2023 Free Agents

[Old Red]

Sox just need to sell themselves better.

 

Sox can outbid any other team if they want to.

 

Even Efrin picked Tampa over Boston even with that shithole ballpark, and small fan base. What’s the lure to Boston especially if Bogey, and Raffy leave playing with Story? I sure not retaining Boston’s good homegrown players doesn’t look good from the outside either.

[mvp 78]

Even Efrin picked Tampa over Boston even with that shithole ballpark, and small fan base. What’s the lure to Boston especially if Bogey, and Raffy leave playing with Story? I sure not retaining Boston’s good homegrown players doesn’t look good from the outside either.

 

Because he lives an hour away from there. If he lived near Arlington he would have shopped the contract to the Rangers.

[Hugh2]

Born in Orlando, grew up in the suburbs. He choose to stay home for the same money. Sox would probably have had to of added a year.

 

Are people going to complain about not signing a guy to 4 years who they never even heard of last week?

[moonslav59]

Because he lives an hour away from there. If he lived near Arlington he would have shopped the contract to the Rangers.

 

Sometimes context matters.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Even Efrin picked Tampa over Boston even with that shithole ballpark, and small fan base. What’s the lure to Boston especially if Bogey, and Raffy leave playing with Story? I sure not retaining Boston’s good homegrown players doesn’t look good from the outside either.

 

The ballplayers' perception of how the organization actually treats them -- beyond paychecks -- might matter after all.

 

Fans who don't play much team sports after Little League may think it's overrated, but these pro athletes are and always will be competitors -- and most want to win... no matter how set for life their families are up until the Sun implodes.

 

It's why there was a fuss in the clubhouse when Vazquez was traded and the Sox were still in it (he wasn't just their buddy) -- and such reaction wasn't invented by Boston media. Research back to the deadline days of 2021, and the uproar in Seattle when the Mariners traded then-lights out closer Kendall Graveman.

 

Ballplayers may not all be deep thinkers, but they're social beings, and word gets around the league about front offices and organizations... just like about companies in other industries.

[mvp 78]

Born in Orlando, grew up in the suburbs. He choose to stay home for the same money. Sox would probably have had to of added a year.

 

Are people going to complain about not signing a guy to 4 years who they never even heard of last week?

 

Some of us knew of him last week. I think he would have been an interesting addition, but I'd rather them spend money on higher value starting arms like Senga and Kluber. The context is that this comes on the heels of the Sox apparently also missing out on #1 target Jose Abreu. It just makes them look a little silly right now.

 

I wouldn't be all that excited if the Sox grabbed Eflin and Abreu for those contracts.

[Bellhorn04]

Born in Orlando, grew up in the suburbs. He choose to stay home for the same money. Sox would probably have had to of added a year.

 

Are people going to complain about not signing a guy to 4 years who they never even heard of last week?

 

No, but it is concerning that we're hearing about the Sox having tried to sign guys who just signed with someone else.

 

It suggests we're going to have to overpay to sign anyone good.

[Hugh2]

Sometimes context matters.

 

Yes but all opinions matter.

[moonslav59]

Some of us knew of him last week. I think he would have been an interesting addition, but I'd rather them spend money on higher value starting arms like Senga and Kluber. The context is that this comes on the heels of the Sox apparently also missing out on #1 target Jose Abreu. It just makes them look a little silly right now.

 

I wouldn't be all that excited if the Sox grabbed Eflin and Abreu for those contracts.

 

I'd be a crybaby over that, if nothing more significant happened the rest of the winter.

 

I'd be scratching my head over Abreu, even if we then signed Verlander, Bogey and Judge.

[moonslav59]

Yes but all opinions matter.

 

Some seem to matter only to the person posting it.

[Hugh2]

No, but it is concerning that we're hearing about the Sox having tried to sign guys who just signed with someone else.

 

It suggests we're going to have to overpay to sign anyone good.

 

Everybody overpays, 99% of the guys signing are signing with a team who outbid everyone else. This is no different.

[Old Red]

Because he lives an hour away from there. If he lived near Arlington he would have shopped the contract to the Rangers.

 

That i didn’t know, but I still don’t think there is any lure about playing in Boston anymore. Even back in the day CC, and DP signed in Boston, because they were the highest bidders, and the same with Story last year, but I just don’t see Boston being the highest bidder anytime soon, and that includes for Raffy. JH, and times have changed.

[moonslav59]

No, but it is concerning that we're hearing about the Sox having tried to sign guys who just signed with someone else.

 

It suggests we're going to have to overpay to sign anyone good.

 

It does seem like paying Eflin $43M/3 would have been an overpay, but it's hard to weigh what the best overpay might be.

 

Would $43M/3 for Eflin be better than

 

$250M/6 deGrom?

 

$143M/3 Verlander?

 

$160M/5 Rodon?

 

$42M/3 T Anderson?

 

$13M/1 Clevinger?

[Old Red]

Sam Kennedy is saying something could happen at any moment. Something could mean anyone, and anything, but I’m not going to sit by my phone waiting for messages to pop.

[moonslav59]

That i didn’t know, but I still don’t think there is any lure about playing in Boston anymore. Even back in the day CC, and DP signed in Boston, because they were the highest bidders, and the same with Story last year, but I just don’t see Boston being the highest bidder anytime soon, and that includes for Raffy. JH, and times have changed.

 

Some players seem to really love playing for Boston. Papi could have gotten more, elsewhere, but times do seem to have changed.

 

Are we destined to never go much higher than what we gave Story?

 

It's hard to know.

 

$142/7 Crawford 2011

 

$154M/7 AGon 2012

 

$210M/7 Price 2016

 

$110M/5 JD 2018

 

$145M/5 Sale 2020 extension

 

$140M/6 Story 2022

 

If one figures for inflation, we could add the Pablo $95M/5 & HRam's $88M/4 signings in 2015 and maybe Lackey's $83M/5 in 2010, but it does not really look like we are making fewer big signings. It looks pretty steady since about 2010.

 

IMO, I think JH is waiting to make a big "pounce" signing until he thinks we are just 1 or 2 key players away from being a near top contender.

 

When that might be is anybody's guess.

[moonslav59]

Sam Kennedy is saying something could happen at any moment. Something could mean anyone, and anything, but I’m not going to sit by my phone waiting for messages to pop.

 

I'm on pins and needles!

[Bellhorn04]

I'm on pins and needles!

 

And you'll need them to scratch your head.

[mvp 78]

I'd be a crybaby over that, if nothing more significant happened the rest of the winter.

 

I'd be scratching my head over Abreu, even if we then signed Verlander, Bogey and Judge.

 

Abreu would be a bad signing for sure if they didn't get a SS or OF.

[Bellhorn04]

Abreu would be a bad signing for sure if they didn't get a SS or OF.

 

Good thing it's a moot point then!

[mvp 78]

The Rays actually seem to be interested in spending a little money now. More bad news for Sox fans.

 

It's the largest FA contract the Rays have signed, but the AAV is lower than Morton's 2/30 back in 2018. It's a weirdly backloaded deal where they'll probably unload him after 2024 anyway.

[mvp 78]

Good thing it's a moot point then!

 

Not really since Abreu was the Sox #1 target regardless of how I felt about it. Sox are getting the rug pulled out from under them right now. It's a little embarrassing.

[moonslav59]

Abreu would be a bad signing for sure if they didn't get a SS or OF.

 

...and a solid SP'er.

[harmony]

The Red Sox have opened a 40-man roster slot by outrighting catcher Ronaldo Hernandez to Triple A Worcester:

 

[notin]

Apparently, the story is that Eflin got the structure of the deal from the Boston and then shopped it directly to the Rays who said "yeah, we'll match it."

 

If so, his mind was made up already…

[Hugh2]

Pepen is reporting that Bogaerts will go back to the Sox with the best offer he gets.

 

This confirms my theory of what the Sox would do back over the summer.

[Hugh2]

also Ronaldo Hernandez was DFA'd 40 man now sits at 39.

[harmony]

Pepen is reporting that Bogaerts will go back to the Sox with the best offer he gets.

 

This confirms my theory of what the Sox would do back over the summer.

 

The Google translation:

Good morning my people!!!

Happy Friday!!!

 

Xander Bogaerts won't leave the #RedSox without presenting him with the latest offer from another team that fits what he's looking for.

 

If the #RedSox don't match her, she'll end up leaving...

 

We continue, Positive and OK.

[moonslav59]

Pepen is reporting that Bogaerts will go back to the Sox with the best offer he gets.

 

This confirms my theory of what the Sox would do back over the summer.

 

I doubt they match $200M/8 or $180/7, the latter might be a maybe.

[moonslav59]

also Ronaldo Hernandez was DFA'd 40 man now sits at 39.

 

It's good to know he'll remain in our system as catching depth.

 

MLBTR;

 

There had been no public indication that Hernandez had been designated for assignment or placed on waivers but he evidently was passed through in recent days. Hernandez will stick in the organization as depth but without taking up a roster spot. With a spot open, the Sox could potentially be lining up a signing but it also could be with an eye towards next week’s Rule 5 draft.

[moonslav59]

also Ronaldo Hernandez was DFA'd 40 man now sits at 39.

 

Maybe making room for a big splash signing.

 

Maybe for a Rule 5 selection.