Free Agency this off-season

[MongoLikeSox]

Breslow  also said he does not plan to trade Verdugo this off season.  If true  that blows my theory that Verugo is as good as gone because he is always in Cora's  doghouse.

Is Breslow marking his turf and telling Cora⁸ who is the boss with this remark about not planning to trade Verdugo?

He could simply be posturing for bargaining leverage amongst his fellow GM types. Maybe an indication that he's had some bargain hunter interest at best?

Well he didn't win himself any accolades with his first personel move.  He signed a former Twins reject, a left handed hitter to boot like we are short of them, and if this isn't a case of dumpster diving then let's just say it is a trip to the backyard garbage can.  Breslow????? Get your ass in gear and stop trying to act like Bloom.  Already this guy has gotten my goat.  We need some good free agents and make some good trades and not more of the same.  If this is what you were hired for you already have a strike against you.  We do NOT need any rejects from o ther teams.  You didn't win a fan with me with that stupid move.

Who did they get? I can't find news or transaction anywhere.

[Sea Dog 23]

Breslow  also said he does not plan to trade Verdugo this off season.  If true  that blows my theory that Verugo is as good as gone because he is always in Cora's  doghouse.

Is Breslow marking his turf and telling Cora⁸ who is the boss with this remark about not planning to trade Verdugo?

He could simply be posturing for bargaining leverage amongst his fellow GM types. Maybe an indication that he's had some bargain hunter interest at best?

Well he didn't win himself any accolades with his first personel move.  He signed a former Twins reject, a left handed hitter to boot like we are short of them, and if this isn't a case of dumpster diving then let's just say it is a trip to the backyard garbage can.  Breslow????? Get your ass in gear and stop trying to act like Bloom.  Already this guy has gotten my goat.  We need some good free agents and make some good trades and not more of the same.  If this is what you were hired for you already have a strike against you.  We do NOT need any rejects from o ther teams.  You didn't win a fan with me with that stupid move.

Fred, I'm not sure Breslow would know a decent OF from a turnip out in the garden.  After all his job in Chicago was looking at pitchers the whole time.  Hopefully Romero or Raquele can fill him in on how to look at stats on all those also rans in the field.  The word out of the GM meetings seems to focus on Yamomoto.  He probably sets the market for all those really good FA pitchers.  When he moves, the money will start setting up for the others.

[Sea Dog 23]

Breslow  also said he does not plan to trade Verdugo this off season.  If true  that blows my theory that Verugo is as good as gone because he is always in Cora's  doghouse.

Is Breslow marking his turf and telling Cora⁸ who is the boss with this remark about not planning to trade Verdugo?

He could simply be posturing for bargaining leverage amongst his fellow GM types. Maybe an indication that he's had some bargain hunter interest at best?

Well he didn't win himself any accolades with his first personel move.  He signed a former Twins reject, a left handed hitter to boot like we are short of them, and if this isn't a case of dumpster diving then let's just say it is a trip to the backyard garbage can.  Breslow????? Get your ass in gear and stop trying to act like Bloom.  Already this guy has gotten my goat.  We need some good free agents and make some good trades and not more of the same.  If this is what you were hired for you already have a strike against you.  We do NOT need any rejects from o ther teams.  You didn't win a fan with me with that stupid move.

Who did they get? I can't find news or transaction anywhere.

Mongo it's Mark Contreras.  SI called him a "slutter".  WTH? 

Per the Baseball America transactions, the Red Sox signed OF Mark Contreras to a minor league deal. (Minnesota) 9th-rd pick from UC Riverside in 2017. Most of the last 3 years in AAA. Limited MLB experience in 2022. .274/.352/.418 in 2023. Plays all 3 OF positions."

[elktonnick]

In the grand scheme of things, while more offense would be nice the issu⁷e with the Red Sox is pitching. The did not draft, develop or sign solid durable pitchers. Virtually every aspect of the Red Sox baseball operation relating to pitchers suck.  He may have been a lousy manager but John Farrell was a solid pitching coach and Boston has not had one since he left.
Breslow was hired to fix pitching. He has a big job.  It may be an impossible job given how deeply ingrained Boston's rotten approach towards pitching is.

[MongoLikeSox]

Breslow  also said he does not plan to trade Verdugo this off season.  If true  that blows my theory that Verugo is as good as gone because he is always in Cora's  doghouse.

Is Breslow marking his turf and telling Cora⁸ who is the boss with this remark about not planning to trade Verdugo?

He could simply be posturing for bargaining leverage amongst his fellow GM types. Maybe an indication that he's had some bargain hunter interest at best?

Well he didn't win himself any accolades with his first personel move.  He signed a former Twins reject, a left handed hitter to boot like we are short of them, and if this isn't a case of dumpster diving then let's just say it is a trip to the backyard garbage can.  Breslow????? Get your ass in gear and stop trying to act like Bloom.  Already this guy has gotten my goat.  We need some good free agents and make some good trades and not more of the same.  If this is what you were hired for you already have a strike against you.  We do NOT need any rejects from o ther teams.  You didn't win a fan with me with that stupid move.

Who did they get? I can't find news or transaction anywhere.

Mongo it's Mark Contreras.  SI called him a "slutter".  WTH? 

Per the Baseball America transactions, the Red Sox signed OF Mark Contreras to a minor league deal. (Minnesota) 9th-rd pick from UC Riverside in 2017. Most of the last 3 years in AAA. Limited MLB experience in 2022. .274/.352/.418 in 2023. Plays all 3 OF positions."

Thanks for the info on the transaction. I wonder if "slutter" is a typo for "slugger"?

Regardless, it's just a Minor League deal. Does not affect the 40-man roster all Winter long like some of Breslow's predecessor's idiotic moves did last season. We need OF depth in Worcester. We have zero near MLB-ready Outfielders that are not already on the 40-man roster. This signing does fill a need and doesn't cost us anything except one spot on the 38-man AAA roster for Tuesday's deadline. 

Right now, Worcester is sporting only 2 OF'ers. Tyler McDonough and Corey Rozier. They have a combined 16 game AAA career. Rosier can run and hits for a decent BA, but I think I recall his defense as not being particularly good. Obviously needs some AAA AB's.

IIRC, Dalbec played a ton of RF 2nd half of the season for Worcester. He does have an arm and he is not a slow man, especially for a giant. Our depth OF'ers last season were mainly Bradley Zimmer and Greg Allen. Both were here on 1-year Minor League deals. I think Allen opted out and landed with the Yankees again. 

[SeaBeachFred]

Breslow  also said he does not plan to trade Verdugo this off season.  If true  that blows my theory that Verugo is as good as gone because he is always in Cora's  doghouse.

Is Breslow marking his turf and telling Cora⁸ who is the boss with this remark about not planning to trade Verdugo?

He could simply be posturing for bargaining leverage amongst his fellow GM types. Maybe an indication that he's had some bargain hunter interest at best?

Well he didn't win himself any accolades with his first personel move.  He signed a former Twins reject, a left handed hitter to boot like we are short of them, and if this isn't a case of dumpster diving then let's just say it is a trip to the backyard garbage can.  Breslow????? Get your ass in gear and stop trying to act like Bloom.  Already this guy has gotten my goat.  We need some good free agents and make some good trades and not more of the same.  If this is what you were hired for you already have a strike against you.  We do NOT need any rejects from o ther teams.  You didn't win a fan with me with that stupid move.

Who did they get? I can't find news or transaction anywhere.

It came off of some Red Sox blogger who post messages on the Internet.  I got so irritated reading that missive that I forgot to remember the guy's name.  He was a Latin ballplayer who once had power potential but went sideways in the Minnesota organization and was outrighted to the minors.  Just the kind of mediocrity we've been saddled with for the most of the past decade.  If I run into it again Mongo I will let you know who and where.

[SeaBeachFred]

It will be November 13th tomorrow and is might be the right time for the Red Sox to concentrate on zeroing in on free agent talent available in the pi tching department and hitters who can play good infield defense.  We simply have to be in the forefront ofd the teams looking to  upgrade because we have enough upgrading to do.  We can always add minor leaguers to fill rosters later in the off season.  Right priority number one is breathing some like on the Red Sox.  There is plenty of work to do and the money must be put up for free agent acquisitions and setting up our plan for trades for pi tching; perhaps though a solid attempt to sign that great young Japanese pi tcher so many scouts and managers have been raving about.  Time to get down to serious work Breslow.  Most Red Sox fans are sick and tired of the shit shows the team has put up the past four or five seasons.

[MongoLikeSox]

Fred, I totally understand the frustration. Dumpster Diving has been a primary weapon for the 'Sox for far too long. I'm really hoping for pitcher signings and 2B signings myself.

Unfortunately, it is a huge week for teams and their entire roster construction activities. Qualified Offers, Non-Tenders and rule-5 protection all happens this week. The first two have big impacts on the free agent market. QO and Rule-5 protection deadlines are by end of Tuesday and then I think it's Friday for non-tenders.

Non-tenders could inspire the occasional trade, but is often of the dumpster diving variety. At least when it came time for us to acquire fringe talent. Lots of DFA deals too, but I've not seen much of them yet.

[Sea Dog 23]

Mongo, on the Rule 5, I saw this projection on Soxprospects.  Usually good folloup, they do their homework.

Protected:
Perales
Drohan
Wikelman
??Fernandez ??

Out in the cold:
Bastardo
Bell
Bonaci
Castro
Cepeda
Gambrell
Hagenman
Liu
Lugo
Koss
Paulino
Penrod
Politi
Scott
Song
Zeferjahn

[MongoLikeSox]

Ryan Fernandez? Seems like a stretch. Must be some inside scoop that some other team is seeing at something nobody else sees, including AAA hitters.

I'm surprised that Gambrell is not on the list and will be later this afternoon when they actually release their list. I suspect we'll see him by year's end in Boston if he clears Rule-5. He's the first SP to get promoted from AA to AAA and actually pitch well instead of tanking. His strike count could have been better. This was his first season back from a big medical issue with his heal that had him sidelined 1-1/2 seasons.

Song is another one despite where he is and how three of his ramp-up-to-starter outings were horrible. I think he only got up to two 5-inning outings before his final start where he didn't make it out of the first inning.

Bonaci was the one position player of concern, albeit small. He landed on the bad-guy list for domestic violence of some sort. If all that is sorted out, he might be one to watch on the rise next season.

[SeaBeachFred]

Breslow  also said he does not plan to trade Verdugo this off season.  If true  that blows my theory that Verugo is as good as gone because he is always in Cora's  doghouse.

Is Breslow marking his turf and telling Cora⁸ who is the boss with this remark about not planning to trade Verdugo?

He could simply be posturing for bargaining leverage amongst his fellow GM types. Maybe an indication that he's had some bargain hunter interest at best?

Well he didn't win himself any accolades with his first personel move.  He signed a former Twins reject, a left handed hitter to boot like we are short of them, and if this isn't a case of dumpster diving then let's just say it is a trip to the backyard garbage can.  Breslow????? Get your ass in gear and stop trying to act like Bloom.  Already this guy has gotten my goat.  We need some good free agents and make some good trades and not more of the same.  If this is what you were hired for you already have a strike against you.  We do NOT need any rejects from o ther teams.  You didn't win a fan with me with that stupid move.

Fred, I'm not sure Breslow would know a decent OF from a turnip out in the garden.  After all his job in Chicago was looking at pitchers the whole time.  Hopefully Romero or Raquele can fill him in on how to look at stats on all those also rans in the field.  The word out of the GM meetings seems to focus on Yamomoto.  He probably sets the market for all those really good FA pitchers.  When he moves, the money will start setting up for the others.

Well I hope Breslow is cuts above the ability of Bloom but so far we haven't seen much to be impressed with.  I really thought this  time around the Red Sox would be right in the thick of things setting up trades needed and getting their money ready to challenge for the prime pitchers out there.  So far a lot of hooey and not much else.  Hopefully Sea Dog, we will get right in the fight at the Winter Meetings starting next week or thereabouts.  We all know we have a lot of work to do, but I wonder if John Henry and Co. are awake from their nearly five year siesta.

[Sea Dog 23]

Ryan Fernandez? Seems like a stretch. Must be some inside scoop that some other team is seeing at something nobody else sees, including AAA hitters.

I'm surprised that Gambrell is not on the list and will be later this afternoon when they actually release their list. I suspect we'll see him by year's end in Boston if he clears Rule-5. He's the first SP to get promoted from AA to AAA and actually pitch well instead of tanking. His strike count could have been better. This was his first season back from a big medical issue with his heal that had him sidelined 1-1/2 seasons.

Song is another one despite where he is and how three of his ramp-up-to-starter outings were horrible. I think he only got up to two 5-inning outings before his final start where he didn't make it out of the first inning.

Bonaci was the one position player of concern, albeit small. He landed on the bad-guy list for domestic violence of some sort. If all that is sorted out, he might be one to watch on the rise next season.

It looks like Breslow has been burning the midnight oil since he's been on the job,  not quite three weeks.  He has cleared space on the 40 man roster, and today added pitching prospects #7 Luis Perales and#8 Wikelman Gonzales to the 40 man.   That will protect two of the arms that he obviously sees some upside for.  Perales was at high-A and Wikelman was at AA last year.

[MongoLikeSox]

Ryan Fernandez? Seems like a stretch. Must be some inside scoop that some other team is seeing at something nobody else sees, including AAA hitters.

I'm surprised that Gambrell is not on the list and will be later this afternoon when they actually release their list. I suspect we'll see him by year's end in Boston if he clears Rule-5. He's the first SP to get promoted from AA to AAA and actually pitch well instead of tanking. His strike count could have been better. This was his first season back from a big medical issue with his heal that had him sidelined 1-1/2 seasons.

Song is another one despite where he is and how three of his ramp-up-to-starter outings were horrible. I think he only got up to two 5-inning outings before his final start where he didn't make it out of the first inning.

Bonaci was the one position player of concern, albeit small. He landed on the bad-guy list for domestic violence of some sort. If all that is sorted out, he might be one to watch on the rise next season.

It looks like Breslow has been burning the midnight oil since he's been on the job,  not quite three weeks.  He has cleared space on the 40 man roster, and today added pitching prospects #7 Luis Perales and#8 Wikelman Gonzales to the 40 man.   That will protect two of the arms that he obviously sees some upside for.  Perales was at high-A and Wikelman was at AA last year.

Perales was on everyone's short list to protect, but it doesn't seem to me like a MLB ready candidate like Gambrell. I hope Gambrel survives.

Not protecting Drohan is a strategy one might have advised last season instead of protecting Murphy and Walter. Both were massively bad after going from AA to AAA in 2022. Then there's the Song situation.

Oh Well, We'll know in a few weeks. Non-tender deadline up next on Friday. 

[MongoLikeSox]

One more player claimed off of Waivers by another team that the Red Sox had somehow put on Waviers without appearing on any transaction list. Logan Gillespie was claimed by the Padres yesterday. We got him in Septermber after Baltimore DFA'd him, but he never got called up to Boston. Caleb Ort(Seattle claimed) and Justin Garza(FA) had similar fates a few weeks back.

There are 38 names on the 40-man Roster. Still a chance we could see a minor trade and/or a non-tender this week. Nobody is signing anyone right now, but that could change once the dust settles from the Non-Tender deadline tomorrow.

[longgame]

Sox trade for pitcher with a live arm.  Another one of those what if deals.  I have no problem with this as they need depth too.  Big moves still won't happen for a little while yet.

https://nesn.com/2023/11/red-sox-kickstart-offseason-with-low-risk-high-reward-signing/