Red Sox Sign 3B, 2B, SS, Isiah Kiner-Falefa

[Hugh2]

I like this move, as long as this isn’t the main move to fix the infield.

typing those words, I’m immediately reminded of how convinced I was when the Sox re-acquired JBJ that he would be their defensive 4th outfielder and another move was coming.  It did not.

Sox are saying they’re not done here, if Breslow wants to avoid the Bloom comparisons he will make good on those words

[Jasonbay44]

If you got into the regular season with IKF as a regular starter, you clearly failed at least one part of the off season. 

[Hugh2]

3 hours ago, Randy Red Sox said:

this dud is getting 6 mil??

Fwar last several years has average 1.3 Fwar

thats worth about $10 million in FA.  
 

if its a bench bat/glove its a cheap deal.  If hes a starter it’s disappointing 

[king koji]

At 6 million per, consider it as trading Jordan Hicks for IKF, Money-wise. We would have DONE that trade.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

This finally answers the question of who's going to hit tenth in the batting order!

IKF already challenged Eaton to a 90-foot race from 3rd base to home plate. Nobody won, because neither reached the finish line.

[Hugh2]

1 hour ago, king koji said:

At 6 million per, consider it as trading Jordan Hicks for IKF, Money-wise. We would have DONE that trade.

Yup, all day long.  The Sox could make me like this move a whole lot better if they add an upgrade to the infield. 

This move also puts them back over the 2nd luxury tax line threshold. 

[Hugh2]

Maybe the Sox plan on moving IKF back to catcher. 😁

[Hitch]

12 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Yup, all day long.  The Sox could make me like this move a whole lot better if they add an upgrade to the infield. 

This move also puts them back over the 2nd luxury tax line threshold. 

They have to. If he's a bench piece it's good business as he covers SS for Story (as well as 3rd and 2nd). If he is the starting 2nd baseman, man, it's a terrible move. 

[moonslav59]

8 hours ago, UtahSox said:

Depending on injuries, I think there is a real chance this team is 4th in AL East. I think there is zero chance this team wins 88 games. 

We could also finish 1st, even with normal injuries.

We were not one guy like Paredes from top competition and 4th place, and this is from an IP top supporter. That was my point.

Yes, we pivoted from KMarte/Bregman to Bichette/Hoerner to Suarez/Paredes to Donovan/Shaw to IK, but it was also a pivot from Bregman to Ranger/IK.

I'm not happy, if this is it. I'm not making excuses. Starting the season with Mayer, Romy, IK, DHam, Sogard, Eaton and KC as the 2B/3B pool sucks. There is not buts, here... just butts.

[moonslav59]

6 hours ago, Randy Red Sox said:

this dud is getting 6 mil??

I was actually thinking, if we paid $2-3M, then maybe he was just a UT signing, but $6M marks the end of our major moves, IMO. I hope I'm wrong on this, but...

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, Jasonbay44 said:

If you got into the regular season with IKF as a regular starter, you clearly failed at least one part of the off season. 

That "one part" was one of the top 3 needs:

Big bat, #2 SP'er & 3B/2B.

We filled the #2 SP slot maybe twice. (Ranger & Sonny)

We filled the big bat maybe halfway (Contreras)

We left the 3B/2B need fully unfilled.

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, king koji said:

At 6 million per, consider it as trading Jordan Hicks for IKF, Money-wise. We would have DONE that trade.

I'd trade Hicks and Sandlin for IK and a promising pitching prospect, for sure.

This doesn't solve our big need.

[moonslav59]

49 minutes ago, Hitch said:

They have to. If he's a bench piece it's good business as he covers SS for Story (as well as 3rd and 2nd). If he is the starting 2nd baseman, man, it's a terrible move. 

Exactly. By itself, this is a decent couple moves: the Hicks/Sandlin trade and IK signing, but only if IK is the utility man. $6M is a lot to pay for that, but with Mayer and Story both know for long IL stints, it's worth it, we'll likely need him to fill-in.

As a FT or near FT 3Bman/2Bman- YUCK_A_DOODLE_DOO_DOO!

[mvp 78]

I think IKF is perfect as a bench guy to fill in for a roster that could have significant IL issues (Story, Mayer) and already question marks at 2b. This pushes Hamilton off the roster, a guy who can only play 2b. Seems fine to me. 

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

I think IKF is perfect as a bench guy to fill in for a roster that could have significant IL issues (Story, Mayer) and already question marks at 2b. This pushes Hamilton off the roster, a guy who can only play 2b. Seems fine to me. 

We have to forceably take the DHam option away from Cora. I K  is a way better option than him.

It's a lot to pay in infield utility guy, but with the China Dolls we have in our infield, it could pay off.

Trade for I P and call it a winter.

[Hitch]

3 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I think IKF is perfect as a bench guy to fill in for a roster that could have significant IL issues (Story, Mayer) and already question marks at 2b. This pushes Hamilton off the roster, a guy who can only play 2b. Seems fine to me. 

Yeah, it's a big upgrade if we get the 2nd baseman we're looking for. But we have to do that. 

[notin]

11 hours ago, drewski6 said:

I would like to remind everyone how this happened:

1. Breslow revolved his entire offseason around Bregman
2. Bregman approached Breslow with an offer he had from the Cubs, Bregman was willing to take less money to stay here, but there were some issues he had with the Red Sox offer (notably the refusal to include a NTC)
3. Instead of listening to Bregman, Breslow told him that Breslow believed that this Cubs offer was a bluff, and he dared Bregman to take it if it was real, because he was that confident the offer from the Cubs was not real
(the offer was real)

Egg meet face.  Breslow has been spiraling and panicking ever since. The panic signing of Ranger Suarez (we spent our budget and hes our #5 pitcher - it goes Crochet, Crawford, Tolle, Gray, Suarez......

Now we have no money to even sign a good bat next year, because Breslow decided that he wanted to model a team after Captain Crunch Berries, "Oops all Berries" but instead went "Oops all pitchers"

And Im laughing.  4th place. Hey hey , ho ho, Craig Breslow has got to go.

Its time to make Cora, GM/CBO/President/Dictator/Manger/King of any and all things Red Sox. Another words, just make Cora the Belichick of the Red Sox. Do this, and we'll beat the Dodgers in the 2028 World Series. Of this, I am sure.

You lost a lot of credibility when you called Suarez the Sox #5 pitcher.  Especially behind the 4 you listed.  Crawford and Tolle?

It’s possible IKF is an insurance policy and the Sox are waiting until ST injuries ser in to see what is next available for Duran or Bello or whoever…

[notin]

10 hours ago, Old Red said:

I don’t think he was signed as a starter, but that doesn’t mean at some point due to unforeseen circumstances he doesn’t end up as one.

Doesn’t that apply to every player?

[drewski6]

2 hours ago, king koji said:

At 6 million per, consider it as trading Jordan Hicks for IKF, Money-wise. We would have DONE that trade.

Well, we had to use a prospect (Sandlin) to make the swap - so add that to the cost.  Not sure how much that weighs down the exchange.

[drewski6]

30 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I was actually thinking, if we paid $2-3M, then maybe he was just a UT signing, but $6M marks the end of our major moves, IMO. I hope I'm wrong on this, but...

You may be, you may not be.  They've been trying to line something up for a better every day player and have struggled. Im sure they will keep trying, they may pause from trying, but Im sure they'll try again once the season begins.

[drewski6]

28 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I think IKF is perfect as a bench guy to fill in for a roster that could have significant IL issues (Story, Mayer) and already question marks at 2b. This pushes Hamilton off the roster, a guy who can only play 2b. Seems fine to me. 

IKF would be fine even as a regular if we had Manny and Ortiz, and this is why I think a lot of people here underestimate the value of a good DH.  When you have very good hitters, you have the luxury of prioritizing defense at key positions.  We dont have that luxury, and I think thats the biggest bummer in all of this.  Theres still a gaping hole in the middle of the order.

I do agree that IKF makes sense for some reasons, he can slide over and cover SS better than DHAM, and Story has not finished like 4 of the last 5 seasons (and Marcelo has not finished 3 out of the last 3). So of course, backps are needed.  It looks like IKF became situational/non-every day upon his arrival in Toronto, so that makes me optimistic this is a bench get (and it would be a good one).  Its still money spent on non hitting, but I mean, theres no bats left in FA and its just time to make peace with this team is going to try to win 1-0 or 2-1.  Problem is, that Fred will be right a lot of times when he declares the game over in the second when the opponent hits a sac fly to go up 1-0.

We'll see, but this does appear to cover for a likely Story injury. Problem is should that injury occur , sure you have defensive coverage, but IKF doesnt replace Storys averag-to-slightly above average bat.

At this point its whatever, we'll either win a ton of low scoring games OR Breslow will feel the heat to bring in bats mid season and will OR Breslow will feel the heat to bring in bats mid season and wont/cant. I do think if its the third/last option, he gets canned after this year.

[mvp 78]

13 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

We have to forceably take the DHam option away from Cora. I K  is a way better option than him.

It's a lot to pay in infield utility guy, but with the China Dolls we have in our infield, it could pay off.

Trade for I P and call it a winter.

Even if they don't get another guy, it's better than doing nothing. However, if they don't get another guy, the offense is not good enough unless Mayer really turns it around this season and hits 775 or something. Story will still be near 100 OPS+. 2b is going to be some sort of player churn. Contreras should be fine. OF should be fine. No clue about the plan at DH (6th in OPS in '25, but would expect it to be lower this year).

Changes from last season:

1B: better

DH: worse

3B: worse

They were 11th in wRC+ in '25. Maybe 13-16th this year? I'd expect them to fall out of the top 10 in runs as well.  

[drewski6]

12 minutes ago, notin said:

You lost a lot of credibility when you called Suarez the Sox #5 pitcher.  Especially behind the 4 you listed.  Crawford and Tolle?

It’s possible IKF is an insurance policy and the Sox are waiting until ST injuries ser in to see what is next available for Duran or Bello or whoever…

I like Ranger Suarez but I dont think he was needed becasue I really like Kutter Crawford (a guy Ive rooted for for years) and Tolle has an amazing arm and extension, and I dont think its going to take him long to learn how to throw secondaries.  I can get you the video of Gausman teaching how to throw a splitter and him laughing about how its so easy and the grip does all the work.  Meanwhile the splitter was yamamoto, gausman, ohtanis and skenes best pitch last year, and its very easy to learn, you just need to have a live arm which tolle has.

I like Ranger Suarez, but I dont think he was needed especially after getting Gray and Oviedo.  Weve spent a lot of money at this point, so the expectations should be high.  Its one thing to go .500 and step back after slicing payroll or if your first year as GM.  But after all this spending Breslow did, going into year 3, he cant afford a step back here.  And I dont think as is, we have enough offense to take a step forward.  We may not step back due to a very weak AL behind Seattle, NYY, Toronto

[mvp 78]

13 minutes ago, notin said:

Doesn’t that apply to every player?

I'd rather have IKF as a starter for 2 months than Hamilton. I just don't look forward to everyone on here butchering the spelling of his name. 

[mvp 78]

15 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Well, we had to use a prospect (Sandlin) to make the swap - so add that to the cost.  Not sure how much that weighs down the exchange.

Big fan of Sandlin were you? 

[mvp 78]

7 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Problem is, that Fred will be right a lot of times when he declares the game over in the second when the opponent hits a sac fly to go up 1-0.

That's only because the Sox will still lose about 45% of their games. Easy to say that every single time and look like a genius 70 times during the summer. It's not like the NBA where good teams only lose 25% of the time or the NFL where it's 20% of the time.

[Old Red]

2 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I'd rather have IKF as a starter for 2 months than Hamilton. I just don't look forward to everyone on here butchering the spelling of his name. 

Better glove  than what they have now, and also a better option to back up Story. Not a big bat though.

[drewski6]

5 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Even if they don't get another guy, it's better than doing nothing. However, if they don't get another guy, the offense is not good enough unless Mayer really turns it around this season and hits 775 or something. Story will still be near 100 OPS+. 2b is going to be some sort of player churn. Contreras should be fine. OF should be fine. No clue about the plan at DH (6th in OPS in '25, but would expect it to be lower this year).

Changes from last season:

1B: better

DH: worse

3B: worse

They were 11th in wRC+ in '25. Maybe 13-16th this year? I'd expect them to fall out of the top 10 in runs as well.  

Sure. This feels realistic and unbiased assessment.  The question is : is this acceptable?

Because we have won, what one playoff series, in the last 7 years? We have more playoff misses than playoff makes ( I believe), we've been patient. This isnt yr 2 of a rebuild.  To finally show a pulse and a semblance of a team and to step back from barely acceptable to unacceptable at the plate....Am I being unfair to be unsatisfied with this step back.  I know the pitching and defense got better, but personally, for me, it doesnt justify this what I perceive to be a cartoonish level de-prioritization of the offense.  Its almost silly at this point.

There goes another bat!

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Better glove  than what they have now, and also a better option to back up Story. Not a big bat though.

If he had an average bat, he'd be getting way more than 1/6M. His last contract was 2/15 which was apparently too high of an AAV for the rest of the league this go around. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Mickey and IKF are good depth moves... to the depths already jammed with plastic bottles, plastic bags and styrofoam containers -- Brez added something solid: aluminum cans.