moonslav59

6 is better than 5, and Gio is slated to be ready for day one of ST'ing. What I see different is our 7-9 starters (Criswell, Fitts, Priester) look better, on paper, than any other year I can remember, and our 10-11 SP'ers (Fulmer and Dobbins) could be okay, too. Sandoval might be ready in AUG or SEPT. Of course, this could all go South, quickly, especially with 2-3 injuries of a couple guys regressing substantially, but it's better having this kind of depth than not.

We do have a new coach, who did help some Yankee catchers greatly improve their D. With new catching instructor Parker Guinn, the Red Sox have developed an individualized plan for Wong that they hope will pay off in a big way.

I doubt they add them to the 40 & 26 for that. They both seem to have good splits, so that should not be an issue, but sometimes rookies struggle with the wrong handed pitchers. I think Anthony as a FT'er with an Abreu-Rafaela platoon works well. There would be no reason to platoon Campbell at 2B. If Devers gets hurt, Campbell at 3B would not platoon, or we play Grissom, Mayer or Romy at 3B and Campbell at 2B FT.

I see that OF'er signing as a platoon for Abreu more than Rafaela insurance, but yes, some of both. Campbell could also play OF, so maybe the need is not so great.

I'd like to sign one of those two, but I'd also like to see Anthony. A one year deal would be fine. To me, signing a RHB OF'er would just further put the squeeze on the roster to oust Yoshida, even though he bats LH'd.

I didn't say he would be. I just said I like him as a SP'er more than Crawford and Gio and "maybe" Bello. We are not signing Pivetta. Zero chance.

We don't get a pick, if he doesn't sign by opening day, I believe.

Cora had to find a way to play Ref vs LHPs, and with O'Neill missing some time and Rafaela at SS half the year, playing Ref in the OF worked. Romy never DH'd over Ref, so there is that, too. I kinda like a Yoshida-Ref platoon at DH, but with Abreu sitting vs LHPs, and no real 4th OF;er, I can see needing someone in LF vs LHPs.

Based on what we saw in 2024, I can see that position. I hope we see him sooner, rather that later.

I'm not worried about our rotation or rotation depth. I'm wondering which starter might be used in the pen.

Pivetta would likely be used from our pen, although I like him as a SP'er more than Crawford and maybe even Gio and Bello. He'd be too expensive for the pen. Pass on Pivetta and hope someone signs him and we get a comp pick.

Why platoon Romy at DH and not Ref? You think Ref is a better LF'er than Romy?

Why ask something like this and suggest 2 of our best players?

Altuve sucks on D at 2B, so it makes some sense.

ESPN says Mar 1.

Reports say Yoshida will be ready March 1st. He may start the year on the 10 Day with some added rehab time, but not the 60. ESPN has Giolito ready Feb 1st and Whitlock APR 18th. The 3 players who will be placed on the 60 Day opening day are: Sandoval, Chris Murphy and Perales. The big question will be who do we add? One or two of the top prospects should only be added, if they start the year on the 26. Nate Eaton? (since we need more everyday players on the 40.) Philip Sykes? Fulmer? (If we add him, we may lose him, if we have to DFA him, later.) I Campbell? Mata, if healthy?

Ref & Yoshida both suck on D. Both will probably play some OF, but that should be avoided, if possible. I'd rather DH Ref vs LHPs than Romy, so that is why I labelled them DH only. There is someone ahead of them on D, at every position, including OF, as I'd prefer Romy in LF over Ref and Yoshida. To me, they are 3rd string LF'ers with the ability to play RF in away games at short RF parks. Okay, don't call them "DH only," but the fact is, anyone playing a position over them is a plus on D. Rafaela offers a great service to Cora, and he can be moved to 2B, SS and RF, if needed, at anytime in the game. DHam looks good on D only at 2B. Grissom looks good on D, nowhere. Romy offers the second flex-utility guy, next to Rafaela, who they say they want in CF "as much as possible." To me, it is clear that Romy offers Cora way more options than DHam or Grissom and Yoshida or Ref. I think that is a reason to place him on the 26 over Grissom. You don't. Okay. It's not a slam dunk choice. I'm fine with Romy beginning the year at WOO, and Grissom starting just 30% of the games at 2B, Of course, Campbell could make all these choices moot.

MLBTR reported that the Sox do not want to offer more than 4 years for Bregman, which would end at age 34. This makes sense but might ensure we miss out on yet another "target of interest," because we refuse to meet or surpass other teams' offers (in $ and or years.) I can understand the sentiment, and I'd understand Bregman thinking he won't make mush money as a FA going into his age 35 season. I'd like to know what money we suggested. If it is $124M/4 vs HOU's $156M/6, maybe he takes the 4 years. Maybe we give him a nice buyout on a year 5 team option that could bring his guarantee to $128M/4. That is probably much higher than BOS will go. We probably will offer him $116-120M/4. ($29-30M per) Again, I'm not keen on the idea of Bregman being the second biggest FA signing since Price, but I see a window opening in 2025 with a key addition, like him. All FAs are overpays, and he's the last high impact man standing.

I'm not against the idea. Maybe a double asterisk for a 60 game season and 1 for the others.

I will not be surprised, if Romy begins the year in AAA. Besides DHam, Campbell or the possible addition of Bregman or Grichuk is Romy's biggest 2 obstacles: 1. Rafaela's ability to play SS and 2B makes the need for Romy's better SS defense than Grissom and DHam not so important. 2. Grissom has a lot invested in him, so if it is a close call between he and Romy, they may choose to give Grissom the chance. I do think they want VG playing FT, so maybe they start him in AAA, so he can play everyday. No way I start Grissom over DHam vs RHPs. To me, Romy's superior defense at SS outweighs his ability to play 1B. Yes, Ref may be able to play 1B, in a pinch, but we had a massive pinch at 1B, last year, and Ref never played even an inning, there. The last bench spot is not going to be Ref. With our lack of RHBs, Ref will make the club, and I doubt he plays 1B, at all. Romy makes for a nice short term solution as a back-up SS. Rafaela could do it, too, so it's not a must have, but Romy is more of a utility guy than Grissom. With 2 DH only players on the roster, flexibility has more value on a team like Boston. BTW, reports say the Sox won't go past 4 years on Bregman.

There will still be an ump behind the plate. Let's get consistency into the game. YES to ROBO-UMPS!

I am only giving my opinions and not trying to project what Cora and Brez will decide. Unless something changes drastically in ST'ing, I'd like to see us start the season with DHam at 2B vs RHPs and Romy vs LHPs, with whoever is not starting being the IF utility guy. I'd be okay with Grissom over Romy, but I am not sure he can outhit Romy, and I am certain he is not a better defender at 2B, SS and maybe 3B. Plus, Romy can play 1B. Yes, so can Ref, but they never tried Ref in 2024, most likely for good reason. I'm not sure why defense does not seem to be an urgent issue for Cora (and maybe Brez, too.) Cora was a more glove than bat player, so it is kind of surprising. I fully understand the position on not making radical position changes for gains on defense, if it upsets players or hurts the offense. I can't for the life of me figure out why he kept playing Kike at SS. Maybe he fully believed he was a plus defender, who was just going through a funk. He also stuck with E Valdez, Reyes and Grissom at 2B in 2024, for a long time. E Valdez ended up leading the team in 2B innings, despite being god-awful on D. Innings at 2B: 468 Valdez 435 Grissom+Wesstbrook, Reyes, Gasper & Wong 267 DHam (played good D aat 2B in 2024.) 130 Romy (decent defense) 147 Sogard, Rafaela & Short (decent defenders) While Rafaela did okay on SS defense, he wasn't a plus, and he played way more innings than anyone else at SS: 647 Rafaela (not real bad) 433 DHam (Bad at SS D) 228 Story (end of season plus D) 80 Romy (looked okay, to me) 51 Sogard and 14 Reyes

Cubs talking trade w HOU for Pressley. Word was that if DET pays for a RP'er they may be out of the Bregman bidding. This makes me wonder, if HOU saves some money on a Pressley trade, would they up their "standing offer" on Bregman? TOR may end up signing Alonso, not Bregman. This could come down to HOU vs BOS, and since HOU is looking to cut salary, maybe this is a bidding war we can win.

Some interesting choices will have to be made during ST'ing and before AAA's opening day. Looking at the the rosters listed on soxprospects.com's 2025 Projected roster page, there is a vast shortage of everyday players, especially on the 40, and way too many pitchers listed to fit the roster sizes. Of course, some could start in AA, but here is a look at all the pitchers listed. For the sake of making more room for everyone, let's assume Sandoval and Murphy are placed on the 60 Day IL on opening day, and this is the 13 man Sox staff: Crochet, Houck, Beuhler, Bello, Giolito, Crawford Hendriks, Chapman, Slaten, Whitlock (10 Day IL?) Winckowski, Wilson & Guerrero Who makes the 14 man AAA staff? (My guess) Crisell, Fitts, Priester, Dobbins, Fulmer, Gambrell, Drohan Bernardino, Penrod, Kelly, Weissert, I Campbell, Mata (IL?) , J Moran Outside the bubble: A Adams, Wyatt Mills, Noah Davis, Hobie Harris, Jose Adames, Robert Stock, Brendan Cellucci, Wyatt Olds, Brian Van Belle

Great post, Oldtimer. I hope we see more of you, once the games begin. I'm all for bringing in the kids, even if there is a dice roll element to the idea. I also see the value in waiting a few weeks to gain that extra year of control, and that also fits with the idea that some players we have, now, appear to have earned or come close to earning another look in 2025. Abreu has earned a platoon role, and maybe deserves a shot at proving he can hit LHPs. Rafaela did not look godawful on offense, as many felt he would, but he still has to show improvement to earn a FT position. His defense and flexibility is a great asset. Duran has earned a FT OF position. Yoshida and Ref can platoon DH, so neither needs to play 1 inning in the OF, unless there is an injury, or Casas/Devers get squeezed into a DH or PT DH role. That's 3 OF'ers, so if Anthony gets the call, it should not be as a back-up, so it would mean Abreu or Rafaela get platooned, benched or in Rafaela's case maybe moved to 2B or SS. For this reason, maybe waiting those few weeks for Anthony makes sense. Let's see how the OF shakes out over the first 6-8 weeks. Now, Campbell: The health of Story is the key to so much of what happens in 2025, and who plays where, and it's getting tiring, when that key never seems to unlock the box of success. Since Campbell will not likely be our SS, his slot seems to be 2B. (I doubt we move Devers to 1B/DH, so Campbell plays 3B, but I suppose it could happen, if the vet 2Bmen are doing well, or Mayer pushes Story to 2B.) IMO, DHam looked pretty good at 2B defense, hit RHPs okay and stole enough bases to make his offense a clear plus in 2024. I'd like to see him start the season as our 2B platoon. I'm not sure Grissom has earned any further looks, but he did have some early career success and was the return for Sale, so maybe someone thinks he should get a few weeks to show he can stick in the bigs. I happen to like Romy, especially in a platoon role w DHam, and our back-up SS (short term only) and 1B. He can also play OF. I can see waiting a few weeks, to see how our 3 secondbasemen look, before giving Campbell the call-up. Lastly, Mayer: If Story is healthy, I see no reason to rush Mayer to the bigs. I'm not even sure if he or Story would play SS and who would move to 2B, when he does get the call. Maybe somebody plays 3B, if Story, Campbell and Mayer are all playing well. IMO, we will wait, and I'm not against the idea, but I think once we pass the line of adding an extra year of control, the equation changes. Depending on how the players I just went over are doing, a call-up or two could happen swiftly, and we could see a couple prospects still get 500-550 PAs, this season, assuming they do well, out of the gate. I'd bet on Anthony and Campbell over Mayer, but all three could get a long look in 2025. 1. Duran LF 2. Campbell 2B 3. Casas 1B 4. Devers 3B 5. Story SS 6. Anthony RF/CF 7. Abreu RF/Rafaela CF 8. Yoshida/Refsnyder DH (If Mayer plays: Devers to 1B/DH, Casas to DH/1B and maybe Campbell to 3B) 9. Wong/Narvaez C This looks pretty good, to me. It would certainly spark some intense interest by fans.