moonslav59

Agreed. I think I've said that a dozen times, this winter. I'd rather look deep on paper than not.

Good answer.

Indeed, despite Abreu out hitting and defending him in 2025. I think Cora would prefer not platooning Duran, but sitting him one out of every 3 games vs LH's SP'ers might only be about 15-20 starts. He'd probably still PH and be brought into most games he starts on the bench. (Same with Abreu, if he doesn't start vs a lefty.) Not having Refsnyder changes the OF dynamic. I know we hear "Romy can platoon in the OF," but I think he's better utilized as a 2B/dH platoon while playing some 1B vs selected RHPs.

Gasper is for catching depth, not infield. KC is the 5th OF'er. He's about the 8th string infielder. Once we add I K-F, I think we DFA Cheng, so we'll be at about 6, in paratice.

Yes. I could see all three (Mayer 40%, Duran 35% & Abreu 25%) sitting 25-40% of the games we face LHPs. When Anthony needs a breather, he can sit vs a LHPs, too or maybe DH a few games to keep his bat in the line-up and well-rested.

I know they haven't named Durbin's position (3B or 2B,) yet, but I hope it's 3B. Te early return metrics show he's much better at 3B. I prefer mayer at 2B, so we could platoon Romy there, if needed. (I don't want Romy at 3B.) That keeps it simple. I'd DH Duran near FT, only playing him in the OF, when a better defender needs some rest. The subs would be the only ones bouncing around, under this plan.

I think if Duran sits vs LHPs, we'll see the other 3 OF'er playing. I doubt Romy plays much OF, unless there is an injury. More likely he platoons at 2B w Mayer and DH w Duran/Masa/Casas (all LHBs.)

Never said it was "enough" for me. I want a ring as badly as anybody. I think we are on the right path. Call me a homer or an eternal optimist, but I nor my wife view me as such. She sometimes chides me for always thinking of the worst things that can happen. IMO, we got a lot better in 2025. I had hopes we could improve by about the same amount, this winter, and in some areas, we did vastly better than I expected (rotation, 1B & infield depth,) but we fell a little short on one big bat and way short on the second big bat I hoped for. In just one week, our defense went from meh to very nice, depending on who is playing. It's too bad the best defensive team we can play might be close to our worst offensive team, but Durbin & Rodgers should/could hit better than DHam/Sogard/Eaton and even Mayer. They both are good defenders. (Rodgers has a GG.) I K-F is a GG winner, and may hits as least as well/badly as the carry-over 3 I just mentioned. I think this team, on paper, is better than 2025's, despite the downtick or break even on offense part. The rotation and starter depth is second to none. The pen looks solid. The defense looks top 10, now. The offense looks, to me, like #14 to 18th, with an upside of barely reaching top 10, but a floor of maybe #19th, unless we get hit hard by injuries. Our L-R situation is improved. Most of our better players are under team control for 3+ years. You can doom & gloom all you want, but I'm not getting sucked into that vortex.

He may only have to outhit Duran vs LHPs to stay playing FT.

Is there a good injury Ju Ju? 😏

That looks like a damn good pen. Sandoval, Kelly, Samaniego and maybe Uberstine or Early could be enough depth, but usually a team uses 20+ pitchers a season. I agree on your choices for who starts in the pen vs the rotation (MLB & AAA) soxprospects.com has been all over the map on who starts the season on the IL, pen or rotations. They now list Sandoval as not on the IL, but in the MLB pen. They have the staff at 14 pitchers. AAA rotation: Tolle, Early, Uberstine + Sikkema & Gamboa as NRIs. AA bullpen: Samaniego plus 9 NRIs, including Noah Song, Hobie Harris & Osvaldo Berrios. Jake Bennett is the lone AA player on the 40.

And so it begins...

Good to see you gave an opinion (meh.) Thanks for thanking me for sayings it's okay to say what you want. I wasn't aware until you pointed it out. LOL

Contreras can play catcher a few times a year, but should be viewed as emergency only, until the call-up can arrive. Gasper is not great on defense, but he's on the 40. We added decent minor league depth in Thaiss, so I think we are done adding catchers. We also added Anthony Seigler to the 40. He can catch. While it's no help for 2026, Brez did address beefing up the lowe rminor league catching group by adding: 31. Adonys Guzman A+ (part of Oviedo trade) 32. Luke Heyman A- (Alex Hoppe trade) 33. Franklin Primera FCL & Jorge Rodriguez (IFA signed 2024)

Yes, we all know he didn't. I was answering why they extending him early. They were hoping he'd do well, and they signed him before he'd be asking for more. The deal could still end up looking like a decent contract or maybe even a great one for the team... or not.

I expect Duran to DH more than Anthony. Maybe Abreu gets less days off, but gets his "rest" at DH a few games a year. (When he sits, if should be against the loughest lefties for LHBs.) I don't see how Masa gets 80 starts at DH, unless there is an OF injury. Once Casas comes back, even that slot on the roster would be in extreme jeopardy. Contreras could DH to get some rest (Romy/Casas at 1B?) I doubt he catches, unless there is a daily emergency of some catcher needs to be PH for, late in a game. Romy could DH vs LHPs, but he can be used to platoon with or give days off to Mayer, I K-F or even Durbin (as mayer slides to 3B.) I still think KC's best position might be DH. He could win a GG there! LMAO. He's the long shot, at this point. Cora is going to love the roster flex, especially if Masa is not on the 26.

The return package shocked me, and we got a comp pick, too! People can say what the want about Brez, and I'll agree with some of the criticism and feelings of "meh," but the roster took pretty good shape, this winter, despite not getting a mega big bat or an all star 3B/2Bman.

If KC had a great 2025 season, the reason would have been obvious. It would look like a team discount.

Top expectations for our new arrivals: .721 Caleb Durbin in 2015 as a rookie (101 OPS+) He his .858 in AAA. He might have 15-20 HR potential for 2026. He's a plus on defense at 3B. .680-.699 Kiner Falefa (OPS+92ish) is probably the best we can expect. His power is close to none. He's a GG 3Bman. .750-.798 Rodgers, who is not even on the 40, might have the best proven record on offense as he hit .798 in '21 (102 OPS+) He has 15 HR power. He's a GG 2bman. .675-.750 Monasterio hit .755 in '25 w 135 PAs. He might have 10 HR power. He hit .734 in AAA, so he's not answer to our big bat need, but he can play all infield positions and has some plus numbers at some of them (2B & 3B). ??? Seigler is a LHB and a 3Bman (1B, too.) He hit .892 in AAA with 15-20 HR pop. I'm not sure how good/bad his defense is. ??? Cheng is another LHP who hit under .600 in AAA and under .660 in AA. Word is he's good on D and can play SS well. Of course Durbin & I K-F look like the most significant adds of this group, but Rodgers could be the surprise guy.

I forgot Houck can be added to the 60 Day IL, once ST'ing starts, so that's one slot for the 40. I K-F still needs to be added.

Cheng's plus was his ability to play SS. Some of these recent additions have that covered, so I think TC Cheng will be DFA'd for I K-F. If we add a RP'er maybe Eaton is next to go, although his OF abilities is useful depth.

I doubt it, as Gapser offers 40 man depth as a catcher. My guess is Cheng gets DFA'd (maybe Eaton) when we officially add Kiner-Falefa.

Not Bregman. Hint: he rhymes with Kat Mapman.

I hope he's not the next Grissom, but he looks like he's a plus on defense and started his career with a 101 OPS+. Having I K-F, Rodgers and the two other infielders we got from MIL gives us much better depth than we've seen in that area for years. I was hoping for more quality than quantity on filling this slot, but it is what it is. The roster is more balanced. It's deeper.It's more flexible.

What's taking so long to add I K-F to the 40? Maybe Cheng is DFA'd when that happens.