What does 2023 look like?

ehaz

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It looks like the Dodgers are going to reset their tax level this year. If the best free agents are off the board then it also makes sense for us to reset our tax level this year. Even if we can't resign Devers, resetting the tax allows us to compete for him on the open market (and if we lose, at least get a good pick as compensation). It also allows us to compete for Machado - who's almost certain to opt out - and Ohtani. I mean, there's always next year. We shouldn't lock ourselves into a bad deal just because there aren't other options.

The teams that have spent the most this year (Yankees, Phillies, Padres) are all going to be way above the tax level come 2024, so maybe there's less competition for free agents next year.
If you don't see it coming... Machado opts out (assuming has good year) - that leaves third open in SD... who's a free agent and will be looking for similar $? Hate to say it but easy to slide Devers to SD and join the cool kids out west.
I keep seeing this assumption that Machado is the 1b to Devers' 1a for whoever misses out on Raffy next winter. But is that really the case? Devers' only advantage is that he is younger. Not sure why SD would prefer Devers since Machado's played exceptionally well in that ballpark and there aren't any concerns about his ability to play 3B long term.

Machado (2020-2022): 147 OPS+; 15.0 bWAR
Devers (2020-2022): 132 OPS+; 8.7 bWAR

Machado's also been remarkably durable. The only season in which he's missed more than like 10 games is his age 21 season in 2014.
 

Big Papi's Mango Salsa

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There is a long history of borderline playoff times winning the World Series, much moreso than say, the Super Bowl and NBA Championship. A 33% crack at being in the playoffs is a very real chance, and even if you want to argue that they should have been 100% sellers (I would not have blamed them at the time if they went in that direction), going for it hardly represents an "inexcusable failure". The situation was 4th and 8 from the opponent's 42 yard line -- no obvious slam dunk decision, any path is reasonable.
Sure, but what are the list of teams that have done it with way below average pitching and such a shallow offense.

The 2021 Braves were 8th in runs allowed (and had Fried and Morton).

The 2019 Nats were 13th, but they had guys to bet on like Scherzer, Strasburg and Corbin (I don't think last year's Sox team had anyone like Scherzer or Strasburg, specifically if someone wants to argue they did, be my guest).

The 2015 Royals were 10th (their top 4 were all above average that year, and doesn't include Cueto, whom wasn't).

The 2011 Cardinals weren't great but were still easily above average at 12th with 5 offensive forces on that squad (OPS+ of Berkman at 164; Holliday and Craig both at 151; Pujols at 148; Molina at 124.

The 2014 Giants were 10th and literally their entire line up ranged in OPS+ from 104 (Crawford) to 143 (Posey). Their offense was basically the 2021 Red Sox offense in terms of balance up and down the line - and they had Bumgarner.

The 2011 Cardinals weren't great but were still easily above average at 12th with 5 offensive forces on that squad (OPS+ of Berkman at 164; Holliday and Craig both at 151; Pujols at 148; Molina at 124. (Devers was the best on our squad last year with a 141 OPS+, he would have been 5th on that Cards squad).

The 2022 Red Sox were 25th in runs allowed, or the 6th worst team in the league. For comparison, Philly ended up was 15th (exactly average) and as noted, had two borderline aces at the front of the rotation, the way teams like the 2019 Nats did.

I'm sure I'm missing some teams that others are thinking of, I just looked back the past 20 years or so, admittedly.
 
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nighthob

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If you don't see it coming... Machado opts out (assuming has good year) - that leaves third open in SD... who's a free agent and will be looking for similar $? Hate to say it but easy to slide Devers to SD and join the cool kids out west.
Unfortunately after their prospect spending splurge last year Machado is about the only thing they have to trade for Devers.
 

manny

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Unfortunately after their prospect spending splurge last year Machado is about the only thing they have to trade for Devers.
I think he's saying SD will make a strong push when Devers becomes a FA. I would agree they will push for Devers if Machado leaves, but to ehaz's point above, I think Machado would be their preference (especially since they can presumably sign Machado for shorter than Devers--they already have Xander, Tatis on long contracts and will want to sign Soto long-term).
 

nighthob

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I'd say the Mets are the best option for a deal if, god forbid, they go that way. The Mets show no care for what they spend, no matter how it impacts the amateur talent budget.
 

pedro1999mvp

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I'd say the Mets are the best option for a deal if, god forbid, they go that way. The Mets show no care for what they spend, no matter how it impacts the amateur talent budget.
I think you are right. And let me preface this by saying I love Devers. But, given the current state of the team and the fear that Devers will want to be traded and refuse to sign a reasonable extension since he has no lineup protection and his buddy Bogey is gone, then a Mets trade seems reasonable. I would even give the Mets a negotiating window if it meant us getting a significantly better return. I would think Baty would need to be the centerpiece and hopefully more if the Mets knew it wasn't a rental.
 

Ganthem

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My prediction is that by this time next year Devers is either a Padre, Met or Phillie. I think due to his defense the Dodgers won't view him as an elite talent worthy of a ten to 12 year deal approaching 400 million and I think after Judge Cashman is not going to want to splurge that kind of money on somebody else.
 

ElcaballitoMVP

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Machado is the leader of this Padres team. I could see San Diego being interested in Devers if Machado leaves, but I think their preference would be to keep Manny.
 

opes

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This is now a below .500 team. We've replaced no starters, we have 3 new relievers. Jansen(1 war), Chris Martin(1 war) Joely Rodriguez(-0.2 war) We added Masataka Yoshida who I think will be a great player, hopefully at a clip of at least 3 war. We've lost Xander(5.8 war) and Potentially have lost JD Martinez(1.2 war), Wacha(3.3 war), and Eovoldi(1.5 war). 6 war between those 3. Every other FA from us is dreck, so they dont count if we lose them.

So in closing we have a net gain of 1.8 war of 3 relievers, and a net loss of 11.8 from who we have lost. I don't know if my math is right, but that a net gain of - 10 war. Someone tell me how we can make that up. We need to sign at least 2 pitchers to replace a loss of 4.8 war, and at least 2 players to replace a lost of 7 war for 2 hitters. Devers will either be traded at the deadline, or walk next year. So thats another 4.5 war gone.
At the moment, if all those likely things come true, thats a total loss of 15 war.
 

scottyno

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This is now a below .500 team. We've replaced no starters, we have 3 new relievers. Jansen(1 war), Chris Martin(1 war) Joely Rodriguez(-0.2 war) We added Masataka Yoshida who I think will be a great player, hopefully at a clip of at least 3 war. We've lost Xander(5.8 war) and Potentially have lost JD Martinez(1.2 war), Wacha(3.3 war), and Eovoldi(1.5 war). 6 war between those 3. Every other FA from us is dreck, so they dont count if we lose them.

So in closing we have a net gain of 1.8 war of 3 relievers, and a net loss of 11.8 from who we have lost. I don't know if my math is right, but that a net gain of - 10 war. Someone tell me how we can make that up. We need to sign at least 2 pitchers to replace a loss of 4.8 war, and at least 2 players to replace a lost of 7 war for 2 hitters. Devers will either be traded at the deadline, or walk next year. So thats another 4.5 war gone.
At the moment, if all those likely things come true, thats a total loss of 15 war.
You're leaving out all the negative war players they replaced or would be expected to replace with average injuries.

You also aren't factoring in that the innings the guys they lost played are going to go to someone who probably won't be a negative WAR player.
 
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opes

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You're leaving out all the negative war players they replaced or would be expected to replace with average injuries.
Replaced with who? The guys I just mentioned? They have only signed 3 players. Sawamura at his +.07? He's the only RP that is a FA right now. You really cant replace dreck with dreck if the are below replacement players.

edit: 4 with Yoshida. How much does that move the needle?
 

scottyno

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Replaced with who? The guys I just mentioned? They have only signed 3 players. Sawamura at his +.07? He's the only RP that is a FA right now. You really cant replace dreck with dreck if the are below replacement players.
Dalbec and Shaw (-1.4 war) will largely become Casas.
Downs, Sanchez, and Arauz (-1.5 war) becomes Story and for now Arroyo, though I'm guessing they'll sign another solid or better middle infielder.
JBJ and Duran (-.5 war) becomes Yoshida and Kike
Plawecki (-1.1 war) for now becomes Wong, but an upgrade is still possible there
Seabold, Winck and Crawford (-1.1 war) gets replaced by Sale, Whitlock, Paxton, and a full year of Bello
Robles, Hernandez, Davis (-2.1 war) gets replaced by the relievers they already signed. Brasier also hasn't been replaced yet, but he should have a far reduced role.
 

Yo La Tengo

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As this off-season unfolds, I find myself admiring Bloom's ability to stand by his convictions. First, the "overpay" for Yoshida. It was downright Dombrowskian. Then, the furnace blast created by Xander's contract, a one-off move of desperation or ambition by the twice-scorned-Preller that shook the whole market. It would be so easy, and natural, to respond to that by scrambling to make a move in response, or go over the top in trying to attract Correa or Swanson, or at least dump on the contract as a ticking-time-bomb. Instead, Bloom is quietly waiting... and waiting... and waiting. The same approach he took in signing Story last year.

No leaks. So we wait.

Time will tell if that was the right move, but I admire the strength of his convictions.

And I really hope he's right.
 

Apisith

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As this off-season unfolds, I find myself admiring Bloom's ability to stand by his convictions. First, the "overpay" for Yoshida. It was downright Dombrowskian. Then, the furnace blast created by Xander's contract, a one-off move of desperation or ambition by the twice-scorned-Preller that shook the whole market. It would be so easy, and natural, to respond to that by scrambling to make a move in response, or go over the top in trying to attract Correa or Swanson, or at least dump on the contract as a ticking-time-bomb. Instead, Bloom is quietly waiting... and waiting... and waiting. The same approach he took in signing Story last year.

No leaks. So we wait.

Time will tell if that was the right move, but I admire the strength of his convictions.

And I really hope he's right.
I agree with this in general. Bloom knows what needs to be done to compete year-in year-out. The key mistakes that were made in not getting Mookie, Xander and Devers extended long-term aren’t solely his responsibility. Boras was never going to let Xander take another home town discount. The only one of three that I would be critical for is Devers because it feels like we’ve continually chased the market, and now there’s no incentive for Devers to take a discount.

The only time I’ve had doubts about Bloom is the last trading deadline where we didn’t buy or sell. He should have sold, should have traded away JD to get under the tax level. This would have given us better picks for losing Xander and Eovaldi, and would have made it less painful to sign a top tier free agent.

If we get lucky with injuries this year then we’ll overperform projections and Bloom gets another year or two. When we start graduating more prospects, it is imperative to get them signed up long term. If Casas and Bello are good, a deal needs to be done by next offseason.
 

Big Papi's Mango Salsa

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Does seems like a back handed way of saying don't expect us to sign a starter?
It could also just as easily be “We’re not depending on two guys whom have combined for 70ip over the past 3 years and are both 34 to provide anything of value. So be ready to start kid. We’re getting two more SPs, you’re our 5 until you show you don‘t deserve it.”

In that case you’d rather need to find two SP than three, right.

You could VERY WELL be spot on, but I choose to hope not.
 

scottyno

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Does this seem like a back handed way of saying don't expect us to sign a starter?
Without knowing a ton about how pitchers prepare in the off-season, I assume it would be much easier for a guy to go from prepping to be a starter to a reliever during spring training than vice versa. So if as of now they still aren't sure who else they're going to sign (I think it's safe to say they'll sign more pitching in some capacity, probably at least a cheap starter for depth) it seems to make more sense to have him prepping to be a starter.

It also probably makes more sense to not show your hand that you "need" to add another starter still.
 

8slim

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I’m admittedly not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but why are we trading Houck? With 2/5ths of our rotation comprised of guys who might not throw 50 innings combined do we really want to toss away a young arm who’s flashed a lot of potential?
 

chawson

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I’m admittedly not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but why are we trading Houck? With 2/5ths of our rotation comprised of guys who might not throw 50 innings combined do we really want to toss away a young arm who’s flashed a lot of potential?
My sense is that the Sox see him as a two-pitch pitcher whose fastball command took a step back this year, but he’s flashed enough as a starter that someone else believes that his pitch mix could hold up.

If someone sees him as a starter, his five years are more valuable to them than those five middle-reliever years are to us.

He also only threw 60 IP last year, so I don’t know that he could be counted on for more than 100 or so innings in the rotation. Saying he’s a starter seems like lip service. Note that they’re not saying he’s in the rotation, just that he’s preparing to be stretched out. He doesn’t project ahead of Sale, Whitlock, Bello, Paxton or Pivetta right now, and the Sox are reportedly still looking to add there.
 

8slim

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My sense is that the Sox see him as a two-pitch pitcher whose fastball command took a step back this year, but he’s flashed enough as a starter that someone else believes that his pitch mix could hold up.

If someone sees him as a starter, his five years are more valuable to them than those five middle-reliever years are to us.

He also only threw 60 IP last year, so I don’t know that he could be counted on for more than 100 or so innings in the rotation. Saying he’s a starter seems like lip service. Note that they’re not saying he’s in the rotation, just that he’s preparing to be stretched out. He doesn’t project ahead of Sale, Whitlock, Bello, Paxton or Pivetta right now, and the Sox are reportedly still looking to add there.
Appreciate the thoughtful reply!
 

jon abbey

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As a Yankee fan, I would be happy to see Houck's arm go elsewhere. I agree that his ideal role is unclear, though.
 

jon abbey

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You don't have to do that, you know. I thought about saying 'out of the division' but do I really need to add that? Do you really think that Bloom is going to move a top-level pre-arb arm who would love nothing more than to prove he could go a third time through the lineup to the Rays of all teams, or anywhere in the division if there is any other option (and of course there would be)?
 

chawson

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Appreciate the thoughtful reply!
And I could be wrong! This FO is hard to guess at. But I see him as one of the team’s better trade chips right now, and the way this team looks at this point in the offseason, it seems we’ll be active there.
 

DeadlySplitter

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Not exactly 2023, but I think since a team will probably need one of these gigantic, high-length lower-AAV contracts to contend going forward, but you can't really do more than one in every what, 5 years? More? Depending on the CBA? And now teams have given these out like candy to Judge, Correa, X, Turner, etc.

But you also need ideally the right mix of age, low injury risk and projectability, which is where all the names I just mentioned have some huge risks in at least one of those areas, minus maybe Turner. One or more of these deals should sour very, very quickly, just based on law of averages.

In conclusion, I'm thinking I'm more and more OK with waiting out 2023-24 being bridge years, see where Casas, Bello, Yorke, and Mayer are (and if you're lucky, Devers)... and then splurge on Mr. Juan Soto that offseason. High OBP is one of the most stable indicators of future performance, and we just saw Chaim go big on Yoshida. Why not bide our time at this point?
 

Petagine in a Bottle

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Well, maybe the Sox can trade for Brandon Crawford now? Owed $16M, coming off a 231/308/344 season, but 298/373/522 the year before. He is 35, and is a 10/5 guy, but seems like he should be available and could be an ok stopgap measure.
 

chawson

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There’s still a few ways to go at shortstop, but as it stands I’d be pretty disappointed with a veteran stopgap like Iglesias, Andrus, Rojas or Crawford. If we’re not projected to contend, I’d rather give a shot to someone with upside (Arroyo, Mondesi) or someone young enough that we might try to keep him around for a bit (Adames, Kim, Rosario).

The next target for me is Adames. Bloom knows him well from Tampa. He seems like a great Fenway hitter and a very good fielder, and his two years of control fits perfectly with the Mayer timeline. The question would be whether we’d need to take back Yelich in that deal, and whether Yelich’s contract is so unwieldy that we’d start talking Woodruff too, and that deal seems very big and complicated.
 
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Petagine in a Bottle

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I get that we are running out of things to hope for, but how much of Yelich’s $160M remaining contract do we think the Sox would be willing to take on, just to get two years of Adames, who will likely require a Swanson / Boagerts type deal after that? Sox don’t seem likely to be a true contender in those two years so I’d be really hesitant to take on a significant portion of Yelich’s deal.
 

mr_smith02

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There’s still a few ways to go at shortstop, but as it stands I’d be pretty disappointed with a veteran stopgap like Iglesias, Andrus, Rojas or Crawford. If we’re not projected to contend, I’d rather give a shot to someone with upside (Arroyo, Mondesi) or someone young enough that we might try to keep him around for a bit (Adames, Kim, Rosario).

The next target for me is Adames. Bloom knows him well from Tampa. He seems like a great Fenway hitter and a very good fielder, and his two years of control fits perfectly with the Mayer timeline. The question would be whether we’d need to take back Yelich in that deal, and whether Yelich’s contract is so unwieldy that we’d start talking Woodruff too, and that deal seems very big and complicated.
I have seen all the posts explaining the reasons why Trevor Story should not be moved over to shortstop, but as each available shortstop signs somewhere else it is becoming more and more clear that Bloom and others intend to move Story to that spot...it was their backup plan for Xander leaving all along, IMO. This organization made its long-term SS deal last offseason and I think we need to get comfortable with that.
 
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I really hope that Bloom has inquired about Javier Baez. It seems like what this roster really needs right now in the post-Xander era is:

1. Right-handed power (check)
2. Plus defense at shortstop that keeps Story at 2B (check)
3. Someone who will not require an overpay in years (check)
4. Someone who will not require an overpay in controllable talent (I have to imagine Detroit would like to unload the dollars)
5. Someone with the tools to succeed at 3B with the future of Devers unknown and Mayer looming at SS (check)

I had posted earlier in another thread that Gregory Soto might be a good target to offset Baez's salary.
 

johnnywayback

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There’s still a few ways to go at shortstop, but as it stands I’d be pretty disappointed with a veteran stopgap like Iglesias, Andrus, Rojas or Crawford. If we’re not projected to contend, I’d rather give a shot to someone with upside (Arroyo, Mondesi) or someone young enough that we might try to keep him around for a bit (Adames, Kim, Rosario).

The next target for me is Adames. Bloom knows him well from Tampa. He seems like a great Fenway hitter and a very good fielder, and his two years of control fits perfectly with the Mayer timeline. The question would be whether we’d need to take back Yelich in that deal, and whether Yelich’s contract is so unwieldy that we’d start talking Woodruff too, and that deal seems very big and complicated.
BaseballTradeValues.com thinks it would take $26 million to square up a Houck/Rafaela for Adames/Burnes/Yelich deal, which I'd do in half a heartbeat if I were the Sox, but I can't imagine the Brewers being interested.
 

simplicio

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I have seen all the posts explaining the reasons why Trevor Story should not be moved over to shortstop, but as each available shortstop signs somewhere else it is becoming more and more clear that Bloom and others intend to move Story to that spot...it was their backup plan for Xander leaving all along, IMO. This organization made its long-term SS deal last offseason and I think we need to get comfortable with that.
Think so? Cause occam's razor suggest that each shortstop signing elsewhere just means that the Sox don't want to pay eleventy billion dollars for 72 years of a SS when they have Mayer coming up and shorter term deals still available.
 

chawson

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I get that we are running out of things to hope for, but how much of Yelich’s $160M remaining contract do we think the Sox would be willing to take on, just to get two years of Adames, who will likely require a Swanson / Boagerts type deal after that? Sox don’t seem likely to be a true contender in those two years so I’d be really hesitant to take on a significant portion of Yelich’s deal.
I agree, you'd really have to think long and hard about committing $26M AAV to a guy like Yelich for six years instead of this winter's alternatives.

On the other hand, a lot of Yelich's advanced metrics seem intact, like the plate discipline and hard hit rates, and with the number of hard grounders he pulls you'd have to think he'd get a solid boost from the shift ban.

As for Adames, here's how he stacks up against the big four shortstops since his trade to Milwaukee on May 21, 2021 (which would be an arbitrary date except for the well publicized vision issues Adames had in Tampa):

TT, age 30: .367 wOBA (.335 expected wOBA), 135 wRC+, 0 DRS
CC, age 28: .363 wOBA (.363 expected wOBA), 136 wRC+, +23 DRS
XB, age 30: .366 wOBA (.323 expected wOBA), 132 wRC+, 0 DRS
WA, age 27: .336 wOBA (.323 expected wOBA), 114 wRC+, +10 DRS
DS, age 29: .330 wOBA (.337 expected wOBA), 107 wRC+, +2 DRS

Adames obviously isn't the best of that group, but he's probably not the worst either. In this market, his age 27-28 seasons are easily worth $60M, a roughly $35-40M surplus over his arb2 ($9M) and arb3 salaries.

Leaving aside Woodruff entirely, if it were something like Adames and Yelich (with Milwaukee paying exactly half his salary, so 6/$78) for Verdugo and Houck, I'd be pretty interested.
 
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CreightonGubanich

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I have seen all the posts explaining the reasons why Trevor Story should not be moved over to shortstop, but as each available shortstop signs somewhere else it is becoming more and more clear that Bloom and others intend to move Story to that spot...it was their backup plan for Xander leaving all along, IMO. This organization made its long-term SS deal last offseason and I think we need to get comfortable with that.
I don't disagree that that is likely the plan. I'm agnostic about moving Story back to short in a vacuum. I get the arm strength concerns, and they may well be prohibitive, but I'm also a bit skeptical that his decreased arm strength would really cost them a material number of runs over the course of a season. But in context, the broader issue is that it is a legitimate question mark -- you're creating a potential problem where none exists with respect to his defense at second base, where he's been stellar. And you're doing so just to create a gaping hole at second. Most of the candidates discussed to fill the second base spot seem just as easy to plug at short and leave Story where he is.
 

Max Power

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I get that we are running out of things to hope for, but how much of Yelich’s $160M remaining contract do we think the Sox would be willing to take on, just to get two years of Adames, who will likely require a Swanson / Boagerts type deal after that? Sox don’t seem likely to be a true contender in those two years so I’d be really hesitant to take on a significant portion of Yelich’s deal.
Is there any indication the Brewers want to cut salary? It seems like they want to compete, and trading away their starting shortstop and right fielder isn't going to help that. Yelich might not be a great player anymore, but he's still okay, and moving him would open up a hole they'd have to fill somehow.

On the Red Sox side, I don't see how getting yet another lefty outfielder helps. The team really needs a righty hitter who can play Fenway's huge right field. I don't know who that person is, though.
 

chawson

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Is there any indication the Brewers want to cut salary? It seems like they want to compete, and trading away their starting shortstop and right fielder isn't going to help that. Yelich might not be a great player anymore, but he's still okay, and moving him would open up a hole they'd have to fill somehow.

On the Red Sox side, I don't see how getting yet another lefty outfielder helps. The team really needs a righty hitter who can play Fenway's huge right field. I don't know who that person is, though.
Kind of, yes. They traded Renfroe for a bag of stuff, and waived/nontendered some useful arms in Gott, Suter (a fan favorite) and Gustave. But they seem to typically want to shed salary.
 

Jack Rabbit Slim

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You're also inviting the potential of arm injury unnecessarily by moving him back.
I am no doctor, but why would this be true? How is throwing from 2B on a double play any less of an injury risk than throwing from SS?

It seems to me his throwing velocity dropped either from a physical limitation due to the injury or because of a change in mechanics in order to protect his elbow from re-injury. As long as he didn't try to go back and throw 90mph there isn't additional injury risk of moving back to SS.
 

mr_smith02

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Think so? Cause occam's razor suggest that each shortstop signing elsewhere just means that the Sox don't want to pay eleventy billion dollars for 72 years of a SS when they have Mayer coming up and shorter term deals still available.
IMO, if Story had been on the market this offseason, after the Sox lost Xander to free agency, many here would be more than satisfied with Bloom inking Story to a deal at SS. I may end up being completely wrong, but I am preparing to see Story staring at SS in 2023.
 
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Big Papi's Mango Salsa

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IMO, if Story had been on the market this offseason, after the Sox lost Xander to free agency, many here would be more than satisfied with Bloom inking Story to a deal at SS. I may end up being completely wrong, but I am preparing to see Story staring at SS in 2023.
Story was a good add to play 2b alongside a gifted offensive shortstop. I've spent plenty of time complaining about Bloom's moves or lack thereof, but signing Trevor Story to play 2b is not one of them.

HOWEVER, I also agree he's likely headed to SS - and agree that letting Bogaerts go and moving Story over to SS was "the plan" all along. Of course, the second base options are a slightly above average player in Jean Segura and a bunch of suck. Sure, maybe Story at SS and Segura at 2b (or Story at 2b and Andrus at SS) was "the plan" all along, and that's a terrible plan if your goal is to win championships - which I thought it was.

Trevor Story at 2b with Bogaerts (or Correa, or Turner) at SS I think makes a TON of sense in the short term and long term (and either said SS or Mayer change position IF Mayer is what we hope).

Trevor Story at one MI spot with Jean Segura or Elvis Andrus at the other is horrible in the short term (if winning championships is your goal) and makes "rebounding" if Mayer ends up NOT being what we hope a heck of a lot more difficult.
 
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E5 Yaz

Transcends message boarding
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Apr 25, 2002
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Actually it seems as if the Dodgers are trying to reset their tax rate this year, and they have the potential Bauer payment still hanging over them.
I'm thinking the Dodgers have their eye on Ohtani a year from now
 

The Gray Eagle

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Aug 1, 2001
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There's been little mention anywhere of a RH free agent infielder who had an .812 OPS last year with 28 HR:

Brandon Drury:
Last year: .263/.320/.492 in 568 PA, .812 OPS, 122 OPS+, 28 HR, .350 wOBA 123 RC, 3 WAR

Defense:
1B 2022: 30 games, 221 innings, -3.9 UZR/150
2B 2022: 27 games, 190 innings, 7.4 UZR/150
3B 2022: 67 games, 513 innings, -2.0 UZR/150
Career is pretty close to average at all 3 positions.

Against LHP: .299/.329/.626 with a .327 ISO, .344 BABIP, .403 wOBA and a 160 wRC+.
Against RHP: .248/.317/.439.

There's talk about how his numbers were boosted by the Reds home park, but they were also hurt by playing in the Padres home park. Overall, he was still a solid hitter on the road, with half his HRs away from home.
Home, 310 PA: .275/.336/.497 14 HR
Road, 258 PA: .248/.302/.487 14 HR

MLB trade rumors projected 2 years at $9 million a year for him, but he has had to take minor league contracts each of the past 2 seasons.

One question about him is what the heck happened to him when he was with Toronto? He's been a good hitter for his career, except 2018 through 2020, when he was horrible. Injuries maybe?
Otherwise, he seems to check a lot of boxes for the Red Sox.