A Realistic View at the 2027 Red Sox Part I

[Old Red]

7 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

And therein lies the problem, we sign free agents and evaluate them for what they've done but that often does align with what they will do.  Some guys just fall off a cliff.  We have our own guys who fit the bill too. 

Schwaber should have been a sign. Story, and Masa not so much.

[notin]

2 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Kutter never had a Sale peak. Holding out hope for a return of a back end guy? Who cares? You can sign a '24 Crawford this offseason for nothing. You find Sean Newcombs just laying around the garage! 

I cleaned out my garage last week.  I threw out an old Ray Burgos, a broken down Seth Martínez and a Joe La Sorsa that never worked in the first place.

But no Sean Newcombs …

[Old Red]

26 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Among others, yes.

I'm never afraid to admit I was wrong. (Note: it's not a sign of weakness.)

I don’t play who the Red Sox should get name game too often. I said the Red Sox should’ve signed Jan#en a few years ago, which the Red Sox did a year later, and this past offseason I said the Red Sox should sign Flintstone, and Alonso. What’s wrong with any of that. You on the other hand.🤔

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

No, they needed to extend him prior to that. 

He'd have to accept, but yes.

[moonslav59]

6 minutes ago, Old Red said:

I don’t play who the Red Sox should get name game too often. I said the Red Sox should’ve signed Jan#en a few years ago, which the Red Sox did a year later, and this past offseason I said the Red Sox should sign Flintstone, and Alonso. What’s wrong with any of that. You on the other hand.🤔

Why ask me?

Nothings wrong.

I wanted Schwarber or Alonso, too.

[Old Red]

3 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Why ask me?

Nothings wrong.

I wanted Schwarber or Alonso, too.

See we agree.👏

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, Old Red said:

See we agree.👏

Do you agree that if we can't count on Crawford and Houck because it's been years since they've pitched or done well then the same logic should be applied to the Sale situation at trade time?

[Old Red]

5 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Do you agree that if we can't count on Crawford and Houck because it's been years since they've pitched or done well then the same logic should be applied to the Sale situation at trade time?

I wouldn’t put Kut Man, and Houck in Sales category, 

[notin]

2 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Why ask me?

Nothings wrong.

I wanted Schwarber or Alonso, too.

I viewed Schwarber and Alonso together as an unrealistic target.  Do people still think Breslow (and Henry) were going to outbid Dombrowski?

And why is this part of a 2027 thread? No one fixes mistakes going forward by wishing the past was different, (Not that anything done on this forum will fix, or even influence, the Sox going forward.)

[mvp 78]

6 minutes ago, notin said:

I viewed Schwarber and Alonso together as an unrealistic target.  Do people still think Breslow (and Henry) were going to outbid Dombrowski?

And why is this part of a 2027 thread? No one fixes mistakes going forward by wishing the past was different, (Not that anything done on this forum will fix, or even influence, the Sox going forward.)

PHI may be looking to dump payroll this offseason. Maybe the Sox can go get Schwarber? 

[Old Red]

4 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

PHI may be looking to dump payroll this offseason. Maybe the Sox can go get Schwarber? 

I heard a tidbit today that the Red Sox didn’t go after Schwarber when they had him was, because the geeks with the projections projected that Bobby D Would hit as many HR as Schwarber, and. Bobby D was a cheaper way to go.

[notin]

2 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

PHI may be looking to dump payroll this offseason. Maybe the Sox can go get Schwarber? 

Maybe, but Philly cutting payroll probably means Nola, Realmuto and Brad Keller are on the block more so than Schwarber…

[notin]

8 minutes ago, Old Red said:

I heard a tidbit today that the Red Sox didn’t go after Schwarber when they had him was, because the geeks with the projections projected that Bobby D Would hit as many HR as Schwarber, and. Bobby D was a cheaper way to go.

And where did you hear that?

[Old Red]

1 minute ago, notin said:

And where did you hear that?

The Big JAB.

[notin]

7 minutes ago, Old Red said:

The Big JAB.

So not insider stuff?

Not that Schwarber’s was a star back in 2021, which was a career year for him at the time.  But he was non-tendered by the Cubs to start the year.  And the reason the Sox acquired him in the first place was to replace Dalbec at 1b.  
 

The presence of JD Martínez was more likely a factor in not re-signing Schwarber…

 

[Old Red]

8 minutes ago, notin said:

So not insider stuff?

Not that Schwarber’s was a star back in 2021, which was a career year for him at the time.  But he was non-tendered by the Cubs to start the year.  And the reason the Sox acquired him in the first place was to replace Dalbec at 1b.  
 

The presence of JD Martínez was more likely a factor in not re-signing Schwarber…

 

Schwarber really took off the next year. JD, and money most likely were the main reasons, and the Red Sox ended up with Story for $40M+ more.🙈

[notin]

3 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Schwarber really took off the next year. JD, and money most likely were the main reasons, and the Red Sox ended up with Story for $40M+ more.🙈

That Schwarber took off was sort of an unknown, by which I mean a complete unknown.  After 2021, Schwarber was 28 with a career OPS of .836 (119 OPS+) Dalbec was 26 with a career OPS of .819 (114 OPS+)

I don’t know how much that all mattered to the Sox FO.  But there were similarities at the time.  Dalbec’s sample was much smaller for a guy only 2 years younger, which would have also been taken into account…

[mvp 78]

23 minutes ago, notin said:

That Schwarber took off was sort of an unknown, by which I mean a complete unknown.  After 2021, Schwarber was 28 with a career OPS of .836 (119 OPS+) Dalbec was 26 with a career OPS of .819 (114 OPS+)

I don’t know how much that all mattered to the Sox FO.  But there were similarities at the time.  Dalbec’s sample was much smaller for a guy only 2 years younger, which would have also been taken into account…

A lot of his expected stats, EV's and other swing data didn't really change. Wrigley is just a bad place to hit and PHI is a great place to hit for LHB.

[Donnie Sadler was short]

On 10/6/2026 at 8:21 AM, Bellhorn04 said:

What comments are you talking about?

I had heard he didnt like that veterans made the rookies buy them beer & wait to be last to use an elevator..this was when he was still with the team... I read he said things will change. After the trade...I mean does he really need to keep saying he considers his career as a Dodger not as a Red Sox?

[JimEd]

3 hours ago, Donnie Sadler was short said:

I had heard he didnt like that veterans made the rookies buy them beer & wait to be last to use an elevator..this was when he was still with the team... I read he said things will change. After the trade...I mean does he really need to keep saying he considers his career as a Dodger not as a Red Sox?

i'm sure that is (or was) not unique to the Red Sox or even baseball. 

[moonslav59]

6 hours ago, Old Red said:

I wouldn’t put Kut Man, and Houck in Sales category, 

I wouldn't either and didn't.

[moonslav59]

4 hours ago, notin said:

I viewed Schwarber and Alonso together as an unrealistic target.  Do people still think Breslow (and Henry) were going to outbid Dombrowski?

And why is this part of a 2027 thread? No one fixes mistakes going forward by wishing the past was different, (Not that anything done on this forum will fix, or even influence, the Sox going forward.)

I never expected we'd get one either. Didn't stop me from thinking it was a good idea. I still think either will prove to be better than Bregman, who was Brez's first choice.

[moonslav59]

4 hours ago, notin said:

Maybe, but Philly cutting payroll probably means Nola, Realmuto and Brad Keller are on the block more so than Schwarber…

Maybe Harper?

5 years remaining at at about $130M. AAV: $25.4M

He's a LHB, but e's turning 34, soon. We'd have to force some salary dumps on PHI, so that would defeat the purpose on PHI's side.

Taking KC ($55M /9), Story ($30M/1) and Yoshida ($18M/1) would save them $25M, but almost all back-end. They won't take all three, and BTV calls it as we owe them $60M (Arias is $63M.) Anybody for the 4 for 1 deal?

BTV calls this one exactly even:

Durbin, Campbell & Yoshida for Harper.

Then, we sign Sato.

The Rays say no, but BTV says yes to Sogard for Rasmussen & Matz.

[moonslav59]

A look back at the non-flashy Brez trades last winter- many designed to clear up roster slots, Rule 5 and options issues.

A flurry of RP'ers dealt on NOV 18

Hoppe for Heyman

Bernardino for Ward

Murphy for Ronny Hernandez

Luis Guerrero for T Gray (later on 1/21 traded for Nate Baez)

DEC 4: Jh. Garcia & Travieso for Oviedo, Samaniego and A Gusman

DEC 9: Grissom for Isaiah Campbell

DEC 10: Reimer for Rule 5 Watson

DEC 15: Perales for Bennett

FEB 1: Hicks & Sandlin (2 PTBNL) for Ziehl

The Bennett & Oviedo trades were more mid-level, but the other deals are still mainly TBD.

I expect several similar type deals this NOV>DEC, unless a lockout changes things up.

 

[notin]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

Maybe Harper?

5 years remaining at at about $130M. AAV: $25.4M

He's a LHB, but e's turning 34, soon. We'd have to force some salary dumps on PHI, so that would defeat the purpose on PHI's side.

Taking KC ($55M /9), Story ($30M/1) and Yoshida ($18M/1) would save them $25M, but almost all back-end. They won't take all three, and BTV calls it as we owe them $60M (Arias is $63M.) Anybody for the 4 for 1 deal?

BTV calls this one exactly even:

Durbin, Campbell & Yoshida for Harper.

Then, we sign Sato.

The Rays say no, but BTV says yes to Sogard for Rasmussen & Matz.

I’d rather have Story, Yoshida and especially Arias than watch Harper decline for 5 years only to wear a Phillies cap when he gets inducted into Cooperstown…

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, notin said:

I’d rather have Story, Yoshida and especially Arias than watch Harper decline for 5 years only to wear a Phillies cap when he gets inducted into Cooperstown…

Agreed.

The Durbin deal looks better.

[notin]

8 hours ago, Old Red said:

I don’t play who the Red Sox should get name game too often

Sure you do.  You just wait until they sign with other teams first…😉

[notin]

2 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Agreed.

The Durbin deal looks better.

Rather have Durbin and Yoshida than Harper.  Harper’s medically unsound obsession with raw milk feels like playing with fire to me.  And by “fire”, I mean peritonitis…

[Randy Red Sox]

On 10/5/2026 at 5:38 PM, notin said:

Bogaerts has aged poorly.  Or is simply playing poorly. His .814 OPS from 10 years in Boston has dropped down to a .722 in SD after his career low .676 this year  

he has far outplayed Story just the same

[Randy Red Sox]

1 hour ago, notin said:

I’d rather have Story, Yoshida and especially Arias than watch Harper decline for 5 years only to wear a Phillies cap when he gets inducted into Cooperstown…

nothing to do with this comment but are you just taking shots at everyone tonight?