Red Sox 2025 Season Review/Offseason Preview Thread

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Hitch said:

All the noise coming out of the meetings so far is that its strictly between Red Sox and Phillies for Schwarber. 

I'd love him, but it's such an awkward match for our roster.

A stroke of the pen on a Masa DFA or subsidized trade and that awkwardness vanishes instantly.

[Hitch]

1 minute ago, moonslav59 said:

A stroke of the pen on a Masa DFA or subsidized trade and that awkwardness vanishes instantly.

Yes, but not the financial hit on the tax. Maybe they don't care (and hopefully they don't) but I'm skeptical of that. 

It helps it wasn't a Breslow signing. 

[moonslav59]

12 minutes ago, Hitch said:

Yes, but not the financial hit on the tax. Maybe they don't care (and hopefully they don't) but I'm skeptical of that. 

It helps it wasn't a Breslow signing. 

I get that, but signing Alonso makes a big tax hit, too, and he might as well be a DH, he's almost as bad as Casas at 1B D. Suarez will be cheaper and shorter but he may be best used as a DH or 1Bman.

Who else is there? Polanco? A trade for K Marte?

[Hitch]

24 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I get that, but signing Alonso makes a big tax hit, too, and he might as well be a DH, he's almost as bad as Casas at 1B D. Suarez will be cheaper and shorter but he may be best used as a DH or 1Bman.

Who else is there? Polanco? A trade for K Marte?

I'm not sure what your argument is with? I'm not saying anything about the potential fa's just commenting on the likelihood of Masa getting DFA'd.

[moonslav59]

2 minutes ago, Hitch said:

I'm not sure what your argument is with? I'm not saying anything about the potential fa's just commenting on the likelihood of Masa getting DFA'd.

Good point. I guess I was looking at the bad fit position and am thinking so are other options.

[Hitch]

1 minute ago, moonslav59 said:

Good point. I guess I was looking at the bad fit position and am thinking so are other options.

Fair point, I did mention that in my opening post. I'd love Schwarber, but I just don't think we can carry Masa as well. If JH is wiling to eat it and Masa goes one way or another, happy days, get him in.

[mvp 78]

1 hour ago, Hitch said:

Fair point, I did mention that in my opening post. I'd love Schwarber, but I just don't think we can carry Masa as well. If JH is wiling to eat it and Masa goes one way or another, happy days, get him in.

If they sign Schwarber now, the question would be: WHY DIDN'T THEY SIGN HIM BACK IN 2022?!?!?!?!??! 

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Hitch said:

Fair point, I did mention that in my opening post. I'd love Schwarber, but I just don't think we can carry Masa as well. If JH is wiling to eat it and Masa goes one way or another, happy days, get him in.

We do know they still are not against the idea of masa playing the short corner OF position. We could trade Duran and another OF'er (probably not Rafaela or Abreu) and use Masa in the OF (gasp!)

Not ideal, for sure, but it's one way to get him PAs without DH'ing. If we traded Rafaela:

LF: Masa/ Campbell-Garcia

CF: Anthony (Garcia)

RF: Abreu (Garcia)

If we tarde Abreu:

LF: Masa/ Campbell-Garcia

CF: Rafaela (Garcia)

RF: Anthony (Garcia)

More likely, we'd trade Duran and one of the RHBs: Campbell or Garcia.

[moonslav59]

13 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

If they sign Schwarber now, the question would be: WHY DIDN'T THEY SIGN HIM BACK IN 2022?!?!?!?!??! 

Maybe JD Martinez >>> Masa?

[mvp 78]

34 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Maybe JD Martinez >>> Masa?

Then why didn't they re-sign him in '23 instead? 

[moonslav59]

51 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Then why didn't they re-sign him in '23 instead? 

Who? JD?

I think they did not want JD and Schwarber on the same roster for even just 1 year.

I think the same about Masa and Schwarber, but that does not stop me from having a different opinion..

[Larry Cook]

19 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Wow, that was quick. We are already back to rebuild mode.

We should always be in some form of rebuild mode!  The dodgers went after two of our prospects at the trade deadline, because they understand how to deal from a surplus ! 
 

We may or may not have a surplus of outfielders!  At the end of the day, the smart organizations know that sustainability runs through the farm system, and how to feast on the desperation of teams without a proper structure and organization plan!!!! 

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, Larry Cook said:

We should always be in some form of rebuild mode!  The dodgers went after two of our prospects at the trade deadline, because they understand how to deal from a surplus ! 
 

We may or may not have a surplus of outfielders!  At the end of the day, the smart organizations know that sustainability runs through the farm system, and how to feast on the desperation of teams without a proper structure and organization plan!!!! 

We don't have the budget to be like the Dodgers, and our long-awaited window is here, NOW!

[Larry Cook]

43 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

We don't have the budget to be like the Dodgers, and our long-awaited window is here, NOW!

Maybe, but the value of prospects is always super high and prospects are a ready made trade commodity! 

[moonslav59]

36 minutes ago, Larry Cook said:

Maybe, but the value of prospects is always super high and prospects are a ready made trade commodity! 

I agreed, if they are flipped for Joe Ryan, YES!!!!

[Larry Cook]

4 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

I agreed, if they are flipped for Joe Ryan, YES!!!!

Given the length of the rebuild and the abundance of outfielders that the twins have, I would suspect that pitching prospects is what they are after! 
 

the twins are going to ask for tolle and early! I think Bres-slow would be loathe to give them up though. 

[moonslav59]

17 minutes ago, Larry Cook said:

Given the length of the rebuild and the abundance of outfielders that the twins have, I would suspect that pitching prospects is what they are after! 
 

the twins are going to ask for tolle and early! I think Bres-slow would be loathe to give them up though. 

No other team will give them that much.

Why is he worth that much?

[Larry Cook]

Just now, moonslav59 said:

No other team will give them that much.

Why is he worth that much?

Hypothetically, if some team calls us asking for Duran, is bres-slow going to trade Duran for 2 mediocre prospects? 
 

human nature. Ask for the world, but know what you are willing to settle for or walk away from 

[Randy Red Sox]

15 hours ago, Hitch said:

Fair point, I did mention that in my opening post. I'd love Schwarber, but I just don't think we can carry Masa as well. If JH is wiling to eat it and Masa goes one way or another, happy days, get him in.

schwarber is not leaving Philly-bank on it

[Hitch]

5 hours ago, Larry Cook said:

Given the length of the rebuild and the abundance of outfielders that the twins have, I would suspect that pitching prospects is what they are after! 
 

the twins are going to ask for tolle and early! I think Bres-slow would be loathe to give them up though. 

I think they'll ask for one of them (rightly so) and we should do it. If everything goes brilliantly, Tolle or Early may become a Ryan. So go get THE Ryan now.

[Hitch]

2 hours ago, Randy Red Sox said:

schwarber is not leaving Philly-bank on it

I suspect you're right. 

[Hugh2]

I love Schwarber, and would love to see him again in a Boston uniform.  But I just don't think he's a great fit for this team.  He's a DH only type, we have so many of those right now.  

We need a guy who can swing the bat and play 3B, 2B, 1B, and maybe even LF/RF (if we trade away Duran)

[Hugh2]

14 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

We don't have the budget to be like the Dodgers, and our long-awaited window is here, NOW!

We might not have the budget of the Dodgers, but the Sox have shown time and time again that they will significantly increase their budget when they believe they are inside their window.  Same ownership group has been a top 2 spender in baseball many times in their tenure and during the last world series run had the highest payroll in baseball in 2018.

This is exactly why I've been adamant about them going over the luxury threshold next year and firmly believe they will do so. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 hour ago, Hugh2 said:

We might not have the budget of the Dodgers, but the Sox have shown time and time again that they will significantly increase their budget when they believe they are inside their window.  Same ownership group has been a top 2 spender in baseball many times in their tenure and during the last world series run had the highest payroll in baseball in 2018.

This is exactly why I've been adamant about them going over the luxury threshold next year and firmly believe they will do so. 

But this isn't a big picture window with summer screens opening across a tableau of suburbia. It's just an attic window with metal slots barely big enough for wasps to nest in.

The Red Sox have an ace pitcher and closer, and young outfielders with all-around talent. But they still need a starting first baseman, a starting second baseman, a starting third baseman, a clean-up batter who can hit homers and a #2 pitcher who can start in the postseason...

[mvp 78]

9 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

No other team will give them that much.

Why is he worth that much?

He was worth that much at the deadline. He may not be worth that much in the offseason. 

[Hugh2]

27 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

But this isn't a big picture window with summer screens opening across a tableau of suburbia. It's just an attic window with metal slots barely big enough for wasps to nest in.

The Red Sox have an ace pitcher and closer, and young outfielders with all-around talent. But they still need a starting first baseman, a starting second baseman, a starting third baseman, a clean-up batter who can hit homers and a #2 pitcher who can start in the postseason...

They made the playoffs last year and are largely returning the same team.  Minus Bregman, you probably get what Giolito gave you with some combination of Tolle/Crawford/Early/Harrison/Sandoval/Dobbins etc.  

You have the budget to add at least Bregman or replace him E.G. Alonso or Bichette or other. 

SO unless you think you will have zero progression from the youth movement, this team on paper should be even better next year.  If they add to that, in an open A.L. east.....they should be very competitive next eyar. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

2 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

They made the playoffs last year and are largely returning the same team.  Minus Bregman, you probably get what Giolito gave you with some combination of Tolle/Crawford/Early/Harrison/Sandoval/Dobbins etc.  

You have the budget to add at least Bregman or replace him E.G. Alonso or Bichette or other. 

SO unless you think you will have zero progression from the youth movement, this team on paper should be even better next year.  If they add to that, in an open A.L. east.....they should be very competitive next eyar. 

They have the budget to resign Bregman AND sign Alonso or Bichette AND a #2 OR trade for a #2 AND extend him.

But we'll all believe it when we see it. 

More likely, they'll sign just one of those big names and tout improvements from the youth movement to sell tickets all winter.

[mvp 78]

10 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

They have the budget to resign Bregman AND sign Alonso or Bichette AND a #2 OR trade for a #2 AND extend him.

But we'll all believe it when we see it. 

More likely, they'll sign just one of those big names and tout improvements from the youth movement to sell tickets all winter.

Not to be pedantic, but the budget may not allow for them to sign all those guys, but the cash flow most certainly does. 💰🐉💰

[Hugh2]

14 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

They have the budget to resign Bregman AND sign Alonso or Bichette AND a #2 OR trade for a #2 AND extend him.

But we'll all believe it when we see it. 

More likely, they'll sign just one of those big names and tout improvements from the youth movement to sell tickets all winter.

You're more than welcome to put your money where you mouth is and vote on my LT poll page. 

Or not....don't bet actually money. I think we sign a big name and trade for a big name and then a bunch of ancilliary moves. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

38 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Not to be pedantic, but the budget may not allow for them to sign all those guys, but the cash flow most certainly does. 💰🐉💰

To ensure Kennedy can't ever lie to the public, Henry actually does give his CBOs the combo to the safe.

But then the next day he changes the combination. He uses an algorithm of password generators, morse codes, thumb prints and eyeball recognition refracted through reading glasses at +2.50 power. Then he reverses the birthday of his cigars and plays it backwards until it says, "I buried Paul."