moonslav59

It will be about actions with an emphasis on the “s” for plural actions. significant actions. We don’t need to add more mediocre players or depth. We need serious upgrades at 3-4 positions. Maybe 2 major additions might be enough, but anything else will be beggi g for another missed dance.

He might already have some me idea of the road ahead, but I’m sure some major specifics have yet to be made or passed on to Brez. To me, the ability to make a bold trade is almost as important as the winter spending budget and how much can be longer term deals.

I’m not believing anything Sam says, unless he talks about budget cuts or strict limits.

Randy is 100% sure we are staying under $200. maybe I misread what you said, but you seemed to imply Sam’s statement about 2024 is also about 2025. No, you did not claim it’s a done deal. i think someone else has been talking like it is a sure bet we cut. Maybe on the game threads

I think we trade Abreu and add Anthony to the OF. This keeps the unbalance the same, except. Anthony likely hits lefties better than Abreu. i think we trade DHam and go with Grissom and Campbell at2B. That adds a righty bat. I think we bank on a healthy Story to take up the RHB slack, enough to lessen the unbalanced nature of our 13 by just enough. Ref could play some OF or DH v LHPs and should start every game vs lefties.

How is it fooling myself when I have repeatedly said I have no expectations they spend more? I merely pointed out we have never cut the budget 3 years in a row. That is a “trend,” too. im not giving up hope, and hoping is not expecting or fooling myself. i will not be surprised if we cut, stay the same or add spending. It’s hard to take that as kidding myself. its not me making statements that sound like done deal spending levels. I don’t know. You don’t know. Nobody knows.

I see Weissert as equal to anyone else after the top 4, and we are a bit unsure about how good Hendricks and Fulmer will be after so much time off. i have very little trust in our 5-8 RPers. Taking the best 2 for the last 1-2 slots is okay but we need 2 more pitchers, IMO- minimum. i doubt we use Fitts or Priester in tge pen.

He announced he is coming back and maybe for 2 more years. O’Neill is not a plus defender, either. Ref could play LF vs LHPs with Duran moving to CF or RF.

I’m not doubting another cut, but nobody knows it is coming. Yes, the overall trend has been downwards since 2020’s major slash. my point was only that we have cut the budget 2 years in a row several times. I think 3 straight would be a first. It very well could happen, or we could go over $200M and be higher than 2020, once again. This budget cutting and restricting is horrible. When you see how few of our players are free agents to be and most are present, cutting or even keeping the budget steady is a huge letdown. to me, the time is now. There is no excuse for not spending on 2-3 players that rate to be helpful in areas of need for 2-4 more years. We need pitching, and everyone knows it.

That was for 2024. Where has anyone said another cut is a done deal?

Ref is not retiring. We have a top 25 batter v LHPs already

They have gone 2 years cutting before, several times. i can’t find the quote about a cut for 2025. Can you provide a link?

I started it a couple hours ago.

I doubt we bring him back, despite the need for a big RHB. if we do, Abreu is a sure goner. (he might be anyway.)

I could see us hoping tge return of Story and Grissom plus maybe the Campbell arrival does the trick. i could see us trading Aubrey and DHam for a RHB or pitching

They have not cut tge budget, every winter.

That might mean adding 3 RPers!

Maybe not, but I counted everyone as being healthy, and nobody can go on the 60 Day Il until opening day. I doubt Gio starts on tge 60 but Perales probably will

I’m higher on Weissert than some. He ended the season doing okay and has better overall numbers than most of the others

I don’t think further reductions in the budget will go unchallenged by the fans and media. It might not matter at all but I think the pushback will be fierce and unending, this time. im not sure if the uproar might open up a willingness to make a big and bold trade. I really doubt they care much at all, unless they see unexpected drops in season ticket and NESN sales. im not optimistic on being bold but I’m also not without hope. as much as I love the incoming farm infusion, I do t think Gio, Hendricks and Fulmer make up for losing Pivetta, Jansen, Martin, O’Neill and others. Counting on Story and others to be healthy and produce more is neglecting the probability of new injuries and unexpected declines.

I’m actually more worried about our bottom 4 pen guys and not the top 4 and how they are positioned into roles.

Nobody knows. a big question is the budget and willingness to make a bold trade

Another "wait till next year" offseason for Sox fans. For many fans, there is not enough hope for having those sentiments, and for good reason. Here is a breakdown of what I see might be the 26 and 40 man roster, including Rule 5 protectees and the projected CB Tax budget. I will not project who we might sign or trade for, right now. This is just the template we have to work with. 8 Players out of team control: Jansen, Pivetta, O'Neill, Martin, Jansen, Garcia, Sims & Paxton. No Additions 26 Man Roster with AAV (14 players with no money listed= minimum/pre-arb): SP: Houck ~$6 arb 1, Bello $9, Giolito $19, Crawford ~$3M arb 1, Fitts RP: Hendriks $5, Slaten, Whitlock $5, Fulmer, Criswell, Wink, Guerrero, Penrod C: Wong, Gasper (Hieneman?) 1B: Casas 2B: Grissom, DHam SS: Story $23, Romy 3B: Devers $29 LF: Duran ~6M arb 1, Refsnyder $2 CF: Rafaela $6 RF: Abreu DH: Yoshida $18 Projected 40 Man Roster players beginning the season in the minors. (I am not adding non Rule 5 players like Anthony, Campbell, Mayer, Teel and Meidroth. I think we add them after opening day, maybe when we place a player or more on the 60 Day IL to make roster space for them.) Priester, Weissert, I Campbell, Bernardino, Kelly, E Valdez, Sogard, Perales (to 60 Day IL- day one) Dobbins (Rule 5,) JH Garcia (Rule 5,) Monegro (Rule 5,) 3 Bubble players to choose: Wikelman, Booser, Horn, Shugart, Mata (out of options) Rule 5 Bubbles: Sikes, Gambrell, Castro, B Gonzalez, Hickey, Jordan, Liu Once FAs or trade players are added, I expect the bubble players to be DFA'd Budget: 11 players under contract w options accepted is $130M. Add 14 players making MLB minimum and it's about $11M more plus another $8M for 14 minor leaguers on the 40. Add about $19M for player benefits and the bonus pool, and our CB Tax number starts at about $168M. The CB Tax Line #1 is $241M. That puts us about $72 M under. I'm sure the winter spending budget will be a hot topic, so I'll leave that for later. To me, our greatest need areas are: # 1 or 2 SP Closer or solid #2 RP LH'd RP RHB (maybe swap Abreu and or DHam for a RHB) Back-up Catcher to bridget to Teel

Yup, and Yoshida will be the DH.... not Casas. There are just too many benefits to trading Yoshida and moving Casas to DH (some 1B, when Devers needs rest) and Devers to 1B (some DH, when resting.) 1. Improved 3B defense. 2. Improved 1B defense. 3. Fragile Casas at DH minimizes injury, although his last one was from swinging the bat. 4. More PAs from Casas. 5. More PAs from Devers, as his "rest days" could be 10 as the DH, instead of 5 on the bench. 6. Any "savings" from the Yoshida trade could be added to the meager winter spending budget, if JH allows it to be. 7. It opens up a slot for a middle infielder to play 3B and gives Meidroth a clearer path to getting a chance, someday. We could try: Campbell at 3B, Story/Mayer at SS and Mayer/DHam-Grissom at 2B or Mayer or Story at 3B, Campbell at 2B and Mayer or Story at SS. Id Meidroth should so happen to jump another level and win the job, then our middle infield becomes stronger and deeper. I know it won't happen, but I like the idea.

I'm still glad we won. I know being .500 is no great achievement, but having losing records suck more.