A Realistic View of the 2025 Red Sox: Part II

[mvp 78]

5 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Mayer fell into Bloom’s lap after 3 other teams passed on him. 

That has nothing to do with anything. 

[Old Red]

5 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

That has nothing to do with anything. 

It mens EVERYTHING if you’re giving Bloom kudos for picking him.

[Old Red]

9 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

He struggled with an injury last season, but is rocking a 824 OPS right now. He's also best friends with Raffy and would be instrumental in pulling Raffy out of his current slump. 

Oh, so now it’s a slump, and he’s not injured?

[Nick]

1 hour ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Zack Scott who worked in the Sox front office at the time totally disputed the idea that Betts didn't want to stay.  He said Betts just wanted to be paid market value and the Sox had self-imposed limits that they were sticking to.

I'll buy that! I really don't have any source.

[Old Red]

45 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Exactly,  but for now, you'll pretend you were indifferent or supported him.

I’m not claiming indifference, or support for Brez. At the time I was just glad to get out from the Gloom, and Doom of Bloom. Brez wouldn’t have been my first choice, and I don’t think he was the Red Sox first choice either, but most importantly he was willing and available, and Theo probably put I a good word for him also. If things work out great, but if the don’t I won’t say I told you so either.

[mvp 78]

6 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Oh, so now it’s a slump, and he’s not injured?

He could have taken the guy he wanted to begin with: Jordan Lawlar. Lawlar is ranked higher than Mayer on some rankings. 

DD took the guy that fell and that didn't work out: Jay Groome.

[mvp 78]

9 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Oh, so now it’s a slump, and he’s not injured?

I believe he's injured, but it's clear that he's going through it one way or another. The injury has definitely made him slump. 

[Old Red]

Just now, mvp 78 said:

He could have taken the guy he wanted to begin with: Jordan Lawlar. Lawlar is ranked higher than Mayer on some rankings. 

DD took the guy that fell and that didn't work out: Jay Groome.

 

Just now, mvp 78 said:

He could have taken the guy he wanted to begin with: Jordan Lawlar. Lawlar is ranked higher than Mayer on some rankings. 

DD took the guy that fell and that didn't work out: Jay Groome.

The big question to me is what would BLOOM have done if he had the first pick?

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, Old Red said:

 

The big question to me is what would BLOOM have done if he had the first pick?

Traded it to the Cowboys for 3 first round picks, 3 second round picks, a third round pick and a sixth round pick.

[Old Red]

2 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I believe he's injured, but it's clear that he's going through it one way or another. The injury has definitely made him slump. 

The is NO known evidence to us fans that Raffy is still injured at all. As I have said all along it could be a combination of bad habits, and mechanics all out of whack as the result of the injuries from last year, but until I hear different I don’t think he’s hurting at least physically. The pictures I saw of him yesterday side by side of 2024, and 2025 it looks like he’s got more girth in his trunk this year. In other words not the best of shape he could be in, so that’s all on him. Just saying. Pap might have had something there.

[Old Red]

7 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Traded it to the Cowboys for 3 first round picks, 3 second round picks, a third round pick and a sixth round pick.

If you want to give Bloom kudos for picking Mayer fine, May end up as a real steal.

[mvp 78]

17 minutes ago, Old Red said:

The is NO known evidence to us fans that Raffy is still injured at all. As I have said all along it could be a combination of bad habits, and mechanics all out of whack as the result of the injuries from last year, but until I hear different I don’t think he’s hurting at least physically. The pictures I saw of him yesterday side by side of 2024, and 2025 it looks like he’s got more girth in his trunk this year. In other words not the best of shape he could be in, so that’s all on him. Just saying. Pap might have had something there.

If simply gaining 10lbs is enough to get him to a 75% k rate, may as well write off the last 5 years of that deal now.

[Nick]

I was looking at Cot's.

It just astounds me that LA luxury tax payroll sits at $403M and the Yankees at $306M. We're at $240M. Geez, what can we buy for another $160M?

[Old Red]

4 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

If simply gaining 10lbs is enough to get him to a 75% k rate, may as well write off the last 5 years of that deal now.

Who said that gaining 10 lbs would make Raffy not being able to hit the ball? Reading comprehension? I’ve said all along it’s a combination of things, and injuries isn’t one of them. This is all on Raffy. If he’s hurt he hasn’t said anything, and if he’s not he’s just not hitting, and it’s up to him to get out of it, and start hitting again. This poor, poor Raffy thing is not on Cora. Raffy is making himself look foolish. Cora shouldn’t be dropping him down the batting order, resting him, or sending him down to Woo. Raffy is the one who kept putting off playing in a ST game, because he wanted to work on his swing in live BP, and in the cage. If he’s hurt he’s hurt, but if he’s not he needs to work his way out of it.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

He could have taken the guy he wanted to begin with: Jordan Lawlar. Lawlar is ranked higher than Mayer on some rankings. 

You can also make the point that Mayer was not chosen by several other GMs, but Bloom did not pass on him. He did still have other choices, even beyond Lawlar. 

I think some posters were pointing to Lawlar's earlier call-up as evidence that Bloom kinda-maybe shoulda taken him.

[mvp 78]

57 minutes ago, Old Red said:

The pictures I saw of him yesterday side by side of 2024, and 2025 it looks like he’s got more girth in his trunk this year. In other words not the best of shape he could be in, so that’s all on him. Just saying. Pap might have had something there.

“I’m just saying, you trim fat, pigs squeal,” Papelbon repeated. “That’s what you’re looking for, your pigs to squeal. And hit home runs."

"Who said that gaining 10lbs would make Raffy not hit the ball?" 

YOU by agreeing with Paplebon! 

[mvp 78]

7 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

You can also make the point that Mayer was not chosen by several other GMs, but Bloom did not pass on him. He did still have other choices, even beyond Lawlar. 

I think some posters were pointing to Lawlar's earlier call-up as evidence that Bloom kinda-maybe shoulda taken him.

Lawlar and Mayer are on a similar tier of prospect and a similar trajectory. Only health has held Mayer back so far.

[Old Red]

14 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

“I’m just saying, you trim fat, pigs squeal,” Papelbon repeated. “That’s what you’re looking for, your pigs to squeal. And hit home runs."

"Who said that gaining 10lbs would make Raffy not hit the ball?" 

YOU by agreeing with Paplebon! 

Did I, or have I not said right along that in my opinion it’s a COMBINATION of things that has led to Raffy not hitting the ball? Yet you want to ONLY want to focus on one thing the weight that most likely is the least significant factor of all. Not a very good comeback at all. Disappointing, and I expect better from you.🙈🤭

[moonslav59]

 

So, correct me if I'm wrong, but here are the years of control of our current players - counting 2025:

8-10 Campbell

9 Devers

7 Rafaela

6-7 Crochet

5-6 Bello

5+ Anthony, Mayer, Weissert, Narvaez, Fitts, Priester, Murphy & others

5 Abreu, DHam, Slaten, Criswell, Bernardino, Grissom, 

4 Duran, Casas, Crawford, Wong,  Romy, Wink,  Kelly

3-4 Story

3 Houck, Yoshida

2 Sandoval, Whitlock, Newcomb

1-3 Bregman

1-2 Giolito

1 Buehler, Chapman, Hendriks, Refsnyder, Wilson

[dgalehouse]

21 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

 

So, correct me if I'm wrong, but here are the years of control of our current players - counting 2025:

8-10 Campbell

9 Devers

7 Rafaela

6-7 Crochet

5-6 Bello

5+ Anthony, Mayer, Weissert, Narvaez, Fitts, Priester, Murphy & others

5 Abreu, DHam, Slaten, Criswell, Bernardino, Grissom, 

4 Duran, Casas, Crawford, Wong,  Romy, Wink,  Kelly

3-4 Story

3 Houck, Yoshida

2 Sandoval, Whitlock, Newcomb

1-3 Bregman

1-2 Giolito

1 Buehler, Chapman, Hendriks, Refsnyder, Wilson

In former Sox news; Eovaldi pitched a complete game four hit shutout of the Reds last night. And Mookie hit the game winning homer off Chris Sale as the Dodgers remained undefeated.

[moonslav59]

9 minutes ago, dgalehouse said:

In former Sox news; Eovaldi pitched a complete game four hit shutout of the Reds last night. And Mookie hit the game winning homer off Chris Sale as the Dodgers remained undefeated.

Not sure what that has to do with years of control of our current players, or that Sale has a 5.40 ERA, either.

[drewski6]

57 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Did I, or have I not said right along that in my opinion it’s a COMBINATION of things that has led to Raffy not hitting the ball? Yet you want to ONLY want to focus on one thing the weight that most likely is the least significant factor of all. Not a very good comeback at all. Disappointing, and I expect better from you.🙈🤭

uh oh monkey faces are out

[drewski6]

12 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Not sure what that has to do with years of control of our current players, or that Sale has a 5.40 ERA, either.

Maybe he didnt see your post because of the weird black background , white text but replied to it cuz it was newest comment?

[dgalehouse]

19 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Not sure what that has to do with years of control of our current players, or that Sale has a 5.40 ERA, either.

Didn't mean to respond to your post. I was just making a comment about last night's games. 

[moonslav59]

17 minutes ago, dgalehouse said:

Didn't mean to respond to your post. I was just making a comment about last night's games. 

No problem. It does seem to hurt a little when so many ex-Sox players keep doing well.

[moonslav59]

27 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Maybe he didnt see your post because of the weird black background , white text but replied to it cuz it was newest comment?

I guess since I copied and pasted from a previous post, it turns weird.

[mvp 78]

29 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Maybe he didnt see your post because of the weird black background , white text but replied to it cuz it was newest comment?

That's my default setting for every website if I can switch to it. It's much easier on my eyes. 

[moonslav59]

It’s perhaps not an accident that the club waited until after Opening Day to get this deal done. It was reported last March that players who sign pre-debut extensions, like Chourio, aren’t eligible for the prospect promotion incentive. To discourage service time manipulation, the current collective bargaining agreement put measures in place to encourage teams to carry top prospects on Opening Day rosters. One of those measures is that top prospects who are called up early enough to earn a full service year can earn their clubs an extra draft pick via awards voting. -Darragh McDonald

[mvp 78]

8 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

It’s perhaps not an accident that the club waited until after Opening Day to get this deal done. It was reported last March that players who sign pre-debut extensions, like Chourio, aren’t eligible for the prospect promotion incentive. To discourage service time manipulation, the current collective bargaining agreement put measures in place to encourage teams to carry top prospects on Opening Day rosters. One of those measures is that top prospects who are called up early enough to earn a full service year can earn their clubs an extra draft pick via awards voting. -Darragh McDonald

They waited too long. It should have been done a few days ago!!!!!!

[moonslav59]

Salaries coming off the books, next winter (AAV):

$31.7M Bregman, if he opts out.

$21.1M Buehler

$19.3M Giolito, if team option not given

$10.8M Chapman

$5M Hendriks, if team option not given

$2.3M Wilson

$2.1M Refsnyder

So, anywhere from $35M to $90M.