moonslav59

Not sure why you used fWAR for the DH and wRC+ for the OF'er, but you still made a good point. We still lost 2 of our best on O and overall: wRC+ (We lost 3 of our top 7 batters with over 150 PAs, counting Dugo.) 129 Casas 124 Devers 120 Duran (362 PAs) 116 Duvall (353 PAs) 114 Turner 109 Yoshida 98 Verdugo fWAR 3.1 Devers 2.4 Duran 2.0 Dugo 1.9 Duvall 1.7 Casas 1.2 Turner 0.6 Yoshida We lost 3 of the top 6 fWAR guys. (bWAR: 3 of top 7, as Wong slotted #4.) I do agree, we can possibly make that up with no more additions than O'Neill and Grissom. Our 2B fWAR and wRC+ was putrid. Just average play from Grissom would go a long way in making up for these losses. I like O'Neill, if he can stay healthy. I like some of our young guys looking to improve, and we don't need all of them to do so. I think Story can gives us some much better O, if he can go 450+ PAs, maybe even 550+. I'm not bummed about the O, and the D should be better, but still not plus. It's the rotation.

I remember loving the trade, despite what appeared to be a very steep price. One main reason was the 3 years of team control at a very reasonable and low cost. I think I came up with the Chris Freakin' Sale thing the day of the trade. When a guy like him becomes available with those many years of control, you do what it takes.

If we trade Yoshida, he could be the semi-FT DH. He may suck on D at 1B, but we have nobody as a back-up now. DRS -6 Ramirez (279 innings) -6 Casas (granted, over 1235 innings not 279) UZR/150 -9.6 HRam (BTW, he had a plus UZR/150 in CF) +1.2 Casas OAA -4 HRam (way less innings) -6 Dalbec -9 Casas

It seems like it's the "long" part of large & long the Sox have issues with, especially with pitchers. The AAV seems to work, but we won't get good pitching for 1-2 year deals like Gio, Kluber, Richards, Paxton and Perez take. It's the 1-2 years that Soler and Duval will take that brightens up JH's eyes.

Exactly how I feel, but if we do trade Mayer, now, we may regret it. We better get a good pitcher for him, so if Mayer does do great, at least we got some value for him. Our system has done a pretty good job churning out everyday prospects. If we could just add a really good pitcher to be called up, every 3-4 years, even, we'd be so much better off. One SPer (slotted 1-3) every 3 years, all but guarantees we'd have 2 homegrown pitchers in the rotation, at any given time- even if they all bolt to free agency after 6 years.

Seems about right. Replacing the O from Turner and Duval might be done with O'Neill more PAs from Story and upticks by some kids, but on paper, I'm thinking it's a stretch to call that even. While Paxton and Sale had their issues, they did give us 39 starts and 200 IP, combined. Gio might get 32-33 starts and the 4.40 ERA those two combined for, but I think our rotation is still worse than 2023's. 81 seems about right, although I might give a range of 78-81, but maybe some moves will bring that projection up.

Someone says we are Faves, now?

I agree that his value is higher than BTV gives him. Many teams would give a nice return for his promise. I do not think trading him makes sense. Our catching tandem has promise, but not the ceiling he seems to have. If he Teels fizzles out, we may regret not trading him, but I see hsi value to us and his trade value increasing during and after next this season. I feel Anthony's value rises, too. I'm not sure about Mayer and Bleis.

I do think Slaten & Mata are two "unknowns," but it is likely only one breaks camp with the big team, and I think we have much better AAA and even AA depth, than 2023. Hopefully we don't use 28 pitchers in relief, again. Assuming the worst: we add no new SP'ers, our pen could get taxed. Assuming we add 1 innings eating SP'er, our healthy staff might look like this on opening day: SP1 _____ SP2 Bello SP3 Giolito SP4 Pivetta SP5 Houck (maybe Crawford) RP1 Jansen RP2 Martin RP3 Winckowski RP4 Crawford/Houck RP5 Whitlock RP6 Schreiber RP7 Bernardino RP8 Slaten or Mata (neither can be sent to minors) AAA Campbell is probably better than Slaten & Mata Criswell might be better than both Murphy & Walter should be long men depth, as well as Fitts & Gambrell (spot starts?) Kelly & Weissert are extended depth Guerrero, Benitez and Olivares show some promise. To me, these guys all look way better than this: 2023 IP 31 Bleier 5.28 30 Llovera 5.46 27 Jacques 5.06 23 K Ort 6.26 21 Brasier 7.29 18 Garza 7.36 12 Robertson 6.00 11 Joely 6.55 9 Weiss 2.08 8 Bearclaw 12.91 7 Sherriff 2.70 4 Dermody 4.0, Scott 4.91 3 Littell 4.91 2 Faria 22.50, Lament 13.50, Reyes 4.50 That's over 200 IP of putricity. Granted, many of those IP'd were mop ups, but hopefully with the guys I listed, we won't need mop ups as much. Even if 3-4 guys are on the IL, I think we should keep the number of RP'ers needed to 20 or lower- not 28, like 2023.

I fear the same thing. IMO, if we sign Soler, we have to trade Yoshi, IMO.

I might like Sandoval more than you, but I'm low on Yorke. Adding him to get Sandoval seems worth it.

You guys crack me up!

I saw this after my post. I like the Yoshida and Yorke for Sandoval idea, but am okay with the other SFG trade presented. #2 and #4 look okay, to me. I really like Luzardo, and also think Garrett's 5 years of control looks very enticing. I agree that Yoshida should improve, especially if he DHs more than 40-50% of the time. If freeing up some budget space is what is keeping us from signing another SP, then it's worth it, to me. Sad, but true, it seems. I know I'm dreaming, but if freeing up $14M a year x 4 for Yoshida is enough for us to sign Money, and we end up with Luzardo in the Yoshi trade, I'm back to being an optimist. The budget part seems to work. If we have to trade Jansen, too, I'm still feeling a lot better.

Do you like any of the trades suggested by this guy? (the ones I presented.) I like the... Yoshida + $16M ($4m/yr) Duran Yorke for Luzardo (3 years of control at arb rates)

I think I heard Wink was going to be stretched out, too. What is it with putting our pitchers through medievil torture? Seriously though, our pen can be a big strength by just keeping as many as these guys in it, as much as possible: Pivetta (OK as the number 4 or 5) Houck (OK as the number 5, if we can limit him to no more than 18 batter a start.) Crawford (OK as a number 5, but as a long man in the pen, he looks priceless.) Whitlock (I would try to never start him, again. Limit him to 1-3 innings per appearance. As much as possible, have him start an inning, freshly) Winckowski (Fine to stretch him out into a 1-3 innings guy, but don't mess with what worked in '23. KEEP HIM IN THE PEN!) Murphy, Fitts, Max Castillo, Gambrell and Walter as AAA depth We have a bunch or capable and or promising short guys: Jansen (if not traded) Martin (if not traded, now or at deadline) Schreiber Bernardino Slaten & Mata Campbell & Criswell Kelly & Weissert as extended depth Guerrero and others as hopefuls

Then extended him at a reasonable cost- to anyone but JH and the bottom spenders in MLB. I'd trade for Castillo, if SEA would take Duran and others, but I doubt JH likes even his contract. Dumping Yoshida and or Jansen might still not be enough for JH to accept Castillo's deal.

LOL. Ham works, too.

I totally agree with you and Hugh. I'm actually okay with not signing Duvall or trading for a corner OF'er, and giving Abreu a shot in RF (O'Neill in LF.) If Abreu proves he doesn't deserve the position, move O'Neill to RF and let Duran and Ref platoon LF. Mayer may get a late call-up, but he still hasn't shown he can hit AA ball. soxprospects mentioned Teel being more elikely to make the bigs first out of Mayer-Anthony-Teel.

I was not a fan of the idea from even before day one. I guess, if it was Clevinger or Paxton vs Gio, I'd take Gio. If it's monty, Snell or Imanaga plus Gio, fine. Stroman and Gio might be the best we can expect via free agency. but only if we trade Jansen or Yoshida, apparently.

So, basically trade Yoshida and sign Soler (RHB) for less. Add some cash (maybe up to $12M?) 1. To LAA for Siltheth (maybe w Ben Joyce or prospect) May add Jansen or Yorke and get Sandoval. 2.To SFG for Winnn & Whisenhunt (#3 prospect) or other 3. TO CHC for Wesneski and Ben Brown (#5prospect) 4. To SDP for Cosgrove RP and Dillon Head (#9 prospect) Later, trade Jansen. 5. to MIA ($16M) for Cabrera to MIA w Duran and Yorke ($16M) for Luzardo to MIA w Bleis, Yorke, Rafaela ($16M) for Luzardo to MIA w Mayer and Yorke ($12M) for Luzardo Yoshida, Bleis, Rafaela and Yorke for Luzardo and Av Garcia ($12M to BOS) to DH

True. He also has MLB experience of non success.

Like Gio?

Chris Cotillo of MassLive reports that the Sox are considered a “long shot” to get Imanaga. Surprise, surprise.

I do think Duran is overrated on BTV, but I'd want more than just a 1 for 1 deal. Maybe Duran and Mata for Cabrera and Puk. (We could then trade Jansen elsewhere.) Or Duran for Cabrera and someone else, maybe Cabrera and Berti is not enough return.

E Cabrera might have a chance at becoming a frontline SP'er, but he is far from one, now. Would you give Rafaela + Wink for him?