Red Sox 2025 Season Review/Offseason Preview Thread

[drewski6]

2 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Yes, I mentioned the crowded OF and service time for some reasons why Anthony was held back, when I feel he was "ready." Mayer could have been chosen to play 2B over Campbell, and he was "ready" in many senses of the word, but IMO, I think they felt he missed too much time at the end of 2024 and needed some more rehab work. He also had issues vs LHPs to work on, so maybe not "fully ready" and service time concerns.

I'm not sure how Masa fits into this issue. Playing Anthony at DH was a sign they messed up not trading Duran when his value peaked in 2024. Yes, "roster construction mistake."

 

campbell was getting reps in the outfield, almost from the beginning.  It depends on what snapshot in time you are looking at because the plan changed when Devers stopped healing.

Campbell wasnt chosen because he was a 2b or an outfielder, he was chosen because he was a 2b AND an OF'er and defensive versatility helps you get on the field.  Remember in teh beginning Campbell was getting run in teh of and in the inf , as was cedanne.  They firgured, at least at one point, because he could cover so many positions (campbell) they could find enough at bats for him vs roman and mayer would be on teh bench too much cuz they play outfield or infield (not both) and we viewed both infield and outfield as crowded at the time.

This changed when they gave up on devers playing the field.  But that was late april.

Also Campbell being right handed counted a lot.  And favoritism. REmember when they told campbell he made the team, tek was wearing a ga tech hat and hes like ga tech bros!!

[Hugh2]

59 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Yeah, they are making excuses for him. He lost weight during the year, but all players do. I don't think that's the reason he flat out stunk. Rib injury started the decline. He never picked himself up out of it afterwards. 

Why didn't he lose weight in previous seasons? 

I mean, isn't that just conjecture? why make excuses for him? 

I don't think you just completely make something up like that, and the swing data doesn't lie.  His bat speed drastically dropped off this year.  We can measure that next year.  It either returns or it does not. 

[moonslav59]

43 minutes ago, Old Red said:

I wonder what the brain trust of the Red Sox actually thought yes. Were they throwing more spaghetti at 2B, and hoping it would stick, or did they actually believe he could handle it. Past history I could believe either one.

I thought Story at 2B was a nice pasta. He just got hurt.

Kiki was okay at 2B, sucked at SS and did best of all in CF.

Arroyo was okay. Holt was more of an all around guy, but did fine.

Grissom has some high hopes, but fell way short.

E Valdez was a bust.

Others seemed more temporary in nature and we never meant to be FT fixes. Most hit the wall and slid down to the floor too quickly.

fWAR/gms since 2019:

2.5/94 Story

2.1/72 Kiki

1.6/151 Arroyo

1.3/59 Holt

0.8/63 Romy

0.6/16 Iggy

____________

0.6/86 DHam

0.5/68 Chavis

0.2/72 Sogard

0.2/88 Urias

____________

-0.2/57 KC

-0.2/89 Peraza

-0.2/100 Reyes

-0.4/119 Marwin

-0.5/88 Nunez

-0.3/55 Y Sanchez

-0.5/105 E Valdez

-0.5/109 Grissom

-0.7/131 Marco H

-0.2/29 Owings

-1.0/91 Arauz

-0.3/29 Lin

-1.1/100 Rafaela

Pedey+Munoz+Gasper were -0.6 combined in just 10 games at 2B

(This is not a complete list of all the soggy pasta.)

 

 

 

[Larry Cook]

3 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Okay.

Yes, many were against suggestions to trade Duran and others. I hear it almost every time I suggest a Duran trade.

I tried to trade Duran to Seattle for Bryce miller last offseason!  Got a lot of pushback for it. 

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, Larry Cook said:

I tried to trade Duran to Seattle for Bryce miller last offseason!  Got a lot of pushback for it. 

I was hoping for Woo, but I think I said okay to Miller.

Who leads the site if suggested Duran trades?

[Old Red]

2 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I was hoping for Woo, but I think I said okay to Miller.

Who leads the site if suggested Duran trades?

The rumor was that the Red Sox wanted Castillo, and offered Casas, and Masa, but when that fell through the Red Sox turned to the Crochet deal, which they were working on at the same time.

[moonslav59]

49 minutes ago, Old Red said:

The rumor was that the Red Sox wanted Castillo, and offered Casas, and Masa, but when that fell through the Red Sox turned to the Crochet deal, which they were working on at the same time.

Yes, that was a widely held view, at the time (or Casas and ____.)

I see a deal for Pablo Lopez, this winter as a similar type set-up (with no Masa.)

[harmony]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

I was hoping for Woo, but I think I said okay to Miller.

Who leads the site if suggested Duran trades?

Seattle right-hander Logan Gilbert was a common target in proposed Jarren Duran trades late last year:

https://www.baseballtradevalues.com/trades?page=1&q=jarren+duran&posted=2024

[Randy Red Sox]

46 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Yes, that was a widely held view, at the time (or Casas and ____.)

I see a deal for Pablo Lopez, this winter as a similar type set-up (with no Masa.)

it would probably take a lot more than just Casas for Lopez

[Randy Red Sox]

what I am hearing in several places on-line is that if the Sox can't resign Bregman they will go hard after Alonso. WHY NOT BOTH GUYS??  Last year we started with BOTH Bregman AND Devers. Why can't the Sox use the Devers $$ on Alonso or Schwarber??  Without Bregman the Sox need TWO big bats. I am going to be pi$$ed if all we do is re-sign Bregman. 2 big bats PLUS a #2 SP and this team is truly ready to contend. We have the assets to trade for a cost controlled quality SP so open your damn wallet Mr Henry and buck up for TWO impact bats.

[moonslav59]

24 minutes ago, Randy Red Sox said:

it would probably take a lot more than just Casas for Lopez

Casas and _____

But I didnt really even mean Casas.

[notin]

41 minutes ago, harmony said:

Seattle right-hander Logan Gilbert was a common target in proposed Jarren Duran trades late last year:

https://www.baseballtradevalues.com/trades?page=1&q=jarren+duran&posted=2024

Seattle isn’t trading Gilbert or Woo or Kirby for anyone, not after they just commited all that coin to Josh Naylor.  Maybe they deal Miller, who, as I often said, really isnt all that good. Or Castillo, who is good but makes more money than the rest of the staff combined.  (Or maybe he doesn’t.  I don’t know.)

[moonslav59]

8 minutes ago, notin said:

Seattle isn’t trading Gilbert or Woo or Kirby for anyone, not after they just commited all that coin to Josh Naylor.  Maybe they deal Miller, who, as I often said, really isnt all that good. Or Castillo, who is good but makes more money than the rest of the staff combined.  (Or maybe he doesn’t.  I don’t know.)

We're talking last winter.

[Randy Red Sox]

42 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Casas and _____

But I didnt really even mean Casas.

is Lopez even a real #2?

[moonslav59]

21 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

We're talking last winter.

Was Castillo?

[harmony]

36 minutes ago, notin said:

Seattle isn’t trading Gilbert or Woo or Kirby for anyone, not after they just commited all that coin to Josh Naylor.  Maybe they deal Miller, who, as I often said, really isnt all that good. Or Castillo, who is good but makes more money than the rest of the staff combined.  (Or maybe he doesn’t.  I don’t know.)

Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo are projected to earn a combined $18.6 milion in 2026 when Luis Castillo is set to earn $24.15 million.

Emerson Hancock and Logan Evans provide depth while Kade Anderson and Jurrangelo Cijntje wait in the wings.

[moonslav59]

11 minutes ago, Randy Red Sox said:

is Lopez even a real #2?

He had arm trouble, too.

He turns 30 in the spring, so not so old.

117 ERA+ since 2021.

3.48 FIP

Borderline 2/3

[Randy Red Sox]

46 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

He had arm trouble, too.

He turns 30 in the spring, so not so old.

117 ERA+ since 2021.

3.48 FIP

Borderline 2/3

his injury past scares me

 

[harmony]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Seattle isn’t trading Gilbert or Woo or Kirby for anyone, not after they just commited all that coin to Josh Naylor.  Maybe they deal Miller, who, as I often said, really isnt all that good. Or Castillo, who is good but makes more money than the rest of the staff combined.  (Or maybe he doesn’t.  I don’t know.)

Seattle has good homegrown starters in Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller but probably regrets trading away Freddy Peralta and Pablo Lopez.

[moonslav59]

7 minutes ago, Randy Red Sox said:

his injury past scares me

He did go 3 years in a row with 180+ IP, but yes, me too.

There are better options.

I do wonder if MN is looking to dump some salary and might be more willing to part with Ryan, if we take Lopez, too. Not in the sense of a dump. He will cost more value, but as a way to jump start their rebuild.

Duran for Painter.

Painter, Campbell, Early and Sandlin for Ryan & Lopez

[Hitch]

16 hours ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Favorite War Movies:

Cora -- Platoon.

 

😂

[Hitch]

11 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

I was hoping for Woo, but I think I said okay to Miller.

Who leads the site if suggested Duran trades?

I believe you lead the internet in trade proposals, so I imagine it was probably you. Ha! 

[Hitch]

9 hours ago, Randy Red Sox said:

what I am hearing in several places on-line is that if the Sox can't resign Bregman they will go hard after Alonso. WHY NOT BOTH GUYS??  Last year we started with BOTH Bregman AND Devers. Why can't the Sox use the Devers $$ on Alonso or Schwarber??  Without Bregman the Sox need TWO big bats. I am going to be pi$$ed if all we do is re-sign Bregman. 2 big bats PLUS a #2 SP and this team is truly ready to contend. We have the assets to trade for a cost controlled quality SP so open your damn wallet Mr Henry and buck up for TWO impact bats.

Yes, it's a concern alright. A lot of either/or talk. 

I mean, they've extended Anthony and Crochet to big money so technically that money is used up, but that's not enough, we're in place to challenge for titles now, they have to go big. We need two infielders and they need to be big bats, or we won't make it again. Whether one is a trade like Marte, or low end FA like Suarez, I'm fine with, but they need two infielders and they need to be impact players.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 hour ago, Hitch said:

they need two infielders and they need to be impact players.

At least.

The Red Sox currently have one starting infielder and a handful of Quadruple A type platoon options: Romy, Hammy, Sogard, Eaton, Mayer (he played in 44 games, 3 more than Eaton). We can't count on a Casas comeback, and they no longer consider Campbell an infielder.

Last year, the best of that lot was Gonzalez, who earned 2 WAR in 96 games, mostly at 1B. Are they going to finally let him face righty pitchers more? Do they have a choice?

 

[Hitch]

23 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

At least.

The Red Sox currently have one starting infielder and a handful of Quadruple A type platoon options: Romy, Hammy, Sogard, Eaton, Mayer (he played in 44 games, 3 more than Eaton). We can't count on a Casas comeback, and they no longer consider Campbell an infielder.

Last year, the best of that lot was Gonzalez, who earned 2 WAR in 96 games, mostly at 1B. Are they going to finally let him face righty pitchers more? Do they have a choice?

 

You would hope not, but all I see is reports of - they'll pivot to/either of these players, etc. 

They've got to get two. Got to. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

The Sox can't use Anthony's extension as an excuse that he's the budget replacement for Devers. 

According to bb-ref, Roman will make MLB minimum in '25, then $2.6 million in '26, $4.6 million in '27, $8.6 in '28, $15.6 in '29, etc.

Raffy's contract from Boston calls for a salary of $29.5 mil for just next year... basically, what Anthony agreed to play for in total the next half decade...

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

At least.

The Red Sox currently have one starting infielder and a handful of Quadruple A type platoon options: Romy, Hammy, Sogard, Eaton, Mayer (he played in 44 games, 3 more than Eaton). We can't count on a Casas comeback, and they no longer consider Campbell an infielder.

Last year, the best of that lot was Gonzalez, who earned 2 WAR in 96 games, mostly at 1B. Are they going to finally let him face righty pitchers more? Do they have a choice?

 

It seems as clear as day we need 2 infielders and 2 big bats. They could be the same two players.

We have 4 OF'ers with DH blocked. We have 2 very nice looking OF prospects who already have ML experience. Seems like a "dah" to me. Trade an OF'er plus others for a solid $ SP or KMarte. Sign a big bopper (or two, if the trade is for pitching.)

[Hitch]

1 hour ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

The Sox can't use Anthony's extension as an excuse that he's the budget replacement for Devers. 

According to bb-ref, Roman will make MLB minimum in '25, then $2.6 million in '26, $4.6 million in '27, $8.6 in '28, $15.6 in '29, etc.

Raffy's contract from Boston calls for a salary of $29.5 mil for just next year... basically, what Anthony agreed to play for in total the next half decade...

I don't think they care about the actual dollar being spent per year - it's the tax burden line that governs them. And with Crochet and Anthony's extension, that just got a lot higher. 

I think we're actually spending considerably less this year then the  tax burden. They'd prefer it to be the other way for sure, which it likely will be in a few years.

[moonslav59]

25 minutes ago, Hitch said:

I don't think they care about the actual dollar being spent per year - it's the tax burden line that governs them. And with Crochet and Anthony's extension, that just got a lot higher. 

I think we're actually spending considerably less this year then the  tax burden. They'd prefer it to be the other way for sure, which it likely will be in a few years.

One step further: it's more about the non financail penalties for going over. The tax on going over a few million, like last year was minimal. Now, going over by $19M, next season at year 2 rates is significant, but I still think the other penalties (reduction of bonus pool money) are worse, even to miser John.

[drewski6]

15 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

I was hoping for Woo, but I think I said okay to Miller.

Who leads the site if suggested Duran trades?

Not sure if he leads in number of specific proposals, but Alex Mays may lead in terms of suggesting a Duran trade.