cora (both of whom should have been fired last year). Where is the power?

 

Let's look at the line up from last game of 2022 (which we won). Of those left, only 4 have ever hit triple figures in hits in a season (Dalbec 1, Kiki 2, Verdugo 3, Devers 4). We have two quality proven starters in that lineup left. Sure, we have Story and now have added Turner, but that's not enough.

 

Kiki

Devers

Bogaerts

Verdugo

JD

Hosmer

Arroyo

McGuire

Almonte

*Dalbec

*Chang

*Wong

*Casas

 

I do think it is important to recognize that Casas and Chang are largely interchangeable...

[notin]

Maybe now MIA will trade us Wendle.

 

Apparently Chisholm is moving to CF, at least for now. But this keeps Wendle in the picture at SS.

 

Even roste Resource has updated accordingly...

[moonslav59]

Apparently Chisholm is moving to CF, at least for now. But this keeps Wendle in the picture at SS.

 

Even roste Resource has updated accordingly...

 

Weird, because after the Rojas trade, MLBTR stated Chisholm was moving to SS.

 

What are your thoughts on acquiring Mondesi from KC as a one year bridge SS?

 

He should not cost much: maybe Dalbec straight up (throw in Ort... LOL)?

[oldtimer]

Maybe now MIA will trade us Wendle.

 

Wendle would be a good pickup> I still would look to reset in 2023 though.

[notin]

Weird, because after the Rojas trade, MLBTR stated Chisholm was moving to SS.

 

What are your thoughts on acquiring Mondesi from KC as a one year bridge SS?

 

He should not cost much: maybe Dalbec straight up (throw in Ort... LOL)?

 

 

I’m fine with Mondesi, but he won’t be a Bloom target. Plus, let’s face it, if you think Arroyo is too fragile to be an everyday SS, then Mondesi shouldn’t even be a consideration.

 

I suspect someone with solid DRS, like Taylor Walls or Paul DeJong will be a target. Or IKF if the Yankees move him elsewhere first. Or maybe even Ha-Seong Kim…

[moonslav59]

Wendle would be a good pickup> I still would look to reset in 2023 though.

 

99.9% sure we reset in '23. Wendle makes peanuts. There are a lot of trade options out there for SS or 2B. We can even afford Andrus or Harrison, but the extra years are probably a barrier for the Sox.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I don't get the history of unreliability part. Barnes has been an exceptionally consistent pitcher for about 7 years.

 

 

 

Most Blown Saves AL 2017-2022: Matt Barnes 25.

 

Pretend you're a Red Sox fan rooting for your club in the dog days of summer, when seasons can pick up momentum or end early.

 

Barnes' career WHIP: best month is April at 1.067 and worst is August at 1.695; Batting average against: best month is April .179, worst month is August .281; OPS: best April .563, worst August .855, Home Runs allowed -- worst month August with 16.

 

Depends on one's definition of unreliable or consistent.

[moonslav59]

Most Blown Saves AL 2017-2022: Matt Barnes 25.

 

Pretend you're a Red Sox fan rooting for your club in the dog days of summer, when seasons can pick up momentum or end early.

 

Barnes' career WHIP: best month is April at 1.067 and worst is August at 1.695; Batting average against: best month is April .179, worst month is August .281; OPS: best April .563, worst August .855, Home Runs allowed -- worst month August with 16.

 

Depends on one's definition of unreliable or consistent.

 

Seems like he's very consistent with his inconsistencies.

[notin]

Most Blown Saves AL 2017-2022: Matt Barnes 25.

 

Pretend you're a Red Sox fan rooting for your club in the dog days of summer, when seasons can pick up momentum or end early.

 

Barnes' career WHIP: best month is April at 1.067 and worst is August at 1.695; Batting average against: best month is April .179, worst month is August .281; OPS: best April .563, worst August .855, Home Runs allowed -- worst month August with 16.

 

Depends on one's definition of unreliable or consistent.

 

Blown saves are a joke stat. Especially for non-closing relievers. At least closers typically come in at the beginning of the ninth inning. But other relievers often come in with men on base, and those men can and do score and cause blown saves all the time…

[a700hitter]

Pablo Lopez to Twins for Luis Arraez (with Jose Salas & Byron Chourio)!

I was hoping to get Lopez. Dammit!