2023 Offseason Moves

jon abbey

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Both of those guys were Yankees within the last 1-2 years...

Joely came from TEX in the Joey Gallo deal in mid-2021. This deal was funny because the original deal was 6 prospects from NY for Gallo and reliever John King, but when NY didn't like King's medicals, they took out the two prospects for him (Everson Pereira and Randy Vasquez, both on NY's 40 man now) but still got TEX to throw in Joely for essentially nothing. Then they traded him to the Mets before last season for Miguel Castro, both relievers with one year of control left but Castro a RHP and Joely a LHP.

Park was originally signed by NY and never impressed until 2021, when as a fairly old AAAer (25 that April), he crushed for Scranton with a 1.042 OPS in 223 PAs. Cashman took advantage of this, almost immediately flipping him and another AAAA infielder to PIT for Clay Holmes.
 

E5 Yaz

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mlbtr: The Red Sox have inked outfielder Narciso Crook to a minor league contract, according to the transactions log at MLB.com. The 27-year-old had elected minor league free agency after being waived by the Cubs two weeks ago.
 

Whoop-La White

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Narciso Crook is a beautiful comic-book name. A crook and a narcissist wrapped in one.

Park has the makings of the guy who'll keep getting bounced off 40-man rosters all winter as teams try to sneak him through waivers. (Though he does have 2 options remaining.)
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Park has the makings of the guy who'll keep getting bounced off 40-man rosters all winter as teams try to sneak him through waivers. (Though he does have 2 options remaining.)
That was exactly my thought when I saw the news. His only real value is his defensive versatility, though he hasn't exactly shown to be stellar at any position. He's no real loss if they need the roster spot and have to waive him.
 

BeantownIdaho

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I inmerstand your concerns.

WIth Worcester being pretty bare right now, I see these signings as AAA depth and Park being a guy who can play multiple positions when everyone of our guys ends up on the 10 day DL.
 

billy ashley

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RE Lobo:

Ian Cundell tweeted that he sought background on Lobo after the trade. The consensus was that he's a command-over-stuff type with minimal projection. The description reminded me of many pitchers who in the lower levels put up gaudy numbers but get punished as they move up the ladder.
 

chawson

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Among 493 players to accrue at least 200 MLB PAs in 2021-22, Hoy Park’s rate of chasing pitches outside of the zone is 7th best.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Does that mean he chases pitches out of the zone but hits them really well? Like Papa Vlad?
I think it's the opposite. He doesn't swing outside the zone very often. Suggesting he has a disciplined eye, but he hasn't really gotten much to show for it: .201/.291/.346/.641 line in 210 PA.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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I think some here wanted him as a DH.
After the JDM experience in 2022, where he declined before our very eyes over the second half, I would think we'd all be a bit hesitant about the Sox signing an older player than he to be a full-time DH, especially if it would require locking him up through his age 38 season.
 

RedOctober3829

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No big lose since we have first base taken care of. I am hoping we get some clarity on Evoldi soon.
He definitely would have helped as the DH and some time at 1B. But when the defending WS champs come calling with $20 million/year it's got to be a no-brainer for him. For free agents right now, it's got to be tough to choose Boston because of the uncertainty surrounding the long-term status of Devers and the SS position. Why would someone sign here over a place that is set up to win better unless the Sox overpay? Bloom and ownership need to get going on Devers/Bogaerts or they're going to lose out on other players because of this.
 

Petagine in a Bottle

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After the JDM experience in 2022, where he declined before our very eyes over the second half, I would think we'd all be a bit hesitant about the Sox signing an older player than he to be a full-time DH, especially if it would require locking him up through his age 38 season.
Sure, in theory..but all free agents who are willing to take relatively short term deals are going to come with flaws and be risks. Maybe the Sox go after a younger and more defensively flexible player like Gallo, Bellinger, Conforto, or Pederson.
 

jon abbey

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Sure, in theory..but all free agents who are willing to take relatively short term deals are going to come with flaws and be risks. Maybe the Sox go after a younger and more defensively flexible player like Gallo, Bellinger, Conforto, or Pederson.
Pederson accepted the QO from SF, he’s off the market.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Sure, in theory..but all free agents who are willing to take relatively short term deals are going to come with flaws and be risks. Maybe the Sox go after a younger and more defensively flexible player like Gallo, Bellinger, Conforto, or Pederson.
I'm fine with taking a risk on a short-term deal to a flawed free agent, just not to be a full time DH. Jose Abreu on a 3-year deal would be a lot more worthwhile if the team didn't have a 1B-only rookie that they hope to see play 150+ games next season.

I'm on board with signing Bellinger if he comes relatively cheap.
 

Petagine in a Bottle

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I'm fine with taking a risk on a short-term deal to a flawed free agent, just not to be a full time DH. Jose Abreu on a 3-year deal would be a lot more worthwhile if the team didn't have a 1B-only rookie that they hope to see play 150+ games next season.

I'm on board with signing Bellinger if he comes relatively cheap.
Not that it matters now, but couldn’t Abreu have taken some 1b playing time against LH? And been an insurance policy for Casas and allowed the Sox to dump Hosmer?

Acquiring someone to be a full time DH seems unlikely, I agree…but there aren’t a ton of appealing options in FA if the Sox are looking for power on a relatively short term deal. If you eliminate guys who mostly / only play first (Bell, Belt, Gurtiel, Aguilar) you are left with the likes of Gallo, Conforto, Bellinger, Myers, Haniger.

Maybe they just bring JD back.
 

Ganthem

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Not that it matters now, but couldn’t Abreu have taken some 1b playing time against LH? And been an insurance policy for Casas and allowed the Sox to dump Hosmer?

Acquiring someone to be a full time DH seems unlikely, I agree…but there aren’t a ton of appealing options in FA if the Sox are looking for power on a relatively short term deal. If you eliminate guys who mostly / only play first (Bell, Belt, Gurtiel, Aguilar) you are left with the likes of Gallo, Conforto, Bellinger, Myers, Haniger.

Maybe they just bring JD back.
I am wondering how much first base the Astros are planning on playing Abreau. I can imagine he would prefer to have a consistent position rather then bounce around.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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I am wondering how much first base the Astros are planning on playing Abreau. I can imagine he would prefer to have a consistent position rather then bounce around.
The Astros don't have a 1B otherwise, so I expect he'll be more or less full time there. Got to imagine their preference is to have Alvarez DH more often than not.
 

YTF

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After the JDM experience in 2022, where he declined before our very eyes over the second half, I would think we'd all be a bit hesitant about the Sox signing an older player than he to be a full-time DH, especially if it would require locking him up through his age 38 season.
I'd really like to shy away from the full time DH type unless he can absolutely mash. IF Abreau were to come here I would hope it would have been as part time DH/RH 1B option. That said it's a moot point
 

YTF

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I am wondering how much first base the Astros are planning on playing Abreau. I can imagine he would prefer to have a consistent position rather then bounce around.
It looks as though his DHing has mostly served as a way to give him partial days of as he routinely plays at least 75% of his games at 1B. In fact he played 1st in 128 games vs 29 at DH last season and 135 vs 18 the previous season.
 

chawson

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Kind of a bummer, I'd really come around to that fit.

Haniger and Brantley are looking like decent DH bets, but I'm not certain they're better than JDM at 1/$10M, or even Valdez/Refsnyder. Justin Turner would fit well too, but I doubt he leaves the Dodgers. I hate the idea of Bellinger in Boston.

Haniger's spray chart really works well in Fenway. I think he's my top DH choice at this point, and we'd be a good place for him to land a pillow contract.
 

ElcaballitoMVP

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Kind of a bummer, I'd really come around to that fit.

Haniger and Brantley are looking like decent DH bets, but I'm not certain they're better than JDM at 1/$10M, or even Valdez/Refsnyder. Justin Turner would fit well too, but I doubt he leaves the Dodgers. I hate the idea of Bellinger in Boston.

Haniger's spray chart really works well in Fenway. I think he's my top DH choice at this point, and we'd be a good place for him to land a pillow contract.
Would Haniger be the DH? Or would he be in the OF where they have a need? I suppose he could do both.
 

Petagine in a Bottle

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Haniger might not be a plus right fielder anymore, but I think he could still be a plus left fielder at Fenway.
At this point, there don’t appear to be a ton of great options for RF unless the Sox sign a Turner or Nimmo and move one of them or Kike to RF. I guess Bellinger could work, too.

As of now…

LF- Verdugo
CF- Hernandez
RF- Refsnydsr
3B- Devers
SS- Story
2B- Arroyo
1B- Casas
DH- Hosmer
C- McGuire

Lots of work to do. Feels like we are set at 5 positions, maybe 6?
 

mr_smith02

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So, we now have at least four threads about the Red Sox offseason:
2023 Offseason Moves
Gitter Done: Crazy Trades
Build it Up or Blow it Up
Red Sox Rumors

Could we leave this thread for only actual news and use the others for thoughts and conjecture about other Red Sox off-season plans?
 

BeantownIdaho

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Would Haniger be the DH? Or would he be in the OF where they have a need? I suppose he could do both.
My thought is similar... sign a guy we can platoon somewhere and hit DH. If we are looking for someone to get some work at 1b then Josh Bell might be a good fit. If we need some outfielder depth as well as DH then Haniger might be a good fit there as well as a few other names. Paying Abreu crazy money to just DH is just that ... crazy. Really nothing gets solved until Xander decides.
 

nvalvo

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My thought is similar... sign a guy we can platoon somewhere and hit DH. If we are looking for someone to get some work at 1b then Josh Bell might be a good fit. If we need some outfielder depth as well as DH then Haniger might be a good fit there as well as a few other names. Paying Abreu crazy money to just DH is just that ... crazy. Really nothing gets solved until Xander decides.
Willson Contreras as DH, C2, and RHH 1B could be a good fit. He's got a couple hundred innings in the outfield, also.

Not a huge slugger, but a high-OBP guy with moderate pop.