oldtimer

I would be happy to see a bit of a roster shakeup for 2021 that would make us competitive for a playoff spot (why not think positively) by bringing in some younger players and looking for some quality young starting and relief pitchers. My shakeup in the infield would be to consider moving Devers to 1st (probably won't happen) and Dalbec to third. Bogaerts is our anchor at SS, Arroyo is looking like the young 2nd baseman we've needed for the last 3 years My shakeup in the outfield would involve trading Beni, Keeping JBJ at center (probably not going to happen) and leaving Verdugo in RF. If JBJ goes I would give Duran an opportunity and use Chavis as the LF. I would use Munoz as backup in LF and RF and Lin as backup in CF. Holding out hope for another quality right handed hitting outfielder in place for Chavis. No change at catcher I would shake up the starting pitching by moving Eovaldi to a high leverage Relief role. Sale is not going anywhere but probably can't help us until June at the earliest. We have to hope E-Rod makes it back and Perez has looked like a reasonable 4th or 5th starter. We need to find at least one starter (preferrably two) from Pivetta, Houck, Mata, Seabold and Ward. . Then Bloom has to find us 2 decent quality starters. Starters aren't durable so having 6 to start with Sale returning sounds good to me. Relief pitching with Eovaldi, Barnes, Hernandez, Taylor and Valdez supplemented by two quality arms would allow for competitiveness. Brice, Brewer, Brasier and Weber as alternates would be reasonable. I look to move the rest. Our DH position has been very unproductive this year. Your value is indicated by your stats. My shakeup would be to trade Martinez and find a younger replacement. That leaves us with the thought of what to do about Downs, Potts, Casas and Groome, all of which are knocking on the ML door. Downs in particular could be ready in 2021 and will we have a slot for him. Same for Casas in 2022. It's the hard ass approach to the roster, but the management has to be willing to cut ties with unproductive players and build a team where everyone in the lineup contributes. It's not as easy as waving a magic wand, but I believe Bloom is the guy that will pursue a policy that requires performance from players

We have a shortage of Quality Outfielders. We have Verdugo and may try to keep JBJ on a team friendly contract. The question really is Beni still a quality outfielder going forward. If not, why would we want to keep him?

Maybe Arroyo is moving ahead of some of our options like Chatham, Lin and even Chavis. We need improvement in a couple of field positions such as second base and the outfield. Maybe we will find those players internally and then concentrate on pitching acquisitions this winter.

Just highlighting in red a few that may be in the 2021, But I do thing we go after at least one quality stater, convert Eovaldi to a closer and a couple of relievers and pickem from the highlighted list. With position players like Dalbec, Duran, Downs, Arroyo and Chatham possible additions to the roster in 2021 we can be a competitive team. We do need to get JDM and Beni going. A repeat of this years performance would really damage the teams chances.

I just read that about Arroyo. If he gets enough AB's to form an impression by the end of the season then we may be happily surprised. He has been injured during the last 2 years and is now healthy. I would imagine it will take time for him to get back. He was a high draft choice so there was some talent there. I would like JBJ back for a club favorable contract of 2 years. It may not work out but it should be attempted. I would give Beni a chance to prove that he can be a meaningful player but his trend line is down and Duran is knocking on the door.

The Sox will give most of the remaining reps at 2nd to Arroyo. He has been often injured in the past but has talent and is worth a good look. So far, no one else has impressed

Frame this post and lets see what Bloom really does, both prior to the season and with the mid season adjustments. The outfield is fairly fluid with JBJ possible on a team friendly contract. I see Duran being with the team out of spring training. I see Beni and JBJ being the unknowns. Second base is an unknown but I think your depiction is reasonable. For DH, JDM is with us and I hope he can regain some of his past form. A DH with a 206 average making more than $20 Mil is a major drawback for the team. Pitching is our greatest need and adding two starters while moving Eobaldi to the pen might work. I would also look for at least two capable relievers. Striking gold with pitchers is a very difficult thing to do. The process may take a year or two to form a pitching nucleus that will make us highly competitive.

Maybe we give .Devers an extension now, if he will accept it, and not let FA creep up on us

Since the hope is that Downs will fill the 2nd base position in the not to distant future, ala July of 2021, why not fill with Chavis, Chatham or Lin? I have yet to see any other, including Munoz as better option. As far as outfield, it would be a reasonable approach to sign JBJ on a team friendly contract, but that is a iffy proposition. I by no means am convinced that Beni is our outfielder of the future so I would look to fill at least one outfield slot. If Jarren is ready then he would be a good fit. Either use him or lose him. I think the Sox have seen enough to do the former and in 2021. My approach would preserve the majority of money for Pitching. At least one quality starter, a closer and several relievers.

In general, the financial state of the game next year depends on the progress made in the COVID-19 front. If a vaccine is rolled out early in 2021, and that is no certainty, then the process of vaccinating a significant portion of the population will take time. At best, the ball parks will open with reduced seating in April followed by increases as thee season progresses. How will the owners react to the diminished resources? Will they be willing to pay for huge and risky FA contracts? My guess it will be much harder for FA to move and they may have to settle for lower dollars and or shorter contracts. perhaps those with money to spend will be in the best shape for 2021. I see the Red Sox as one of those teams.

Let alone the two not yet into the majors. If Downs makes the jump in 2021 the trade will look even better.

Devers is a unique cornerstone player for the Sox. How they write a contract for him going forward will go a long way towards making and keeping the team in contention.

Maybe if the 2020 results don't fit the preferred narrative, they are deemed meaningless by some. Most players become less capable as they age. There have been a few exceptions. My view is that the question about JDM's performance is legitimate, even though the size of the 2020 sample is small. fWAR is a historical record and should be looked at in that way.

All well and good, but do past performances reflect present or future form? I have been known to place bets on horses, and that is one of the key questions in making a selection. Generally horses reach their peak at around 4 or 5 years old. They typically go through form cycles, with each cycle after their peak with a lower maximum capability. The capability of an aging player may well follow the same trajectory so past performances indicate for an aging player they will not be able to reach their best form and something less should be expected.

Looks like Peraza is a failed experiment so we need to keep looking for a placeholder at 22nd base for 2020 and early 2021.

Good job of identifying possible allowances to meet needs. Should we hold some back to meet mid season needs as they arise? Also, Bloom trades may alter the available resources and needs, so it is somewhat fluid now.

Right now, it looks like the Sox will start with a place holder at 2nd as it might be wasteful to go the FA route for a 2nd baseman only to have Downs ready in a few months. It's anyone's guess with pitching. Clearly we will need starters

I hope we can start the 2021 with 6 starters and 7 relievers on the active roster. They are not and probably can't move Sale so he will be there, although maybe not until later in the season. E-Rod is one of the better starting pitchers in the league, assuming he regains his health. The Sox won't find better in the FA or trade market. We have Perez as an innings eater with the quality of a 4th or 5th starter. We have candidates in our farm in Pivetta, Mata and Seabold. Maybe one or two of those can make the jump. Finding quality starters in the FA market will be tough as a lot of teams will want them. If we get one we are doing well, two would be outstanding but let not give away the store to get them.

Lets hope we don't get foolish with the next FA front line starter. It will be competitive for 2021 but the COVID season may depress contracts somewhat.

I pray that 2021 will see the application of an effective COVID-19 vaccine beginning early in the year, first to those most in danger followed by a full scale roll out. May life begin to return to normal and may we see fannies in the seats at least to partially fill ball parts beginning in April with a full return by the end of June. My vision for the Sox in 2021 is for a competitive team that can win at least 80 games. We have Bloom and he should lead us in developing a team that gets progressively better over the next few years. I expect Cora back as manager with Roenicke by his side. That pair will have a goal of using a strong draft, effective use of international money with trades and FA pickups all aimed at improving our farm and making incremental steps forward. I see us staying below the competitive balance tax this year with 2022 where we really go big again. We have some interesting pieces provided we don’t trade away our strength, but instead build upon it. My vision is for a 26 man consisting of 13 pitchers and 13 field players to start the year. Starting Pitchers: ( A Weakness) 6 of the following: Eovaldi (or closer) E-Rod (assumed recovered from heart inflammation) Perrez (5th starter) Pivetta (has the stuff but a reach) Sale (Back by August?) Mazza Mata (when will we bring talent up?) Seabold (Good reports) FA acquisition Bull Pen: (Also not a strength) 7 of the following Barnes (If not traded) Brewer Brice Hernandez Leyer Walden Weber)Corner FA or trade Catchers: (Stay with what we have) Vazquez Plawecki (if we can bet back) Field Players: Bogaerts SS Devers (corner infield) Dalbec (corner infield) or Chavis (1st and Util) Peraza or Arauz (Placeholder for Downs later in year) Lin (Util) Chatham (Util) Outfield: Verdugo RF JBJ CF (if we can get him for 2 years at 6.5 mil/yr) Duran (Hope to see him up regardless of JBJ situation) Benintendi (verdict is out after bad 2019 second half and terrible start 2020) Munoz (depending on Beni and JBJ) DH: JDM (contractually with us -but is he declining and does a change make sense?)

You are also not sure he won't be the best option. Someone in Red Sox management, or perhaps a team will have to consider the options and take a guess and then live with it.

Back to the point of not wanting to tie so much of the available resources in one player while also accepting a high risk of eating many years of it when the inevitable fall off in performance occurs.

Your talking about building a Rays like team. We have the right guy in Bloom to do it. We have a couple of impediments. We haven't had a decent draft position in years and we traded away a lot of quality prospects. I also wonder about the quality of our player development. Case in point being Dalbec, who came up with years in the minors with a reputation as a power hitter with a high strike out rate. His first period seemed to confirm the book on him and then after a few days coaching he seems to have found a way to improve significantly. If coaching was what this kid needed, was it lacking in the minors? Probably the answers are more complex but it begs the question Are we lacking in the player development area?

He is 30 and still is an excellent defensive player. He is durable, can run and by all I hear he is good in the clubhouse. This year he seems to be making more consistent contact, something that has eluded him in the past. He plans to go to free agency so we have to decide what to offer to keep him. I have heard $5 million for 2 years here with one suggesting 3 years would be acceptable. I assume some club with offer him more and for 3 years. Beni got $6.6 mil for 2. Our option right now is Duran who is unproven. Maybe they should move before the end of September with whatever offer they deem appropriate.

Yes I know. He is at the alternate site though and has probably earned a start in AA ball next season which puts him in position to move forward if he keeps hitting.