Red Sox: Off Season '23-'24

[FredLynn]

A strong BP can be just as important as long as they don’t get worn out like last year. This pen could be even deeper this year depending on what they do with, Houck, and Whit, and if Jansen stays put.

 

I don't think a strong bullpen is going to be of much use when our SP totally sucks. Coming in to relieve a SP who has put the team in a 6-0 hole game after game is a recipe not for a mediocre team but for a team that stinks. We'll see how it all plays out but right now its looking like we are the weakest team in the ALE.

[Randy Red Sox]

i don't think a strong bullpen is going to be of much use when our sp totally sucks. Coming in to relieve a sp who has put the team in a 6-0 hole game after game is a recipe not for a mediocre team but for a team that stinks. We'll see how it all plays out but right now its looking like we are the weakest team in the ale.

 

again

[moonslav59]

I don't think a strong bullpen is going to be of much use when our SP totally sucks. Coming in to relieve a SP who has put the team in a 6-0 hole game after game is a recipe not for a mediocre team but for a team that stinks. We'll see how it all plays out but right now its looking like we are the weakest team in the ALE.

 

While Gio might be an innings eater, he won't even replace Paxton + Sale's innings.

 

We are left with Bello, Gio and 3 tweeners, again. Maybe Pivetta can give us 170-180 IP and it's 2 tweeners- all better utilized in the pen and likely wasted as SP'ers.

[moonslav59]

What teams have signed the most top FAs, so far?

 

(MLBTR rankings)

 

LAD

1. Ohtani

3. Yamamoto

12. Teoscar

42. Heywood

 

CIN

13. Candelario

32. N Martinez

44. Montas

 

AZ

11. ERod

14. L Gurriel

 

PHI

5. Nola (re-sign)

 

SFG

15. Lee J-H

21. Hicks, J

 

KCR

19. Lugo

24. Wacha

NR Renfroe

 

STL

9. Gray

(NR: K Gibson & L Lynn)

 

CHC

10. Imanaga

 

DET

22. Flaherty

25. Maeda

 

BOS

17. Giolito

 

NYY

18. Stroman

 

NYM

35. Manaea

36. H Bader

48. Severino

 

SEA

23. Garver

 

ATL

29. Lopez

 

TOR

31. Kiermaier

 

SDP

43. Y Matsui

 

BAL

NR Kimbrel

 

Top teams with zero:

TEX

HOU

TBR

MIL

MIN

 

 

[Larry Cook]

While Gio might be an innings eater, he won't even replace Paxton + Sale's innings.

 

We are left with Bello, Gio and 3 tweeners, again. Maybe Pivetta can give us 170-180 IP and it's 2 tweeners- all better utilized in the pen and likely wasted as SP'ers.

 

Would you have preferred bres-slow kept sale?????

 

Also does the addition of Grissom make Yorke’s path blocked?????

[Duran Is The Man]

While Gio might be an innings eater, he won't even replace Paxton + Sale's innings.

 

We are left with Bello, Gio and 3 tweeners, again. Maybe Pivetta can give us 170-180 IP and it's 2 tweeners- all better utilized in the pen and likely wasted as SP'ers.

 

it's like all of us arm-chair GMs see this but the geniuses in the FO have no idea.

[moonslav59]

Would you have preferred bres-slow kept sale?????

 

Also does the addition of Grissom make Yorke’s path blocked?????

 

Sale is useless for a team tanking in 2024.

 

I like Grisson, a lot.

 

I'm not sure about Yorke. Maybe he's trade bait, now. Maybe he's utility or a back-up for Grissom.

[Larry Cook]

Sale is useless for a team tanking in 2024.

 

I like Grisson, a lot.

 

I'm not sure about Yorke. Maybe he's trade bait, now. Maybe he's utility or a back-up for Grissom.

 

Utility??? Have you seen him play defense????

 

He is a dumpster fire. Statues have more range

[moonslav59]

Utility??? Have you seen him play defense????

 

He is a dumpster fire. Statues have more range

 

About like EValdez.

 

DH, maybe?

[Hitch]

it's like all of us arm-chair GMs see this but the geniuses in the FO have no idea.

 

Yes, that's exactly what's going on.

[Hitch]

What teams have signed the most top FAs, so far?

 

(MLBTR rankings)

 

LAD

1. Ohtani

3. Yamamoto

12. Teoscar

42. Heywood

 

CIN

13. Candelario

32. N Martinez

44. Montas

 

AZ

11. ERod

14. L Gurriel

 

PHI

5. Nola (re-sign)

 

SFG

15. Lee J-H

21. Hicks, J

 

KCR

19. Lugo

24. Wacha

NR Renfroe

 

STL

9. Gray

(NR: K Gibson & L Lynn)

 

CHC

10. Imanaga

 

DET

22. Flaherty

25. Maeda

 

BOS

17. Giolito

 

NYY

18. Stroman

 

NYM

35. Manaea

36. H Bader

48. Severino

 

SEA

23. Garver

 

ATL

29. Lopez

 

TOR

31. Kiermaier

 

SDP

43. Y Matsui

 

BAL

NR Kimbrel

 

Top teams with zero:

TEX

HOU

TBR

MIL

MIN

 

 

 

64% of all free agents remain unsigned.

[Hitch]

What teams have signed the most top FAs, so far?

 

(MLBTR rankings)

 

LAD

1. Ohtani

3. Yamamoto

12. Teoscar

42. Heywood

 

CIN

13. Candelario

32. N Martinez

44. Montas

 

AZ

11. ERod

14. L Gurriel

 

PHI

5. Nola (re-sign)

 

SFG

15. Lee J-H

21. Hicks, J

 

KCR

19. Lugo

24. Wacha

NR Renfroe

 

STL

9. Gray

(NR: K Gibson & L Lynn)

 

CHC

10. Imanaga

 

DET

22. Flaherty

25. Maeda

 

BOS

17. Giolito

 

NYY

18. Stroman

 

NYM

35. Manaea

36. H Bader

48. Severino

 

SEA

23. Garver

 

ATL

29. Lopez

 

TOR

31. Kiermaier

 

SDP

43. Y Matsui

 

BAL

NR Kimbrel

 

Top teams with zero:

TEX

HOU

TBR

MIL

MIN

 

 

 

Take out Ohtani and Yamamoto, who on that list are people really disappointed they missed out on?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Take out Ohtani and Yamamoto, who on that list are people really disappointed they missed out on?

 

Come on. The disappointment isn't that any of the starting pitchers who signed so far are great, it's just that all are better than the one guy Boston inked.

 

At least they were last year. And as usual since the Bloom Era began, the only ballplayers the Sox have added this offseason are question marks and hopefuls: can Giolito reclaim past glory? can O'Neill stay on the field? can Grissom play D good enough to keep his bat in the line-up? If everything goes right, they will replace Sale, Verdugo, and one of the lost bats of Turner or Duvall -- from a fifth-place team...

 

The big disappointment right now, more than any Bloom offseason (Betts and Bogaerts were just depressing), is that despite a change at the top of the front office, and a promise by one of the owners, the Red Sox have not made any major moves to improve.

 

There are still gaping holes in the rotation that even casual fans can see -- but will as many of them still pay to keep watching?

[Hugh2]

The anger towards ownership is perfectly justified. However, that doesn't mean there isn't a sense of cynicism built around the expectations that the Sox can be immediately fixed.

 

It's like watching your wife blow up to 300 LB's. You can't just expect her to fit back into her wedding dress in a few months, it's probably going to take a few years.....however, you can still roll your eye because she hasn't put down the ho ho's yet.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

The anger towards ownership is perfectly justified. However, that doesn't mean there isn't a sense of cynicism built around the expectations that the Sox can be immediately fixed.

 

It's like watching your wife blow up to 300 LB's. You can't just expect her to fit back into her wedding dress in a few months, it's probably going to take a few years.....however, you can still roll your eye because she hasn't put down the ho ho's yet.

 

Fan cynicism evolved because of Sam Kennedy's constant ******** that the Red Sox are in it to win world championships. Rational fans have only seen lateral moves so far that make them longshots to even get them out of the basement.

 

Breslow's looking to add young pitchers who'll be part of the core moving forward. One or two of those would at least give a glimmer of hope for improvement in the future.

 

Forget about a bridge year. Fans would be happy just to find some shallow waters jutted with stepping stones that aren't too slippery...

[notin]

Take out Ohtani and Yamamoto, who on that list are people really disappointed they missed out on?

 

Sonny Gray

[mvp 78]

While Gio might be an innings eater, he won't even replace Paxton + Sale's innings.

 

We are left with Bello, Gio and 3 tweeners, again. Maybe Pivetta can give us 170-180 IP and it's 2 tweeners- all better utilized in the pen and likely wasted as SP'ers.

 

Crawford isn't a tweener IMO.

 

Pending health:

 

Bello - 180 IP

Giolito - 190 IP

Pivetta - 170 IP

Crawford - 150 IP

Tweener (Houck) - 120 IP

[Hugh2]

2014 IFA period has begun, one of the few bright spots of Sox player development in recent years. Of course, these guys won't make an impact for 4-6 years so I know most of you won't care all that much but some of us love this stuff.

 

Badler lists Carrasquel as one of the potential breaksouts for under 1 million.

 

 

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/mlb-international-signings-analysis-potential-breakout-prospects-for-under-1-million/

 

 

Carlos Carrasquel, 3B, Venezuela (Red Sox)

 

"Carrasquel has a promising offensive foundation of size, hitting ability and power. He’s 6-foot-4, generates easy power from the right side of the plate and doesn’t have to sell out with an all-or-nothing swing to produce that power, with the strength projection for bigger exit velocity numbers in the future. A shortstop earlier in the scouting process, Carrasquel has gotten faster and improved defensively, but his size and range fit better at third base, with the arm strength to stay on the left side of the infield."

[mvp 78]

Would you have preferred bres-slow kept sale?????

 

Also does the addition of Grissom make Yorke’s path blocked?????

 

Yorke blocked himself with his hitting the past two seasons:

 

'22 668 OPS A+

'23 785 OPS AA

 

That's not the numbers of a prospect that is tearing through MiLB.

 

Grissom AA 924 OPS

Grissom AAA 920 OPS

 

That's the numbers of a prospect tearing through MiLB.

[mvp 78]

About like EValdez.

 

DH, maybe?

 

LF maybe? His 2B is adequate.

[mvp 78]

Take out Ohtani and Yamamoto, who on that list are people really disappointed they missed out on?

 

Nola and Gray

[Hugh2]

There's no such thing as a blocked prospect, truly. If a team believes in a guy they will find a home for him if he's blocked at his position E.G. Mookie Betts moving to OF because Dustin Pedroia was the 2B.

 

Also, said player can always be traded.

[Hugh2]

Nola and Gray

 

Gray maybe, but didn't Nola sign an extension with Philly almost immediately into FA? Did he even talk with any other teams?

[mvp 78]

The anger towards ownership is perfectly justified. However, that doesn't mean there isn't a sense of cynicism built around the expectations that the Sox can be immediately fixed.

 

It's like watching your wife blow up to 300 LB's. You can't just expect her to fit back into her wedding dress in a few months, it's probably going to take a few years.....however, you can still roll your eye because she hasn't put down the ho ho's yet.

 

This analogy, but the wife doesn't cook or sleep with you either.

[mvp 78]

2014 IFA period has begun, one of the few bright spots of Sox player development in recent years. Of course, these guys won't make an impact for 4-6 years so I know most of you won't care all that much but some of us love this stuff.

 

Badler lists Carrasquel as one of the potential breaksouts for under 1 million.

 

 

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/mlb-international-signings-analysis-potential-breakout-prospects-for-under-1-million/

 

 

Carlos Carrasquel, 3B, Venezuela (Red Sox)

 

"Carrasquel has a promising offensive foundation of size, hitting ability and power. He’s 6-foot-4, generates easy power from the right side of the plate and doesn’t have to sell out with an all-or-nothing swing to produce that power, with the strength projection for bigger exit velocity numbers in the future. A shortstop earlier in the scouting process, Carrasquel has gotten faster and improved defensively, but his size and range fit better at third base, with the arm strength to stay on the left side of the infield."

 

Was told we'd be using IFA money on pitching?!?!?!??!?!?!

[Hugh2]

Was told we'd be using IFA money on pitching?!?!?!??!?!?!

 

I wasn't going to say it, but I was thinking it. To be fair, they went heavier last year on pitching in the IFA than they have recently, so maybe the rosters are still filled out with some guys they believe in. That narrative would fit better if they draft more pitching state side this year.

[mvp 78]

Gray maybe, but didn't Nola sign an extension with Philly almost immediately into FA? Did he even talk with any other teams?

 

Nola wasn't an option IMO. I was just listing names that people could be upset over that the Sox didn't get, even if it wasn't the perfect fit.

[mvp 78]

I wasn't going to say it, but I was thinking it. To be fair, they went heavier last year on pitching in the IFA than they have recently, so maybe the rosters are still filled out with some guys they believe in. That narrative would fit better if they draft more pitching state side this year.

 

The top $$$'s still went to SS (Cespedes, Arias, Ruiz totaling 2.4M over half the pool).

[Hugh2]

Nola wasn't an option IMO. I was just listing names that people could be upset over that the Sox didn't get, even if it wasn't the perfect fit.

 

A lot of the guys I wanted didn't really seem to heading anywhere else other than where they signed.

 

Nola

Yamamoto

 

Depeding on the price, I still woudn't hate Montgomery/Snell.

[Hugh2]

The top $$$'s still went to SS (Cespedes, Arias, Ruiz totaling 2.4M over half the pool).

 

True, but at 16 years old it so much more of a crap shoot. They did sign a total of 34 pitchers that year. Sox have a decent history of finding guys for less than 1 Million.

 

Bello $28,000

Monegro $35,000

Wikelman Gonzalez $250,000

Luis Perales $75,000

 

I would have liked to see them take some larger swings though. to be fair, theres' still 50 weeks left this period. I wonder if this means they won't make a run at Sasaki, or they figure he won't be posted this year? He wants to be posted now, but will make hundreds of millions more if he waits a year.