Craig Breslow hired as Head Of Baseball Operations

[Hugh2]

Imagine a chief baseball officer, drafting for organizational needs!

 

... this may frustrate fans of the strategy of stockpiling high school shortstops, and trading them later for pitching (but those guys are already frustrated, since the last Sox middle infield prospect flipped for an arm may be Dubon for Thornburg, back when Dombro was clear-cutting the farmland).

 

I like Breslow better, and it's not even the dreadline yet.

 

Drafting for need? I mean I suppose they needed a new catcher in the low minors.

 

I think you have it mixed up for a few reasons.

 

First off, it's not so much that they draft pitching, but it's how highly those guys are regarded and how much money they put into them. There's a difference between drafting a pitcher in the 2rd round and paying him a million dollars vs. Drafting Dalton Rodgers and paying him $447k

 

Secondly, the "drafting highschool short stops" is insanely misleading. They aren't drafting highschool short stops, they're drafting baseball players. When they draft a SS out of highschool, they're drafting the best player available and moving him to 3B, to 2nd, to LF, to CF, to RF etc etc etc. You literally don't have to go any further back than last year to find a bunch of short stops playing all those positions know. They're not drafting these guys to "flip them" The Sox have two players drafted as SS playing LF/RF/3B in Worcester (Yorke/Lugo/Meidroth), down in Portland Kristian Campbell who was drafted as a SS has been playing mostly 2nd and CF, the list goes on.

 

Thirdly, this draft was considered the weakest in high school position players in years. https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2024-mlb-draft-class-could-be-among-weakest-ever-for-high-schoolers/

 

In the end, they drafted only 2 more pitchers last year than they did this year. 14 pitchers vs. 12.

 

You're drafting SS because 1/2 your roster is positions players so natually about 1/2 your draft is going to be position players. So if the best player on your HS/college team is a short stop, then with the caveat of the occasional catcher or outfielder than it makes sense and follows logic that a lot of your picks are going to be short stops.

 

I like the new strategy, and it's something I said I think the Sox might exactly do earlier in the year. Admitedly to get under some skin I said "watch the Sox go position player #1 and then draft primarily pitchers the rest of the way" But I wasn't surprised that was actually the case.

 

 

If you look at the draft year after year, for the most part, they've always drafted 1/2 pitchers. It's the money and investment that has lacked. 50% of their bonus pool is still going to a position player this year, it's not like Montgomery is going to be a huge underslot pick and they drafted a bunch of highly ranked pitchers afterwards they're going to throw money at is Conrad Cason who guess what?????? is 50% SS

Edited July 17, 2024 by A Red Sox fan named Hugh

[Hugh2]

The reason why you never draft for need is because your organziational needs are going to be 100% different by the time these guys get to the majors.

 

You draft, roughly 50% pitchers and 50% hitters every single year. For the most part, little has changed as the Sox drafted 2 pitchers more this year than last year....2.

 

However there is this. Here are the BA rankings of the Sox pitchers drafted in this draft.

 

82

212

289

124

210

175

 

Sox took roughly the same number of pitchers in last years draft but here are their BA rankings

 

474

385

 

That is all.

 

Its fun to look at the "SS' or the "P" next to their name, but it's the $$$$$ that matters.

[Bellhorn04]

All's I know is that I have a pretty comfortable feeling about Breslow being the right guy to run this team for a while.

 

My main source of anxiety right now is Cora's status for next year.

[Hugh2]

All's I know is that I have a pretty comfortable feeling about Breslow being the right guy to run this team for a while.

 

My main source of anxiety right now is Cora's status for next year.

 

Agreed, this draft was obviously a glimpse of a change of philosophy the Sox have made and a statement about piliing more resources into pitching.

 

I'm hoping one of these offseasons this also translates into buying a big name FA pitcher. This offseason will be a big test, Breslow will have a full year under his belt, and all things considered the 2024 team will be coming off a very good season in which they performed much better than expected, likely they will fall short of a WS but most fans will feel more optimistic about the future after 2024.

 

They will also have names like Burnes and Fried on the board.

Edited July 17, 2024 by A Red Sox fan named Hugh

[Bellhorn04]

Agreed, this draft was obviously a glimpse of a change of philosophy the Sox have made and a statement about piliing more resources into pitching.

 

I'm hoping one of these offseasons this also translates into buying a big name FA pitcher. This offseason will be a big test, Breslow will have a full year under his belt, and all things considered the 2024 team will be coming off a very good season in which they performed much better than expected, likely they will fall short of a WS but most fans will feel more optimistic about the future after 2024.

 

They will also have names like Burnes and Fried on the board.

 

But you have to wonder if they will remain risk averse, maybe forever, on signing pitchers who have reached the age of 30 to big contracts.

 

Hell, even big deals for 25 year old pitchers can be risky, as Yamamoto's injury would indicate.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I've just always felt that since pitching is name-the-number times more important than anything else in baseball, the easiest trade capital for an organization to horde is a surplus of (preferably college) arms.

 

Then again, since you can never have enough pitching, most conservative CBOs worrying about their jobs may be just as hesitant to deal them.

 

It really comes down to two things: personality and style of the guy charged with building rosters, and the blessings of the man who writes the checks.

[Dipre]

I've just always felt that since pitching is name-the-number times more important than anything else in baseball, the easiest trade capital for an organization to horde is a surplus of (preferably college) arms.

 

Then again, since you can never have enough pitching, most conservative CBOs worrying about their jobs may be just as hesitant to deal them.

 

It really comes down to two things: personality and style of the guy charged with building rosters, and the blessings of the man who writes the checks.

 

You are looking at a rainbow-colored subject with black and white glasses. That is not how things work, at all.

 

The "easiest" trade capital are good, projectable players. It's not an issue of position.

[Hugh2]

You are looking at a rainbow-colored subject with black and white glasses. That is not how things work, at all.

 

The "easiest" trade capital are good, projectable players. It's not an issue of position.

 

There's also something to the "do what you're good at" argument. Sox have always been better at drafting and developing position players. The fact that Bloom was trigger shy wasn't an indictment in that, it was a seperate issue.

 

They always could have traded for pitching, it's been done. Luis Basabe, Yoan Moncada, and Victor Diaz were all position players they trade for SALE.

 

I think we all agree the Sox could do more in drafting and developing players. But they've also ignored the IFA market and the free agent market to bring in talent as well over the years.

 

If the Sox are going to spend less on position players and more on pitchers in the draft then then better have the infrastructure to support it. Otherwise they're just pissing away money and will be worse off for it by having less Roman Anthony's and Marcelo Mayers in the system. Just drafting more pitchers alone means jack s***.

 

Just go ask the Angels how that works. They drafted 20 out of 20 pitchers in 2022 and have little to show for it.

 

Caden is their top ranked prospect, but he's not top 100 and after that they only have two other top 20 prosepcts in Mederos and Hurtado at 13 and 18. Keep in mind they have what is considered the worse system in baseball, they're ranked dead last by both fangraphs and MLB.

Edited July 17, 2024 by A Red Sox fan named Hugh

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

You are looking at a rainbow-colored subject with black and white glasses. That is not how things work, at all.

 

The "easiest" trade capital are good, projectable players. It's not an issue of position.

 

What do I know -- it's not like I've been working in big-market Boston's front office the past half decade, peering in cans and bins near the curbs of every driveway on garbage day for projectable pitchers scraped off the plates of all-night diners.

[Dipre]

wat?

[Bellhorn04]

wat?

 

We've been dumpster diving for starting pitchers since Bloom replaced DD.

[notin]

I've just always felt that since pitching is name-the-number times more important than anything else in baseball, the easiest trade capital for an organization to horde is a surplus of (preferably college) arms.

 

Then again, since you can never have enough pitching, most conservative CBOs worrying about their jobs may be just as hesitant to deal them.

 

It really comes down to two things: personality and style of the guy charged with building rosters, and the blessings of the man who writes the checks.

 

Are pitching prospects better trade capital? They tend to be more volatile, which might be why we got two of them for Alex Verdugo…

[notin]

We've been dumpster diving for starting pitchers since Bloom replaced DD.

 

Even Dombrowski brought in guys like Hector Velasquez and Sean O’Sullivan.

 

Did Bloom really dumpster dive for starters? He signed a lot of guys like Kluber, Richards, Perez, etc. but these weren’t cheap and not off the scrap heap. I might have a different interpretation on what constitutes a dumpster dive?

[Bellhorn04]

Even Dombrowski brought in guys like Hector Velasquez and Sean O’Sullivan.

 

Did Bloom really dumpster dive for starters? He signed a lot of guys like Kluber, Richards, Perez, etc. but these weren’t cheap and not off the scrap heap. I might have a different interpretation on what constitutes a dumpster dive?

 

By today's standards, a guarantee of $10 million or less seems close enough to a dumpster dive.

[notin]

By today's standards, a guarantee of $10 million or less seems close enough to a dumpster dive.

 

I struggle to think of that as a dumpster dive, especially for one year. Matt Strahm got 2 years $15mill in Philly and is an All Star this year. Is he a dumpster dive?

[Bellhorn04]

I struggle to think of that as a dumpster dive, especially for one year. Matt Strahm got 2 years $15mill in Philly and is an All Star this year. Is he a dumpster dive?

 

It's certainly not black and white.

 

I think the main point with the Sox is that $10 million was the MOST they signed a starting pitcher for in the years 2020-2023.

[moonslav59]

I'd say $7-14M is midlevel. ($10M Richards, Kluber and $7M for Wacha.)

Paxton ($10M/2,) Perez and Hill were upper level dumpster dives who did okay. Wink worked okay, too.

Cheapies: Weber, Mazza, Brewer, Godly, Hart, Kickham, Triggs, Peacock, Seabold did not work out well.

[moonslav59]

It's certainly not black and white.

 

I think the main point with the Sox is that $10 million was the MOST they signed a starting pitcher for in the years 2020-2023.

 

To me, this was a major reason we struggled from 2019-2023. (In 2019, we just extended Sale and Nate: we added no other SP'ers.)

[dgalehouse]

It was pretty obvious that Breslow was looking for pitching in the draft. And it kind of silenced the chorus chanting " Best player available. You can always trade them for pitching." They scoffed at those who wanted to draft more pitching. Now, the tune has changed.

[Bellhorn04]

I'd say $7-14M is midlevel. ($10M Richards, Kluber and $7M for Wacha.)

 

I would vehemently dispute that as midlevel, especially when it's only one year.

 

I mean the top level now is $325 million.

 

Midlevel would be more like a Kevin Gausman deal IMHO.

[notin]

It's certainly not black and white.

 

I think the main point with the Sox is that $10 million was the MOST they signed a starting pitcher for in the years 2020-2023.

 

I just question whether Kluber, Richard, etc. constitute dumpster diving. Bernardino? Littell? Schreiber? Those guys and a few more are what I consider “dumpster diving.”

[notin]

I would vehemently dispute that as midlevel, especially when it's only one year.

 

I mean the top level now is $325 million.

 

Midlevel would be more like a Kevin Gausman deal IMHO.

 

I think a median would better demonstrate mid level instead of a mean.

 

Granted, a median is a tall order to get…

[mvp 78]

By today's standards, a guarantee of $10 million or less seems close enough to a dumpster dive.

 

Carlos Hi Ho Silva was a dumpster dive. Corey Kluber was not.

[mvp 78]

I would vehemently dispute that as midlevel, especially when it's only one year.

 

I mean the top level now is $325 million.

 

Midlevel would be more like a Kevin Gausman deal IMHO.

 

Out of touch.

[Bellhorn04]

I just question whether Kluber, Richard, etc. constitute dumpster diving. Bernardino? Littell? Schreiber? Those guys and a few more are what I consider “dumpster diving.”

 

I guess you could call Kluber/Richard types bargain bin or thrift store purchases.

[moonslav59]

It was pretty obvious that Breslow was looking for pitching in the draft. And it kind of silenced the chorus chanting " Best player available. You can always trade them for pitching." They scoffed at those who wanted to draft more pitching. Now, the tune has changed.

 

When we draft a pitcher in the first round, I will be convinced, but you are correct in noting a change was made.

 

We did still draft an everyday player in 2 of the top 4 picks (1 and 4.) The lower picks are not as significant, and "best available" is not such a clear thing. They all have very similar value, with some having more "sure value" vs others with more "upside value." (Pitchers seem to have more upside value.)

 

I like this draft, on paper.

[Bellhorn04]

Out of touch.

 

Can't decipher.

[mvp 78]

I guess you could call Kluber/Richard types bargain bin or thrift store purchases.

 

Is there an exchange rate issue where you don't think 10M is a lot of $$$? I don't get it.

[notin]

I guess you could call Kluber/Richard types bargain bin or thrift store purchases.

 

Kluber was a 3 fWAR pitcher the year before. That has to count for something…

[mvp 78]

Kluber was a 3 fWAR pitcher the year before. That has to count for something…

 

Bell shops at some fancy as bargain bins!