Is this 2026 Red Sox team…CONTENDERS or PRETENDERS?

[FredLynn]

Gotta get at least one here

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, FredLynn said:

We need a good RHH so Jeffers could fit the bill. However we already have two catchers so we would need to get rid of one of them-which is probably a good plan. We have a few other guys who can catch too. Lowe is a LHH so he’s lower (so to speak) on my list. The OF seems set unless we can dump Duran. I doubt anyone would take him and provide any return at all. I like our IF except that Monasterio could be replaced by a better hitter. If they want to be buyers it’s swapping catchers and a SS with power like Neto. 

We have two catchers with a catching OPS of .644.

I've mentioned middle infield, too. While BLowe is a LHB, he's got serious power and as a rental will not be as costly as others.

.630 2B

.644 C

.645 SS

Others have mentioned LF/DH more than I:

.648 Duran... errr... I mean LF

.674 DH

All other positions are over .715

[FredLynn]

Little league baseball on display by the Rays. 

[FredLynn]

Three runs without a hit

[FredLynn]

2 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

We have two catchers with a catching OPS of .644.

I've mentioned middle infield, too.

.630 2B

.644 C

.645 SS

Others have mentioned LF/DH more than I:

.648 Duran... errr... I mean LF

.674 DH

All other positions are over .715

How much of the .630 OPS at 2B is because Mayer was there? Siegler is at .737/108. He’s a keeper. SS is in need of an upgrade.

[FredLynn]

Gray is not sharp 

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, FredLynn said:

How much of the .630 OPS at 2B is because Mayer was there? Siegler is at .737/108. He’s a keeper. SS is in need of an upgrade.

 

1 minute ago, FredLynn said:

How much of the .630 OPS at 2B is because Mayer was there? Siegler is at .737/108. He’s a keeper. SS is in need of an upgrade.

I'd prefer a SS over 2B, but they look to be too expensive.

Siegler has not proven anything.

[FredLynn]

5 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

 

I'd prefer a SS over 2B, but they look to be too expensive.

Siegler has not proven anything.

He’s proven that he’s someone that deserves a longer look at the very least. 
Catcher and SS are the most pressing needs. 
Yes, SS are going to be expensive. But it’s a recognized need and they shouldn’t go in half assed if they are buyers. There’s no point to that. Picking up a mediocre SS would be stupid. 

[FredLynn]

Time to get someone up

[vegasbob]

43 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

 

Masa is an outfielder…..of sorts

I heard a rumor that Anthony is too

[FredLynn]

Durbin is a vacuum cleaner. The defense this team is playing is the polar opposite of the way they were playing the last few years 

[Hitch]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

 

I'd prefer a SS over 2B, but they look to be too expensive.

Siegler has not proven anything.

Even if it's just on the bench - we have to keep Siegler around. 

[FredLynn]

Watson is about to surrender runs. 
Game not over

[FredLynn]

Now it’s over 

Pretty amazing run

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, FredLynn said:

He’s proven that he’s someone that deserves a longer look at the very least. 
Catcher and SS are the most pressing needs. 
Yes, SS are going to be expensive. But it’s a recognized need and they shouldn’t go in half assed if they are buyers. There’s no point to that. Picking up a mediocre SS would be stupid. 

Yes, Siegler deserves a longer look. The deadline might be long enough.

I'm not sure Lindor is the answer. I feel even less confident in Adames. That is one reason I look at BLowe as a more realistic option to upgrade. If Siegler keeps doing well, one can DH.

I agree SS & C are the highest needs. We might need a SP'er, too. Too many guys are nearing their IP limits.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, FredLynn said:

How much of the .630 OPS at 2B is because Mayer was there? Siegler is at .737/108. He’s a keeper.

Not as much as 93 PAs of IKF at ,541  plus Sogard at .550 at 2B only.

[JoeBrady]

34 minutes ago, Hitch said:

Even if it's just on the bench - we have to keep Siegler around. 

With the way we're playing, if Crochet, Anthony and Story all showed up healthy, I'd ask them to wait outside.

[FredLynn]

17 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Not as much as 93 PAs of IKF at ,541  plus Sogard at .550 at 2B only.

Right, but the point is that Siegler has been an upgrade over all those guys. His presence makes 2B a lower priority for upgrade. If we can get a 2B man who hits for power Siegler could move to SS perhaps-but I’d still rather upgrade SS (and catcher). And get rid of Duran. 
Not sure how many innings the younger pitchers are limited to this year. You certainly don’t want to ruin their careers by pushing them too far.

[JoeBrady]

20 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I'm not sure Lindor is the answer. I feel even less confident in Adames.

Both would require substantial salary relief.  I'd be asking for $100M to cover Lindor's 35-36-37 year old seasons.  Adames maybe $50M.  I don't think either team does it.

[moonslav59]

13 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

Both would require substantial salary relief.  I'd be asking for $100M to cover Lindor's 35-36-37 year old seasons.  Adames maybe $50M.  I don't think either team does it.

Agreed, but I'm not convinced either will be what we hope they will be, especially after 2026 or 2027.

[Old Red]

3 hours ago, notin said:

You said he was right about everything.  Now Youre picking and choosing.  Convenient.

It’s not the being down on the Sox part I’m calling you on. <sigh>

Oh no! You’re calling me on something. Always analyzing every letter of every word. Last week you were questioning question marks. I hope I don’t lose any sleep over it.🤔

[moonslav59]

14 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

Right, but the point is that Siegler has been an upgrade over all those guys. His presence makes 2B a lower priority for upgrade. If we can get a 2B man who hits for power Siegler could move to SS perhaps-but I’d still rather upgrade SS (and catcher). And get rid of Duran. 
Not sure how many innings the younger pitchers are limited to this year. You certainly don’t want to ruin their careers by pushing them too far.

I just think getting a top SS will be too costly.

I've been pushing Catcher and am okay with LF/DH instead of 2B, too.

[Old Red]

15 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

Both would require substantial salary relief.  I'd be asking for $100M to cover Lindor's 35-36-37 year old seasons.  Adames maybe $50M.  I don't think either team does it.

Fantasy Island again.

[Old Red]

3 hours ago, notin said:

The issue isn’t that you were down on the team, and no longer are.  The issue is one guy who was down on the team, no longer is, and with his sudden enlightenment now feels he must berate anyone who was down on the team.

 

Big difference…

Uh oh. There’s that B word again. Repeat after me. The new word for today is Berated.

[Hugh2]

any pretenders still out there?

[moonslav59]

3 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

any pretenders still out there?

Yes, the White Sox, Yanks and Rays.

[notin]

1 hour ago, JoeBrady said:

With the way we're playing, if Crochet, Anthony and Story all showed up healthy, I'd ask them to wait outside.

And tell Story to keep the motor running…

[notin]

59 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Uh oh. There’s that B word again. Repeat after me. The new word for today is Berated.

If nothing else, I taught you vocabulary.  Something your 7th grade teacher apparently failed to do…

[FredLynn]

53 minutes ago, notin said:

And tell Story to keep the motor running…

In preparation for driving off into the sunset, never to be seen again 

[FredLynn]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

I just think getting a top SS will be too costly.

I've been pushing Catcher and am okay with LF/DH instead of 2B, too.

That would mean doing something about Duran.