Red Sox 2025 Season Review/Offseason Preview Thread

[moonslav59]

7 hours ago, Old Red said:

Casas sure hasn’t proven he can stay healthy, and he hasn’t proven he can be a great hitter let alone a 30+ HR hitter. All wishful thinking there. A slow starter, and now he doesn’t have the luxury to get that chance anymore.

Yes, I said "can" not "will" or even "should."

[moonslav59]

5 hours ago, notin said:

As a batter? Sure.  But what about as a guy who isn’t going to injure himself performing mundane baseball activities?

Zero confidence on staying healthy.

[Old Red]

24 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Yes, I said "can" not "will" or even "should."

Can, not will, or even should doesn’t really change anything just like suggestions, opinions, or predictions differentiating doesn’t change anything.

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, Old Red said:

Can, not will, or even should doesn’t really change anything just like suggestions, opinions, or predictions differentiating doesn’t change anything.

Not seeing the major difference between "Can" and "Will" sure explains a lot about all your misrepresentations of posters' viewpoints.

[Old Red]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

Not seeing the major difference between "Can" and "Will" sure explains a lot about all your misrepresentations of posters' viewpoints.

Thanks for the kind words, but I don’t have to do that with you, because you do it all on your own. Just like all the times you said you wasn’t apologizing, or defending Bloom, JH, or #12 when you really was. Great job, and keep up the good work.👏

[moonslav59]

11 hours ago, Old Red said:

Thanks for the kind words, but I don’t have to do that with you, because you do it all on your own. Just like all the times you said you wasn’t apologizing, or defending Bloom, JH, or #12 when you really was. Great job, and keep up the good work.👏

I admit I have defended Bloom, JH and Brez on many things, so maybe you don't know what "defendsing" means either. Lack of comprehension does explain a lot.

[FredLynn]

20 hours ago, Kimmi said:

There was good reason to dump Betts.  His reported contract demands to the Red Sox were unreasonable, and those were made at a time before he was even a free agent, a time when he should have been willing to take a bit of a discount, if anything.  As the saying goes, it takes two to tango.

The "good reason" was that the Flops have a policy, apparently, of not signing prime talent at market cost. Instead they tend to make insulting offers (eg: John Lester) and as a result struggle to even MAKE the playoffs let alone be serious competitors for a ring.

This year will be no different. It will not be any different as long as cheapskate John Henry owns the team.

[notin]

2 hours ago, FredLynn said:

The "good reason" was that the Flops have a policy, apparently, of not signing prime talent at market cost. Instead they tend to make insulting offers (eg: John Lester) and as a result struggle to even MAKE the playoffs let alone be serious competitors for a ring.

This year will be no different. It will not be any different as long as cheapskate John Henry owns the team.

The Lester offer was a long time ago back with Cherington.  That’s like 3 full GMs/CBOs ago.  It’s about as relevant as the Babe Ruth trade now…

[mvp 78]

9 minutes ago, notin said:

The Lester offer was a long time ago back with Cherington.  That’s like 3 full GMs/CBOs ago.  It’s about as relevant as the Babe Ruth trade now…

It became irrelevant when they signed David Price soon after TBH.

[Old Red]

Who met Lester out it the parking lot? Yes it was JH, and that  offer was all on JH. It didn’t matter then who the GM/HOBO was, and it doesn’t matter now the money is all on JH, so JH was relevant then, JH was relevant with Mookie, and JH is relevant now. Fred nailed it again.👏

[Old Red]

4 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

It became irrelevant when they signed David Price soon after TBH.

Yes, and all on JH who could have had Lester for half the price he paid for Astro.

[FredLynn]

25 minutes ago, notin said:

The Lester offer was a long time ago back with Cherington.  That’s like 3 full GMs/CBOs ago.  It’s about as relevant as the Babe Ruth trade now…

Well it’s pretty clear that their policy is to avoid paying market value for top end talent. Suarez is good but he came at a cost that was less than top of the line talent this offseason -and he was an exception. Both Schwarber and Alonso got more. Henry just doesn’t pay up the way he can afford to. Too many examples exist to deny that fact. 

[notin]

56 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

It became irrelevant when they signed David Price soon after TBH.

It’s kind of ridiculous to cite Dombrowski Era or Pre-Dombrowski Era examples to support Henry’s cheapness. Certainly from 2016-2019, he was the top spender in MLB.

Even 2020 through 2022, they were still in the top 5 or 6 teams in spending.  They did get an undeserved “cheap” label because they didn’t go crazy adding new mega-contracts every year.

In 2023, they did finally drop down close to the middle of the pack and stayed there through 2025 (and probably will for 2026).   But they also made more postseason appearances in 2023 though 2025 than they did from 2019 though 2022, when they were spending more…

[notin]

53 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Yes, and all on JH who could have had Lester for half the price he paid for Astro.

You do realize the signing of Price - frugal or not - actually counters Fred’s point about not spending since Lester.  Whether or not these were the right moves is another matter entirely…

[FredLynn]

5 minutes ago, notin said:

You do realize the signing of Price - frugal or not - actually counters Fred’s point about not spending since Lester.  Whether or not these were the right moves is another matter entirely…

I didn’t say he NEVER spends. He just doesn’t do it often enough. Had he loosened his purse strings this year and signed a premier bat instead of some of the guys he fished out of the dumpster we could have been in the top five competing for a ring. He’s allowing a window of opportunity to pass by.

[mvp 78]

21 minutes ago, notin said:

It’s kind of ridiculous to cite Dombrowski Era or Pre-Dombrowski Era examples to support Henry’s cheapness. Certainly from 2016-2019, he was the top spender in MLB.

Even 2020 through 2022, they were still in the top 5 or 6 teams in spending.  They did get an undeserved “cheap” label because they didn’t go crazy adding new mega-contracts every year.

In 2023, they did finally drop down close to the middle of the pack and stayed there through 2025 (and probably will for 2026).   But they also made more postseason appearances in 2023 though 2025 than they did from 2019 though 2022, when they were spending more…

I don't know where his head is at now, but the org prior to 2020 was fundamentally run different. Complain about going through the motions for 2020-2024 or longer, but I don't believe the 2014-15 Sox are at all comparable to how this group is run. 

Sox #4 payroll 2014

Sox #5 payroll 2015

The Sox were consistently in the top 5 in payroll year in and year out no matter what their record was. Now? 

[mvp 78]

Old friend Luis Perales got into his first action of the spring today and was throwing gas. He'd look nice in this pen.

[mvp 78]

I believe Ian Cundall was trying to talk himself into the Kyle Keller experience for a bullpen role. 😶‍🌫️

[drewski6]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Old friend Luis Perales got into his first action of the spring today and was throwing gas. He'd look nice in this pen.

Was he a 40 man roster crunch casualty? Please remind me :)

[drewski6]

For a while my thought was : less bullpen pitchers = more innings for Kutter Crawford (a good thing) but I think I need to come off that.  I do think we could use one more.  Especially if they are going to start with Kutter/Sandoval on IL and Tolle/Early in AAA.

[notin]

4 hours ago, FredLynn said:

I didn’t say he NEVER spends. He just doesn’t do it often enough. Had he loosened his purse strings this year and signed a premier bat instead of some of the guys he fished out of the dumpster we could have been in the top five competing for a ring. He’s allowing a window of opportunity to pass by.

Fred did. And has repeatedly  You said he nailed it again…

[FredLynn]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Fred did. And has repeatedly  You said he nailed it again…

Which Fred? I have repeatedly said the he spends, but not enough relative to his means

[Old Red]

24 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

Which Fred? I have repeatedly said the he spends, but not enough relative to his means

Fred he thought he was answering me, but he posted you instead. LMAO. Wrong all the way around. Keep up the good work Fred you got em rattled as always.👏😉

[JoeBrady]

3 hours ago, drewski6 said:

Was he a 40 man roster crunch casualty? Please remind me :)

Bennett trade.

[moonslav59]

9 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

I don't know where his head is at now, but the org prior to 2020 was fundamentally run different. Complain about going through the motions for 2020-2024 or longer, but I don't believe the 2014-15 Sox are at all comparable to how this group is run. 

Sox #4 payroll 2014

Sox #5 payroll 2015

The Sox were consistently in the top 5 in payroll year in and year out no matter what their record was. Now? 

I think the context has changed as spending by 3-4 teams went haywire. Still, dropping down below #10 in spending for consecutive years was certainly a major change in the "cycle approach" to spending we witnesses for about 15 years.

[moonslav59]

Some of the Sox biggest contracts have been extensions, so some context is needed when we say the Sox don't spend top dollar. From Devers to AGon to the record setting Pedro extension before JH. Other lessers ones included Porcello, Sale & Crochet. (I've probably left someone out.)

The Sox have also gone large on some IFA signings from Masa to Moncada to Castillo to Dice-K, which often came with significant fees.

The Manny signing was before JH, too, but there has been some other big signings- just maybe not top level, outside of Price. Maybe the Crawford signing could be called top level, but that really is not many a whole lot of mega FA deals under JH: Price & CC.

The next level is...

Story, JD, Pablito, HRam & Bregman.

Still, there has been several peaks of major success along the way. The 7 year drought is wearing on some fans, but there does seem to be an uptick in talent and spending in the last couple years.

The future is in JH's hands. He's not going anywhere, despite the wishes of some.

[UtahSox]

On 3/3/2026 at 9:34 PM, moonslav59 said:

I agree. I think if he's healthy he can easily hit over .800 and maybe even go .850+ with 30+ HRs.

Wait what? Moon are you saying he physically has the ability to hit 30+ HRs? (Every big leaguer CAN) Or are you predicting IF healthy he will hit .800-.850 w/ 30+ HR’s? That would be a bold prediction. 

[UtahSox]

On 3/4/2026 at 2:35 PM, moonslav59 said:

Yes, I said "can" not "will" or even "should."

Yeah there are probably 400 big leaguers that “can”. What do predict he will do?

[notin]

16 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

I believe Ian Cundall was trying to talk himself into the Kyle Keller experience for a bullpen role. 😶‍🌫️

Can he talk himself into a Peyton Tolle bullpen role?

[notin]

6 hours ago, UtahSox said:

Wait what? Moon are you saying he physically has the ability to hit 30+ HRs? (Every big leaguer CAN) Or are you predicting IF healthy he will hit .800-.850 w/ 30+ HR’s? That would be a bold prediction. 

He simply means if Casas can ever stay healthy, he is more likely than most to hit 30  HRs.

The health makes it bold. Casas did hit 24 in 502 PA as a 23 year old…