Hugh2

I'd still take that bet for the 2026 season, althought I'd be much more confident, like 100% confident that they're not going to start off that way. That's like, it's agusust, they're in a playoff race and Mayer is just absolutely AWFUL vs. LHP and the offense needs a boost.

So hold up, they won't platoon a guy because they aren't doing it already? But they'll take a kid who was regarded as one of the top prospects in all of baseball who NEEDS exposure to LHP and platoon him? I think the logic is the opposite there. If anything Platoon Duran.

Well Mayer is either on the team or not, so if he's not then he's certainly not platooning here.

Good point, If I remember correctly they brought him up because of injury. If Bregman didn't go down, they likely don't bring Mayer up until the end of the year (if he was still healthy)

*sigh* Everyone once in a while I feel so strongly about something I'd be willing to bet on it. Anyone want to wager Mayer platooning in 2026? The Red Sox have a very strict plan for how they develop guys, yes they make exceptions like.....there's a few months left in the season and we are in a pennant race. A perfect example of this is Tolle, who they moved to the bullpen for the end of the year/playoff run. But he's probably going to move back to the rotation and start the year in AAA to finish his development. Anyone who has listened to what guys like their director of player development talk about what they plan on doing with Mayer, or even Cora explicityly stating he's going to be a full time player it's BLATANTLY obvious they're going to play him full time. THey're not looking at the splits on BA like you guys, assuming zero growth, and making the types of moves you make in September/October in the spring of next year. I'll wager on that.

Mayer may be platooning in 2027, or at the end of the year in 2026, but he's going to be a full time starter this year. Book it.

No, they're not going to do that with him.

I don't think that's a 100% fair accurate assessment of the Sox player development philosophy. I think there's a very real difference between how you handle a guy long term vs. calling him up and exposing him to the big leagues for the first time. There's a very stark difference between calling a kid up to the big leagues when he's still developing at the end of the year and platooning him for a month or two vs. platooning him all year round. The only way Mayer will ever learn to hit LHP will be hitting LHP. I feel pretty confident about stating that they're not going to go into the 2026 with plans for him to be both on the big league club and to be a platoon player. I'm not saying they won't sit him vs. some lefties and let Romney get his at bats, but they're not going to cut his development short by depriving him of that opportunity. He was ranked 15th/12th by BA/MLB last year (and got into the top 10 at various times). Correct me if I'm wrong, but has a team ever taken a player of that caliber and potential and with only 125 at bats under their belt said "nahhhh lets platoon you now".

You won't ever develop into an everyday hitter by sitting vs. all LHP. You can't learn to hit LHP if you don't face LHP. Mayer may very well end up being a platoon player one day, but they're not going to platoon him in 2026. That's certianly not good for his development, and thus maybe the team long term.

I doubt we add 3 infielders this offseason, certainly not starting caliber MLB level infielders.

Mayer may be a platoon guy, but he's too young and too talented to not see if he can be an everyday player right now. I don't think they should take a guy deserving of being a top 10 prospect in all of baseball and make him a platoon guy without giving him a chance to see how he grows first.

Well as of right now, either Mayer or Story is playing SS, and the other one may very well be playing 3B depending on how things shake up. Right now we only have Mayer/Story for 3 positions and even those two guys (as high as I am on them) have not been glowing examples of health. It feels an infielder, at least one, is a must. And I certianly want a guy of starting caliber. We should expect that as a fan base too.

I understand Bichette may be a long shot, or Boston won't shell out the money needed to sign him. But why do people keep assuming he's playing SS? If I'm signing Bo, it's to play 2nd or 3rd.

I suppose it's all a matter of perspective, many teams value lowering the term of a contract and are willing to pay more per to do so.

I think it should assumed anytime someone says something like "sign player XYZ to 8 years 200 million" that the years and money can fluctuate from that number. Unless something thinks it's insanely off, it just seems like noise to go "NO he won't get that exact number" I don't really care. My AAV is probably too high for him, but he's probably getting around $220 million.

I don't claim to know it all, but one thing I see time and time and time again and every year, repeat, without fail, is all of us severaly underestimating how much guys get paid. The reality is, you either want to pay the price of admission......or you do not. I have no idea what the price of Bichette would be, I'm speculating, so it's a bit interesting the price tag is centerpiece of this conversation but I do know two things to be true. - Bichette is going to get paid, likely more than what anyone in here is going to predict. - Bichette, like any free agent, would have to be paid more per annum to entice them to sign for less years.

I mean, do you have a better ideal for improving the lineup?

agree, but isn't just as lazy to say you just assume he'll be a bad 2nd? his defense has actually gone up/down over the last few years at SS with some years grading out average to better. Via statcast, he was in the 51% for fielding run value (average) in 2024, he was literally average a year earlier. Why shouldn't we assume he will be better at 2nd? that's a pretty decent assumption people make because it's typically what we see. If he's a bad defender then playing below average D at SS isn't inflating his value much if at all.

We do this EVERY YEAR, and you guys always undersell what these free agents are going to make. Bichette WILL be paid over 200 million. I'm overpaying to get him off the books at 33 and not paying for him into his late 30's. If I'm paying him an extra 5-7 million a year to do that....great.

Yeah, he will be fighting for 8 I think and he might get it. I wouldn't mind overpaying to have him for 6. I'd at least offer 225/6

Post all star break they were 11th, still in the top half. They also lost a lot of guys that will be back this year like Mayer, Anthony, and Abreu for a while. Also, this isn't a zero sum game. You can go out and get a hitter and a pitcher.

I thought he would be offered it and I was very certain he would decline. I'm not as optimistic about Giolito rejecting it. Which honestly, if he is as good as he was in 2025 (with maybe the chance to be marginally better) 22 million isn't a huge overpay, and it's only one year. And it's starting pitching where you need 5 (you could say you need 9 from a perspective). Honestly, I'd be ok offering it to him hoping he rejects it, but being ok if he accepts.

Well we can wish right? As the great Willie (Billy Bob Thorton in Bad Santa) once said "s*** in one hand and wish in the other and see which one fills up first). I'm going to dream a little this offseason and hope the ghost of john henrys spending past comes back this holiday season. But I can't help but think we are getting Arenado instead this offseason.

I know this is a lazy way to look at things, but I assume a s***** short stop can play at least average defense everywhere else minus catcher. If I'm signing Bichette it's to play 2nd.

Bichette is a good 4 years younger than Bregman, he might be a lot better over the next 6 years.