Blooms moves or lack thereof

[Sea Dog 23]

Mongo, I think this move is right in Bloom’s frightful wheelhouse.  Have mercy!  He got the OF before it became a calamity.  Now he has time to maybe shop Verdugo for a pitcher.  And he has time to get a SS on a cheap 1 year deal (a Josh Harrison special) and put Duvall in RF since his range and arm strength really don’t fit a CF at Fenway.

You’re right, trading Renfroe was a body blow to a good year.  Bloom hasn’t done anything to gain on the AL East teams considering the O’s are bringing up some great prospects this year.  Their 2023 will be what we’re hoping for in 2024 with our farm hands.

[MongoLikeSox]

Everywhere I look I see an Orioles' prospect listed high at their position.

It's going to be interesting to see how well or poorly Jay Groome, Dawrinzon Hernandez and Conner Seabold do with their new teams' pitching development. Especially DH, as that's what the Orioles did so well at last year - take and remake bullpen castoffs.

[Sea Dog 23]

Apparently Sox made a deal for OF depth last night, Raimel Tapia, former Jays, posted on his Instagram.  He became really pesty playing at Fenway.

Tapia hit .265 with 30 extra-base hits including seven home runs, 52 RBIs and a .672 OPS in 128 games last season.
Much of his production came at Fenway Park, where he seemed to temporarily transform into a star. Tapia hit .300 (9-for-30) with a double, triple, two home runs, 12 RBIs and a .900 OPS in his new home ballpark last year.

This move lends credence to Kike’ to SS.  And they already signed Greg Allen earlier for OF depth.  Some are saying Duran could get a look at 2B again in the spring.

[MongoLikeSox]

It took that idiot 4 years, but he finally assembled a complete MLB outfield including reserves and further depth. It's not going to be a celebrated OF, but it should be functional. Now please, for the love of <insert chosen deity here>, please detach your OF obsession and focus on the problem at hand. A super-sub MI ain't gonna cut it.

Is Tapia a MLB or Minor League deal?

I don't get why he was DFA'd by the Jays in November. Non-tendered, maybe, just as a money move. He had one year of arbitration left.

Low power contact hitter type. Just looking at his stats. He mostly started for 3 years for the Rockies. Had 9 and 10 triples for 2 consecutive years in the Minors and stole 20 bags in 2021. Average K-rate. Lots of LF overall, but did fill in for Springer 38 games in CF last year. His worst BA year was last year at .265 is not horrible, but this is an OPS world and he forgot how to take BB's.

I would suggest something is brewing if this was a normal, professional front office.

[elktonnick]

Your points are well made
But Bloom has assembled a team largely of broken toys. The most important members of the non playing staff will be the medical team.  Given past experience most of the starting team is likely to spend more time on the IL than the playing field.

[Sea Dog 23]

The Sox roster  is starting to take shape. But it is a little like the trade deadline in 22 - it comes up a bit short again of finishing.  I think it’s obvious that 23 is another bridge year, especially based on the length of contracts other than Devers and Yoshida.  Dancing around the tax line is artful to accountants, but for baseball people, the team hasn’t improved very much to really compete.

Devers +10
Yoshida 5
Jansen 2
Martin 2
Kike’ 1 (2nd of 2 yr)
Turner 1 + a buyout year
Kluber 1 and option
Joely 1  and arb year
Sale 1 left??
Mills pre-arb
McGuire 3 arbs

[MongoLikeSox]

A small bit of silver lining satisfaction for me is that I have spent a few years bitching about they kept going rock bottom with FA's instead of going the very serviceable route when such alternatives existed in the open market.

I hope we add one more solid middle infielder.

Sea Dog 23 - I'll always contend that 2021 was as much of a disaster for Bloom's rebuild agenda as the 2022 trade deadline. It was a much better pill to swallow, of course. Not being able to trade pieces because you're winning is fun.

[elktonnick]

Kudos to Bloom.  He has built a solid last place club. 

[Sea Dog 23]

This looks like a AAA depth move at Wooster. Sox sign lefty reliever Ryan Sherriff, 1.51 WHIP,  5.52 era in 2021 with Rays.  Last year at Philly, out with shoulder, then DFAd. Also in turn, this weekend Rays signed our alums Colton Brewer and Alan Hembree. Twiddle dee, twiddle dum.

[Sea Dog 23]

The Sox may have addressed the INF depth, trading P Josh Yaylor to KC for Raul Mondesi.  But yet another player coming off a major injury.  The trade could be cancelled if Taylor’s medical shows his chronic shoulder problems.

The Boston Red Sox acquired shortstop Adalberto Mondesi from the Kansas City Royals for left-handed reliever Josh Taylor on Tuesday, providing middle-infield depth to buttress losses this winter to free agency and injury.

The Red Sox also will be receiving a player to be named or cash considerations as part of the deal.

The 27-year-old Mondesi, whose star-level tools made him a top prospect but whose inability to stay healthy has limited him to 358 games in seven seasons, is recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee.

[MongoLikeSox]

Can't that Bloom guy fill a hole without making another hole bigger? We've got exactly and precisely one - as on the number 1 - LH bullpen guy. I think a 2nd, Sheriff is invited, and could make the team if he does something strange like pitch decently.

If his back is fixed, they are gonna love what Taylor can do. Good for them.

[Sea Dog 23]

Can't that Bloom guy fill a hole without making another hole bigger? We've got exactly and precisely one - as on the number 1 - LH bullpen guy. I think a 2nd, Sheriff is invited, and could make the team if he does something strange like pitch decently.

If his back is fixed, they are gonna love what Taylor can do. Good for them.

Also today Bloom DFAd Matt Barnes.  I can’t quite translate what I just typed.  The world of a Blooming idiot.  He recently extended Barnes 2/$15 million.  I guess he needs a 40 space for another acquisition.  Maybe they want to sign some Sale insurance like Wacha. 

[markj]

Can't that Bloom guy fill a hole without making another hole bigger? We've got exactly and precisely one - as on the number 1 - LH bullpen guy. I think a 2nd, Sheriff is invited, and could make the team if he does something strange like pitch decently.

If his back is fixed, they are gonna love what Taylor can do. Good for them.

Also today Bloom DFAd Matt Barnes.  I can’t quite translate what I just typed.  The world of a Blooming idiot.  He recently extended Barnes 2/$15 million.  I guess he needs a 40 space for another acquisition.  Maybe they want to sign some Sale insurance like Wacha. 

Barnes had a once-in-a-career hot spell for a few weeks, so that bought him the $15mil extension. He fooled Bloom for sure. But I can't say I'm sad to see him gone, if he stays gone.

[elktonnick]

Those of us who followed Barnes closely could never understand why the Sox front office was so enamored of the guy.  Barnes simply never learned how to pitch properly despite his great stuff and 97  mph fastball. He would drive guys who know pitching like Dennis Eckersley crazy with his pitch sequencing.  Barnes 's problem is between his ears.  If he is in the right environment with the right catcher, he would   do okay.  But a closer he isn't.

[Sea Dog 23]

saw a graphic on Barnes’ spin rate over last four years. From a high in 2020, the results have plummeted in the last two years, as well as the velocity.  Bloom is holding onto Brasier, for the time being, he doesn’t have the spin either, but he can find the zone.  More important, Barnes is costing $7.5 and Brasier $2m.

As far as lefties, Sox have inquired about Zach Britain.  Also lefties Brandon Walter and Chris Murphy are available from AAA. Lefty Mesquita in AA, has an invite as NIL for spring camp.