Red Sox: Off Season '23-'24

[mvp 78]

Dude had a hard-hit rate above 55% for an entire season. That's absolutely bonkers.

 

He is good at baseball! I'm glad he'll be here for a long time!

[Randy Red Sox]

Devers won the Silver Slugger for 3B.

 

and they should give Devers the golden BOOT award for his glove work at 3B

[moonslav59]

He’s an average SS with a below average bat (projected). He’s a GG CFer. Why plop him at SS?

 

I wouldn't.

[moonslav59]

I always thought good defense up the middle was the first need.

 

CC Wong...check

SS Story...check

2B ?????...????

CF ?????...????

 

I wanted hitters in corners with power

 

3B Devers....check

1B Casas.....check

LF Yoshida....nope

RF Verdugo...nope

 

Any questions?

 

Rafaela is good on D, in CF, right?

[moonslav59]

and they should give Devers the golden BOOT award for his glove work at 3B

 

His glove is fine. His reflexes seem plau.

 

His arm accuracy is the issue.

[notin]

He’s an average SS with a below average bat (projected). He’s a GG CFer. Why plop him at SS?

 

Last year, before Story returned, sure. “Average” was leaps and bounds ahead of Kike.

 

But no need anymore…

[Nick]

Rafaela is good on D, in CF, right?

 

Yes, Sox should just put him there and let him bat 9th.

 

That's what the Big Red Machine did with Dave Concepion at short. His bat eventually caught up. Rafaela I think has much higher offensive upside.

[Nick]

and they should give Devers the golden BOOT award for his glove work at 3B

 

Yep, you just keep complaining about him. You do know that he makes $30M right? Glad you're not in the Sox front office.

[mvp 78]

Yes, Sox should just put him there and let him bat 9th.

 

That's what the Big Red Machine did with Dave Concepion at short. His bat eventually caught up. Rafaela I think has much higher offensive upside.

 

^^^

[mvp 78]

Yep, you just keep complaining about him. You do know that he makes $30M right? Glad you're not in the Sox front office.

 

At least we don't have to watch Max Muncy play 3b.

[moonslav59]

Yes, Sox should just put him there and let him bat 9th.

 

That's what the Big Red Machine did with Dave Concepion at short. His bat eventually caught up. Rafaela I think has much higher offensive upside.

 

Agreed, and with Abreu looking like a promising OF'er, and Duran as an emergency back-up. I'd roll the dice in CF.

 

If we can flip RF to a RHB with some power, at no added cost, I'm thinking maybe 2B is the area to upgrade, and the rest of our resources goes to the rotation.

[moonslav59]

At least we don't have to watch Max Muncy play 3b.

 

Devers brings so much more to the team, that his defense is far outweighed.

 

Maybe, someday we move him to 1B, but Casas deserves a longer look at 1B, before we think to make him a DH.

 

The Yoshida to DH idea makes too much sense, as to make a big corner IF shuffle for 2024 a non issue.

[Old Red]

When it comes to $300M deals Devers simply hasn’t measured up according to the article by John Tomase. OUCH!

[Bellhorn04]

When it comes to $300M deals Devers simply hasn’t measured up according to the article by John Tomase. OUCH!

 

The $300 million deal hasn't actually started yet.

[mvp 78]

Agreed, and with Abreu looking like a promising OF'er, and Duran as an emergency back-up. I'd roll the dice in CF.

 

If we can flip RF to a RHB with some power, at no added cost, I'm thinking maybe 2B is the area to upgrade, and the rest of our resources goes to the rotation.

 

I'm fine with throwing Rafaela out there and letting his bat flounder for a while. His glove is good enough to make up for it and he's got enough contact skills to at least keep his bat fringy.

 

If they sign Duvall for RF, it's really Abreu that becomes the 4th OFer IMO. Refsnyder is then just used to platoon Duran against LHP only.

[moonslav59]

The $300 million deal hasn't actually started yet.

 

Once more, showing the ignorance of Tomase.

[moonslav59]

I'm fine with throwing Rafaela out there and letting his bat flounder for a while. His glove is good enough to make up for it and he's got enough contact skills to at least keep his bat fringy.

 

If they sign Duvall for RF, it's really Abreu that becomes the 4th OFer IMO. Refsnyder is then just used to platoon Duran against LHP only.

 

This is what I have been advocating, but that’s a lot OFers on the 26, especially when your DH also plays only OF.

[mvp 78]

@SoxSpects

Larry Lucchino is looking to sell Worcester Red Sox.

 

No sale is imminent.

 

Now that is a rumor.

[mvp 78]

This is what I have been advocating, but that’s a lot OFers on the 26, especially when your DH also plays only OF.

 

Abreu also has options.

[moonslav59]

Abreu also has options.

 

Yes. It would be easy to start him in AAA, where he can play everyday.

[notin]

Once more, showing the ignorance of Tomase.

 

No way!! A premature conclusion from the same guy who freaked out because Dalbec played ONE GAME at shortstop!! Hard to believe someone normally as patient as Tomase didn’t wait for something to go wrong before condemning it a failure.

 

I suspect within a week Tomase will be writing articles about Breslow’s weak off-season and poor draft strategy…

[moonslav59]

No way!! A premature conclusion from the same guy who freaked out because Dalbec played ONE GAME at shortstop!! Hard to believe someone normally as patient as Tomase didn’t wait for something to go wrong before condemning it a failure.

 

I suspect within a week Tomase will be writing articles about Breslow’s weak off-season and poor draft strategy…

 

Honestly, I don't know how he keeps his job.

[Deja Doh]

In a word, NO! That's a last place team. It may not be a Royals or A's last place team, but it is not better than any team the AL East. We are stuck with Story, Devers, and Yoshida, like 'em or not (I would keep only Yoshida of those three if I could). The rest of the players are little better than minor league plus journeymen players. I liked Abreu's eye at the plate.

 

Is this a top contending team?

 

SP1 Nola

SP2 Yamamoto

SP3 Bello

SP4 Sale/Crawford/Houck

SP5 Pivetta

 

Closer Jansen

RP2 Martin

RP3 Schreiber

RP4 Crawford (SP?)

RP5 Houck (SP?)

RP6 Whitlock

RP7 Winckowski

RP8 Bernardino, Murphy, Kelly, Robertson, Walter, Mata, Gambrell

 

1. Duran/Refsnyder LF

2. Devers 3B

3. Story SS

4. Casas 1B

5. Yoshida DH

6. Dugo RF

7. Rafaela/Abreu CF

8. Urias/Reyes 2B

9. Wong/McGuire C

[Randy Red Sox]

In a word, NO! That's a last place team. It may not be a Royals or A's last place team, but it is not better than any team the AL East. We are stuck with Story, Devers, and Yoshida, like 'em or not (I would keep only Yoshida of those three if I could). The rest of the players are little better than minor league plus journeymen players. I liked Abreu's eye at the plate.

 

into the Friday night whisky??

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Jorge Polanco emerges as another available 2B option: switch-hitter, 33 bombs in '21, capable middle infielder.

 

Who would cost more to acquire: Polanco, 30, or Torres, 27 (next month)?

 

Take your pick: 162-game averages - Jorge 22 HR, 87 RBI, .780 OPS; Gleybar 27 HR, 83 RBI, .789 OPS.

 

Baseball-ref Similarity Scores... #1 most Similar Batter to Gleybar Torres: Jorge Polanco.

[notin]

Jorge Polanco emerges as another available 2B option: switch-hitter, 33 bombs in '21, capable middle infielder.

 

Who would cost more to acquire: Polanco, 30, or Torres, 27 (next month)?

 

Take your pick: 162-game averages - Jorge 22 HR, 87 RBI, .780 OPS; Gleybar 27 HR, 83 RBI, .789 OPS.

 

Baseball-ref Similarity Scores... #1 most Similar Batter to Gleybar Torres: Jorge Polanco.

 

 

Per BTV, Polanco is a little cheaper. Of course he also grades out much worse as a defensive 2b. However he also plays for a team that’s probably more willing to trade with the Red Sox.

 

Not sure what the Twins’ most pressing need is beyond replacing Sonny Gray. Roster Resource makes it look like a center fielder to play the position and slow Buxton to DH is one. Corner INF is another, especially 1b. (Dalbec doesn’t solve this.)

 

Pitching always works. BTV likes Pivetta for Polanco…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Per BTV, Polanco is a little cheaper. Of course he also grades out much worse as a defensive 2b. However he also plays for a team that’s probably more willing to trade with the Red Sox.

 

Not sure what the Twins’ most pressing need is beyond replacing Sonny Gray. Roster Resource makes it look like a center fielder to play the position and slow Buxton to DH is one. Corner INF is another, especially 1b. (Dalbec doesn’t solve this.)

 

Pitching always works. BTV likes Pivetta for Polanco…

 

I dunno... a not-so-great 2B man who once had considerable pop reminds me too much of Urias, who's already here.

 

To me, Polanco wouldn't be worth trading away the Incredible Bulk.

[notin]

I dunno... a not-so-great 2B man who once had considerable pop reminds me too much of Urias, who's already here.

 

To me, Polanco wouldn't be worth trading away the Incredible Bulk.

 

I’m ok with Urías.

 

Not an elite hitter, but has pop and some plate discipline. Grades out average at 2b in limited time there.

 

He seems fairly average at the position, which makes it an upgrade right there…

[notin]

One trade that just seems to make some sense is Jarren Duran to Miami for Edward Cabrera.

 

It’s a flop on BTV. Duran is valued at $30m while Cabrera is $8.5m. Of course, last September Duran was around $7mill while Cabrera was $26mill. So there is some volatility in both sides here.

 

The fits are obvious for both teams. Both players are highly talented but very inconsistent. Both have 5 years of control left and make minimum wage. And both bill weaknesses for the other team while in positions depth on their own…

[moonslav59]

In a word, NO! That's a last place team. It may not be a Royals or A's last place team, but it is not better than any team the AL East. We are stuck with Story, Devers, and Yoshida, like 'em or not (I would keep only Yoshida of those three if I could). The rest of the players are little better than minor league plus journeymen players. I liked Abreu's eye at the plate.

 

Last place to contender by replacing Montgomery & Gray with Yamamoto & Nola? (And Torres with Dugo & Urias)