moonslav59

I figure us for having about $4M, but it could be as high as $6M. If we trade or DFA Holt, that's another $2M. We could part ways with Leon (against my wishes). Even if we end up with $5-6M to spend, we can pick up a pretty high-priced rental in July at a pro-rated cost. An $18M pitcher would only cost about $6M if acquired on July 31st. That's a chance at a very good pitcher while us staying below the max penalty limit. If we could get the the number to $8M, we could trade for 2 guys making $12M each (prorated to two times $4M). There's ways to get stronger for the playoffs without blowing all our budget space with a march panic plan. Sure, sign some vets to minor league deals that don't add hardly anything over the guy we let go to make room for them. Better yet, sign them to a non-40 man roster slot with an opt out clause by a certain date. That's fine. Just don't cut into the $4M we have now.

No, but we have Elias and Beeks as well. Can you guarantee Lackey or Dickey are not toast? I'm not against signing 5 guys like Dickey or Lackey to minor league deals, but I want to keep the $4M for a "real pitcher" in July, if needed.

So, which one from Lackey or Dickey or Johnson/Velazquez/Elias/Bekks ("the field") will look better in October? I'll go with that one. When you figure out which one it is, let me know. I'll gamble on "the field", save the money for a summer acquisition, and pray our starter injuries are kept to a minimum.

Cora wants Travis to learn the OF: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/red_sox/2018/03/red_sox_notebook_sam_travis_shows_off_power A talk with Beeks: http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/redsox/2018/03/04/jalen-beeks-has-built-himself-future-big-leagues/0CYiIvjWKqLLG4ntQsi1II/story.html Word on Buttrey's chang-up: http://www.masslive.com/redsox/index.ssf/2018/03/ty_buttrey_boston_red_sox_pros_2.html A talk with Tanner Houck: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/red_sox/2018/03/red_sox_prospect_tanner_houck_aims_to_force_his_way_through_pipeline Notes from soxprospects.com: Blake Swihart has caught and played first base so far this spring, and getting playing time in the outfield seems like a good possibility for the soon-to-be 26-year-old. With his talent and the way he is hitting this spring he has earned a spot on a major league roster, and if that team is the Red Sox he will need to play multiple positions with Christian Vazquez and Sandy Leon on the roster. With Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez unlikely to be healthy enough for Opening Day and Drew Pomeranz now dealing with a mild flexor strain in his left forearm, Brian Johnson is the top in-house candidate to open the season as the fifth starter. Johnson has allowed two hits and struck out two without allowing a walk in his four innings this spring, including two scoreless innings against the Yankees on Saturday. Positional versatility is clearly a desirable trait for Alex Cora, and he has mentioned Marwin Gonzalez a few times this spring as he stresses the importance of a player being able to field multiple positions. Cora coached Gonzalez on the Astros last season, and Gonzalez played every outfield position and every infield position except for catcher, all while hitting .303. In addition to Travis, Cora has played Esteban Quiroz in the outfield this spring even though he was exclusively an infielder over the last two years.

They both looked the same in March of those seasons.

I'd say they are close enough to even with those two old fogies, but to me, it's more about saving luxury tax money. I'm fine with signing Lackey or Dickey to a minor league only deal, but they will want incentives or bonuses that could bring us too close to the major tax limit and disallow any mid season move we might need badly. We can sign two $1M guys now or trade for a $6M guy on July 31st, and both plans cost us $2M. I'll wait it out for the $6M guy and hope an in house guys rises to the occasion. How long are we going to keep never knowing about Johnson and Elias? Guys like Velazquez would never get a chance. Fister was a lightening strike. Most of those type signings never work out. Same as giving guys like Johnson, Elias and Velazquez a final chance. At least we'll know, if we should keep them around any longer.

Perhaps the best defensive position Nunez plays is LF, and with no OF depth, except the "fragile" JDM, maybe Nunez sees more action in the OF than IF once Pedey returns. I'm not even talking out of injury. We could see JBJ slumping or Beni struggling vs lefties by June, and maybe Nunez plays the OF. (This assumes Pedey comes back FT at 2B.

Probably Nunez would be the guy. His good offense would hopefully outweigh the poor defense. Marrero & Lin could be defensive replacements.

If we don't win it all in the next two years, I think Henry extends the spending (and high tax) window one more year, then we re-set the tax.

We wait until we know Johnson, Velazquez, Elias, and Beeks can't cut it, and then we go out and get a good pitcher, if needed, at a pro-rated contract cost.

Good point. Maybe put an electric dog collar on him that zaps him when he gets within 5 feet of a wall.

True, if it's in Fenway.

One possible move could be to trade JBJ and add his salary to the $4M and get a very good SP'er in return. I do NOT want to trade JBJ, but if we need pitching, it is an option. I think we need great OF defense to make up for our weak IF defense, so I want to keep JBJ, but we lose very little on offense by trading him, assuming HRam is hitting well. We basically use Nunez or Pedey and Moreland to take JBJ's offensive slot in the order. JDM moves to LF. Beni plays CF,a nd Betts stays in RF. HRam DHs vs RHPs and plays 1B vs LHPs. Moreland plays 1B vs RHPs, and Nunez DHs vs LHPs (once Pedey returns). Pedey rests vs some RHPs, which gives Nunes more PAs. Nunez also plays LF when JD DHs (keeping HRam from vesting).

Agreed. Make him play a shallow LF and tell him never to run into the wall, unless it's game 7 of a playoff series. DH him in every AL park.

All three have similar odds of doing well as Dickey or Lackey or ...

HRam is going to get a long look before DFA'ing or trading is considered. I guess I just don't get all the love for Travis. He's been under .765 the last two years at a much lower level than HRam has been playing. He's got no HR power, and we need power from traditional power positions like 1B. He was at .462 in winter ball (37 PAs). HRam has been at .811 over the last 2 years with 53 HRs. Even if you count his God-awful 2015 season, he still has 72 HRs in 3 years and a .785 OPS, which is still better than Travis' OPS on the farm over the past 2 seasons. I still have hope for Travis, but he's not making the 25 man roster, unless someone gets hurt, and even then, I think Swihart gets more playing time- not ST.

I agree in making sure HRam's contract does not vest. We could trade or DFA Holt ($2M+) and one from Leon & Swihart ($2M+). We might get by without replacing Kimbrel and Kelly, but we'll probably need to acquire one good RP'er (via trade, if we're looking to save money). We will need to replace Pom, if we want to stay highly competitive, assuming a drop off at closer. Remember, the tax goes up for being 2 years over the limit, so we may not try to go just below the $40M over mark. We may try to just go over by $20-30M. That would create serious budget issues and would probably mean we trade Porcello, JBJ or Bogey. We'll know more after this season about guys like Wright, ERod, Nunez, Devers, and maybe we unload some salary, if we trust an in-house replacement. I do not think we have an in-house replacement for POM. Maybe Smith or Thornburg can replace Kimbrel, but Thornburg only has 2 years of team control left.

I see it this way, too. Give Johnson, Velazquez and Elias a shot first. Yes, if we go through all three, it means we've had more injuries or the first two sucked. That might hurt our chances in a close division or playoff race, but I think giving these kids a chance makes sense for two major reasons: 1) We'll find out what these kids got once and for all. They are all old enough to be 4 -5 year vets. 2) With just $4M to spend, waiting until 2/3rds of the season is over, allows us to trade for a higher paid and better pitcher, since we only owe the prorated portion of his deal. For example, if a pitcher is making $12M, we will only be charged $4M on the budget. This could hurt, if we miss the playoffs by a game or two, but I'd rather take my chances and get a very good pitcher in July than a has been now.

He can just keep playing the Mike Greenwell defense: "I'll pick the ball up, when it stops rolling." The Fenway wall is more about learning how the ball bounces off the wall rather than catching balls against it. He could just play a shallow LF and concede any catchable line drive off the lower wall.

$230M Red Sox (Doesn't count Castillo) $193M SFG $179M LAD $174M WSH $174M Cubs $171M LAA $160M SEA $158M NYY

I'm shocked!

Is there any MLB team out there that does not have a 25 man roster crunch and could use 2 of our out-of-options players? In theory, I'd like to make a 2 or 3 for one trade for a decent 5/6th starter or a better LH'd RP'er than we have. My idea would look something like this: Trade: Johnson, Marrero and Travis For: A better SP'er than Johnson Or, Trade: Hembree, Marrero and Ockimey (Beeks?) For: A LH'd RP'er (or 5/6 starter) Or, we could just trade one out-of-options player for a player with options or a prospect.

If Holt goes, Marrero or Lin will take his place-- not a 1Bman. Even if Swihart gets hurt, traded or DFA'd, Travis isn't making the 25 man roster unless HRam or Moreland get hurt, and even then, they may try to get JD to play 1B, or move Devers to 1B, when Pedey returns (Nunez to 3B).

By far. BTW, what was the largest disparity between the Yanks payroll and the number 2 team in any given season? Was it more than the Sox this year?

I was just kidding.