Sept. 10: Dalbec went unclaimed on waivers and has been assigned outright to Triple-A Worcester, per a team announcement. He’ll remain in the organization.
Sept. 8: The Red Sox announced this morning that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Richard Fitts, whose promotion was reported last night. The club designated infielder Bobby Dalbec for assignment to make room for Fitts on the 40-man roster and optioned right-hander Chase Shugart to Triple-A in order to clear space on the active roster.
Dalbec, 29, was a fourth-round pick by the Red Sox in the 2016 draft who earned plenty of attention with a dominant debut during the shortened 2020 season. After being called up halfway through the 60-game campaign, he emerged as the club’s regular first baseman down the stretch and slashed a torrid .263/.359/.600 with an eye-popping eight home runs in just 92 trips to the plate. Though the Red Sox ultimately finished fifth in the AL East that year and no one expected Dalbec to continue slugging at a 63 homer pace in his first full season in 2021, there was nonetheless optimism regarding the then-25-year-old’s future.
While Dalbec didn’t hit at the same otherworldly level he did during his first taste of big league action, his first full big league campaign in 2021 was a productive one nonetheless. In 453 trips to the plate across 133 games, Dalbec hit a respectable .240/.298/.400 with 25 home runs, 21 doubles, and 5 triples as Boston’s primary first baseman. That strong power production helped to offset his massive 34.4% strikeout rate and make him an above average (106 wRC+) bat overall, but things took a turn for the worse for Dalbec when his power evaporated during the 2022 season. As his isolated slugging dropped nearly a hundred points year-over-year while his strikeout rate held fairly steady, his production cratered and he wound up slashing just .215/.283/.369 with a wRC+ 20% worse than league average in 117 games in 2022.
That wound up being Dalbec’s final opportunity as a regular with the Red Sox, as he spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons primarily in Triple-A as optionable infield depth. He hit quite well for Triple-A Worcester in both of those years, but his opportunities at the big league level were sparse and did not see him succeed. In a combined 146 trips to the major league plate over the past two years, Dalbec hit a ghastly .159/.234/.235 while striking out at a whopping 48.6% clip and slugging just two home runs. While Dalbec has increased his versatility these past two years, appearing at all four infield spots and right field in the major leagues, no amount of versatility was able to overcome that brutal production at the plate.
With Dalbec set to be out of options and potentially arbitration-eligible headed into the 2025 campaign, it’s hardly a surprise that the Red Sox have decided to cut bait on the once-promising infielder. Should he go unclaimed on waivers, the Red Sox will have the opportunity to outright him to the minor leagues for the remainder of the 2024 season, though Dalbec will have the opportunity to elect minor league free agency in search of a change of scenery at season’s end.
Well, if the Richard Fitts…..you know what to do.
If there’s a mosqueter on yer Peter whack it off
Upon his promotion, Richard Fitts will be greeted by Richard Lovelady and Brooks Pounders to show him around.
Well of course now Bobby goes on to be Rob Deer.. 196 avg with 30-35 bombs and 195k but not for us….
olm – Dalbec and Franchy will be the 2025 version of the Bash Brothers!
Add Michael Chavis and you have a real Murderer’s Row.
Peter O’Brien and Will Benson would like some of that action
Sounds like a Pacific League or Central League contract should be up next for him….. in Japan. Or maybe in the KBO.
Then, if he works hard and finds his stroke, he could come back to a big league contract.
I’m gonna go wayyyy back… Ken Phelps!!!
olm – Jay Buhner was a good prospect, no question about it. But my people loved Ken Phelps’ bat. They kept saying Ken Phelps, Ken Phelps.
The true 3 outcome giant for his time.. before Maas/ Plantier etc…I owe it all to strato matic baseball..!!! Oh don’t I dare leave out Sam Horn!!!
olm – Casas is benched again today, hopefully he’s not following down the same footsteps as Sam Horn!
I still think his ribcage is bothering him, so I’m not too concerned about his performance next season.
But as for this season, I called it. Those who expected Casas to immediately turn back the clock to last summer didn’t think how difficult it would be. Especially someone like Casas who marches to the beat of a different drummer and does things on his own schedule.
There does seem to be a lot of a Bill Lee type of mentality with Casas doesn’t it Fever.
Can’t really give any examples of Lee’s ‘weirdness” personally. He was 1 of the guys, when i was around just nodded, said plain old “hey there”, or Hi” kind of responses, tho he did seem to have a preferred group among players and some of the NE media back then. Do remember Hawk harrelson (when tv38 did their games) was one who was with him fairly often.
Anyway.. Casas and lee does kind of sound like a decent match. Same with another who was kind of “out” from times past. Jim Willoughby.
If they can catch the baseball at all, they cannot be mentioned in the same breath as Sam Horn.
Fever – Jerry, it’s Frank Costanza, Mr. Steinbrenner’s here, George is dead, call me back.
steve – That’s one of my very favorite lines from the show!
From that episode, my favorite part is when Steinbrenner tells Frank that his son is dead …. and all Frank cares about is the Buhner trade!
john – I’m a bit too young to know much about The Spaceman other than he was also quite “unique”, but with Casas I’ve learned he is indeed behaving unusually as a form of entertainment.
I saw his video, he described his behavior as pretending to be a different video game character (his exact words) every day.
I mean I feel for the guy, losing his mom at Age 9 understandably screwed him up (cause of death wasn’t revealed), but I know how players and coaches and fans are ….. if he suddenly stops producing, his attention-seeking behavior will not be tolerated any longer.
Willoughby is just a name to me, but did you have any interesting interactions with Jimmy Piersall?
Hey Fever. No, don’t remember ever meeting Piersal, nor another great Jackie Jensen either, who will get asked about from time to time
Quickie list of solid to greats from 30’s to 60’s who came as ST coaches to winter haven would include of course Teddy Ballgame, who was not a likeable person. Dom diMaggio. Chatty and funny and did look exactly like his nickname “The little professor” with the same horn rimmed glasses, decades after his playing days were over. Bobby Doerr, Johnny Pesky, Dave “Boo” Ferris, Joe Dobson, who also dbl’d up as GM of the WH A Ball team for a few years.
Jose Santiago, Bill Monboquette, want to say Pete Runnels was there 1-2y late 60’s, maybe ’70. Eddie Kasko. i remember Tony C trying to comeback 1 yr..75 maybe? he was there for ST. it didn’t work out tho. There were few other solid regulars from older times, all can come up with right away.. Oh.. jerry moses (old b/u catcher) showed up several years.
remember back then players got paid squat, a month of ST was like an all expenses paid vacation for those old vets.
NYY had the names, i remember seeing Yogi show up to WH several times, even Joe D during ST. when the Yanks would travel from Ft lauderdale.
john – Good stuff, thanks for sharing!
The only guy in that group that I ever met was Pesky. It was at ST and my wife and I posed for a picture with him when he was still alive, he put his arm around her and pulled her in tight and kinda kept me at a distance …. classic sign of a ladies man. LOL
I do have an issue when Casas is doing yoga in CF wearing a Spider-Man’s mask then make crucial errors in the games following. He should’ve been taking ground balls instead of wearing shorts n doing yoga. I would have NP if he was hitting n not making horrific errors.
Fever- Pesky, what remember a lot of him was he, like always had a fungo bat in his hands hours before game time, even if he wasn’t hitting them, which he often did during AM sessions and yeah.. I also remember him as a kind of comedian and the main “old crew” guy, you know, 40’s era crowd that Williams was with the ST’s he showed up at.
When said earlier Williams wasn’t likeable, better word is pretty much ignored everyone, unless someone he knew. I’m guessing he had been burned many times over the years. He and Yaz did go on fishing trips together back then thru the chain of lakes in Winter haven, many connected together and accesible via boat and Yaz’s winter home, down the road from us was on Lake Howard then.
Left out few names, who were solid 60’s Sox players and regular ST coaches you may have heard of: Frank Malzone and Dave Moorehead. Both were ST regulars for years. Couple more would have liked to have met, but didn’t were “The Monster” Dick Radatz and Dick Stuart.
As can imagine tho, ones got to know best were few who played A Ball at Winter Haven, then either made it or not. Some did (bruce Hurst, Pete Ladd and others) while others of course never didn’t.. Luis deLeon, Danny Weppner.. That list is very long.
Pete and Iused to play strat-o-matic baseball sometimes early AM, before heading to the park, back when strat-o was played with little cards and dice. he also liked the old hockey game, where have rods with little figures on the end to twist and push/pull them to move the puck? he organized a tourney once. haha. Pete passed away not long ago, read about it here, tho lost contact with him maybe 30y ago. Big guy, but kind and gentle.
Fever.. could write books n what did with Guys with Sox in the past and have left out all interactions with Sox manager Joe morgan, who i knew very well from his time as Bristol manager from ST and old winter haven manager Rac Slider, later on Sox 3b coach and he took me under his wing, how learned to look for so many things baseball wise was those 2.
john – A few weeks ago the Sox radio guys had Walpole Joe on air for an inning, it was great to hear him and he sounded really good for 93 years old!
Bobby is toast.
Well,it’s finally happened
We all knew this day would come, nice kid but can’t hit a curveball. I imagine he’ll get claimed and move on. Good luck to him.
I wanted to trade him after that 21 season, but no they let him linger and that helped no one.
they were trying to trade him back then.
They were asking too much. Everyone saw that he was an aberration
Bloom dropped the ball on Bobby. Bobby deserved better, new team so he could flourish maybe close to his home in Seattle .
Right. Bloom screwed up in not trading a player that any team could have picked up for nothing the past couple of days and all 29 other teams passed on him. Apparently they are all well aware of Dalbec’s deficiencies as a player and weren’t ever interested in trading to acquire such a flawed player. Go figure.
Good riddance. Was really no reason to keep him around after he choked (again) starting the season in a like 1 for 40 slump.
John – Just learned Wade Boggs has cancer. One of my childhood heroes, really hope he can beat it.
Fever, I had to look it up. There isn’t such a thing as a good cancer, I hate that term. But without knowing the extent and agressiveness of what Boggs has, at least it is one of the types and locations that is more treatable with fewer side effects.
GASox – That’s good to hear. At first I immediately thought of Jim Corsi, but then realized Jim had colon cancer not prostate.
Did you ever make it to the Toronto game? Tons of great seats available, especially for the day game. Of course the results sucked for both.
Did *not* make it to the TOR games, which, as you said given the results was just as well.
The visit that morning at umass did not go well. Could’ve been worse as I’m obviously still here. Results in everything that day sucked, all around.
GASox – Very sorry to hear. Keeping you in my prayers brother. Remember Jimmy V’s speech, never give up.
Fever, if Breslow can play his cards right and Henry doesn’t cheap out *again* this offseason I’d hope to see another flag over fenway.
That said, I’m feeling less fight left in me than the ’19 Sox after DD was sacked. One day at a time, at least I’m not relying on Bloom to put me together again. (Although are a pair of Polish and Czech doctors who grew up in the USSR era better? I feel there’s a joke to be had there somewhere!)
GASox – You gonna attend the ASG next year? Assuming MLB doesn’t pull it away again after the election.
If the doctors are Czech and Australian, you could say Czech Mate ;O)
Okay it’s that time of year where we have F-U-N fun fun FUN by looking at the remaining schedules.
Tigers – 3 vs COL, 3 vs CHISOX, 3 vs TBR, 6 vs BAL, 3 vs KC
DET Proj Finish 85-77
TBR – 4 vs CLE, 3 vs PHIL, 3 vs TOR, 3 vs DET, 6 vs BOS
TBR Proj Finish 82-80
SEA – 2 vs SD, 7 vs TEX, 3 vs NYY, 3 vs HOU, 3 vs OAK
SEA Proj Finish 84-78
MIN – 3 vs LAA, 3 vs CIN, 3 vs BOS, 3 vs MIA, 3 vs BAL, 4 vs CLE
MIN Proj Finish 89-73
KC – 3 vs NYY, 3 vs PIT, 3 vs DET, 3 vs SF, 3 vs WAS, 3 vs ATL
KC Proj Finish 87-75
TOR – 3 vs NYM, 3 vs STL, 3 vs TEX, 3 vs TBR, 3 vs BOS, 3 vs MIA
TOR Proj Finish 79-83
BOS – 3 vs BAL, 4 vs NYY, 6 vs TBR, 3 vs MIN, 3 vs TOR
BOS Proj Finish 76-86
Looks like another last place finish for the Red Sox with 6 teams finishing ahead of them for the final 2 WC spots.
Twins & Royals definitely have the easiest schedules, Red Sox have the hardest schedule.
* Please note these are PROJECTIONS, NOT PREDICTIONS
Fever – no plans that far ahead yet, it’s a long road ahead here. Would I do it? I don’t know.
IMO MLB blew the AS game concept when they didn’t put it in Fenway to commemorate the 100th anniversary season.
It’s only gotten worse with the whole fan-voting side of things. I advocate you let the players and only the players vote. Let fans vote to choose who will be the starters out of a slate of total rosters determined by the players.
I’d also bring back letting the AS outcome determine home field advantage, give the game some meaning as to who wins and who wants to win.
I’ve never been a big HR derby fan, it only gets my passing interest.
As for the latest projections you’ve got there, I’m still bullish on BOS. I think they beat that win total, and, beat 2023’s total as well despite everything Cora does to try to prevent it
GASox – Understood on the ASG. For me personally, having longterm goals/plans helps me tremendously psychologically. It helps me to have something to look forward to. In fact I started planning my 2025 baseball trips as soon as the schedule came out. If I ever end up in the same situation as you, I’d still plan longterm because it would help me stay positive. Just something to consider my friend :O)
Can’t fault MLB for the Fenway 100th anniversary, the ASG was at Fenway in 1999 and there’s no way they can award a second ASG just 13 years later …. not with 29 other teams waiting their turn.
I disagree on voting, the ASG was always meant to let the fans see the players THEY want to see. Even though some people here erroneously think it’s meant for the best first half players that season, it’s not. Seeing guys like Cal Ripken in the ASG during their final season is far more rewarding than some no-name player who just happened to have a good 3 month start to that season.
Players would be too biased to allow them to determine the ASG roster. And they wouldn’t vote for players that they don’t know or haven’t seen enough.
Totally agree on bringing back WS home field advantage to the winning league in the ASG. But the newest rules for ASG tied after 9 innings makes my stomach turn, and I wouldn’t want a gimmick to determine WS home field advantage.
I’m not a fan of the HR derby either, unless a Sox player is in it. I’ve never attended one and have no desire, gets kinda boring IMO unless I’m seated in the prime homerun seats.
Guess what? The current Red Sox record is IDENTICAL to last year’s. I think if the Sox lose at least 4 of the next 5, they will wave the white flag and possibly shut down guys like Houck, Casas and Devers. The focus will shift from winning to evaluating, and combined with their tough remaining schedule it could lead to another 76-78 win season.
We shall see, time will soon tell. Judge has been in a huge slump BTW.
Why shut down Houck? Wouldn’t it be best to let him finish stretching out to 180 IP?
Agreed on Casas, Devers, and Story. They need rest to heal fully – though not sure two or three more weeks makes a difference.
Tff – You asked the right guy!
Dead arm, shoulder pain, call it what you want … he’s hurt, that’s why he’s been moved back to Friday (so far). Would be kinda cool if Fitts starts in his place Friday.
Casas and Devers are playing through pain.
si.com/mlb/red-sox/boston-red-sox-news/red-sox-ace…
Oops! Yeah, I’m totally on board with shutting him down in that case. Priester is also ready for a chance.
Thanks for info Fever. Turned on Sox game late and not heard yet the guys say anything.
On Boggs.. He was one of the Sox biggies who skipped winter Haven and played at higher level (then) winston salem A ball way back. would have been pure joy to see him rake at old chain-o-lakes park.
John – Crazy that he wasn’t called up for good until his age 24 season.
Do you know he played in the longest game in professional baseball history, Cal Jr played in it too.
Fever. Yeah. Was deployed during game, but in contact via letter with cpl of the guys in the game,
Koza, who also hit think the longest (and highest) HR ever saw at old chain-o-lakes park was in that game and was a guy was in contact with a few years after he left. It was really weird according to him from what remember.
‘Koz didn’t hit cheapies. He crushed everything he got hold of and thought would make it, but ended up as another not quite power guy by Boston. Like Otis Foster and Jack “Buck” Baker, who did get a cup of coffee as a masher during the 70’s as a 1 dimensional player who came thru WH… Oh.. Forgot Rocky Alburtis. He led the FSL in HR 1 yr also believe. Think 3 of the 4 did, all but Foster.
24 used to be considered normal for a prospect to be called up.
Koza? LMAO.
Welcome to the Show, kid!
Tff – Sox now have to pass THREE teams as the Tigers are pounding Oakland.
You know how everyone calls Cora “AC”?
It stands for “Another Collapse”.
Good positive comment tff, ignore the trolls.
And if you had traded him then, who would you have played at 1B? Chavez? Hindsight.
stymee – Cora thinks everyone can play first base, he doesn’t care about defense.
Swihart, Schwarber, Wong ….. just a few of the guys Cora has put at first base.
well with Schwarber you had JD at DH they had to put him somewhere.
And another DD draft pick fans out. 4 years of drafting and what do we have one very good OFer and and dad-bod firstbaseman. Great.
But sure, we didnt need a total reboot. We had plenty of bullets to compete in 2020, 21, 22, 23. Lol
Tanner Houck?
Forgot Houck, a #3 Starter. You searched the whole list for 4 years, and all you got was that one extra name.
So, 3 starters (when healthy) and only 1 All-Star appearance in 9 years. Yeesh. But sure, plenty there to compete without a pause to rebuild. Just run the payroll to $500M a year.
Actually he’s the first name that came to mind. You also got Bello in the same time frame. Sorry it didn’t fit your narrative
Bello wasnt a draft pick.
Thats 5 guys youve listed, over a 4 year period. With a 162 game schedule and all the injuries, a quality championship team needs 10-15 high level players and another 10 good pieces that can be plugged in to help. 5 guys was never going to cut it.
Simply put, if youre going to trade away 31 prospects and never get any young replacement value in return. You’d better draft and sign international players like a God to replenish those losses. That clearly didnt happen,
Thus, the Red Sox are where they are at due to circumstances, not cheap owners or terrible management. Its really obvious when you take all the hyperbole out of the debate. They won a championship, but at a very expensive cost, that is still being paid today.
You’re a complete moron. I’m not wasting any more of my energy on you
Lol. Win!
When you cant debate baseball logically, just throw insults. A couple of keyboard bullies.
Another stupid comment from you Troll. I never said anything but good things about the hall of fame GM Dave Dombrowski.
What I did say is that Bloom didn’t destroy the farm and I believe that will be proved out over time. What is apparent is your hatred for everything Bloom clouds your judgement. That is without a doubt. I have no doubt if DD built the farm that Bloom has you would be talking about how great the farm is. You’re the most biased poster on this site you should stop while you’re behind.
I’m not the biggest Dombrowski fan. I don’t think it takes as much credit as he’s getting or skill for having a blank check and then trading all your prospects for major league talent. That said even I would be hard pressed to argue against him being in the Hall of Fame at least for what he did with Florida
Yea Acell but it appears that DD has a knack for trading the right prospects and he’s done it time and time again. I think he definitely subscribes to the prospects are suspects. He traded Moncada instead of Devers when the White Sox wanted Devers in the Sale it was widely reported. He just seems to make good decisions. I do think he’s best when you have a team you want to get over the hump. He’s just not afraid to make trades in a time when most guys are prospect huggers.
Well said acell10.
DD did an excellent job at building a contender, but a poor job of building a team with sustainability.
A) The drafts werent very good. Only producing (Casas, Duran, Houck)
B) His International signings were okay, its produced two pros, so far (Bello, Raphaela), with a couple more prospects still in the system, with potential.
C) DD’s trades for prospects were absolutely horrendous. None have survived his tenure and produced anywhere in the major leagues (Luis Ysla, Carson Smith, Aaron Hill, etc)
Also, he traded away 31 prospects. Which is where the real chasm of talent originates.
——————————-
Plain and simple. Nice job on winning a championship. But, there was zero chance this team would continue to compete in the future. A hard re-boot was mandatory.
I think he knew it was a short-term employment and did what he needed to get that Ring, and figured good luck to whoever took over.
Seriously!! Duran is all star Houck got an all star nod. Cassas, Bello and Raphael. How much more did you accept out of DD ?
Over a 4 year period of acquiring prospects via draft, international signing and trades, (numbering in the hundreds) and you feel, nine years later ‘Two All-Star Appearances, and no other awards, from that group is pretty good’?
Sure.
Salvi l: DD was there for 4 years . How many full time starters do you expect out of 4 years.
DD has a knack for trading the right prospects
======================
That’s when he is the zone.
But his MO is to take a good team, add some FAs, and trade some kids.
The level of star talent isn’t unreasonable, but the quantity is on the short side. Helps to have playable minor league depth in the system so you don’t end up relying so much on free agents and waiver wire pickups.
bruin: maybe he traded the right ones in hindsight but most people properly assessed those trades at the time as overpays. Granted it worked out but if it didn’t we’d be looking at a Detroit Tigers style dumpster fire that they’re now just coming back from.
I’d like to see references to a quantity of assessments saying the deals were overpays.
Another thing people miss out on is *draft position*… a team who is winning their division back to back to back, going to ALCS berths, winning the WS, picks near the bottom of the draft order.
The whole reason they slot the draft selection process via inverse record, and, kept weighting even the lottery, is to make it harder for a winning franchise to acquire top talent easily in the draft.
So, you need to consider that in who and how selections were and what they led to afterwards.
espn.com/blog/keith-law/insider/post/_/id/4522
blogs.fangraphs.com/instagraphs/padres-get-a-haul-…
bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/11/14/dave-dombrowski-…
So, it’s only the Kimbrel deal that you think a few believed to be an overpay, and, they were ultimately correct on those assessments?
Or are there others?
Let me preface that I generally dislike war as a stat, especially for pitching. But, it’s one measure of relative value within a position.so let’s look at the one deal you’re citing to as panned as an overpay and later proven correct as such for now.
Asuaje amounted to 0.3 war for his whole career.
Guerra amounted to -0.6 war for his mlb career.
Allen was worth -1.2 war for his mlb career.
The only guy who put up much was Margot, who contributed less war to SD before being traded than Kimbrel did to BOS, and, took more years to do it. (Again, think concept of concentrated impact – what’s more valuable in a hypothetical, a guy who puts up 6 war in 3 years, or, 7 war in 5? Opinions can differ, but, the impact was probably greater as far as how positively the team was impacted by a greater concentration of value. But that’s preference.)
Margot was a 6th place ROY with no AS nods. Played in 4 seasons with SD before leaving town, registering 0.6, 2.4, 1.3, and 1.9 war results respectively, a total of 6.2 war
Kimbrel was a 3 time AS, 6th place CY runner up, and put up 6.5 war in 2016-2018.
Again I said at the time of that trade. You asked for the analysis at the time of the trade and I provided it and it was more than a few.
blogs.fangraphs.com/scouting-the-white-sox-monster…
Mi Casas:
I thought you were ignoring me. Go away now.
Acell in the end the results are the only thing that really matters and DD has had excellent results trading for the most part. It doesn’t matter if the industry thinks you overpaid what matters is the results and DD’s results have been outstanding overall when it comes to trades.
An interesting exercise for you to do is go back and look the drafts and international signings over the last 22 years on Sox prospects. You are fortunate if you get 1 or 2 impact players in a year. If you get 4 impact players in a draft and international period then you are doing extremely well. When I say impact players I don’t mean stars I mean guys that aren’t cup of coffee type guys. I think if you look at DD’s drafts and internationals 2016 was bad, 2017 was very good 2018 was good still have some internationals that can make this a very good draft, 2019 was weak but there are a few interesting internationals that can change the grade. Overall he was really pretty solid in adding guys in the draft and international signings.
respectfully disagree Bruin. Judging based at the time is important. Hindsight is always 20/20 but discounting the end results doesn’t take into account the downstream effects of overpaying for prospect at the time of trades such as not having as many available players for other deals or handicapping teams flexibility.
focusing on the end result to clarify
Even though I’m a fan of what DD was able to do with the Red Sox farm system I think it’s underrated based on the history of drafts and international signings. With that being said I still stand by this is the best farm system that the Red Sox have had in at least a decade and thats mostly because of the Bloom draftees and international signings.
I think it’s very fair to call out Bloom during his regime for what happened at the big level. I don’t think it’s fair to criticize Bloom with especially his drafting. The Red Sox have probably 4 top 25 prospects and those are all Bloom guys. I think his last two drafts in 2022 and 2023 are going to be looked back on as excellent drafts.
As far as pitching goes I do believe that the last two drafts by Bloom will stand out as solid additions he seemed to be really be addressing that in 2022 and 2023 and it was accelerated in Breslow’s first draft when he drafted even more pitchers then Bloom did in his last two drafts. I think we are very likely to see some pitchers start to breakout and assert themselves. I’m not necessarily saying there are any potential #1’s yet but interesting arms that can help Boston with mid to back end depth they have a ton of those guys. The pitching in this organization feels very Tampa and Dodgerish to me. Where we are going to start to see several guys pop up on the radar and one or two are going to make big strides every year. This really started with the 2022 and 2023 drafts. One things for sure this a very deep farm system and a lot of that has to be attributed to Bloom’s regime.
Last collection of talent this strong was at the end of 2016. They didn’t all work out, but a couple were very good. Check it out and see if you agree?
Tff yes that’s the last time it was this good at the top. I think the difference is the depth I can’t remember seeing a Red Sox farm this deep.
tff: 5 Red Sox in the top 100, and a couple just outside of the top 100. I’d say its the best group of prospects since Lynn, Rice, Fisk, Burleson, Evans, Hobson.
A good debate would be, which group of prospects were the best (rough estimate on year): 1973, 2006, 2015 or 2025.
Salvi hard to compare 1973 to 2025 but that 1973 group was certainly very top heavy just hard to know the other prospects in that group. We can look at the 2006, 2015, and 2025. I just think the 2025 is probably a deeper farm it just looks like a Tampa or Dodger farm to me loaded with 45 talents that some of become 50 and 55’s each year. You can make a compelling for at least 15 guys that are in the 31-60 range in fact could be top 30 guys. It’s a great time to be a prospect watcher for Boston.
He’s the classic example of a 4A player
Or, optimistically, a player in need of a change of scenery
The end of an (arguably not very good) era
Figured that this would happen. Cannot see him not getting claimed. Perhaps a change of scenery and a new start will get his career back on track.
He one of those player too good for AAA, but not quite good enough for the show.
Regardless of what Dalbec does (if anything) going forward, it was definitely time for the Sox to move on from him. Hard to argue against the fact that it just didn’t work out at all for him in Boston.
Sol – I still think it’s vision related, may not be fixable.
How much do you want to bet the Orioles claim him?
Zero. Nada. Zilch.
Last thing they need.
Already had the opportunity and didn’t claim him.
Bobby D. was, I feel, misused by the Sox. The kid had a college career as both a pitcher and a fielder at Arizona, I believe. with the poor production from the Sox pen you’d think they would give him a shot as a spot reliever. He may not be picked up during the last month of the season–I’m in hopes the A’s, Marlins, Rockies, White Sox give him a shot, Good luck.
I know him and watch him a lot. He was never given a great opportunity to succeed in and it’s so hard to do in that division.. imagine being only a pinch hitter late in games against the beat right handed closers in the game.
It feels like a gazillion years since we drafted him, but that was the first thought I had the day we drafted him-RP.
Bobby D will look great in Sacramento next year!
Sadly, Dalbec wasn’t Daubach. Maybe change of scenery will help. We’ll see.
hayzee – Rafaela is benched again today, they are still not letting him play 2B like everyone expected. Is it because he refuses?
Eventually he may be a change of scenery candidate too, Sox staff just won’t get him to change his hitting approach and he should be given a chance to settle into one position.
Rafaela gets some big hits but he’s fading on offense. He does need a position. So many things are just a bit off with this roster plus the injuries. Hopefully, they sort it out in the offseason. Trading Sale was such a head scratcher I’m almost bald. Did they really think they needed a second baseman that much? Heck, some of the call ups have been pretty good and some have been absolutely awful. Can’t their scouts, coaches, managers, etc. tell the difference? More head scratching.
hayzee – You know how I keep mentioning RISP?
I was just watching the Tigers game, they scored 9 runs.
They are 4th in the league in BA w/RISP at .265
But they are 5th-worst in the league with a .234 overall BA.
Now THAT is clutch, and THAT is why they are still chasing a WC spot.
The Red Sox on the other hand are 2nd in the league with a .256 BA, but they are only 8th in the league with a .253 BA w/RISP. They’ve improved with RISP, but they haven’t had that many RISP opportunities the past few weeks.
RISP – While the game is half physical, I think that’s the other 80% part of the game that’s totally mental.
There’s some sentiment that he needs a change of scenery and that he’ll go elsewhere and make a mark, but I’m unconvinced. He’s a 29-year old who has no defensive value, has put up 0.1 fWAR in over 1,000 MLB PAs, and has a 36.3 K% in AAA.
He had a hot 2-3 weeks when he first reached the majors, but there’s nothing there in the big picture.
TJ – No defensive value? He plays a decent 3B and 1B.
You may be right, but I don’t think so. His defensive numbers are uniformly poor.
Of Dalbec, Devers, and Casas, Dalbec was hands down the best defender.
Far boy Devers 350 million DH!
TJ5960 – Dalbec had 25 HRs for the Boston Red Sox in 2021, so that was some 2-3 weeks……lol. Dalbec hit well in the 2nd half of 2021, and has been horrible ever since. A bad team might give him a shot, but with a 40% strikeout rate since the beginning of 2022, I highly doubt he does any better somewhere else.
Supposedly Schwarber really helped Dalbec in 2021 and then he was gone.
Strikeout king helped someone?
To be fair, it was bloom who acquired schwarber giving up a nothingburger in exchange to begin with.
I won’t defend bringing story in as i thought it was stupid at the time, and, I would be lying to say I would not rather have schwarbs than Yoshida.
But it is what it is. Free agent contracts were not a strong suit for the FO under Bloom, thats easy to see as a whole.
Farhan will claim him.
The Wong Story Fitts.
Can’t seem to leave this place.
Funny how I got lambasted for saying Casas wasn’t everything when people treated him like a God when he was gone. Now that he’s here, our offense looks worse
I know it’s just a bad streak, but he alone hasn’t salvaged our offense
I must admit I’ve been bad lately. I admit it. I used to be positive. But three years and nothing has changed.
I can be unreasonable. I can be angry. I can sometimes jump on opinions I don’t agree with hastily.
I’m sick of having three seasons of .500 baseball. I’m sick of this administration who is making stupid move after stupid move. I bought into it at first, but year 3, it’s the same thing over again.
I was the biggest Cora supporter and now I want him fired.
I apologize, I’m just an angry Sox fan. But I have no clue where this team is headed and it bothers me.
Netflix Documentary title: The Year that Fenway Boo’d.
bc – Really should be “The Decade That Fenway Boo’d”. Except for a few months in 2021, they have basically sucked in the 2020’s.
The decade John Henry poo’d….
On Red Sox Nation?
On his legacy?
On…
So many ways to finish a play on words you could spend an afternoon branstorming
Another guy they held onto for way too long
Agreed. The fact that he survived into September this year in the organization is pretty surprising. CLE has their version of him in Myles Straw, but to their credit they’ve left him in AAA the entire season.
Function of both high level of injuries and lack of mlb ready pieces knocking at the door for depth.
The lack of development during the bloom years combined with the lingering effects of the covid development hit combined to leave a middling of aaa/aaaa ceiling players left to plug holes in half the roster.
Things are improving, but, were fairly bleak to open the season.
solaris602;
Yes.
But he only cost them pitcher Phil Maton and catcher Yanier Díaz (now batting clean-up for the surging Astros).
Something about the Guardians hitting coaches…..
The Sox won today!
Oops.
Hayzee – Some fun facts.
Boston hasn’t hit a grand slam all season.
Boston hasn’t swept a team at home all season.
Boston finished the season series only 4-3 against the ChiSox.
Could get ugly this week.
Well, if baseball doesn’t work out, he can always fall back on that film career.
His parents are monsters…
Literally or figuratively?
Figuratively. I’m sure his parents are kind people, who knows. But the kids name is Dick Fitts.
Dalbec is the latest in a long line of big hitters that can succeed when they use the entire field. Then fall into bad habits and get pull-happy. And then face a long string of outside curveballs.
Hit up the middle is what Ted preached to YAZ. Only before 1967 did he preach pulling for power.
I would like him to go to the Pirates.If not,then the White sox.Give him 500 at bats.Let him try to make adjustments.White Sox for sure will not have to worry.If he does hit good for them.But if he doesn’t what did they really lose?Eloy,Robert,Vaughn and Sheets were supposed to be studsWhy you can’t believe all prospects will be good players.
He gets eaten alive by off-speed stuff in the dirt. Strikes out far too much.
I wonder how Bobby Dalbec would do in the KBO (Korea). He is awesome in AAA (Worcester Red Sox 33 HRs in 2023), but horrible in the MLB. Casey Kelly pitched in Korea from 2019-2023(very well during that period: 67-38 with an ERA around 3.00), and he made around $7 million there, which was a lot more than in the USA in AAA.
):<
Mexican league or off to Asia next?
He’ll be pitching in “Fitts” and starts
Another guy the Boston media wanted to make a legend way too soon, Youk, Shea Hillenbrand, so many others, downright laughable!
Youklilis had a career .861 OPS.
You comparing Dalbec to Youk is downright laugable.
When a player goes unclaimed and sticks around as non-roster depth in MLB, it reminds me of the practice team placements in the NFL. I assume both leagues have a unwritten rule that allows some players to go unclaimed so they can stay with team that cut them as non-roster or practice player.
I think Bobby needs a fresh start somewhere else bad