Red Sox in season discussion

Sandy Leon Trotsky

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Mar 11, 2007
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How do people think the Baez deal will affect Xander's opt-out/extension? He's 6 years at 140M which to me seems closer (even a bit under) what I think X could be looking at if he opts out, although the lack of other SS's on the market in '23 will have some affect on that. But I'm wondering/hoping that he sees that and the Sox can offer him a $25M AAV for 7 years now, buying out his current final guaranteed year.
 

RedOctober3829

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Jul 19, 2005
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Rosenthal says the Rays are discussing Kevin Kiermaier and Joey Wendle in trade talks with the Phillies. I'd love to jump in on Kiermaier as he has an $8.9 million luxury tax number for next year and is on an expiring deal. He'd provide elite defense in CF.
 

Hank Scorpio

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I hope we’re not foolish enough to pay Correa for the next 10+ years. He’s had a couple of stellar seasons, a couple of good seasons, and a couple of pretty crummy ones mixed in. His 2019 was great in a small sample size hampered by injury, and he wasn’t very good in 2018 or 2020.

I would take him for 5-6 years, but not at any more than $22-24M per. He’s good, but he isn’t nearly as great as he’s portrayed. I’d rather get an all glove SS, then keep X and Devers long term for 3B and 1B then pay $350M for an inferior Correa‘s decline.
 

Murderer's Crow

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Jul 15, 2005
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Rosenthal says the Rays are discussing Kevin Kiermaier and Joey Wendle in trade talks with the Phillies. I'd love to jump in on Kiermaier as he has an $8.9 million luxury tax number for next year and is on an expiring deal. He'd provide elite defense in CF.
If the Rays are willing to trade in the division, I'm guessing the Yankees would raise their hand as well.
 

Murderer's Crow

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I hope we’re not foolish enough to pay Correa for the next 10+ years. He’s had a couple of stellar seasons, a couple of good seasons, and a couple of pretty crummy ones mixed in. His 2019 was great in a small sample size hampered by injury, and he wasn’t very good in 2018 or 2020.

I would take him for 5-6 years, but not at any more than $22-24M per. He’s good, but he isn’t nearly as great as he’s portrayed. I’d rather get an all glove SS, then keep X and Devers long term for 3B and 1B then pay $350M for an inferior Correa‘s decline.
As a fan, I tend to make statements like these too, but how are you coming up with those numbers? Like would $28m upset you compared to $24m? Is $4M per year or $25m over 6 or 7 years going to really make a difference?

I think every fan of every team is scared of 10 year commitments. I just don't think $22-$24m is even a realistic number for top ~30 players anymore. The $30m barrier has been breached too often and it's the new $20m.
 

E5 Yaz

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The Twins should get Kiermaier, and hope his and Buxton's injury cycles complement each other
 

Hank Scorpio

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As a fan, I tend to make statements like these too, but how are you coming up with those numbers? Like would $28m upset you compared to $24m? Is $4M per year or $25m over 6 or 7 years going to really make a difference?

I think every fan of every team is scared of 10 year commitments. I just don't think $22-$24m is even a realistic number for top ~30 players anymore. The $30m barrier has been breached too often and it's the new $20m.
Even at $22-24M or so, I’m lukewarm on the idea of signing Correa. I just don’t think he warrants that sort of deal on this particular team. I don’t think $28M for Correa is smart use of that money.

I tend to also view these signings in terms of opportunity cost. I don’t care if JWH pays $60M a year for Correa, but I do care if that means we can’t keep Devers or improve the team later on, which is why I thought Dombrowski was high when he signed Chris Sale to his current contract - while also taking into account how little Sale actually pitched down the stretch in 2018.
 

cantor44

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Let Chaim do his thing and find the Pivettas and the Renfros/Kikes — and if Xander and/or Raffy don’t want to re-up, then look at dealing them next year and spend that money on next year’s crop. I don’t think Correa or Seager are guys you go all in for.
I agree - especially since two of our three best prospects are middle infielders ...
I think Stroman, Iglesias, and Schwarber (and some low risk high reward relief arms) might be delicious signings ... that's spending a good chunk of change, but avoids the mega-ultra-mega contracts, while still improving the team .... The Red Sox are very good as is. But they need more arms to be championship caliber. A middle infielder would be nice, because second is the weakest position player link, and it protects against X leaving in a year, but it's not an absolutely necessity for the 2022 season.
 

snowmanny

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Dec 8, 2005
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As a fan, I tend to make statements like these too, but how are you coming up with those numbers? Like would $28m upset you compared to $24m? Is $4M per year or $25m over 6 or 7 years going to really make a difference?

I think every fan of every team is scared of 10 year commitments. I just don't think $22-$24m is even a realistic number for top ~30 players anymore. The $30m barrier has been breached too often and it's the new $20m.
And to your point, I don't think it makes any difference whether random poster would pay $18m for 5 years but not $28m for 7 years if the bidding starts at $30m for 10.
 

Petagine in a Bottle

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We are at this weird point where every deal feels like a massive overpay. That may be true, but when most of your top players are soon to be FA’s, and you don’t yet have the prospect pipeline where you want it, what do you do? Manny Ramirez, David Price, Carl Crawford, maybe even Pedro….those deals were all pretty scary at the time, but some of them turned out ok. The Sox are going to have to make some painful decisions in the coming year, either way.
 

InsideTheParker

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Jul 15, 2005
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Has anyone heard anything about any team interested in Iglesias? I am afraid to trust Arroyo's health, and would feel much more comfortable with Iglesias on the roster.
 

Lose Remerswaal

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Then maybe the Sox can get him on the cheap! His hitting as well as his defense certainly helped the 2021 team get to the post-season.
Free isnt worth it if his results are what he had for LAA this year over 114 games. If you think the 23 games he played here are more telling towards his future then we disagree. And his defense numbers haven't been good in many years, including here in 2021
 

Petagine in a Bottle

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The team needs a backup infielder, and it probably shouldn’t be the starting CF. I think there is certainly room for a utility infielder; whether that is Arroyo or Iglesias or someone else.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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The team needs a backup infielder, and it probably shouldn’t be the starting CF. I think there is certainly room for a utility infielder; whether that is Arroyo or Iglesias or someone else.
If they go with a three man bench like they did for most of 2021, the utility infielder for this team might just have to be the fourth outfielder. If we assume that the bench will at least be the back-up catcher and Duran as the 4th OF, that only leaves one bench spot and 1B has no backup yet. Obviously Duran might be in Worcester, but that would be predicated on having a 1B/OF type (Schwarber?) or a super-utility guy like Marwin Gonzalez was. In that case, there might be room for Iglesias.
 

GB5

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Aug 26, 2013
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Be curious how much of a playoff share they vote for on LoCastro!!!!!!
 

Whoop-La White

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The team needs a backup infielder, and it probably shouldn’t be the starting CF. I think there is certainly room for a utility infielder; whether that is Arroyo or Iglesias or someone else.
A left-handed bat would complement Arroyo (career .213 BA vs RHP in 283 PAs) well. I had been hoping Bloom was looking at Wendle before he was dealt to Miami yesterday. Jeff McNeil is coming off a down year for the Mets, and can play in the outfield, but would probably cost a lot.
 

Jack Rabbit Slim

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Brad Miller would be a nice bench option for this team. Lefty bat that can cover 1B, 2B and some OF and 3B. His strong splits vs RHP pairs well as a platoon with Dalbec and Arroyo.
 

Petagine in a Bottle

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Signing Chris Taylor and moving Arroyo to the utility role is probably the ideal, but also a pipe dream, but I agree, the presence of someone like Brad Miller would probably allow a three man bench- although I think the OF really needs to be RH and someone able to take some of Verdugo’s at bats against tough lefties . Miller has barely played SS in the past five years, though, but imagine he could handle a Bogaerts day off here and there.
 

RedOctober3829

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Not that anyone's been short-changed thus far, but I'm surprised there wasn't more of this
I count 6 teams that would be in on plus a couple of maybe's. He'll have a robust market after the lockout still and should get what he wants because the right teams(NYY, LAD, Boston) will be interested in him plus some teams looking to spend to compete, are the incumbent, and have stupid kinds of money(Seattle, Houston, NY Mets, Philly).

AL East
Baltimore-not a chance
Boston-could move X to 2nd and have the money
Toronto-no
New York-yes
Tampa--no

AL Central
CWS-possibly? Anderson is a FA in '23. They have the cash
Cleveland--not a chance
Detroit--unless they put Baez at 2nd, no.
KC-not a chance
Minnesota-not a chance

AL West
Oakland-not a chance
LA Angels--possibly. They have no obvious SS, want to win with Trout/Ohtani. Can they add another 300 plus million contract with Ohtani up in a couple years?
Seattle--yes they could. They want to spend and could move Crawford to 3rd.
Houston--obviously yes.


NL East
Atlanta--no
NY Mets--Anything is possible with Cohen, but they have Lindor. Does Lindor go to 2nd?
Miami-no
Philly-anything is possible with Dombrowski.
Washington--they have prospects Carter Kieboom and Luis Garcia.

NL Central
Chicago--they are rebuilding
Cincinnati-I don't think they are in the ballgame for a contract for Correa
Milwaukee-same as Cincy
Pittsburgh--not a chance
St. Louis--they are always in on big names, so I wouldn't rule it out.

NL West
LA Dodgers-yes
San Diego-no
Colorado-no
SF-no