A Realistic Look at the 2026 Red Sox: Part I

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, notin said:

If only the Sox FO would use a Time Machine to judge how these players are going to do before signing them to short term deals.  So stubborn, huh?

It's less about a time machine and more about "stop throwing money down a well while putting budgetary restrictions on a large market (by revenue) team." 

[moonslav59]

11 minutes ago, notin said:

You don’t think Buehler was a high upside guy?

It's like an addicted gambler who has lost five $1000 dollar bets in a row, so he bets $5,000 on the next bet, figuring he's "due."

[mvp 78]

Walker Buehler is back! He was great in the postseason! Just ignore the NLDS start where he gave up 6 runs! 

[JoeBrady]

25 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

It's less about a time machine and more about "stop throwing money down a well while putting budgetary restrictions on a large market (by revenue) team." 

They should've signed:

• Burnes $210M/7
• Monty $47M/2
• Snell $137M/5
• Walker $72M/4
• Manaea $75M/3
• Cobb $15M/1
• Verlander $15M/1
• Scherzer $16M/1

By my estimation, they'd have added a record of 24-34 last year, for a bargain basement price tag of $170M.

[moonslav59]

8 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

They should've signed:

• Burnes $210M/7
• Monty $47M/2
• Snell $137M/5
• Walker $72M/4
• Manaea $75M/3
• Cobb $15M/1
• Verlander $15M/1
• Scherzer $16M/1

By my estimation, they'd have added a record of 24-34 last year, for a bargain basement price tag of $170M.

Luckily, the Sox have a policy of only one at a time.

[notin]

49 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

It's like an addicted gambler who has lost five $1000 dollar bets in a row, so he bets $5,000 on the next bet, figuring he's "due."

So explain why Buehler was clearly a horrible risk after 3 injury-plagued years but Chris Sale wasn’t after 3 injury-plagued years.

Even Garrett Richards was successful until that mid-season ban on whatever sticky stuff he was using to achieve the elite spin rate he was signed for.  And Kluber was a 3 WAR pitcher the year before. 
 

If only the Sox FO would use hindsight more often…

[notin]

58 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

It's less about a time machine and more about "stop throwing money down a well while putting budgetary restrictions on a large market (by revenue) team." 

They did need pitching.  And all of those deals were just one year.  Would you prefer another David Price contract? Or Chris Sale contract?  Even Eovaldi was kind of iffy on his 4 year deal.

Given how these longer contracts for SP were all mediocre to awful, is it really surprising they tried another strategy?

 

[Duran Is The Man]

2 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

The Sandoval recovery should be the last straw on these types of signings. We are up to something like Oh for ten, now. Sandoval, Hendriks, Paxton plus injury history guys like Buehler, Kluber, Richards...

Name one injury-prone guy we've signed in the last 10 years who put up one good season.

Stop this experiment!

it's insane. just money truly pissed away for nothing.

[notin]

20 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

One of the positions that is up for grabs is backup C. Thaiss is a good blocker who doesn't chase and will take a walk or two. Not super exciting, but his upwards mobility clause may get him added and Wong optioned. 

They would have to DFA someone.

Cheng is very redundant at this point, and Gasper is an older, lesser, switch-hitting Siegler.  
 

The Sox probably need to add bullpen deoth (Coulombe?), so maybe DFA them both?

[Nick]

But Crawford was slowed by the flu ...... I'm speechless.

Luckily Crochet takes good care of his body. 

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, notin said:

So explain why Buehler was clearly a horrible risk after 3 injury-plagued years but Chris Sale wasn’t after 3 injury-plagued years.

 

When did I say Sale was not an injury risk?

I liked the trade.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, notin said:

They would have to DFA someone.

Cheng is very redundant at this point, and Gasper is an older, lesser, switch-hitting Siegler.  
 

The Sox probably need to add bullpen deoth (Coulombe?), so maybe DFA them both?

We might put Casas or Sandoval on the 60. Can we start the 60 day clock on March 1st?

[notin]

1 minute ago, moonslav59 said:

When did I say Sale was not an injury risk?

I liked the trade.

A lot of folks did and insisted he had already proven he was back, better than ever , and still 27 years old…

[notin]

Just now, moonslav59 said:

We might put Casas or Sandoval on the 60. Can we start the 60 day clock on March 1st?

The clock doesn’t start, but they can be added to free up the roster spot.

Braiden award might be worth adding just so he can be a 27th man for double headers…,

[mvp 78]

2 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

They should've signed:

• Burnes $210M/7
• Monty $47M/2
• Snell $137M/5
• Walker $72M/4
• Manaea $75M/3
• Cobb $15M/1
• Verlander $15M/1
• Scherzer $16M/1

By my estimation, they'd have added a record of 24-34 last year, for a bargain basement price tag of $170M.

People on here debated the top 3. Only one real sicko wanted Manaea here. The other 4 weren't mentioned as options at all. 

[mvp 78]

2 hours ago, notin said:

So explain why Buehler was clearly a horrible risk after 3 injury-plagued years but Chris Sale wasn’t after 3 injury-plagued years.

Even Garrett Richards was successful until that mid-season ban on whatever sticky stuff he was using to achieve the elite spin rate he was signed for.  And Kluber was a 3 WAR pitcher the year before. 
 

If only the Sox FO would use hindsight more often…

To me, Sale was a risk, which is why I'm not really broken up about the trade. 

[mvp 78]

31 minutes ago, notin said:

The clock doesn’t start, but they can be added to free up the roster spot.

Braiden award might be worth adding just so he can be a 27th man for double headers…,

My guess is that they'd be more likely to add relievers that get put through waivers before considering adding a guy that has never appeared in an MLB game. 

[notin]

28 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

My guess is that they'd be more likely to add relievers that get put through waivers before considering adding a guy that has never appeared in an MLB game. 

Maybe.

But… Danny Coulombe?  How is he still unsigned?  Does he want 8 years or something?

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, notin said:

A lot of folks did and insisted he had already proven he was back, better than ever , and still 27 years old…

Yes, I know some felt that way- a lot more claimed they did a year later.

I did not, so I don't have to explain anything.

[moonslav59]

34 minutes ago, notin said:

Maybe.

But… Danny Coulombe?  How is he still unsigned?  Does he want 8 years or something?

He's 36, but has a had a few years in a row of nice pitching.

Hard to know why he hasn't signed yet.

We might sign him.

[mvp 78]

34 minutes ago, notin said:

Maybe.

But… Danny Coulombe?  How is he still unsigned?  Does he want 8 years or something?

Coulombe should be a pretty cheap signing. Last year he signed for 1/3. He might not be a backend guy anymore, but I'd rather throw him out there in the 6th/7th than Moran. 

[drewski6]

4 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

People on here debated the top 3. Only one real sicko wanted Manaea here. The other 4 weren't mentioned as options at all. 

Am I that sicko?

[drewski6]

3 hours ago, notin said:

Maybe.

But… Danny Coulombe?  How is he still unsigned?  Does he want 8 years or something?

Maybe detective Columbo of classic television drama series can get to the bottom of why Coulombe is still assigned.

[moonslav59]

52 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Maybe detective Columbo of classic television drama series can get to the bottom of why Coulombe is still assigned.

 

57 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

 

I thought this was a 5 GG post.

[drewski6]

1 minute ago, moonslav59 said:

 

I thought this was a 5 GG post.

Best compliment Ive received today

[FredLynn]

8 hours ago, notin said:

Not even opening day and doubling back already?

I remember being wrong once..........................but I was mistaken

I am very comfortable with my predictions about this season. I think we will be slightly better than last year by a win or two, but since the other teams improved more than the FLOPS I don't think we will beat them out to a playoff spot. Too bad too......we could have had a great year except for ...................well, everyone knows why.

[moonslav59]

I think I'd add Thaiss to the 40 man and trade/DFA Cheng.

I might add Ward and trade/DFA Gasper, but there is no hurry on this one.

Maybe we add someone to the 60 Day IL and sign Coulombe or cut bait with Moran or Watson. (Kelly still has options, so maybe we don't need to.)

[JoeBrady]

6 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

People on here debated the top 3. Only one real sicko wanted Manaea here. The other 4 weren't mentioned as options at all. 

On here, sure.  But you have to consider the universe of possible SP signings that the RS might've considered.  I thought Monty + Snell was the way to go.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

29 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I might add Ward and trade/DFA Gasper, but there is no hurry on this one.

That's because Mickey's in Houston right now -- Italy needed to replace injured Teel and called up Gasperini.

(sorry for the vowel movement, but I, too, could qualify for that team -- except I can't play catcher -- nor would I wear Columbo's raincoat indoors... but outdoors... remember, the two best times to go fishing are when it's raining and when it's not).

[moonslav59]

49 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

On here, sure.  But you have to consider the universe of possible SP signings that the RS might've considered.  I thought Monty + Snell was the way to go.

I was not high on Snell, but Monty seemed reasonable, to me.