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

[Randy Red Sox]

6 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

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.

As a Red Sox fan since the 70's I would like to cheer for players who are more than 1 year rentals. Then even if they have a good season they usually want longer term deals and walk away only to be replaced by the next season's 1-2 yr rentals.

The other thing that pi$$es me off to no end is the constant "oh we're going for it this yr" and the rumoured " Sox are interested in this guy' only to watch him go sign elsewhere and the Sox get the next 1 year guy.. If we going to just build from with-in our farm system then fine but then we end up more 1 yr rentals/stopgaps.

Did  I say I hate all these 1 yr signings?

[drewski6]

22 hours 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?

Very simple question - do you not see this as exploitation of a fan base's loyalty and passion?

Remember when Kraft fired Mayo after 1 yr, he said "I see myself as the custodian of a public asset", I promise you , if/when it suits them, you'll hear similar from Red Sox.

[drewski6]

22 hours 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?

Out of everyone who currently reports to me, the guy who has been with me the longest - is the second from the bottom in pay.  Part of it is bad luck regarding when he came in.

He is a good friend of mine , and always has my back. Weve worked together previously.

He is incredibly loyal, focused, and my right-hand. He is my ace and Im not sure I even want this VP job without him helping me manage it.

He will never quit, he will never ask for more money - but he is underpaid, and Im (today) making a stink with corporate and HR about it. SHould I not? Whats my incentive if he continues to do great work wihtout the raise and will never leave.

Who even are you, Notin? I didnt think you were this guy

[notin]

3 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Very simple question - do you not see this as exploitation of a fan base's loyalty and passion?

Remember when Kraft fired Mayo after 1 yr, he said "I see myself as the custodian of a public asset", I promise you , if/when it suits them, you'll hear similar from Red Sox.

Sure it’s an exploitation of the passions of the fanbase.     But I doubt Henry is going to call himself out for it and fire himself.

 

And don’t kid yourself about Mayo’s hiring being anything more than a temporary appeasement to questionable NFL hiring practices regarding head coaches.  “Oh gee, the guy with zero NFL head coaching experience couldn’t turn around a 4-13 team in one season?  Well, thats certainly not acceptable.”

 

[notin]

7 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Out of everyone who currently reports to me, the guy who has been with me the longest - is the second from the bottom in pay.  Part of it is bad luck regarding when he came in.

He is a good friend of mine , and always has my back. Weve worked together previously.

He is incredibly loyal, focused, and my right-hand. He is my ace and Im not sure I even want this VP job without him helping me manage it.

He will never quit, he will never ask for more money - but he is underpaid, and Im (today) making a stink with corporate and HR about it. SHould I not? Whats my incentive if he continues to do great work wihtout the raise and will never leave.

Who even are you, Notin? I didnt think you were this guy

Do not confuse my acknowledgement with acceptance…

[drewski6]

5 minutes ago, notin said:

Do not confuse my acknowledgement with acceptance…

TY and apologies. Defending exploitation didnt feel to me like something you would excuse.  Thats not your brand.

[mvp 78]

8 minutes ago, notin said:

Do not confuse my acknowledgement with acceptance…

The problem is that he's acknowledged that continued losing is bad for business, ultimately affecting his bottom line. 

[moonslav59]

On 12/14/2025 at 8:53 PM, JoeBrady said:

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

That's quite a list- thanks.

I will say guys like Schwarber & Alonso look better than Teoscar, Santander and other batters not named Soto, but still...

2024: Ohtani (P, too), JH Lee, Bellinger, M Chapman, Candelario, Soler, Gurriel, Hoskins, Garver & Teoscar

23: Judge, Turner, Bogey, Correa, Swanson, Nimmo, Yoshida, Wi Contreras, Beni, Abreu, Haniger & Rizzo (all over $40M)

[JoeBrady]

11 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

2024: Ohtani (P, too), JH Lee, Bellinger, M Chapman, Candelario, Soler, Gurriel, Hoskins, Garver & Teoscar

23: Judge, Turner, Bogey, Correa, Swanson, Nimmo, Yoshida, Wi Contreras, Beni, Abreu, Haniger & Rizzo (all over $40M)

A lot of questionable contracts in those two groups.  Even among the contracts I consider good, there is a pretty decent chance that several will go south.

[mvp 78]

33 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

A lot of questionable contracts in those two groups.  Even among the contracts I consider good, there is a pretty decent chance that several will go south.

And the Sox seems to have a very low risk tolerance for those contracts now. 

[JoeBrady]

3 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

And the Sox seems to have a very low risk tolerance for those contracts now. 

I think the $260M question is, are they being risk-averse or smart?  There is nothing wrong with adding FAs, but the number of hitters who flame out after free agency is huge.

[Duran Is The Man]

5 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

And the Sox seems to have a very low risk tolerance for those contracts now. 

Alonso's contract is currently the 41st highest in dollars. if Henry thinks a contract like his is too much, then he needs to go.

 

[moonslav59]

5 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

A lot of questionable contracts in those two groups.  Even among the contracts I consider good, there is a pretty decent chance that several will go south.

Agreed, and some of the best were re-signed by their old team.

[mvp 78]

14 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

I think the $260M question is, are they being risk-averse or smart?  There is nothing wrong with adding FAs, but the number of hitters who flame out after free agency is huge.

The number of any type of FA who flames out is large. I've always expected that offseason, about 50% of the upper tier contracts will be busts. If you don't add via FA, how else are you going to add? Eventually, the farm will run dry and there will be no more trade partners.

Sox need to add via development, FA and trades. They need to balance all of it. Right now, they have backed away from the FA market, when they have the ability to add via that resource. They choose not to. 

[mvp 78]

13 hours ago, Duran Is The Man said:

Alonso's contract is currently the 41st highest in dollars. if Henry thinks a contract like his is too much, then he needs to go.

 

I don't have a problem with not signing Alonso. He's not "the perfect fit" that many people were claiming. The only issue is that they still need to fill those holes somehow. If not Alonso, who? 

[Duran Is The Man]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

I don't have a problem with not signing Alonso. He's not "the perfect fit" that many people were claiming. The only issue is that they still need to fill those holes somehow. If not Alonso, who? 

that's just it. if you're always waiting around for the "perfect fit" you'll do just that and spend all you're time waiting for the perfect fit. his contract wasn't stupid and he was the closest thing to perfect the market had to offer.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

20 minutes ago, Duran Is The Man said:

that's just it. if you're always waiting around for the "perfect fit" you'll do just that and spend all you're time waiting for the perfect fit. his contract wasn't stupid and he was the closest thing to perfect the market had to offer.

Yup, each offseason there is finite assistance available on the market.

But when the roof is leaking through several holes, there's no time to sit around waiting to be able to afford new shingles. Refinance, take out a loan, get it done.

Buying a few tarps may keep things dry temporarily, but a collapse is inevitable once the season changes to the harsh cold winter of frozen precipitation.

[mvp 78]

1 hour ago, Duran Is The Man said:

that's just it. if you're always waiting around for the "perfect fit" you'll do just that and spend all you're time waiting for the perfect fit. his contract wasn't stupid and he was the closest thing to perfect the market had to offer.

They are just going to sit around and hope a below market guy to fall into their laps. If they are lucky, Ryan O'Hearn is available in February, wants a one year deal and the market for Suarez never developed. 

Under their dumb constraints, I would have just re-signed Bregman and brought in Hoskins. If another guy has his market crash, you'd be able to grab him too later on. 

[Hitch]

4 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

I don't have a problem with not signing Alonso. He's not "the perfect fit" that many people were claiming. The only issue is that they still need to fill those holes somehow. If not Alonso, who? 

I'm becoming more and more convinced they're going with Casas/Romy platoon at 1st, and will get a bat at either 2nd/3rd.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

They are just going to sit around and hope a below market guy to fall into their laps.

In Boston the term "front office" is a misnomer, because they're so smart, they know the smart thing to do is sit around on their smartasses. 

So when a guy does fall in their laps, their asses are protected.

 

[mvp 78]

14 minutes ago, Hitch said:

I'm becoming more and more convinced they're going with Casas/Romy platoon at 1st, and will get a bat at either 2nd/3rd.

And fans will be pissed because they all want two bats and believe Breslow promised two bats. This is why he should STFU and stop saying so much gobbledygook. 

[mvp 78]

15 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

In Boston the term "front office" is a misnomer, because they're so smart, they know the smart thing to do is sit around on their smartasses. 

So when a guy does fall in their laps, their asses are protected.

I'm not sure they are really protecting themselves as I don't think many people are buy what they are selling at this point. If they are shopping from the bargain bins yet again, people aren't going to feel bad for them acting like they are the Sisters of the Poor. 

[Kimmi]

2 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

And fans will be pissed because they all want two bats and believe Breslow promised two bats. This is why he should STFU and stop saying so much gobbledygook. 

This fan will not be upset with a Casas/Romy platoon at first base.

[drewski6]

3 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

And fans will be pissed because they all want two bats and believe Breslow promised two bats. This is why he should STFU and stop saying so much gobbledygook. 

theres a d in that word? ive always thought it was gobbleygook.  Like a turkey gobbles.

[JoeBrady]

3 hours ago, Hitch said:

I'm becoming more and more convinced they're going with Casas/Romy platoon at 1st, and will get a bat at either 2nd/3rd.

If the medicals say Casas will start sometime in April, then we have to go with Casas.

[Hugh2]

I wouldn't have a problem rolling the dice with Casas at 1B with good depth options and a big bat added elsewhere.  

I'm also not against the Contreras trade either.

[moonslav59]

16 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

The number of any type of FA who flames out is large. I've always expected that offseason, about 50% of the upper tier contracts will be busts. If you don't add via FA, how else are you going to add? Eventually, the farm will run dry and there will be no more trade partners.

Sox need to add via development, FA and trades. They need to balance all of it. Right now, they have backed away from the FA market, when they have the ability to add via that resource. They choose not to. 

The idea of playing the FA market "halfway" by signing almost all 1 or 2 year deals has largely failed, too, especially the 2 year deals for returning pitchers from injury- expected to give a year plus 2-3 months from year 1.

Chapman and a few others worked well, but so many, especially SP'ers have come up short- even the $21M/1 guy.

We finally signed a healthy pitcher to 2 years, and he gets hurt and misses all of year one (Gio.)

There have been some decent short deals given so far. I'm not crying "missed a great one," but I do wonder if short termers are what JH wants, will we find much better than Polanco at $40M/2 or Merrill Kelly at $40M/2? Kim at $20M/1?

 

[moonslav59]

Casas is one big fat question mark- pun intended, but the guy can hit.

Romy might be the next Refsnyder, but at 1B and 2B (3B in a pinch.) He even hit RHPs pretty well in 2025.

Campbell might end up sucking at every position and ending up at 1B (or DH.)

I'd be okay with rolling the dice with these 3 at 1B, but we need a really nice addition at 2B or 3B. There are question marks with each option, too:

Marte looks like the best recent producer, but he is 32 and is signed through age 36.

Bregman is a plus on D, but is not an improvement- just a break even, at best. He'll be 32 to start 2026 and was showing decline before his 2025 season, where he just played 2/3rd of it.

Bichette is younger but will get more years than JH is open to. Maybe twice the length. His D at 2B is kinda unknown, and he's not a big power guy- nor is Breggie.

Suarez brings the power but is 34 and no wonder on D at 3B. (He may be okay at 1B, if Casas stumbles.) He may take a short enough deal for JH to approve.

Vientos? Hoskins? Bohm? Donovan? B Lowe? I'm sure I'm forgetting someone(s).

[mvp 78]

16 hours ago, drewski6 said:

theres a d in that word? ive always thought it was gobbleygook.  Like a turkey gobbles.

I'm not the world's greatest speller, but yes there's a D i gobbledygook. 

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gobbledygook

[mvp 78]

15 hours ago, Hugh2 said:

I wouldn't have a problem rolling the dice with Casas at 1B with good depth options and a big bat added elsewhere.  

I'm also not against the Contreras trade either.

If Casas could go on April 1, sure. I think they need to sign a cheap 1B option in case of an emergency though that can platoon with Masa at DH.