moonslav59

. ...and the "best defensive 2Bman in MLB." Cora also raved about Rafaela. A manager can't really say bad things about a prospect. He wants to show confidence and hope it rubs off.

The league needs to do something about all these exciting endings!

Insanity.

I'm curious if the posters who projected 72 wins, this year (and maybe last year, too) are the same posters who want Cora fired.

You can probably find quotes on all our good young players that sound very optimistic.

One has proven he can hit about .775 every year: the other has not. I'm not trying to rain on your parade. I really like Abreu (and Rafaela, too,) but I'm not handing him a FT slot on the 2024 team. I'm fine with setting it up where he and or Rafaela can earn a FT slot, but that means keeping Verdugo or Duran around or adding Duval. I suppose we could trade Refsnyder, but our RHB situation is suspect, right now. I could see going into the season thinking... 1. Rafaela and Abreu, combined, cover the CF slot. 2. Dugo plays RF vs RHPs and Abreu plays RF vs LHPs and some CF vs RHPs with Rafaela. 3. Duvall plays RF (Dugoo traded) with Abreu as his back up/semi platoon, while also being Rafaela's back-up or platoon mate. 4. Trade Duran and have Abreu platoon with Ref in LF and be the back up in CF to Rafaela and RF to Dugo (maybe Duvall too.) If we end up with too many OF'ers all doing well, trade one at the deadline, or before.

I trust the Sox management to know, if he can be a decent back-up catcher (3rd string in AAA, apparently.) He had a decent year, on paper, but he only became a FT catcher in 2022, so maybe his defense is not where it needs to be for the big club in 2024. If they don't think he could play MLB catcher in 2024, then don't protect him and hope nobody nabs him. We do have Teel on his heel. (Like that?)

I remember.

I really like Abreu, but this sample size is tiny.

Other GMs see the same things we see. I’m not for handing him away, but who is against getting a better player in return?

Feeling tge love, or should I say anti hate.

He really has the profile of a platoon guy. I really like Abreu and Rafaela, but we’d need Duvall back before I trade Dugo or Duran.

Not sure, anymore. I think it will be good enough, and the D looks better.

We don’t have a third catcher on the 40, so if we do t want another Alfaro type, Scott seems like a viable option.

That’s all you’d move? He was a tweener

He had a 112 OPS+ from 2019-2021 and was still pre-prime. I expected him to at least stay the same as he entered prime. He did not.

It was t the hitting. Top 10 batters by PAs were all over .766, and 4 guys were over .900

I'm not really one who thinks like that, but it does help that a player makes a significant contribution in a ring year. IMO, the Lackey signing worked better than the Price one, and not just because of the massive money differential. When I think of Kelly, I think or how close he came to being left off that playoff roster. I'm glad he did well, but overall, he was a letdown. Craig was a net negative.

How many Rule 5 players do we add to the 40? I'm guessing 6 or 7. Probables? Wikelman Gonzalez Luis Perales Grant Gambrell Stephen Scott Shane Drohan Possibles? Allan Castro Angel Bastardo Zach Penrod Justin Hagenman Luis De La Rosa Brock Bell Brainer Bonaci Ryan Fernandez Chih-Jung Liu Eddinson Paulino Doubtfuls? Rivaldo Avila Royman Blanco Zach Bryant Maceo Campbell Brendan Cellucci Felix Cepeda Juan Chacon Casey Cobb Nathanael Cruz Nick Decker Kelvin Diaz Jordan DiValerio Juan Daniel Encarnación Alex Erro Albert Feliz Ryan Fitzgerald Jhostynxon Garcia Bryan Gonzalez Alexis Hernandez Gabriel Jackson Lyonell James Gilberto Jimenez Christian Koss Robert Kwiatkowski Eduardo Lopez Matthew Lugo Elih Marrero Yorberto Mejicano Ryan Miller Andrés Núñez Yusniel Padron-Artiles Railin Perez AJ Politi Jose Ramirez Oscar Rangel Jorge Rodriguez Ronald Rosario Cesar Ruiz Johnfrank Salazar Cody Scroggins Reidis Sena Chase Shugart Karson Simas Nick Sogard Noah Song Dylan Spacke Joey Stock Luis Talavera Nate Tellier Michael Valera Brian Van Belle Diego Viloria Jeremy Wu-Yelland Ryan Zeferjahn

It's not a question of priority, unless maybe it comes down to Dalbec vs someone else, and maybe positional depth might matter. As I said, I don't think Dalbec will be on our 40, next year. I also don't think we add someone just to be a back-up to Casas, but we will need one. I'm just curious who you think it would be, assuming we don't add anyone for that role. I've already said I'd give Devers a 1B mitt and some reps, and I know you are not against the idea, but I'm wondering why you can't answer. Yes, my answer leaves open the possibility it could be Dalbec, but only because I see him being around #6-8 on the DFA list and we might need to DFA only 7-9 guys. If we sign 4+ FAs, Dalbec is certainly a goner, unless we only protect 4-5 Rule 5 guys.

So, your answer is nobody. Adding Duran, Mills and Ort brings us to 43. Add about 7 Rule 5, and we are at about 50. Minus Paxton, Duvall and JT and we are at 47. I have Dalbec on my list of 7, so it's not like we are disagreeing, but I am still curious who our back up 1Bman might be in 2024. Maybe we bring JT back. Maybe we bring Duvall back, who has started 27 games at 1B, but right now, neither is on that list of 49. My top 10 DFA/Trade list: 1. Ort 2. Gillaspe 3. Weiss 4. Llovera 5. Jacques 6. Garza 7. Dalbec or Mills (trade) 8. Dalbec or Joely (trade or refuse option) 9. Dalbec 10. Urias (trade or refuse arb) Others? Walter, DHam or the much discussed trade of an OF'er to make room for Rafaela and Abreu and a full season from Duran.

I do think his complaining about the clause was part of the reason we traded him. We were so lucky to get Craig and Kelly for him! Seriously though, the other trades worked out better: Lester for Cespedes (flipped for Porcello) Peavy for Escobar and Hembree (who was part of the Pivetta deal) AMiller for ERod

I'm just asking, who is the back-up, right now? Are you suggesting we add a 1Bman to the 40, over the winter? Just tell me who you see as the current back up 1Bman on the 40 or a Rule 5 addition. I'm projecting Dalbec will be DFA'd or traded, but as one of the last to be so. I'm curious who will back up Casas. We know Cora will want to rest him 12-15 games.

It will be even more greatly improved by Story playing more games at SS. Even Urias and Reyes at 2B should improve 2B defense. If we can get Rafaela to hit well enough to play a bunch of games in CF, our D could even end up a net plus. Here are our current positional rankings and values on OAA: Overall: 30th (-51) The next team is -34. 1B: T27th (-9) Casas is -10, so he'll have to improve 2B: 29th (-13) Reyes is -1, so if he plays more... (Urias -5/EValdez -5) SS: T 24th (-6) Story is +6, so a massive improvement is possible 3B: 28th (-11) Devers is -10 LF: T24th (-10) Yoshi is -9, but Duran is 0. Ref -1. CF: 30th (-2) Duvall is -3, Duran 0, Abreu -1, Rafaela +1 RF: T10th (0) Verdugo is +1. No position is plus. All but RF is bottom 7. We could see 1B, 3B and RF be about the same: SS: -6 to +12 or more (Story) LF: -10 to zero (No Yoshi) CF: -2 to +6 (Rafaela) 2B: -13 to maybe -2 That would add about 50 to the -51 score of 2023. Some big ifs, here but not unrealistic. If Devers and Casas can improve, we could see a plus team OAA without adding any out of system players..

Who is "anyone?" Devers? Fine, but I doubt it happens. Duvall? Gotta sign him, first. Urias? Yoshida? I'm not saying keep him solely for that reason, but it is a reason to keep him over about 6-8 others on the 40, right now. If we add 5-7 Rule 5 guys and 3 FAs, then he will likely reach the top of the DFA list, but until then, I see reason enough to keep him around. Hell, he's RF depth, too! Since everyone and his brother want to trade Dugo, he can back-up Abreu in RF, too! (from AAA)