Red Sox: Off Season '23-'24

[mvp 78]

I don't recall anyone loving the pick. Some felt the underslot pick helped us get Jordan and Drohan, later, and that was a good thing, but I don't remember anyone loving this draft.

 

Was Drohan overslot? I only remember Blaze being overslot.

[mvp 78]

I'll complete the trifecta with Robinson Cano to the Mariners. Not even Cano and his agent knew he was signing with the Mariners until he actually signed.

 

Did he put on a Batting Helmet Sorting Hat or something and that's how the contract was signed?

[Dipre]

Did he put on a Batting Helmet Sorting Hat or something and that's how the contract was signed?

 

Probably paper scraps inside syringes.

[moonslav59]

It's probably 5-10% chance. Sox probably see themselves as being darkhorses now from what I heard from Carrabis/Mazz on today's pod. There is a belief that if they miss out on Yamamoto, that they will NOT go big on another pitcher like Monty or Snell this season. They would wait until next season or explore a trade. They mentioned the Sox track record of bringing in guy via trade like Pedro, Beckett, Schilling and Sale rather than via FA. It's just harder to do as the Sox don't have the pitching talent to give back. Would have to maybe be a 3 team deal.

 

There is a big risk that the Sox continue to somewhat punt and not be a top tier team because Henry feels he's already gotten what he needs out of the franchise and that people will show up to Fenway regardless if they are Sox fans or visiting fans. They may be happy to spend in the 10-15th range and hope to splurge once in a while.

 

I would think any team trading a top SP'er would want some pitching back, in return, but the main player in the Sale trade was Moncada. The main player in the Beckett trade was HRam. The pitchers added were secondary, but both Anibal Sanchez and Kopech look a lot better than Wikelman & Perales.

 

Maybe a top positional prospect plus one from Houck, Crawford or Winckowski can get the job done, but we'll see.

 

I find it hard to stomach a plan of Yamo or bust. If they don't even try for Monty and a good 3rd tier guy like Imanaga, Stroman or Giolito, the sham should be obvious to one and all.

 

"Full throttle?" LMAO!

 

Sick!

[Bellhorn04]

I'll take DeGrom to the Rangers for $500 Trebek.

 

deGrom wasn't really a hot commodity because of his terrifying injury profile and his age.

 

There's nothing in common between him and Moto.

Edited December 21, 2023 by Bellhorn04

[moonslav59]

Good tax situation in TEX, I've heard.

 

No income tax.

Decent property tax.

They get most of their tax revenue from a high sales tax. (6.25%, but most local areas add up to 2% more, making it 8.0 to 8.25%.)

[Dipre]

deGrom wasn't really a hot commdity because of his terrifying injury profile and his age.

 

There's nothing in common between him and Moto.

 

You know what the point was. It wasn't a bidding war, but he had plenty of suitors, and Texas wasn't even on the radar.

[Bellhorn04]

And I’ll make a true Daily Double. What is Ohtani and the Angels?

 

So now I suppose you're going to backpedal on your comments about Moto already being a Met LOL

[moonslav59]

Was Drohan overslot? I only remember Blaze being overslot.

 

Slot: $364M

Bonus: $600K

 

Not much, but nearly double.

[Bellhorn04]

You know what the point was. It wasn't a bidding war, but he had plenty of suitors, and Texas wasn't even on the radar.

 

I know what the point was, and I think it has little relevance to the Sox chances of signing Moto.

[notin]

So now I suppose you're going to backpedal on your comments about Moto already being a Met LOL

 

No.

 

He’s a Met. I’m sticking by it until he signs elsewhere, whereupon I will deny ever having said it and anyone showing any supplied proof occurred when my account was hacked…

[Bellhorn04]

You know what the point was. It wasn't a bidding war, but he had plenty of suitors, and Texas wasn't even on the radar.

 

Also, Texas SHOULD have been on the radar, especially after forking half a billion for Seager and Semien.

[Dipre]

I know what the point was, and I think it has little relevance to the Sox chances of signing Moto.

 

Let me put it this way. If the Sox really want to sign Yamamoto, they can. Just like the Rangers really wanted DeGrom, or the Angels really wanted Ohtani, or the Mariners really wanted Cano. The Red Sox are not the Royals. It's just a matter of how far Henry is willing to extend Breslow's leash.

[Dipre]

Also, Texas SHOULD have been on the radar, especially after forking half a billion for Seager and Semien.

 

They shouldn't have been on the radar because they dumped half a billion for Seager and Semien, then got terrible results.

[Bellhorn04]

They shouldn't have been on the radar because they dumped half a billion for Seager and Semien, then got terrible results.

 

Facts seem to suggest otherwise, sir.

[notin]

I'll complete the trifecta with Robinson Cano to the Mariners. Not even Cano and his agent knew he was signing with the Mariners until he actually signed.

 

Even the Mariners were shocked, as evidenced by Jack Zdurinicek’s quote at the press conference where he said “Wait!! Who? For how much?”

[Bellhorn04]

Let me put it this way. If the Sox really want to sign Yamamoto, they can. Just like the Rangers really wanted DeGrom, or the Angels really wanted Ohtani, or the Mariners really wanted Cano. The Red Sox are not the Royals. It's just a matter of how far Henry is willing to extend Breslow's leash.

 

It has nothing to with Breslow. It's all Henry.

[notin]

Facts seem to suggest otherwise, sir.

 

Like the fact that deGrom pitched 30 innings last year and was completely non-existent before May 1st?

[Dipre]

It has nothing to with Breslow. It's all Henry.

 

You're taking my post out of context. What I meant was Breslow is likely to sign Yamamoto if Henry gives him the green light to pay the guy the amount he wants.

[Bellhorn04]

Like the fact that deGrom pitched 30 innings last year and was completely non-existent before May 1st?

 

You missed the point by a week.

[Bellhorn04]

You're taking my post out of context. What I meant was Breslow is likely to sign Yamamoto if Henry gives him the green light to pay the guy the amount he wants.

 

I get that. But it's pretty clear the Mets and Yanks are the teams pulling out all the stops here, and Moto responded by visiting them in NY.

 

I think the Sox have given up on this a while ago.

 

Just my guess.

Edited December 21, 2023 by Bellhorn04

[mvp 78]

I would think any team trading a top SP'er would want some pitching back, in return, but the main player in the Sale trade was Moncada. The main player in the Beckett trade was HRam. The pitchers added were secondary, but both Anibal Sanchez and Kopech look a lot better than Wikelman & Perales.

 

Maybe a top positional prospect plus one from Houck, Crawford or Winckowski can get the job done, but we'll see.

 

I find it hard to stomach a plan of Yamo or bust. If they don't even try for Monty and a good 3rd tier guy like Imanaga, Stroman or Giolito, the sham should be obvious to one and all.

 

"Full throttle?" LMAO!

 

Sick!

 

Kopech was a top 20 prospect at the time he was traded. The Sox don't even have a pitcher in the top 100...

[moonslav59]

Kopech was a top 20 prospect at the time he was traded. The Sox don't even have a pitcher in the top 100...

 

Yes, I said Wikelman and Perales don't compare to Kopech or A Sanchez, so that's why I mentioned some of our young MLB pitchers as additions to the package, instead.

 

BTW, Anibal Sanchez was ranked 3rd on soxprospects.com before the Beckett & Lowell trade. He was no thow-in, either.

 

Mayer plus Crawford or Houck (plus maybe a 3rd decent prospect like Wikelman or Perales) might be somewhat comparable to HRam & Sanchez or Moncad & Kopech.

[mvp 78]

You know what the point was. It wasn't a bidding war, but he had plenty of suitors, and Texas wasn't even on the radar.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/11/rays-have-been-in-contact-with-jacob-degrom.html

 

The Rays are among the teams that have reached out to the representatives for Jacob deGrom, reports Andy Martino of SNY. They join the Rangers, Yankees and incumbent Mets as clubs known to have some amount of interest, although there are surely a number of other teams in the bidding.

 

Needless to say, Tampa Bay represents a long shot in the race for any top free agent. The Rays consistently run payrolls in the bottom five to ten, and it’s impossible to envision them winning any all-out bidding war against either New York franchise or a Texas club that has rapidly pushed its payroll upwards and seems determined to land impact pitching this winter. Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic unsurprisingly writes that Tampa Bay officials aren’t bullish on their chances of signing deGrom.

[Bellhorn04]

The other thing about this sensational offseason is that, as harmony pointed out, we've lost about 40% of the WAR of our position players from last year, in Verdugo, Duvall and Turner. Not that any of them had fat WAR's, but that's how s***** we were. As of today we're shittier.

[Bellhorn04]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/11/rays-have-been-in-contact-with-jacob-degrom.html

 

The Rays are among the teams that have reached out to the representatives for Jacob deGrom, reports Andy Martino of SNY. They join the Rangers, Yankees and incumbent Mets as clubs known to have some amount of interest, although there are surely a number of other teams in the bidding.

 

Needless to say, Tampa Bay represents a long shot in the race for any top free agent. The Rays consistently run payrolls in the bottom five to ten, and it’s impossible to envision them winning any all-out bidding war against either New York franchise or a Texas club that has rapidly pushed its payroll upwards and seems determined to land impact pitching this winter. Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic unsurprisingly writes that Tampa Bay officials aren’t bullish on their chances of signing deGrom.

 

Another misconception laid to rest.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

The point about the last five Red Sox years isn't really revolving CBOs, but how ownership has changed this century. And it's not just about dropping out as big time recruiters in free agency, but also not paying to keep established stars in Boston.

 

The wisdom or outrage of being outbid for Pedro and Lester was debatable, since both starters had turned the corner on Henry's magic number of age 30. In hindsight, the one worth longterm investment would've been D.Lowe, though most Sox fans didn't predict that at the time (having endured his days of inconsistent closing).

 

But Boston always found a way to keep its best -- Papi, Tek, Pedey -- while knowing when to move on from others, like Nomar and Ellsbury. Everything changed with Mookie.

[mvp 78]

Let me put it this way. If the Sox really want to sign Yamamoto, they can. Just like the Rangers really wanted DeGrom, or the Angels really wanted Ohtani, or the Mariners really wanted Cano. The Red Sox are not the Royals. It's just a matter of how far Henry is willing to extend Breslow's leash.

 

I think a lot of us just don't believe the WILL is there anymore.

[Dipre]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/11/rays-have-been-in-contact-with-jacob-degrom.html

 

The Rays are among the teams that have reached out to the representatives for Jacob deGrom, reports Andy Martino of SNY. They join the Rangers, Yankees and incumbent Mets as clubs known to have some amount of interest, although there are surely a number of other teams in the bidding.

 

Needless to say, Tampa Bay represents a long shot in the race for any top free agent. The Rays consistently run payrolls in the bottom five to ten, and it’s impossible to envision them winning any all-out bidding war against either New York franchise or a Texas club that has rapidly pushed its payroll upwards and seems determined to land impact pitching this winter. Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic unsurprisingly writes that Tampa Bay officials aren’t bullish on their chances of signing deGrom.

 

I get it, but cursory interest isn't the same as the interest held as the Yankees and Mets. Unless memory fails me, either NY team was the favorite to sign DeGrom from the get-go, with the Mets being clear-cut favorites.

[moonslav59]

Facts seem to suggest otherwise, sir.

 

I think he meant their first seasons w TEX.