redsox 2021 2022 off season thread

[Vatahala]

The Sox have agreed to sign 41 year old Milton native Rich Hill to a 1 year deal. Sox also resigned catcher Kevin Plawecki to a 1 year deal,

 

[captain insano]

The Sox have agreed to sign 41 year old Milton native Rich Hill to a year deal. Sox also resigned catcher Kevin Plawecki to a 1 year deal,

And they traded renfroe to the brewers for jackie bradly jr. Shoot me now.

 

[Vatahala]

And they traded renfroe to the brewers for jackie bradly jr. Shoot me now.

Sox also get 2 infielders that were rated in the top 20 Brewers prospects. Middle infielder David Hamilton (24) an 8th round pick out of U of Texas had 52 stolen bases while hitting .259 at Single and Double A. Alex Binelas (21) was a 3rd round pick in 2020 out of U of Louisville. Binelas was seen as a1st round talent until a down final college year. He played mostly 3rd base but is projected to play first or left field. He hit .314 in Single A with 9 homeruns in 132 at bats.

 

[borg]

Folks better recalibrate their core perceptions of how baseball teams should be constructed.
The Mets, utilizing the NY Yankee's 1990's team assembly strategy, just locked in a once every five day pitcher for $43.33 mill per year...that's 1/5 of their salary cap at a position that has been aggressively devalued in MLB
The Angels continue on a top heavy strategy with no playoff appearances since 2014 while no budget division foe Oakland plays in the post season 50% of the time.
Then there's the Rays

I absolutely endorse the Sox's new approach that values flexibility in this new mix and match era.
To think how much money the team has pissed away on garbage and/or injured high priced vets whose game day availability is too often in question, not to mention the roller coaster 1st to last swings in divisional standings.

Deploying Tampa metrics while having double the payroll to execute this strategy should pay dividends short and long term.
Minimizing/not having to eat tens of millions on horrendous, team crippling, long term contracts (Fat Panda, David Price, Allen Craig, Rusney Castillo, Pedroia etc etc etc) clearly is an organizational objective, as it should be.
Having money to burn doesn't mean you burn it.

Rooting for "no names" in this new mix and match baseball environment kind of sucks, I get it.
But listening to the Fenway crowd roar non stop in the playoffs as Chaim's computer generated roster gelled at the right time should give us all faith Chaim has a handle on this new stat driven era in baseball.
And the holes in this past season's roster that were problematic are now being addressed thanks to minimal dead money obligations that limited Chaim's options last off season.
At the same time, the farm is getting rebuilt and more trade chips are arriving every day.

If I owned a team, this would be my approach.
Then again, I'm a cheap bastard

 

[Patsfan1958]

And they traded renfroe to the brewers for jackie bradly jr. Shoot me now.

Brewers beat lockout deadline by sending Jackie Bradley Jr. back to Boston with two prospects for rightfielder Hunter Renfroe

Stearns confirmed that no money was going to Boston, meaning the Red Sox would pick up the minimum $17.5 million left on Bradley's contract. Renfroe is projected to make about $7.5 million in arbitration this season, with one more year left in that process.
While Bradley did play his trademark standout defense, being named a finalist for the Rawlings Gold Glove Award in center, he finished the season as the worst qualifying hitter in the majors by slashing .163/6/29/.497 in 134 games with 132 strikeouts in 428 plate appearances.


Let's hope the 2 minor leaguers work out for them.

 

[borg]

Forgot to add........

The Sox defense was dreadful in 2021 and by several metrics the worst in MLB.

Former Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez is supposedly spouting off now about the challenges Sox pitchers dealt with playing in front the feeble Sox defense, with arguably the worst defensive left side of any infield in a baseball, first basemen who can't play the position, and an erratic outfield that often looked lost.

Which gets me to the conundrum Chaim faces looking forward.

Devers is soon due huge money but can't field/throw.
Bogaerts can opt after 2022 and his fielding has so deteriorated it is a major issue for this team.

In an ideal world of seamless transitions and selfless team first sacrifices, moving Devers to first or even better DH and shifting Boegarts to 2nd base would certainly tighten up Boston's infield defense immensely assuming Chaim could find reliable replacements to fill the left side of the Sox infield.
Unfortunately, such moves would diminish Devers and Bogaerts future earning power and its reasonable to assume both would vigorously resist.
One could argue these predicaments weigh heavy on Boston's ability to make long term commitments with these two players and with quality free agents who would require significant money and years.
Boston's third core bat, JD Martinez, also comes off the books after 2022.

Many of these recent short term signings are likely influenced by the future uncertainty of these three key bats, Martinez, Boegarts, and Devers.... none of whom can field worth a lick.
One would hope Chaim can ultimately field a team with core players well suited to their positions.
Dare to dream

 

[captain stone]

bargain basement shopping

Hey now buying the Sh!tsdirt Cindy Crosbys ain't cheap; the money's gotta come from somewhere ya know...

 

[captain stone]

I absolutely endorse the Sox's new approach that values flexibility in this new mix and match era.
To think how much money the team has pissed away on garbage and/or injured high priced vets whose game day availability is too often in question, not to mention the roller coaster 1st to last swings in divisional standings.

Well they're gonna finish 4th/5 next year anyway, so...

 

[borg]

Well they're gonna finish 4th/5 next year anyway, so...

Regardless, I won't be watching unless it's condensed into 60 seconds the next morning.
Baseball is simply an excuse to sell tickets to a six hour food court

Oddly, I love the business of baseball & the stats of baseball.
The game itself..... insufferable.

The Sox used to be my #1 passion....but the money ball philosophies killed it for me. Batters standing in the box waiting for walks, 4 hour marathons of inaction and commercials.......and fecking Dice K, the gutless nibbler

Truthfully, attending NFL games is not much better. The incessant stoppages for TV timeouts has ruined that fan experience as well.

 

[captain insano]

Sox also get 2 infielders that were rated in the top 20 Brewers prospects. Middle infielder David Hamilton (24) an 8th round pick out of U of Texas had 52 stolen bases while hitting .259 at Single and Double A. Alex Binelas (21) was a 3rd round pick in 2020 out of U of Louisville. Binelas was seen as a1st round talent until a down final college year. He played mostly 3rd base but is projected to play first or left field. He hit .314 in Single A with 9 homeruns in 132 at bats.

You love those unproven prospects. This trade does nothing to help the team compete next year. It does the opposite. Bradley absolutely blows.

 

[oldrover]

Last year, Jackie Bradley had the tenth worst season of any MLB player... since 1920.

 

[Vatahala]

You love those unproven prospects. This trade does nothing to help the team compete next year. It does the opposite. Bradley absolutely blows.

Its not that I love unproven prospects its just I like to know the complete trade information.

 

[captain insano]

Its not that I love unproven prospects its just I like to know the complete trade information.

Do you like the trade?

 

[Vatahala]

Do you like the trade?

Not today, too much money owed to a .169 hitter. I loved Renfro because he out performed Mookie Betts for 1/10 the cost. However that can change with a successful prospect.

 

[captain insano]

Not today, too much money owed to a .169 hitter. I loved Renfro because he out performed Mookie Betts for 1/10 the cost. However that can change with a successful prospect.

its a real head scratcher. i would like the trade more if it was just for prospects.

 

[captain insano]

Last year, Jackie Bradley had the tenth worst season of any MLB player... since 1920.

View attachment 38261

i cant believe hes still on a major league roster.

 

[TomPatriot]

Regardless, I won't be watching unless it's condensed into 60 seconds the next morning.
Baseball is simply an excuse to sell tickets to a six hour food court

Oddly, I love the business of baseball & the stats of baseball.
The game itself..... insufferable.

The Sox used to be my #1 passion....but the money ball philosophies killed it for me. Batters standing in the box waiting for walks, 4 hour marathons of inaction and commercials.......and fecking Dice K, the gutless nibbler

Truthfully, attending NFL games is not much better. The incessant stoppages for TV timeouts has ruined that fan experience as well.

Almost all entertainment has become insufferable - volume has replaced quality as the primary profit vehicle in late stage capitalism.

 

[Steve102]

Hunter Renfroe for JBJ.

 

[upstater1]

The Brewers essentially got out of a bad contract by giving the Sox a top prospect, and the Sox believe they can get Bradley back into serviceability. It's a risky trade, but given the fact that Renfroe was going to double his contract, it makes sense.

 

[BTTA]

The Brewers essentially got out of a bad contract by giving the Sox a top prospect, and the Sox believe they can get Bradley back into serviceability. It's a risky trade, but given the fact that Renfroe was going to double his contract, it makes sense.

Forgot to add........

The Sox defense was dreadful in 2021 and by several metrics the worst in MLB.

Former Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez is supposedly spouting off now about the challenges Sox pitchers dealt with playing in front the feeble Sox defense, with arguably the worst defensive left side of any infield in a baseball, first basemen who can't play the position, and an erratic outfield that often looked lost.

Which gets me to the conundrum Chaim faces looking forward.

Devers is soon due huge money but can't field/throw.
Bogaerts can opt after 2022 and his fielding has so deteriorated it is a major issue for this team.

In an ideal world of seamless transitions and selfless team first sacrifices, moving Devers to first or even better DH and shifting Boegarts to 2nd base would certainly tighten up Boston's infield defense immensely assuming Chaim could find reliable replacements to fill the left side of the Sox infield.
Unfortunately, such moves would diminish Devers and Bogaerts future earning power and its reasonable to assume both would vigorously resist.
One could argue these predicaments weigh heavy on Boston's ability to make long term commitments with these two players and with quality free agents who would require significant money and years.
Boston's third core bat, JD Martinez, also comes off the books after 2022.

Many of these recent short term signings are likely influenced by the future uncertainty of these three key bats, Martinez, Boegarts, and Devers.... none of whom can field worth a lick.
One would hope Chaim can ultimately field a team with core players well suited to their positions.
Dare to dream

Bradley to CF with a batting rehabilitation.
CF moves to SS
SS moves to 2ND base
3rd base to 1st base.
1st basemen to DH.
Trade current DH for 3rd baseman once new deal with players opens up DH in national league.
Defensive problems solved.