A Realistic Look at the 2026 Red Sox: Part I

[mvp 78]

35 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

I think our team is complete now.  If Paredes came cheap, he'd be worth looking at.  But I see no way of us constructing a Duran or Abreu for Paredes+ trade.

Especially a Paredes + non-26 man roster guy. It'd have to be a top prospect at that point. 

[mvp 78]

35 minutes ago, Old Red said:

I not so sure about that. The Red Sox might of wanted Marte, but the price in terms of pieces, or money was out from what they wanted to pay, and that’s why the Red Sox Settled on the Much cheaper option In Durbin.

Yeah, the Sox didn't want to give up MAYER. That was my point. 

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, drewski6 said:

WE have two elite bullpen pitchers and 9 good starters.  SOme of them will become good bullpen pitchers.  We could use maybe one more established pen arm, but I wouldnt call it a glaring weakness that went unadressed. We resigned Chapman.  Signing one of hte best closers isnt exaclty not addressing a glaring weakness if that weakness is back half of bullpen.

IMHO, it starts with:

• Chapman
• Whitlock
• Weissert (no particular order)
• Slaten
• Kelly, probably
• Sandoval (at some point)
• Crawford ("")
• Moran or a prospect

I could understand acquiring another RP, but I wouldn't go out of my way.

[drewski6]

27 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

IMHO, it starts with:

• Chapman
• Whitlock
• Weissert (no particular order)
• Slaten
• Kelly, probably
• Sandoval (at some point)
• Crawford ("")
• Moran or a prospect

I could understand acquiring another RP, but I wouldn't go out of my way.

sounds like you wouldnt call it a glaring weakness.

Im with you

FYI - not trying to be a jerk here, but the shorthand for same as above is  '' (double apostrophe or single quotation marks) not "" (double quotation marks).  I do like that you used it (next to Crawford) and its been a while since ive seen someone use that shorthand.

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, drewski6 said:

Im not in a rush to trade our fifth best bat (per you) because he doesnt have a spot right now.  If Masa accepts a AAA role, there is no reason to trade him at all.  But if he doenst accept that, and we have 4 obvious bettter bench players, we can cross that bridge when we come to it.

We aren't trading Masa.

[mvp 78]

53 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

IMHO, it starts with:

• Chapman
• Whitlock
• Weissert (no particular order)
• Slaten
• Kelly, probably
• Sandoval (at some point)
• Crawford ("")
• Moran or a prospect

I could understand acquiring another RP, but I wouldn't go out of my way.

The Kelly/Sandoval/Crawford (will be on the IL, FYI)/Moran group is less than ideal. 

[notin]

8 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

The Kelly/Sandoval/Crawford (will be on the IL, FYI)/Moran group is less than ideal. 

Danny Coulombe still needs work…

[mvp 78]

5 minutes ago, notin said:

Danny Coulombe still needs work…

Must be a clubhouse cancer. 

[Behindenemylines]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Especially a Paredes + non-26 man roster guy. It'd have to be a top prospect at that point. 

The Parades ship has sailed. The way Duran has looked in the spring there is no way I trade him at this point. I think the Sox will open with Durbin at third and Mayer at second. 

[drewski6]

50 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Must be a clubhouse cancer. 

I hear that the SD Padres affiliated AAA team has been employing those.

[JoeBrady]

7 hours ago, drewski6 said:

sounds like you wouldnt call it a glaring weakness.

Im with you

FYI - not trying to be a jerk here, but the shorthand for same as above is  '' (double apostrophe or single quotation marks) not "" (double quotation marks).  I do like that you used it (next to Crawford) and its been a while since ive seen someone use that shorthand.

I thought it was one " for each word?

[moonslav59]

6 hours ago, Behindenemylines said:

The Parades ship has sailed. The way Duran has looked in the spring there is no way I trade him at this point. I think the Sox will open with Durbin at third and Mayer at second. 

If Mayer or Durbin flop, there will be some "what if" talks as Paredes swats 30 dingers for the Astros, this year.

I agree that the ship has sailed.

I like the Durbin trade, and I think Mayer has a higher ceiling than many might think, but I'd have preferred a surer bet.

[mvp 78]

11 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

If Mayer or Durbin flop, there will be some "what if" talks as Paredes swats 30 dingers for the Astros, this year.

I agree that the ship has sailed.

I like the Durbin trade, and I think Mayer has a higher ceiling than many might think, but I'd have preferred a surer bet.

I wouldn't count on Paredes hitting 30. He averages about 22 over the past 4 seasons. Has only hit more than 20 HR once in his career.

[Hitch]

20 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

I think our team is complete now.  If Paredes came cheap, he'd be worth looking at.  But I see no way of us constructing a Duran or Abreu for Paredes+ trade.

Unless we trade Duran for Paredes and a bull pen arm/top prospect and start Mayer in AAA. But yes, I agree, we're set now, while still trying to move Masa if something comes up. 

[moonslav59]

59 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I wouldn't count on Paredes hitting 30. He averages about 22 over the past 4 seasons. Has only hit more than 20 HR once in his career.

He hit 31 in 2023.

The years he hit exactly 20 HRs, he did it in 331 amd 378 ABs.

My projection is bases on 600+ PAs.

I'd feel better about 30, if he played half his games in Fenway.

[moonslav59]

I heard Aaron Boone was praising the Sox offense. Does he really think he has a spot inside our players' heads?

This looks like the line-up Cora will use as a template, with some possible adjustments for L-R match-ups. It's nice to see Duran hitting lefties well in ST'ing, so maybe he cans tick in the 3 hole full time.

1. L Anthony (mostly LF w some DH and RF)

2. R Story SS

3. L Duran (mostly DH w some CF & LF)

4. R Contreras 1B

5. L Abreu (watching closely hw he does v L)

6. R Durbin 3B

7. L Mayer 2B (Romy v LHPs, when he gets healthy)

8. R Narvaez C

9. R Rafaela CF

Bench: R Wong C & a little 1B/2B), R IKF (defensive infielder), R Monasterio (utility infield), L Yoshida (DH/ shorter corner OF)

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I heard Aaron Boone was praising the Sox offense.

Looks like five 20 HR guys to me. 

[notin]

6 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

 

Bench: R Wong C & a little 1B/2B), R IKF (defensive infielder), R Monasterio (utility infield), L Yoshida (DH/ shorter corner OF)

Why are you picking on Yoshida’s height?

[moonslav59]

Just now, notin said:

Why are you picking on Yoshida’s height?

LOL.

Hey, they gave Durbin the shorter infield slot, too.

[mvp 78]

4 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

LOL.

Hey, they gave Durbin the shorter infield slot, too.

How many Pedroias can they fit on this roster? 

[drewski6]

13 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

I thought it was one " for each word?

One from each word from a spacing perspective, not a technical perspective.   Its for hand written notes and it just means (bring down above word).  It doesnt matter , and Im not trying to be a jerk, but if you care, the "correct" would be:

• Sandoval (at some point)
• Crawford ("      "          ")
  
  But like if you used your imvho you would only put a " under that not 5 of them because even though its 5 words, its one word from a "between two spaces" point of view.
  
  Really its best use is when you are hand writing notes and want to change one thing from the note above.
  
  For eample:
  
  Amendment 2 Section II Article B (p.59) states Brands cost $70
  "                     "    "            "   "          C    "        "       generics  "      $15
  
  Which means:
  Amendment 2 Section II Article C (p.59) states generics cost $15
  
  Keep in mind this is for shorthand, like note taking during a meeting, so what is technically correct is really jsut whatever is gonna work for you.

[moonslav59]

14 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

How many Pedroias can they fit on this roster? 

Apparently, two.

I would not be surprised, if we move Yoshida by opening day or mid season, but I doubt we will, unless we get someone to pay about 25% or more of his remaining contract.

[moonslav59]

21 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Especially a Paredes + non-26 man roster guy. It'd have to be a top prospect at that point. 

We'd have room for Bryan King, Bennet Sousa or even Bryan Abreu add to the return for Paredes. I'd like to see us get King and Janek, but I'm not sure HOU would give even one of the 4 guys I mentioned.

Apparently, they really want Abreu more.

How about Abreu & Kelly for Paredes, King & Janek?

I'd hesitate to do this, and it might mean Mayer starts the year at AAA, but that's not really a bad idea.

We'd basically be trading OF (depth) for IF (depth) and opening up the DH slot for Masa, Casas, Romy & KC. I think someone from this mix might hit as well as Abreu, but that's more of a wish than a prediction.

[JoeBrady]

13 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

But like if you used your imvho you would only put a " under that not 5 of them because even though its 5 words,

I think we are in agreement.  The internet doesn't always space things the way I like, so I don't put too much effort into spacing.  If I deem it important, like a sequence of numbers, I will use Excel and copy it over.

Now that we have resolved this important issue, now we can work on trading our Yoshida for someone else's RH Yoshida.

[mvp 78]

9 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

We'd have room for Bryan King, Bennet Sousa or even Bryan Abreu add to the return for Paredes. I'd like to see us get King and Janek, but I'm not sure HOU would give even one of the 4 guys I mentioned.

Apparently, they really want Abreu more.

How about Abreu & Kelly for Paredes, King & Janek?

I'd hesitate to do this, and it might mean Mayer starts the year at AAA, but that's not really a bad idea.

We'd basically be trading OF (depth) for IF (depth) and opening up the DH slot for Masa, Casas, Romy & KC. I think someone from this mix might hit as well as Abreu, but that's more of a wish than a prediction.

I just don't think an Abreu for Paredes trade makes sense due to the additional 2 years of control. Sox aren't in a hurry to move an OFer now. HOU would have to really wow Breslow with an offer for Abreu. HOU just had Pena hurt his finger. Deal probably doesn't get done. 

[notin]

24 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

We'd have room for Bryan King, Bennet Sousa or even Bryan Abreu add to the return for Paredes. I'd like to see us get King and Janek, but I'm not sure HOU would give even one of the 4 guys I mentioned.

Apparently, they really want Abreu more.

How about Abreu & Kelly for Paredes, King & Janek?

I'd hesitate to do this, and it might mean Mayer starts the year at AAA, but that's not really a bad idea.

We'd basically be trading OF (depth) for IF (depth) and opening up the DH slot for Masa, Casas, Romy & KC. I think someone from this mix might hit as well as Abreu, but that's more of a wish than a prediction.

Jeremy Peña fractured his finger and will miss the WBC.

While Peña is fully expected to be ready by opening day, the Astros will probably find it wise to realize their infield surplus is right now one HBP away from an infield deficit.  

They might be thinking that holding on to Paredes is the wise move for now…

[drewski6]

23 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

We'd have room for Bryan King, Bennet Sousa or even Bryan Abreu add to the return for Paredes. I'd like to see us get King and Janek, but I'm not sure HOU would give even one of the 4 guys I mentioned.

Apparently, they really want Abreu more.

How about Abreu & Kelly for Paredes, King & Janek?

I'd hesitate to do this, and it might mean Mayer starts the year at AAA, but that's not really a bad idea.

We'd basically be trading OF (depth) for IF (depth) and opening up the DH slot for Masa, Casas, Romy & KC. I think someone from this mix might hit as well as Abreu, but that's more of a wish than a prediction.

Paredes isnt good enough to make this trade.  If they are going to make a trade, packaging depth - it neesds to be for a superstar  - not for a lesser player + improvements around the margins.

Marte is worth trading Abreu, Paredes is not.

[drewski6]

30 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

I think we are in agreement.  The internet doesn't always space things the way I like, so I don't put too much effort into spacing.  If I deem it important, like a sequence of numbers, I will use Excel and copy it over.

Now that we have resolved this important issue, now we can work on trading our Yoshida for someone else's RH Yoshida.

Im starting to think we dont have enough spots for the studs we have, clearly Eaton and Ward are all-stars.  I might be drunk on spring hopefulness.

[drewski6]

If you determine you have more than enough depth and you want to package some, you go for superstars. Not a poo-poo platter of help around the margins.

[notin]

29 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

 

Now that we have resolved this important issue, now we can work on trading our Yoshida for someone else's RH Yoshida.

Maybe a switch-hitting Yoshida?

BTV values Yoshida similarly to Anthony Santander.  Do you make the swap?

Bear in mind Santander is coming off a .565 OPS season and is still owed 4 years $80 mill and out until August.  And anyone thinking “at least he has to be a defensive upgrade” has clearly never seen Santander in the OF.  Just because someone was dumb enough to put him out there doesn’t mean he handled it well…