Upgrading the Red Sox rotation has been a well-established goal for the club this winter, but they’ve achieved little on that front beyond swapping out Chris Sale for Lucas Giolito to this point despite pursuits of players such as Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga this winter. While chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has indicated that the club remains “engaged” in the market for starting pitching, club CEO Sam Kennedy recently cast some doubt on the possibility of the club making a significant addition by noting that the club is unlikely to match its 2023 payroll in 2024.
With that being said, at least one member of the Red Sox pitching apparatus feels confident about the club’s internal options headed into the season. In a conversation with Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, newly-minted pitching coach Andrew Bailey disputed the notion that the club needs to add another starting pitcher to its rotation mix while adding that he feels the group, which consists of Giolito, Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford and Nick Pivetta with the likes of Tanner Houck and Garrett Whitlock in competition for the fifth spot, has the talent to succeed. That group of pitchers combined for a 4.51 ERA in 791 innings of work last year.
Bailey’s optimism regarding the club’s internal options for the rotation is fortunate as its unclear whether the club will be successful in adding another arm to the rotation this offseason. According to RosterResource, the club’s current projected payroll is just $21MM below its 2023 level, likely leaving room for little more than a lower-level acquisition such as Mike Clevinger, Hyun-Jin Ryu, or perhaps a reunion with James Paxton. More significant additions such as a deal for Jordan Montgomery or Blake Snell would surely require the club to move an existing salary such as that of closer Kenley Jansen, particularly the club’s continuing pursuit of a right-handed hitter such as Adam Duvall.
More notes from Boston…
- While manager Alex Cora is entering the final year of his contract in 2024, the 48-year-old skipper recently told reporters (including MassLive’s Chris Cotillo) that he has yet to have any significant discussions with the club regarding his future, though he added that he’d be “very selfish” to focus on that and take his attention away from the upcoming season. Cora has previously indicated that he would like to move upstairs to a front office role at some point, though it’s worth noting that he added that he’s “not ready” to make that jump at this point in his career. If he remains in the dugout following the 2024 season, whether at Fenway or elsewhere, he’ll do so as one of the league’s most well-respected managers with a record of 440-370 through five seasons at the helm in Boston.
- One piece of the Red Sox management puzzle that seems unlikely to change any time soon is ownership. As noted by Christopher Smith of MassLive, club chairman Tom Werner recently spoke to reporters about the ownership group’s plans to remain in Boston long-term. Werner noted that the Red Sox are the “cornerstone” of Fenway Sports Group, the club’s parent company that also owns other major sports teams such as Liverpool F.C. and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Werner added that ownership hopes to remain at the helm in Boston “for a couple more decades at least.”
- The Red Sox made a significant hire for their front office earlier this week as The Athletic’s Eno Sarris reports that pitching guru Kyle Boddy has joined the club as a special advisor to Breslow. Boddy is best known as the founder of Driveline Baseball, a data-driven independent player development facility. Aside from his work at Driveline, Boddy also served as the Reds’ pitching director from October 2019 to September 2021. This offseason has seen the Red Sox focus heavily on hires with backgrounds in pitching development, with both Breslow and Bailey joining the club’s ranks in addition to Boddy over the past few months.
Like I said they are done winning ownership doesn’t care anymore. They have money they just won’t spend it.
I usually don’t buy into the “spend, spend, spend” mantra propaganda, but the Redsox do seem to have forgotten they are a big market, iconic Major League Baseball team.
They haven’t forgotten. They choose to no longer spend. A big difference and yet they’re not reducing the fans’ costs. A disgrace that only a boycott could change. Had they went full re-build, that wouldn’t have been liked but would have been a real plan. Re-signing Devers last year was an over-payment but at the time, the fans thought it was the start of a “new” or “returning” system of again competing. No one then anticipated the contract would prevent future deals.
They over payed Devers to appease the fans. NO ONE wants to play in Boston because of the “fans”. Almost every FA they sign or extension will be an over-pay.
Its the reality of the situation, deal with it.
Rsmith. – it may come as a surprise, but, some MLBers appreciate and enjoy playing for the Boston faithful, and, have said so at times there was no PR or monetary interested for them to have done so.
Some are turned off by the prospect, it is true, but others appreciate and relish the opportunity.
As for the.overpay aspect, in the short term you are right – bloom screwed the franchise up so badly that will be the case until a corner is turned and critical mass towards contending is achieved.
GASox – I know Pedro and Papi would never say anything negative about ownership because they are still working for the team, but I would love to hear what they really say behind closed doors about the Red Sox.
It’s an embarrassment to them, I’m sure.
Oct 18, 2023 — Red Sox legend Pedro Martinez thinks that Shohei Ohtani will sign with Boston this offseason in what would be a blockbuster deal.”
Dec 03, 2023 – Ortiz says there is a lot to love about Soto, and the Red Sox should have what it takes to get a trade done with the Padres.
“His whole focus and priorities are baseball,” Ortiz added of Soto. “He’s a kid that works for any organization he goes to. He can be a franchise player for any organization.”
“I just don’t want him to go to the pinstripes,” Ortiz said. “I don’t want to have to put up with him; he’s that good.”
Dec 1, 2023 – Hall of Famer David Ortiz has watched his former team, the Boston Red Sox, stumble to consecutive last-place finishes and in three of the past four seasons.
Now he believes his old teammate and recently hired Chief Baseball Officer, Craig Breslow, can turn things around by going away from analytics somewhat.
“I heard yesterday that he’s trying to shut down a little bit of the analytic side and going back to the old-fashioned part of the game..
I think that’s a good way to start. I think the game has transformed everything to analytics and, at the end of the day, analytics can only cover so much,” he said. “You need to have people with heart, people with spirit, people that have been in the situation that can give some guidance to the young blood and teach them how to put up with situations.”
dewey – You know who forgot something? Nick Deeds!
“This offseason has seen the Red Sox focus heavily on hires with backgrounds in pitching development, with both Breslow and Bailey joining the club’s ranks in addition to Boddy over the past few months.”
NO MENTION OF JUSTIN WILLARD????
Yup. Isn’t it great? We want the team to do well but we just complain about the team. Who would want to play for that kind of fanbase? 4 championships in 20 years and we are competing with Yankee fans for the Entitlement Prize. So sad.
@GA- Get real. You Red Sox fans are among the most entitled fans in baseball 2nd only to your hated rival the NYY’s.
It’s legendary how you Red Sox fans are racist. Ask Tori Hunter among others.
You make Archie Bunker look like a saint.
Not even close to accurate. The fans have little to do with why free agents do not want to come to Boston. There are other teams with brutal fans that players are happy to sign with. Our management comes off as always try to be cheap with their own players, there is very little loyalty throughout the organization for either players, or coaches, and the constant changing of leadership regardless of success as well of failure makes the team look rudderless, devoid of any long-term goals, or give players confidence that the team is attempting to win now, or in the near future.
It is not a destination for players that are more interested in winning, and it is not a destination for players looking to play long term on a team that competes to win every year. This is a franchise that has placed itself in a position where it must overpay for elite and marginal talent that others are competing for. This team is only appealing to players looking for last chances, looking for a starting position at a premium rate short term, or players looking to build back value on short term deals hoping to cash in if they do play well. Everyone else will simply pick a better option, and there are many within and without the division.
whyhayzee – The 25 and under fans are more entitled than the equivalent Yankee fans but I don’t believe that is the group that is disgruntled. I think it’s the baby boomers like me who watched in frustration for nearly half a century then got some satisfaction in 2004 especially after the Yankee series then enjoyed 3 more rings and the 2018 juggernaut ball club suggested they would be better than NY for years. Then DD gets fired and BOOM the organization self implodes. Dumping Mookie was ownership pushing the team off the extremely high cliff they were on from their success and the last four years many of us recognized how far and fast we were falling but it wasn’t until now that we actually hit the bottom of the valley and realized what just happened.
Don’t talk entitlement. That’s BS. Some fans are ok with participation in the playoffs as a sign of success and others who are truly competitive desire a ring every year. It’s not out of entitlement, it’s out of competitiveness. You obviously don’t think like that but don’t criticize those that are part of Red Sox Nation for being competitive. They probably actually played the sport rather than being an uninspired observer like you.
Why, the fanbase starting with Yawkey’s ownership turned things around from almost losing Baseball in Boston to one of the toughest tickets to get anywhere in the sport. My guess is the team’s ticket lack of availability peaked and it will be much easier going forward if they don’t suddenly change. Very sad.
Winslow, there are knuckleheads and worse in just about every city big and small. The one person who I know has it bad was Reggie Smith but that was 50 years ago.
Winslow – Wow, someone has inferiority issues. Sorry but the whole entitlement crap comes from jealousy created from success.
What you don’t get is there are many types of fans in the world. Those that are highly competitive expect to win every year not because they are entitled but because they live for competition. There is no one “right way” to be in life but I’d rather be highly competitive than a guy with an inferiority complex like you.
@troll- Whatever you say…lol Troll
Are you calling every fan of the Boston Red Sox a racist? You ignorant POS?
Leach – I know you’re not here for civil discourse about the Red Sox, you’re here to just attack and insult Red Sox fans. If that’s how you get some sliver of enjoyment out of your life, whatever.
But two tiny facts shine a light on your BS accusations:
1) Fans of EVERY team here have criticized their ownership for one reason or another. You don’t know jack about what’s been going on with the Red Sox the past 5 years, and yet you feel ENTITLED to scold us? Get a freakin’ clue before you criticize some other fanbase.
2) I have REPEATEDLY documented a LOT more racist incidents in MLB cities not named Boston, again you are showing both your hatred and ignorance by claiming Sox fans are any worse.
Who is your team anyway? Or are you too embarrassed to say?
William – As always a FANTASTIC post!
TF – Good post!
The Red Sox haters will always show their ignorance, that will never change.
Bottom line is anybody who is fine with the 3rd-highest revenue team being cheap despite several non-competitive years is a fool.
And anybody who is fine with their team finishing in last place every year is a loser.
Sorry but it’s the truth.
Breslow has failed so far to improve the starting rotation and if Bailey thinks the staff as is doesn’t need a #1 and #2 starter he isn’t any good either. Either the Red Sox are hiring incompetent idiots or they are refusing to spend. Which do you think is the case. I’ll go with the latter.
Bello is a top 3 guy with #1 potential
That’s a reach based off what we’ve seen so far
Boxscore: It’s both
Boxscore – They hired Cora, I’ll go with the idiot theory!!!
Pool – Lets be fair. Bello is a very nice young pitcher who is a SP3 at this point in his career. Yes, he could be a SP1 some day but for now we still need a SP1 and SP2.
It’s funny how everyone agrees on Bello but there is so much disagreement about Houck because he’s been jerked around by Cora and Crawford who has been nothing but a pleasant surprise who has as much upside as Bello.
I really like Bello, Houck and Crawford as SP3 to SP5 but thanks to adding the over paid Giolito I think either he jumps to SP2 or SP1 or Breslow goes and gets some more mediocre pitchers to pretend he is fixing something in the long run like Bloom did.
Lebron, worst owner in sports
Mystery – LeBron is gonna help FSG land the new Vegas NBA expansion team, that’s the purpose he serves.
@FPG Exactly. I think he’s indicated that when the NBA awards Vegas a team he wants to be one the owners. I’m sure Jeannie Buss may have offered a % of the Lakers. But he his ego is way too big to be a minority owner.
He is literally a minority owner
LeBron only owns 1% of Fenway Sports Group.
Hank – They are businessmen. If the team continues to lose and it brings down revenue enough, they will spend.
They want to operate like the Rays, but they don’t want to see their revenue drop to the Rays level.
@Fever Bostons market will not allow them to run the team like Tampa.
Ridiculous. As an example, the big spending Yankees have won how many championships in the last 20 years?
Also answer me this, how have the freewheeling, drunken Sailor, Padres fared the last decade with their signing or trading for every superstar available?
Gary, no one is saying they have to spend like drunken sailors. To not go after the best talent or to pretend to after having a relationship with your fans who supported the team, I’m now going to blame the fans if they continue to finance the club like they’ve been. When corporate sponsors can’t give away their seats, maybe they’ll stop buying them. I’m hoping it doesn’t get that far but it has to change. 21 was apparently more luck than anything else.
Good points Dewey
Dewey, why not blame the fans for acting like the entitled jerks that they have become. Honestly, its like the last 60 years are really only last year. Put in perspective, this ownership, this management is the bee’s knees. And yet we think we’re being stung? Hell no! They’re making honey. And their success tastes damn sweet to me. Thank you Red Sox.
Gary – Have you not been around for months or something?
The vast majority here are perfectly content with a payroll that’s slightly under the base threshold. Nobody is saying they should have a payroll north of $300M or anywhere close to the Dodgers, Yankees or Mets.
The other issues is HOW the Red Sox spend their money, which has been very foolishly the past few years. Look at how much they spent for Paxton, Kluber, Story etc and how little they’ve gotten in return.
How can you POSSIBLY defend Sox management for these issues?
If you think last place for 3 out of the last 4 years is success you’re delusional. Get help.
Fever, you have to pick from what’s at the buffet table. Other than the top notch big dollar guys who are the Red Sox going to pick up? It’s these middle of the road folks perhaps Clevenger Etc. Otherwise some of those big contracts can bite you in the butt 3 years down the road. How many times have we seen it? Big money big contract failures.
Perhaps with all the new faces the Red Sox can make something of what they have on the roster already? And I’m speaking of the pitching.
Who said finishing last three out of four years is success? Nobody said that. Don’t you just love guys that argue this way? Such a joy.
Gary – I agree, I’m not talking about now. The horse is out of the barn already, it’s too late unless ownership pivots and signs Monty or Snell, or trades for Burnes. I doubt any of that will happen though.
I’m talking about at the start of this offseason. Can you just imagine what it will be like if it’s August, the Sox are in last place, and Sale has 15 wins with a 3.50 ERA while Giolito is struggling with a 4.95 ERA.
Why, I waited all my life for championships. Now I find out the wins were based on cheaters? While every team likely did it, it ruined for me what made baseball so special. Not many know how many goals Gretzky had or how many points LeBron has but so many rem ered Babe Ruth’s single and career numbers. As for ownership, how can you live in the past at today’s prices? It’s like the fans have been dating a beautiful person only to find out it’s a zombie with a computer brain programmed to lie.
Gary, you have to try to be competitive and that’s what is wrong If you’re not, let the fans know. Something’s can’t be said at the time but don
Gary, you have to try to be competitive and that’s what is wrong If you’re not, let the fans know. Something’s can’t be said at the time but don’t lie to them.
Gary, instead of denying reality why don’t you stop living a fantasy and face the truth?
Boxscore there’s two types of people in this world.., glass half full and you.
I’ll be there opening day at Fenway, and hoping for a win.
Hopium is for suckers.
Hoppium gets me out of bed every day. Helps me look forward to positive things happening. May not end up that way but I’ve got a smile on my face.
Gary – I actually understand your optimistic approach as to why you choose to take it. That approach has it’s benefits, but the problem is when you have hope/expectations it’s a MUCH bigger letdown/crash at the end of the season if a bad reality sets in.
That’s why some people don’t get optimistic, because bigger expectations can lead to bigger disappointments.
I’m speaking in terms of diehard fans, if you’re just a casual fan then the letdown wouldn’t be that big a disappointment for you.
It’s like with me, I’m a casual Celtics fan. When they win it makes me happy, when they lose I shrug it off and move onto another sport.
MLB Payroll Ranking
2023 – 4 Texas Rangers
2022 – 8 Houston Astros
2021 – 10 Atlanta Braves
2020 – 1 LA Dodgers
2019 – 7 Washington Nationals
2018 – 1 Boston Red Sox
2017 – 18 Houston Astros
2016 – 6 Chicago Cubs
2015 – 16 Kansas City Royals
2014 – 7 San Francisco Giants
2013 – 4 Boston Red Sox
2012 – 8 San Francisco Giants
2011 – 11 St. Louis Cardinals
2010 – 10 San Francisco Giants
2009 – 1 New York Yankees
Broadly speaking, while spending to the hilt does not guarantee success, a team needs to be top 10 to have a good chance.
There were only 3 instances going back to the ’09 Yanks where a team out of the top 10 won it.
St. Louis in 2011 where they were only 11th by a couple 100 thousand dollars and were certainly top 10 by end of season given roster additions
Kansas City in ’15, which was far and away the luckiest team I’ve ever seen win a title. I don’t think they faced a fully healthy team the whole playoffs. No starting pitcher, a nondescript lineup (their team OPS+ was 98 for the year) but a God-Mode bullpen. They are the absolute poster child for “anyone can win if you get in.”
Houston… cheapest roster to win a title during this period… although waste management played perhaps a little too much of a role.
Basically, if you’re not prepared to spend in the top 10, you’re only going to win through great luck or limited ethics
Boston payroll was 13th last season and while currently projected for 10th, will likely fall once a few other teams make some more additions.
Boston’s revenues really should be able support a top 10 payroll.
Canuck – Great post! I’ve been saying the same for a while now, you really need to have a Top Ten payroll to have a good chance at winning and with the Red Sox being 3rd in revenue that shouldn’t be an issue for them.
Where did you get the 2024 estimate? If from Spotrac, it’s not accurate.
Cot’s still has them at 13th.
legacy.baseballprospectus.com/compensation/cots/
Now this is interesting. Certainly shows spending does matter. Nice job getting those numbers!
And yet, lots of teams have imitated the Royals by building a great bullpen. Or is it just the Yankees? And it was luck? That they won the WS the SECOND YEAR they got in. Wow. It wasn’t luck in any way shape or form. It was mostly their sheer determination. But that does NOT have a statistical measure. So we attribute it to luck. Good lord.
Of course it takes money to win now. Every major market team wants it that way. Yeesh.
Canuckleball = OUTSTANDING data. One small caveat about spending numbers.
In 2018 Boston was the highest spender which suggests the spending happened in 2018. The fact is $41MM DID NOT happen in 2018 so they didn’t win by spending the most, they didn’t even spend to the cap that year.
You need to subtract dead contracts from previous years if the point is guys spending big in that year don’t win rings. I believe you are right but I think your data over estimates the actual ranking of spending in each year so your point would be even more supported by the actual spending in the year they won a ring.
Another thing is you must consider two types of spenders.
Those that care about the CAP and those that don’t. In recent years both LAD and NYM have joined NYY in not caring about the CAP. Boston does care and I explained their last ring was produced with players that cost less than the CAP. Bloom unlike DD was forced to consider the dead contracts in his spending in 2020 and got rid of Price and Mookie right before COVID hit and Price opted out moving the team below the CAP for 2020.
Boston has always been CAP conscious and is one of only a few large market teams that are. Considering the money they make each year, it’s crazy for them to worry about the CAP because the penalties are inconsequential compared to large market team profits; Their profits are roughly 30 to 100 times the penalties of the luxury tax for the big 3 teams. Boston profits are 15 to 20 times the luxury tax thay paid in the years they paid it. In other words, exceeding the cap did not break the bank in Boston.
Boston will not go broke if they spend over the CAP for a decade if it produces comparable profits to the last 20 years.
Gary – Great point. Yankees have 20 rings by 1962, 2 in the 70s, 4 when Jeter came up in 1996 and one in 2009. They spent $30MM more per year than Boston from 1988 to 2018 when Boston finally outspent them by a significant amount thanks to Cherington amassing $41MM of dead contracts that needed to be paid for long after the player was gone.
Spending in 2018, if you take away the RETAINED PAYROLL from Cherington was very reasonable and that team was maybe the best Red Sox team of all time. Breslow could do the same if thought like Dombrowski but it appears he thinks more like Bloom
We have even more young prospects that have a partial year of MLB experience than we have had in a decade. That mean if you eliminate the medium priced guys that Bloom believed in, you can get a half dozen (5 since we have Devers) all-star quality players and still be under the CAP by a fairly large number.
What we can’t afford are more mistakes. Devers, Story and Yoshi were all over pays by Bloom. Breslow now has three as well with Giolito, O’Neill and Grissom. Those six players cost $94.6MM which is 39.9% of the CAP money. Devers can’t be traded, Story can’t be traded, Yoshi can be traded, we can’t get back the $17MM Grissom cost because it’s for Sale and he’s in ATL and finally we could deal O’Neill but it’s not likely we’ll get his cost back in the deal.
So Breslow must try to fix the team with only 60% of the money under the CAP less any amount shy of the cap the owners insist on.
He has a great core group of young guys but he keeps finding guys to play ahead of them unnecessarily rising the costs.
We didn’t need to spend like a drunken sailor to turn things around we simply needed to fix the problems. Some things don’t even cost money but we can’t do them. Fire Cora and move Devers are two huge fixes that have been avoided. We needed a SP1 and SP2 and have neither. We needed a left handed reliever like Hader but we didn’t get it. We needed a new 3B so the defense significantly improves but we didn’t get it.
It’s really not about money at this point. If you can’t do the simple things that don’t cost money like firing Cora or moving Devers there are bigger issues than money. The organization is in chaos. The new GM has been completely ineffective in changing the dynamic within the organization. It appears to be a case of too many cooks in the kitchen and the disagreements and hesitation has all but destroyed the off season. The team needs to get it’s act together or 5th place and high draft picks will continue the rest of the decade as I suggested it would after the Mookie giveaway. You can’t give up talent and expect to win. You must maintain your talent and grow it. Bloom removed all but ONE talented player and added Jansen. Breslow has done nothing to add talent but he like Bloom have added guys that if everything goes right could help the team. That’s not talent, that’s wishful thinking. To have sustained success, those are NOT the players to target. Guys like Soto are. Guys like Hader are. Guys like Burnes are.
I think this latest comment from Kennedy about this year’s player payroll “probably” being less than last year’s may just be another dumb, misinformed comment from ownership like the full throttle comment was.
suit – I thought you’ve been around long enough to know which owners are more measured and PR-proper with their comments and which ones are not.
Werner often has poor judgement and it results in saying the wrong thing sometimes.
Henry just doesn’t give a damn about PR-friendly and will sometimes say what he feels even though it won’t be received well by the fans and media.
But Kennedy, he’s a lot sharper when it comes to choosing his words. By saying “probably” he isn’t officially committing to a yes or no answer, but he is acknowledging it’s unlikely they will be spending much more this offseason.
You really can’t ask more of an owner than what Kennedy provided.
You know who was really good at PR? The Dentist, go Google him and you’ll see.
Fever: You may be right about Kennedy, but he has not impressed me as anything more than a guy fumbling around.
suit – Agreed, I’m sure he’s been a factor in many of the poor decisions that have been made.
I’m speaking just in terms of his interactions with the fans and media, he seems to know how to choose his words carefully.
The goal is sustaining success. Fans are so shortsighted. Look at the Rays in terms of dollars spent and win compared to Boston. Even Baltimore might develop a core and sustain some winning over Boston. Spending around a core and stockpiling assets is how they sustain it.
Homer – See you count wins as success, I count rings because that is the ultimate goal at the start of each season. You don’t strive to be mediocre but better than a lot of teams so you make the playoffs, you strive to win the playoffs. NYY and LAD believe in your philosophy of competing. They like participation trophies. I don’t.
MLB players should do everything in their power to win a ring just like the coaches, managers and owners. If you do that and you don’t win you have done all that you can so you can stand proud.
Boston owners, GMs (since DD), Manager (since Farrell) and many players haven’t given their all to win. Devers won’t get off 3B despite it killing the pitchers. Is that a guy doing everything for the team? ABSOLUTELY NOT. That’s a selfish player so I say do everything you can to move him to another team and get back guys like JD who spent his extra time helping team mates figure out how to be more successful at hitting. It’s those type guys that band together to make a winner. Not the Coras of the world, or the Breslow and Blooms of the world and definitely not the Devers of the world
Turning around the negative could start today but the owners and GM haven’t bought into the concept. Until they do, we are a last place team in the AL East.
FYI… I have as many rings as Tampa Bay. It’s a losing philosophy.
Its called a process. Jesus
I would love to see the Ownership group hold a press conference and just tell us what the plans, goals are!
Right because being in competition with 4 other teams in the division and 29 others throughout the league it would certainly help them to spell out for all those other teams exactly what their plans are so they all can adjust their interactions with the Red Sox accordingly.
Of course Ken their reducing payroll is top secret. LMAO
KingKen – Do you think other teams aren’t aware of the fact that Boston has no SP1 or SP2 or a MLB level 3B?
Telling the fans a long term strategy isn’t the same as detailing a roster development plan. Fans want to know where the team stands on improving. It was great to know Bloom had a bull crap long term plan so we could criticize it immediately in hopes of getting him removed. Breslow appears to think like Bloom so that’s probably why he doesn’t want to share the same crap Bloom shared.
We aren’t asking them to tell us who they will pick in the 2024 draft, we are asking them what do you plan for 2024? Is the strategic direction to be a $200MM a year team, is the strategic direction to let Breslow pick long shot players who might come back after 3 years of sucking? Is the plan to identify the holes and fill them immediately.
If I told you it was the last one and you were an opponent what would you do to counteract it? As fans, we would love to hear the last one as the strategy and then we would love it even more if they didn’t lie and actually did it.
Jaa – They already said what their plans are, just last week in fact.
1) Reduce payroll even more, because players are expensive
2) Have at least a couple more “bridge years”. Bloom got 4 years, so Breslow should too … right?
3) Bank on The Fenway Experience for revenue, rather than good players. Nobody comes to Fenway for the team, right?
4) Build a “prospect pipeline” to rely on, instead of signing free agents or trading for high salary players
5) Wait until MAT become superstars before the focus is on winning … and that will happen, because all good prospects become superstars – right?
Did I miss anything?
Fever – The step where the fairy waves the magic wand!!!
I always get confused when people suggest things like a prospect pipeline. Have you ever heard of the annual draft? That’s actually the pipeline because if you inspect the farm system most of the players are from the draft not trades. Some are FAs that have been let go by other teams and surely that’s going to produce an all-star quality MLB player.
Prospects are FAR OVER RATED. The success rate has historically been very low for prospects making it to the MLB level as an all-star. Most that make the MLB are one of three types:
:
1 – A below league average minor league player like Kiki Hernandez
2 – A league average MLB player
3 – A slightly above league average player.
We currently have several graduates of the farm system and here is my assessment of their future. It’s one person’s opinion but it reflects 50 years of watching this process since I was a part of it.
1 – Bello – An above league average starter
2 – Houck – An above league average starter
3 – Crawford – An above league average starter
4 – Duran – An above league average starter
5 – Rafaela – Either above league average or all-star
6 – Anthony – Either above league average or all-star
7 – Abreu – A league average or above league average starter
8 – Teel – An above league average starter
9 – Mayer – A league average or above league average starter
The rest of the minor league players we have today are unlikely to be league average but if they are low enough in the system that review can significantly improve.
So how many are locks to be all-stars? NONE.
Now why in the world would we give up on Mookie, Benny, Bogey, JD and Nate who were all all-star quality players when we let them go since we know how incredibly hard it is to have a home grown all-star? It makes absolutely no sense and money should never be an issue when profits are in the hundreds of millions.
So we guys like Burnes who is an all-star quality pitcher to come to Boston on a multi-year contract and if it costs us guys who won’t necessarily peak at the all-star level, it’s a good deal for us.
Bridge years are for losers. Decisive choices are easy to make when you understand the game. If Breslow the genius doesn’t understand that Burnes is an all-star quality pitcher then he shouldn’t be a GM.
3 key acquisitions are still needed. Two all-star SPs and an all-star 3B. Use the resources we have like Yoshi, Kenley, Devers or the prospects to go get what we need. The team will be competitive with 2 all=star starters and the kiddy corp of SPs and it will be competitive without Devers at 3B and without Cora. All simple changes that could happen in a week if Breslow had the balls to be decisive and make winning now a priority.
Cora amongst most respected managers?
… except in regards to honoring the game
In this new upside down, Topsy turvy world, cheaters are “respected”.
Huh – Many players do like playing for Cora. He sets low expectations, he gives all the players plenty of rest and days off, he doesn’t hold players accountable, and he likes having fun as he’s always laughing and joking with others during the game. In other words, he’s the exact opposite of tough demanding all-business managers like Farrell and Valentine and future MLB manager Tek.
But do the players truly respect him? Hell no, he totally lost the clubhouse last year and in prior years. The lack of effort, lack of focus, lack of fundamentals we’ve seen especially the past couple years is 100% on Cora.
If a player wants a nice, easy, relaxed atmosphere … Cora is for them.
If a player wants to learn, improve, and win, Cora is the worst possible manager for them.
If Cora likes you, you play. If he doesn’t, you sit or go to Worcester. He does everything by emotion. Plus, he’ll always be a cheater. He gets to wear that scarlet letter forever.
Insane – You’re right, but if Cora doesn’t like you then he could also get you traded.
Dugie is the most glaring example of that, Cora definitely disliked him and showed it. I’m not defending Dugie, but he wasn’t wrong about Cora not having his back.
That comment caught my eye as well. Respected by whom? Not me, and I hope anybody else that has some integrity.
Cora is scum and should be driven out of baseball.
Huh – He’s not respected for his managing, his achievements as a player (he sucked), his baseball acumen and most of all his lack of integrity is a dark stain on his legacy as a bad player, coach, manager and human being.
Are the Red Sox trying to be sneaky like the Brewers or Rays? Dont have too many big ticket items but solid flexible depth options and building up their pitching? They dont seem intimidating anymore. Dont understand why they didnt pay Mookie and build around him.
Glad Verdugo is gone.
They didn’t pay Mookie because Mookie did not want to stay in Boston. They tried. He refused.
Thank god stymeedone can read minds. Amazing.
Mookie wanted and got 10 years times 30 million. Look at Andrew McCutchen. Done at 35 after MVP caliber seasons much like mookie.
Same size guy almost the same power and good bat. Mookie’s better than Andrew but you get my point
Anyone that has ever seen Mookie play and can evaluate talent would tell you that McCutchen should never be mentioned as a comparable player. Mookie is one of the 2 or 3 most talented players I have seen in a Red Sox uniform in my whole long life. There are only a handful of players in my lifetime that I would compare to what Mookie is. Elite fielder, arm strength and accuracy, speed, power, contact, fundamentals, and baseball IQ. He was worth whatever he asked, but most importantly, he was worth locking up long term to an extension before he could realize what he was worth.
I would have offered him 10 years by his 3rd year in the league at whatever he thought he was worth hoping he would have low balled himself. If he did, I would have offered him 12+ years with options if he said yes to the 10. Time will tell, but I just don’t think anything short of massive injuries will effect his kind of talent as he ages. His stats may go down by the end of that huge deal, but if we would have locked him up early that contract would have looked like peanuts by 2028 and beyond. I would not be surprised considering the current trends if talented young players that are not even in his class will be making as much if not more in the next 5 to 10 years. Especially as that luxury tax grows beyond 250 million by 2028.
William – Nice reply.
I have always liked McCutchen but as good as he was it’s hard to compare him to Mookie. Cutch had four elite years when he was 25 to 28. OPS+ of 144 to 162. After that he was just good but his OPS+ never exceeded 123 in any of his 7 seasons while he was in his 30s. You are right he’s somewhat comparable in size.
Mookie has now played 10 seasons. He has exceeded 125 with his OPS+ 8 of the 10 seasons with 4 of the 8 being over 140.
Mookie at age 30 put up the following numbers:
152 games 126 runs scored 179 hits for a .307 average, an OBP of .408, a .579 SLG, and a .987 OPS. with 14/17 SBs
Cutch at age 30 put up the following numbers:
156 games 94 runs scored on 159 hits for a .279 average no OBP of .363, a .486 SLG and a .849 OPS with 11/16 SBs
After 30 Cutch faded dramatically and his last All Star appearance was at age 28. Mookie had one of his best years at age 30 with a Silver Slugger award, an all-star appearance and a 2nd place in the MVP voting.
Mookie is the baseball version of Tom Brady with his conditioning and entire health maintenance program. That’s not a shot at Cutch, it’s a differentiator that will allow Mookie to be an all-star into his late 30s.
Like I said, I loved Cutch but I’m curious to see if Mookie can prove to stay at a high level like Trout but for more years. Trout was elite from 2012 to 2019 then he got hurt 2 of the next 4 years and while putting up great numbers in limited at bats he was no longer elite during those years despite being voted in the top 10 in MVP during limited at bats in two of the four seasons. Mookie has had 7 outstanding seasons but not as outstanding as Trouts but if he puts up 5 to 7 more I believe people will look back at his career as being superior to Trout’s shortened career.
Injuries are not predictable so Mookie’s career could be over in 2024 but if it was, I’d still say it was better than Cutch’s.
FYI…Mookie in 2016 during his pre-arb 2 season won a gold glove, a silver slugger award, was an all-star and finished 2nd to Trout in the MVP voting. He was paid $566,000 for that season. I
n 2017 during his last pre-arb season he got bumped to $950,000 and was an all-star, won his second gold glove and finished 6th in the MVP voting. Those two years normally would have cost over $50MM for an established player but Boston paid roughly $1.5MM!!! So a discount of roughly $48.5MM.
In 2018 Mookie was in his first arbitration year and upped his pay from $950K to $10.5MM. He won the MVP that year, the Red Sox won the World Series that year, he was an all-star for the 3rd year in a row, he won another Silver Slugger award and his 3rd gold glove.
In 2019 Mookie he was an all-star for the fourth time in row, he was a Silver Slugger for the third time in four years, he won his fourth gold glove and he finished 8th in the MVP voting. He was paid $20.1MM through arbitration.
So with all the accolades Mookie raised his salary through arbitration from $950K to $10.5MM to $20.1MM and in 2020 he was supposed to get $27MM the smallest raise since he became arbitration eligible. When asked about what he wanted for a salary in 2021 his agent replied $420MM for 12 years so he could retire a Red Sox. That was a $9MM raise that was going to be a constant to age 39.
Boston fired DD for wanting to give him the contract he wanted since it was fair market value for his skills. Ownership chose to throw away their generational home grown face of the franchise for $9MM after making huge profits off his contributions to winning 3 unprecedented division titles and a fourth World Series. You can’t be more short sighted than the Boston ownership with respect to Mookie. It’s a travesty.
FYI…. His OPS+ for the guy who couldn’t maintain his mid 20s numbers has been 145 versus his Boston OPS+ of 134. The aging process that so many claimed would happen didn’t happen and it’s not going to thanks to his conditioning.
Massive mistake that will haunt the Red Sox for at least a decade.
Of course Bailey disputed the notion that the club needs to add another starting pitcher to its rotation. What else can he say when he knows they won’t?
Nowadays, in corporate America, if you wish to keep your job and maintain longevity, the last thing you want to do is speak the truth.
Lord – I think it’s possible he’s 1) Not admitting the need because they don’t want to lose negotiating leverage or 2) Not admitting the need because he wants to show confidence and faith in the SP’s that he currently has.
But yeah, you could very well be right too!
No 2. And I’d be backing him to get the best out of them. You might be surprised by how well your pitchers do this year.
I agree. I expect there to be some tangible improvements among at least a few Sox pitchers, majors and minors, and maybe enough to make a difference in terms of what the perceived pitching needs are by the middle of the season.
I watched it happen time and time again at the Giants. Guys that fan bases deemed middle of the road at best, turning into very valuable assets. Occurred too often to be coincidence.
foppert – I really, really don’t like making predictions. But if forced to do so ….
Crawford – Count on him for 30 starts and 4 ERA
Bello – Second half was really bad, I see 4.25 ERA
Gio – Optimistic of improving to 4.50 ERA
Pivetta – 30 starts and 4 ERA
Houck/Whitlock – Injury concerns, 3.8 ERA if healthy
Not a bad rotation, but contenders typically don’t have a #1 pitcher with a 4 ERA.
I know nothing about your pitching, but if they are humans that are open to listening, I think Bailey is up there with the best pitching acquisition made this off season.
Fever – I like your numbers overall. Bello, if healthy, should be closer to 3.60 in my opinion. Gio could end up just about anywhere. He’s not a predictable guy which is why paying so much was a huge mistake when you need a SP1 and SP2.
Pivetta is playing for an extension so he might actually be better than you projected but who knows if he’ll get starts or work out of the bullpen.
No SP1 and SP2 screws up the entire rotation just like the Bloom years. Matching Giolito vs a SP1 mean very few wins. Matching Bello versus a SP2 mean some wins but more losses than he should get versus SP3s like he should be facing. Houck can hold his own versus SP3 as can Crawford so the bottom of the rotation gives the team the best chance of winning. That’s not how GMs usually draw it up!!!
foppert2 – Do you think we can use Bailey as our SP1 since we don’t have one? SP2?
I love that Bailey claims they don’t need more pitching to support his buddy Breslow but that type of rhetoric won’t fly with fans. We just finished with BS Bloom now we have BS Bailey as the new Pitching Coach?
I’m curious to know who Bailey sees as the SP1 and is that before he has beers or after?
If Cora is a respected manager, MLB has major problems! Let’s not forget that he is a cheater!!
thisredsoxfan – Thank you and technically he’s a serial cheater!!! Just because you didn’t get convicted doesn’t mean you didn’t do it.
I’ll say it again, where the hell were they on Brent Sutter?
Suter.
Zach – No, it’s Sutter.
The Red Sox desperately need a center.
They tried to get him but the Islanders wouldn’t trade him.
I never get it. Most of the free agents team sign never earn the money. Maybe ownership is just sick of paying guys who live on IR all season.
Cora is part of the problem. Perhaps if he’d properly run Spring Training in 2019 we could have avoided this years-long-mess. Sox fired the wrong guy.
I seriously doubt that Cora is “highly respected” anywhere but Boston. The guy was the architect of a cheating scandal, and his team has finished in last place two years in a row. If he was that highly respected, wouldn’t his ownership group give him an extension instead letting him operate under lame duck status this year? Trust me Mr. Deeds, this clown is not respected outside of that locker room.
Zach – Cora also immediately turned a 108-win championship team into a non-playoff team in 2019 because of one of the worst managerial seasons in MLB history.
Let’s be clear here: they never had any intention of signing Yamamoto or Imanaga. Cut the BS.
Fat – It sure looks that way now.
But you know what? They probably sold a lot of season tickets to fans who bought into their lies.
Like I said, it’s quite telling they didn’t come clean until a day or two AFTER the deadline for renewing season tickets.
I know a few season ticketholders who are PISSED the Sox didn’t say until after the renewal deadline that this would be yet another bridge year.
Agreed. At the fan day, or whatever they called it in Springfield, MA the other day they basically told the fans straight up that they are looking to have a lower payroll in 2024 than they did in 2023. So they admitted that they are not committed to being competitive, never mind winning.
Lots of pitching development staff for a team with average at best MLB pitching, zero major pitching prospects and no desire to add an impact SP.
That’s a bold strategy Cotton, let’s see if it pays off for him…
For get abou SP and a power bat. Who is the third base coach/infield defense instructor?
BeeCarbo – I heard it’s Devers.
They are not going to spend for another year or two. Not until the kids are fully developed. It’s going to be another long year!
You’re right, there are 366 days this year. Maybe take a leap of faith and hope for the best?
hayzee – I think that’s the best post I’ve seen you write, kudos!
Yeh I been telling this YouTuber Red Seat Radio that they were done getting anyone weeks ago and he keeps making videos about proposals and deals the Red Sox can do and apparently he has a nice cult following because his subscribers are buying it. I appreciate the guys efforts but it’s clear the Sox want make any significant moves before ST
The only moves they make will likely be to resign Duvall and Paxton.
Is that because they need them? Duvall plays our deepest position.
Paxton can be the 6th or 7th SP3 to SP5.
I really hope you are wrong but i wouldn’t bet against it.
It’s obvious what happened the Sox won their WS and now ownership lost that hunger to win at all costs that they used to have.
Now they talk about the Fenway experience, cause they know that ok if the diehards won’t show up, the tourists will and a ticket sold is a ticket sold.
But it’s not just Boston’s owners who feel this way, Cubs same story, Hal in NY same story hanging on to the same stale gm, on the other hand you have the Dodgers ownership who continues to want to win & does anything to see that they do get another WS ring.
Crash – You are 100% right about that hunger and it definitely plays a role in team decisionmaking.
Lucky was the driving force in the Sox front office, he is a fierce competitor that always wanted to win.
Henry has 8 championship rings between the Yankees and Red Sox and he’s getting up there in age, it’s not uncommon for someone in his position to lose the desire to win championships.
The Dodgers ownership is still seeking their first legit championship, that’s their driving force.
Fever – a copy cat crash n burn!!!
Crash n Burn – Nice name. Comes from the movie Hackers from the 1990s. The guy who starred in Elementary (Johnny Lee Miller) was a kid back then. Did you know that?
BTW – LAD doesn’t try to win championships, they like the limelight. They are participation trophy type owners who value making the playoffs more than winning a ring. I would too if I only had one legitimate ring since 1988. Just because people spend money don’t assume they do it to win. They jumped their profits despite all the money they will pay out by adding an entire region of baseball fans from outside of the United States. It wasn’t about winning it was about notoriety and profits.
Of course I know it’s from the movie hackers
It was this or zero cool
Hack the planet!!!!
That movie also had Angelina Jolie in it she ended up marrying Johnny Lee Miller for a while at least.
So tired of ungrateful Sox fans. They are the best owners in our lifetimes. We are spoiled by all the championships in New England over the past few decades. The Mets and Padres spent silly and look where it got them. I have no problem with them rebuilding and reloading. It’s fine to be impatient and not agree with the strategy, but moronic to say they don’t spend money.
Were…..were
You can be tired of them if you want, but Crash N Burn nailed it. They are ticket sellers now. They hunger is gone gone. Look at the standings the last 2 years, and I’d willing to put money on a 3rd straight garbage season. The fans have a right to complain. Not everyone likes to stare at all old banners and be content, as you appear to. The Pats as well. Spoiled with high expectations or not, it was time for Belichick to go if you wanna get back to the top.
The owners could piss off the roof and you at ground level would claim its raining.
Boxscore? That’s disgusting. Why stoop to that level? Can’t make your point without a grotesque image?
It’s like the guy who swears and raises his voice to yelling because the substance of his thoughts are inadequate?
Gary – On the lighter side, he may just be a Fritz the Cat fan!!!
Hope you are older enough to recognize that reference.
No, I’d think it was your whiny tears. Enjoy!
Luckyh – So who are you related to in the front office or ownership? I keep reading about how fed up you are with the way fans are reacting after winning 4 rings since 2004.
You must be young. I was almost 50 by the time they won so I had that many years of heart break then I saw four championships and now I’m likely to pass before we see another since the owners have destroyed all they had in 2018, possibly the greatest Red Sox team ever.
Being bitter is up to the individual and nobody has the right to tell you are wrong for feeling the way you feel.
Talk baseball not trash. Fans are entitled to their opinions whether they agree with yours or not.
I also wouldnt put Henry in as the best owner in my lifetime.
Overall, I’d probably go with the Yawkey family. They could’ve moved the team when many others would’ve, in a time when fenway was just another old ballpark and the nostalgia factor wasn’t a thing yet. They didn’t have to partner with entities around the city and really put the Jimmy Fund on the map, but they didn’t.
For everyone who wants to jump and scream racism and fluff Henry’s woke feathers, Yawkey was dead by 1977, and yet, Boston didn’t field an African American player until the 1990s… somehow he was controlling that from beyond the grave I imagine.
Read about what he did in the 1930s to revive fenway… not to mention what he did after that. well, go out of your way to since Henry stripped the plaques down inside fenway that talked about what Yawkey did for the club when he felt the need to rename Jersey St too.
Dear Boston,
Welcome to the, management wants to pretend they are big spenders with deep pockets to compete for championships but really are penny pinching billionaires who are fine with mediocre teams club
Yours truly,
San Francisco fans
GSW – Great post! The situations are indeed eerily similar, right down to the 3 championships each from 2004-2014.
Hopefully the Sox will soon do what your team just did, fire the overrated manager.
Sadly they are now content with fans just coming to see Fenway. The 300 million “game of the franchise” an overweight 3rd baseman didn’t even show up to Winter Weekend
Ltsz2904 – I’m guessing he didn’t because fans would have kept asking him why he is so willing to hurt the pitching staff by pretending to be a 3B.
Or maybe fans might have asked him if his 126 OPS+ without Bogey and JD will be what we should expect for the next 10 years while he’s making $30MM a year.
TF – as to the former, he’d say if the pitching staff stopped letting players hit balls his way there’d be no problem.
As to the latter, he’s say of course not – he’s certain that by the last 4 years of the deal his OPS+ will assuredly begin to decline.
Still floored that Cora and Beltran were never banned from baseball after their sign stealing scandal. The 2 responsible for the whole thing were unharmed by the backlash. Ridiculous
Rocker49 – As a second generation ex player, it’s despicable.to me and always will be. Keep hoping for the old what goes around comes around ending to his career in baseball.
Red Sox will get plenty of young talent when you draft in the top 3 for the xent few years. Its ashamed what this team has become you don’t have to spend like the Dodgers but at least look like a big market team not a small market team.
No, the Red Sox will get plenty of talent IF THEY DRAFT WELL. It really doesn’t matter where you are in the order. Otherwise, the Hall of Fame would be full of first round picks.
whyhayzee – Words of wisdom. Casas was a late first round pick and Mayer was an early first round pick. I’ll put my money on Casas.
Bloom’s drafts don’t look good at this point but we all have to hope they suddenly improve as they move up through the minors. Anthony seems to be his one shining star.
Yankees fan here who doesn’t understand the beefing from some Red Sox fans, You folks have done pretty darn well for yourself over the last two decades. Better than my guys, for sure.
Yes you’re right, you make a great point but remember we’ve finished last 2 years in a row and that doesn’t sit well when owners and management “say” they’re going to be better the next season.., yet pick from the bottom shelf of available talent. The leftovers.
These fans are right and have plenty of examples to criticize ownership but personally I won’t go to that side of the road. I just try to keep a positive outlook, still watch the games, and enjoy the team. Hopeful for a win every single night. Hasn’t looked good lately but that’s the bus I’m driving.
Let’s both be happy that we aren’t Athletics fans. Imagine having to take that in the teeth–the utter contempt by the owners
Mikenmn – I have a bit different perspective on your original comment.
The Yankees owned the baseball world until 1962. You have had a financial advantage over every one for over 100 years. Your lack of success relates to bad choices with regard to popular players rather than talented players. Your plight is easily predictable because no matter what the front office does wrong nobody gets fired. As fans you can count on an under performing front office year in and year out but you can also count on valiant yet misguided efforts to improve. The Soto deal is a great example.
Boston has been the little brother to the Yankees for 100 years until 2004. Since then the fan base has taken pride in the fact that we got out of your shadow and became the most successful organization over the last 20 years.
In 2019, the cable broke and the high powered train fell off the tracks while transversing a very long suspension bridge high over a rocky river bed. The day our GM got fired in 2019 the world as we knew it ended. While your fans are consistently getting the same performance from the front office, ours has had a psychotic break. Think about what you would feel like if Judge was allowed to go elsewhere. Now think about what it would be like to replace Cashman with someone who would get rid of Rizzo, Torres, LeMahieu, Cole, Stanton, Rodon and Holmes.in four years and replace them with NO ALL-STAR quality players. Then, you would enter into our twilight zone.
Our two fan base experiences don’t resemble each other even if the wins might have been close in 2023. You guys have it great compared to what we’ve experienced since the day Dombrowski got fired.
Mike – Six last place teams during the past 12 years.
When was the last time the Yankees finished last? I’ll wait for the answer …
Fever Pitch—I’m old enough to remember the Stump Merrill 1990 Yankees…and the 1966 Yankees, so I take your point. Mine is that fans craze WS wins. Looking at the Chicago teams….or the Curse of the Bambino. As a fan I want to see a competitive team. If my team is not competitive, at least I want to see youth and promise for the future. I’
“If he (Cora) remains in the dugout following the 2024 season, whether at Fenway or elsewhere, he’ll do so as one of the league’s most well-respected managers…”
Sign stealing cheaters are not respected.
mrmackey – Now you understand the politics of baseball. Writers care only about interviews. Insulting Cora while completely valid is going to limit their topics for articles so they praise him falsely.
Remember, the Boston media has always been harsh and Cora stepped in and mumbled answers and granted follow-up interviews to gain public opinion. He’s a scumbag and always will be. No reporter will say it out loud or to his face but I believe the majority of them think it.
In Boston the Athletic sucks up to Cora constantly to get exclusive stories and it’s pathetic but it’s business for them. They don’t actually care about the Red Sox or even their fans, they care about viewership.
It’s an ugly world we live in and nobody is uglier as a human being that Cora.
The comment in this article about Cora being respected is so funny to read.Also Red Sox fans have become as irritating as Yankees fans.Loved seeing both out of playoffs last year.What a delite combined with Dodgers and Braves 1st round exits.Can we get a replay of that 2024 postseason please baseball Gods..
I’m a Sox fan amd still have suspicion that Cora cheated in 2018 as well. Telling example is the drop-off in JD Martinez in ’19
Craig Buyslow is another yes-man to ownership. John Henry didn’t have the guts to attend Winter Weekend and the crowd was met with empty words from Kennedy and Werner. Sad how things have become!
FULL THROTTLE to another 78 win season. As a lifelong Sox fan I used to defend this ownership. No more.. the Bobby Valentine debacle, letting Mookie go, last place finishes and wasting 300 million on a chubby 3rd baseman! But they traded Mookie!
Maybe ownership realizes the already bloated carcass that is Devers’ contract will drag them sown for the next 11 years, while some fans cry for more spending that could be equally foolhardy.
Being a simpleton ( 4 rings later of course) I’m not demanding/ nor impatient.. not even irritated … all I ask is a small favor … 70.. will cost about as much as clean up crew and will take ALL the heat the 1100 fans at home games can spew… thank you and good night…
Mr Boddy is best known for being the victim in Clue
It’s BOYCOTT Time in Boston Globally. Time to send the real dollars message by each Nation member. Box Score Baseball Fans who DFA’d their credit cards and wallets until further notice.
Include the John Henry propaganda outlet NESN!
Any spend for merchandise or anything frankly…zero investment in 24
Hootie and the Blowfish will be playing Fenway this summer so that’s at least something to look forward to.
Jimmy – Hootie got DFA’d and Breslow picked up a guy who was good 3 years ago to replace him!!!
Don’t eat the sushi, blowfish are poisonous and I’m sure Henry would relish the chance to kill off the more vocal of the fan base as much as he has killed off the success of the team….
I would be okay with signing Paxton. As for the others, no clue.
Back in the day they would have been all over Montgomery. Now they’re balking at even those in the bargain bin. When a big market team starts behaving like CLE in free agency, somebody in ownership either has a serious gambling problem, or they’re heavily invested in crypto.
Or they just want to win with a smaller payroll like the Rays, as they’ve seen the Padres, Mets and Yankees all miss the playoffs in 2023 with big payrolls.
I’m kind of in the middle. I like the philosophy, but not to the extent that we can’t get talented players to play for us just because they are over budget. It’s getting a bit ridiculous. We could have signed Imanaga at that price, it was a pretty good deal for the Cubs
Rays haven’t won anything because their method is flawed.
Might be, but they are perennial for getting to the postseason, which is more than other teams. I’ll take it over 5th place.
Fair point. If the Rays would just spend to get a couple of big FA they would have a much better shot at winning it all.
The Rays yearly budget has more of an impact on keeping talent than acquiring it. The amount of quality players they have had to trade or allow to leave via free agency is staggering. When you know you can’t keep any quality it helps the prospect pipeline, but you also have to be phenomenal at drafting, and picking those prospects, and they are.
I know they don’t have the rings, but their track record is incredible as far as competing with the restrictions they have.
I know Bailey is just toeing the company line trying to avoid pissing off ownership, but he was better off giving zero opinion rather than saying what he did. This rotation as it stands is worse than last years. We all agree that last year’s rotation was well below competitive in terms of what would be needed to contend for a playoff slot. No one thought the Red Sox had a prayer last year, and most of us knew it was the rotation that would guarantee we weren’t making the playoffs.
Bailey just comes off as either insincere, or inept. I know he just used the term succeed which is broad and meaningless without context, but is “succeed” just the Red Sox accomplishing having five starters despite managements limitations on the pursuit of talent? Is “succeed” just having the bullpen stripped of a minimum of one or two arms to fill out a rotation rather than spending money to come in 4th or 5th? I have no doubt we can find five pitchers to fill out a rotation if that is the goal, but I would not call it a success to build that rotation without any confidence in it. Bailey was better off saying he hopes to improve what we have in house, and walking away before he damaged his reputation for honesty or intelligence.
I have invested my emotions, money and hopes in the red Sox since 1955. But the writing is plain. The Mookie trade echoes the Ruth trade! The B’S spin to throttle up was transparent to everyone but the “pink hats”! I was in the bleachers in 1966 to watch the Sox finish ninth to the Yankees 10th. One of the 400 to witness this embarrasment. Those days are on the bleak horizon I choose NOT to re experience history!!
Piersall55 – best regards to you! You have me beat …. First game I attended Ray Jarvis pitched and Don Lock (LF) homered but they lost of course (1969). Be well.
Missed that year as I was dodging North Vietnamese mortar shells
Sadly the only attraction is Fenway. Ownership only cares about the revenue from the park
Another last place finish for this franchise again. But, promising the following year? Oh, never mind last place that year again. Pat’s and Sox cellar dwellers.
I wonder how much Massachusetts new millionaires’ tax is hurting the Red Sox signing free agents. John Henry is such a liberal, I bet he has told the whole ownership group to never bring this up.
Breslow has handled this offseason about as well as William H. Macy’s character in “Fargo” handled his wife’s staged kidnapping
I ll be spending less for parking, couple less trips this year.
Its a process people. Jesus. 4 championships and we were a pitch away(altuve) from getting to another. I LOVE the youth that is here and coming. Relax. 87 wins next year
RickEO – You related to JoeBrady? hahaha
Great prediction. What team? Do they play that many games at AA?
Clearly you are a youngster because your investment level is way below where it should be. Have you read about the 86 year drought?
That makes 5 rings in 100 years or one every 20 not 4 every 20. You got lucky that you were born when you were. Not all of us are that lucky so don’t think you are speaking as a normal Red Sox fan, you are in the first week of your freshman year of being a Red Sox fan and the seniors want to beat the crap out of you for being so naive!!!
TF – people can’t understand what they weren’t around for.
If you look at the 4 rings since ’04, then look around the league and see TB in it most years, the Astros in it so many years straight, same for the braves, the dodgers, the yankees, people without perspective don’t see how hard it can be to get to that sustained success. They figure it must be easy to do when you want to, no big deal.
Those of us who DO have that perspective, we’re all the more incensed at a FO that took a team in ’18 that was just at the opening of a dominant wide-open window where payers could be rotated into the roster if the gm only sustained by adding complementary pieces, and killed it off for no good reason to create the massive far more expensive mess we now have.
Seriously, the young kids we have to work with now, and these were DD guys in the system before 2020, imagine plugging them in if the club was reloaded in 2020-23 instead of allowed to wither on the vine for NO value parts coming back the other way?
Hello David Ross. Goodbye Alex Cora.
As they currently stand, this is the worse Red Sox outfield in their history!
rumors171 – Are you under 14? I’ve seen outfields where the best player wasn’t as good as Verdugo and we sent him packing.
Abreu, Duran and Rafaela have taken the first step in proving they belong in the MLB. They are free agents in 2028 (Duran) and 2030 for the other two. They have speed, have hit for average and are excellent defenders. They will cost next to nothing until one proves to be extraordinary then we’ll sign him to a long term contract.
This is the best young outfield in a decade.
Wow and you base this off of 802 career ab’s with 643 belonging to Duran? There is still a lot to prove here.
a bad Red Sox team and disgruntled red sox fans and Verdugo about to have a career year as a Yankee
Not going to lie as a Yankee fan it doesn’t get any better than this
Yankee – It reminds me of the guy who falls off the roof of 50 story building and keeps saying it doesn’t get any better than this as he plummets to his death!!! hahaha
We’re bad but we have an excuse. You guys simply can’t win the big games, that’s a chronic problem
The biggest losers this offseason:
#1 Angels
#2 Red Sox
Rumors171 – I would have gone with
1 – Cora
2 – Bloom
3 – Breslow
4 – Henry
5 – Werner
6 – Cora
Maybe the Red Sox can trade one of their 7 DHs for a CF that can play defense.
Rumors171 – Why hating on Duran? That makes no sense if you are a fan. He has 127 less errors than Devers. Pick on Devers, he deserves it.
I liked the 7 DHs reference!!
After another last place finish, the Red Sox who already had the highest ticket prices in MLB, raise ticket prices again. I feel duped.
All they do is attack the fan base. Sorry Sam those who can plainly see ownership does not care. Are not liars he is liar all the owners are liars full throttle yea ok.
Nothing about this offseason is a surprise for anyone who took realistic stock of the offseason back in early November.
I do feel sorry for those who feel duped by the ‘full-throttle’ comment to a degree, but, you had to LET yourself get duped.
I’m willing to blame ownership, but, not the front office yet. What I’d like to know, but, likely never will, is three pitching related storylines that shifted the outcome of this offseason:
1) whether BOS exchanged numbers/years with Yamamoto reps in a general sense, and that’s why he refused to visit, or, if he never was interested and they didn’t get the chance.
2) The second headscratcher, is, what was Breslow’s take on imanaga? We know his position with the CHC would’ve laid the groundwork given how long he’s been on Chicago’s radar.
So, did breslow value the player that much less than the already low calue of the contract, and, the GM just go beyond where he knew breslow valued the guy? Could Breslow not parley his earlier involvement in the player into a meaningful visit/offer?
3) what was the Giolito vs Sale decisionmaking. Both were 1yr, and, possibly a second year, worth of deal. Both had warts – one a higher floor, but questionable durability, the other durable, but a back end output more likely. But neither was slated to be more than a 2 year asset, with sale able to be sent packing if he didn’t perform, while gio is likely to stay put if he doesn’t.
With a lack of system depth I don’t see a reason to fear having arms on the books longer, other than ‘pitching is expensive’ is an expansion sion of the ‘players are expensive’ take. You don’t need all five SP to be locked up, but, it’s worth anchoring the rotation somewhat.
Maybe they see more they can fix in the young arms than we know.
GA – Valid questions. I’d like to see Breslow’s version of my list of players for the future. I had SP1 and SP2 empty. Does he think Giolito fills one of those spots? I thought the young outfield looked great last year considering they were brought up when Boston played 19 games against the AL East in September. Not the easiest time to break into the pros.
I’d like to understand after Cherrington put over $40MM of dead contracts on the books and Bloom put $16MM of dead contracts on the books with his Price deal why did Breslow think putting $17MM more of dead contracts was a smart move since we already had the Justin Turner buy out in the dead contracts column of the spreadsheet. Effectively, Grissom cost $17MM in his first year of pre-arb so his total controlled years will be some of the highest in the history of the club thanks to Breslow’s deal.
Also, did Breslow think O’Neill will suddenly rebound after several bad years or does he not like our current outfielders (Duran, Rafaela and Abreu)? If so, why doesn’t he like them?
Then, I want to ask him why he’s leaving Devers at 3B and why he’s not firing Cora. No money involved just good judgment.
I have pounded a theme of all-star quality players as the foundation of the roster and I watched Bloom remove 5 and not replace them. My question to Breslow is do you REALLY expect to home grow those replacements? Wouldn’t it be more logical to purchase them and blend them with our current home grown crew? One approach can be done in a year the other may take until the end of the decade. Why choose the long term choice when GMs only last 4 years in Boston..
Just because you have 5 human beings with heart beats in your rotation doesn’t make those guys that pitch in order of 1 through 3 to start the season quality elite arms by any means. ATM it is safe to say we have perhaps a number 3, and as many as 5 number 4 through 5 pitchers to piece together this rotation.
This is a last place rotation in the AL east. I think if we get a few of the younger hitters making sizable progressions, we are capable of a 4th place finish provided another team either sustains some injuries, or regresses. I have outlined many times the glaring problems the Red Sox roster has over the last few years, and how the present state of the team was inevitable based on their actions. If Bailey thinks that this rotation has promise or can be fixed internally with the talent we have, we are due for at least another 2 seasons of bottom 2 divisional finishes or longer. We have no internal solutions for the top of the rotation, just the bottom, and some of those will likely never see a start in the big leagues.
BOYCOTT all things Redsox Related, check box scores for free and we’ll see when their wallets open ours will as well. Until then…it’s a wicked pissah for John Henry!
I gotta say that hearing the Sox Payroll will be lower than 2023’s. Intriguing, if the Sox plan on making some deals during or after the Season. But, I doubt it. Setting things up for a Sale maybe? Bottom line is probably looking good, who knows.
Another disappointing season coming.