Red Sox: Off Season '23-'24

[sk7326]

Why do you think it's happening? Owners pushing back on some of these massive salaries for journeymen?

 

It's Boras.

 

Owners in baseball have been getting stingier anyway compared to their bretheren in other sports.

[moonslav59]

It's not a great distinction - but the team needed to add quality arms, and Sandlin qualifies. I think the deal was a no-brainer.

 

I agree. Even if this ends up being a swing and miss, we need to do things like this to increase the odds we end up with a solid SP'er, ASAP.

 

Maybe Fitts ends up being the one. Maybe none of the ones we have added, so far work out, but I like the effort.

 

We have hit on a couple moves, like this, in the past few years, mot notably Whit & Winck, who may be really good pen arms and not starters, but adding quality pitching is a good idea.

[mvp 78]

It's Boras.

 

Owners in baseball have been getting stingier anyway compared to their bretheren in other sports.

 

Yeah, these guys have offers on the table somewhere. He's just holding them out until the last second to see if anyone can top it.

[mvp 78]

I agree. Even if this ends up being a swing and miss, we need to do things like this to increase the odds we end up with a solid SP'er, ASAP.

 

Maybe Fitts ends up being the one. Maybe none of the ones we have added, so far work out, but I like the effort.

 

We have hit on a couple moves, like this, in the past few years, mot notably Whit & Winck, who may be really good pen arms and not starters, but adding quality pitching is a good idea.

 

Sox had NO pipeline for their rotation. They had to try something. Solely relying on IFA's and low round draftees wasn't going to cut it. Bloom should have had a fire sale in '22 and stocked up.

[moonslav59]

Tigers sign Gio U. to $1.5M deal.

[moonslav59]

Sox had NO pipeline for their rotation. They had to try something. Solely relying on IFA's and low round draftees wasn't going to cut it. Bloom should have had a fire sale in '22 and stocked up.

 

I agree and agreed then, too.

 

He did acquire Whitlock via Rule 5, and Winckowski via trade (Beni), plus some marginal guys like Schreiber and Bernardino in other low cost ways, but it looks like Brez is taking it more seriously.

 

Let's see how we draft.

 

The IFA signings did not seem to focus on pitching, anymore than we did in the past.

Edited February 22, 2024 by moonslav59

[dgalehouse]

Perhaps top free agents are pushing back against increasingly wealthy owners.

 

Harm, The owners are getting increasingly wealthy. The players are getting increasingly wealthy. The fans are about the only ones who are not. And it all comes out of our pockets.

[mvp 78]

I agree and agreed then, too.

 

He did acquire Whitlock via Rule 5, and Winckowski via trade (Beni), plus some marginal guys like Schreiber and Bernardino in other low cost ways, but it looks like Brez is taking it more seriously.

 

Let's see how we draft.

 

The IFA signings did not seem to focus on pitching, anymore than we did in the past.

 

Even if the IFA signings heavily leaned into pitching, IFA prospects are far less likely to turn into impact starters than guys drafted in rounds 1, 2 and 3.

[notin]

Tigers sign Gio U. to $1.5M deal.

 

Sox should have been in on him.

[mvp 78]

Sox should have been in on him.

 

Would have needed to pay him more since they're giving him a playing opportunity.

[notin]

Would have needed to pay him more since they're giving him a playing opportunity.

 

Possibly. But even at $2mill, he's making just a bit more than Reese McGuire money...

[moonslav59]

Do we give Ref a 1Bman mitt, or what?

[mvp 78]

Possibly. But even at $2mill, he's making just a bit more than Reese McGuire money...

 

My guess is he'd probably need a lot more than that because he's trying to get counting stats for next offseason.

[mvp 78]

Do we give Ref a 1Bman mitt, or what?

 

Dalbec.

 

Refsnyder DFA

[moonslav59]

Dalbec.

 

Refsnyder DFA

 

Dalbec seems like such a waste of a 26 man roster spot. Ref, if he could play 1B, would be slightly lesser one.

[mvp 78]

Dalbec seems like such a waste of a 26 man roster spot. Ref, if he could play 1B, would be slightly lesser one.

 

This team has really lacked bats that can put the ball in the seats. If you throw Dalbec out there at 1B/3B/LF/DH against LHP, I think he'll see some good results.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I but it looks like Brez is taking it more seriously.

 

focus on pitching

 

Watching a little LA-SD ball today, reminded of the trade where the White Sox traded for pitcher James Shields and gave up prospect Fernando "El Nino" Tatis -- and actually kinda glad Brez hasn't made any "painful" deals yet. He has said he's looking for young, controllable pitching (not 34-year old big game hunters)...

 

Back to Bloom not even trading his James Shields Paxton guys: it makes sense if he was hired to keep the Red Sox competitive while cutting costs and reseeding the farmlands. Since Bloom basically failed for the most part at fielding a winner, maybe ownership realizes that plan -- THEIR PLAN -- was doomed...

 

... and thus we have this winter -- where they're all in on Breslow's Sandlin acquisitions... and all out on spending or even pretending to be good in the meantime.

[mvp 78]

@scottmerkin

Shane Drohan had shoulder surgery this morning. Looking to begin a rehab program at the end of spring

[dgalehouse]

Dalbec is younger than Refsnyder , has more home runs and a higher OPS. And a better chance to improve. As versatile , if not more than Rob. He is also taller and better suited for first base than Rob. Casas should play the vast majority of games at first. But if it is a choice for a bench role, I would take Dalbec over Ref.

[a700hitter]

Sox should have been in on him.

Breslow doesn’t want to appear too anxious. He is low keying it.

[moonslav59]

Red Sox best OPS vs LHPs from 2022-2023 (90+ PAs)

1.038 Bogey

.998 JD

.900 Turner

.889 Refsnyder (The best of all players currently on the roster)

.783 Devers

.783 Story

.777 Casas

.772 Dalbec

.756 Duvall

.746 Yoshida

 

wRC+

192 Bogey

174 JD

148 Refsnyder

142 Turner

118 Dalbec

 

Just sayin'

 

[mvp 78]

Dalbec is younger than Refsnyder , has more home runs and a higher OPS. And a better chance to improve. As versatile , if not more than Rob. He is also taller and better suited for first base than Rob. Casas should play the vast majority of games at first. But if it is a choice for a bench role, I would take Dalbec over Ref.

 

100%

[mvp 78]

Breslow doesn’t want to appear too anxious. He is low keying it.

 

Sox were in on him. They just don't have a starting role to give him.

[mvp 78]

Red Sox best OPS vs LHPs from 2022-2023 (90+ PAs)

1.038 Bogey

.998 JD

.900 Turner

.889 Refsnyder (The best of all players currently on the roster)

.783 Devers

.783 Story

.777 Casas

.772 Dalbec

.756 Duvall

.746 Yoshida

 

wRC+

192 Bogey

174 JD

148 Refsnyder

142 Turner

118 Dalbec

 

Just sayin'

 

 

Why are you excluding Dalbec's '21 and '20 seasons??? Just sayin'

[Bellhorn04]

For whatever reason, they still haven't quite given up on Dalbec. Cora still saying he improved his approach last year.

[mvp 78]

For whatever reason, they still haven't quite given up on Dalbec. Cora still saying he improved his approach last year.

 

I mean, he got his bb rate up to 13%, but his k rate went up to 34% in AAA!!!!!

[moonslav59]

Why are you excluding Dalbec's '21 and '20 seasons??? Just sayin'

 

Recency usually trumps numbers 3+ years ago, but Dalbec had some really good numbers, back then, and he's done well in AAA.

 

If we didn't have Casas, he'd probably get another long look in the bigs.

 

If it wasn't for our lack of 1B depth on the 26, he might not be on the 40. He seems like a lifer AAAA player, but I hope he can come back.

 

The guy had an .819 OPS over his first 156 games in MLB. I've not given up on him, just yet, but I prefer going with a guy who has been our best (current) hitter vs LHPs in the last 2 years.

 

One weakness we still talk about is our hitting vs LHPs, especially in the OF. O'Neill is injury prone, and Rafaela is a big unknown at the plate. Does it really a no-brainer to keep Bobby Dee on the 26 over Ref?

 

I think it's a close call, unless we have nobody to back up Casas at 1B, in an emergency. (We also know Cora will never start Casas 162 games at 1B.)

[moonslav59]

Why are you excluding Dalbec's '21 and '20 seasons??? Just sayin'

 

2020-2023 OPS vs LHPs (300+ PAs)

10. Betts .936

15. Story .918

25. Bogey .888

28. JD M .874

43. Dalbec .855 (wRC+ 128)

49. Refsnyder .849 (wRC+ 138)

80. Turner .813

82. Renfroe .812

[mvp 78]

Recency usually trumps numbers 3+ years ago, but Dalbec had some really good numbers, back then, and he's done well in AAA.

 

If we didn't have Casas, he'd probably get another long look in the bigs.

 

If it wasn't for our lack of 1B depth on the 26, he might not be on the 40. He seems like a lifer AAAA player, but I hope he can come back.

 

The guy had an .819 OPS over his first 156 games in MLB. I've not given up on him, just yet, but I prefer going with a guy who has been our best (current) hitter vs LHPs in the last 2 years.

 

One weakness we still talk about is our hitting vs LHPs, especially in the OF. O'Neill is injury prone, and Rafaela is a big unknown at the plate. Does it really a no-brainer to keep Bobby Dee on the 26 over Ref?

 

I think it's a close call, unless we have nobody to back up Casas at 1B, in an emergency. (We also know Cora will never start Casas 162 games at 1B.)

 

moon, over and over you have used "the past three years" as a measuring stick, but you are ignoring '21 with Dalbec for some reason. Why? Is it because of the 877 OPS vs LHP in 176 AB's that would almost triple his sample size??????????

[sk7326]

What is useful is that Dalbec is a good athlete and can play the other corners passably. Between DH, LF, 1B (sometimes) there is plenty of specialist RHB at-bats if Dalbec can earn them.