A Realistic View at 2017 Part I

[sk7326]

I did not have the time to read the full original post - but if you want to break down some of the activities of the offseason which are - if not realistic at least plausible.

1. Get some stability at 3B. I am not actually sure we should bail on Shaw - or for that matter Sandoval. If either of them are the team's 8th best position player, that is not shabby at all. Perhaps see if you can bring Aaron Hill back on short money as a right handed caddy (I am of course assuming this past year was a fluke as midseason trades often are). Either way, whether you are a believer in Moncada or Devers - this is not a position which will get a huge FA commitment

2. DH - Encarnacion will require a big commitment, although his power is pretty special. But if they wanted to go after a more "pretty good" sort of alternative like say Carlos Beltran, it would make sense as well. Another option could be Ian Desmond. Desmond's ability to fake multiple positions can be useful here as well.

3. Getting relievers with stuff is always an idea.

4. The Sox have prospects - the Sox have young big league studs. I do not expect the Sox to land a stud starter via trade (because that is not the sort of thing you should expect anyway). But there are packages which could work for a really good starter - and we know Dombrowski has the license to go there.

[Spudboy]

Meh.

I say go big or go home. This team is close to being a champion so why wait and for what?

Sign EE AND Beltan.

Move Hanley to 3rd, put EE at 1st, and have Beltran DH.

Obviously money will now have to be spent. I have no problem with that. The junk bond cadaver still has plenty after foolish investments in never will be talents and bloated 3 WAR players.

Gather the usual mid relief schlock and throw a bunch of them at the wall. Someone is bound to stick. That's the way relievers are.

Jettison useless crap like Hill and retain both Koji and Taz.

Done.

That was simple. No need to agonize over anything.

[Dojji]

Spuddy, if there was any chance Hanley had the physical ability to play third, he would have done it at least once at some point in the last 2 years where we have had massive issues gaining stability at the hot corner, and likely made the position his own. Shaw had been groomed as a first basemen who could backup at 3B for the years leading up to 2016. If Hanley could handle regular duties at 3B, he would have made the position his own after Sandoval flamed out, and Shaw and possibly others would be jockeying for 1B duties.

IIRC there are concerns about Hanley's shoulder if he had to regularly make throws across the diamond again.

I think you have to jettison the fact that Hanley used to be a third baseman from your mind, because if there was any thought of him going back to the hot corner it would have been tried by now, and seriously. A Hanley that could play 3B would be incredibly valuable to this team. THe fact that they never tried it tells me that they *CAN'T.* He's too old to move back up the defensive spectrum in that way.

Learn the lesson of Kevin Youkilis*, "Used to be a 3B" isn't always enough. Otherwise we could always play EE himself at the hot corner, he totes fershure used to be a third baseman after all! #TotallyNotSerious

*I remain convinced that Youk would have had a much longer tail to his career if left at 1B

[moonslav59]

Wouldn't it be the easiest thing to do to just to sign EE and keep everyone else intact? This will allow more of our younger players to develop.

I'd like to see Sam Travis get healthy. We pretty much know what we have in Swihart. Let's not give up on him catching for the Sox. He is our best hitting catcher.
Moncada may catch on fire sometime during 2017. Surely we're not giving up on him after investing $60M and fewer than 50 PA.


We'll have upgraded LF with Beni playing the full year. I think Swihart will hit as well as Beni given the opportunity. I would trade Vasquez or Leon for a reliever. EE may not have the impact that Ortiz did but he may hit more homers than Ortiz.

Someone needs to hold down 3B until Moncade is ready. He has major league tools. I'd be surprised if he's a complete flop.

I would wait for trade deadline to make a major splash.

I don't think we really "know" what we have in Swihart.

I'm thinking a trafe for Todd Frazier (1 year left) should not cost much and would be a great bridge to Moncada.

[moonslav59]

This is the textbook definition of a pipe dream. Ramos is injury-prone and is going to be very expensive. Beltran is a good choice, but Turner is going to command big money while blocking Moncada, Jansen and Melancon will be super expensive, and we already have a closer, while Quintana will command a king's ransom.

A realistic offseason will be one of Encarnacion and Beltran and a couple of RP's.

Beltran is best used as a DH. Beni and Young make a great LF combo.

I can't see us getting both EE and CB.

[moonslav59]

Robertson has 2 @ 24 M on his contract. Same as Kimbrel I thought. Robertson could be had if you give up some mid level prospects. He gives up a lot of homeruns, keep that in mind. Moon has them with Frasier. But what do you do with Panda.

You "Castillo" Panda or trade him if he has a spring revival.

[moonslav59]

This is what I think might happen:

Sign Beltran and Boone Logan.

Trade Swihart, Shaw, Basabe, Owens or Johnson
For Robertson and Frazier

[Nick]

Per Providence Journal Article

Encarnacion isn't a perfect fit, as he'd make the top part of the Red Sox order lean even more to the right side. And there's obvious risk in signing someone in their mid-30s to a major contract. But Dombrowski's modus operandi last winter was to locate the simplest solution and pay whatever it took to make it happen; see: David Price and Craig Kimbrel.

sometimes we make it more difficult than we need to....

[User Name?]

Beltran is best used as a DH. Beni and Young make a great LF combo.

I can't see us getting both EE and CB.

My post says quite clearly one of Encarnacion and Beltran.

[Dojji]

By "Swihart, Shaw, Basabe, Owens/Johnson" I assume you actually meant "Moncada plus Shaw, Basabe, etc."

[Nick]

I don't think we really "know" what we have in Swihart.

I'm thinking a trafe for Todd Frazier (1 year left) should not cost much and would be a great bridge to Moncada.

So you have given up on Swihart already? Sox FO thought he was good enough hitter to play left field. Was it the original plan to move him out of catcher's position when we drafted him? If that's the case then Sox Scouting Dept has some explaining to do......

[moonslav59]

So you have given up on Swihart already? Sox FO thought he was good enough hitter to play left field. Was it the original plan to move him out of catcher's position when we drafted him? If that's the case then Sox Scouting Dept has some explaining to do......

Where have I come close to saying I've "given up" on Swihart?

We are set in LF with Beni and Young. Moncada may end up in the OF, if we discover he'll never be a plus on D in the IF.

Trading someone is not giving up on him, if we get someone like Robertson and Frazier in return! It's high praise.

The next poster obviously thought my Swihart trade offer was too low, so I guess he thinks I'm over-valuing Swi.

[moonslav59]

My post says quite clearly one of Encarnacion and Beltran.

My bad. I misread it.

[illinoisredsox]

You "Castillo" Panda or trade him if he has a spring revival.

Moon, they can't "Castillo" Panda. Once a player has 5 years in the majors, he can't be sent down without his consent. Panda's been around since 2008-2009. So the only options are to trade him or release him. If the latter, anyone can sign him for the MLB minimum, with the Sox having to pick up the difference. Either way, they are not going to be able to get out of paying a decent part of his contract and having it count against the limit. They are between the proverbial rock and hard place with him.

[Nick]

Where have I come close to saying I've "given up" on Swihart?

We are set in LF with Beni and Young. Moncada may end up in the OF, if we discover he'll never be a plus on D in the IF.

Trading someone is not giving up on him, if we get someone like Robertson and Frazier in return! It's high praise.

The next poster obviously thought my Swihart trade offer was too low, so I guess he thinks I'm over-valuing Swi.

Do you think Swihart is a viable option as a starting catcher? I do. I can't believe he's THAT bad defensively with his athleticism.