Craig Breslow hired as Head Of Baseball Operations

[mvp 78]

MLB.com picks the New York teams as most likely to win the Yamamoto sweepstakes because of this evidence... "they're the Yankees and the Mets!"

 

The Red Sox are third, presumably because they're not...

 

If the Skanks do get Yo Yama, will it change the next generation of AL East baseball? Depends -- maybe we can get an idea by looking at the recent Masahiro Tanaka Era: Tanka joined the majors at age 25, wearing pinstripes from 2014-2020. In that time he led all Yankees in innings pitched and victories (well ahead of runner-up CC Sabathia; more than double the rest) -- as a top starter on the AL's winningest club (no, the Yanks didn't win any pennants in the crapshooting postseason... while the Red Sox won a World Series and finished last five other times).

 

Tanka also did ok in 10 postseason starts, with a WHIP of 0.981.

 

Seven years for $155M, plus a $20M posting fee = $25M annual expense. So was Tanaka worth the investment?

 

MLB writers are pretty bad. MLBpipeline is generally less reliable than other sources. They definitely fall into the clickbait ESPN East Coast bias type stuff.

[mvp 78]

Today is the first day of the Winter Meetings. Time for Breslow to earn his keep. He's reportedly been busy hiring additional pitching coordinators throughout the system.

[moonslav59]

Today is the first day of the Winter Meetings. Time for Breslow to earn his keep. He's reportedly been busy hiring additional pitching coordinators throughout the system.

 

That's a good start.

 

He's probably identified several trade targets and determined which prospects he's more likely to part with.

 

The heavy action should start soon.

 

Tuesday: Draft Lottery

 

Wednesday: Rule 5 Draft

[mvp 78]

That's a good start.

 

He's probably identified several trade targets and determined which prospects he's more likely to part with.

 

The heavy action should start soon.

 

Tuesday: Draft Lottery

 

Wednesday: Rule 5 Draft

 

I'm so glad the auditors will be out here bothering me on Wednesday interrupting me watching the draft. Hmph...

[mvp 78]

@byJulianMack

The Red Sox have hired Justin Willard as their director of pitching according to multiple sources. Willard recently served as pitching coordinator for the Twins.

[notin]

I'm so glad the auditors will be out here bothering me on Wednesday interrupting me watching the draft. Hmph...

 

I’m thinking if Breslow likes Bryan Mata at all, the Sox will pass on the Rule 5 draft….

[mvp 78]

I’m thinking if Breslow likes Bryan Mata at all, the Sox will pass on the Rule 5 draft….

 

Why? Just because you take a pick doesn't mean you're married to the guy for 162 games. You can always return them. Guys get injured, especially Mata. Also, they probably want to SEE Mata in ST. Just making a pick in Rule 5 costs virtually nothing. They have open 40 man spots to do so. They also have open AA and AAA spots for the MiLB portion if the Cubs, Giants, Twins or Other left guys available that Breslow/Bailey/Willard/et al like.

[moonslav59]

Why? Just because you take a pick doesn't mean you're married to the guy for 162 games. You can always return them. Guys get injured, especially Mata. Also, they probably want to SEE Mata in ST. Just making a pick in Rule 5 costs virtually nothing. They have open 40 man spots to do so. They also have open AA and AAA spots for the MiLB portion if the Cubs, Giants, Twins or Other left guys available that Breslow/Bailey/Willard/et al like.

 

If the plan is to add 2 pitchers to the 26, it's pretty crowded, even if 1-2 of the top 13 start on the IL.

 

I get the point about nothing to lose, but it would take a lot of injuries for a Rule 5 guy to stick. I agree on the no remaining options- Mata approach, assuming he's not traded. Watch him in ST'ing and make the choice.

 

We don't have many great pitchers on the 40, but we do have a boatload of decent and or promising pitchers that rate to be better than Mata and a Rule 5 addition:

 

Options remaining:

 

10 out of 13 are locks, if healthy...

None: Sale, Jansen, Martin, Pivetta

1:

2: Bello, Houck, Crawford, Wink

3: Whitlock, Schreiber

 

Borderline making 13 man MLB staff on opening day:

(Only 1 makes it, assuming we add 2 and no injuries)

0: Mata (I think he gets traded or DFA'd, unless 3-4 guys get hurt.)

1: Bernardino

2: Campbell, Murphy, Robertson, Walter

3: Kelly (Wikelman & Perales not MLB ready)

 

DFA? (Not considered for MLB opening day roster)

0: Llovera

2: Jacques, Weiss

[Old Red]

The Red Sox will not hire a new 3B coach as he will come from the present staff.

[Randy Red Sox]

That's a good start.

 

He's probably identified several trade targets and determined which prospects he's more likely to part with.

 

The heavy action should start soon.

 

 

Tuesday: Draft Lottery

 

Wednesday: Rule 5 Draft

 

The rule 5 draft was always a highlight in the bloom era.

[Bellhorn04]

The rule 5 draft was always a highlight in the bloom era.

 

True. I didn't pay much attention to it until Bloom came along.

[notin]

The rule 5 draft was always a highlight in the bloom era.

 

He made two picks in 4 years. And one of them was Jonathan Arauz…

[moonslav59]

The rule 5 draft was always a highlight in the bloom era.

 

LOL

 

Certainly a top 5 move.

 

(Not listed in any particular order.)

 

Pivetta

Whitlock

Martin

Schwarber

Turner

Schreiber

Wacha

Jansen

Renfroe

 

Maybe Abreu, Bernardino or Wink

 

(Drafts & IFA prospects not included.)

 

It's a list devoid of any current stars. That's for sure.

[Randy Red Sox]

He made two picks in 4 years. And one of them was Jonathan Arauz…

 

and the rest of the time he spent hunting through the BB.

[notin]

and the rest of the time he spent hunting through the BB.

 

People freak out about that but it’s part of every GM/CBOs job. Especially when you’re not allowed to spend limitlessly. Was Bloom supposed to stop everything once he reached his budget limit?

 

Everyone does that. Did you notice last week Kaleb Ort got claimed again?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

People freak out about that but it’s part of every GM/CBOs job. Especially when you’re not allowed to spend limitlessly. Was Bloom supposed to stop everything once he reached his budget limit?

 

Everyone does that. Did you notice last week Kaleb Ort got claimed again?

 

Was it ever proven as fact that Bloom's budget was limited or that he even spent right up to the limit? Is it possible he was just more bad than good on what he spent it on? Did he even care about limits; after all, he chose to stay over the tax threshold at the '22 deadline...

 

For all we know, maybe it was just Bloom's personality or professional approach that often saw the Red Sox interested in free agents, but outbid at the last minute -- except for the quick strike on Yoshida. We do know he was always hesitant to spend prospect capital and make trades. Still hard to believe he refused to sell high on Paxton and acquire more prospects...

[Bellhorn04]

Was it ever proven as fact that Bloom's budget was limited or that he even spent right up to the limit? Is it possible he was just more bad than good on what he spent it on? Did he even care about limits; after all, he chose to stay over the tax threshold at the '22 deadline...

 

For all we know, maybe it was just Bloom's personality or professional approach that often saw the Red Sox interested in free agents, but outbid at the last minute -- except for the quick strike on Yoshida. We do know he was always hesitant to spend prospect capital and make trades. Still hard to believe he refused to sell high on Paxton and acquire more prospects...

 

Bloom dithered on buying at the deadline and he dithered on selling at the deadline. The poor fellow became paralyzed.

[moonslav59]

Was it ever proven as fact that Bloom's budget was limited or that he even spent right up to the limit? Is it possible he was just more bad than good on what he spent it on? Did he even care about limits; after all, he chose to stay over the tax threshold at the '22 deadline...

 

For all we know, maybe it was just Bloom's personality or professional approach that often saw the Red Sox interested in free agents, but outbid at the last minute -- except for the quick strike on Yoshida. We do know he was always hesitant to spend prospect capital and make trades. Still hard to believe he refused to sell high on Paxton and acquire more prospects...

 

I find it hard to believe he chose to not spend what he was allowed to spend, but I guess it's possible.

 

He did choose a lot of bad moves- signings and trades, but when you stack up the good, the meh and the bad, I don't think it would look as bad as many seem to think it was. Of course, many are subjective, and when spending $1-5M on the vast majority of additions, and expectation ffactor should also be applied.

 

I expected him to do better with the "BB" moves, but he did hit on a few.

 

He really sucked on his $10M deals (Richards, Kike II and Kluber,) and his biggest signings (Story & Yoshida) are off to poor starts.

 

 

 

[moonslav59]

Bloom dithered on buying at the deadline and he dithered on selling at the deadline. The poor fellow became paralyzed.

 

 

He made some key moves at the '21 deadline.

 

He made several moves at the '22 deadline (buying and selling.) Nothing major, though, except Vaz.

 

He dithered at the '23 deadline.

 

[Bellhorn04]

He made some key moves at the '21 deadline.

 

He made several moves at the '22 deadline (buying and selling.) Nothing major, though, except Vaz.

 

He dithered at the '23 deadline.

 

 

He made a few moves at the '22 deadline but nothing that significantly helped the team, as the results showed.

[Old Red]

He made a few moves at the '22 deadline but nothing that significantly helped the team, as the results showed.

 

Bloom got a LF when the team needed a CF/RF, and was handed a much needed 1B. He also went over the CBT in the process, and yes the lack of good results showed.

[Bellhorn04]

Bloom got a LF when the team needed a CF/RF, and was handed a much needed 1B. He also went over the CBT in the process, and yes the lack of good results showed.

 

Just to clarify - Bloom did not "go over" at the 22 deadline, the problem for many is that he "stayed over" when he had the chance to "get under" by trading Bogaerts/JD/Nate etc.

[Old Red]

Just to clarify - Bloom did not "go over" at the 22 deadline, the problem for many is that he "stayed over" when he had the chance to "get under" by trading Bogaerts/JD/Nate etc.

 

Yes I misspoke about going over at the deadline, but he did stay over as his results of comings, and goings, or lack of the latter.

[Bellhorn04]

Yes I misspoke about going over at the deadline, but he did stay over as his results of comings, and goings, or lack of the latter.

 

I'd say he proved that the third fork in the road leads nowhere.

[Old Red]

I'd say he proved that the third fork in the road leads nowhere.

 

As only Bloom could do.

[notin]

Was it ever proven as fact that Bloom's budget was limited or that he even spent right up to the limit? Is it possible he was just more bad than good on what he spent it on? Did he even care about limits; after all, he chose to stay over the tax threshold at the '22 deadline...

 

For all we know, maybe it was just Bloom's personality or professional approach that often saw the Red Sox interested in free agents, but outbid at the last minute -- except for the quick strike on Yoshida. We do know he was always hesitant to spend prospect capital and make trades. Still hard to believe he refused to sell high on Paxton and acquire more prospects...

 

Of course his budget was limited. They all have a limited budget. None GM ever has been able to spend limitlessly.

 

What he spent it on was a different matter altogether and completely independent of how much he was able to spend…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Of course his budget was limited. They all have a limited budget. None GM ever has been able to spend limitlessly.

 

What he spent it on was a different matter altogether and completely independent of how much he was able to spend…

 

Cohen, circa 2023: "Remember, you can only sign two pitchers pushing 40 years old for $40 million AAV apiece -- just two, no more!"

[mvp 78]

True. I didn't pay much attention to it until Bloom came along.

 

It wasn't a big deal until Whitlock. Carrying Arauz moved the needle a little.

[moonslav59]

He made a few moves at the '22 deadline but nothing that significantly helped the team, as the results showed.

 

I agree, but I would not call making 4-5 moves "dithering." I'd call it a failure to pick a lane or address the major needs of the team.

Vaz for Abreu & EValdez

Diekman for McGuire & Broadway

Northcut for Pham

Groome for Hosmer, M Ferguson & C Rosier

Cash for Almonte

Edited December 5, 2023 by moonslav59

[mvp 78]

I find it hard to believe he chose to not spend what he was allowed to spend, but I guess it's possible.

 

He did choose a lot of bad moves- signings and trades, but when you stack up the good, the meh and the bad, I don't think it would look as bad as many seem to think it was. Of course, many are subjective, and when spending $1-5M on the vast majority of additions, and expectation ffactor should also be applied.

 

I expected him to do better with the "BB" moves, but he did hit on a few.

 

He really sucked on his $10M deals (Richards, Kike II and Kluber,) and his biggest signings (Story & Yoshida) are off to poor starts.

 

 

 

 

You can find it hard that he chose not to spend, but the owners were upset he failed to make moves at the most recent deadlines. How do you make moves without spending?