Red Sox Pre-Offseason Mega Thread

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, drewski6 said:

I can settle on this.

I think some posters who are keenly aware of the fixed nature of our spending, prefer we spread out the spending and rely on a prospect or two rather than go large and long on 1-2 players.

It's not illogical, and 3 years ago this team had so many holes it was kind of an essential strategy. To me, we have a pretty solid and deep core. Our farm is not so great, but we have so many young and controlled players, that we can now look at quality vs quantity. We also lose a couple big contracts after 2027, and hopefully knowing that will be enough for JH to think we can spend large and long, because it will really be like one major uptick in 2027, that will be offset by no Story and Yoshida for 2028, 2029... (maybe I'm dreaming.)

Our biggest trading chips are Arias and Anthony, and since I'm all for trading Duran, and our OF depth sucks, I'm thinking trading Arias plus for one elite bat and signing another should be possible within a tight budget. This is also one reason I think we may need to get creative to free up a few million by trading Duran plus Story and or Yoshida. Other trades could be KC ($7.5M savings) or Bello ($9M) but we may need Bello badly.

[moonslav59]

35 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

But he wasnt projected to be third or fourth at the start of the year.

Nobody knew Contreras would be that good, so Abreu was mostly projected 3-5th. In the modern line-up philosophy, 4th and 5th are more important than third.

Going into 2027, Abreu's best slot would be 6th, and not with AR 5th.

[drewski6]

11 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I think some posters who are keenly aware of the fixed nature of our spending, prefer we spread out the spending and rely on a prospect or two rather than go large and long on 1-2 players.

It's not illogical, and 3 years ago this team had so many holes it was kind of an essential strategy. To me, we have a pretty solid and deep core. Our farm is not so great, but we have so many young and controlled players, that we can now look at quality vs quantity. We also lose a couple big contracts after 2027, and hopefully knowing that will be enough for JH to think we can spend large and long, because it will really be like one major uptick in 2027, that will be offset by no Story and Yoshida for 2028, 2029... (maybe I'm dreaming.)

Our biggest trading chips are Arias and Anthony, and since I'm all for trading Duran, and our OF depth sucks, I'm thinking trading Arias plus for one elite bat and signing another should be possible within a tight budget. This is also one reason I think we may need to get creative to free up a few million by trading Duran plus Story and or Yoshida. Other trades could be KC ($7.5M savings) or Bello ($9M) but we may need Bello badly.

I dont think the budget is super tight, I think the bigger problem is the lack of elite free agent hitters.

[Old Red]

3 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

I dont think the budget is super tight, I think the bigger problem is the lack of elite free agent hitters.

You mean like last year?

[drewski6]

4 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Nobody knew Contreras would be that good, so Abreu was mostly projected 3-5th. In the modern line-up philosophy, 4th and 5th are more important than third.

Going into 2027, Abreu's best slot would be 6th, and not with AR 5th.

If Abreu is 6, Story/ARias is 7, Cedanne is 8, and Durbin is 9.  So AR would have to be fifth or higher.  

Roman

Mead

??
Contreras
Abreu

AR

Story/Arias

Cedanne

Durbin

Or you start with Durbin on the bench, which I am fine with personally. This is the only real way, short of packaging him up, where you can hit Abreu below fifth.  If Abreu is hitting sixth, AR seventh, Story/Arias eighth, Cedanne ninth and Durbin is used as a super sub, I would be probably happy if this means they have 2 new mashers in the top 5 to go with Roman, Mead,  Contreras.

[moonslav59]

2 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

I dont think the budget is super tight, I think the bigger problem is the lack of elite free agent hitters.

How much do you think JH will allow us to go over the tax line, this winter?

Cots has us projected $8M over and Spotrac about $20M over.

[drewski6]

1 minute ago, Old Red said:

You mean like last year?

I fear we ruined 2027 by not going after the 2026 free agents.  Give me Alonso, Bregman , Schwarber, Tucker, Bellinger over whats FA this year? Randy Rosie-arena>?

[drewski6]

Just now, moonslav59 said:

How much do you think JH will allow us to go over the tax line, this winter?

Cots has us projected $8M over and Spotrac about $20M over.

I dont think there is a hard number.

[drewski6]

I also think the tax line is irrelevant.

[drewski6]

I thnk the red sox have more money to spend then there are guys worth spending on.  I wouldnt be surprised to see them add 70m.  I think that if JH okay'd 70m in budget, Breslow would add 4 pitchers.  Oooooops

[drewski6]

I think if we could give up nothing and add ALonso and Devers to this team, we would.  Or at least we should.

[moonslav59]

Just now, drewski6 said:

If Abreu is 6, Story/ARias is 7, Cedanne is 8, and Durbin is 9.  So AR would have to be fifth or higher.  

My step one is trading Arias and others for a big bat SS (DLC/Abrams.)

Step 2: sign a big bat (Sato/Suzuki)

My guess is we do neither but lets say we get DLC...

1. Anthony LF

2. Mead 2B/DH

3. DLC SS

4. Contreras 1B

5. YES, Abreu, but he's better 6th.

______________

1. Anthony DH/LF

2. DLC SS

3. Suzuki LF or Sato DH

4. Contreras 1B

5. Mead 2B

6. Abfreu RF

7. AR C

8. Durbin 3B

9. Rafaela CF

 

 

[moonslav59]

5 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

I fear we ruined 2027 by not going after the 2026 free agents.  Give me Alonso, Bregman , Schwarber, Tucker, Bellinger over whats FA this year? Randy Rosie-arena>?

Bregman will prove to be a bad signing.

We shoulda got Alonso. Schwarber was a Philly all along.'

I like Sato or Suzuki over Breggie, Tucker and Bellinger.

[moonslav59]

6 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

I dont think there is a hard number.

What do you base this opinion on?

Maybe not specific, but JH & Co. would have to agree one signing a major contract when we are already over the tax line. If we can shed $11M Duran, $5-6M off Story and $3-4M off Yoshida, then that $20M could allow us to sign one big deal and trade for a lesser paid stud.

[drewski6]

1 minute ago, moonslav59 said:

Bregman will prove to be a bad signing.

We shoulda got Alonso. Schwarber was a Philly all along.'

I like Sato or Suzuki over Breggie, Tucker and Bellinger.

I know nothing about Sato, but Suzuki is like 33. Not that Id be against it.  But over Breggie, Tucker and Bellinger is a bit far.  Maybe Tucker underperfomed his massive deal.

[drewski6]

Just now, moonslav59 said:

What do you base this opinion on?

Maybe not specific, but JH & Co. would have to agree one signing a major contract when we are already over the tax line. If we can shed $11M Duran, $5-6M off Story and $3-4M off Yoshida, then that $20M could allow us to sign one big deal and trade for a lesser paid stud.

The tax line doesnt matter.

[moonslav59]

5 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

I thnk the red sox have more money to spend then there are guys worth spending on.  I wouldnt be surprised to see them add 70m.  I think that if JH okay'd 70m in budget, Breslow would add 4 pitchers.  Oooooops

Surely, you jest.

[drewski6]

Just now, moonslav59 said:

Surely, you jest.

I think that JH has shown that hes not afraid to overlap when there is money coming off the books soon. We have that.  I think the list of FA this year is just absolutely pitiful.  I dont think there are players in FA to get more than I think the problem is not having money to get them.  Sato is coming from Japan, complete unknown and Suzuki will be 34.

Wait , I jsut checked Suzuki will be 32.  Yes, give him a deal.  IF they sign Suzuki, Gray and trade for Elly, Ill be pumped.

[moonslav59]

Just now, drewski6 said:

I know nothing about Sato, but Suzuki is like 33. Not that Id be against it.  But over Breggie, Tucker and Bellinger is a bit far.  Maybe Tucker underperfomed his massive deal.

How old was Breggie, and look at his previous 3-4 year history. HE WAS NOT an ELITE BAT!!!!

His OPS since 2020 is the same as Roman's career OPS you just poo-poo'd (.803.)

It was .799 before 2026 (6 yrs 2020-2025)

"Maybe" Tucker... LMAO! He was equal to Durbin!

[Old Red]

5 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

I fear we ruined 2027 by not going after the 2026 free agents.  Give me Alonso, Bregman , Schwarber, Tucker, Bellinger over whats FA this year? Randy Rosie-arena>?

 

 

I agree. Alonso was there for the taking, but the Red Sox were

too cheap as Fred would say with their offer most likely, because they had to have money set aside for Bregman that they didn’t get either. They could have had Con Man, and either Bregman, or Alonso, but they ended up with neither, and now once again the Red Sox are in the same boat, and need a power productive bat, or two.

[drewski6]

Im not about to start scouting internationals.  I dont know how anyone here ranks them against each other.  

[mvp 78]

59 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

I think what I didn't clarify early was I'm not just talking about the Boston Red Sox, but rather I'm talking about prospects in general.  Prospects being "suspect" is not exclusive to Boston. 

BUTTTTTT Since you asked, here are some top RED SOX prospects who have either dissapointed or completely busted this century:  

Jorge De La Rosa

Freddy Sanchez

Lars Anderson

Casey Kelly (I'm going thru a list but this is the first kid who came to mind)

Ryan Kalish

Will Middlebrooks

Blake Swihart

Jay Groome 

Michael Chavis

They used de la Rosa to get Schilling. Casey Kelly was traded for AGon. That's the best use of a prospect, no? Why should we care what happens to a prospect once they are dealt? 

[drewski6]

Just now, moonslav59 said:

How old was Breggie, and look at his previous 3-4 year history. HE WAS NOT an ELITE BAT!!!!

His OPS since 2020 is the same as Roman's career OPS you just poo-poo'd (.803.)

It was .799 before 2026 (6 yrs 2020-2025)

"Maybe" Tucker... LMAO! He was equal to Durbin!

I did not poopoo .800. I said I think hes leaving some on the table at .800 nad he would be .900 if he made the small adjustment of swinging more, especially early in the counts.

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, drewski6 said:

I think that JH has shown that hes not afraid to overlap when there is money coming off the books soon. We have that.  I think the list of FA this year is just absolutely pitiful.  I dont think there are players in FA to get more than I think the problem is not having money to get them.  Sato is coming from Japan, complete unknown and Suzuki will be 34.

Wait , I jsut checked Suzuki will be 32.  Yes, give him a deal.  IF they sign Suzuki, Gray and trade for Elly, Ill be pumped.

The only time JH has "overlapped" was extending Crochet shortly after the Devers extension kicked in, then what.... He quickly dumped Devers.

He has not had 2 big contracts on the books other than those 3 months, since Sale and Price. (Guess what? He dumped Betts to do that.)

[drewski6]

1 minute ago, moonslav59 said:

How old was Breggie, and look at his previous 3-4 year history. HE WAS NOT an ELITE BAT!!!!

His OPS since 2020 is the same as Roman's career OPS you just poo-poo'd (.803.)

It was .799 before 2026 (6 yrs 2020-2025)

"Maybe" Tucker... LMAO! He was equal to Durbin!

I didnt follow tucker closely last year, I dont follow the nl west very cloesly.

[drewski6]

Just now, moonslav59 said:

The only time JH has "overlapped" was extending Crochet shortly after the Devers extension kicked in, then what.... He quickly dumped Devers.

He has not had 2 big contracts on the books other than those 3 months, since Sale and Price. (Guess what? He dumped Betts to do that.)

he overlapped story and x

[mvp 78]

50 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Trey Ball comes to mind.

Now you're just naming draft picks. Trey Ball never really ranked high anywhere. 

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, drewski6 said:

Im not about to start scouting internationals.  I dont know how anyone here ranks them against each other.  

I don't know how you ranked Breggie as an elite batter before 2026.

[Old Red]

Just now, moonslav59 said:

How old was Breggie, and look at his previous 3-4 year history. HE WAS NOT an ELITE BAT!!!!

His OPS since 2020 is the same as Roman's career OPS you just poo-poo'd (.803.)

It was .799 before 2026 (6 yrs 2020-2025)

"Maybe" Tucker... LMAO! He was equal to Durbin!

 Bregman Had more HR, and RBI than anyone else on the Red Sox this past year.

[mvp 78]

17 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

If Abreu is 6, Story/ARias is 7, Cedanne is 8, and Durbin is 9.  So AR would have to be fifth or higher.  

Roman

Mead

??
Contreras
Abreu

AR

Story/Arias

Cedanne

Durbin

Or you start with Durbin on the bench, which I am fine with personally. This is the only real way, short of packaging him up, where you can hit Abreu below fifth.  If Abreu is hitting sixth, AR seventh, Story/Arias eighth, Cedanne ninth and Durbin is used as a super sub, I would be probably happy if this means they have 2 new mashers in the top 5 to go with Roman, Mead,  Contreras.

I'd rather hit Abreu 5th and Adley 6th. Just personal preference if Contreras is hitting 4th. Abreu also has higher power potential.