Third Baseman Ketel Marte Is On the Boston Red Sox's Radar

[JoeBrady]

10 minutes ago, Randy Red Sox said:

what happened to the $$$ saved on the Devers dump/fire sale?

• Gray $21M
• Hicks $12M
• Anthony $16M

[moonslav59]

9 hours ago, Randy Red Sox said:

we should have know after seeing the last 3-4 offseasons.

Well, last winter looked like they realized a window was opening and did more than before.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, JoeBrady said:

• Gray $21M
• Hicks $12M
• Anthony $16M

Not really.

$21M Buehler > $21M Gray

$18M Gio> $16M Anthony

$35M+ Bregman> $12M Hicks. ... Ummmm

$30M Devers....>>>.... triple Ummmmmm

 

[Randy Red Sox]

2 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

• Gray $21M
• Hicks $12M
• Anthony $16M

Gray 21 million--same as we paid Gioloto last year = WASH

Hicks 12 million-complete waste of money--DFA immediately

The majority of Anthony's extension is eaten up by the departure of guys like May, Matz, Refsynder, Buehler,, Hendriks and a few others.

Also Bregman at this point is gone and even if he resigned it certainly won't be 40 million per

LIKE I SAID--WHERE IS THE DEVERS $$ BEING SPENT??

I guess according to you the Sox have no flexibility to sign any decent FA's??

[notin]

8 hours ago, Randy Red Sox said:

Gray 21 million--same as we paid Gioloto last year = WASH

Hicks 12 million-complete waste of money--DFA immediately

The majority of Anthony's extension is eaten up by the departure of guys like May, Matz, Refsynder, Buehler,, Hendriks and a few others.

Also Bregman at this point is gone and even if he resigned it certainly won't be 40 million per

LIKE I SAID--WHERE IS THE DEVERS $$ BEING SPENT??

I guess according to you the Sox have no flexibility to sign any decent FA's??

DFAing Hicks doesnt save any money.  And what Hicks plus Anthony make is actually pretty close to Devers’ money, just not for as many years…

[JoeBrady]

9 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Not really.

$21M Buehler > $21M Gray

$18M Gio> $16M Anthony

$35M+ Bregman> $12M Hicks. ... Ummmm

$30M Devers....>>>.... triple Ummmmmm

 

The question is "what did they do with the Devers money".

[JoeBrady]

9 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Well, last winter looked like they realized a window was opening and did more than before.

Yes and no.  While it makes sense to strike while the iron is hot, one could consider Crochet a once-in-a-decade opportunity.  The rest of the signings were business as usual. 

[JoeBrady]

9 hours ago, Randy Red Sox said:

I guess according to you the Sox have no flexibility to sign any decent FA's??

I only assume what I see.  We spent $250M last year.  If we repeat that, then we have $26M left to spend.  More logically, imo, if we spend to $1 below the second limit, we have $46M to spend.  That's plenty of money to sign the guys I prefer.

[JoeBrady]

9 hours ago, Randy Red Sox said:

Hicks 12 million-complete waste of money--DFA immediately

Too short-sighted imo.  He was once a successful RP that SF thought they could convert.  I would tell him to prepare to be a high-leverage RP in the off-season.  If he performs poorly in ST, he becomes a real easy cut.  But someone with his velocity and past success always gets a chance.  Without going into the details, there are at least three RPs on the top-50 FA list that have had bad years recently.  Brad Keller ring a bell?

[Randy Red Sox]

24 minutes ago, notin said:

DFAing Hicks doesnt save any money.  And what Hicks plus Anthony make is actually pretty close to Devers’ money, just not for as many years…

you are not factoring in the salaries I mentioned that we are shedding that cover most if not all or more than the guys you mention. Buehler, Gioloto, and Bregman alone are close to 80 million. And salaries go up every year so 250 million in 2025 is not the same in 2026. The FACTS  are that the Sox have the 10th highest payroll in MLB where they once were in the top 2-4. This despite having one of the top revenue clubs there is.

[Randy Red Sox]

6 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

Too short-sighted imo.  He was once a successful RP that SF thought they could convert.  I would tell him to prepare to be a high-leverage RP in the off-season.  If he performs poorly in ST, he becomes a real easy cut.  But someone with his velocity and past success always gets a chance.  Without going into the details, there are at least three RPs on the top-50 FA list that have had bad years recently.  Brad Keller ring a bell?

He certainly wasn't that successful a RP in Toronto when they picked him up.  Yeah he throws 100 but it must be straight as an error because he is no longer effective.

[Randy Red Sox]

so Joe who DO you want the Sox to acquire as the list of guys "they were interested in" is dwindling by the day. Arizona signed Merrill Kelly last night which is a step to addressing their SP needs. Not sure if that changes their desire to trade Marte if he is one you are interested in.

[notin]

30 minutes ago, Randy Red Sox said:

you are not factoring in the salaries I mentioned that we are shedding that cover most if not all or more than the guys you mention. Buehler, Gioloto, and Bregman alone are close to 80 million. And salaries go up every year so 250 million in 2025 is not the same in 2026. The FACTS  are that the Sox have the 10th highest payroll in MLB where they once were in the top 2-4. This despite having one of the top revenue clubs there is.

If you’re looking at payroll, players also have built in raises and other players have arbitration raises.  It’s not as simple as “we don’t pay Devers’, Buehlers’ and Giolito’s salaries anymore, so they obviously have $70mill to spend just to be where they were last year.”

 

It’s like all of the “we have to replace Bregman and Devers just to break even” nonsense…

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, Randy Red Sox said:

so Joe who DO you want the Sox to acquire as the list of guys "they were interested in" is dwindling

There is 'on the list' and 'off the list'

If we are just going by the top-50 MLBR list, my choices, in no particular order:

• Okamoto
• Kim
• Imai, maybe

On the off-list, and these are like a roto wish-list:

• Green, Burns, Chandler, Alcantara, Lodolo
• Marte
• I'd also throw in Bregman on the off chance that he could be talked into a long-term, cheap AAV because he wants 6 years in Fenway to enhance his HOF credentials.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

This isn't a mystery. Breslow said they were going to repurpose Devers' money, and the owners used it to build a new ballroo--  I mean new office tower behind the Green Monster.

[UtahSox]

1 hour ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

This isn't a mystery. Breslow said they were going to repurpose Devers' money, and the owners used it to build a new ballroo--  I mean new office tower behind the Green Monster.

Ha ha 

[notin]

3 hours ago, Randy Red Sox said:

you are not factoring in the salaries I mentioned that we are shedding that cover most if not all or more than the guys you mention. Buehler, Gioloto, and Bregman alone are close to 80 million. And salaries go up every year so 250 million in 2025 is not the same in 2026. The FACTS  are that the Sox have the 10th highest payroll in MLB where they once were in the top 2-4. This despite having one of the top revenue clubs there is.

Very simple question - if you can be the top 3 or 4 in revenue while being 10-12 in payroll, what exactly is the incentive to change?

[notin]

3 hours ago, Randy Red Sox said:

so Joe who DO you want the Sox to acquire as the list of guys "they were interested in" is dwindling by the day. Arizona signed Merrill Kelly last night which is a step to addressing their SP needs. Not sure if that changes their desire to trade Marte if he is one you are interested in.

Merrill Kelly?  Sonny Gray d didnt go over; but Merrill Kelly is the answer?

There are plenty of names left.  Many folks gravitated to the biggest ones not named Tucker and thought that list was realistic and attainable, and ignored it created this hodgepodge of stat increases that didn’t necessarily improve the team.  I thought Alonso made sense but not because he was good, but rather because he was more likely to come cheaper than Bregman.  Not the best baseball reason, but folks are apparently thinking “we need right-handed power” and because Alonso regularly hits 35-40, he obviously fits and more so than Bregman and Marte.   Sure he hits home runs, but so does Eugenio Suarez.  And Ketel Marte has a better SLG from the right side…

[Randy Red Sox]

33 minutes ago, notin said:

Very simple question - if you can be the top 3 or 4 in revenue while being 10-12 in payroll, what exactly is the incentive to change?

there isn't any. No-one said JH was dumb--just CHEAP

[Randy Red Sox]

3 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

There is 'on the list' and 'off the list'

If we are just going by the top-50 MLBR list, my choices, in no particular order:

• Okamoto
• Kim
• Imai, maybe

On the off-list, and these are like a roto wish-list:

• Green, Burns, Chandler, Alcantara, Lodolo
• Marte
• I'd also throw in Bregman on the off chance that he could be talked into a long-term, cheap AAV because he wants 6 years in Fenway to enhance his HOF credentials.

Sox have not had great results from a number of Japanese players in the past. They can't get rid of one of them fast enough. Why your interest in unproven {at least in MLB} players from overseas?  I would prefer proven MLB talent.

[Randy Red Sox]

18 minutes ago, notin said:

Merrill Kelly?  Sonny Gray d didnt go over; but Merrill Kelly is the answer?

There are plenty of names left.  Many folks gravitated to the biggest ones not named Tucker and thought that list was realistic and attainable, and ignored it created this hodgepodge of stat increases that didn’t necessarily improve the team.  I thought Alonso made sense but not because he was good, but rather because he was more likely to come cheaper than Bregman.  Not the best baseball reason, but folks are apparently thinking “we need right-handed power” and because Alonso regularly hits 35-40, he obviously fits and more so than Bregman and Marte.   Sure he hits home runs, but so does Eugenio Suarez.  And Ketel Marte has a better SLG from the right side…

i never said I wanted him.  My point was that ARZ was looking for SP and just signed one which could affect any possible Marte trade.

[JoeBrady]

4 minutes ago, Randy Red Sox said:

Why your interest in unproven {at least in MLB} players from overseas?  I would prefer proven MLB talent.

That's not at all unreasonable.  I would've paid $26M for Alonso rather than say $20M for Okamoto.  But at this point, it looks like Okamoto is half of what Alonso is.  Okamoto might also be a 4-year signing, instead of 5.  And Okamoto can back up 3rd.  I'll gladly pay a premium for proven over unproven, but there is always a number where that no longer makes sense.

[moonslav59]

5 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

Yes and no.  While it makes sense to strike while the iron is hot, one could consider Crochet a once-in-a-decade opportunity.  The rest of the signings were business as usual. 

Not really. We had just saw the Devers extension as well as Bello and Ceddanne extended plus the Gio signing was the largest FA SPee signing in a long time the year before then when the recent trend indicated a pull back was likely we ended up spending more. 
 

buehlers $21M was twice the Kluber and Richard’s deals. Sandoval was a rare two year deal. Chapman was not cheap.

bregman shattered the record AAV contract by the Sox. The Crichet trade was one thing. The extension was a sign of a change.

Then we extended Anthony sand KC. Last winter was much more than just Crochet. 
 

The issue became the big undoing: the Devers trade and bolting by Bregman and Gio.

that needs to be addressed and then improved upon.

[Randy Red Sox]

26 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

That's not at all unreasonable.  I would've paid $26M for Alonso rather than say $20M for Okamoto.  But at this point, it looks like Okamoto is half of what Alonso is.  Okamoto might also be a 4-year signing, instead of 5.  And Okamoto can back up 3rd.  I'll gladly pay a premium for proven over unproven, but there is always a number where that no longer makes sense.

what so many Red Sox fans can't understand is why a big revenue team always has to shop for one and two year deals but never for top FA'S?  The team wasn't that far away from truly competing but many of the opportunities to truly improve are dwindling away since we don't seem to ever want to sign anyone to a long term deal?   

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Randy Red Sox said:

what so many Red Sox fans can't understand is why a big revenue team always has to shop for one and two year deals but never for top FA'S?  The team wasn't that far away from truly competing but many of the opportunities to truly improve are dwindling away since we don't seem to ever want to sign anyone to a long term deal?   

The thing is, we can build a solid team with just 1-2 year free agents. We'd be a lot better had we signed Polanco and Merrill Kelly to their $20M x 2 year deals each.

I'm not saying that's all we needed, but we'll see others sign for 1-2 year deals by the start of 2026.

That being said, this is the time to make a large and long deal. I just hope it's not Bichette or Bregman.

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, Randy Red Sox said:

why a big revenue team always has to shop for one and two year deals but never for top FA'S?

A lot of those are bad contracts.  Here are the top multi-year contracts from MLBR's 2024-25 FA contest.  LMK which ones you want:

• Soto
• Adames
• Santander
• Teoscar Hernandez
• Christian Walker
• Profar
• Tyler O'Neill
• Joc Peterson

8 contracts.  Soto is too early to tell.  Adames is good.  The other 6 contracts are awful.  The Shiny Object Syndrome is a fantasy baseball project.

[Duran Is The Man]

46 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

A lot of those are bad contracts.  Here are the top multi-year contracts from MLBR's 2024-25 FA contest.  LMK which ones you want:

• Soto
• Adames
• Santander
• Teoscar Hernandez
• Christian Walker
• Profar
• Tyler O'Neill
• Joc Peterson

8 contracts.  Soto is too early to tell.  Adames is good.  The other 6 contracts are awful.  The Shiny Object Syndrome is a fantasy baseball project.

you need to look again. there are probably a couple dozen contracts greater than Peterson and O'Neill.

[JoeBrady]

31 minutes ago, Duran Is The Man said:

you need to look again. there are probably a couple dozen contracts greater than Peterson and O'Neill.

Here are the top multi-year contracts from MLBR's 2024-25 FA contest

[Duran Is The Man]

Burnes

Fried

Cole

Snell

Alonso

Bellinger

Flaherty

Kim

Manea

Eovaldi

Wacha

Severino

Kikuchi

T. Scott

Pivetta

[JoeBrady]

31 minutes ago, Duran Is The Man said:

Burnes

Fried

Cole

Snell

Alonso

Bellinger

Flaherty

Kim

Manea

Eovaldi

Wacha

Severino

Kikuchi

T. Scott

Pivetta

I meant to say 'hitters', since that seems to be the main complaint.