A Realistic Look at the 2026 Red Sox: Part I

[Old Red]

3 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

We shoulda traded Story like we did Nomar.

Who was going to take him? 

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

1 minute ago, Old Red said:

Who was going to take him? 

One could place Story outside of Fenway with a free sign around his neck and he would still be there the next day.

[mvp 78]

5 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Who was going to take him? 

If the Sox eat a substantial portion of his contract, they could deal him back to COL. They have a horrible SS and nobody in the minors. Story could then retire there. 

[drewski6]

1 hour ago, Hugh2 said:

Caring about the bullpen was like the Sox going out and paying $$$ for another starter when they blatantly needed hitting.  

When you're team is 2nd to last in runs scored, and 2nd in runs allowed in the A.L. you're going get much more bang for your buck by adding offense.  way way way way more bang for your buck. 

I honestly dont see whats so hard to understand about this. Ding, ding ding.

[drewski6]

7 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Who was going to take him? 

After last year, plenty.  THere was opt out buzz.

[Hugh2]

50 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Sure, but Roman Anthony has the same pedigree. Is it "production" or "star power?"

They're typically one in the same, one typically follows the other.  Wood isn't a "star" now but if this is who he is he will be considered a star by seasons end. 

[drewski6]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

If the Sox eat a substantial portion of his contract, they could deal him back to COL. They have a horrible SS and nobody in the minors. Story could then retire there. 

Oh you mean now, yeah thats different.  I think that after last year we could have ate a little and traded him quite easily but that ship may have sailed.  But I didnt want to do that then because he led our team in homeruns last year and Im kind of over trading our hitters and just thinking we'll magically find another.

[mvp 78]

9 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

• It is also $17M/3 for years 4/5/6, which is very cheap.  Kwan is getting $12M for years 4&5, and maybe $10M for year 6.  Adolis Garcia got $24M for years 4/5/6.
• What payroll flexibility?  He gets paid $2.25M instead of minimum wage.  What were your plans for the extra $1.5M?
• And again, in what universe do I want to get rid of him?

I don't care about the years already under control (arb years). The only years that matter during the extension are really the years after initial control ends! 

The cash doesn't matter. Only AAV matters. If they go any higher this year, they'll get draft pick penalized. Yuck! 

You don't want to get rid of him TODAY. TOMORROW? 

[Hugh2]

1 minute ago, drewski6 said:

I honestly dont see whats so hard to understand about this. Ding, ding ding.

It's like, imagine someone is trying to lose weight, and they're going to the gym 6 days a week but their diet is s*** and they eat 4,000 calories a day. 

Imagine saying "you know what we need.....an extra work out a week" "no....no what you need is to put down the little debbies"  That is where the problem is.  

[Bellhorn04]

17 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

We shoulda traded Story like we did Nomar.

Nomar could still hit when we traded him.

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, Hugh2 said:

They're typically one in the same, one typically follows the other.  Wood isn't a "star" now but if this is who he is he will be considered a star by seasons end. 

But the problem with the Sox right now is that the majority of the lineup isn't producing. 

Contreras and Abreu have been great. Rafaela has been good enough. Everyone else has been disappointing. If those players had simply played to expectations, not to a start level, this team's record would look like last season. 

[drewski6]

Just now, Hugh2 said:

It's like, imagine someone is trying to lose weight, and they're going to the gym 6 days a week but their diet is s*** and they eat 4,000 calories a day. 

Imagine saying "you know what we need.....an extra work out a week" "no....no what you need is to put down the little debbies"  That is where the problem is.  

I agree.  You know what I said when I walked into two ppl debating on if we should move our infielders around positionally?  This is equiv to arguing about if the titanic needed more deck chairs!

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Oh you mean now, yeah thats different.  I think that after last year we could have ate a little and traded him quite easily but that ship may have sailed.  But I didnt want to do that then because he led our team in homeruns last year and Im kind of over trading our hitters and just thinking we'll magically find another.

Breslow should have tipped him off that he wanted to get rid of Cora at some point so that maybe he considered opting out. Missed opportunity.

[drewski6]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

But the problem with the Sox right now is that the majority of the lineup isn't producing. 

Contreras and Abreu have been great. Rafaela has been good enough. Everyone else has been disappointing. If those players had simply played to expectations, not to a start level, this team's record would look like last season. 

And this team would also ultimately go as far as we did last season. Is that the goal? WC and playoff exit?

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Nomar could still hit when we traded him.

Traded in his year 30 season. So Story's 2023 season, if Story didn't have a huge financial commitment attached to him.

[Bellhorn04]

This might be the time to trade for Trout.  (Yes, I know it won't actually happen.)

He seems to be heathy again and performing at 85-90% of peak.

The Angels still stink.

His contract runs to the end of 2030.

Big boost for the offense and the fans.

Rafaela, Yoshida, plus a pitching prospect, plus cash to subsidize Yoshida.  Might take more than that. 

[drewski6]

Just now, mvp 78 said:

Breslow should have tipped him off that he wanted to get rid of Cora at some point so that maybe he considered opting out. Missed opportunity.

I would have been upset at the time, but I hear you. Story I thought was going to have a real good year this year. Im close to giving up on that now.  Well I have given up on a real good year cuz hes already done too much damage to this year.  But I mean, even being merely good this point on, Im close to giving up on.  

Gotta be willing to change ur opinions, otherwise, you end up like some of our posters here who got the team they wanted and still take victory laps.

[Old Red]

10 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

One could place Story outside of Fenway with a free sign around his neck and he would still be there the next day.

If Story thought he could make more money than what was left on his Red Sox contract he would have opted out. The fact that he didn’t tells a lot.

[Hugh2]

Just now, mvp 78 said:

But the problem with the Sox right now is that the majority of the lineup isn't producing. 

Contreras and Abreu have been great. Rafaela has been good enough. Everyone else has been disappointing. If those players had simply played to expectations, not to a start level, this team's record would look like last season. 

absolutely nobody is saying that they're not underperforming.  I even started the day off in here by saying I expect a regression to the mean.  

It's not a zero sum game, it can both be true that they're underperfoming AND they did a s*** job of building the roster and the offense which is what many people from pundits to experts to fans were all saying about the offseason. 

One of the biggest criticisms of this team the past almost decade now has been their affinity to shy away from big contracts to big names.  And while I can appreciate not irresponsibly throwing your money around on aging players you need vets, you need leadership, you need a stud, and this team doesn't have it and even with all their underperformances aside this team was highly flawed and it shows. 

Ya'll can defend as much as you want but at the end of the day the results speak for themselves.  The only way this team gets better is for guys to perform and for the rookies to grow.  And they should of hoped for that but banking on that was dumb. 

[mvp 78]

Story is now in his LAD negative WAR Nomar phase. They were at least smart enough to move him off SS.

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

And this team would also ultimately go as far as we did last season. Is that the goal? WC and playoff exit?

The goal was playoffs for sure. Brez probably thought a better rotation would get them further (Gio missed the playoffs, Bello pitched poorly). Now the goal is simply get back to respectability. 

[drewski6]

1 minute ago, Old Red said:

If Story thought he could make more money than what was left on his Red Sox contract he would have opted out. The fact that he didn’t tells a lot.

This offseason, he framed his decision to stay like it was a decision born out of loyalty.  Your choice if you want to believe him.  I did at the time (laughs at self).

[Old Red]

2 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

This might be the time to trade for Trout.  (Yes, I know it won't actually happen.)

He seems to be heathy again and performing at 85-90% of peak.

The Angels still stink.

His contract runs to the end of 2030.

Big boost for the offense and the fans.

Rafaela, Yoshida, plus a pitching prospect, plus cash to subsidize Yoshida.  Might take more than that. 

That was the tidbit that hit Felger’s phone for what it was worth that he talked about last night. Duran, and Bello for Trout.

[drewski6]

3 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

The goal was playoffs for sure. Brez probably thought a better rotation would get them further (Gio missed the playoffs, Bello pitched poorly). Now the goal is simply get back to respectability. 

Im going to tag in hugh2 to explain to you why more pitching was not the primary route we should have went.  Our hitters in the playoffs last year were Story, Yoshida (end list). 

BTW , Brez didnt start saying pitching and D until Bregman walked out of the room laughing at Breslow with Breslow screaming "you dont have an offer from the cubs"  ANd breg was like "sure bud"
 

But agree on everything else.

[mvp 78]

4 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

And while I can appreciate not irresponsibly throwing your money around on aging players you need vets, you need leadership, you need a stud, and this team doesn't have it and even with all their underperformances aside this team was highly flawed and it shows. 

I mean, it seems clear that Bregman should have been brought back. His leadership was more important to growing the younger players than just his production on the field. Teaming him with a big bat across the diamond in Contreras should have given the offense enough of a lift. I know Bregman isn't looking great now, but the team around him is. Interesting! 

[drewski6]

7 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

absolutely nobody is saying that they're not underperforming.  I even started the day off in here by saying I expect a regression to the mean.  

It's not a zero sum game, it can both be true that they're underperfoming AND they did a s*** job of building the roster and the offense which is what many people from pundits to experts to fans were all saying about the offseason. 

One of the biggest criticisms of this team the past almost decade now has been their affinity to shy away from big contracts to big names.  And while I can appreciate not irresponsibly throwing your money around on aging players you need vets, you need leadership, you need a stud, and this team doesn't have it and even with all their underperformances aside this team was highly flawed and it shows. 

Ya'll can defend as much as you want but at the end of the day the results speak for themselves.  The only way this team gets better is for guys to perform and for the rookies to grow.  And they should of hoped for that but banking on that was dumb. 

Hugh2 just went Mew2 on ur asses.  Note: im not really a pokemon guy and im not sure if that makes sense.

[Old Red]

5 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

absolutely nobody is saying that they're not underperforming.  I even started the day off in here by saying I expect a regression to the mean.  

It's not a zero sum game, it can both be true that they're underperfoming AND they did a s*** job of building the roster and the offense which is what many people from pundits to experts to fans were all saying about the offseason. 

One of the biggest criticisms of this team the past almost decade now has been their affinity to shy away from big contracts to big names.  And while I can appreciate not irresponsibly throwing your money around on aging players you need vets, you need leadership, you need a stud, and this team doesn't have it and even with all their underperformances aside this team was highly flawed and it shows. 

Ya'll can defend as much as you want but at the end of the day the results speak for themselves.  The only way this team gets better is for guys to perform and for the rookies to grow.  And they should have hoped for that but banking on that was dumb. 

  I agree. Ortiz is not coming through that door. Many is not coming through that door. Putting all the expectations from all the hype on little Anthony that so many on here, there, and everywhere did was dumb.

[drewski6]

3 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I mean, it seems clear that Bregman should have been brought back. His leadership was more important to growing the younger players than just his production on the field. Teaming him with a big bat across the diamond in Contreras should have given the offense enough of a lift. I know Bregman isn't looking great now, but the team around him is. Interesting! 

ALso, I believe in the butterfly effect. So just because he isnt hitting in Chitown isnt a guarantee to me he wouldnt hit well here.

Reminder: we lost bregman because of breslows inability to not talk down to people. Nothing to do with drawing a line in the sand on value as much as some people wished that was the case.

Good post though, good post.

[drewski6]

1 minute ago, Old Red said:

  I agree. Ortiz is not coming through that door. Many is not coming through that door. Putting all the expectations from all the hype on little Anthony that so many on here, there, and everywhere did was dumb.

If Ortiz was here ,. most would be saying he makes too much for a DH.

[Old Red]

4 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I mean, it seems clear that Bregman should have been brought back. His leadership was more important to growing the younger players than just his production on the field. Teaming him with a big bat across the diamond in Contreras should have given the offense enough of a lift. I know Bregman isn't looking great now, but the team around him is. Interesting! 

Bregman  did not come back, because of LOWbres from the start of negotiations until the end.