Spring Training game thread: Week of Feb 21

[jad]

Wasn't it C. Augustus who didn't like to see 'his' months with fewer days than others so he stole one from February?

[JoeBrady]

6 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

The Romans. 

The dude is a rookie, he's not allowed to make that decision.

[mvp 78]

9 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

The dude is a rookie, he's not allowed to make that decision.

He lost rookie eligibility last season. He's a big boy now.

[notin]

13 hours ago, jad said:

Wasn't it C. Augustus who didn't like to see 'his' months with fewer days than others so he stole one from February?

And put a cold day in the middle of August?!?

 

Actually, might not be a bad idea…

[notin]

On 2/24/2026 at 7:53 AM, Duran Is The Man said:

i can think of $18 million right off the bat.

I bet the Sox cannot dump that contract..

[mvp 78]

6 minutes ago, notin said:

I bet the Sox cannot dump that contract..

They better hope that he absolutely goes OFF in the WBC and in April. Maybe someone will bite and they can deal off 50% of it. Maybe...

[Hugh2]

12 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

They better hope that he absolutely goes OFF in the WBC and in April. Maybe someone will bite and they can deal off 50% of it. Maybe...

Question. 

What would we prefer. 

A.) a team that will eat 50-75% of his contract with no real return. 

or

B.) Sox eat the entirety of his contract but receive a two prospect return.  Say equivalent of John Holobetz and Sadbiel Dezline

[mvp 78]

27 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Question. 

What would we prefer. 

A.) a team that will eat 50-75% of his contract with no real return. 

or

B.) Sox eat the entirety of his contract but receive a two prospect return.  Say equivalent of John Holobetz and Sadbiel Dezline

JH would prefer A. I think a "no real return" is a guy like Delzine TBH. We've seen these DSL pitchers go all over the place in the rankings the last few years (see: Dalvinson Reyes ranked #21 on 4/25 to unranked now). 

Fans would prefer B, but this team is too budget conscious for that. 

[Hugh2]

6 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

JH would prefer A. I think a "no real return" is a guy like Delzine TBH. We've seen these DSL pitchers go all over the place in the rankings the last few years (see: Dalvinson Reyes ranked #21 on 4/25 to unranked now). 

Fans would prefer B, but this team is too budget conscious for that. 

I'd prefer B over and over again.  I'll take the lottery ticket, it's more than we could probably ask for for him. 

But, I think you're right in that John Henry would take option A. 

So the more I think about it, I'm not sure what real advantage there is to the fans in trading Yoshida. 

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, Hugh2 said:

I'd prefer B over and over again.  I'll take the lottery ticket, it's more than we could probably ask for for him. 

But, I think you're right in that John Henry would take option A. 

So the more I think about it, I'm not sure what real advantage there is to the fans in trading Yoshida. 

It makes for a better roster. 

[Old Red]

6 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

It makes for a better roster. 

A better workable roster with more options.

[notin]

59 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Question. 

What would we prefer. 

A.) a team that will eat 50-75% of his contract with no real return. 

or

B.) Sox eat the entirety of his contract but receive a two prospect return.  Say equivalent of John Holobetz and Sadbiel Dezline

My question is - would people prefer Yoshida go off in the WBC so the Sox can trade him?  Or because he could help the Sox win more games?

[notin]

19 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

It makes for a better roster. 

Unless an outfielder gets hurt…

[mvp 78]

7 minutes ago, notin said:

My question is - would people prefer Yoshida go off in the WBC so the Sox can trade him?  Or because he could help the Sox win more games?

Trade! Trade! Trade! Trade! Trade! 

[Old Red]

Just now, mvp 78 said:

Trade! Trade! Trade! Trade! Trade! 

I think teams already know what Masa can, and can not do, so I don’t think the WBC showing will have any effect either way.

[mvp 78]

7 minutes ago, notin said:

Unless an outfielder gets hurt…

Oh, the you still have 3 other OFers in front of Masa and Nate Eaton. Once Romy comes back, Masa is behind him as well. 

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, Old Red said:

I think teams already know what Masa can, and can not do, so I don’t think the WBC showing will have any effect either way.

We've seen bad trades before. Maybe some GM can do one of those for us!

[Old Red]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

We've seen bad trades before. Maybe some GM can do one of those for us!

How about Bloom?🤔

[Hugh2]

16 minutes ago, notin said:

My question is - would people prefer Yoshida go off in the WBC so the Sox can trade him?  Or because he could help the Sox win more games?

That's a good point, but who comes out of the lineup? I suppose you could go back to someone like ABreu being a platoon guy, or platooning him and Duran but all three of those guys are lefties?

[notin]

9 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Oh, the you still have 3 other OFers in front of Masa and Nate Eaton. Once Romy comes back, Masa is behind him as well. 

You would rather see Eaton start games over Yoshida?  That’s just wrong. And I completely disagree with that pecking order.

Romy will likely assume his normal role platooning, most likely with Mayer but if an OF gets hurt, quite possibly with Yoshida…

[Hugh2]

9 minutes ago, notin said:

You would rather see Eaton start games over Yoshida?  That’s just wrong.

Romy will likely assume his normal role platooning, most likely with Mayer but if an OF gets hurt, quite possibly with Yoshida…

Eaton is right handed, he's capable of playing multiple positions, and he has plus speed.  

If we were comparing them as DH's I could see liking Yoshida but someone like Eaton is 10000% a better fit for this roster. 

[mvp 78]

11 minutes ago, notin said:

You would rather see Eaton start games over Yoshida?  That’s just wrong. And I completely disagree with that pecking order.

Romy will likely assume his normal role platooning, most likely with Mayer but if an OF gets hurt, quite possibly with Yoshida…

Yeah, because in that case Eaton would be playing the OF and you'd one of the other guys DH'ing (Duran). Eaton had a 102 wRC+ and can field all 3 OF positions. Masa can only play a very poor LF and is projected to have a 98-111 wRC+. I'd rather have Eaton on the roster if I'm the manager based on his skillset. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

There is the possibility that all four of our BIG FOUR outfielders are slightly overrated here by optimistic posters. 

There's also the reality of way too much angst about the forum's favorite roster punching bag, our FIFTH OUTFIELDER -- who will play regularly in the field for the defending world champions in an international tournament this month, but apparently never an inning for the defending AL East Wild Card losers.

The possibility above is that the entire quartet is prone to high strikeout rates... unlike Yoshida. I don't love double play grounders to second, but a line-up of whiffers can benefit from a few contact guys, too.

So where can he ever fit in?!?!? A: somewhere in a batting order with excessive swing and miss. That said, I'm amped that all five of them are getting experience and hopefully, added confidence from regular reps in the WBC.

[mvp 78]

7 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

There is the possibility that all four of our BIG FOUR outfielders are slightly overrated here by optimistic posters. 

There's also the reality of way too much angst about the forum's favorite roster punching bag, our FIFTH OUTFIELDER -- who will play regularly in the field for the defending world champions in an international tournament this month, but apparently never an inning for the defending AL East Wild Card losers.

The possibility above is that the entire quartet is prone to high strikeout rates... unlike Yoshida. I don't love double play grounders to second, but a line-up of whiffers can benefit from a few contact guys, too.

So where can he ever fit in?!?!? A: somewhere in a batting order with excessive swing and miss. That said, I'm amped that all five of them are getting experience and hopefully, added confidence from regular reps in the WBC.

He's playing LF instead of DH because Japan has a better hitter at DH than Masa. Same thing would happen with the Sox if they put Duran/Abreu/Anthony at DH instead of Masa. All those 3 guys are vastly superior at fielding though. 

[notin]

40 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

That's a good point, but who comes out of the lineup? I suppose you could go back to someone like ABreu being a platoon guy, or platooning him and Duran but all three of those guys are lefties?

I think that will sort itself out. 
 

Last year the Sox lost Abreu and Anthony for prolonged stretches.  If something similar happens, I would much rather see Yoshida join the lineup over Eaton.

Id also rather see Yoshida in the on deck circle over anyone else on the Sox bench in a key pinch hitting situation.  Can’t get excited sbout IKF or Monasterio there…

[Hugh2]

17 minutes ago, notin said:

I think that will sort itself out. 
 

Last year the Sox lost Abreu and Anthony for prolonged stretches.  If something similar happens, I would much rather see Yoshida join the lineup over Eaton.

Id also rather see Yoshida in the on deck circle over anyone else on the Sox bench in a key pinch hitting situation.  Can’t get excited sbout IKF or Monasterio there…

Well yeah, like if Duran goes down Yoshida because your DH.  I don't think this is an apples to apples comparision because you can slide Yoshida into that everyday role while Eaton is a utility guy who is a better fit for that role and thus this roster. 

[mvp 78]

46 minutes ago, notin said:

I think that will sort itself out. 
 

Last year the Sox lost Abreu and Anthony for prolonged stretches.  If something similar happens, I would much rather see Yoshida join the lineup over Eaton.

Id also rather see Yoshida in the on deck circle over anyone else on the Sox bench in a key pinch hitting situation.  Can’t get excited sbout IKF or Monasterio there…

Masa had a 429 OPS as a pinch hitter last year. Not much of a sample size though. 

[drewski6]

1 hour ago, notin said:

I think that will sort itself out. 
 

Last year the Sox lost Abreu and Anthony for prolonged stretches.  If something similar happens, I would much rather see Yoshida join the lineup over Eaton.

Id also rather see Yoshida in the on deck circle over anyone else on the Sox bench in a key pinch hitting situation.  Can’t get excited sbout IKF or Monasterio there…

Im with you, but Eaton is catching too many stray bullets. Hes hit .305 last year + this spring

[drewski6]

The only solution here is to petition the league to up the active roster max to 30 and maybe have an extra DH lineup spot or 2.  I want Masa, KC, Monasterio, Eaton, IKF, Ward, Castro, Romy, Wong all to have some kind of role and be successful!  

30 may not even be enough.  

This spring has turned me into Kimmi.  Everyone gets support!  (no offense, Kimmi)

[drewski6]

I want to reiterate: we are looking strong guys.