Fan_since_Boggs

On another forum, someone was saying that R.Castillo would likely take C.Young's spot next year. Castillo is doing OK in AAA this year--he is probably good enough to be a fourth OF in the major leagues. And he is a few years younger than Young (actually, Castillo is almost four years younger than Young). The Red Sox are paying Castillo anyway and so maybe they would try to get a little value out of him. Since the Red Sox will be under the luxury tax this season, they might not care about going over next season, meaning they might not care about adding Castillo's contract to the overall payroll that determines the luxury tax. I think there is almost a zero chance Chris Young returns to the Red Sox next season. He will turn 34 this Sept, meaning he will turn 35 late in the 2018 season. No thanks. There has to be a better option, a younger and more athletic option. BTW, the Red Sox will no longer be paying Craig after this season. Castillo is due 35 million from 2018-2020 (he won't opt out in 2020).

These are awesome ideas--I need time to think about them. Off the top of my head, I'm against putting the Yankees and Mets in the same division. When a team like the Yankees already has a major rival (the Red Sox)--the best rivalry in sports--there is no need to put another potential rival in the division as that might water down the first rivalry. It made sense to move the Astros to the AL West because the Rangers and Astros didn't already have a major rivalry with another team. The same is true of the Blue Jays, which is why it would make sense to put the Expos (when baseball expands) into the AL East. The same is true of the Marlins and Rays--they don't have a major rivalry with another team and so put them in the same division to establish a rivalry.

A MLB Trade rumors update: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/07/blue-jays-trade-rumors-estrada-liriano-smith-howell.html Link to Tomase's article: http://www.weei.com/articles/column/tomase-pablo-sandovals-time-red-sox-uniform-almost

I read somewhere that MLB will eventually expand. Montreal will probably get a team and there was speculation that another team could play in Mexico City? I was thinking about Las Vegas. If baseball expands to Montreal, you move the Expos to the AL East so that the Blue Jays and Expos can be rivals and play each other 18 times a season--the Canadians will love that, not to mention the fact that both team could meet up in the playoffs. You then move the Rays to the NL East, where they can play the Marlins 18 times every season in an attempt to generate a rivalry in Florida. It is my understanding that the Rays have a big viewership on TV and thus they aren't going anywhere, but people don't come out to the park. If they build a better park, in a better location, attendance will improve. In this scenario, the NL East would have 6 teams; every other division would have 5. The NL would have one extra team than the AL. If baseball expands to Las Vegas, that team would play in the AL West and then you have the same amount of teams in both leagues.

I might trade Chavis for a relief pitcher that is signed beyond this year, but I wouldn't trade him for an older relief pitcher like Neshek. Ultimately, a hitter is a higher priority for me--I would trade Chavis for an offensive upgrade (and rental) like Frazier or Bruce. I'm willing to put some of my chips on the table--but I'm not willing to part with Devers or Groome.

Yeah, the Red Sox have to upgrade at the trade deadline. The Astros look like a dangerous team this year but the Red Sox have C.Sale and maybe the Red Sox can ride him in the playoffs. But to optimize their chances, an upgrade is a good idea. I wouldn't be overly aggressive chasing a bullpen arm--Carson Smith might be able to help out and Workman looks good in AAA. Instead, I want an offensive upgrade somewhere. But I wouldn't trade Devers or Groome.

Great topic. For the overall, I would select Williams, Yaz, Ortiz, and Pedro. I wouldn't pick Clemens due to his direct connection to steroids, criminal behavior (lying under oath to Congress), and he never won a W.S. with the Red Sox. I went with Pedro over Young. Both pitchers won one W.S. with the Red Sox but Young wears a Cleveland cap in the HOF (spent 11 years with Cleveland; 8 years with Boston) whereas Pedro wears a Boston cap in the HOF.

Funny, I have a different impression of Young. To me, it looks like he has lost some bat speed. I don't want him back next year. In fact, I'm not sure I want him on the team past this year's trade deadline. I wouldn't object to replacing him with Brentz this year. With that said, I would rather replace him with an established major league player. I also think Brentz is a potential trade candidate -- maybe some floundering team will give him a chance at the major league level. He has definitely earned another shot.

I don't think this is a big deal. You sometimes roll the dice with a rookie you believe in -- and take on that risk. If it doesn't work out, you make a trade. Moreover, guys like Lin and Holt will likely be around next year. I'm not saying they are future hall of famers, but they can serve as a back up plan until you find something better on the trade market. And, at this juncture, we don't have a good read on Lin's upside or future. Is he a fluke? Did he make real adjustments that are having a real impact? The one thing we know about Lin is that he is a slick fielder. He can play SS at a high level defensively and 3b seems easy for him too.

While I don't have the data in front of me, I suspect Bruce's OPS against RHP over the last 28 days is superior to Hanley's. I want the Red Sox to add some depth, even if that means that Duda/Bruce won't be playing everyday. If Hanley and Moreland are red hot, sure, Duda/Bruce will spend some time on the bench. In the meantime, the Red Sox would have the depth to handle an injury and there is a relatively good chance that Hanley or Moreland will struggle offensively at times in the second half, and giving Hanley Ramirez an occasional day off against a tough righty seems like a pretty good strategy to me. Bruce is a lousy OF, but he would actually provide the Red Sox some depth in the corner outfield positions (as well as DH and 1b) and Chris Young isn't producing this year. And Sam Travis hasn't proved he can perform at a high level against AAA pitching, not to mention major league pitching. Travis is lousy depth IMO.

Correction: the "he" is Hanley Ramirez, not Lin. I should have made that clearer. Thus, it should read: "Hanley has a higher OPS against lefties this year than righties (around .100 better). He traditionally hits lefties better too. He currently has a 106 OPS+ -- if you can upgrade the position, you upgrade it. Hanley will still get playing time. And he will start every game against lefties."

Bruce is a better hitter than Ramirez this year. Duda is having a better year too. I'm open to other impact bats, but I'm not sure who that might be and, more importantly, what it might cost. J.Bour would be an excellent choice, but he is under control for three more seasons and will likely cost Devers or Groome. In contrast, Bruce and Duda are free agents at the end of the season and the Mets don't plan to resign either player. The Royals aren't trading Moustakas--and so there is no real impact bat available at 3b. I'm open to Frazier but he isn't hitting as well as Moustakas or Bruce. The trick is to obtain an offensive upgrade without giving up one of our two top prospects: Devers or Groome. And that is why I see Bruce and Duda as feasible (and practical) options for the Red Sox. We are looking for a hitter who has been producing at a high level and is extremely motivated to continue producing at a high level over the last two months of the season and into October to increase his free agent market.

I'm not married to the idea of Lin in the leadoff spot, but he seems to have a little B.Gardner in him--patience, high OBP, good contact skills--and such characteristics are good qualities for a leadoff hitter. With that said, if he stops producing, the Red Sox will need to find someone else. He has a higher OPS against lefties this year than righties (around .100 better). He traditionally hits lefties better too. He currently has a 106 OPS+ -- if you can upgrade the position, you upgrade it. Hanley will still get playing time. And he will start every game against lefties.

We are dealing with a small sample size, but Lin looks like a lead-off hitter right now, with 7 BB, 10 Ks, a .435 OBP. If the Red Sox stand pat at 3b, knowing they have the option of calling up Devers later in the season, and address the weakness at DH (trade for J.Bruce), their lineup could look like this: Lin 3b Pedroia 2b Bruce DH Betts RF Moreland 1b Bogaerts SS Bradley CF Benintendi LF Vazquez C With Hanley playing either 1b or DH against lefties. If Lin isn't the real deal, you bring up Devers (Holt is an option too). If Lin keeps producing, he is your 3b (and lead off hitter) going forward. The Red Sox don't necessarily need to trade for a 3b, since Lin, Devers, and Holt are all possibilities at 3b. The Red Sox could use an upgrade at the DH spot--Bruce is a superior offensive player to Hanley. If Hanley starts hitting, Bruce can play 1b for Moreland if he slumps in the second half. The conventional wisdom says the Red Sox need a 3b, but perhaps they need a 1b/DH offensive upgrade even more so.

I would be willing to trade Chavis, Travis, and Ockimey for guys like Frazier, Bruce, Duda. I don't think the Mets would have any interest in Travis or Ockimey--they have a better first base prospect in D.Smith, who will likely be the Mets starting 1b next year. But they don't have a future 3b at this point and might be interested in developing Chavis at that position. I wouldn't trade Devers or Groome and I would really like to hold on to Mata.

I wouldn't go higher than Chavis. I'm willing to trade Chavis at the deadline. I would move Travis as well, but I don't think the Mets would want him or have a spot for him. Yeah we have Ben C. to thank for that stupid vesting option in Hanley's contract. Thanks Ben.

I wouldn't trade Mata for Frazier, not when the Red Sox have the best 3b prospect in all of baseball with a 900+ OPS in AA. I would like to acquire Frazier and dump Young, but I'm not going to overpay for Frazier. One of the reasons I'm starting to like Dombrowski is due to the additions he has made to the pitching prospects in the minor leagues. All of a sudden the Red Sox have some really good high ceiling, arms: Groome, Houck, Scherff, and Mata (Mata was the only one Dombrowski did not obtain).

Hanley Ramirez OPS+ 107 M.Moreland OPS+ 108 Chris Young OPS+ 95 (149 at bats) Possible trade targets L.Duda OPS+ 134 J.Bruce OPS+ 124 T.Frazier OPS+ 109 Frazier could replace Young's roster spot. Frazier does have some experience in LF. Duda or Bruce would replace Travis' roster spot. Devers eventually replaces Lin or Marrero. If B.Holt gets it together, he will replace Lin or Marrero. In this scenaro, the Red Sox would have a stronger bench with much more depth--two options at 3b (Devers and Frazier) and a left handed bat with some thunder (Duda or Bruce). I would like to see Duda or Bruce take over the DH role against RHP. Such a move would reduce Hanley's at-bats, meaning that his outrageous 2019 option will not kick in.

There is definitely a three year window but what happens beyond that is impossible to know or predict. After three years, it may make sense for the Red Sox to engage in some kind of rebuild. Alternatively, if the Red Sox system can produce dominant starting pitching, there is no need for a rebuild. Pitchers like J.Groome and T.Houck will play an important role when it comes to the next phase. If Groome can reach his ceiling, the Red Sox will have an ace when Sale leaves via free agency. If the Red Sox develop starting pitching, they can always add offensive players via free agency. It really comes down to the kind of pitching the Red Sox will have 3 years from now. I don't know if the Red Sox are ever going to pay J.Bradley over 20 million per year. He is an elite defender now, but he isn't going to sustain that level of defense as he gets older. His offense is inconsistent. If Bradley wants over 20 million, there is a good chance the Red Sox find another CF. As far as 3b goes, the Red Sox don't necessarily need to trade for anyone--they have the best 3b prospect in the game producing a 900+ OPS in AA. Sure, they could trade for Frazier, but Frazier could go 0 for 30 in a playoff series. Devers could go 10 for 30 in the same playoff series with 3 HR. Who will be hot? Who will be cold? The decision is a bit of a crap shoot. But Devers is certainly good enough to justify NOT trading for a player like Frazier. They can go with the Lin/Marrero platoon, let Devers finish out the season in the minors, and then bring up Devers. There is no more risk in making this decision than trading for T.Frazier, who could go in a prolonged slump in October when the Red Sox need him most. While the Red Sox have Devers waiting in the wings at 3b, I continue to believe the Red Sox should consider trading for another bat, a L.Duda or J.Bruce type. I don't have a lot of confidence in Hanley going forward. Even if Hanley gets hot, the Red Sox might want to take some at-bats away from Moreland, who isn't exactly a stud offensive player.

Great start from Ball today: 7 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 7 K. Whenever Ball has performed really well, he follows it up with a clunker. Let's hope he can string two outstanding starts together this time. Sandoval: 0 for 4 in AAA today -- his numbers in AAA aren't any good. If the guy can't hit in AAA, there is no reason to think he will hit in the major leagues. He looks like toast.

I'm concerned about 1b and DH going forward, and overall offensive depth (Chris Young is not having a strong season). As I mentioned in another thread:

That's true and they can't use Sandoval against lefties. . . . They could play Hanley at 1b and DH Young against LHP, but they might not want to do that. The Red Sox should really trade for another bat, working on the assumption that they keep the Lin/Marrero platoon going at 3b until later in the season when Devers takes over. In this scenario, Sandoval gets released, Travis is sent to AAA (a trade acquisition replaces him on the 25 man roster), and Holt is optioned to AAA when his rehab is over. It is also worth noting that Chris Young is not having a strong season. He could be replaced, perhaps by Holt if Holt starts hitting again. They are both lefty bats, but I'm somewhat intrigued by J.Bruce and L.Duda (who has a 900+ OPS). They have some thunder in their bats and would add some depth and HR power.

Travis needs to play everyday, which is why I'm expecting the Red Sox to soon replace him with Sandoval or Holt.

The Royals are 1/2 behind the Guardians; 1/2 game behind the Yankees for the first wild card; and they are one game up on the Twins and Rays for the second wild card. If the season ended today, the Yankees and Royals would be the wild cards. Yesterday on MLB Network, one of the insiders -- I don't remember his name -- said the Royals will be buyers at the deadline, not sellers. He said D.Moore believes in the team. In other words, the Mike Moustakas train isn't coming to Boston. I think we can put that one to rest and think about other 3b trade options, including the idea of promoting Devers. The Yankees hold on a wild card is pretty tenuous right now. They are definitely trending in the wrong direction. I'm looking forward to watching them collapse when A.Judge endures an historic second half slump. Oh baby! That'll be fun to watch!

A couple of observations. (1) I just noticed that B.Holt has an option remaining. Thus, I guess the Red Sox could send him to AAA when it is time to activate him, no? Holt hasn't been hitting very well in his rehab assignment thus far. (2) According to Peter Abraham, Sandoval's rehab assignment runs through July 16. Thus, at that time, the Red Sox must decide to release him or bring him back, probably as a bench player. He could take the roster spot of S.Travis. It'll be interesting to see if the Red Sox plan to get Sandoval some reps at 1b before his rehab assignment is up. (3) According to Peter Abraham: This is why I'm thinking that Lin and Marrero stay on the team throughout July; Holt is optioned to AAA; and Sandoval replaces Travis on the bench. On the other hand, maybe Holt replaces Travis, and Sandoval is released. Based on Farrell's comments on Lin/Marrero, it doesn't sound like Sandoval is coming back to Boston to start at 3b.