moonslav59

Assuming no Gio, Buehler & D May, our SP'er depth chart for 2026 might look like this: Crochet Bello Sandoval Tolle Crawford Dobbins Fitts Harrison Criswell Early, Perales, Sandlin, Uberstine, Mullins (No Houck until 2027) On paper, this is not as good as the top 12-13 depth chart we had, last fall/winter.

I was surprised and pleased at the depth Brez put together for our 2025 rotation. IMO, it went at least 12 deep, but that included Sandoval who was due back in August, and we all know how those deals work out for the Sox. Crochet, Houck, Giolito, Bello, Buehler, Crawford Newcomb, Fitts, Priester, Criswell, Dobbins, Wink/Whitlock We traded Priester, then traded for Harrison. We traded newcomb, then traded for D May. We just called up Tolle, who wasn't even listed in the top 12 to 13 on the winter depth chart. Now, looking forward: No Houck, Buehler, DMay and Giolito (assuming to mutual option trigger.) We added Tolle and maybe Early, Perales, Sandlin and someone else. Crawford, Sandoval, Dobbins, Fitts, Criswell and Wink are all hurt. One could argue we need two #2s and 2-3 more depth arms.

Cots is losing credibility.

MIN can demand all they want, but I doubt many teams can top our Anthony and Tolleless offer. I'm thinking: Campbell, Clarke, Sandlin & Mullins is not enough. Maybe Campbell, Clarke, Early & Romero/Sandlin. This should get it done: Abreu, Clarke or Early and Sandlin or Mullins/Romero. We could then trade Campbell & Mullins for Keller & cash. Bring Bregman & Chapman back. Let Buehler, Gio and Wilson walk, and sign Alonso.

Have the Sox announced who gets demoted?

Cots shows Joe Ryan with Arb 3 in 2028... https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QXhMYkMxJE1VJvZiNMS1X7OHPFNaIVUjd-m1ZBCzHL4/edit?gid=1520401900#gid=1520401900 But a few other sources do say 2 years.

Trading for Ryan, instead of paying $30M/yr for a solid SP'er might allow us to sign a guy like Alonso.

Ryan has 3 arbs, left, and that is why I want him, but still no Tolle for him. I'd like Campbell, Clarke and Sandlin, but they will want Abreu and maybe Valera or Witherspoon.

Plus, Woo needs a 1Bman... LOL.

Throwing that hard always gets someone to think a tweak or two may turn him into something special. I think he's had enough time.

I doubt we trade Tolle as part of the Ryan trade.

Hicks turns 29 in a few days. He likely will never get better. His best season was year 2, back in 2019. He may end up being a useful moderate leverage RP'er, but I'm not counting on it.

Thanks for not overexplaining this.

I thought he could not be demoted. I'm more puzzled than ever on why he hasn't been, so far.

Between Anthony and the 5 pitcher core of Crochet, Bell, Gio, Chapman & Whitlock, our team is looking pretty damn good!

Good point. He learned he needs better defense behind him.

The bell Tolles for thee!

It seems obvious to me. It did last season, too and now we feel more confident about Anthony & Rafaela as FT'ers, than last winter. A deal will be made. 100%. With Campbell looking more liek a LF'er or DH than a 2Bman and Jh Garcia in the mix, both RHBs, maybe trading a LHB is not as clear cut as last winter, but IMO we are NOT trading Anthony or Rafaela. We could trade Campbell, Garcia and Yoshida and get all the other 4 OF'ers playing time via the DH slot, but why waste plus D at DH, when another team values the guy more in the OF? I also think a Casas/Romy platon at DH might be a good one. (Lowe at 1B w Romy)

Our entire infield is in flux. Story is always an injury risk, Bregman is likely to opt out, Im not counting on Casas and in addition we have no DH. Plus catcher this is half your lineup. Im not sure Im willing to concede this, but I would hate to lose Gio without an equivalent. Again, Im mostly against trading Duran or Abreu. Then, advocate for a trade of Rafaela (or garcia & Campbell) for an infielder(s).

The other (besides Gio) is Tolle. Plus I always liked K.Craw but I think hes prob best suited for a 5/6 spot. But I wouldnt be against your Keller trade (involving Campbell) or getting a free agent. I just think that with Crochet, Bello, Tolle, likely Gio - the need for a starter doesnt warrant trading either Abreu or Duran. I would trade Cedanne first because I think our lineup needs the oomph that Duran and Abreu provide because its not exactly 1 to 9. And yes, I am starting to sound like FredLynn I'd be fine with Campbell for Keller & cash with no Ryan trade and no Gio returning, but I'd see that as staying even with 2025, at best, as Keller is not likely to pitch like the '25 Gio in '26. I have the same faith or less in Crawford, Criswell and others than I had in March. Dobbins stock went up, but he's injured. Houck is gone, and he was my #2 in March.

I dont disagree, but it seems to me that you are more willing to take a chance on a positional player than you are on #5 starter. You are willing to give Garcia a spot next year but not Tolle, for example. We have a set everyday player list that are mostly "known values." As with many of our pitchers, injuries are a concern and likely, but we are super deep everywhere but 1B, 2B and maybe 3B, unless Mayer can stay healthy. My "spot" for Garcia was a weakside platoon in RF, currently held by Ref. Anthony LF/RF/CF and Campbell/garcia Rafaela CF. Garcia Abreu-Garcia, Anthony RF If we trade Abreu. instead, shuffle it up, some and Gracia has a minor "slot." I am not trading for Ryan to squeeze Tolle out. Tolle can and should win a slot by pitching well.

Im not willing to concede that Durans value to another team was higher than ours. I think he is our leader, and the team went on a run after the trade deadline because they were pumped he didnt go anywhere. My point was about Duran as our DH vs MIN's LF'er. One of our plus defenders in the OF needs to DH for all of them to play.

So you need to clear a spot for Garcia, but not Tolle? Also 5 guys for 4 spots doesnt scream problem to me. I would understand if we didnt have a very strong rotation going into next year. But I dont see this as a major problem. Tolle will have every opportunity to win a rotation slot, this year and next. We could trade for Ryan and Keller and Tolle has an opening, assuming Gio bolts. Plus, even if we brought back Gio and added two solid SP'ers to replace Buehler & May, chances are one will be hurt and Tolle as the #6 could start 30 games in 2026.

How many times have we counted on injured pitchers to come back and be in form? Many never even comeback when expected. Hardly any comeback close to their old form. Houck is out until 2027. He was our ace, last year and slotted #2, this year. Bello's ascension has been great and needed, but Giolito leaving would certainly make a solid #2/3 type SP'er the highest need. (Assuming Bregman comes back.) C: Narvaez & Wong- Check 1B: Lowe, Casas & Campbell -better than we looked FOR THE FIRST 3+ MONTHS OF 2025. 2B: Mayer, DHam, Romy, Grissom (Campbell) - high need area, if Mayer is hurt. SS: Story, Mayer (Arias?) 3B: Bregman? Mayer, Romero LF: Anthony, Duran & Campbell/Yoshida CF: Rafaela, Anthony & Jh Garcia RF: Abreu, Jh Garcia (Anthony) DH: Casas, Garcia, Campbell, Romy That looks sweet, to me. We are deep everywhere but rightside infield. Id be fine with trading for Ryan, nontendering Lowe & signing Alonso, who'd be cheaper than signing Cease.

Even if we open the DH slot for an OF'er, we can't play them all. I guess Rafaela at 2B would allow 5 to play. We still have 7 that all deserve to play, either as platoon (Ref, if he returns and maybe Abreu & Duran) or by Cora's insistence (Yoshida.) LHB: Anthony, Abreu, Duran & Yoshida RHB: Rafaela (reverse splits), Jh Garcia, Campbell I'm NOT okay with Rafaela at 2B or SS, unless for a short term emergency, so to me, it's 4 slots for 7 guys. If we rid Cora of the Yoshida choice, this winter, it's still 6 for 4 slots. Maybe Ref retires and we have a manageable 5 for 4 slots, with one being Jh Garcia mostly on the bench in a platoon role. That could be doable, but I also think it's a waste of value putting even our worst defensive OF'er (arguable Duran) at DH near FT or on some sort of rotation/rest basis. Duran's value on another team as an OF'er is way higher than to the Sox as a DH, and that goes even more so with Anthony, Abreu and Rafaela, assuming they DH some games. All the pitchers you listed are here, this year, and we still have only 3 solid SP'ers, with one likely to become a FA. No way am I pencilling in Sandoval, Dobbins & Crawford into meaningful SP'er roles, until we see they are healthy and back. Dobbins proved nothing. Sandoval and Crawford have promise, as does Dobbins, but neither none are even close to sure bets to take over Gio's #3 slot, and even as 4/5's I wonder. As much as we needed SP'ers, this year, Criswell got one start. He's on your list. You also added Harrison at the last minute, and he has yet to start a game during a time where we used pen games, Criswell for one start and now called up a prospect over him. I feel very strongly we need two #2/3 type starters- one, if we get Gio to come back. I'm not saying our offense needs no help or additions, but we will have Anthony for the full season and hopefully Bregman, as well. Much of our everyday roster is pre-prime and nearing prime quickly. I expect more growth than sophomore slumps. We also added Lowe. Our offense is 8th in OPS and 4th in runs. If we bring back Bregman, we should get better not worse or the same. Our SP'ers are ranked 11th in ERA with Gio being a big part of keeping it top 15. The starters are 11th in fWAR and 7th in ERA-. Our pen is second in fWAR and ERA-. Without Gio, our rotation is our highest need area. Without Bregman, our line-up might pass the rotation in higher need.