Red Sox sign Jake Bauers

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, a700hitter said:

I haven’t looked at his spray chart, but I heard that he hit a number of his HRs to the opposite field and a number of doubles too.

I looked earlier, hoping for redemption.  Unfortunately, he has -0- HRs in 60 ABs at Fenway.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

5 minutes ago, NHNative said:

The Brewers liked him at 1st.

The Brewers liked winning rings with him at 1st.

[Old Red]

7 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Sliding scale circle jerk.

MOOn its best to keep people wondering what you actually do behind that curtain, then coming out, and telling everyone.🙈🤭😭🤮

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, Old Red said:

MOOn its best to keep people wondering what you actually do behind that curtain, then coming out, and telling everyone.🙈🤭😭🤮

You must really like Duran, Story and AR and their nice career numbers.

[NHNative]

11 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

The Brewers liked winning rings with him at 1st.

Eggzactly!

[JoeBrady]

2 hours ago, notin said:

Not wild at all about this…

If they trade Contreras, I won't absolutely hate this signing.  But right now, imho, it is an awful signing.

• A breakout season at age 30 is always suspect.
• Prior to 2026, his career bWAR was negative.  Of 328 players from 2018-2025, with a minimum of 1500 PAs, Bauers ranked #324.
• Draft picks?
• 31 years old?

Like I said, if this is a plan to replace Contreras, then I think it is a monumental overpay.  Otherwise,, I think it is a waste of money.

[JoeBrady]

15 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

The Brewers liked winning rings with him at 1st.

He had a .621 OPS in the playoffs.  They won despite him.

[NHNative]

1 minute ago, JoeBrady said:

He had a .621 OPS in the playoffs.  They won despite him.

Do you hate Santa?

[notin]

1 hour ago, Old Red said:

Huh? Huh? Ortiz had only been on one other team when the Red Sox got him, whereas Bauers, and Mead have been on many. Not even close to the same situation, or a journeyman.🙈

Just not true.  Just because he didn’t debut there doesn’t change that Ortiz started his career in the Seattle organization…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

7 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

If they trade Contreras, I won't absolutely hate this signing.  But right now, imho, it is an awful signing.

• A breakout season at age 30 is always suspect.
• Prior to 2026, his career bWAR was negative.  Of 328 players from 2018-2025, with a minimum of 1500 PAs, Bauers ranked #324.
• Draft picks?
• 31 years old?

Like I said, if this is a plan to replace Contreras, then I think it is a monumental overpay.  Otherwise,, I think it is a waste of money.

Doesn't it just suck when a team of playoff losers signs a world champion.

[jad]

14 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

If they trade Contreras, I won't absolutely hate this signing.  But right now, imho, it is an awful signing.

• A breakout season at age 30 is always suspect.
• Prior to 2026, his career bWAR was negative.  Of 328 players from 2018-2025, with a minimum of 1500 PAs, Bauers ranked #324.
• Draft picks?
• 31 years old?

Like I said, if this is a plan to replace Contreras, then I think it is a monumental overpay.  Otherwise,, I think it is a waste of money.

So adding a .220 hitter is bad?  But replacing your most productive hitter with one is good?   

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Bauers is good now, and just hit more homers this year than Rutschman did the past two seasons combined (and only cost one pick and not four top prospects).

Bauers is also here for four years -- and for those who care about Boston's budget -- it's cheap enough, if needed, to escape from Albatross.

 

 

 

[Randy Red Sox]

4 hours ago, norbit said:

Not a Breslow fan, but I applaud him for making the move pre-cba agreement.  At this point I feel like you have to go all in and make move for an EDLC type.

RF Anthony
SS EDLC
LF Bauer
1B Contreras
DH Gasper
3B Mead
C.   Adley
2B Romy/Sogard
CF Rafeala

That lineup has crazy depth,  I don't know if its possible to get 80-100 games out Bauer in LF, but it does change the dynamic of the lineup,  2028 could see Gonzales in LF and Move Bauer to 1B.

that is not that good a lineup at all

[norbit]

7 minutes ago, Randy Red Sox said:

that is not that good a lineup at all

could you elaborate? 1-6 all had an xwoba over .340, Adley was at .327, Sogard .311, now Romy was at .289 but I don't think he was right.  The only regular below league average is Rafeala at .289.  

[notin]

22 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Bauers is good now, and just hit more homers this year than Rutschman did the past two seasons combined (and only cost one pick and not four top prospects).

Bauers is also here for four years -- and for those who care about Boston's budget -- it's cheap enough, if needed, to escape from Albatross.

 

 

 

The money is only about $3mill more than Duran will get in arb.  But 4 years?  It’s a short contract but longer than the number of good seasons Bauers has had.  It’s not hard to see this going south…

[notin]

7 minutes ago, norbit said:

could you elaborate? 1-6 all had an xwoba over .340, Adley was at .327, Sogard .311, now Romy was at .289 but I don't think he was right.  The only regular below league average is Rafeala at .289.  

What happened to Abreu and Durbin?

[norbit]

Just now, notin said:

What happened to Abreu and Durbin?

They were traded as part of my fantasy to get EDLC.

[notin]

3 minutes ago, norbit said:

They were traded as part of my fantasy to get EDLC.

Along with?  Arias?

Actually that’s at least acceptable on BTV, who called it Fair.  But does Cincy want fair?  

[norbit]

1 minute ago, notin said:

Along with?  

Arias, Abreu, Durbin would be the main pieces.

[UtahSox]

Thoughts here? Masa to Seattle with 14m attached to his Veneers….. net 4m redux to AAV

Duran for Lynch KC Left hand reliever 6’6 good extension probably play well in bullpen save 8m AAV

Eovaldi +Seager for Bello, Story and K Campbell. 
 

282m payroll great SP, improved bullpen, improved lineup. Guys that will crush that B**ch Shittler.

 

[moonslav59]

I wouldn't want Seager. Nate is a long shot.

[JoeBrady]

2 hours ago, NHNative said:

Do you hate Santa?

I don't hate him, but I wouldn't have paid for his retirement.  And if he hadn't delivered a present for his previous 8 Christmas', I'd be suspicious that he might miss future Christmas's.

[JoeBrady]

2 hours ago, jad said:

So adding a .220 hitter is bad?  But replacing your most productive hitter with one is good?   

What I said was " if this is a plan to replace Contreras, then I think it is a monumental overpay. "

But that said, Contreras is a risk.  He had a good year, but he'll be 35, and 2026 was already an aberration based on his career stats.

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, UtahSox said:

Thoughts here? Masa to Seattle with 14m attached to his Veneers….. net 4m redux to AAV

Duran for Lynch KC Left hand reliever 6’6 good extension probably play well in bullpen save 8m AAV

Eovaldi +Seager for Bello, Story and K Campbell. 

Yes, yes, and no.  Seager might be $100M underwater.  He's a fine hitter, but hasn't exceeded 123 games in 4 years.  At age 33, it's possible he has only 1-2 good seasons left, but 5 years on his contract.

[Deja Doh]

0.223 lifetime average.  He's 31.  This move makes little sense.  He's another lefty with mediocre power.  Smells of confusion.

[JoeBrady]

51 minutes ago, Deja Doh said:

0.223 lifetime average.  He's 31.  This move makes little sense.  He's another lefty with mediocre power.  Smells of confusion.

You're not alone.

[moonslav59]

4 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

 

 

3 hours ago, Deja Doh said:

0.223 lifetime average.  He's 31.  This move makes little sense.  He's another lefty with mediocre power.  Smells of confusion.

It is certainly a questionable choice made.

The guy pretty much retired and then came back.

He did have a decent AAA long ago: 22 HRs/650 and almost 60 XBH/650.

His big year was from a bit of a trend, but he was never really good before 2026.

.675 from '23-'24 (25 HRs and 50 XBHs/650)

.752 in 2025 (21 Hrs and 48 XBHs/650)

.874 in 2026 (29 HRs and 55 XBHs/650)

Although Mead is much younger, it's kinda the same type of dice roll. We seem to be stockpiling a bunch of players with some decent chances of really good production or even great, but with some serious doubts attached.

I do recall many not being too thrilled with the Contreras addition last winter, and it seems like Brez knew something we missed. That's not a statement meant to project he's gotten this one right, but just sayin'.

We have very many batters that would not shock the baseball world, if they hit .800 or even .850+.

.850+ ????

Contreras, Mead & Bauer

.800+ ????

Anthony, Rutschman, Abreu & Gasper

.775+ ????

Yoshida, Rafaela & Casas

.750+ ??? 

Romy, Story, Durbin, Duran, Jones & Story

(Maybe Sogard or Seigler)

Arias?

 

 

 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

11 hours ago, notin said:

The money is only about $3mill more than Duran will get in arb.  But 4 years?  It’s a short contract but longer than the number of good seasons Bauers has had.  It’s not hard to see this going south…

With MLB free agent contracts, you pay at the back end for what you get at the front end.

They all can go south -- like to the South Bronx next postseason, where the Sox can again try to make chicken salad out of chicken noodle bats.

Or they can keep stockpiling offensive talent to improve their chances that someone will get hot and wear down pitchers so that other batters can see more mistake pitches... and gapitalize (just made that one up).

[Hugh2]

12 hours ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Bauers is good now, and just hit more homers this year than Rutschman did the past two seasons combined (and only cost one pick and not four top prospects).

Bauers is also here for four years -- and for those who care about Boston's budget -- it's cheap enough, if needed, to escape from Albatross.

 

 

 

Actually it’s costing them two picks.  The Sox will lose their 2nd, and 5th round pick next year.

and, they will also lose one million in international bonus pool money.

[Old Red]

6 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

 

It is certainly a questionable choice made.

The guy pretty much retired and then came back.

He did have a decent AAA long ago: 22 HRs/650 and almost 60 XBH/650.

His big year was from a bit of a trend, but he was never really good before 2026.

.675 from '23-'24 (25 HRs and 50 XBHs/650)

.752 in 2025 (21 Hrs and 48 XBHs/650)

.874 in 2026 (29 HRs and 55 XBHs/650)

Although Mead is much younger, it's kinda the same type of dice roll. We seem to be stockpiling a bunch of players with some decent chances of really good production or even great, but with some serious doubts attached.

I do recall many not being too thrilled with the Contreras addition last winter, and it seems like Brez knew something we missed. That's not a statement meant to project he's gotten this one right, but just sayin'.

We have very many batters that would not shock the baseball world, if they hit .800 or even .850+.

.850+ ????

Contreras, Mead & Bauer

.800+ ????

Anthony, Rutschman, Abreu & Gasper

.775+ ????

Yoshida, Rafaela & Casas

.750+ ??? 

Romy, Story, Durbin, Duran, Jones & Story

(Maybe Sogard or Seigler)

Arias?

 

 

 

Questionable choice it is, and it’s really comforting to know Fake Bauers had a decent year in AAA 10 years ago.🤭He’s a career.223 hitter, and 4 of his years were way below that .223, so I’m not expecting not that much from him, or repeat last year. No fans were not all that excited about getting the Con Man last year, but at least he had been an accomplished MLB player unlike Fake Bauers, so not a very good comp at all. Most of the opinions on Bauers so far that I have heard has been pretty much meh, so anything better than that will be a good accomplishment.