A Realistic Look at the 2026 Red Sox: Part I

[moonslav59]

10 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Id do it.  In 2026, elite Catchers pick up a CF glove and become elite CF's in a year.  Everyone is moving around.

Duran's CF defense + 2b Raf's defense vs Raf's CF defense vs Durans 2b defense

80+80 vs 100+ ? 

Does Duran clear 60 (on a 1-100 scale), eh, honestly probably not.

So I wouldnt do it, becuase Id play Cedanne there instead.

As much as I hate the idea of Rafaela at 2B not CF, I'd prefer him there and Anthony in CF/Duran in LF than Duran at 2B. (Duran in CF & Rafaela at 2B is a better idea, too.)

Rafaela's bat is easier to tolerate, when he's playing GG CF, though. We'd need him to improve his offense, although if the comp is Ceddanne vs DHam, then CR is an upgrade on offense at 2B.

[notin]

48 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

public transportation is roller blading!

And surfing!

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, Hugh2 said:

........also the type of thing they might say if they're actively in negotiations and posturing. 

The 3rd option is that they don't even have a lineup yet.

Probably a moot point now that they traded for Robert.  Another move I don't get.

[moonslav59]

According to fangraphs projections, the Sox have 9 guys projected to have a 1.5 or higher fWAR:

C 2.1 Narvaez

1B 1.9 Contreras

2B 1.5 Romy

3B 1.8 Mayer

SS 1.9 Story

LF 3.0 Anthony

CF 2.9 Rafaela

RF 2.2 Abreu

DH 2.1 Duran (Our top 3 are all OF'ers)

We are one of the few teams that have 3 SP'ers over 3.3 and 5 over 1.2:

5.7 Crochet

3.9 Gray

3.3 Suarez

1.8 Bello

1.2 Oviedo (0.9 Sandoval)

RPs: 1.5 Chapman, 1.1 Whitlock

The Yanks have 8 players at 1.5 or more with Stanton 1.1 and Rosario 1.0 not far behind. They have one SP'er higher than 3.0 but 6 at 1.3 or higher. RP: Bednar 1.2 & Doval & Cruz 0.8.

The Jays have have 8 players at 1.5 or more (actually 1.9+) and 3 guys at 1.0 to 1.2. They have 1 SP over 3.0 but 5 over 2.1 and 6 over 1.2. RP: Hoffman 1.1 & Garcia 0.6.

The O's match the Sox with 9 guys over 1.5 and have 7 over 2.0! However, they have 1 SP over 3.0 and 5 over 1.3, then a big drop off in depth. RP: Helsely 1.0 & Kittredge 0.6

Think playoffs and top 3 SP'ers and top 2 RP'ers:

BOS: 5.7 Crochet, 3.9 Gray, 3.3 Suarez/ 1.5 Chapman & 1.1 Whitlock

TOR: 3.8 Cease, 2.8 Gausman, 2.3 Beiber/ 1.1 Hoffman & 0.6 Garcia

NYY: 3.6 Fried, 2.2 Rodon, 1.9 Cole/ Bednar 1.2 & Doval 0.8

O's: 3.1 Bradish, 2.2 Rogers & Baz 2.0/ Helsley 1.0 & Kitteredge 0.6

As you can see our top 3 SP'er blow the others away. Our second best RP'er tops or nearly tops all the others #1.

The offense is nearly the reverse, but it is "balanced." Some might say "balanced mediocrity," but our #9 everyday player is better than most AL East teams' #9.

[JoeBrady]

3 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

As much as I hate the idea of Rafaela at 2B

I see no chance of that happening.  Compared to a platoon of Romy/DHam, I don't see Raffy as an improvement offensively or defensively.

[moonslav59]

26 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

I see no chance of that happening.  Compared to a platoon of Romy/DHam, I don't see Raffy as an improvement offensively or defensively.

That's why I hate the idea.

[drewski6]

41 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

I see no chance of that happening.  Compared to a platoon of Romy/DHam, I don't see Raffy as an improvement offensively or defensively.

But yet it happened last year.

[drewski6]

They were playing KC in the outfield and Cedanne at 2b and that only changed cuz KC forgot how to hit.

[moonslav59]

3 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

They were playing KC in the outfield and Cedanne at 2b and that only changed cuz KC forgot how to hit.

Well, e had DHam/Romy, Sogard...

The real reason we used Ceddanne at 2B was because we had 4 OF'ers.

[drewski6]

20 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Well, e had DHam/Romy, Sogard...

The real reason we used Ceddanne at 2B was because we had 4 OF'ers.

And we still do, so.....

[drewski6]

First of all, you are all underestimating cedanne at 2b.  Hes going to be a plus there and a big one.  Hes too good to not be.  I think if hes an A+++ centerfielder, hes nothing worse than a B+ at infield and anything else is small sample size or adjustment , but he'll figure it out

Its also temporary.  Even if hes getting some reps at 2b, hes still playing a lot in cf (even with full health) and there will likely be an injury to an OF at some point, opening a spot for him. Hes prob already there vs lefties as one of duran / abreu prob sitting.

Im not worried about it.  Versatility is always good.

[drewski6]

cedanne is prob a 2.5 WAR player in the outfield, and a 1.8 WAR player in the infield.  Having him play the infield 20% of our games is not going to kill us.

[mvp 78]

28 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

But yet it happened last year.

Because they had to play Romy at 1b. They don't have to do that this year. 

[mvp 78]

Just now, drewski6 said:

cedanne is prob a 2.5 WAR player in the outfield, and a 1.8 WAR player in the infield.  Having him play the infield 20% of our games is not going to kill us.

0.0 WAR player at 2b. 

[drewski6]

4 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

0.0 WAR player at 2b. 

last year?

[drewski6]

I dont think hes a 0.0 WAR player at 2b.

[drewski6]

thats not exactly easy to do

[drewski6]

5 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Because they had to play Romy at 1b. They don't have to do that this year. 

they chose campbell at cf and rafaella at  2b, they coulda just flipped em.

[drewski6]

I dont think cedanne will be a cf or a 2b. I think he'll be both depending on who is healthy, who is sluping, the handedness of the pitcher...

Im nothing if not flexible.  Not like physically, im terrible at yoga

[mvp 78]

16 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

they chose campbell at cf and rafaella at  2b, they coulda just flipped em.

He didn't play 2b until Campbell was back in AAA. 

[drewski6]

24 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

He didn't play 2b until Campbell was back in AAA. 

That makes sense. Prob not until Roman was up.  So campbell was prob playing of only against lefties when abreu sat.

[drewski6]

I do hear you MVP when you say that he loses a ton of value at infield.

I remember hating the idea of Swihart at 1b and it smelled to me like people just didnt want to accept that he was a bust. Im like, the dude is so subpar hitter as a firstbaseman, hes a bat first catcher but not like a bat first player regardless of position. Hes useless at 1b.

The difference with Cedanne is I dont care what the stats say. I dont think hes useless at 2b.  Or at least , I dont think hed be useless if given a little time there.  I think hed be damn good kind of like when mookie went from a very good infielder to a very good outfielder back to infielder

I also think its temporary.  YOu are just parking him at 2b until an OF gets hurt and it will happen at some point.

[drewski6]

One of hte reasons i like defensive versatility is because i expect attrition.

[mvp 78]

5 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

That makes sense. Prob not until Roman was up.  So campbell was prob playing of only against lefties when abreu sat.

Campbell played in 88% of all games prior to being sent down, a portion of the games missed were due to a rib injury at the end of April. 

[mvp 78]

5 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

The difference with Cedanne is I dont care what the stats say. I dont think hes useless at 2b.  Or at least , I dont think hed be useless if given a little time there.  I think hed be damn good kind of like when mookie went from a very good infielder to a very good outfielder back to infielder

I also think its temporary.  

If it's temporary, what's the point? He's not going to be given enough time to get good enough at 2b to be worth it. He's great at CF and mediocre at 2B. Why mess with it? 

[drewski6]

3 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Campbell played in 88% of all games prior to being sent down, a portion of the games missed were due to a rib injury at the end of April. 

right but he was playing inf against righties and outfield against lefties?

[moonslav59]

Unless we have a 1B or DH injury, Romy is better at 2B than Rafaela, when factoring O+D.

[drewski6]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

If it's temporary, what's the point? He's not going to be given enough time to get good enough at 2b to be worth it. He's great at CF and mediocre at 2B. Why mess with it? 

whats the point of any band-aid?

There is a chance, and a good one, that at some point, it will make sense for cedanne to play infield.  Maybe its because cedanne, RA, Duran, Abreu, Masa are all hot at hte plate but story is hurt and mayer cant hit.

[JoeBrady]

2 hours ago, drewski6 said:

But yet it happened last year.

By necessity.  Romy was playing 1st, and DHam was not going to be trusted starting against lefties.  Once Lowe came on board, Ceddanne mostly went back to CF.  Last 2B start was on 8/24 (?).  And only had 76 ABs there, but the .309 OPS probably didn't help.  I'm almost certain that we either get a 2B/3B from the outside, or we platoon Romy/DHam.

[drewski6]

7 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

By necessity.  Romy was playing 1st, and DHam was not going to be trusted starting against lefties.  Once Lowe came on board, Ceddanne mostly went back to CF.  Last 2B start was on 8/24 (?).  And only had 76 ABs there, but the .309 OPS probably didn't help.  I'm almost certain that we either get a 2B/3B from the outside, or we platoon Romy/DHam.

Congrats, youve made an excellent point about why plan A is not to make Cedanne an end to end full time second baseman

You know what mike tyson says about a plan?

there will be injuries, guys will move around, unexpected things will happen

the chance that cedanne plays 20 (or more) games at 2b next year is not 0 nor it is near 0%, its prob like 35%

the chance that he plays more than 5 games at 2b next year is like 75%

The chance that all guys play whatever position you think they are best for at this moment, and stay there all season is 0.001%

plans change when injuries punch you in the mouth.  versatility is good.  its a bad bet to rule out him playing in the infield. long season and we have a lot of outfielders.