5GoldGlovesOF,75

... which I understand, but did not include in my original post comparing these players from 2025. You replied with "career" stats. Rafaela, Abreu and even technically Duran have only played as starting regulars the past two seasons -- not much as far as careers go -- but my focus was just on the past season when at least the first two guys continued to improve their all-around games. We could go back and forth cherry picking stats to justify opinions, but the fact is that Duran-Rafaela-Abreu are the Top 3 returning Red Sox in RBIs for '24-25, and all three have way too much swing-and-miss in their at bats. I only defend Ceddanne on this forum where he's often the target of suckitude, instead of many teammates who in reality just suck a little less.

Your opinion is noted, and once again you only focus on OPS. Rafaela never walks, so he won't "outhit" many teammates in OPS, but he is the only returning Red Sox -- besides Yoshida -- who had a K-rate under 20% last year. And here's the thing: even though Ceddanne made better contact than Abreu, and Duran, and Story, and Anthony, etc... I'm not even saying he's good. Just how bad Boston is at batting.

If parsing semantics, then I base my opinion looking at several statistics -- not just OPS+ (which combines OBP and Slug). Abreu had the most home run pop, with 22 HRs in 51 less games than Rafaela, who hit 16. And yet, Ceddanne only struckout 16 more times in 170 more at bats... He also had twice as many doubles, 4 triples to 0, and 20 stolen bases to 4 for Abreu. Runners-in-scoring position: Abreu .262 BA, .895 OPS; Rafaela .242, .670 High leverage: Abreu .226, .774; Rafaela .281, .808 Batting average: Rafaela hit .249, Abreu .247. Outta slight, man

If you're basing it solely on offense, then Duran and Abreu have slight edges over Rafaela. But the CBO has stated to the press that the Red Sox are being built on pitching and defense. Considering the current sinkhole in the infield, that makes the best centerfielder in baseball all the more valuable.

When I was a kid, there were posters (the kind that hang on walls) warning: "Don't Trust Anyone Over 30" John Henry may have made a billion dollars and never forgot his roots. My take is that the Red Sox' offense is so lacking in basic contact fundamentals, adding new faces can't hurt. However, subtracting more big leaguers who have had any success -- and not just Bregman, but guys like Rafaela driving in runs or Yoshida putting balls in play -- just isn't the way to improve an offense.

As usual folks are harsh on Rafaela at the plate. He's totally streaky, and hacks with the worst of them, but where would the Sox be without his clutch defense AND offense last year? Answer: out of the playoffs. When Trevor Story was interviewed last week about his top moments of the '25 season, he cited Ceddanne's walk-off HR right before the All-Star break, and his game-winning triple that clinched the Wild Card. Mine was his catch of the ball that popped out of Abreu's glove -- because Rafaela sprinted all that way just to back him up. Ceddanne is not a star hitter, but he's right there with Duran as an all-around contributor -- they tied last year with 4.7 bWAR to lead all Boston position players. And as the graphic I posted a few days ago shows, Duran-Rafaela are 1-2 in team RBIs the past two seasons.

Nah; by 30 most of them have already had their Tommy Johns

Ya, you're right. "Atom" just looks/sounds better -- I hit it so hard it split atoms. Of course, notin would argue unless you hit it right Adam Jones or Adam Everett... but not Ottavino (any Red Sox pitcher would throw you a double down the right field line).

None of us know the extent of his injury or how long it affected his swing before he had surgery. But you can be sure the scouts didn't love him because they craved a batter who could consistently roll over to the second baseman. Now he's healed and we'll see if Yoshida hits it harder this Spring. As to making contact vs. whiffing, you'll never hear anyone who has ever played baseball say they regret barreling a pitch and would rather swing and miss -- even if it results in a double play. Atom balls are an unfortunate part of the game, but serious batters know all they can do is trust the process.

Mock away, but you knew at least he'd make contact. How were you feeling when half a dozen other guys stood in the box waiting to flail away? That's how bad that batting order was in the playoffs, when Boston sent a Quadruple A line-up to challenge the defending AL champs.

I was actually surprised after the playoffs that the first thing on some posters' minds was to get Yoshida off the roster. "He just doesn't fit!" Why not, because he doesn't swing and miss all night? Did anyone actually see the putrid batting order in the Wild Card series, the one with Bregman?

I'll play devil dog advocate.: most posters and many fans (my son included) can't stand the thought of Masataka Yoshida on the 2026 Red Sox. Be careful what you wish for. First, this offense might be ok: Anthony might be a star, Contreras might hit 25 homers for the first time, Story might play another full year, Rafaela and Abreu might repeat clutch, and Duran might still be here. We can only hope. Returning Red Sox 2024-2025 RBIs: Duran 159, Rafaela 138, Abreu 127, Story 106 But even all that may not be enough. Even if it is, this line-up is laden with strikeout whiffers. This is at least where Yoshida can help. We all know Masa can't go yard or run fast or throw hard or stop liners from smashing lights on the Monster. But he can hit... for non-returning Romans, his career batting average is the highest on the team and his K-rate is the lowest. Maybe he's finally healthy from a shoulder injury and surgery which may very well have sapped his strength. People forget last year Yoshi hit .333 in September and October and .571 in the playoffs, where his single up the middle should've eliminated the Yankees (except a baserunner going on the pitch didn't score from 2nd). The Sox owe it to themselves to at least see how he does in the WBC before crossing him off as an option.

Come on, man. I know you played the game -- unless a guy is nursing a nagging injury, no young athlete wants to just DH instead of playing a position. Being on both offense and defense keeps the body loose for best use. Jogging on and off the field before an at bat, and doing occasional sprints in pursuit of a defensive play is way better than just sitting on the bench getting stiff for an hour between at bats (especially on frigid New England Spring nights). Designated Hitter is perfect for an old guy like Orlando Cepeda with balky knees, but young guys with energy like Anthony and especially Duran would drive the dugout crazy as a regular DH. If the Sox retain four outfielders capable of starting in the pasture, a DH rotation is the only way to possibly make this work... at least to find out which guy simply can't DH.

I would say I resemble that remark, but I know you don't like cliches... unfortunately, that's the entire language of sports media, especially pro athletes programmed to answer interview questions with their backs against the wall, because there's no tomorrow, when they play within themselves, because it's too hard to play without themselves. (I've always had a semi-proclivity at turning phrases... sour. That's why Bill Spaceman Lee was so refreshing, for those who also sprinkled mother nature on their buckwheat pancakes).

Breslow disagrees -- if he's not BSing us again (is it another day that ends in a why?) “We tend to get caught up in the pitching portion of run prevention, but there are other key components as well — defense being the most obvious,” said Brez. “It’s really important that we improve our defense, particularly our infield defense... our out conversion needs to be improved... any additions we may make will be mindful of the defensive skillset.” My first thought is that ends any idea of signing of Geno Suarez -- but what does Craig really mean about being MINDFUL? 1. Boston signs E Suarez, who plays soccer with a few of Ranger's grounders, and the CBO says, "I must have been out of my MIND." 2. E. Suarez throws a few hand grenades but hits a few more homers, and the CBO says, "He's like a Devers who likes me, so I don't MIND."

I heard he beat everybody in Woo in an arm wrestle except Payton Tolle. But he didn't Noah Song.

Don't worry. Today's NESN.com dreadline lists the Red Sox as "actively" trying to win the AL East. The other clubs include Toronto and Baltimore. The Yankees are actively trying to be the Yankees. The Rays are active in their yogurt culture, giving fish with bat wings live bacteria which is supposedly beneficial to the whole division.

This was black and white once they traded for Sonny.

Have you ever lived in San Diego? Even visiting for just a week makes hair turn blonde and jelly bellies disappear -- public transportation is roller blading!

Only a half dozen clubs in the big leagues have a better offense than Anthony getting on base, a few guys stealing, and a few others hitting 20 homers? Twenty MLB batting orders can't do better than that? Really?

Good point; I was also in favor of Sale's extension. It was below Price's market-setting deal, and Sale jumped at it -- which was suspicious, since at the time he was the most underpaid star pitcher of his day. Even more urgently, I wanted Eovaldi extended, too. Nate was just coming into his own... 2019-2025 WAR: Eovaldi 16.4, Sale 14.9. (stats do not include postseason, where Eovaldi went 7-2 and won another ring, while Sale was 0-1 and mostly unable to compete).

I can't believe I'm about to attempt to be a voice of reason. Crochet is everything this team -- and any team even in a rebuild -- covets to build around: an ace, a Number One, the All-Star starter who pitches and WINS Game 1 in a playoff series (circa The Bronx '25). If the Red Sox are dumb enough to trade Crochet, they deserve to suck and never wait til next year again. Just like the Tigers. Say they actually do trade Skubal -- for a haul -- and even get some prospects that develop into a core of The Next Good Not Great Tigers, then they'll still be searching all over again for another ace Number One pitcher... just like Boston craved for years since Sale got hurt in the season of the best Red Sox team ever. Keep your aces. Pay your aces. Cover your aces.

It was his parents poor decision to give a newborn and future big leaguer a name that begins with an E. E Suarez has already appeared too many times in the wrong places of box scores. In case anyone is nervous, he has more career errors at 3B than Raffy (but hasn't led his league as many times). And now we know why he likes to be called Geno. At least G Suarez is a gamer.

Stanton was Rivera's lefty set-up man all those years Boston finished second. Red Sox Hall of Shamer.

Timlin! But I blew it because he has more rings than Ortiz: two with Boston ('04, '07), two with Toronto ('92, '93). I only remembered him for his Foulke lore in '92, fielding and throwing to 1B for the last out... on a bunt by another future Red Sox, Otis Nixon.