Hugh2

Raffy is actually a great comp. He's Raffy but with even more swing and miss and less AVG/OBP. The only thing he has in common with Raffy is home runs and horrible defense.

Is he really that good though? I'm not saying he sucks he has amazing power but that's literally ALL he does. He hits home runs and that's it, and I think fans have a tendency to over value that. He's going to hit 30 HR's next year, that's like a home run once a week but he's going to be striking out every day and letting more balls through to his left every day. Sox went over the 2nd luxury tax threshold on pitching to go out and bring in a guy who has some of the leagues worse range at 3B???? we have a ground ball heavy staff. We can't ignore that his defense makes EVERY pitcher on our team just a little worse. I'd rather pay a much steeper premium and go for a bat that can also play defense or just go with Parades. I've been wrong before, but I do not believe the Sox invested $34 million on a ground ball pitcher to bring in a guy who is even older and among the worse at fielding ground balls.

not at all, I just wish more people understood this as you do, and that it comes from both sides.....as they say "it takes two to tango" working out trades isn't easy.

The problem could be us, some teams might be offering us a haul but we might not like those players.

E Suarez is probably by far the worse decision this team could make to fill in the infield hole.

Exactly...

The way I look at it is if we trade Duran we are likely upgrading our roster/defense but downgrading the lineup. It's not that Duran is bad at defense, it's just that the guys you mentioned are so good, and he would bring back value (Ideally) up the middle in the infield. But you're also subtracting him from a lineup that already needs addition not subtraction. Of course, this is all avoidable by just keeping him. It's perfectly plausible to DH him and/or rotate him between DH/OF and trade pitching for an infielder. This does create a roster dilema with Yoshida, but we are kind of there with him already so its like.....whatever. Despite the roster crunch, I kind of like the ideal of keeping all 4 outfielders. The concept of trading a 4-5 War outfielder for a 2-3 war infielder doesn't sit well with me, even if that means we should command more than just a Paredes (type) in a trade. It might make sense, to trade Duran for prospects, and put together an entirely different package for an infielder (assuming you still need to move an OF),

I mean, the Dodgers picked up guys we DFA'd back when we sucked.

The Dodgers will spend more money in payroll taxes next year than at least 12 MLB teams actual payrolls.

To be fair, we are 6th in payroll. I'm glad to see them go over, it would be silly not to this year as the luxury tax is almost certain to reset for all teams next year.

Yeah, I mean I get it, people want the big names, but the reality is they're pretty much going to LA or NY and that's it. But I think it's about how they spend it. The Dodgers might go out and get the nice shiny toy everyone wants for $50 million, while the Red Sox will go out and get two $20 million dollar men instead. When one of those guys falters....it looks bad. But calling them cheap is just a lazy argument. I can't throw too much shade, as I've been very critical of the front office at various times this offseasons. To SOME extent I think that's just the length of the mlb offseason. It's absurdly slow, much unlike the other sports where free agency is pretty much one week. MLB should try to do the same thing. But if they go out and add a good infielder, I'd have a hard time criticizing this offseason.

IDK $268.9 million committed payroll. Which they will pay an additional $8 million. SO in a sense they're paying 276 million in payroll. He ain't LA.....but he ain't cheap.

He very well may be, but I'm sure the Sox are very comfortable moving him to 2B if the right guy comes along who can play 3B.

I'm sure I lost something in the conversation, but I think everyone knows Mayer is playing an infield position. Which one? could change between now and ST.

Isn't it all kind of a mute point? If they trade for a 3B then Mayer is at 2nd. If they trade for a 2B then Mayer is on 3B. Mayer is in the infield next year regardless.

Sox are NOT trading for anyone that has money, they're past the 2nd threshold. Everyone they sign now they're paying that salary times 1.42% apx. So Semiens 24 Million a year becomes 34 million a year. If we are trading Yoshida it's a salary dump. If we are trading for Semien, we are adding prospects so they eat money. Adding Yoshida and then adding money just feels like malpractice.

so up to the last threshold 284 million the Sox would pay almost $15 million in tax, paying $42 a year puts them well over the third tax line and slightly over the Cohen line. I don't know the exact number. But the payroll +Tax cost to the Sox for signing Bo to an equivalent contract would be somewhere around 65-70 million per year. I think if the Sox had a deal in place for him they don't sign Suarez and make a move to dip below 264. Any ambitions of him signing died the moment the signed Suarez.

So you noticed I got it wrong before I fixed it myself?

Because he's not that good, mine as well roll the dice with Vaughn Grissom. oh wait....

There's always a more attractive option the question is A.) are they available and B.) how does their current team value your trade chips? What if Marte was back on the market but they didn't like our pitchers? so we'd really have to overpay to get him. So many things have to match up perfectly to get the "Ideal" guy. and sometimes that guy doesn't work out. I don't disagree with you, but for these reasons I don't consider ballpark factors at all. If he can hit he will be fine at Fenway.

I thought Ian Cundell brought up a good point on the last podcast. There's only so many guys available. How many guys are there at the MLB level who play or can play 3B? now how many of those are available? now out of those how many are good? and if a guy checks all those boxes they have to hit from the right side of the plate or have the perfect splits for Fenway. Getting a guy that is an ideal fit on paper is nice, but sometimes I think that's just silly. Maybe Baty would be absolutely fine at Fenway, maybe he'd go the opposite way just fine and pepper the wall.

two names I've mentioned multiple times this offseason as trade targets. Jett Williams, Bret Batty.

Exactly, I think it's safe to say their shopping window has closed. When the Sox add another starting caliber player it will be via trade.

Of those 8 guys, a few might completely bust, a few might end up in the bullpen, and 1-2 might be traded. If a few develop into reliable starters it's a win.

Jazz is under contract for one more year, no? I'd prefer a player with some control.