A Realistic View at 2024: Part I

[Randy Red Sox]

True.

 

He also has MLB experience of non success.

 

you do seem to be coming around

[moonslav59]

you do seem to be coming around

 

I was not a fan of the idea from even before day one.

 

I guess, if it was Clevinger or Paxton vs Gio, I'd take Gio.

 

If it's monty, Snell or Imanaga plus Gio, fine.

 

Stroman and Gio might be the best we can expect via free agency. but only if we trade Jansen or Yoshida, apparently.

[a700hitter]

Cardinals hired Bloom as an " advisor".

Head Barista

[Hugh2]

I know the Sox aren't going to do this, and it's probably the right thing to do to give him more time in AAA, but man....Rafaela really fits this roster perfect right now.

 

He sets the defense in the outfield. He will give you GG defense in CF, pushing Yoshida to DH and plugging better speed on the corners with Duran/O'Neill.

 

He can also back up at 2b/SS making the infield defense better. That level of versatilty also allows you to keep more of a one dimensional player such as Valdez on the roster who I think will really mash righties.

 

You also don't have to spend any money on a OF/DH type and can go out and get a pitcher now and still stay under the cap....because apparently they have a budget now.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I know the Sox aren't going to do this, and it's probably the right thing to do to give him more time in AAA, but man....Rafaela really fits this roster perfect right now.

 

He sets the defense in the outfield. He will give you GG defense in CF, pushing Yoshida to DH and plugging better speed on the corners with Duran/O'Neill.

 

He can also back up at 2b/SS making the infield defense better. That level of versatilty also allows you to keep more of a one dimensional player such as Valdez on the roster who I think will really mash righties.

 

You also don't have to spend any money on a OF/DH type and can go out and get a pitcher now and still stay under the cap....because apparently they have a budget now.

 

Hugh, if you agree this current Red Sox roster is even worse than their last two seasons when they were the fifth-best team in the division, then there is nothing wrong with playing the youngsters and giving them the opportunity to develop into full-time big leaguers. This is what bad teams do in a rebuild.

 

Ruining his confidence is overrated. If a player is good enough to excel at various minor league levels and make the majors, then he has earned his chance.

 

Almost all the guys on the MLB-26 have one or two skills that put them above all others in the system. Overall, modern batters swing and miss more than ever before, and fans have grown used to seeing it. But fielders constantly bumbling around on the diamond, misjudging or clanking balls in play, and throwing others away, is must-miss TV.

 

Rafaela's defense alone makes him worth watching.

[Bellhorn04]

I was not a fan of the idea from even before day one.

 

I guess, if it was Clevinger or Paxton vs Gio, I'd take Gio.

 

If it's monty, Snell or Imanaga plus Gio, fine.

 

Stroman and Gio might be the best we can expect via free agency. but only if we trade Jansen or Yoshida, apparently.

 

What a sham.

[Dipre]

What a sham.

 

A sham is too expensive for Henry to afford it. It's a sha. It saves a letter.

[Bellhorn04]

A sham is too expensive for Henry to afford it. It's a sha. It saves a letter.

 

Henry even thought the ShamWow was overpriced. Linda had to sneak out and buy one without his approval.

[mvp 78]

Don’t trade Mayer. If Story gets hurt again, he might be needed by July.

 

1. Sign one SP. Imanaga? Stroman? Snell? Montgomery? All still out there.

2. Trade Duran for a SP. Miami and Cleveland are the logical partners.

3. Sign Duvall for RF.

 

I suppose Duran might be movable for a catcher if need be. I like Wong, but is he a 130 game starter?

 

If you trade Mayer, Rafaela is the backup SS in case of Story injury. After that, it's years before another SS will sniff the majors from the farm. At least SS's are cheap on the FA market.

 

I know they are shopping Story, which would mean they'd be holding onto Mayer long term and shopping Duran and Rafaela instead. Abreu just doesn't have the same trade caché.

[mvp 78]

Agreed, so maybe we need to trade for an arb guy or even a pre-arb guy with 3-5 years of control.

 

Now that would be a very EXPENSIVE trade to make. $$$ would be cheap, but the trade cost would be heavy.

[Old Red]

Now that would be a very EXPENSIVE trade to make. $$$ would be cheap, but the trade cost would be heavy.

 

That’s why JH would be more inclined to want to do it.

[mvp 78]

Clevinger isn’t horrible…

 

Mid.

[Bellhorn04]

If they really are shopping Story, Yoshida and/or Jansen, is there any doubt they've already decided not to compete in 2024 and to keep building for the golden future?

 

And if that's the case, signing or trading for a premier starting pitcher is most unlikely.

[mvp 78]

Of course there was a story early in the offseason that the Red Sox approached the Mariners about young pitchers and were "rebuffed".

 

What is the incentive for another team to dump top pitching prospects unless the Sox overpay?

[mvp 78]

I know the Sox aren't going to do this, and it's probably the right thing to do to give him more time in AAA, but man....Rafaela really fits this roster perfect right now.

 

He sets the defense in the outfield. He will give you GG defense in CF, pushing Yoshida to DH and plugging better speed on the corners with Duran/O'Neill.

 

He can also back up at 2b/SS making the infield defense better. That level of versatilty also allows you to keep more of a one dimensional player such as Valdez on the roster who I think will really mash righties.

 

You also don't have to spend any money on a OF/DH type and can go out and get a pitcher now and still stay under the cap....because apparently they have a budget now.

 

He's also a RHB!

[mvp 78]

Hugh, if you agree this current Red Sox roster is even worse than their last two seasons when they were the fifth-best team in the division, then there is nothing wrong with playing the youngsters and giving them the opportunity to develop into full-time big leaguers. This is what bad teams do in a rebuild.

 

Ruining his confidence is overrated. If a player is good enough to excel at various minor league levels and make the majors, then he has earned his chance.

 

Almost all the guys on the MLB-26 have one or two skills that put them above all others in the system. Overall, modern batters swing and miss more than ever before, and fans have grown used to seeing it. But fielders constantly bumbling around on the diamond, misjudging or clanking balls in play, and throwing others away, is must-miss TV.

 

Rafaela's defense alone makes him worth watching.

 

I don't think Rafaela or Abreu have anything left to learn in AAA. They need to be given a shot to play in MLB somewhere.

[Old Red]

What is the incentive for another team to dump top pitching prospects unless the Sox overpay?

 

Who’s to say the Sox would overpay? Mayer, or none of the others are no sure thing. Maybe it’s the other team that would overpay.

[mvp 78]

That’s why JH would be more inclined to want to do it.

 

I disagree. He'd rather keep the prospects and run them through the system to play in BOS so that he doesn't have to pay FA in future years. If he trades 3 guys for one pitcher, he'll spend more later on more likely.

[Old Red]

I disagree. He'd rather keep the prospects and run them through the system to play in BOS so that he doesn't have to pay FA in future years. If he trades 3 guys for one pitcher, he'll spend more later on more likely.

 

Who’s to say the Red Sox have to trade 3 guys for 1 young pitcher? BTV? JH is not going to spend anymore than he wants to regardless.

[Bellhorn04]

Who’s to say the Red Sox have to trade 3 guys for 1 young pitcher? BTV? JH is not going to spend anymore than he wants to regardless.

 

Seattle traded 4 guys for Castillo.

[Nick]

Realistic View at 2024

 

Not one of you have predicted any of our off season additions.

 

Just tons of BS.

 

Realistic view?

 

SP 1 Bello

SP 2 Giolito

SP 3 Kutter

SP 4 Houck

SP 5 Pivetta

SP 6 Whitlock

Breslow has said that Houck and Whitlock will be stretched in the spring.

[Bellhorn04]

Realistic View at 2024

 

Not one of you have predicted any of our off season additions.

 

Just tons of BS.

 

Realistic view?

 

SP 1 Bello

SP 2 Giolito

SP 3 Kutter

SP 4 Houck

SP 5 Pivetta

SP 6 Whitlock

Breslow has said that Houck and Whitlock will be stretched in the spring.

 

And that plan sucks, desperately.

[notin]

Hugh, if you agree this current Red Sox roster is even worse than their last two seasons when they were the fifth-best team in the division, then there is nothing wrong with playing the youngsters and giving them the opportunity to develop into full-time big leaguers. This is what bad teams do in a rebuild.

 

Ruining his confidence is overrated. If a player is good enough to excel at various minor league levels and make the majors, then he has earned his chance.

 

Almost all the guys on the MLB-26 have one or two skills that put them above all others in the system. Overall, modern batters swing and miss more than ever before, and fans have grown used to seeing it. But fielders constantly bumbling around on the diamond, misjudging or clanking balls in play, and throwing others away, is must-miss TV.

 

Rafaela's defense alone makes him worth watching.

 

I wonder if this whole “ruining a player’s confidence” is even a real consideration.

 

First of all, I haven’t met many ball players, but the ones I have met are not short on confidence. I’m not saying they are all arrogant *******s (but some definitely are), but I am saying I’ve never met one I believe would even be temporarily questioning himself after a failing for a few at bars or IP.

 

Not to mention, if such an issue did exist, why would teams want to avoid it by burying him in the minors longer? Do teams really want to build more confident (re:arrogant) ball players?

 

“Not wanting to ruin a player’s confidence” strikes me as team-speak for “we don’t want to rush him and see him eligible for arbitration at age 23 and free agency at 27.”

 

I think more decisions are made around money than actual baseball. The guys who pays these bills have gotten very successful keeping financial decisions financial…

[Hugh2]

I wonder if this whole “ruining a player’s confidence” is even a real consideration.

 

First of all, I haven’t met many ball players, but the ones I have met are not short on confidence. I’m not saying they are all arrogant *******s (but some definitely are), but I am saying I’ve never met one I believe would even be temporarily questioning himself after a failing for a few at bars or IP.

 

Not to mention, if such an issue did exist, why would teams want to avoid it by burying him in the minors longer? Do teams really want to build more confident (re:arrogant) ball players?

 

“Not wanting to ruin a player’s confidence” strikes me as team-speak for “we don’t want to rush him and see him eligible for arbitration at age 23 and free agency at 27.”

 

I think more decisions are made around money than actual baseball. The guys who pays these bills have gotten very successful keeping financial decisions financial…

 

 

Yeah, I never really bought into that either. The only time I think it could really screw with a guy is if they make an insanely aggressive move. Like promoting a guy from A ball to AA, and then straight to the majors after a month. Effectively going from A ball to the majors. Even then, I think the good ones will eventually set them selves right, but that can certainly mess with a kids development.

[Old Red]

Seattle traded 4 guys for Castillo.

 

All top prospects? The bottom line is this. If the Red Sox don’t sign any of the top high priced FA pitchers, which I have said all along I don’t believe they will then how to you propose the Red Sox are going to make the rotation better unless you make trades?

[Bellhorn04]

All top prospects? The bottom line is this. If the Red Sox don’t sign any of the top high priced FA pitchers, which I have said all along I don’t believe they will then how to you propose the Red Sox are going to make the rotation better unless you make trades?

 

Red, I'm more and more of the opinion they aren't doing either, signing or trading. Not this year. They're kicking it down the road some more, full throttle.

[Old Red]

Red, I'm more and more of the opinion they aren't doing either, signing or trading. Not this year. They're kicking it down the road some more, full throttle.

 

At the moment it seems more likely than not.

[Old Red]

And that plan sucks, desperately.

 

Except for Gio that would be a damm cheap starting rotation.

[Bellhorn04]

Except for Gio that would be a damm cheap starting rotation.

 

And their hope is that Gio can be traded in July.

 

Damn, they're making me cynical.

[mvp 78]

Who’s to say the Red Sox have to trade 3 guys for 1 young pitcher? BTV? JH is not going to spend anymore than he wants to regardless.

 

That's what the market bears. Pitching is EXPENSIVE. You pay in cash or in players.