Red Sox: Off Season '23-'24

[mvp 78]

Lots of love for a guy playing in his first 162 game season in a new country where he doesn’t speak the language.

Let’s review what we saw today

Masataka Yoshida - .640 OPS in August/September. His subtraction would be a positive
Justin Turner - .712 OPS in August/September. TEAM MVP!!!

I think Masa should be better next season. He played in the WBC and the first season was always going to be a big adjustment for a guy coming over from Japan.

Matsui 2003: 788 OPS
Matsui 2004: 912 OPS

Suzuki 2022: 770 OPS
Suzuki 2023: 842 OPS

Yoshida 2023: 781 OPS
Yoshida 2024: ???

[notin]

1. Masa
2. Devers
3. Casas

That would be the order. I think Casas still has time to fix his glove and was better in the 2nd half.

One would hope Casas can. He’s also sometimes a poor decision maker…

[mvp 78]

Duvall isn’t a DH. He’s a Gold Glove winning outfielder.

If the Sox move Verdugo, they need (100% need) to bring Duvall back. If they do bring back Verdugo, they could still use Duvall but it gets less dire…

Since his GG season:
-3 DRS in 22
-4 DRS in 23

[mvp 78]

One would hope Casas can. He’s also sometimes a poor decision maker…

Poor decisions can get fixed with good coaching.

[Old Red]

Turner is having a brutal finish too.

As for Yoshida, I think signing a DH for 5 years and 90 (+15) mill is especially questionable when the first of those years has to be treated as an "adjustment year"...

Yoshida has pretty much turned out to be a drain clogger, and an expensive one at that. A year ago the Red Sox needed another OF, and a bat, but now thy have an abundance of OF, and Yoshida is not that good anyway. Pretty expensive for a DH too.

[Old Red]

Poor decisions can get fixed with good coaching.

You mean the Red Sox don’t have good coaching?

[notin]

Poor decisions can get fixed with good coaching.

Depends on how instinctive they are…

[moonslav59]

Since his GG season:
-3 DRS in 22
-4 DRS in 23

He's not great anymore, but he should not have been paying CF.

[mvp 78]

You mean the Red Sox don’t have good coaching?

I didn't say that. Young players sometimes take a little longer to develop their fielding. See: Duran, Jarren 2023.

[moonslav59]

Valdez is ok, but I'm not sure his bat is worthwhile enough for the squad. He's a bubble 40 man guy to me.

I'm far from sure, too, but his D is so bad, his best slot might be DH. That was my point.

It is rare for a team to platoon DH, unless bot can play other positions, as back-up well enough to not be a drain of 2 roster slots.

That being said, an EValdez/Refsnyder platoon rates to hit better than Yoshi, IMO.

[Old Red]

I didn't say that. Young players sometimes take a little longer to develop their field. See: Duran, Jarren 2023.

I saw Casas at least twice this year reach, and stretch forward for a ball that went sailing over his head. That is just bad footwork to begin with.

[mvp 78]

I saw Casas at least twice this year reach, and stretch forward for a ball that went sailing over his head. That is just bad footwork to begin with.

Ok?

[mvp 78]

I'm far from sure, too, but his D is so bad, his best slot might be DH. That was my point.

It is rare for a team to platoon DH, unless bot can play other positions, as back-up well enough to not be a drain of 2 roster slots.

That being said, an EValdez/Refsnyder platoon rates to hit better than Yoshi, IMO.

Yeah, Valdez has a horrible glove. The Sox tried moving him all over the place when he first got to WOO, but they decided to leave him at 2B because he was just terrible everywhere. His bat needs to carry that glove and it's a good bat, but not a great one.

[Old Red]

Ok?

So why hasn’t he been taught?

[mvp 78]

So why hasn’t he been taught?

He is probably in the process of being taught and it takes time?