We may never know, but the players they are going to put on the field are:
1B - Casas
2B - Grissom
SS - Story
3B - Devers
LF/DH - Yoshida/Abreu?
CF - Duran if they don't trade him or Duvall if they actually acquire a player
RF - O'Neill
C - Wong/McGuire
Not even sure how you put this togeher as a lineup. I'd want to protect Raffy and Casas, so maybe that's Story who gets backed by O'Neill? Duran, Grissom, the above mentioned 4, then some combo of LF/DH/C?
Ted, I'm not sure I recognize some of those players either. Firstly, they must be relying on some of those to be in good health. I can't recall Story, Casas and O'Neil having played many games over the last couple years. Maybe Casas was only out a little while with the hand injury. I don't think O'Neil has ever played more than 99 games in a season in MLB (some of the angst from StLouis MGT with him.)
The pitching is short on innings eaters. And they no longer have Sale and Kluber (thank you).
Well guys, we're all in this together and right now we should be all aware that owner John Henry doesn't give a shit about his team and I wonder why we should. His moldly excuse was he was short on cash to get deeply involved in player signings. Well, hell, when you put out over three billion dollars for trying to grow your "FSG "empire" who wouldn't be short of cash? You bought the team in 2001 and it is your obligation to be certain that the most important piece of your FSG is that team you bought. I have an idea Pruney. You keep adding to your FSG group and buy another baseball team and sell the RedSox to someone who understands its fans, its history and his city better than you do because you have forgotten about us. A pox on your Fenway Sports Group.
Apparently Kenley Jansen showed up at JetBlue with a "slight injury". He has a bit of a lat tightening that, he thinks, he can start throwing with it this time next week. Jansen is still rumored to be on the trading block. FWIW.
What they do, not what they say. Sox are rolling out Bello and Giolito at Jet Blue today against Sox batters. They could very well be the top two in the rotation, interchangeable 1 and 2.
I see very little interest by Boston in an overpay for Monty, and Philly is showing more contact with Monty today in getting a deal done for a 2 year deal. At the same time they're working to extend Aaron Nola. It is what it is.
Raphaela appears to be Cora's choice for CF, "he will give him every opportunity to win the job." That means that Duran is going to be traded now, OR Duran goes to LF and Yoshi becomes the every day DH. For RF, I guess that would give Boston a platoon of O'Neil and Abreu, or more than likely Abreu starts the year in Worcester. Duran could be the questionable piece.
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With the rotation still left begging, Sox are trading for more lottery picks. A proven 7th inning arm, Schreiber, for an A ball whiz (David Sandlin) from the Royals. The new guy is 2-3 years away, but at least he is starter materiel, and Sox only have two other starters getting near the top of the system in Gonzalez and Perales. Some of the other moves (reliever Loedke (sp)) off the DFA lists just point to fringe moves in the face of bigger holes.
The sad fact is Boston is moving to a bridge year, big time with all the 1-year deals for pitchers. But at least two of the rotation will be moving on for 2025, and how will this MGT open up their wallets to fill all those pitching holes for 2025? Recent history says they will pass on the next wave of free agents. With their new budget can they even afford to extend Casas? They must be bored sitting around with all their profiteering.
More bullpen workings today. They're close to a deal for Liam Hendricks for 2/$10mil. He's coming of TJ surgery and at the earliest, will be ASB ready. Another plug in for 2025 and prepares the trade for Jansen.
I guess full throttle was referring to "fixing" problems we didn't have, like the bullpen. Another sign that there's no intention to actually win anything at this point. I've given over to acceptance. This team isn't going to compete for the post season but they will have some exciting young players to watch. If they can just let those guys play and not jerk them around, then maybe they'll give us some enjoyable moments. The Guardians had a team of nobodies a couple of years ago and made a playoff run. That is by far our best hope, that these younger players develop into complete MLB players this year.
There is much ado about nothing in the hot stove for pitchers this year, with the exception of Giolito, Isiah Campbell, pitchers on TJ/UBL and some minor league arms. One bright spot is happening with the new pitching group on board with Breslow, Andrew Bailey, and the new DriveLine coaches.
" ... the group spent hundreds of hours this winter not only formulating plans for each pitcher on the 40-man roster — 22 in total — but also for 11 non-roster invitees. The planning process was lengthy and detailed. It was an enormous process that began with going under the hood to understand each pitcher's profile, Bailey said."
The Montgomery Saga is now playing a first run in the Boston front office. I keep hearing from Breslow and his minions that "they had a nice talk", then someone else bettering that calling it a productive meaning, another in the front office saying an agreement could be in play. Then genius Cora comes in with the gem of all gems...IF WE CAN GET A DEAL DONE, FINE, IF WE CAN'T, WELL THAT'S FINE TOO......pretty much word for word of what he muttered.
How long can this bunch keep mistaking us for a bunch of rubes. We know by now that it all comes own to money and how we can get someone on the cheap. Most of us here know that this is all a game, but perhaps Henry and his flunkies like Shitty Samd can hoodwink us with some more sweet nothings.
Just put up or shut up. We might still have a chance to net Montgomery but his agent Scott Boras is not going to accept a total discount for his client. Not a very promising scenario from where I'm sitting my friends.
Quote from: SeaBeachFred on February 26, 2024, 12:18:15 PMThe Montgomery Saga is now playing a first run in the Boston front office. I keep hearing from Breslow and his minions that "they had a nice talk", then someone else bettering that calling it a productive meaning, another in the front office saying an agreement could be in play. Then genius Cora comes in with the gem of all gems...IF WE CAN GET A DEAL DONE, FINE, IF WE CAN'T, WELL THAT'S FINE TOO......pretty much word for word of what he muttered.
How long can this bunch keep mistaking us for a bunch of rubes. We know by now that it all comes own to money and how we can get someone on the cheap. Most of us here know that this is all a game, but perhaps Henry and his flunkies like Shitty Samd can hoodwink us with some more sweet nothings.
Just put up or shut up. We might still have a chance to net Montgomery but his agent Scott Boras is not going to accept a total discount for his client. Not a very promising scenario from where I'm sitting my friends.
Fred, I don't know what the Sox plan is for building a new team. Call me clueless. Looking at the contracts, for the last couple years the OPS guys have issued basically 1-year contracts for starting pitchers, not to exceed $10mil. If they are building for 2025, where are the starters? Do they start bidding again next year? That could be a problem, as most of the big-spenders have sat out this year, they won't next year.
We all know, even Diamondbacks had a strong rotation last year. Pitching for Boston does not look promising going forward. They could get two strong guys right now, with just a few competitors. But what do I know.
Unrelated news. I'm going to see Guardians vs Dodgers tonight. Hoping to see Mookie and Shohei!
This all makes me glad I missed the last 6 weeks with a barrage of home improvements that we are finally able to do after moving 17 months ago. That will be settling down soon, so starting to catch up on some 'Sox news. So far I got:
Giolito has partially torn UCL. Color him gone. Player option for next year.
Grissom likely out for the beginning of the season.
Mata pulls a hammy.
We traded away Schreiber as mentioned in a previous post.
Joely and CJ Cron each got signed to a minor league contract.
We signed Liam Hendricks, who appears to be trade bait insurance for trading Jansen?
'oy!!!
Mongo, looking forward for pitching, I think Breslow (with Henry in his ear) was only casually interested in Montgomery yesterday. Today, having lost a middle rotation pitcher, they will be less interested as Boras will leverage Boston's remorse into a bigger contract. Besides Monty probably never wanted to go from Series winner to work for a 65-75 win team, less than that today.
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My guess, they bring in a Lorenzen/Clevenger for $8-9mil as an innings eater, and a guy who can be insurance when Houck and/or Whitlock succumb to their own injuries. Bad karma as it worked out, but most of the pitching deals produced guys coming of surgery next year, Hendricks (late 2024?) , Fulmer, now Giolito by bad luck for a historically healthy pitcher. Don't know if Mata can ever be healthy enough to pitch in Boston.
I hadn't heard about the Giolito injury. So they make three not even big deals - Hendricks is injured to start. Grissom will miss time but more importantly won't be able to use the spring to work on defense. Now Giolito may be lost. Wow. Full throttle to the IL.
Very depressing Ted. And to think the Sox gave Giolito a player option for next season, meaning we're stuck for about $19 million because no team will give a larger contract for a guy coming of a major arm injury as LG appears to have. Maybe now the team comes to its senses and signs Mongomery? Sorry, guys, I had a dumb moment there. I now believe we could actually lose 100 games this season. Those WS Titles seem to be growing dimmer by the day from what I sit. Can Henry actually be pressured from all sides to sell the team? He obviously either has lost interest or is waiting for that new crop of top prospects we're supposedly developing on the farm.
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on March 05, 2024, 11:48:50 AMMongo, looking forward for pitching, I think Breslow (with Henry in his ear) was only casually interested in Montgomery yesterday. Today, having lost a middle rotation pitcher, they will be less interested as Boras will leverage Boston's remorse into a bigger contract. Besides Monty probably never wanted to go from Series winner to work for a 65-75 win team, less than that today.
,
My guess, they bring in a Lorenzen/Clevenger for $8-9mil as an innings eater, and a guy who can be insurance when Houck and/or Whitlock succumb to their own injuries. Bad karma as it worked out, but most of the pitching deals produced guys coming of surgery next year, Hendricks (late 2024?) , Fulmer, now Giolito by bad luck for a historically healthy pitcher. Don't know if Mata can ever be healthy enough to pitch in Boston.
I'm afraid I have to agree with you. I can't see a whole lot of good happening. The Giolito situation is bothersome on a few levels. That player option - 'oy!
Still, it would not be so horrible if Crawford and Houck can get over that 4-1/2 inning hump. I don't want to see Whitlock in the rotation. Too fragile so far. Winckowski might have had the role best suited for him last year. Just thin. Wicked thin. Not 2020 thin, but still thin.
I can not recall this amount of indifference or lack of buzz for a Red Sox team since the early 60s. I do not think the FO is capable of turning it around this year.
Yeah, yeah, AWOL guy, here. All the talk about this being a bridge year - I think Mgt plan is a new bridge every year built with the finest popsicle sticks scraped from the Fens pavement. The money will keep rolling in and they won't see a need to contend.
Hi Zenjak, I think you captured things well unfortunately. This is a season to root for the young guys and maybe some day the Sox will figure out that you need some veteran stars too.
In other sports news, the FSG group has applied their methods to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Their fans hitting the bottle pretty hard these days. They traded one of their starts to the Carolina Hurricanes (Go Canes!!!) because they did not think they could keep him after this season. The Penguin fans and players are not at all pleased and are sound like the Red Sox fans and players have for the past 4+ years. I must admit that it's fun being on the other end of the stick, even if just for a moment. :)
Quote from: zenjak on March 09, 2024, 10:31:12 PMYeah, yeah, AWOL guy, here. All the talk about this being a bridge year - I think Mgt plan is a new bridge every year built with the finest popsicle sticks scraped from the Fens pavement. The money will keep rolling in and they won't see a need to contend.
The last couple of years are as low as I've seen it. I'm happy about the new up and coming core, but am afraid management will pull the rug out from under them once they get rolling. I can't see any sort of sustained success going forward with FSG. I'm afraid Cora's rant of still being the Boston Red Sox doesn't mean what we'd like it to mean.
Speaking of FSG, it's ironic that the Penguins are building their future on youth and trading off their veterans. That seems to line up with the goings on with another team in FSG.
Giolito officially done for the season. Oh well.
Well at least there was more dialogue on e board today than the previous four or five dull mornings. Still, with Giolito coming up lame it further weakens what is already a tattered starting rotation. Perhaps we can hope for semi-career years from the troops for maybe a surprise early in the going before our guys revert back to their usual unsuccessful ways. You never what could happen and perhaps a full supply of rabbit charms might help a little, but I jest.
Sox today signed 36 y.o. righty Chase Anderson to a major league contract. He opted out of his Pirates minor league deal. Anderson has appeared for seven different teams (Rays twice) since 2014 in MLB. Something like a 6.10 era since 2020, so he'll need some work.
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on March 23, 2024, 03:49:00 PMSox today signed 36 y.o. righty Chase Anderson to a major league contract. He opted out of his Pirates minor league deal. Anderson has appeared for seven different teams (Rays twice) since 2014 in MLB. Something like a 6.10 era since 2020, so he'll need some work.
This a real deep dumpster dive.
Just finished watching the last ST game. We attended a bunch. What is most notable about this current edition of the Boston Red Sox is there is nothing really notable about them. They are at best a dull workman like team. Other than tradition and a longstanding love of baseball, there is no reason to go to a game other than perhaps curiosity.
With dull Dave O'Brien broadcasting there is less reason to watch them on NESN. This is the least excited about an upcoming season I have been in sixty years
Agree with elk. There is just not any pizzaz in this years Sox. I think that's by design. They're 'throttling down' as they said LATER in so many words. Their plan is 2025 IMO. One of their 2025 hopefuls could be Richard Fitts, Dick Fitts? Whatever. A return from the Yannks in the Verdugo trade.
Fitts pitched a good game against the Rangers yesterday as the starter. 3+ innings, scoreless on 2 hits, 3 Ks. hitting 95 and 96 velo. Another return in that NYY trade was lefty Greg Weissert, who also pitched well in yesterday's game in relief. Interestingly, Weissert was chosen over Bernardino, a real plus in the 2023 bullpen, to begin the year on the MLB opening lineup. Like elk said above, this Sox team is going to test everyone's loyalty. I guess I'll spend the year looking for the game within the game. Maybe like - can Raphaela finally stabilize a porous Boston defense, while they put him at CF or at 2B. The little things.