Andrew’s 2025 Payroll Blueprint: Making the Sox better

[Andrew]

I added a couple of Ha Seong Kim and Hye Seong Kim to the middle infield which means we now should have a considerably higher floor and be able to rest Devers/have better replacement for when Story gets injured. It also allows Grissom to get reps in AAA and prove he's ready and healthy. I also added guys that while they're not on the list below, feel like suitable options. Chris Martin after all has been fantastic for us the last two years and I feel he absolutely should be at a $7 million valuation. Darwinzon Hernandez probably doesn't make sense to most people but he had the best K-BB% in all of the NPB last year of any pitcher with 48 or more IP (29.9%) which was considerably better than Roki Sasaki's 21.6% mark. He always had nasty stuff, but it looks like he's gotten better control of it and he had a single digit walk % in spite of his massive amount of strikeouts. He's definitely worth a shot at $5 million. Also we need a new closer and what better way to stick it to the Yankees than to grab Clay Holmes to lock down saves whenever Hendricks isn't available and $10 million is quite reasonable. 

• C: Connor Wong ($0.80M)
• 1B: Tristan Casas ($0.80M)
• 2B: Hye-Seong Kim ($8.00M)
• 3B: Rafael Devers ($27.07M)
• SS: Trevor Story ($22.50M)
• LF: Jarren Duran ($4.90M)
• CF: Ceddanne Rafaela ($1.25M)
• RF: Wilyer Abreu ($0.80M)
• DH: Masataka Yoshida ($18.60M)
• 4th OF: Rob Refsnyder ($2.25M)
• Utility: David Hamilton ($0.80M)
• Utility: Ha-Seong Kim ($12.00M)
• Backup C: Kyle Teel ($0.80M)
• NA: Add Dead Money Here ($0.00M)
• SP1: Tanner Houck ($4.50M)
• SP2: Kutter Crawford ($3.50M)
• SP3: Brayan Bello ($2.66M)
• SP4: Nick Pivetta ($21.00M)
• SP5: Lucas Giolito ($19.00M)
• RP: Liam Hendricks ($6.00M)
• RP: Clay Holmes ($10.00M)
• RP: Garrett Whitlock ($0.80M)
• RP: Justin Wilson ($0.80M)
• RP: Cooper Criswell ($0.80M)
• RP: Chris Martin ($7.00M)
• RP: Justin Slaten ($0.80M)
• RP: Darwinzon Hernandez ($5.00M)
• NA: Add Dead Money Here ($0.00M)

Payroll is 8.78% under budget

[Bellhorn04]

No Soto and no rotation upgrade.  No offense, Andrew, but this looks like just like the last few offseasons - fiscal restraint and a semi-punt, kickin' it down the road to the rosy future.  

Not really feeling Clay Holmes as a way to stick it to the Yanks.  That would be Soto.

[notin]

21 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

No Soto and no rotation upgrade.  No offense, Andrew, but this looks like just like the last few offseasons - fiscal restraint and a semi-punt, kickin' it down the road to the rosy future.  

Not really feeling Clay Holmes as a way to stick it to the Yanks.  That would be Soto.

But this roster with Hye-Seung Kim and Ha-Seung Kim does become the most confusing one ever…

[Hugh2]

38 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

No Soto and no rotation upgrade.  No offense, Andrew, but this looks like just like the last few offseasons - fiscal restraint and a semi-punt, kickin' it down the road to the rosy future.  

Not really feeling Clay Holmes as a way to stick it to the Yanks.  That would be Soto.

I think Clay Holmes is in play, he checks all the boxes for what Breslow/Bailey like. 

I'm actually fine with it.......just get someone else for the 9th. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Never mind the proposed additions. What struck me, looking at salaries, is that Yoshida will get paid more money this season than Duran, Casas, Abreu, Rafaela, Wong, Refsnyder and Hamilton combined. And Story -- the Sale of position players -- will get $4 million more than Masa.

And of the returning starting pitchers, Giolito -- who still hasn't thrown a pitch in an official Red Sox game yet -- will get paid more than Houck, Bello, Crawford, Whitlock and Criswell combined.

Even if the MLB payscale game is structured such, there always has to be some hard feelings (unsaid mostly, but existing) with such inequities on a roster of highly competitive pro athletes.

[Bellhorn04]

4 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Never mind the proposed additions. What struck me, looking at salaries, is that Yoshida will get paid more money this season than Duran, Casas, Abreu, Rafaela, Wong, Refsnyder and Hamilton combined. And Story -- the Sale of position players -- will get $4 million more than Masa.

And of the returning starting pitchers, Giolito -- who still hasn't thrown a pitch in an official Red Sox game yet -- will get paid more than Houck, Bello, Crawford, Whitlock and Criswell combined.

Even if the MLB payscale game is structured such, there always has to be some hard feelings (unsaid mostly, but existing) with such inequities on a roster of highly competitive pro athletes.

I think it's always been like this in pro sports, with teams made up of stars and plebes, haves and have-nots, it's just that the dollar amounts are so much larger now.

The MLB system is sort of fair - if you keep producing you will get your payday.  

[mvp 78]

1 hour ago, notin said:

But this roster with Hye-Seung Kim and Ha-Seung Kim does become the most confusing one ever…

When I saw that, I was 100% committed to this route.