Red Sox: Off Season '23-'24

[mvp 78]

Why would the Sox bench Rafaela or Abreu when both have options and would benefit from continued play?

 

Abreu OPS'd 929 in AAA. What else does he have to master there?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Again, Valdez seems unlikely since he only plays 2B (poorly) and has extreme splits, but shares the same handedness with the guy you'd most like to DH (Masa). Assuming Rafaela is the starting CFer, Abreu would be the 4th OFer.

 

McGuire - C

Refsnyder - 1B/LF

Reyes - 2B/SS/3B

Abreu - OF

 

Starting:

C - Wong

1B - Casas

2B - Grissom

SS - Story

3B - Raffy

RF - O'Neillll

CF - Rafaela

LF - Duran

 

Enmanuel reportedly took some throws over at first base, before an inning once in Worcester. That's where he got the nickname: Valdez Oil Spill.

[mvp 78]

Enmanuel reportedly took some throws over at first base, before an inning once in Worcester. That's where he got the nickname: Valdez Oil Spill.

 

In MiLB, he played every position but CF (he even played C!). He's terrible everywhere. All he can do is hit lefties. He's a short platoon DH.

[Hitch]

I know that’s the way it looks now, but I keep on thinking there will be some kind of trade involving some OF.

 

Feels that way, with an infield prospect involved too, I would imagine. Got to get that starting pitching somehow.

[moonslav59]

Huh?

 

The Sox will have 4 bench spots. One catcher and 3 others. Reyes and Refsnyder very likely take two spots. The final one could be Valdez or Dalbec or other.

 

All the other position players on the 26 man roster will be starting. There will only be 9 others. And it’s very possible not all of three of Duran, Abreu and Rafaela are on the 26 man roster to start. In fact, if Dalbec or Valdez is, it’s a guarantee one of those 3 is in Worcester or traded…

 

DH: Yoshida

LF: Duran

CF: Rafaela or Abreu (The other is on the bench)

RF: O'Neill

 

Bench:

McQuire

Reyes

Refsnyder

Rafaela OR Abreu

 

4 bench slots.

 

[notin]

Abreu OPS'd 929 in AAA. What else does he have to master there?

 

Not sitting on the bench?

[Old Red]

Idk, we’re not allowed to talk about it apparently.

 

More important things to talk about.

 

This has been talked about all offseason, so what more can be said? 1 poster has been trying to get Cora’s attention all that time to get Raffy to fill in at 1B, and now he’s on to E Valdez. I don’t think either one will happen, and at the moment to me Bobby D would be the fill in at 1B, and 3B. I also don’t think the 26 man that will take the field on Mar 28 is all set, and I still expect more comings, and goings, before the season starts, so outside of that talk on.

[moonslav59]

Why would the Sox bench Rafaela or Abreu when both have options and would benefit from continued play?

 

Certainly, starting one in AAA makes sense, so they can play everyday, and that would open up a slot for Dalbec or EValdez. I'm also wondering, if we try to trade Refsnyder, especially if we add Teoscar or some other CF/RF'er.

 

To me, the bench I suggested are the best players for the 26, except for the fact we have no back-up 1Bman with those 4. That's not a minor issue, and that is one reason I suggested devers take some reps at 1B.

 

I'm not sure platoons in LF and or CF are the best ideas, especially when you want to get young players like Abreu and Rafaela enough playing time.

 

LF: Duran-Refsnyder

CF- Abreu-Rafaela

 

Sitting ref is oka, but sitting Rafaela for the short end of a platoon is far from ideal. I agree. Trading Rey does not give Rafaela more platoon opportunities, but would likely get him more PAs- just still not enough.

 

I've been one of Dalbec's biggest supporters, but I just don't see the value, anymore. It does make sense to start rafaela or abreu at AAA, but I think we should do better than Dalbec.

 

If we are in sham mode, then who cares? Let's see what Dalbec can do, once and for all.

[notin]

DH: Yoshida

LF: Duran

CF: Rafaela or Abreu (The other is on the bench)

RF: O'Neill

 

Bench:

McQuire

Reyes

Refsnyder

Rafaela OR Abreu

 

4 bench slots.

 

 

 

Interestingly enough, Soxprospects thinks the Sox will still acquire a RF, and then neither Abreu nor Rafaela break camp with the big club.

 

I think this bench is up in the air. But Dalbec doesn’t have much going for him if he is relying on the “only backup 1b” option,,,

[mvp 78]

Interestingly enough, Soxprospects thinks the Sox will still acquire a RF, and then neither Abreu nor Rafaela break camp with the big club.

 

I think this bench is up in the air. But Dalbec doesn’t have much going for him if he is relying on the “only backup 1b” option,,,

 

Them having Valdez on the bench in BOS is wild and wrong.

[Hugh2]

Them having Valdez on the bench in BOS is wild and wrong.

 

Soxprospects does it about better than anyone else, I find that a little surprising too though.

 

I bet they’d be the first to admit they’re wrong. I can see that being adjusted again before spring training.

[moonslav59]

Interestingly enough, Soxprospects thinks the Sox will still acquire a RF, and then neither Abreu nor Rafaela break camp with the big club.

 

I think this bench is up in the air. But Dalbec doesn’t have much going for him if he is relying on the “only backup 1b” option,,,

 

They did have EValdez as their 10th ranked prospect, last summer before he graduated. He hit better than Rafaela in small sample sizes in MLB, last summer.

 

Over the past 3 years, only 8 players in all of minor league baseball had a higher OPS and more PAs than Valdez. (One was Grisson.)

 

He does have two weaknesses:

- He sucks on D, and has very little experience at 1B

- His splits are wide, but he has not been below .700 v LHPs in any of the last 3 seasons.

 

I'd rather have Rafaela as the OF and utility IF'er over Valdez. With Reyes, we do not need Valdez and Rafaela.

 

I guess the Sox are not worried about back-up 1B, as Teoscar has never played 1B. Think of all the 1B/OF guys out there.

 

[Bellhorn04]

So, as of January 4, the Red Sox still haven't done anything to dispel the notion that they're punting again.

[Hugh2]

So, as of January 4, the Red Sox still haven't done anything to dispel the notion that they're punting again.

 

Not really. Because I think it’s 100% false that trading Chris Sale prevents the Sox from going out and signing a pitcher better than Giolito.

 

If anything it opens up a roster spot and makes it more likely.

[Bellhorn04]

Not really. Because I think it’s 100% false that trading Chris Sale prevents the Sox from going out and signing a pitcher better than Giolito.

 

If anything it opens up a roster spot and makes it more likely.

 

I don't see how that contradicts my statement. We hope they're going to do that, but do we don't know. It looks like Snell is probably going to the Yankees. So we're down to Montgomery or a trade. I wish I could trust that they're not going to let us down, but we've been here before, like last year and the year before.

[Hugh2]

I don't see how that contradicts my statement. We hope they're going to do that, but do we don't know. It looks like Snell is probably going to the Yankees. So we're down to Montgomery or a trade. I wish I could trust that they're not going to let us down, but we've been here before, like last year and the year before.

 

If we are arguing whether the Sox are going to go “full throttle” and sign a guy like Montgomery, I’m not disputing that we are all going to be very disappointed most likely.

 

What I’m disputing is, getting a team like Atlanta to eat more salary on what is effectively a one year deal is not moving the needle.

 

Whatever the Sox would offer Jordan Montgomery, If they are in fact going to make an offer is likely exactly the same amount whether Atlanta took on the full salary or not.

 

One is not affecting the other.

[Hugh2]

Ughhhh I’m mixing up my threads again. My bad

[Bellhorn04]

If we are arguing whether the Sox are going to go “full throttle” and sign a guy like Montgomery, I’m not disputing that we are all going to be very disappointed most likely.

 

What I’m disputing is, getting a team like Atlanta to eat more salary on what is effectively a one year deal is not moving the needle.

 

Whatever the Sox would offer Jordan Montgomery, If they are in fact going to make an offer is likely exactly the same amount whether Atlanta took on the full salary or not.

 

One is not affecting the other.

 

This isn't really about the money, though, it's about the 2024 baseball team. You can understand people questioning why you're trading Sale for a prospect when the rotation is the worst part of the team. Why did they do it, to clear payroll for a signing, or just to cut payroll.

[Bellhorn04]

Ughhhh I’m mixing up my threads again. My bad

 

We might as well just have one big thread here anyway LOL

[Hugh2]

This isn't really about the money, though, it's about the 2024 baseball team. You can understand people questioning why you're trading Sale for a prospect when the rotation is the worst part of the team. Why did they do it, to clear payroll for a signing, or just to cut payroll.

 

If they just wanted to cut payroll, why get Grissom? Usually teams kick in money to get back a better return. If the motivation was to cut payroll, then why not take back a less valuable piece and have Atlanta or another team eat more of the money?

[Bellhorn04]

If they just wanted to cut payroll, why get Grissom? Usually teams kick in money to get back a better return. If the motivation was to cut payroll, then why not take back a less valuable piece and have Atlanta or another team eat more of the money?

 

Trying to accomplish two separate things, I would surmise. Cut payroll by $10 mill, and get a prospect.

 

We still have no clue what sort of budget Henry has given Breslow, because Breslow still hasn't shown his hole card, so to speak.

 

I'm starting to think they need to put some time limits on the baseball free agent season, because this one has been like slow torture.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

This isn't really about the money, though, it's about the 2024 baseball team. You can understand people questioning why you're trading Sale for a prospect when the rotation is the worst part of the team. Why did they do it, to clear payroll for a signing, or just to cut payroll.

 

What if... this is also Breslow's way of clearing out some of the more unsavory characters that defined the Bloom Era? Wiping the slate clean, blowing dead leaves into the suck truck, making room for new growth.

 

After Verdugo's issues with Cora last summer, along with his impending free agency, it was clear he had to go. Coincidentally, Dugie was also the centerpiece in the worst trade in Red Sox history... Chaim Bloom's first big move as CBO.

 

Sale was extended by Dombrowski, but there's also no doubt he was a polarizing figure of the entire Bloom Era -- an erstwhile ace holding up team stability month after month, season after season, by his multitude of aches and pains -- which made even every offseason an ughfest for year-round fans trying to anticipate any semblance of a starting rotation.

 

Time to move on.

[moonslav59]

Trying to accomplish two separate things, I would surmise. Cut payroll by $10 mill, and get a prospect.

 

Exactly. This is not the first time, either. We cut salary bigtime with the Betts & half-Price deal.

We cut salary and got 4 prospects and min wage Franchy for Beni. The Pivetta deal saved us money and got us a prospect (Seabold.)

We saved money with Vaz for prospects. We dumped salary in the Diekman for McGuire trade.

 

Even when we took on salary, like Ottavino and JBJ, we got prospects, too. (Hosmer as well.)

 

This is our M.O., now.

 

[moonslav59]

We might as well just have one big thread here anyway LOL

 

Why bring up an old one to add yet another thread?

[moonslav59]

Top Remaining Free Agents:

 

Snell, Monty, Bellinger, Matt Chapman

 

Imanaga, Stroman

 

Teoscar, Kershaw (?), A Chapman, JD Martinez, Soler, J Hicks, Hoskins

Stephenson, YRod, Paxton, Clevinger, Lorenzen, Manaea, Duvall, Urshela

Merrifield, J Turner, Belt, Ryu, Nerris, Junis, L Hendricks, T Anderson, Joc Pederson

D Robertson, G Sanchez, R Stanek, M Taylor, Votto, P Maton, M Moore, T Pham,

 

[Larry Cook]

Top Remaining Free Agents:

 

Snell, Monty, Bellinger, Matt Chapman

 

Imanaga, Stroman

 

Teoscar, Kershaw (?), A Chapman, JD Martinez, Soler, J Hicks, Hoskins

Stephenson, YRod, Paxton, Clevinger, Lorenzen, Manaea, Duvall, Urshela

Merrifield, J Turner, Belt, Ryu, Nerris, Junis, L Hendricks, T Anderson, Joc Pederson

D Robertson, G Sanchez, R Stanek, M Taylor, Votto, P Maton, M Moore, T Pham,

 

 

I would not mind seeing us take a flyer on ryu

[moonslav59]

I would not mind seeing us take a flyer on ryu

 

It just seems like more of Kluber, Richards, Perez and more.

[Dipre]

Ryu is a ticking time bomb

[Randy Red Sox]

This isn't really about the money, though, it's about the 2024 baseball team. You can understand people questioning why you're trading Sale for a prospect when the rotation is the worst part of the team. Why did they do it, to clear payroll for a signing, or just to cut payroll.

 

my guess without a doubt is the latter and rumour has it they shopping Story hard as well

[Randy Red Sox]

Trying to accomplish two separate things, I would surmise. Cut payroll by $10 mill, and get a prospect.

 

We still have no clue what sort of budget Henry has given Breslow, because Breslow still hasn't shown his hole card, so to speak.

 

I'm starting to think they need to put some time limits on the baseball free agent season, because this one has been like slow torture.

 

they are all slow torture but this is the worst I can remember and with Snell and Montgomery both being Bora$$ clients it is going to go a while longer yet. I really doubt the Sox are in on either so I could really care less at this point. I just check MLBTR every day to catch up on all the M/L signings [NOT]