Free Agency this off-season

[longgame]

Rumor has it that while Yamamoto signaled he wanted in the $300MM range, the Sox offered around $250MM and a host of incentives.  No word on years.  That is your typical Red Sox lowball.  I wonder if agents even open their offers at this point.

[MongoLikeSox]

Someone reported that the Red Sox were amongst the teams at $300M offer, but no word of details and if there were incentives involved or not. Henry's fortunes were amassed in the hedge fund world, and incentives are a hedge bet, so who knows?

What I THINK happened is this. Two weeks ago or so, Alex Speier got on MLB Network and started downplaying the Red Sox' chances without saying as much. His main thoughts were towards Montgomery, Snell and one or two others that have since signed. This would put it in the time frame what $250M plus incentives would have probably been where everyone else was at that point. I don't think it got north of $300 until this past weekend, which is where the Red Sox likely laid low and snuck out of the room.

At least this time we don't see their puppets stating how "shocked" Kennedy and the head of Baseball Ops were.

[elktonnick]

The Sox never had a chance to sign Yamamoto and they knew it.  It was never about the money.  The Yankees offered more than the Dodgers and the Mets as much.

Yamamoto wanted to play for and established contender and with Otahani.   Neither the Yankees, Mets nor Red Sox met these conditions.

All the reports that the Sox were in contention were BS.  They only served to stir up false hopes and piss off Sox fans when they turned out to be bogus.

[MongoLikeSox]

Meanwhile, the MLB site shows the 'Sox having big interest in James Paxton. Not as bad move unless he's the big starting pitching signing.

I'm really hoping Montgomery signs with us. Looks like he's been durable, too. Had the one stretch of 2018-2019 where he missed a bunch, but has been solid since. He's not a power pitcher, which might not match up well with the 'Sox defense unless we have a big turn around. He nearly always frustrated us when we faced him.

Snell wants to stay on the West Coast.

[elktonnick]

Meanwhile, the MLB site shows the 'Sox having big interest in James Paxton. Not as bad move unless he's the big starting pitching signing.

I'm really hoping Montgomery signs with us. Looks like he's been durable, too. Had the one stretch of 2018-2019 where he missed a bunch, but has been solid since. He's not a power pitcher, which might not match up well with the 'Sox defense unless we have a big turn around. He nearly always frustrated us when we faced him.

Snell wants to stay on the W⁹est Coast.

I refuse to believe any media reports that the Red Sox are interested in or are about to sign this player or that.  The Red Sox PR dept is a worse liar than any politician
  The only thing they are good at is raising expectations

I

[MongoLikeSox]

Meanwhile, the MLB site shows the 'Sox having big interest in James Paxton. Not as bad move unless he's the big starting pitching signing.

I'm really hoping Montgomery signs with us. Looks like he's been durable, too. Had the one stretch of 2018-2019 where he missed a bunch, but has been solid since. He's not a power pitcher, which might not match up well with the 'Sox defense unless we have a big turn around. He nearly always frustrated us when we faced him.

Snell wants to stay on the W⁹est Coast.

I refuse to believe any media reports that the Red Sox are interested in or are about to sign this player or that.  The Red Sox PR dept is a worse liar than any politician
  The only thing they are good at is raising expectations

I

History is one your side, I'm afraid. The other part of their pattern is going for the wrong guy when they do splurge.

[Sea Dog 23]

I understand. The Free Agents problems are older than that, though. Even when we could got good players in the pre-Bloom era, the bigger ones we've chased down and landed seemed to fall into some sort of combination of screwy fitment, attitude issues or prone to injury.

We've gotten some good filler players here and there. We've even gotten really lucky a time or two including Dave Ortiz. There have been so many seasons, though, that were lost because of that "one need" that wasn't filled. It's repeated it self over and over again. It's almost always foreseeable and it's always maddening.

Maybe FSG lost their nerve after the Gold Bust Twins, David Price or maybe even earlier with Adrian Gonzalez and getting used by Teixeira to drive up the price for the Yankees and all of that "class" of theirs.

It's aggravating that the Red Sox still haven't done a damn thing to improve their team and we are almost in the middle of December.  What the hell are they waiting for, for Prune Face to stop counting his money and see what spare change he has for subpar talent?  For Pete's sake front office get off your dumb asses and start filling our team with some credible ballplayers instead of those minor league has-beens you've been signing so far.

There is a stage of business, where the owner brings in a guy from out of nowhere to make changes in order to close the company, or prepare for selling it.  This new guy is called The Turk.  It's my belief that The Turk is actutally Breslow.    sigh

[longgame]

I understand. The Free Agents problems are older than that, though. Even when we could got good players in the pre-Bloom era, the bigger ones we've chased down and landed seemed to fall into some sort of combination of screwy fitment, attitude issues or prone to injury.

We've gotten some good filler players here and there. We've even gotten really lucky a time or two including Dave Ortiz. There have been so many seasons, though, that were lost because of that "one need" that wasn't filled. It's repeated it self over and over again. It's almost always foreseeable and it's always maddening.

Maybe FSG lost their nerve after the Gold Bust Twins, David Price or maybe even earlier with Adrian Gonzalez and getting used by Teixeira to drive up the price for the Yankees and all of that "class" of theirs.

It's aggravating that the Red Sox still haven't done a damn thing to improve their team and we are almost in the middle of December.  What the hell are they waiting for, for Prune Face to stop counting his money and see what spare change he has for subpar talent?  For Pete's sake front office get off your dumb asses and start filling our team with some credible ballplayers instead of those minor league has-beens you've been signing so far.

There is a stage of business, where the owner brings in a guy from out of nowhere to make changes in order to close the company, or prepare for selling it.  This new guy is called The Turk.  It's my belief that The Turk is actutally Breslow.    sigh

Reminds me of “Major League”.

[longgame]

Day after Christmas and the Red Sox hangover continues.  I don't need to tell any of you guys, but on the heels of the past few seasons, hiring a new GM or whatever job title, and saying they were all in or whatever it was they said, I just am more down on this team than ever.  The lack of any serious action is concerning.  We've talked about this a hundred times before.  You identify who you want and you go out and get them.  You don't give half-assed offers and hope everyone else is dumber than you.  Not only does it mean you don't get that guy, it also sends a message to every agent out there that the Sox won't play ball. 

We've all talked about the needs for starting pitching.  The FA market has been clear all offseason - Yamamoto, Snell, Nola, Montgomery.  Of those the best fit is probably Montgomery.  They should be all over this guy. But they don't want to admit that now they have to overspend because they've screwed things up so badly.  They need a 2B because they don't have a great SS and need to shore up the middle infield.  Plus we know that a good 2B will allow Story to range more to his right and limit where Devers has to range.  And they need a guy who can hit.  They don't have a major league outfield.  Catcher should be upgraded too.

This isn't getting fixed by reclamation projects, old guys and 2nd stringers.  It's infuriating.

Just had to get that off my chest.  Thanks,.

[elktonnick]

Boston media is starting to question John Henry's commitment to the Red Sox in a way that they have never done in the past.  Unless Henry turns it around this could be one of the ugliest years the Red Sox have had in 30 years.

[Sea Dog 23]

I think the damage is already done.  Which one of the free-agents really want to play for the Red Sox?  The city is not respected as a viable contender after five years.  Yamamoto did not even want a dinner invitation to dine with the Sox, while some teams got two.  Any chance the Sox get any interest from Montgomery or Snell, they would have to grossly outbid the others, then Boras would shop their bid with the Yankees, Dodgers.  Young Breslow is going to have to pull a rabbit out of his a## to recover from the mess.

The only thing I've seen this week that seems to resemble a plan is Lukas Giolito.  He had a great year three years ago, but has fallen down heavily.  The Sox interest is a reclamation project with the pitching doctors Breslow and Bailey doing their diagnostic best to get him through five innings.  Another idea they are exploring is selling their better relief pitchers, like Jansen and Martin to get multiple minor league pitchers, under team control, very similar to how they liquidated Verdugo. 

Other than that, they seem to be in another reset year.  Obviously they are doing nothing to improve the 2024 Sox, now letting four key 2023 Sox walk or get traded, and only one plug-in (O'neil) who has never been able to play 95 games in a season and a lefty bull pen arm, who may be a prize this year.

[MongoLikeSox]

Boston media is starting to question John Henry's commitment to the Red Sox in a way that they have never done in the past.  Unless Henry turns it around this could be one of the ugliest years the Red Sox have had in 30 years.

I do wonder what and when their exit strategy is. I mean, why buy the Penguins at this stage?

I'm not saying JH and TW had a lifetime get out of being cheapskates card because of the first 2-3 WS titles, but it was close to it. I think that's about over in my book. Then again, my book don't matter. I just hope to hell that they don't cash in on the farm yet. Some of these guys are about all we have to look forward to at this point. I just hope FSG change their tune when it comes time to fill in the blanks when we're ready.

[longgame]

Not to mention their investment in TGL, the virtual golf league which will start next year. Also, they are pretty much in bed with all of Lebron James's Marketing operations which are significant, not to mention soccer and hockey.  They just seem to be telegraphing that they don't care about the Sox and somehow the marketing department hasn't sorted that out yet, not to mention the operation side.

Some advice,
- don't say you're going full throttle and do nothing
- figure out someone you can get, be realistic about the market and go get them.
- money talks, BS walks, and no more so than right now
- coordinate your messaging overall, it won't help on the field, but don't blow smoke up our behinds
- if there is any sort of plan, share it with your fans, right now it seems to be hold pat until we can promote all of our prospects.


They need to do something or I'll just follow the Braves this year.

[SeaBeachFred]

Not to mention their investment in TGL, the virtual golf league which will start next year. Also, they are pretty much in bed with all of Lebron James's Marketing operations which are significant, not to mention soccer and hockey.  They just seem to be telegraphing that they don't care about the Sox and somehow the marketing department hasn't sorted that out yet, not to mention the operation side.

Some advice,
- don't say you're going full throttle and do nothing
- figure out someone you can get, be realistic about the market and go get them.
- money talks, BS walks, and no more so than right now
- coordinate your messaging overall, it won't help on the field, but don't blow smoke up our behinds
- if there is any sort of plan, share it with your fans, right now it seems to be hold pat until we can promote all of our prospects.


They need to do something or I'll just follow the Braves this year.

PLEASE TED, DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH!!!!!!!!  At least you have your second team to follow in 2024, one that has a real shot of going deep in the post-season ............if they can learn to beat the Phillies.  I have only the Cubs who fortunately are in a weak division and could surprise as long as some team in the NLC doesn't suddenly make some major moves and put  the Cubbies back in the middle of the pack.  As I said in an earlier post elsewhere even a cynic like me still didn't believe that the team would be doing nothing heading into the New Year.

[Sea Dog 23]

My fall-back team this year will be the Cardinals.  Lived out there for several years and loved the fan base they have.  And their owners know baseball and know that the fans need baseball players to cheer on.

The only news this week, sadly, is Boston chasing Teoscar Hern.  A .253 avg with a Green Monster comfortable swing.  The 31% K rate is a disaster.  He and his agent will demand 3 years, but Breslow only wants him for one year, maybe two.  Looks like Angels will get him for 3 years.  It's all about the 2024 market, and our owners do not understand this years' market.  I think  they end up giving Duvall a 1-year deal to return to CF and end up trading Duran.  One step forward -  two steps backward for Boston this year.

;