2023 Free Agents

[notin]

That makes sense.

 

But essentially we're just going back to where we were before all the extreme shifting started.

 

Not really.

 

Back then, we still had Selectively Used Shifting and also LOOGY’s to deal with lefties. Now there is no shifting and a rule against LOOGYs.

 

This year could be interesting for a lot of left-handed hitters…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

That makes sense.

 

But essentially we're just going back to where we were before all the extreme shifting started.

 

Well, we may never again see the likes of Shaw or Moustakas platooning at second... guys that twist with their elegance and grace to turn two may no longer be in such demand in the bigs.

[moonslav59]

Well, we may never again see the likes of Shaw or Moustakas platooning at second... guys that twist with their elegance and grace to turn two may no longer be in such demand in the bigs.

 

It's really going to be interesting to see the effects of these shift and baserunning rules.

 

I'm normally against rule changes that seem to be knee jerk in nature, but I think I may like the baserunning rule changes.

 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

It's really going to be interesting to see the effects of these shift and baserunning rules.

 

I'm normally against rule changes that seem to be knee jerk in nature, but I think I may like the baserunning rule changes.

 

 

Something's gotta give, because the Red Sox offense could possibly need an entirely new heart of the order and have to replace three '22 All-Star batters.

 

Posters could argue Boston was fourth in the AL in runs scored (behind three playoff teams), but if you dismiss just three games when they scored 49 -- two 16s vs. the White Sox in May, and a 17-spot vs. Baltimore in September -- the Sox were very league-average in tallies. How's that for cherry-picking?

 

Could stolen bases help compensate for a depleted attack? Well... historically, the Cora boys -- Joey and Alex -- combined to swipe 164 bags. Meanwhile, the only guys we know right now who'll be in the '23 lineup are Story with 113 career steals and leadoff man? Kike... with 13.

[moonslav59]

Posters could argue Boston was fourth in the AL in runs scored (behind three playoff teams), but if you dismiss just three games when they scored 49 -- two 16s vs. the White Sox in May, and a 17-spot vs. Baltimore in September -- the Sox were very league-average in tallies. How's that for cherry-picking?

 

Take away the top 3 game scores from every team, and it might not change the run scored differentials all that much.

[moonslav59]

Something's gotta give, because the Red Sox offense could possibly need an entirely new heart of the order and have to replace three '22 All-Star batters.

 

Posters could argue Boston was fourth in the AL in runs scored (behind three playoff teams), but if you dismiss just three games when they scored 49 -- two 16s vs. the White Sox in May, and a 17-spot vs. Baltimore in September -- the Sox were very league-average in tallies. How's that for cherry-picking?

 

Could stolen bases help compensate for a depleted attack? Well... historically, the Cora boys -- Joey and Alex -- combined to swipe 164 bags. Meanwhile, the only guys we know right now who'll be in the '23 lineup are Story with 113 career steals and leadoff man? Kike... with 13.

 

We may be losing some top batters, but I have to think we will be adding some good bats to replace the ones we lose. We are also losing some pathetic bats, too, and it is hard to imagine almost anyone we get not doing better than Dalbec, JBJ, Duran, Plawecki and others.

 

Here is a breakdown of our OPS in order of most PAs in 2022. The ones in red may not get any or much fewer PAs in 2023/ the ones in Blue should get more PAs in 2023:

 

.732 Dugo

.833 Bogey

.879 Devers

.790 JD

.629 Kike (hopefully at more like 2021 numbers than 2022

.737 Story (hopefully at a better OPS than 2022

.652 Dalbec

.759 Vaz

.736 Arroyo

.578 JBJ

.697 Cordero

.672 Pham

.645 Duran

.881 Refsnyder

.574 Plawecki

.877 McGuire

.766 Casas

.585 Wong (needs to improve or be replaced)

.631 Hosmer

.322 Sanchez, .427 Downs, .697 Almonte, .782 JDavis, .596 Chang, .000 Arauz & Shaw (200+ PAs from these last scrubs, alone)

 

Bogey, JD and Vaz (especially for a catcher) will not be easy to replace, offensively, but we may be able to improve on defense with there replacements and make up the offense with blue players.

 

It's 1545 PAs lost by Bogey, JD and Vaz, but the total of bad offensive players lost or likely sharply declining in playing time is actually a higher number (over 1700):

353 Dalbec .652

290 JBJ .578

275 Cordero .697

235 Pham .672

223 Duran .645

175 Plawecki .574

200+ from scrubs

 

Note: I make this same point every winter, and the following year has a new list of players doing poorly, so I'm not saying it is a cinch we replace all the bed OPS guys with better ones, but my point still stands. We have opportunities to improve in many areas without spending or making any major moves. Guys like Kike, Story, Casas, Refsnyder, McGuire, Arroyo and Dugo might show improvement enough to take up more than enough slack, but we need to not lose much at SS, DH and C.

 

Edited November 21, 2022 by moonslav59

[harmony]

Take away the top 3 game scores from every team, and it might not change the run scored differentials all that much.

The Yankees also scored 49 runs in their three top-scoring games, the Astros 47, the Blue Jays 58, the Guardians 42, the Rays 34 and the Mariners 36.

 

The Blue Jays total includes a 28-spot against the Red Sox.

Edited November 20, 2022 by harmony

[notin]

The Yankees also scored 49 runs in their three top-scoring games, the Astros 47, the Blue Jays 58, the Guardians 42, the Rays 34 and the Mariners 36.

 

But those don’t matter.

 

The point is taking away the Red Sox top three scores makes their offense worse. Sheesh…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Apologies to the board for my dismissing the '22 Red Sox' three highest-scoring games while insinuating their offense was overrated.

 

Maybe I relied too heavily on the fallible eye-test in my assessments. We know the Sox led the league in extra-inning losses, but perhaps it only seemed like they squandered more potential rallies than other teams all year.

 

From now on, I will use a larger sample size of 162 games, like Fangraphs did in its Runners Left in Scoring Position per Game. Boston ranked 30th out of 30 teams.

[moonslav59]

Apologies to the board for my dismissing the '22 Red Sox' three highest-scoring games while insinuating their offense was overrated.

 

Maybe I relied too heavily on the fallible eye-test in my assessments. We know the Sox led the league in extra-inning losses, but perhaps it only seemed like they squandered more potential rallies than other teams all year.

 

From now on, I will use a larger sample size of 162 games, like Fangraphs did in its Runners Left in Scoring Position per Game. Boston ranked 30th out of 30 teams.

 

Had we gone 11-7 and not 7-11 in extra inning games, we'd have finished over .500 at 82-80.

[notin]

Apologies to the board for my dismissing the '22 Red Sox' three highest-scoring games while insinuating their offense was overrated.

 

Maybe I relied too heavily on the fallible eye-test in my assessments. We know the Sox led the league in extra-inning losses, but perhaps it only seemed like they squandered more potential rallies than other teams all year.

 

From now on, I will use a larger sample size of 162 games, like Fangraphs did in its Runners Left in Scoring Position per Game. Boston ranked 30th out of 30 teams.

 

 

Well you’ve spent 3 years trying to spread the fears of turning into Tampa North. In that time, Tampa has made the postseason 3 times. And now that they’ve made the postseason 4 straight times, they’ve done something neither Bloom nor Dombrowski nor Cherington nor Epstein nor Duquette nor Lou Gorman nor any Sox GM or owner has done.

 

So I’m simply wondering - what’s wrong with being Tampa North?

[notin]

Something's gotta give, because the Red Sox offense could possibly need an entirely new heart of the order and have to replace three '22 All-Star batters.

 

Posters could argue Boston was fourth in the AL in runs scored (behind three playoff teams), but if you dismiss just three games when they scored 49 -- two 16s vs. the White Sox in May, and a 17-spot vs. Baltimore in September -- the Sox were very league-average in tallies. How's that for cherry-picking?

 

Could stolen bases help compensate for a depleted attack? Well... historically, the Cora boys -- Joey and Alex -- combined to swipe 164 bags. Meanwhile, the only guys we know right now who'll be in the '23 lineup are Story with 113 career steals and leadoff man? Kike... with 13.

 

I will say, not every team is fully on board with speed bring some sort of need. For some odd reason, Colorado non-tendered Garrett Hampson, who is basically Jarren Duran, but with average fielding abilities…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Well you’ve spent 3 years trying to spread the fears of turning into Tampa North. In that time, Tampa has made the postseason 3 times. And now that they’ve made the postseason 4 straight times, they’ve done something neither Bloom nor Dombrowski nor Cherington nor Epstein nor Duquette nor Lou Gorman nor any Sox GM or owner has done.

 

So I’m simply wondering - what’s wrong with being Tampa North?

 

I've never used that label, though a lot of fans and professional writers have. But you're right there is no comparison to a perennial playoff team with Boston clubs that have finished dead last in 66% of the Bloom years so far. No one is trying to spread fear, when there is already plenty to dread.

 

My personal fears as a fan are a bad flashback to the early 1980s, the last time the Red Sox chose not to pay market value for homegrown stars in their primes -- All-Stars like Fisk, Lynn and Burleson. But let's not pretend there was ever a large population of Sox fans -- even budget-crunching posters -- who ever wanted to trade Mookie or Raffy, or let Bogey walk.

 

We're kidding ourselves if we think the rotation will be ok if Kluber is signed and "if Sale and Paxton are healthy." Even if they're all fully recovered and rehabbed, they're all older and more susceptible to new ailments (2017 AL Cy Young voting: 1. Kluber, 2. Sale, will be six years ago by Opening Day). The Sox still need to resign Eovaldi, recruit Senga and trade for Lopez.

[Old Red]

I've never used that label, though a lot of fans and professional writers have. But you're right there is no comparison to a perennial playoff team with Boston clubs that have finished dead last in 66% of the Bloom years so far. No one is trying to spread fear, when there is already plenty to dread.

 

My personal fears as a fan are a bad flashback to the early 1980s, the last time the Red Sox chose not to pay market value for homegrown stars in their primes -- All-Stars like Fisk, Lynn and Burleson. But let's not pretend there was ever a large population of Sox fans -- even budget-crunching posters -- who ever wanted to trade Mookie or Raffy, or let Bogey walk.

 

We're kidding ourselves if we think the rotation will be ok if Kluber is signed and "if Sale and Paxton are healthy." Even if they're all fully recovered and rehabbed, they're all older and more susceptible to new ailments (2017 AL Cy Young voting: 1. Kluber, 2. Sale, will be six years ago by Opening Day). The Sox still need to resign Eovaldi, recruit Senga and trade for Lopez.

 

Well said. Whitlock, and Bello have shown promise, but nothing else, and Sale, and Pax have shown they can pitch in the past, but in recent years not so much, and recently not a healthy body between them.

Edited November 21, 2022 by Old Red

[mvp 78]

Well you’ve spent 3 years trying to spread the fears of turning into Tampa North. In that time, Tampa has made the postseason 3 times. And now that they’ve made the postseason 4 straight times, they’ve done something neither Bloom nor Dombrowski nor Cherington nor Epstein nor Duquette nor Lou Gorman nor any Sox GM or owner has done.

 

So I’m simply wondering - what’s wrong with being Tampa North?

 

Hard to take care of the ray tank in the winter.

[mvp 78]

We're kidding ourselves if we think the rotation will be ok if Kluber is signed and "if Sale and Paxton are healthy." Even if they're all fully recovered and rehabbed, they're all older and more susceptible to new ailments (2017 AL Cy Young voting: 1. Kluber, 2. Sale, will be six years ago by Opening Day). The Sox still need to resign Eovaldi, recruit Senga and trade for Lopez.

 

It's a gamble just like any other season. I think even penciling Sale in for anything is a gamble. He was pretty shaky down the stretch in 2021 from what I remember. It's a "Wild Card Contending" rotation, I guess. If they went to the trade market and grabbed a younger ace it would make the rest of the rotation look a hell of a lot better. The problem is the tippity top of the rotation, not 2-5.

[Hugh2]

It's a gamble just like any other season. I think even penciling Sale in for anything is a gamble. He was pretty shaky down the stretch in 2021 from what I remember. It's a "Wild Card Contending" rotation, I guess. If they went to the trade market and grabbed a younger ace it would make the rest of the rotation look a hell of a lot better. The problem is the tippity top of the rotation, not 2-5.

 

5 makes a great point, however he could be talking about the entire 2023 FA pitching class as well.

[notin]

I've never used that label, though a lot of fans and professional writers have. But you're right there is no comparison to a perennial playoff team with Boston clubs that have finished dead last in 66% of the Bloom years so far. No one is trying to spread fear, when there is already plenty to dread.

 

My personal fears as a fan are a bad flashback to the early 1980s, the last time the Red Sox chose not to pay market value for homegrown stars in their primes -- All-Stars like Fisk, Lynn and Burleson. But let's not pretend there was ever a large population of Sox fans -- even budget-crunching posters -- who ever wanted to trade Mookie or Raffy, or let Bogey walk.

 

We're kidding ourselves if we think the rotation will be ok if Kluber is signed and "if Sale and Paxton are healthy." Even if they're all fully recovered and rehabbed, they're all older and more susceptible to new ailments (2017 AL Cy Young voting: 1. Kluber, 2. Sale, will be six years ago by Opening Day). The Sox still need to resign Eovaldi, recruit Senga and trade for Lopez.

 

If all those arms are healthy, I do think the rotation will be “OK.”

 

But first of all, “OK” isn’t exactly the highest praise. And second, they’re not likely to all be heathy together very often.

 

I’d love to see them add Lopez, although not sure how yet. Senga? He certainly has a track record that impresses, although I really know nothing about him. Eovaldi would be nice, but honestly, he’s closer to fitting in with Sale, Paxton and Kluber.

 

I’m not going to get worked up by Kluber because 1. he hasn’t even been signed yet and 2. he has a recent history of eschewing the Sox for other AL East teams.

 

As for a TOR starter, all the free agents this year are either really old or have significant injury histories. I can see going on the fringe market for free agents, and then exploring the trade market for impact starting pitchers. Lopez is a great candidate. If it happens, I assume it will be along the lines of 1. sign a shortstop (Bogaets? Correa?) long term and then 2. deal Mayer for a TOR starter, hopefully one under 30.

 

And then hopefully extend him…

[moonslav59]

I've never used that label, though a lot of fans and professional writers have. But you're right there is no comparison to a perennial playoff team with Boston clubs that have finished dead last in 66% of the Bloom years so far. No one is trying to spread fear, when there is already plenty to dread.

 

My personal fears as a fan are a bad flashback to the early 1980s, the last time the Red Sox chose not to pay market value for homegrown stars in their primes -- All-Stars like Fisk, Lynn and Burleson. But let's not pretend there was ever a large population of Sox fans -- even budget-crunching posters -- who ever wanted to trade Mookie or Raffy, or let Bogey walk.

 

We're kidding ourselves if we think the rotation will be ok if Kluber is signed and "if Sale and Paxton are healthy." Even if they're all fully recovered and rehabbed, they're all older and more susceptible to new ailments (2017 AL Cy Young voting: 1. Kluber, 2. Sale, will be six years ago by Opening Day). The Sox still need to resign Eovaldi, recruit Senga and trade for Lopez.

 

I don't think a single fan or poster would be okay with adding just Kluber to our sketchy rotation, even if we beefed up the pen and spent to fill the SS and RF holes adequately.

 

No doubt, we cannot count on Sale and Paxton. Maybe counting on the two combined to start 33 games would be more dream than reality. Maybe planning on 33 from the two is not a terrible idea, but maybe they both start 16 in the same time period and leave two holes for the other half of the season. We need to plan accordingly, and if we want to strongly compete in 2023, not with other 5 slot pitchers like Heaney or Lugo.

 

Even if 2024 is deemed "the year" we start to become meaningful top contenders, we can still start building up a solid rotation in 2023. The fans would appreciate it, and maybe show their appreciation by buying more tickets and NESN subscriptions. I don't see us signing a QO SP'er, so I think a trade, at some point, will need to be made. I see two likely choices:

 

1. Put our hopes on Mayer, go cheap and short at SS, and beef up the rotation and OF. Trade Rafaela and others not named Mayer, Bleis and Bello for a SP'er.

 

2. Put our hopes in Rafaela, Abreu of some prospect moving to the OF and go large and long at SS (Correa & Bogey both have no QO.) Trade Mayer for a SP.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

 

1. Put our hopes on Mayer, go cheap and short at SS, and beef up the rotation and OF. Trade Rafaela and others not named Mayer, Bleis and Bello for a SP'er.

 

2. Put our hopes in Rafaela, Abreu of some prospect moving to the OF and go large and long at SS (Correa & Bogey both have no QO.) Trade Mayer for a SP.

 

These scenarios are logical, though #1 makes the most sense for the longterm budget -- and I hope it would lead to a Devers' extension... but I just have a bad Mookie feeling about the whole Raffy situation right now.

 

Getting Bloom to part with a good prospect, instead of good money, may be more likely at this stage of the rebuild. And for those who like how his former employer operates, even they dealt a first-rounder recently for a young toolsy player they targeted named Arozarena.

[moonslav59]

If all those arms are healthy, I do think the rotation will be “OK.”

 

But first of all, “OK” isn’t exactly the highest praise. And second, they’re not likely to all be heathy together very often.

 

I’d love to see them add Lopez, although not sure how yet. Senga? He certainly has a track record that impresses, although I really know nothing about him. Eovaldi would be nice, but honestly, he’s closer to fitting in with Sale, Paxton and Kluber.

 

I’m not going to get worked up by Kluber because 1. he hasn’t even been signed yet and 2. he has a recent history of eschewing the Sox for other AL East teams.

 

As for a TOR starter, all the free agents this year are either really old or have significant injury histories. I can see going on the fringe market for free agents, and then exploring the trade market for impact starting pitchers. Lopez is a great candidate. If it happens, I assume it will be along the lines of 1. sign a shortstop (Bogaets? Correa?) long term and then 2. deal Mayer for a TOR starter, hopefully one under 30.

 

And then hopefully extend him…

 

I read somewhere that Rogers is the guy the Marlins prefer to trade- not Lopez, but I'm sure the right offer might get any one of their SP'ers.

 

Must be nice to have 6-7 solid SP'ers and the ability to trade one (or lose one to free agency like the Astros likely will with Verlander.)

 

I think the Marlins seem like the best fit for a big trade, but maybe 12-15 teams are thinking the same thing. If we could somehow pry Berti from them, too, I'd be thrilled, but maybe we'll end up taking on Garcia or Soler to lessen the return package needed.

 

Here are BTV's numbers:

 

Marlins:

140 Alcantara

69 Perez (Prospect)

39 Lopez

37 Rogers

27 Luzardo

23 Garrett

10 Cabrera

(Other natabales: 7.5 Berti, -33 Garcia, -21 Soler, 0 Stallings)

 

Brewers:

78 Burnes

64 Peralta

38 Woodruff

34 Williams

33 Ashby

6 Houser

(-126 Yelich)

 

Astros (won't be trading a SP'er, except maybe Urquidy))

69 Valdez

51 Javier

46 Garcia

28 Brown

4 Urquidy

-29 McCullers

[Hugh2]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. You do not make MLB roster decisions based on guys still below AA ball. So much can happen from here until there before we even talk about fielding a team before the next two years.

 

Lars Anderson

Casey Kelly

Ryan Kalish

Will Middlebrooks

Blake Swihart

Yoan Moncada

Michael Chavis

Jay Groome

 

All top prospects ranked #1 and at least one of those ranked higher than Mayer who were mostly or complete busts. Mayer could be a stud, I think he will be a stud, I want to see him stay with the Sox and become a stud but I'm not planning the team around him. He could move off position, Bogaerts/Correa could move off position, Mayer could get hurt, Mayer could bust. There's just too many permutations to put all your eggs into that basket. Heck if the Sox traded Mayer + for an Alcantara (not happening making a point) after signing Correa would people really be upset? It would be pretty dumb to complain about this team then hate the best SS in baseball plus the best pitcher being brought in....but hey STRANGER THINGS have happened.

[notin]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. You do not make MLB roster decisions based on guys still below AA ball. So much can happen from here until there before we even talk about fielding a team before the next two years.

 

Lars Anderson

Casey Kelly

Ryan Kalish

Will Middlebrooks

Blake Swihart

Yoan Moncada

Michael Chavis

Jay Groome

 

All top prospects ranked #1 and at least one of those ranked higher than Mayer who were mostly or complete busts. Mayer could be a stud, I think he will be a stud, I want to see him stay with the Sox and become a stud but I'm not planning the team around him. He could move off position, Bogaerts/Correa could move off position, Mayer could get hurt, Mayer could bust. There's just too many permutations to put all your eggs into that basket. Heck if the Sox traded Mayer + for an Alcantara (not happening making a point) after signing Correa would people really be upset? It would be pretty dumb to complain about this team then hate the best SS in baseball plus the best pitcher being brought in....but hey STRANGER THINGS have happened.

 

 

Also, Mayer could be a stud, but so could Romero…

[moonslav59]

These scenarios are logical, though #1 makes the most sense for the longterm budget -- and I hope it would lead to a Devers' extension... but I just have a bad Mookie feeling about the whole Raffy situation right now.

 

Getting Bloom to part with a good prospect, instead of good money, may be more likely at this stage of the rebuild. And for those who like how his former employer operates, even they dealt a first-rounder recently for a young toolsy player they targeted named Arozarena.

 

I'm more hopeful about Devers staying than I was for Betts and am now for Bogey, but losing all three would rival the loss of Fisk, Lynn and Burleson- not to mention Lee, Cooper & Tiant.

 

I'm not so sure Bloom will be so reluctant to trade a top prospect or two. I felt the same about Ben, but we never found out about him doing that. Bloom has been in systems that have farm building as a top priority his whole career, including the first 3 years with the Sox. I'm not sure that priority is still number one, right now, but I think it might still be #1 or #2 on the top brass list.

 

I think, if the right deal comes along, Bloom might be told or made to pull the trigger, of he may not have to be talked into it, at all. It's hard to know.

 

I, for one, am glad we have chose to strengthen and deepen the farm. I think it is the plan most likely to keep us winning more consistently than we have seen. We can see, first hand, what happens to a team that has a farm that produces only Houck over a 5 year period. We can't win by keeping that up.

 

Will many or most of these promising prospects produce as we hope? Nobody knows, for sure, but I'm excited by the sheer number of promising or semi-promising ML ready or recent grads on our 40 man roster or just a year or two away. I'm also excited about our further-away prospects.

 

We are likely to see all or almost all of these guys get a look, this season:

 

Bello

Casas

Kelly

German

Crawford

Winckowski

Seabold

Mata

Walter

TWard (if not selected by rule 5)

Murphy, Ort, Politi, Wallace, Fernandez

Wong

Rafaela

E Valdez

W Abreu

R Hernandez, Downs, Duran, Koss, D Hamilton

 

When is the last time the list has been this large and long?

 

It's not hard to imagine close to 26 players getting a chance to play on the 26 man roster, this year, and not because the team is sucking and in total rebuild mode, but because they deserve a shot or injuries have become an issue.

Edited November 21, 2022 by moonslav59

[Hugh2]

I'm more hopeful about Devers staying than I was for Betts and am now for Bogey, but losing all three would rival the loss of Fisk, Lynn and Burleson- not to mention Lee, Cooper & Tiant.

 

I'm not so sure Bloom will be so reluctant to trade a top prospect or two. I felt the same about Ben, but we never found out about him doing that. Bloom has been in systems that have farm building as a top priority his whole career, including the first 3 years with the Sox. I'm not sure that priority is still number one, right now, but I think it might still be #1 or #2 on the top brass list.

 

I think, if the right deal comes along, Bloom might be told or made to pull the trigger, of he may not have to be talked into it, at all. It's hard to know.

 

I, for one, am glad we have chose to strengthen and deepen the farm. I think it is the plan most likely to keep us winning more consistently than we have seen. We can see, first hand, what happens to a team that has a farm that produces only Houck over a 5 year period. We can't win by keeping that up.

 

Will many or most of these promising prospects produce as we hope? Nobody knows, for sure, but I'm excited by the sheer number of promising or semi-promising ML ready or recent grads on our 40 man roster or just a year or two away. I'm also excited about our further-away prospects.

 

We are likely to see all or almost all of these guys get a look, this season:

 

Bello

Casas

Kelly

German

Crawford

Winckowski

Seabold

Mata

Walter

TWard (if not selected by rule 5)

Murphy, Ort, Politi, Wallace, Fernandez

Wong

Rafaela

E Valdez

W Abreu

R Hernandez, Downs, Duran, Koss, D Hamilton

 

When is the last time the list has been this large and long?

 

It's not hard to imagine close to 26 players getting a chance to play on the 26 man roster, this year, and not because the team is sucking and in total rebuild mode, but because they deserve a shot or injuries have become an issue.

 

I mean, there’s guys on that list who project as middle relievers and up/down depth fielders. Out system has always had plenty of guys. But easily 5-6 years ago the system was as strong, maybe much stronger than it is now

[moonslav59]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. You do not make MLB roster decisions based on guys still below AA ball. So much can happen from here until there before we even talk about fielding a team before the next two years.

 

Lars Anderson

Casey Kelly

Ryan Kalish

Will Middlebrooks

Blake Swihart

Yoan Moncada

Michael Chavis

Jay Groome

 

All top prospects ranked #1 and at least one of those ranked higher than Mayer who were mostly or complete busts. Mayer could be a stud, I think he will be a stud, I want to see him stay with the Sox and become a stud but I'm not planning the team around him. He could move off position, Bogaerts/Correa could move off position, Mayer could get hurt, Mayer could bust. There's just too many permutations to put all your eggs into that basket. Heck if the Sox traded Mayer + for an Alcantara (not happening making a point) after signing Correa would people really be upset? It would be pretty dumb to complain about this team then hate the best SS in baseball plus the best pitcher being brought in....but hey STRANGER THINGS have happened.

 

I'm a big fan of building the farm up and keeping it strong, but I'd trade Mayer for Lopez and Berti or Rogers and Berti, right now, especially if it meant we were going to sign Bogey or Correa, long term.

[Hugh2]

I'm a big fan of building the farm up and keeping it strong, but I'd trade Mayer for Lopez and Berti or Rogers and Berti, right now, especially if it meant we were going to sign Bogey or Correa, long term.

 

agree.

 

I don't think we should or will trade Mayer as in it's unlikely. You don't just go out and trade a guy like that but there's plenty of permutations where you could and it makes sense.

 

Everyone knows I'm one of the biggest prospect homers in here but even I know you don't fall in love with them....they will break your heart.

[moonslav59]

I mean, there’s guys on that list who project as middle relievers and up/down depth fielders. Out system has always had plenty of guys. But easily 5-6 years ago the system was as strong, maybe much stronger than it is now

 

Five to seven years ago, our top prospects were mostly traded away and never got a chance to step foot on a ML field in a Sox uniform. That farm was ranked highly- higher than this one, but I don't think we ever reached a point where 20+ prospects or very recent grads were all ML ready at the same time.

 

I agree, many on this list project as bench or pen players, but we do have quite a few very promising young players:

 

Bello

Casas

Rafaela

Mata

 

Kelly, German, Walter, Wong and EValdez to a lesser extent

[moonslav59]

agree.

 

I don't think we should or will trade Mayer as in it's unlikely. You don't just go out and trade a guy like that but there's plenty of permutations where you could and it makes sense.

 

Everyone knows I'm one of the biggest prospect homers in here but even I know you don't fall in love with them....they will break your heart.

 

The Sox rarely have a pick as high as the Mayer one, and many industry people felt he was the best of a pretty strong draft class. It would seem rash to then trade him away before he even reached AA.

 

I doubt we trade a possible once-in-a-lifetime prospects like Mayer, but it may come down to how much we like Romero and our choice to sign or not sign a SS, longterm, this winter.

[Hugh2]

Five to seven years ago, our top prospects were mostly traded away and never got a chance to step foot on a ML field in a Sox uniform. That farm was ranked highly- higher than this one, but I don't think we ever reached a point where 20+ prospects or very recent grads were all ML ready at the same time.

 

I agree, many on this list project as bench or pen players, but we do have quite a few very promising young players:

 

Bello

Casas

Rafaela

Mata

 

Kelly, German, Walter, Wong and EValdez to a lesser extent

 

It's always tough looking at these lists in hindsight, remember most of the guys in this top 20 will either bust or not reach their ceilings. But we've had some stacked systems in the past with plenty of close MLB talent.

 

https://soxprospects.com/history.htm