A Realistic View of the 2025 Red Sox: Part II

[Old Red]

23 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I've heard that a lot of teams are sniffing around the Sox, AS THEY SHOULD BE! Sox already showed the willingness to trade in season (Priester) and are under .500. Duran, Chapman and others could probably be had for the right price. 

For Duran: Salas (C), Nett (RHP) and a low level arm that the Sox like. 

I was all for selling high on Duran this past offseason, but I got a lot of pushback on here. I still think it’s to early in the season, but if things don’t improve standings wise in June anything could happen in July on the trade front.

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, Old Red said:

I was all for selling high on Duran this past offseason, but I got a lot of pushback on here. I still think it’s to early in the season, but if things don’t improve standings wise in June anything could happen in July on the trade front.

Everyone gets push back for every idea they put on here no matter how great of an idea it is. 

[Old Red]

25 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Everyone gets push back for every idea they put on here no matter how great of an idea it is. 

I think Duran at present has lost some of his luster, and Abreu too for that matter, and Abreu is still a platoon player at this point. Part of a deal I can see, but by themselves I don’t know what kind of a return you can get.

[moonslav59]

49 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

These days, you need 2 Catchers. I think Narvaez is great, but I don't know how long his bat will hold up. Padres don't seem to have a pitcher that's MLB ready towards the top of their rankings, so I didn't add one. 

I do agree on 2 catchers, and I'm pretty much done with Wong, despite his apparent slight improvement on D. Jo Garcia is too far away.

I think we need to find a new trade partner, if SDP don't have the pitcher we need.

How about enticing DD to part with Andrew Painter?

They have sub .700 ('240'25 combined)  Max Kepler in LF. The lefty batter is 32. They have RHB as CF (.612 OPS from '24-'25.) and Brandon Marsh (.728 '24-'25) in the OF mix with RF'er Castellenos.

How about Duran, Kelly & Mullins and  for Painter and Jose Alvarado ($9M w $9M option for '26 and $500K buyout.)

[mvp 78]

Early Monday morning, Dennis Lin of the Athletic reported that the Padres are (once again) targeting Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran, though Lin also pointed out that a need to bolster their starting rotation was "equally as acute" as their need for a left fielder.

Add Bello to that deal!

[Old Red]

12 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Early Monday morning, Dennis Lin of the Athletic reported that the Padres are (once again) targeting Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran, though Lin also pointed out that a need to bolster their starting rotation was "equally as acute" as their need for a left fielder.

Add Bello to that deal!

What would SD have that Boston would want in return?

[moonslav59]

41 minutes ago, Old Red said:

I think Duran at present has lost some of his luster, and Abreu too for that matter, and Abreu is still a platoon player at this point. Part of a deal I can see, but by themselves I don’t know what kind of a return you can get.

Duran has not done all that well ve lefties, either, but even a career .620 marks beats Abreu's .530 by nearly 100. It's just .596 to .569, this year. It's .658 to .530 over the last 3 years combined.

Duran's speed has been a plus, and that helps him play FT, but Abreu's defense in a difficult RF at Fenway Park is also a pretty big asset. We can see how defense keeps the weak hitting Rafaela vs L's & R's a FT'er.

I think we will have to make a choice and trade from our depth:

OF: Abreu/Refsnyder, Duran, Rafaela, Anthony (Jh Garica also knocking on the door and KC, who can play CF.)

Midde IF: Story, KC, Mayer (Arias farther away than we'd like) with decent utility depth (Rafaela, DHam, Grissom & Romero.)

Guys like Arias and JH Garcia probably don't have real high trade value, and neither does Story, even if you kick in 50-65% of his remaining deal,) but we have much higher need areas, and all these guys can't play, at once.

[moonslav59]

6 minutes ago, Old Red said:

What would SD have that Boston would want in return?

MVP proposes a Catcher & pitching prospect.

Catching prospects are too hit & miss for my liking. We need young and controllable good pitching. Someone more can't miss than Perales, Sandlin, Monegro, Wehunt and Mullins.

[mvp 78]

42 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

MVP proposes a Catcher & pitching prospect.

Catching prospects are too hit & miss for my liking. We need young and controllable good pitching. Someone more can't miss than Perales, Sandlin, Monegro, Wehunt and Mullins.

Most prospects are NOT can't miss. You take a risk every time you make a trade for a grab bag of prospects. 🫠

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

47 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

MVP proposes a Catcher & pitching prospect.

Catching prospects are too hit & miss for my liking. We need young and controllable good pitching. Someone more can't miss than Perales, Sandlin, Monegro, Wehunt and Mullins.

Doesn't Dylan Cease have to be part of this trade? He'll be a free agent at the end of the season, and probably moved by the end of July anyway. 

Not having a great year so far, but led his league in games started four of the past five years. The Red Sox MASH unit rotation could certainly use a guy like that...

[mvp 78]

4 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Doesn't Dylan Cease have to be part of this trade? He'll be a free agent at the end of the season, and probably moved by the end of July anyway. 

Not having a great year so far, but led his league in games started four of the past five years. The Red Sox MASH unit rotation could certainly use a guy like that...

Padres are trying to stay in the playoff picture. They aren't dealing Cease unless the team goes south. 

[moonslav59]

4 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Most prospects are NOT can't miss. You take a risk every time you make a trade for a grab bag of prospects. 🫠

Agreed, but some are more can't miss than others. That's why I said "too" can't miss- like on a spectrum of can't missness.

[moonslav59]

The Reds and CWS have 3 pitching prospects in the top 35.

Not sure if either wants a Sox vet, but maybe they want Arias or Jh Garcia & Sandlin or Mullins.

[Larry Cook]

9 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Maybe if Story goes on a hot streak, we can find a taker for him, without having to pay such a big chunk of his deal, as we would, now.

Nick allen of the braves got hurt. We should call them and talk to them about story 

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

8 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Padres are trying to stay in the playoff picture. They aren't dealing Cease unless the team goes south. 

If they go further south, they'll be playing in Mexico.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

It doesn't matter which team eventually trades for Duran (or Abreu) -- but Breslow better be getting some pitching in return.

If someone values Duran enough to legitimately jolt them into the playoffs, they''ll be willing to sacrifice a legitimate arm. It happens frequently, and even recently, with pitchers like Joe Ryan and Cole Ragans.

That's if a deal is made this month. Brez would rather wait until the deadline at the end of July because:

1. maybe, just maybe, the Sox will start winning one-run games and get back in the wild card race...

... and if so, most importantly:

2. he can hold off promoting Anthony another month, in case Roman really is a star, so he'll be less likely to win Rookie of the Year, which rewards the player a full year of service time --

BECAUSE NOW IS CLEARLY LESS IMPORTANT TO THE FRONT OFFICE THAN SEVEN YEARS FROM NOW.

[Larry Cook]

Jeff passan names beuhler as a best fit for the dodgers in a trade!!! 
I agree with him !!!!

[Larry Cook]

Dylan sanders (on SI) says Bregman could be a trade candidate for the Phillies!!!  

[moonslav59]

It's kind of early to be selling off the 2025 Sox, but this team looks so hapless, they better start playing better, if they want to stick around.

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, moonslav59 said:

It's kind of early to be selling off the 2025 Sox, but this team looks so hapless, they better start playing better, if they want to stick around.

They were down 6-0 last night and actually put up a fight for once. It's better than nothing. 

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

They were down 6-0 last night and actually put up a fight for once. It's better than nothing. 

There are have been several moments where we look like we have some fight, spark, or whatever we want to call it, but those moments have been all to fleeting, thus far.

It's June: we simply have to put together a streak or stretch of consistent good play from all/most areas. If not, we will be saying good bye to some well known players.

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

There are have been several moments where we look like we have some fight, spark, or whatever we want to call it, but those moments have been all to fleeting, thus far.

It's June: we simply have to put together a streak or stretch of consistent good play from all/most areas. If not, we will be saying good bye to some well known players.

Win this series and then beating up the NYY this weekend would go a long way to getting the Sox some good vibes. 

[Old Red]

10 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

They were down 6-0 last night and actually put up a fight for once. It's better than nothing. 

Part fight, and part LA having one of the worst BP in baseball.

[Old Red]

11 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Win this series and then beating up the NYY this weekend would go a long way to getting the Sox some good vibes. 

I agree, but anything less than winning these next two games will not be a good feel going into NY. The Red Sox will miss Fried, so that’s good, and Crochet gets a crack at the Judge.

[Bellhorn04]

5 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Part fight, and part LA having one of the worst BP in baseball.

Most of the damage came off starter Anderson, no?

[Bellhorn04]

The only way they can go on a run is if one or two starters besides Crochet really step up.

It doesn't look good.

Houck being terrible and then injured wasn't really in the plans for this year.

We needed a lot to go right, and only a little has.

[Old Red]

4 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Most of the damage came off starter Anderson, no?

We can go with that. 5 runs were charged to him.

[Bellhorn04]

1 hour ago, Larry Cook said:

Dylan sanders (on SI) says Bregman could be a trade candidate for the Phillies!!!  

Never too early to give up, huh?

[Old Red]

3 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

The only way they can go on a run is if one or two starters besides Crochet really step up.

It doesn't look good.

Houck being terrible and then injured wasn't really in the plans for this year.

We needed a lot to go right, and only a little has.

The bats need to do their part too, but SP going 5+would be a start.

[Old Red]

1 minute ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Never too early to give up, huh?

There are all kinds of rumors out there now that will only pick up especially if the Red Sox continue to flounder under 500.