2026 MLB post-Red Sox postseason thread

[moonslav59]

18 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

Bonds was one of the worst playoff performers in history, until he wasn't.

I've said this exact thing.

Beckett was headed to near GOAT status as the best Playoff pitcher in MLB history, or at least top 3, until he wasn't.

[NHNative]

2 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I've said this exact thing.

Beckett was headed to near GOAT status as the best Playoff pitcher in MLB history, or at least top 3, until he wasn't.

This stuff points to a healthy degree---gut feelings mixed with hope.

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, NHNative said:

This stuff points to a healthy degree---gut feelings mixed with hope.

The gut feeling was maybe Pablo Sandoval could be the next Papi or Papi light.

Watching some guy homer in this years playoffs should not heighten our drive to trade for him.

Watching a player go 1 for 12 in the playoffs should not talk us out of trading for him,

[Old Red]

21 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

1. Schwarber

2T Alonso & Contreras

It was closer than I expected and the money saved helped us pay part of Gray or Suarez's contract.

Nobody has the answer on who might have helped us vs the Yanks in a two game sample. Nobody can predict how anyone will do in October. You try to build a team that promises to do well, and then let them play the game. Brez left us short and then made a couple bold attempts at making up for it. The Mead injury hurt a lot- maybe even more than Anthony's failed attempt at a return

That's not to say Brez didn't make any mistakes. I have been in total agreement with those who felt we left a major hole on offense by the start of the season. I remember even saying at the time, trying to fix it at the deadline will likely be more costly and is usually for just rentals. Brez did well not to go for rentals, but the overpay became even more extreme.

I think our projected line up in 2027 looks better than opening day 2026, opening day 2024 and pretty close to the opening day 2025 line-up with Bregman and Devers.

Remember, you asked me to look at the 2025 numbers to make the call on Schwarber, Alonso & Contreras, so I ask you to look at Bregman's past 2-3 year totals before 2025 to judge that line-up.

What's your take? Is our 2027 projected line-up better?

1. Anthony LF/DH

2. Mead 2B

3. Abreu RF

4. Contreras 1B

5. AR C

6. Story SS

7. Yoshida/Duran LF/ Gasper DH/ Romy-Jones DH

8. Durbin 3B

9. Rafaela RF

I'm fine with saying this isn't good enough, but IMO, it is better, more balanced and the bench much better than the team handed to Brez.

The pitching & defense is light years better.

What stats did Con Man put up this year that Alonso didn’t that you gave them a tie? Just curious as I know we have different preferences. I posed the same question to 10 guys at the bowling alley today all knowledgeable fans, which were half Red Sox fans and it was split between Flintstone, and Alonso.

AS for the lineup for next year IMO they still need a power middle of the order bat, and two would be even better, and still lots of question marks on most of the lineup you listed.1-2-5-6-7.  8&9 are what they are although the RAF Man did a pretty good job in the 2 hole this past year.

 

[NHNative]

What would it take to get Jake Bauer?

[moonslav59]

17 minutes ago, NHNative said:

What would it take to get Jake Bauer?

He's a FA, so my guess is lots of money.

He just turned 31. He never his more than 12 HRs in a season until 26, this year.

He never had a SLG higher than .413 and that was a 1/3 season. He was at .484 this year.

He never had over 432 PAs until 2026.

[JoeBrady]

30 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

1. Schwarber

2T Alonso & Contreras

It was closer than I expected and the money saved helped us pay part of Gray or Suarez's contract.

I don't think Schwarber was #1.  Since the board has (finally) moved on from HRs to SLG, it is worth noting that Contreras had a higher SLG, in addition to his positional importance.

[Old Red]

Just now, JoeBrady said:

I don't think Schwarber was #1.  Since the board has (finally) moved on from HRs to SLG, it is worth noting that Contreras had a higher SLG, in addition to his positional importance.

The question was based on the numbers from this past year, so what you moved on from was a different conversation. Con Man had less HR, less RBI, and less total bases. 

[NHNative]

54 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

He's a FA, so my guess is lots of money.

He just turned 31. He never his more than 12 HRs in a season until 26, this year.

He never had a SLG higher than .413 and that was a 1/3 season. He was at .484 this year.

He never had over 432 PAs until 2026.

I have that 'feeling' about this guy. He would mesh well with the team.

[Old Red]

7 minutes ago, NHNative said:

I have that 'feeling' about this guy. He would mesh well with the team.

Having a good year to go into FA.

[moonslav59]

51 minutes ago, NHNative said:

I have that 'feeling' about this guy. He would mesh well with the team.

I think my point is that it's easy to "get a feeling" after watching a guy do well in a very small but very important sample size.

We cannot expect this to continue, of for him to do very well (or poorly) in future playoff series.

I think it's a mistake to make decisions based on this. Now, if we liked him a lot before this, then maybe we can like him a tiny bit more. (Just how I see it.)

[NHNative]

36 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I think my point is that it's easy to "get a feeling" after watching a guy do well in a very small but very important sample size.

We cannot expect this to continue, of for him to do very well (or poorly) in future playoff series.

I think it's a mistake to make decisions based on this. Now, if we liked him a lot before this, then maybe we can like him a tiny bit more. (Just how I see it.)

Reasonable of source. Mon capitan'

[notin]

8 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

Which is why these guys are less than the sum of the parts.  The gross numbers are often pretty.  But with the game on the line, you can work around the big sluggers.

Not if you fill the lineup in front of him with runners that get on base all the time…

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, NHNative said:

Reasonable of source. Mon capitan'

It's not that I dont want him.

If no Suzuki, maybe....

[notin]

4 hours ago, NHNative said:

What would it take to get Jake Bauer?

Rejection from lots of better free agents?

Bauers is a free agent after the postseason.  And no, he will not be getting a Qualifying Offer.

But you have to remember, Bauers is exactly the type of player no one wants.  A 30 yo minor league journeyman platoon 1b/DH with a career .670 OPS entering the season.  Bauers actually retired 2 years ago because he was frustrated about his inability to play at the MLB-level, but then he learned he knocked up his wife and came back on a minor league deal.  (True story.)

 

[notin]

That 4-0 lead didn’t last long…

[JoeBrady]

52 minutes ago, notin said:

Not if you fill the lineup in front of him with runners that get on base all the time…

Exactly my point, and has been forever.  There is no single formula.  My personal preference is a lineup that can hit 1-9.  Never give a pitcher a chance for a breather by having a weak 7-8-9.  My second favorite is more like Drewski.  But instead of one slugger, you have two.  But you always, always have to put guys on base in front of them.

Papi & Manny were great.  But when we won in 2004, Damon posted a .385 OBP out of the 1-hole.  Bellhorn posted a .368 OBP from the 2-hole.  This year, our OBP out of the 1-2 was .305.  It's impossible to over-estimate what a huge difference that is.

[notin]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Rejection from lots of better free agents?

Bauers is a free agent after the postseason.  And no, he will not be getting a Qualifying Offer.

But you have to remember, Bauers is exactly the type of player no one wants.  A 30 yo minor league journeyman platoon 1b/DH with a career .670 OPS entering the season.  Bauers actually retired 2 years ago because he was frustrated about his inability to play at the MLB-level, but then he learned he knocked up his wife and came back on a minor league deal.  (True story.)

 

Jake Bauers = Mickey Gasper

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Jake Bauers = Mickey Gasper

We need to hope...

Mickey Gasper - Jake Bauers

[Bellhorn04]

15 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

I've said this exact thing.

Beckett was headed to near GOAT status as the best Playoff pitcher in MLB history, or at least top 3, until he wasn't.

Disagree, Beckett's postseason resume will always be outstanding.

7-2, 3.07 ERA, .94 WHIP, instrumental in 2 rings.

How many pitchers have better than that?  Gibson, Schilling, who else.  I'm guessing Beckett is still in the top 5.

[Bellhorn04]

Outstanding job by the Brew Crew.

[mvp 78]

8 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

We need to hope...

Mickey Gasper - Jake Bauers

If Gasper is the one year wonder that Bauers is, they should trade him this offseason. 

[Old Red]

4 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Disagree, Beckett's postseason resume will always be outstanding.

7-2, 3.07 ERA, .94 WHIP, instrumental in 2 rings.

How many pitchers have better than that?  Gibson, Schilling, who else.  I'm guessing Beckett is still in the top 5.

I started out watching Sandy, and Gibby, and those two were hard to beat.Sandy only ended up 4-3, but his ERA was 0.95 in 7 starts.

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Outstanding job by the Brew Crew.

Prior to this year, they have absolutely struggled each and every postseason. They deserve it. 

 

[Old Red]

Just now, mvp 78 said:

Prior to this year, they have absolutely struggled each and every postseason. They deserve it. 

 

I haven’t followed the Brewers, so how did they end up going with a BP game last night?

[mvp 78]

11 minutes ago, Old Red said:

I haven’t followed the Brewers, so how did they end up going with a BP game last night?

It wasn't really a "bullpen" game, it was Drohan opening for May. The back end of their starting pitching kind of fell off at the end of the season. 

[JoeBrady]

45 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Outstanding job by the Brew Crew.

Always happy to see the Dodgers lose.  Now I can root for all three remaining teams.

[Old Red]

20 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

It wasn't really a "bullpen" game, it was Drohan opening for May. The back end of their starting pitching kind of fell off at the end of the season. 

Drohan hadn’t pitched in weeks, and May was the best they had on a 103 win team?

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Drohan hadn’t pitched in weeks, and May was the best they had on a 103 win team?

They had the Dodgers on the ropes and the back end of the rotation is very beatable right now. Drohan and Harrison had great stretches early on, but aren't those pitchers in October. 

[mvp 78]

26 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

Always happy to see the Dodgers lose.  Now I can root for all three remaining teams.

CLE vs MIL because the Rays don't deserve a new stadium.