Offseason moves starting

[elktonnick]

I know it is my irrational fears but I really do not see Bloom making any significant moves or signings that will improve the Red Sox in 23. In fact I believe the club will not win 75 games next year.  I hope I am wrong.

[longgame]

Leads me to think they will put big money on BP and elite closer.

Okay, where is the real Sea Dog and what have you done to him?

[Sea Dog 23]

The Sox are really in bad shape â€" today.  This Bloom character has $120mil to buy some new shiny objects, yes.  But it will be two seasons away before they can at least compete for a ALDS.  Just too many holes to fill in one off-season.

I looked at one site’s depth chart today.  Our SS is Downs.  The 1B is Hosmer.  Catcher, McGuire.  CF, KHernandez, RF Refsnyder.  Adding to those weaknesses,  the #2 players at those positions are mostly AA players with not much experience.  Casas could be a godsend.  Guys,  keep the home fires burning as we take a ride on the Bloom Bus to parts unknown.

[elktonnick]

As I look over the 40 man roster and the numerous holes throughout the starting lineup I have visions of the 1963 Red Sox lineup.  Unless or until Bloom demonstrates some dynamic moves this team is going to be in a long term slump.  We could see several years of Pittsburgh Pirates type of performance.

[SeaBeachFred]

The Sox are really in bad shape â€" today.  This Bloom character has $120mil to buy some new shiny objects, yes.  But it will be two seasons away before they can at least compete for a ALDS.  Just too many holes to fill in one off-season.

I looked at one site’s depth chart today.  Our SS is Downs.  The 1B is Hosmer.  Catcher, McGuire.  CF, KHernandez, RF Refsnyder.  Adding to those weaknesses,  the #2 players at those positions are mostly AA players with not much experience.  Casas could be a godsend.  Guys,  keep the home fires burning as we take a ride on the Bloom Bus to parts unknown.

Downs??????  That is about as bad as Cordero, two turds in a pot.  Can you imagine the errors and strikeout looming on the horizon with bums like these two in our lineup?????  My God, have we fallen even farther down the hole than even I thought we had?

[Sea Dog 23]

Tonight is the deadline for MLB teams to announce their non-tender list.

Expected to deal in arb with Devers, Verdugo, Arroyo, McGuire, Pivetta.
Those who are non-tendered could be Cordero, Josh Taylor, Brasier, Chang.  Those four represent about $5mil in total salary.  So what value do they bring?  Taylor may have something to bring with the shortage of lefties in the pen.  But can he get healthy?

[SeaBeachFred]

Tonight is the deadline for MLB teams to announce their non-tender list.

Expected to deal in arb with Devers, Verdugo, Arroyo, McGuire, Pivetta.
Those who are non-tendered could be Cordero, Josh Taylor, Brasier, Chang.  Those four represent about $5mil in total salary.  So what value do they bring?  Taylor may have something to bring with the shortage of lefties in the pen.  But can he get healthy?

Cordero NOT tendered?????????????  I'll believe it when I see it.  The way Bloomer Boy lauds that guy you would think he is the best thing that's happened to baseball since the bat.   Look guys, on bostonredsoxforums.forums last fall I predicted that Bloomer Boy would trade to get Jacie Bradley back and got kidded about it.  Well we all know how that turned out so I am never surprised when our front office barfs on themselves.  Cordero should be non tendered and sent packing but I still somehow believe he will be back to pollute our lineup just as Bradley did last season and for many seasons before that.  But at least JBJ could field real well; French Fry couldn't field in the outfield and was outright pathetic at first base.  But I really hope they go through with it and send him out of Boston.

[Sea Dog 23]

Well they cut the chord.  Free at last.

Cotillo:
Source: Red Sox have non-tendered Franchy Cordero. He is a free agent.
Those that were tendered, who were on thin ice, were Brasier (getting $2.1mil) and Josh Taylor (gets $1.1mil.

From this small sample Bloom would seem to value pitching.

[SeaBeachFred]

Well they cut the chord.  Free at last.

Cotillo:
Source: Red Sox have non-tendered Franchy Cordero. He is a free agent.
Those that were tendered, who were on thin ice, were Brasier (getting $2.1mil) and Josh Taylor (gets $1.1mil.

From this small sample Bloom would seem to value pitching.

Just saw it on MLB Tonight on the tube.  Oh happy day!!!!!!  I really didn't think it would happen since I have kept hearing how Bloomer Boy keeps talking up Frenchy as a real comer despite failing with the Royals and Padres before we got stuck with the bum.  I hope they don't change their minds on him as they did with Bradley last winter.  How did that turn out.  Speaking of Bradley we are not out of the woods on him either.  Toronto signed him for a pittance and are not responsible for him now but the Red Sox have to pay him for one more year guaranteed and an option for 2024.   They might stupidly come to the conclusion that since they have to pay him they might as well  take him back---and we all know what that would mean.  I sure hope that doesn't happen. Anyway not Cordero and good riddance.

[Sea Dog 23]

A listing of the arb-eligible players not tendered is out.  Sox will pass on Bellinger, Dominic Smith, Anderson (Marlins). Having studied Bloom for three years, I see three players he will see real VALUE in signing.  Maybe 2 of the 3 will see Fenway.

Jorge Alfaro, C
While Red Sox could roll with a Reese McGuire-Connor Wong tandem, nothing is etched in stone, leaving the door open for an external addition via free agency or trade. Old friend Christian Vázquez is one option. Or Boston could splurge for someone like Willson Contreras or Sean Murphy. But Alfaro’s availability adds another door behind which the Red Sox can peek. The 29-year-old, most recently of the San Diego Padres, has offensive potential â€" which he showed in 2019 when he hit 18 home runs with 57 RBIs in 130 games (465 plate appearances) â€" despite never matching his top-100 prospect pedigree.

Alex Reyes, RHP
Reyes, once ranked the game’s No. 1 prospect by Baseball Prospectus thanks to triple-digit heat and a devastating curveball, just hasn’t been able to stay on the mound, with various injuries/surgeries limiting him to 101 career major league appearances (145 innings) since 2016. He missed all of 2022 after undergoing shoulder surgery in May. Yet, he’s a totally defensible reclamation project based on his raw stuff and the promise he’s shown even in limited action. Reyes, who will turn 29 in August, was an All-Star in 2021, a season in which he saved 29 games for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Ryan Yarbrough, LHP
Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom is familiar with Yarbrough from their time together with the Tampa Bay Rays. That alone makes him worth mentioning, even as his numbers have spiraled over the past two seasons while continuing to serve as a bulk reliever. The lefty, who will turn 31 on New Year’s Eve, had a decent run from 2018 through 2020, posting a 3.94 ERA, a 3.87 FIP and a 1.15 WHIP in that stretch thanks to very good strike throwing and a propensity for inducing weak contact.

[SeaBeachFred]

Don't get your hopes raised even a notch but I heard something yesterday on MLB Tonight where the three hosts were predicting where the top free agents were going to land, and one of these so-called "experts, formerly the GM of the Colorado Rockies back over a decade ago who was there when they won their only league title, predicted that Trey Turner would wind up with the Red Sox.  I didn't know whether to throw some thing at my TV set or throw up.  This guy is supposed to be knowledgeable but must have just had a bad day.  Frankly I cannot see any real top notch free agent coming to our team as long as that cheap bastard of an owner keeps holding onto his wallet.  Would love to be very wrong on that but do any of you out there really think we are going to go on a real spending spree for some real talent this off season instead of our usual diving in the dumpster for miserable players?

[Sea Dog 23]

Fred, I’ve seen a lot of really dyed-in-the-wool Sox fans think Bloom will corral one of Bogey/Devers, not both.  To drop both would cause a near fan revolt.  I think he puts $30mil in Devers pocket and lets Bogey walk. That gives him $150mil to find pitchers and an OF or two. There is a soft landing at SS.  He can put Story there for one year, and hope that the crown prince Marcelo Mayer arrives for SS sometime in 2024.  Maybe he signs a journeyman FA to help out at SS/2B, because Story and Arroyo are sure to have injuries throughout the year.  The infield solution could really backfire on Bloom, just like bargain shopping at other positions.  Not a good way to run a contender.

That may all be fairy dust.  But MGT is some weird people , I tell you.  The SS market is expected to start dropping by late Dec-Jan.  Then we’ll know who the real brain trust is in the AL/NL.  Myself, my confidence in Boston 2023 is wearing thin.  I see that NYY is closing in on a deal for Judge tonight.  Those millions could help define the market (35-40mil?).

[elktonnick]

I believe if Bloom fails to re-sign Bogey his chances of convincing Devers to stay in Boston diminish considerably.  Ortiz Pedro and Devers himself all have made it clear that such is the case.  I suspect that Dombrowski will make a major effort to sign Bogey and later Devers.

[longgame]

Letting Bogey walk only to pick up someone more expensive doesn't make sense.

I wonder if the Sox realize they're at a jumping off point even for lifelong fans like me.  If they don't come out of the box looking good, they're going to have a tough season in terms of ticket sales, merchandise and TV revenue.

[longgame]

Chaim sends message - mediocrity is our priority, signs Joely Rodriguez.  Career 1.45 WHIP and 4.56 ERA.