Which Red Sox Players Will Miss Substantial Time This Year?

[notin]

DFA'ing Ort would make the Barnes DFA more acceptable, to me.

 

DFAing Ort actually makes not protecting Ward that much more understandable…

[mvp 78]

DFAing Ort actually makes not protecting Ward that much more understandable…

 

Why? No matter what, Ward had trade value. They could have put him onto the 40 man and dealt him for something more than what they got for Seabold.

[notin]

Why? No matter what, Ward had trade value. They could have put him onto the 40 man and dealt him for something more than what they got for Seabold.

 

To be clear, I didn’t say it made not protecting him understandable, just that much more. Right now, I think of Ort as occupying his slot. Once they DFA that slot, we have gotten to the point where Ward would have been that much more on the border.

 

In my little hypothetical world, they would have protected Ward and the next in line for a DFA would be Duran or Hamilton. Although a trade for a non-40 man player would serve the same purpose…

[moonslav59]

To be clear, I didn’t say it made not protecting him understandable, just that much more. Right now, I think of Ort as occupying his slot. Once they DFA that slot, we have gotten to the point where Ward would have been that much more on the border.

 

In my little hypothetical world, they would have protected Ward and the next in line for a DFA would be Duran or Hamilton. Although a trade for a non-40 man player would serve the same purpose…

 

That's how I see it. Whoever is our 40th player by opening day is who should be compared to Ward.

 

Right now, I'd say it's Ort or Brasier, but I've thought that through the last 3-4 DFA's.

[notin]

That's how I see it. Whoever is our 40th player by opening day is who should be compared to Ward.

 

Right now, I'd say it's Ort or Brasier, but I've thought that through the last 3-4 DFA's.

 

I DFA Ort over Darwinzon. I just think a 31yo career minor leaguer - blazing fastball or not - that has been passed over by every team in the Rule 5 draft - stands a good chance at clearing waivers. And it’s not like his limited performance in MLB last year did anything to prove anyone wrong.

 

Of course I would have also protected Ward over Hamilton…

[moonslav59]

I DFA Ort over Darwinzon. I just think a 31yo career minor leaguer - blazing fastball or not - that has been passed over by every team in the Rule 5 draft - stands a good chance at clearing waivers. And it’s not like his limited performance in MLB last year did anything to prove anyone wrong.

 

Of course I would have also protected Ward over Hamilton…

 

I agree, but obviously Bloom & Co. see things we don't see.

 

I'd have kept Ward over more than just Brasier, Ort and Hamilton.

 

I could have seen trading a player like Murphy to make room for Ward.

[mvp 78]

To be clear, I didn’t say it made not protecting him understandable, just that much more. Right now, I think of Ort as occupying his slot. Once they DFA that slot, we have gotten to the point where Ward would have been that much more on the border.

 

In my little hypothetical world, they would have protected Ward and the next in line for a DFA would be Duran or Hamilton. Although a trade for a non-40 man player would serve the same purpose…

 

Got it.

[mvp 78]

I DFA Ort over Darwinzon. I just think a 31yo career minor leaguer - blazing fastball or not - that has been passed over by every team in the Rule 5 draft - stands a good chance at clearing waivers. And it’s not like his limited performance in MLB last year did anything to prove anyone wrong.

 

Of course I would have also protected Ward over Hamilton…

 

I think there was concern of not having enough IF depth and the potential Hamilton may have with larger bags. I don't have high hopes for Hamilton and didn't project them to protect him though.

[notin]

I think there was concern of not having enough IF depth and the potential Hamilton may have with larger bags. I don't have high hopes for Hamilton and didn't project them to protect him though.

 

I think the pitching depth trumped the (very real) infield depth issue…

[Old Red]

I think Bello rates to be too much better than Pivetta and Paxton to start in AAA.

 

As much as I hate jerking Whitlock around, I'd rather have Bello start and Whitlock in the pen, than Bello in AAA and Crawford or Wink in the pen.

 

Let's try to win in April!

 

I think time will all take care of itself, and in all likelihood, it will take more than 6 starters to get through the season. Outside of Pivetta you don’t have any recent likelihood of all these guys lasting through a season, and Bello probably will have a innings limit at the very least.

[mvp 78]

I think the pitching depth trumped the (very real) infield depth issue…

 

Not once Story's elbow exploded and Xander walked away.

[mvp 78]

I think time will all take care of itself, and in all likelihood, it will take more than 6 starters to get through the season. Outside of Pivetta you don’t have any recent likelihood of all these guys lasting through a season, and Bello probably will have a innings limit at the very least.

 

He pitched 152 last season. His innings limit will be self imposed as he probably won't go late into all of his outings. He pitched into the 6th inning twice for BOS last season. At a similar rate, he'd get to like 175 innings or so at most.

[moonslav59]

I think time will all take care of itself, and in all likelihood, it will take more than 6 starters to get through the season. Outside of Pivetta you don’t have any recent likelihood of all these guys lasting through a season, and Bello probably will have a innings limit at the very least.

 

Agreed, and I like the fact that we have what appears to be better and deeper SP depth.

 

We are starting with 6, not counting Houck. We still have Crawford and Winckowski, but they should be our 8th, 9th or even 10th starters, this year, where as they started 26 games in 2022.

 

Adding Mata, Walter and Murphy to the mix, and hopefully more good starts from Bello might be a big difference maker over 2022. Sale and Paxton where what-ifs, last season, too, but both seem to be starting the year uninjured. That's better than last year, too.

 

Replacing the 69 starts from Wacha, Nate & Hill might not be that hard, but replacing ther 34 from Crawford, Wink, Seabold and Davis might help balance things out, and then some.

[notin]

Not once Story's elbow exploded and Xander walked away.

 

And yet both of those issues have been resolved without utilizing Hamilton.

 

There is no such thing as enough pitching depth…

[moonslav59]

And yet both of those issues have been resolved without utilizing Hamilton.

 

There is no such thing as enough pitching depth…

 

But, there are limits on how many should be on the 40 and can be on the 26.

[mvp 78]

And yet both of those issues have been resolved without utilizing Hamilton.

 

There is no such thing as enough pitching depth…

 

I disagree that 2B/SS has been resolved.

[mvp 78]

But, there are limits on how many should be on the 40 and can be on the 26.

 

This is also true. I believe they have a set number of pitching slots they want to maintain on the 40 man roster. I heard someone say that they were "heavier" on the pitching side of the 40 man and were going to cull from there.

[moonslav59]

This is also true. I believe they have a set number of pitching slots they want to maintain on the 40 man roster. I heard someone say that they were "heavier" on the pitching side of the 40 man and were going to cull from there.

 

As of right now, we have 21 pitchers on the 40. Before we added Mondesi and Duval, it was 23.

 

When we start the season, my guess is we add Alfaro, Diaz or Tapia, when Story goes on the 60 day IL.

 

The farm will likely have these guys on the 40:

 

Pitchers: Crawford, Winckowski, Kelly, German, Ort, Mata, Walter and Murphy

Non Pitchers: Valdez, Rafaela, Hamilton, Duran and Abreu (AA?)

[moonslav59]

I disagree that 2B/SS has been resolved.

 

I could see us signing Harrison or still trading for someone like Wendle.

[notin]

I could see us signing Harrison or still trading for someone like Wendle.

 

Not counting Story, the Sox have 5 middle infielders on the 40 man in Hernandez, Arroyo, Mondesi, Hamilton and Rafaela. They also have Goodrum not on the 40 man.

 

I think they go with that crew, and we don’t see Hamilton getting promoted this year. I think Goodrum is more likely than Hamilton.

 

When Story goes on the 60 day, it will open a slot for one player. Most likely candidates IMO are Tapia, Goodrum and Alfaro…

[moonslav59]

Not counting Story, the Sox have 5 middle infielders on the 40 man in Hernandez, Arroyo, Mondesi, Hamilton and Rafaela. They also have Goodrum not on the 40 man.

 

I think they go with that crew, and we don’t see Hamilton getting promoted this year. I think Goodrum is more likely than Hamilton.

 

When Story goes on the 60 day, it will open a slot for one player. Most likely candidates IMO are Tapia, Goodrum and Alfaro…

 

I still think Kike is best suited for CF, and probably Duvall's best spot is not CF.

 

Rafaela can probably play anywhere, but he's not ML ready.

 

I'd still say our weakest depth is at middle IF and CF. Since Kike and Rafaela can play CF, SS and 2B, adding someone at any of the 3 positions helps add depth to the others.

[notin]

I still think Kike is best suited for CF, and probably Duvall's best spot is not CF.

 

Rafaela can probably play anywhere, but he's not ML ready.

 

I'd still say our weakest depth is at middle IF and CF. Since Kike and Rafaela can play CF, SS and 2B, adding someone at any of the 3 positions helps add depth to the others.

 

 

Ok, but who gets DFAd if they add Harrison or Wendle or whoever?

 

The easy answer is Ort, but he’s been the easy answer for a while now and he’s still on board…

[moonslav59]

Ok, but who gets DFAd if they add Harrison or Wendle or whoever?

 

The easy answer is Ort, but he’s been the easy answer for a while now and he’s still on board…

 

I'd rather have Wendle or harrison over Ort, hamilton, Duran, Brasier and maybe even Dalbec.

 

I'd trade Murphy for Wendle or Mateo.

[mvp 78]

Not counting Story, the Sox have 5 middle infielders on the 40 man in Hernandez, Arroyo, Mondesi, Hamilton and Rafaela. They also have Goodrum not on the 40 man.

 

I think they go with that crew, and we don’t see Hamilton getting promoted this year. I think Goodrum is more likely than Hamilton.

 

When Story goes on the 60 day, it will open a slot for one player. Most likely candidates IMO are Tapia, Goodrum and Alfaro…

 

I think they are committed to not using Rafaela much as a MIFer going forward.

[mvp 78]

Ok, but who gets DFAd if they add Harrison or Wendle or whoever?

 

The easy answer is Ort, but he’s been the easy answer for a while now and he’s still on board…

 

I don't think they are going to add another offensive guy to the 40 man.

[moonslav59]

I don't think they are going to add another offensive guy to the 40 man.

 

Probably true, unless someone falls into our laps.

 

I'm not thrilled with middle IF depth, but maybe we just go with what we have, and if someone goes down, then we'll think about adding so meone- maybe someone already in the system (Goodrum, E Diaz, Koss.)

 

Enmanuel Valdez might be more highly regarded by Bloom and Cora than us.

[mvp 78]

Probably true, unless someone falls into our laps.

 

I'm not thrilled with middle IF depth, but maybe we just go with what we have, and if someone goes down, then we'll think about adding so meone- maybe someone already in the system (Goodrum, E Diaz, Koss.)

 

Enmanuel Valdez might be more highly regarded by Bloom and Cora than us.

 

Has Cora even seen Valdez? Maybe someone surprises in ST and makes a push to earn an Opening Day spot, but I think it's fairly clear what the roster will be.

[notin]

I think they are committed to not using Rafaela much as a MIFer going forward.

 

Then replace him with Enmanuel Valdez, whom I unintentionally omitted…

[mvp 78]

Then replace him with Enmanuel Valdez, whom I unintentionally omitted…

 

I will not comment on his defense as someone on here will state unequivocally that they have seen him play SS in person and that he was great.

 

This is what SoxProspects says about his defense: Fringy hands and range. Not a natural fielder. Can make routine plays but tends to lack fluidity and makes things more difficult than they need to be. Has primarily played second and third base in his career, but in 2022 began to see some time in left field and first base in an attempt to find him a long-term defensive home. Potential below-average defender regardless of where he ends up. Has moved around the diamond, but that is driven by him being below-average defensively and trying to find where he will best fit rather than true versatility. Will have to hit to hold value given defensive limitations.

[moonslav59]

Has Cora even seen Valdez?

 

He might have some inside info on him, as he was in the Astros system back in 2016.

 

With E.V. I think his defense is the major concern.

 

Minor league numbers might not matter much, but he did have a .918 OPS in AA/AAA combined, last year. That's third best among batters with 550+ PAs in AA or above, all season.