Red Sox sign Alex Bregman

[Hugh2]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

What he gives you is equal or better offense and PLUS PLUS defense, something you've been crowing about for a while now. 

He also gives a guy who can stay on the field and be a starter.  Real leadership in the clubhouse.  

[Hitch]

Alex Bregman’s CBT hit will be $31.7 million after deferrals, source tells MassLive.

 

Cortillo

[Old Red]

2 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

What he gives you is equal or better offense and PLUS PLUS defense, something you've been crowing about for a while now. 

Is he a plus plus 2B? How’s he turn the DP? Is just equal, or yet to be determined better offense worth $40M?

[harmony]

From Wikipedia: Alex Bregman "was a batboy for the University of New Mexico baseball team, and in 2004 served as a batboy for a game against Arizona State University and his then-favorite baseball player, Dustin Pedroia. His best friend is Blake Swihart, who played for the Boston Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks. Bregman and Swihart played travel ball together growing up."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Bregman

Bregman's father, Sam Bregman, is the current district attorney in Albuquerque, serving Bernalillo County.

🙂🙂🙂

[notin]

1 hour ago, Old Red said:

Is he a plus plus 2B? How’s he turn the DP? Is just equal, or yet to be determined better offense worth $40M?

He was SS at LSU.  Thats something.

Only 9 career games at 2b.  All with Houston…

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, sk7326 said:

Yoshida is an underwater contract ... hopefully the team has the flexibility to just cut him if it comes down to it ... as Don Draper put it "That's What the Money is For"

He's not a min wage player, so we should be able to save something via a trade.

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, Hitch said:

I think Abreu is going to get his hits against lefties this year. A hunch anyway. 

I hope so.

We will not promote Anthony to platoon.

Maybe Campbell could play RF vs LHPs and 2B vs RHPs, so he'd be FT.

Maybe Anthony could play CF vs RHPs and RF vs LHPs, with Duran moving to LF vs RHPs (Ref plays LF vs LHPs.)

I'm a big Abreu fan, but he was horrific vs LHPs, last year and had bad splits in the minors, too.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Hitch said:

Alex Bregman’s CBT hit will be $31.7 million after deferrals, source tells MassLive.

Cortillo

According to some sources, that puts us right on the tax line.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Old Red said:

Is he a plus plus 2B? How’s he turn the DP? Is just equal, or yet to be determined better offense worth $40M?

I can't see him being worth $40M at 2B.

His splits at Fenway give us hope he can improve on his .795 five year OPS, but he needs to play 3B to get the most value out of him and FOR THE TEAM!

If we trade Casas, we might be worse on O with Breg vs Casas.

 

[dgalehouse]

1 hour ago, Old Red said:

Is he a plus plus 2B? How’s he turn the DP? Is just equal, or yet to be determined better offense worth $40M?

As I said before, it is Cora's job to decide where he plays. And Cora should be accountable for the results. 

[Old Red]

20 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I can't see him being worth $40M at 2B.

His splits at Fenway give us hope he can improve on his .795 five year OPS, but he needs to play 3B to get the most value out of him and FOR THE TEAM!

If we trade Casas, we might be worse on O with Breg vs Casas.

 

I can’t see Casas being traded at this point this year. Masa is the one that somehow has to be dealt with.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Old Red said:

I can’t see Casas being traded at this point this year. Masa is the one that somehow has to be dealt with.

If only someone wanted Masa.

Cora makes the call, but to me, the best team on O and D is having Bregman at 3B and Casas/Devers on a 1B/DH share.

Everything else is secondary and less impactful, such as what do we do with Masa?

Trade, Bench, Demote, play in LF are the 4 major options, unless he's on the IL. 

Play in LF hurts the D, but not by as much as we added with Bregman at 3B. Play LF w Duran in CF and Abreu/Rafaela platooning RF is better O than Rafaela playing CF FT, but the CF and RF D stays about the same.

Trade makes sense, if we can find a taker and save a few $million.

Bench wastes a bench spot for basically a DH/back-up DH/emergency LF'er sub.

Demote helps nobody and hurts his value. (Might as well trade or DFA.)

I know the team has said they want Rafaela to play CF as much as possible, but they also said Masa may get time in LF, so that pushes Duran to CF. 

Something has to give. I just hope it's not a Casas trade. To me, there is a drop off on O from Casas to Yoshida at DH. We can't afford a drop off on O, especially vs LHPs, where Casas is one of our best hitter and has been better than Masa and Bregman, recently.

[Jasonbay44]

I’m fully against a Casas trade, especially right now when I believe they’d be selling low. 

[harmony]

1 minute ago, moonslav59 said:

If only someone wanted Masa.

Cora makes the call, but to me, the best team on O and D is having Bregman at 3B and Casas/Devers on a 1B/DH share.

Everything else is secondary and less impactful, such as what do we do with Masa?

Trade, Bench, Demote, play in LF are the 4 major options, unless he's on the IL. 

Play in LF hurts the D, but not by as much as we added with Bregman at 3B. Play LF w Duran in CF and Abreu/Rafaela platooning RF is better O than Rafaela playing CF FT, but the CF and RF D stays about the same.

Trade makes sense, if we can find a taker and save a few $million.

Bench wastes a bench spot for basically a DH/back-up DH/emergency LF'er sub.

Demote helps nobody and hurts his value. (Might as well trade or DFA.)

I know the team has said they want Rafaela to play CF as much as possible, but they also said Masa may get time in LF, so that pushes Duran to CF. 

Something has to give. I just hope it's not a Casas trade. To me, there is a drop off on O from Casas to Yoshida at DH. We can't afford a drop off on O, especially vs LHPs, where Casas is one of our best hitter and has been better than Masa and Bregman, recently.

In order to reduce 2026-27 payroll, how much money should the Red Sox be willing to send in a trade of Masataka Yoshida and Vaughn Grissom to Seattle for Mitch Haniger?

On Thursday Baseball Trade Values assigned Yoshida a negative value of $29.2 million, Grissom a surplus value of $2.4 million and Haniger a negative value of $15.5 million. Yoshida has three years left on his contract and Haniger has one year remaining. Grissom has five years of team control.

[moonslav59]

2 minutes ago, Jasonbay44 said:

I’m fully against a Casas trade, especially right now when I believe they’d be selling low. 

Not only "selling low," but it seems like the 1Bman stock as a position has taken a tumble, this winter. Trades for decent 1Bmen got bad returns. 1Bmen FAs seemed to sell at decent prices- not inflated, like everyone else.

I also feel like Casas could have a mega bustout season in 2025.

[moonslav59]

9 minutes ago, harmony said:

In order to reduce 2026-27 payroll, how much money should the Red Sox be willing to send in a trade of Masataka Yoshida and Vaughn Grissom to Seattle for Mitch Haniger?

On Thursday Baseball Trade Values assigned Yoshida a negative value of $29.2 million, Grissom a surplus value of $2.4 million and Haniger a negative value of $15.5 million. Yoshida has three years left on his contract and Haniger has one year remaining. Grissom has five years of team control.

Well, on the surface, Yoshida for Haniger, straight up would need $14M going to SEA, Maybe $7M in '26 and $7M in '27, but I really can't see why SEA wants to pay Yoshida $11M x 2 after 2025. Grissom might make them think he's worth the gamble.

I'd trade Grissom, Yoshida + $14M for Garver. (I'd probably give $20M.)

Do you think SEA would prefer DHam over Grissom?

[harmony]

3 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Well, on the surface, Yoshida for Haniger, straight up would need $14M going to SEA, Maybe $7M in '26 and $7M in '27, but I really can't see why SEA wants to pay Yoshida $11M x 2 after 2025. Grissom might make them think he's worth the gamble.

I'd trade Grissom, Yoshida + $14M for Garver. (I'd probably give $20M.)

Do you think SEA would prefer DHam over Grissom?

The Mariner probably would not prefer David Hamilton at his BTV surplus value of $13.8 million.

Seattle podcasters today mentioned Hamilton as a potential 2026 utility replacement for Dylan Moore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yhH2WcB-zo&list=PLwuw1WOff-eeWrIYDKFgSyWgsX5_uGLLu20.

At 27:20.

 

[moonslav59]

9 minutes ago, harmony said:

The Mariner probably would not prefer David Hamilton at his BTV surplus value of $13.8 million.

Seattle podcasters today mentioned Hamilton as a potential 2026 utility replacement for Dylan Moore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yhH2WcB-zo&list=PLwuw1WOff-eeWrIYDKFgSyWgsX5_uGLLu20.

At 27:20.

I mentioned DHam as he bats LH'd, and we just added a RHB IF'er.

His value is higher than Grissom, so maybe we could save more on Masa by sending him over Grissom. (I guess BTV says $10M more.)

Masa+ $12-20M & Grissom for Garver.

Masas +$2-12M & DHam for Garver.

[harmony]

4 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I mentioned DHam as he bats LH'd, and we just added a RHB IF'er.

His value is higher than Grissom, so maybe we could save more on Masa by sending him over Grissom. (I guess BTV says $10M more.)

Masa+ $12-20M & Grissom for Garver.

Masas +$2-12M & DHam for Garver.

Seattle is unlikely to trade Mitch Garver, who is a likelier bounceback candidate than Mitch Haniger.

[moonslav59]

8 minutes ago, harmony said:

Seattle is unlikely to trade Mitch Garver, who is a likelier bounceback candidate than Mitch Haniger.

I meant Haniger. My bad.

The only advantages we get is that Haniger bats RH'd and could possibly platoon with Abreu (esp in away parks) and has one year left to pay.

He could end up being traded or DFA'd, if Anthony gets the call.

This is purely about getting out from as much of Masa's deal as possible. I like DHam and have not given up on Grissom, yet, but they seem to be squeezed, now, and certainly when Campbell gets the call.

[moonslav59]

I'm 99% certain Yoshida begins the season with the Sox. He will be on the 26 or the 10 Day IL.

He still has value, even if Devers and Casas are moved to a near FT pair-share of 1B & DH.

He cannot build more value, if he doesn't play.

There are other players that still have something to prove or think they have earned a right to show 2024 was no fluke.

Abreu might feel he deserves a chance to play FT.

Refsnyder has every right to believe he should start vs every LHP, either at DH or corner OF.

Rafaela probably thinks he deserves a FT role in CF or as a CF/utility guy that plays 150 games.

Duran has earned a FT role, but where? LF, CF or both?

Anthony must think 2025 is his call-up year.

Yoshida probably think he deserves to play everyday, or at least vs every RHP, as a DH or short corner OF.

That's 6 guys for 3 OF slots, without mentioning Campbell's ability to play OF.

The DH slot could be a Dever-Casas share with 1B or a Yoshida-Refsnyder platoon, or someway to mix and match.

1B: Casas or Devers and Casas. 3B: Bregman or Devers, or both.

SS: Story with Mayer waiting for his shot. (Rafaela & Romy as depth)

2B: Campbell FT? Bregman FT or to start of at 2B or some share set-up at 2B and 3B? DHam-Romy platoon to start 2025? DHam-Grissom platoon? I have to think DHam thinks he should get serious consideration as a platoon at 2B. His D was plus. He stole a ton of bases in half a season. He hit RHPs, pretty well, after his slow start.

Add Wong and Narvaez and I'm not sure how many players I mentioned, but it's way over 13.

[Jasonbay44]

3 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Not only "selling low," but it seems like the 1Bman stock as a position has taken a tumble, this winter. Trades for decent 1Bmen got bad returns. 1Bmen FAs seemed to sell at decent prices- not inflated, like everyone else.

I also feel like Casas could have a mega bustout season in 2025.

I agree. I think due to his talent and age he’s someone to definitely keep heading into the season. It doesn’t make much sense to trade him while he’s being paid the league minimum, coming off a basically lost season due to injuries. 

[moonslav59]

6 hours ago, Jasonbay44 said:

I agree. I think due to his talent and age he’s someone to definitely keep heading into the season. It doesn’t make much sense to trade him while he’s being paid the league minimum, coming off a basically lost season due to injuries. 

There is just no way I trade Casas, so we can find room for Yoshida to get ABs without playing in the OF.

[notin]

11 hours ago, Old Red said:

I can’t see Casas being traded at this point this year. Masa is the one that somehow has to be dealt with.

Both will start for the Sox this year.  And why does either need to be “dealt with?”  Somewhere along the line, the sports media started pushing this idea that “depth” was a bad thing, often equating it to a controversy.  Probably around the same time they coined the phrase “team chemistry” and droned on and on about its importance.

 

It’s not too late to deal Casas, the same as Yoshida.  We’ve all seen trades happen deep into March.  One year, Craig Kimbrel was dealt right before opening day…

[notin]

18 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

There is just no way I trade Casas, so we can find room for Yoshida to get ABs without playing in the OF.

Depth has a way of sorting itself out.  No need to do anything…

[notin]

How is that not “selling low”?

If you sell when prices deflate or when the market bottoms out, you’re selling low…

[Hitch]

10 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

If only someone wanted Masa.

Cora makes the call, but to me, the best team on O and D is having Bregman at 3B and Casas/Devers on a 1B/DH share.

Everything else is secondary and less impactful, such as what do we do with Masa?

Trade, Bench, Demote, play in LF are the 4 major options, unless he's on the IL. 

Play in LF hurts the D, but not by as much as we added with Bregman at 3B. Play LF w Duran in CF and Abreu/Rafaela platooning RF is better O than Rafaela playing CF FT, but the CF and RF D stays about the same.

they also said Masa may get time in LF, so that pushes Duran to CF. 

Not happening - Masa is not taking the field in left. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Yoshida may be owed more money than Haniger, but if I'm the Red Sox, I'm not including any additional cash if Grissom is included in the deal.

Grissom has years of control at minimum wage, and gained 20 pounds this winter! 

And for anyone who has ever lifted weights at any time in their lives -- without chemical supplements -- you know that is nigh impossible, unless you eat steaks and drink milk shakes every day for breakfast, and then sit on the couch and watch Netflix all day.

Quick, sell fat.

[moonslav59]

9 minutes ago, Hitch said:

Not happening - Masa is not taking the field in left. 

They already said he will be, so there is that.

The worst choice is playing Masas at DH, so Bregman can play 2B, Devers 3B and Casas 1B.

[Hitch]

2 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

They already said he will be, so there is that.

The worst choice is playing Masas at DH, so Bregman can play 2B, Devers 3B and Casas 1B.

Cora said it once, and if you think it was for any other reason than trying to add value so they can dump him I think you're in for a surprise. Cortillo, McAdam's and Meloni all think this as well. 

Cora and Breslow clearly don't rate the guy. I don't blame them.

Also Bregman is not playing 2B so Massa can play. Nobody is playing anywhere just so Masaa can play. He's an afterthought, an annoyance. Not a part they're figuring stuff out around.