Red Sox 2025 Season Review/Offseason Preview Thread

[Larry Cook]

Mets traded nimmo for seimien 

[moonslav59]

7 hours ago, Larry Cook said:

We have 4 players for 3 positions because Anthony has to play everyday and fortunately he can play all three outfield spots. 

abreau has not proven to me that he can hit left handed pitching. 

the others rotate based on who the opposing pitcher is and if we are at home or away 

Why do you want to bench a FT star in 70% of all games?

The other option is to DH Duran, which is another waste of value.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Larry Cook said:

Mets traded nimmo for seimien 

Semien has really fallen off a cliff, but Nimmo is no rising star.

TEX saved some cash.

[moonslav59]

3 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

Do you think Romy can play 3rd?

He's better at 2B or 1B, but as a short side platoon with Mayer at 3B, I'd be fine.

No to Arenado, unless they take Masa.

Maybe if they take Hicks and give us Donovan and cash with Arenado, but I doubt Arenado even plays.

[Hitch]

On 11/21/2025 at 1:45 PM, notin said:

Huh?

So the Sox could add two RHH who combine for 60 to 65 home runs per year with OPS’s in the neighborhood of .850, and your response is that would be “lacking in power “?!?!

 Dont take this wrong way, but this post strikes me as bring written by guy who, in a different part of history, would have said “Michaelangelo?  This Fresno, it’s ok.  I like it.  But I’m not overwhelmed.  I want something more eye-popping.  It needs to be bigger ! Better! More spectacular! And it needs to be ready by noon tomorrow.”

Alonso obviously adds power and the vast majority of your fictional 65 home runs, but the conversation was about Bo and isn't in a vacuum, it has the context of all that's come before it, as I suspect you know.

Bo has averaged 14 Hrs the past 3 seasons. This team is lacking in HR power. We have Roman who we're hoping can hit 20. Story may or may not hit 20 again. Abreu has averaged 18.5 a season (and will he still be here?) Apart from that we're not very threatening. We need that HR threat (which Breslow alluded to himself). Alonso will provide a large part of that (hopefully), but Bo and Alonso just gives us what Devers and Bregman were giving us and that wasn't enough. If we didn't sign Alonso but got Bregman and Bo we certainty wouldn't be thinking we'd solved our power issue. 

I'd much prefer we brought in Marte. I'd probably even prefer Bregman back. But all that said, I would not turn my nose up at Bo. As I've previously stated, this team also needs players that puts the ball in play - another thing we're lacking. But if that's the only moves on the offence, I don't know if it's enough considering where we're starting from, and likely to lose one of our best offensive players in a trade of Duran/Abreu.

Don't take this the wrong way, but your analogy is a nonsense. 

[Hitch]

7 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Why do you want to bench a FT star in 70% of all games?

The other option is to DH Duran, which is another waste of value.

I don't think it's that much a waste of value. His value is on the offensive side not the defensive side. And he is earning a small salary so it really isn't an issue. 

But we need to plug those holes somehow, and we aren't getting rid of Masa...

[mvp 78]

9 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

He's better at 2B or 1B, but as a short side platoon with Mayer at 3B, I'd be fine.

No to Arenado, unless they take Masa.

Maybe if they take Hicks and give us Donovan and cash with Arenado, but I doubt Arenado even plays.

Romy's arm at 3b would not be fun to watch.

[notin]

13 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

Do you think Romy can play 3rd?

Yes.  Do you think he can’t?

And even if he struggles, is it that hard to get a decent fielding 3b who can post an OPS+ over 87 for less than  $42mill over 2 years?

[mvp 78]

5 minutes ago, notin said:

Yes.  Do you think he can’t?

And even if he struggles, is it that hard to get a decent fielding 3b who can post an OPS+ over 87 for less than  $42mill over 2 years?

I'd rather he play on the right side of the IF.

[notin]

5 hours ago, Hitch said:

Alonso obviously adds power and the vast majority of your fictional 65 home runs, but the conversation was about Bo and isn't in a vacuum, it has the context of all that's come before it, as I suspect you know.

Bo has averaged 14 Hrs the past 3 seasons. This team is lacking in HR power. We have Roman who we're hoping can hit 20. Story may or may not hit 20 again. Abreu has averaged 18.5 a season (and will he still be here?) Apart from that we're not very threatening. We need that HR threat (which Breslow alluded to himself). Alonso will provide a large part of that (hopefully), but Bo and Alonso just gives us what Devers and Bregman were giving us and that wasn't enough. If we didn't sign Alonso but got Bregman and Bo we certainty wouldn't be thinking we'd solved our power issue. 

I'd much prefer we brought in Marte. I'd probably even prefer Bregman back. But all that said, I would not turn my nose up at Bo. As I've previously stated, this team also needs players that puts the ball in play - another thing we're lacking. But if that's the only moves on the offence, I don't know if it's enough considering where we're starting from, and likely to lose one of our best offensive players in a trade of Duran/Abreu.

Don't take this the wrong way, but your analogy is a nonsense. 

What makes no sense is this constant need to replace Devers.  The Sox were one game over .500 with Devers and 15 games over .500 without him.  Why do you keep reverting to that .500 team as the baseline?

Also why is power only measured in home runs?

[notin]

Just now, mvp 78 said:

I'd rather he play on the right side of the IF.

Hes not the ideal 3b, but arm strength is the average velocity of all his throws.  As a 2b/1b, hes not necessarily throwing as hard as possible on every play.  At 3b, I wouldn’t be surprised to see his numbers go up.  He’ll never be Scott Cooper over there, but I think he’d be closer to Bregman.

But I doubt either he nor Arenado is the 3b.  That we could even debate this shows what a bad idea Arenado’s is.  No one wants Romy there and yet Arenado’s is still not a consensus better option….

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, notin said:

Hes not the ideal 3b, but arm strength is the average velocity of all his throws.  As a 2b/1b, hes not necessarily throwing as hard as possible on every play.  At 3b, I wouldn’t be surprised to see his numbers go up.  He’ll never be Scott Cooper over there, but I think he’d be closer to Bregman.

But I doubt either he nor Arenado is the 3b.  That we could even debate this shows what a bad idea Arenado’s is.  No one wants Romy there and yet Arenado’s is still not a consensus better option….

The hardest ball he threw all year was 81.1, 86th of 94 (guys with 2b eligibility).

[notin]

28 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

The hardest ball he threw all year was 81.1, 86th of 94 (guys with 2b eligibility).

If the Sox put Mayer at 3b and Romy at 2b, is this better or worse than bringing in Arenado for 3b?  Still effectively the same as replacing Arenado with Romy, but now with a better alignment…

My point was the internal options are better and won’t cost $42million over 2 years…

[mvp 78]

30 minutes ago, notin said:

If the Sox put Mayer at 3b and Romy at 2b, is this better or worse than bringing in Arenado for 3b?  Still effectively the same as replacing Arenado with Romy, but now with a better alignment…

My point was the internal options are better and won’t cost $42million over 2 years…

Mayer or a guy that should retire? Wow, tough choice there! 

[notin]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

Mayer or a guy that should retire? Wow, tough choice there! 

My point all along was Arenado is a bad option.  Alec Bohm is reportedly available and equally unexciting, but he’s probably a better idea than Arenado…

[mvp 78]

37 minutes ago, notin said:

My point all along was Arenado is a bad option.  Alec Bohm is reportedly available and equally unexciting, but he’s probably a better idea than Arenado…

Bohm is a bad 3b who doesn't pull the ball. Theoretically, Arenado is a better fit for the Sox if you squint really hard due to the pull AIR %. 

[mvp 78]

External 3b options (non-Breggie):

Bichette - prob put at 2b and have Mayer at 3b if signed

Okamoto - short term option at 3b and better utilized at 1b

Suarez - terrible at 3b, unsure about 1b

Polanco - a move that satisfies moon, but that's about it

Parades trade - max pull AIR guy

Arenado trade - well past the prime of his career and isn't a plus defender anymore

Bohm trade - average to below on everything he does

[Old Red]

2 hours ago, notin said:

What makes no sense is this constant need to replace Devers.  The Sox were one game over .500 with Devers and 15 games over .500 without him.  Why do you keep reverting to that .500 team as the baseline?

Also why is power only measured in home runs?

The main reason the Red Sox went 15 games over 500 after Raffy left was mostly to do with good starting pitching for an extended period of time especially from Cro Man, Gio, and Bello, and Not, because Raffy wasn’t there anymore IMO. Power isn’t only measured in HR, but to me that has more to do with it. Baltimore just traded for Ward, because he hit 36 HR last year, and Baltimore wants more of that. Same reason they signed TO the year before after he hit 30 HR for Boston. I know it’s hard to comprehend that just one old time baseball stat would be a reason for a baseball decision, but I believe it did.

[moonslav59]

6 hours ago, Hitch said:

I don't think it's that much a waste of value. His value is on the offensive side not the defensive side. And he is earning a small salary so it really isn't an issue. 

But we need to plug those holes somehow, and we aren't getting rid of Masa...

Who are you talking about benching 70% of the games? Rafaela- the only RHB of the 4?

Clearly, his value would be greater on another team playing 95% of the games than to us in 30% of the games and as a late inning defensive replacement. Sure, he'd be valuable as a depth piece, but I see it as a waste to keep him on the bench, when we could trade him for value we could use everyday at another position.

No way I want to bench one of our LHB OF'ers vs RHPs, even on some sort of rotation. That would be a gross misuse of talent. One would have to DH, which is another form of wasted value, as they'd be worth more to another team as an OF'er than to us as a DH. This is all before we even think about Masa and even Campbell-Romy-Garcia as possible DHs.

We have too many otehr needs to be able to afford the luxury of 4 FT OF'ers and Campbell, Garcia, Masa in reserve.

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Romy's arm at 3b would not be fun to watch.

Agreed. It makes more sense to add a 3Bman than a 2Bman, so Mayer-Romy share 2B than 3B, but...

Breggie is too expensive.

Suarez is too old and not good at 3B D,

Maybe someone is out there via trade, but it seems like 2B options, some with real power, are more plentiful...

K Marte

Bichette (not much power)

Polanco

I'd be willing to sacrifice some 3B arm strength in 30% of our games, if it meant having KMarte over Breggie or Suarez.

I wouldn't mind KMarte at 2B and Suarez at 1B/back-up 3B. We could actually play Suarez at 3B vs LHPs and Mayer vs RHPs with Romy at 1B vs LHPs. KMarte at 2B.

[moonslav59]

33 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

External 3b options (non-Breggie):

Polanco - a move that satisfies moon, but that's about it

 

Never once have I even implied Polanco would play 3B.

I'm with Drweski on getting bats first and worrying about a guys arm at 3B in 30% of games.

Hell, trade Romy for a better defensive 3B to platoon with mayer, if we have to.

Maybe Mayer turns into a FT player, in short order.

I'd prefer KMarte or Polanco at 2B with Mayer-Romy at 3B, at a much lower cost, than Breggie at 3B and Mayer-Romy at 2B. That is a much better defensive infield but at a higher cost and much less power.

[JoeBrady]

7 hours ago, notin said:

Yes.  Do you think he can’t?

And even if he struggles, is it that hard to get a decent fielding 3b who can post an OPS+ over 87 for less than  $42mill over 2 years?

I don't know, which is why I raised the question.  His lack of time there is what concerns me.

[JoeBrady]

7 hours ago, notin said:

What makes no sense is this constant need to replace Devers.  The Sox were one game over .500 with Devers and 15 games over .500 without him.  Why do you keep reverting to that .500 team as the baseline?

Also why is power only measured in home runs?

I am decidedly against measuring offense in terms of HRs.  Everything I've ever looked at suggests OBP trumps HRs in terms of scoring.

[notin]

5 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Never once have I even implied Polanco would play 3B.

I'm with Drweski on getting bats first and worrying about a guys arm at 3B in 30% of games.

Hell, trade Romy for a better defensive 3B to platoon with mayer, if we have to.

Maybe Mayer turns into a FT player, in short order.

I'd prefer KMarte or Polanco at 2B with Mayer-Romy at 3B, at a much lower cost, than Breggie at 3B and Mayer-Romy at 2B. That is a much better defensive infield but at a higher cost and much less power.

Polanco to 3b isn’t the worst idea.  Far from it.  He hasn’t played there much on his career, but his SS background suggests it wouldn’t be too difficult for him.  And he’s not much for 2b anyway…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

8 hours ago, notin said:

Also why is power only measured in home runs?

Because in baseball they don't drive Chevy trucks to the top of rock formations in Monument Valley?

Also, in Boston these days, the only extra-base hit guaranteed not to add to the LOB column is the HR.

So, for this holiday season, the choices are a last meal of another lobster role or something more long-lasting... candidates for the latter, please take any repeatable bat-to-ball skills directly to Human Resources. 

[moonslav59]

44 minutes ago, notin said:

Polanco to 3b isn’t the worst idea.  Far from it.  He hasn’t played there much on his career, but his SS background suggests it wouldn’t be too difficult for him.  And he’s not much for 2b anyway…

Mayer is better at 3B than Polanco, so why?

I doubt this is a good idea, either:

vs RHP

2B: Polanco/ 3B Mayer

vs LHPs

2B: Romy/ 3B Polanco

I'd rather not do this.

[Larry Cook]

53 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Mayer is better at 3B than Polanco, so why?

I doubt this is a good idea, either:

vs RHP

2B: Polanco/ 3B Mayer

vs LHPs

2B: Romy/ 3B Polanco

I'd rather not do this.

If only we still had blaze Jordan????

[moonslav59]

3 minutes ago, Larry Cook said:

If only we still had blaze Jordan????

Fire BREZ!

[Larry Cook]

4 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Fire BREZ!

A bit extreme don’t you think? 
 

Hang’em Chaim was building an incredible left handed hitting farm system! And then he trades for one of the few right handed hitters of any value in our system. Hang’m was a strange guy to say the least! Sadly, I still do not understand his pitching acquisition philosophy though!!!  

[UtahSox]

15 hours ago, notin said:

What makes no sense is this constant need to replace Devers.  The Sox were one game over .500 with Devers and 15 games over .500 without him.  Why do you keep reverting to that .500 team as the baseline?

Also why is power only measured in home runs?

2 rebuttals + 1 bonus thought. 

1. the Devers leaving wasn’t the only controlled variable leading you to arrive at your stat (which is accurate we won more games after he left.) But opponents, health, locker room cohesion, pitching, other guys progressing etc all play a part.

2. To pose a real threat in Playoffs, with the way games are managed/pitched it augments the value of the home run. So while in the regular season I agree our offense was solid over 162, and that’s also conceding we were awful with RISP. When it comes time for October Baseball, and getting runners across home plate. I’m of the belief that Home runs have such added value then.
 

RD11 rarely crossed my mind in July-August, but by the time October rolled around everytime the 3-4 spot came to plate I thought “damn I wish Devers were hitting right now”. 
 Regardless of wins or losses the RS roster was scarier with RD11 in it. And we NEVER got the chance to see this lineup with comfortable RA19, healthy AB2, and content RD11. Strictly conjecture but it could have been awesome.