Red Sox: Off Season '23-'24

[mvp 78]

Two or three of them may be infusing another club after a blockbuster for MLB talent.

 

Storylines to look forward to in '24 will be the development of Teel as a cornerstone to build around, and the comeback of Miguel Bleis.

 

How quickly Roman can tear apart Portland?

 

Can Nick Yorke produce results in AAA better than '22?

 

Do Wikelman, Perales and Monegro continue to progress?

 

Is there anything to Mikey Romero?

[mvp 78]

In the story I heard, that baby deserved it…

 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

 

Is there anything to Mikey Romero?

 

His grandfather was the Joker! He's another Mike Yaz...

[moonslav59]

He's not a guy I'd be overly excited about.

 

Two guys you mentioned:

Clevinger 22-23: 4.61 FIP

Giolito 22-23: 4.70 FIP

 

I don't know if Flaherty is much worse than them in my mind.

 

True.

 

Clevinger had a +103 ERA+ from '22-'23 and was really good before that.

 

Giolito looks about the same as Flaherty. I'll take him off my last acceptable category list.

 

[mvp 78]

His grandfather was the Joker! He's another Mike Yaz...

 

Maybe he'll be good in a commercial with Wally?

[moonslav59]

How quickly Roman can tear apart Portland?

 

Can Nick Yorke produce results in AAA better than '22?

 

Do Wikelman, Perales and Monegro continue to progress?

 

Is there anything to Mikey Romero?

 

All big Qs.

 

I'd add Mayer as someone who needs to show he's all he's rated as.

 

Rafaela and Abreu will graduate, and we really need at least one to shine.

 

Cespedes, Zanetello, Jo Garcia and Anderson might jump.

 

My sleeper is Gambrell.

[mvp 78]

True.

 

Clevinger had a +103 ERA+ from '22-'23 and was really good before that.

 

Giolito looks about the same as Flaherty. I'll take him off my last acceptable category list.

 

 

My worry is that they get one good pitcher and the second pitcher is paid decently but is really a #4. We already have a few guys that can pitch like a #4 IMO. I'd rather spend that 10M towards a RHB or increase the offer on the top tier pitcher...

[mvp 78]

All big Qs.

 

I'd add Mayer as someone who needs to show he's all he's rated as.

 

Rafaela and Abreu will graduate, and we really need at least one to shine.

 

Cespedes, Zanetello, Jo Garcia and Anderson might jump.

 

My sleeper is Gambrell.

 

Agreed on Mayer. Will be interesting to see how the '23 draftees perform in their first full year. Also agree on Gambrell. He was forgotten due to the injury. Sox don't have many starters on the farm of value, so any of note are fun to watch.

[moonslav59]

My worry is that they get one good pitcher and the second pitcher is paid decently but is really a #4. We already have a few guys that can pitch like a #4 IMO. I'd rather spend that 10M towards a RHB or increase the offer on the top tier pitcher...

 

If I hafd to bet, I think this is what we will do. A #1 and a #4 (maybe like Clevinger, Giolito or Flaherty, at best but probably worse.)

 

Gray & Flaherty or Seth Lugo.

 

If they do this, does it mean we go large on a positional upgrade at 2B, OF or catcher?

[notin]

My worry is that they get one good pitcher and the second pitcher is paid decently but is really a #4. We already have a few guys that can pitch like a #4 IMO. I'd rather spend that 10M towards a RHB or increase the offer on the top tier pitcher...

 

If they even get 2 SPs at all, it’s very possible the second one meets your criteria for a #4. But if that pitcher keeps Houck and Whitlock in the pen, that’s still an upgrade…

[notin]

If I hafd to bet, I think this is what we will do. A #1 and a #4 (maybe like Clevinger, Giolito or Flaherty, at best but probably worse.)

 

Gray & Flaherty or Seth Lugo.

 

If they do this, does it mean we go large on a positional upgrade at 2B, OF or catcher?

 

What do people want from a 2b? ( Or, more importantly, think Breslow wants?)

 

This could go in a couple directions.

 

Good glove? Leadoff type?

 

If you want right-handed pop and good plate discipline, Urias might be the guy…

[moonslav59]

MLBTR listed possible winter trade candidates. Here are some I think we might be interested in:

 

SP

2. Burnes

4. S Bieber

5. Glasnow

6. Cease

16. SEA SP (B Woo, B Miller or E Hancock)

18. Blackburn

 

2B/SS

3. Willy Adames

9. H-S Kim (RHB)

10. Torres (RHB)

11. India (RHB)

14. J Polanco (L-R w power)

21. Donovan

N/R T Edman

 

OF

24. Luis Robert Jr. (RHB, but not likely traded)

1. Soto, but he is really a LF'er- something we have a lot of.

8. Grisham, CF but he bats lefty.

N/R Castellanos ®, Santander (L-R), Lane Thomas ®, T O'Neill ®, Margot ®

 

C

N/R S Perez

[notin]

MLBTR listed possible winter trade candidates. Here are some I think we might be interested in:

 

SP

2. Burnes

4. S Bieber

5. Glasnow

6. Cease

16. SEA SP (B Woo, B Miller or E Hancock)

18. Blackburn

 

2B/SS

3. Willy Adames

9. H-S Kim (RHB)

10. Torres (RHB)

11. India (RHB)

14. J Polanco (L-R w power)

21. Donovan

N/R T Edman

 

OF

24. Luis Robert Jr. (RHB, but not likely traded)

1. Soto, but he is really a LF'er- something we have a lot of.

8. Grisham, CF but he bats lefty.

N/R Castellanos ®, Santander (L-R), Lane Thomas ®, T O'Neill ®, Margot ®

 

C

N/R S Perez

 

 

You don’t avoid Juan Soto because he hits left-handed or only plays LF. You acquire Soto and fix the rest of the team to fit around him…

[moonslav59]

What do people want from a 2b?

 

Better than 2023.

29th in fWAR at -0.9

 

If we could get some RHB with power or serious OBP skills, we could not spend on a RHB for RF.

[moonslav59]

What do people want from a 2b? ( Or, more importantly, think Breslow wants?)

 

This could go in a couple directions.

 

Good glove? Leadoff type?

 

If you want right-handed pop and good plate discipline, Urias might be the guy…

 

I'm okay with all our everyday positions one-by-one, despite losing Turner and Duvall from a team that sucked on D and dropped off a cliff on O, late in the year.

 

However, we lack true star power at all but 3B, 1B and maybe SS. We do need a big RHB or lead off hitter with a high OBP. Getting both would be nice.

 

To me, our weakest 3 positions, in order are:

 

1. 2B

2. CF/RF

3. Catcher

 

As I have said, too many times, already, I'm all for spending almost everything on the rotation.

None on the pen, despite a shortage of LHPs, there.

Little on OF or 2B, but a RH'd power bat or RH'd high OBP guy would be nice.

 

My point was made after the idea that we might just get a #1 and #4 SP'er. I figured we'd have a lot of budget space for upgrades in the field and line-up. It was in this context, I suggested a major upgrade or two at everydsay positons.

[notin]

Better than 2023.

29th in fWAR at -0.9

 

If we could get some RHB with power or serious OBP skills, we could not spend on a RHB for RF.

 

We have that guy already, per my edit that was added during your response…

[moonslav59]

We have that guy already, per my edit that was added during your response…

 

I like Urias. I think he can bounce back. Reyes is a capable back-up. I am thinking we could use a few more players we can count on to be very good on D and O.

 

I'm not sure who is out there to make a major upgrade in RF to a RHB.

 

I'm not sure the catcher position is the area we should spend major resources on upgrading.

 

I know you like the idea of a 3B upgrade and a major shuffle, but we've hashed that out enough.

[notin]

I'm okay with all our everyday positions one-by-one, despite losing Turner and Duvall from a team that sucked on D and dropped off a cliff on O, late in the year.

 

However, we lack true star power at all but 3B, 1B and maybe SS. We do need a big RHB or lead off hitter with a high OBP. Getting both would be nice.

 

To me, our weakest 3 positions, in order are:

 

1. 2B

2. CF/RF

3. Catcher

 

As I have said, too many times, already, I'm all for spending almost everything on the rotation.

None on the pen, despite a shortage of LHPs, there.

Little on OF or 2B, but a RH'd power bat or RH'd high OBP guy would be nice.

 

My point was made after the idea that we might just get a #1 and #4 SP'er. I figured we'd have a lot of budget space for upgrades in the field and line-up. It was in this context, I suggested a major upgrade or two at everydsay positons.

 

Sign Garver.

 

Trade Kutter Crawford for Brendan Donovan

 

C - Garver/Wong

1b - Casas

2b - Donovan

3b - Devers

SS - Story

LF - Duran

CF - Rafaela

RF - Verdugo

DH - Yoshida

 

BN - Refsnyder, Reyes, Urias/Valdez/McGuire

[moonslav59]

You don’t avoid Juan Soto because he hits left-handed or only plays LF. You acquire Soto and fix the rest of the team to fit around him…

 

I listed Soto and would love to have him. It does not matter that he hits lefty or plays LF, because he transcends all else, but we'd still need a RH'd bat on top of getting him. (We could trade Dugo and stay even on the L-R numbers, but we'd still need a big RHB. At what position?)

 

I did not list players I felt were not good fits.

[moonslav59]

Sign Garver.

 

Trade Kutter Crawford for Brendan Donovan

 

C - Garver/Wong

1b - Casas

2b - Donovan

3b - Devers

SS - Story

LF - Duran

CF - Rafaela

RF - Verdugo

DH - Yoshida

 

BN - Refsnyder, Reyes, Urias/Valdez/McGuire

 

I'm worried about Garver's D, but this does solve some line-up issues, nicely.

 

The 3 positions I listed were

2B

CF/RF

C

If we go cheaper on the rotation than I hope, something like this would help.

[moonslav59]

Sign Garver.

 

Trade Kutter Crawford for Brendan Donovan

 

C - Garver/Wong

1b - Casas

2b - Donovan

3b - Devers

SS - Story

LF - Duran

CF - Rafaela

RF - Verdugo

DH - Yoshida

 

BN - Refsnyder, Reyes, Urias/Valdez/McGuire

 

We could sign Duvall & Garver

Trade Dugo & Urias for Donovan

(Keep Crawford)

 

C- Gaver/Wong

1B Casas

2B Donovan

SS Story

3B Devers

LF Duran/Refsnyder

CF Rafaeal/Abreu

RF Duvall/Abreu

DH Yoshida

 

SP

Gray

Bello

Sale

Seth Lugo

Pivetta

 

LR Houck, Crawford, Whitlock (Murphy)

SR Jansen, Martin, Wink, Schreiber, Bernardino/Mata/Kelly

 

Again, I'd prefer a better upgrade of the rotation, but something like this might be more likely.

 

[sk7326]

Looking at the tiers in Passan's Free agency column, at least where my head is at pitching wise

 

I assume Yamamoto goes to the Mets, but yes I'd be all for the Red Sox doing whatever it takes. All indicators are some version of good and 25 year olds just don't hit the market anymore.

 

Snell is ceiling with durability questions. I do kind of like Montgomery better.

 

Yariel Rodriguez' underlying stuff is fascinating and again a 26 year old FA has to be taken seriously - but unproven in MLB and can he start?

 

Lucas Giolito is a good upside play - probably one of the better ones among the pitchers.

 

I'd be disappointed if the team did not end up with at least 2 starters, maybe 3.

[mvp 78]

What do people want from a 2b? ( Or, more importantly, think Breslow wants?)

 

This could go in a couple directions.

 

Good glove? Leadoff type?

 

If you want right-handed pop and good plate discipline, Urias might be the guy…

 

I don't know how anyone could really forecast what Crag wants.

 

My preference would be a RHB with a good glove. Urias has pop with a hole in his glove.

[sk7326]

I don't know how anyone could really forecast what Crag wants.

 

My preference would be a RHB with a good glove. Urias has pop with a hole in his glove.

 

I think you need an above average glove. The team went in 2022 from a fairly good up the middle defense to the saddest of trombones.

[moonslav59]

I think you need an above average glove. The team went in 2022 from a fairly good up the middle defense to the saddest of trombones.

 

A healthy Story at SS, no Kike and Rafaela in CF should make for better up the middle defense than 2022, but 2B is kind of unknown.

 

Urias has a -1 OAA at 2B from '22-'23

-2 DRS (zero career)

+1.0 UZR/150 (about average)

 

An upgrade on D would be nice at 2B.

[mvp 78]

You don’t avoid Juan Soto because he hits left-handed or only plays LF. You acquire Soto and fix the rest of the team to fit around him…

 

Doesn't have a swing built for Fenway. Pass.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Doesn't have a swing built for Fenway. Pass.

 

It's why drunk GMs of the Red Sox and Yankees once wanted to trade Williams for DiMaggio.

 

Someone sobered up, but it didn't keep either player from making the Hall of Fame...

[moonslav59]

It's why drunk GMs of the Red Sox and Yankees once wanted to trade Williams for DiMaggio.

 

Someone sobered up, but it didn't keep either player from making the Hall of Fame...

 

Imagine all the Williams HRs in yankee Stadium, or so the thinking went.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Imagine all the Williams HRs in yankee Stadium, or so the thinking went.

 

And the Green Monster would have another artifact named for a batter: (from scoreboard to screen) the Joe D. Ladder.

[moonslav59]

And the Green Monster would have another artifact named for a batter: (from scoreboard to screen) the Joe D. Ladder.

 

It may have been knocked over.