Bregman signs with the Cubs

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, notin said:

I don’t care what this Mrs Webster person says!  I’m not paying!

[moonslav59]

3 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Nobody cared that Aldo Ramirez was traded. He was ranked like 13th. The question at the time was "why trade for an injured player, hope he comes back soon." Nobody hated on the trade. It worked out. Everyone knew Schwarber's upside.

Yes, that was my point.

Sure, some people questioned trading for an injured player, but I doubt anyone hated the deal.

[Kimmi]

On 1/28/2026 at 4:32 PM, moonslav59 said:

It pains me to say this, but I'd rather just tell Rafaela you are the FT 2Bman for 2026, so start working out there than put Duran at 2B.

I'm not a fan of moving Rafaela away from CF either, but if you can get a better overall alignment, offensively and defensively, by doing so, then you do it.

[Hitch]

4 minutes ago, Kimmi said:

I'm not a fan of moving Rafaela away from CF either, but if you can get a better overall alignment, offensively and defensively, by doing so, then you do it.

This is where I am, too. I understand his value at CF, but Duran is not a huge step down and we wouldn't have to trade one of our outfielders. 

That said, it would be my fall back option. I'd rather we just went and got the player we need in a trade.

[Kimmi]

On 1/29/2026 at 8:04 AM, mvp 78 said:

Duran at 2b is like Plan Z. So many things have to go weirdly wrong for that to happen. 

I don't disagree with you about this.  Duran is very unlikely to play 2B at this point.  I'm just wondering why this hasn't been an option or part of Plan B earlier in the offseason.  I understand the possible reasons behind why he was moved off of second base, but haven't really heard a good explanation as to why the Red Sox never considered moving him back once the outfield got crowded.

[Kimmi]

2 minutes ago, Hitch said:

This is where I am, too. I understand his value at CF, but Duran is not a huge step down and we wouldn't have to trade one of our outfielders. 

That said, it would be my fall back option. I'd rather we just went and got the player we need in a trade.

100% in agreement.

I keep waiting for something to happen.  Spring Training is getting close.

[mvp 78]

29 minutes ago, Kimmi said:

I don't disagree with you about this.  Duran is very unlikely to play 2B at this point.  I'm just wondering why this hasn't been an option or part of Plan B earlier in the offseason.  I understand the possible reasons behind why he was moved off of second base, but haven't really heard a good explanation as to why the Red Sox never considered moving him back once the outfield got crowded.

They moved him to the OF because of his speed. He struggled for years to learn the OF. They never even hinted at moving him back to 2b. Would he ever move back to the IF? It really doesn't seem like it to me. 

It seems unlikely that he's going to be moved in a trade TBH. I think they are just stuck with a weird 4 person OF rotation and wind up sitting Masa in favor of the 4th OFer a lot. If a contending team gets a significant injury, maybe Duran would be dealt? Prior to the season, Abreu is more likely to be traded than Duran IMO, but seems less and less likely as we get closer to players reporting. 

[Kimmi]

4 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

They moved him to the OF because of his speed. He struggled for years to learn the OF. They never even hinted at moving him back to 2b. Would he ever move back to the IF? It really doesn't seem like it to me. 

It seems unlikely that he's going to be moved in a trade TBH. I think they are just stuck with a weird 4 person OF rotation and wind up sitting Masa in favor of the 4th OFer a lot. If a contending team gets a significant injury, maybe Duran would be dealt? Prior to the season, Abreu is more likely to be traded than Duran IMO, but seems less and less likely as we get closer to players reporting. 

Frankly, I never wanted Duran or any of our outfielders to be traded this offseason.  I know that it might still be a necessity, but I'd just as soon keep them all.  Someone will inevitably get injured, and we'll be grateful that we have strong outfield depth.

 

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, Kimmi said:

Frankly, I never wanted Duran or any of our outfielders to be traded this offseason.  I know that it might still be a necessity, but I'd just as soon keep them all.  Someone will inevitably get injured, and we'll be grateful that we have strong outfield depth.

 

The only reason they are being traded is because the team is worried about the CBT. I think it's silly to trade Duran for pennies on the dollar if you believe Duran is worth more than other teams believe.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Kimmi said:

I'm not a fan of moving Rafaela away from CF either, but if you can get a better overall alignment, offensively and defensively, by doing so, then you do it.

I'm not sure Rafaela is better on offense than Romy, but I think he is better than DHam, even if DHam only faces RHPs. (Rafaela has career reverse splits.)

Romy may be used to platoon with Mayer, but my guess is he'll platoon with DHam at 2B more, and maybe even Masa at DH. I think Mayer gets a long look as our FT 3Bman

I have to think we are adding a 2Bman (or 3Bman,) soon. Let's see who it is, and maybe everything seems clearer, then.

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

The only reason they are being traded is because the team is worried about the CBT. I think it's silly to trade Duran for pennies on the dollar if you believe Duran is worth more than other teams believe.

But trading Duran for Paredes+ isn't pennies on the dollar, anywhere close to it.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, JoeBrady said:

But trading Duran for Paredes+ isn't pennies on the dollar, anywhere close to it.

I don't think anyone in baseball thinks 3 years of Duran is worth 2 years of Paredes.

BTV says Paredes is worth $36M/2 ($18M x 2), but minus his pay it's 12.9

Duran is $78.4/3 ($26M x 3,) but minus his pay it's 41.9.

2026 ARB projections:

$9.25M Paredes

$7.75M Duran 

This is not about adding $1.5M to our tax line budget. It's about thinking and knowing Duran is better.

Also, reports say HOU wants Abreu not Duran. That comp is more costly to the tax line as Abreu is prearb, so the tax line add would be almost $9M to trade Abreu, one-0n-one, for Paredes.

Abreu & BTV: $66.2/4 (16.6M x 4) minus projected pay= 32.3

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

I don't think anyone in baseball thinks 3 years of Duran is worth 2 years of Paredes.

That's why I added the '+' after Paredes.  I have Duran at 4.7*3, or 14.1 bWAR.  I have Paredes at 3.5*3.  Houston has to give me about 7 WAR.  Since Paredes fits better than Duran, I'll take anything over 5 WAR.

[moonslav59]

9 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

That's why I added the '+' after Paredes.  I have Duran at 4.7*3, or 14.1 bWAR.  I have Paredes at 3.5*3.  Houston has to give me about 7 WAR.  Since Paredes fits better than Duran, I'll take anything over 5 WAR.

I think it has to be Abreu for Paredes+, but the theory is the same.

I'd prefer Duran for IP and BKing over Abreu for IP and Sousa

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I saw a good one on another site: Caminero for Rafaela, Early, Witherspoon and Arias.

The thinking is that Tampa just acquired Ben Williamson, a third base prospect from Seattle in the Donovan three-way deal.

Junior hit 45 homers as a 21-year old -- something Roman Anthony has yet to approach at the same age. 

But the Rays are always willing to deal quality for quantity. Caminero had a negative dWAR at 3B last year, while Williamson's strength is his defense... wonder which one Breslow would prefer.

[notin]

16 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

The only reason they are being traded is because the team is worried about the CBT. I think it's silly to trade Duran for pennies on the dollar if you believe Duran is worth more than other teams believe.

If the Sox were trying to trade Duran for pennies on the dollar, he’d be in San Diego or Kansas City by now…

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, notin said:

If the Sox were trying to trade Duran for pennies on the dollar, he’d be in San Diego or Kansas City by now…

I don't think they are going to. I think posters on here have been advocating for them to do it. That's all I'm saying.

[notin]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

I don't think they are going to. I think posters on here have been advocating for them to do it. That's all I'm saying.

I think Duran’s stay in Boston is at least one year longer…

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, notin said:

I think Duran’s stay in Boston is at least one year longer…

It's all going to end with them offering him a QO. 

[moonslav59]

24 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I don't think they are going to. I think posters on here have been advocating for them to do it. That's all I'm saying.

Not for pennies.

[Hugh2]

I think the concept of trading Duran for IF seems less logical now.  

Most teams that are looking to buy MLB ready players are less willing to give up MLB players.  They are in win now mode and want to spend prospects. 

It always made more sense to trade one of the 4 outfielders, and then separately trade for IF.

I think the later is still likely, but the former not so much so.  I think they're going to ride with Yoshida on the bench and the 4 OFers playing and DHing.   Which in the absence of a big bat addition in the infield is likely needed for the lineup. 

[moonslav59]

14 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

I think the concept of trading Duran for IF seems less logical now.  

Most teams that are looking to buy MLB ready players are less willing to give up MLB players.  They are in win now mode and want to spend prospects. 

It always made more sense to trade one of the 4 outfielders, and then separately trade for IF.

I think the later is still likely, but the former not so much so.  I think they're going to ride with Yoshida on the bench and the 4 OFers playing and DHing.   Which in the absence of a big bat addition in the infield is likely needed for the lineup. 

Two teams have an extra FT infielder and we have an extra FT OF'er.

We need an infielder and both teams could use an OF'er. (HOU really needs one badly)

A trade seems logical, to me, assuming they can agree on return valus.

[Hugh2]

9 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Two teams have an extra FT infielder and we have an extra FT OF'er.

We need an infielder and both teams could use an OF'er. (HOU really needs one badly)

A trade seems logical, to me, assuming they can agree on return valus.

 It's far less likely youre' going to agree on trade values when you're swimming in a smaller pool. 

[drewski6]

1 hour ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

I saw a good one on another site: Caminero for Rafaela, Early, Witherspoon and Arias.

The thinking is that Tampa just acquired Ben Williamson, a third base prospect from Seattle in the Donovan three-way deal.

Junior hit 45 homers as a 21-year old -- something Roman Anthony has yet to approach at the same age. 

But the Rays are always willing to deal quality for quantity. Caminero had a negative dWAR at 3B last year, while Williamson's strength is his defense... wonder which one Breslow would prefer.

Id do that

[drewski6]

38 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

I think the concept of trading Duran for IF seems less logical now.  

Most teams that are looking to buy MLB ready players are less willing to give up MLB players.  They are in win now mode and want to spend prospects. 

It always made more sense to trade one of the 4 outfielders, and then separately trade for IF.

I think the later is still likely, but the former not so much so.  I think they're going to ride with Yoshida on the bench and the 4 OFers playing and DHing.   Which in the absence of a big bat addition in the infield is likely needed for the lineup. 

YES YES YES

Look, all last year we heard about the elusive "baseball trade" I got sick of hearing it on the deadline NESN shows.  "These kind of trades are so rare, its jsut a pure baseball trade with one ball club and another ball club just trying to better their clubbbbs" (and it would not happen). We tried all year, up to and through the deadline last year and all offseason really, and it never happened because they are super rare for the reasons you mention.

Its just so much easier for a win now team to line up with a win later team.  None of this balance, none of this buy and sell, none of this "its a pure baseball trade  like in the old school days" - the trades are so hard to line up and execute and we're just burning time and seeing the available players dwindle one by one while we try to work out a trade involving sending an MLB starting outfielder for and MLB starting pitcher (all deadline) or an MLB infielder (this offseason) and we cant get it done and theres a reaason for that and you nailed the reason.

Hugh2 4 drewski6 poster of the day award.  Its 9.42 am here so kinda early but id give it to you right now.  Like when an early interview just nails it and you send everyone else home.  Keep chatting folks but Hugh already won the day*

*note: drewski6 poster of the day is not a real thing

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, Hugh2 said:

 It's far less likely youre' going to agree on trade values when you're swimming in a smaller pool. 

It'll also depend on how many people are swimming in that pool.  Every time someone acquires a 2b/3b, it's one less available, but one less buyer.

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

Not for pennies.

Most of the trade offers I've seen in here wanted a hefty return.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Hugh2 said:

 It's far less likely youre' going to agree on trade values when you're swimming in a smaller pool. 

We disagree on who is in the smaller pool.

To me, the Astros are desperate for an OF'er by as much as we are for a 3B/2Bman.

Paredes has less yrs and a higher AAV than Duran, Abreu and Rafaela.

Why are we the ones needing to cave and get lower value back?

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, JoeBrady said:

Most of the trade offers I've seen in here wanted a hefty return.

No way anyone wants to trade Duran for lower return.

I think notin is the only one suggesting prospects be a part of the return value.

[mvp 78]

35 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

No way anyone wants to trade Duran for lower return.

I think notin is the only one suggesting prospects be a part of the return value.

1. Sox should do whatever it takes to fill their 2b/3b need and that may mean trading a pitcher instead of Duran.

2. If #1 happens, they could then trade Abreu or Duran for prospects to replenish the farm and fix the roster constructions issues.