First... I'm in Austin and have been working building furniture the top of downtown high-rise for the last 3 weeks and am utterly miserable. However.... I'm in the office today though (yay AC!!!) which means I can get everything I need to do in 5 hours over an 8 hour day so I waste most of my time on SoSH.
More importantly though.... there's been a lot of side talk about extensions for the younger players to develop an Atlanta Braves type of cost controlled core. After this season, the team has a ton of room under the LTT and can, and should, bring in one more potentially high-cost starter (Yamamoto?) but also to control long term costs by trying to get the young core into extensions buying out their cost controlled seasons. Over the next 4 seasons, the Sox have Devers, Story and Yoshida at high AAV, but also will have Bello, Houck, Whitlock,* Wong, Casas, Duran and Crawford locked up but each of those guys will be getting incrementally more expensive. Who among that group do you offer long term extensions to? Also... figure in Verdugo (who would cost more since he's deeper into cost controlled years), Pivetta and McGuire to your mix.
*Whitlock already locked up (whether it's a good or bad contract pending his health TBD... but it's not a Sale level- or even close- problem if he's constantly on the DL... which is why getting these types of contracts is good long term)
Verdugo- offer 5/$80. He's been slumping but still provides good RF defense, an above average bat and appears to be a team leader. If he turns it down, look to trade him in the offseason.
McGuire- go year to year to see how C in the mL's develop. McGuire is controlled for 4 more seasons... will start to get expensive after next year (or at least more than his talent should get)
Pivetta- bring him back despite salary in '24 likely being more than he's worth but keep an eye open for trades
Casas- sign him long term. He's young and a good 10 year extension would take him through his most productive years. Offer $120M/10 (am I crazy?)
Duran- go year to year. He's already relatively old and even if this season is his true talent level, they still have him for 4 more years. If he produces next year like this, then consider a 5 year/$80M
Wong- go year to year. Same as Duran.... I'm really liking Wong and suspect his framing skills will improve as will his BA/OBP. I can see him at a .750 OPS with top line defense for 3 seasons and then a tailing off.
Bello- sign him long term. Similar to Casas.... I'd probably keep it closer to 8 years for around $10M per.
Houck- year to year. I just don't know what to expect out of him... looks great.... looks bad.... He just needs some consistency so I'd put him in the Duran/Wong bucket.
Crawford- I'm starting to come around on Crawford as what I was thinking Pivetta could be (and actually is) but young enough to also put in a 7-8 year offer to. He doesn't have the pedigree of Bello but has been pitching just about as good. I don't know how to manage egos, but I'd go for a 6 year/$60M
I'm expecting to be called out on this for a variety of reason which is fine. Really hoping to get a discussion going about the future here rather than the past ( trade deadline analysis) and my understanding of salaries is pretty limited.
More importantly though.... there's been a lot of side talk about extensions for the younger players to develop an Atlanta Braves type of cost controlled core. After this season, the team has a ton of room under the LTT and can, and should, bring in one more potentially high-cost starter (Yamamoto?) but also to control long term costs by trying to get the young core into extensions buying out their cost controlled seasons. Over the next 4 seasons, the Sox have Devers, Story and Yoshida at high AAV, but also will have Bello, Houck, Whitlock,* Wong, Casas, Duran and Crawford locked up but each of those guys will be getting incrementally more expensive. Who among that group do you offer long term extensions to? Also... figure in Verdugo (who would cost more since he's deeper into cost controlled years), Pivetta and McGuire to your mix.
*Whitlock already locked up (whether it's a good or bad contract pending his health TBD... but it's not a Sale level- or even close- problem if he's constantly on the DL... which is why getting these types of contracts is good long term)
Verdugo- offer 5/$80. He's been slumping but still provides good RF defense, an above average bat and appears to be a team leader. If he turns it down, look to trade him in the offseason.
McGuire- go year to year to see how C in the mL's develop. McGuire is controlled for 4 more seasons... will start to get expensive after next year (or at least more than his talent should get)
Pivetta- bring him back despite salary in '24 likely being more than he's worth but keep an eye open for trades
Casas- sign him long term. He's young and a good 10 year extension would take him through his most productive years. Offer $120M/10 (am I crazy?)
Duran- go year to year. He's already relatively old and even if this season is his true talent level, they still have him for 4 more years. If he produces next year like this, then consider a 5 year/$80M
Wong- go year to year. Same as Duran.... I'm really liking Wong and suspect his framing skills will improve as will his BA/OBP. I can see him at a .750 OPS with top line defense for 3 seasons and then a tailing off.
Bello- sign him long term. Similar to Casas.... I'd probably keep it closer to 8 years for around $10M per.
Houck- year to year. I just don't know what to expect out of him... looks great.... looks bad.... He just needs some consistency so I'd put him in the Duran/Wong bucket.
Crawford- I'm starting to come around on Crawford as what I was thinking Pivetta could be (and actually is) but young enough to also put in a 7-8 year offer to. He doesn't have the pedigree of Bello but has been pitching just about as good. I don't know how to manage egos, but I'd go for a 6 year/$60M
I'm expecting to be called out on this for a variety of reason which is fine. Really hoping to get a discussion going about the future here rather than the past ( trade deadline analysis) and my understanding of salaries is pretty limited.