Wowza- losing 3 homeruns and gaining 20-26 is crazy.Soto's 2024 chart overlaid on Fenway Park.
View attachment 91760
Long story short: Him hitting in Fenway instead of the Toilet....won't pose any sort of problem at all for him.
Wowza- losing 3 homeruns and gaining 20-26 is crazy.Soto's 2024 chart overlaid on Fenway Park.
View attachment 91760
Long story short: Him hitting in Fenway instead of the Toilet....won't pose any sort of problem at all for him.
Well a bunch of those balls to left might be lower liners off the Monster, but yeah, he hits well to all fields and has plenty of power to homer to right in Fenway. He'd be incredible with Boston.Wowza- losing 3 homeruns and gaining 20-26 is crazy.
EDIT: good clarification by Baseball Jones.Wowza- losing 3 homeruns and gaining 20-26 [extra base hits] is crazy.
That chart....like the 1st time I opened a Playboy.Soto's 2024 chart overlaid on Fenway Park.
View attachment 91760
Long story short: Him hitting in Fenway instead of the Toilet....won't pose any sort of problem at all for him.
Getting Juan Soto would make Devers a better player if you want to think of it that way too. Whether you bat Devers 2nd and Soto 3rd or the other way around, each player would have protection in the order.Still seems very unlikely to happen of course, but I've come around on the idea of Soto a bit after initially thinking signing him would be a misuse of resources. What's changed for me is realizing it isn't so much "starting pitching" that the Sox lack, it's elite talent. They have a lot of guys who are just...fine, as in you don't necessarily need to upgrade any one of them in particular, but you have to upgrade some of them somewhere in order to be a contender. And that's true in the rotation and in the lineup, even if I still think elite starting pitching is their biggest need.
Wilyer Abreu is a really good player, and Kutter Crawford is a fine starting pitcher, but at some point the Sox need to swap some of these "pretty good" guys for stars. Soto certainly qualifies.
Seems like they will make an effort here. Makes too much sense. Doubtful they land him but this feels real to me.View: https://twitter.com/tylermilliken_/status/1857056988615557475?s=46
The reason I find this interesting is based on the fact Carrabis nailed last offseason. Everyone kept thinking they’d spend and he said over and over again they weren’t going to.
Feels different
Yeah I do too. It also bodes well that if they do get Soto they wouldn't be finished at the top of the market either. They can't just get Soto and not try to improve the pitching staff. This signals to me that they are ready to spend big again. I think ownership realizes there is a really good young core and the time is now.Seems like they will make an effort here. Makes too much sense. Doubtful they land him but this feels real to me.
I believe this one is if only his home games were at Fenway in 2024...He also does not get to play 162 games at home.
Lord sakes I’m trying not to get excited here and someone goes ahead and plants a seed like that in my brain. Damnit.Getting Juan Soto would make Devers a better player if you want to think of it that way too. Whether you bat Devers 2nd and Soto 3rd or the other way around, each player would have protection in the order.
Can someone explain the reason the Sox would open up the wallet for Soto? Obviously he would be a huge upgrade over anyone. But this team needs pitching a lot more than it needs hitting. Why would pitching not be the focus here?If we sign Soto, I'd love it more if it's immediately following the announcement that the Yankees have re-signed Alex Verdugo.
Just my 2 cents but:Can someone explain the reason the Sox would open up the wallet for Soto? Obviously he would be a huge upgrade over anyone. But this team needs pitching a lot more than it needs hitting. Why would pitching not be the focus here?
They need both. The hitting and pitching were both roughly average when taking park effects into account.Can someone explain the reason the Sox would open up the wallet for Soto? Obviously he would be a huge upgrade over anyone. But this team needs pitching a lot more than it needs hitting. Why would pitching not be the focus here?
Given how much the team has struggled at home lately, that spray chart looks even better. That's a lot of "one swing gets us back in this game" potential.I believe this one is if only his home games were at Fenway in 2024...
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For me, pitching is obviously the priority - and would hope that if we're going after Soto - ownership is willing to do both. Trade for Crochet if it doesn't involve ATM-C, and sign Max Fried (Burnes' declining peripherals scare me, and I feel like Snell is some minor regression in his H/9 and HR/9 away from being an unmitigated disaster - I'd stay far away). Bring in a bullpen guy like Tanner Scott. I think all of these can be done while also signing Soto.Can someone explain the reason the Sox would open up the wallet for Soto? Obviously he would be a huge upgrade over anyone. But this team needs pitching a lot more than it needs hitting. Why would pitching not be the focus here?
Signing Soto...Getting Juan Soto would make Devers a better player if you want to think of it that way too. Whether you bat Devers 2nd and Soto 3rd or the other way around, each player would have protection in the order.
I totally agree that Crawford has more headroom to reach his ceiling. But Giolito is unlikely to be available before June, so don't think he's tradeable any time soon.Personally, I'd like to keep Kutter Crawford if we can, and have Giolito as the odd man out, or as a sixth starter/swing guy. If the pitching machine can help Crawford cut down on his home runs, I think the guy is an all-star level pitcher.
I’m starting to realize people are drastically overstate the performance of the positional group last year. They faded down the stretch big time.Can someone explain the reason the Sox would open up the wallet for Soto? Obviously he would be a huge upgrade over anyone. But this team needs pitching a lot more than it needs hitting. Why would pitching not be the focus here?
Can someone explain the reason the Sox would open up the wallet for Soto? Obviously he would be a huge upgrade over anyone. But this team needs pitching a lot more than it needs hitting. Why would pitching not be the focus here?
My wet dream of an offseason is...Signing Soto...
...enhances Devers by giving protection as noted above.
...also enhances Casas, who'd be hitting behind him.
...easily covers for putting Abreu on the table as a trade chip, and...
...Soto/Duran/Anthony LF/CF/RF is pretty tasty.... or...
...Soto would even allow you to consider moving Duran for a top-end young controlled pitcher
...because it would also allow you to put Rafaela more regularly in CF, and he'd nicely help erase Soto's subpar defense. Anthony/Rafaela/Soto!
...would also make carrying Yoshida at DH, which you have to because of the sunk cost, just fine.
Plenty of downsides too, of course. One injury to Soto turns 2-3 soft spots in the line-up to 3-4, and that's really too much to handle. And it's super unlikely.
But a boy can dream.
Do you have a source on that? McCaffrey said in September he was ahead of schedule:But Giolito is unlikely to be available before June, so don't think he's tradeable any time soon.
SoxProspects podcast yesterday. They said recovery from TJ was 12 full months before throwing in earnest off a mound, and assume a couple months' ramp-up from there. Giolito's surgery was in April.Do you have a source on that? McCaffrey said in September he was ahead of schedule:
View: https://twitter.com/jcmccaffrey/status/1837250448480194738
No, but he would get 81 in Fenway and another 12-14 in the Toilet and Camden Yards with their relatively short RFs.He also does not get to play 162 games at home.
I think it's unlikely that the Sox have spent several years waiting for Soto. At least to the extent that they eschewed big ticket FAs for, what, three offseasons to hope he'd sign for 2025? Particularly since we changed GMs during those years.I know a lot of people don't want to get their hopes up or look foolish online, or have otherwise put all their eggs in the ownership is cheap basket, but it's quite possible that the (relative) lack of spending from years past had to do with a long-held organizational understanding that there was mutual interest and they had a really good shot to sign Soto, and in some cases wanted to keep the powder dry. To me that sounds more plausible than the idea that John Henry would abruptly and permanently run the Red Sox like a mid-market franchise or whatever.
Yeah, no. If there was truly a mutual interest, we can get a deal done thing on the back burner, they could have traded for him when he was sent to San Diego (let alone when the Yankees got him) and inked an extension then. No way do they sit back for three years stockpiling and saving just for the chance of signing him as a free agent. Too much could have changed in the meantime, like he signs an extension with another team and never hits free agency.I know a lot of people don't want to get their hopes up or look foolish online, or have otherwise put all their eggs in the ownership is cheap basket, but it's quite possible that the (relative) lack of spending from years past had to do with a long-held organizational understanding that there was mutual interest and they had a really good shot to sign Soto, and in some cases wanted to keep the powder dry. To me that sounds more plausible than the idea that John Henry would abruptly and permanently run the Red Sox like a mid-market franchise or whatever.
Technically, Lucas G. got the "brace" surgery, which, according to that article, only comes with an expected 9-month recovery, as opposed to full-blown TJS.SoxProspects podcast yesterday. They said recovery from TJ was 12 full months before throwing in earnest off a mound, and assume a couple months' ramp-up from there. Giolito's surgery was in April.
But would be delighted if McCaffrey's estimate were more accurate.
On the Henry one, he can absolutely outbid Cohen or Steinbrenner if he wants. The question is does he want to. We’ve all demonstrated that he can fit a major Soto deal into the Sox general budget amount. It would have ripple effects elsewhere but just looking purely at Soto, there are no financial constraints.Robert Murray on the Baseball Insiders live stream:
--Red Sox will spend this offseason.
--They love Juan Soto and will be in on him.
--The one thing I keep coming back to on Soto/Boston: Can John Henry outbid Cohen or Steinbrenner? Skeptical he will considering how motivated Yankees/Mets are.
--Will be a while before Soto comes off the board. Expects some movement around the Winter Meetings.
--Had a GM tell me a Soto deal will end up being for 13 years and around $41 million AAV($533 million)
I'm also wondering whether Soto would want an opt out after like 5 years and get on the open market again at 30 or 31. If you do that, maybe do the first 5 years at a higher AAV and the other years at a lower AAV.On the Henry one, he can absolutely outbid Cohen or Steinbrenner if he wants. The question is does he want to. We’ve all demonstrated that he can fit a major Soto deal into the Sox general budget amount. It would have ripple effects elsewhere but just looking purely at Soto, there are no financial constraints.
I also think the GM’s prediction will prove to be low. I would do 13/533 without blinking right now.
Yeah, I don’t think the gross amount or AAV will be the real sticking points. Every interested team can get there. The real question to me is structure of the deal. In a deal that long, you have to imagine Boras will negotiate some player opt outs. And, quite frankly, I’d agree to whatever as long as the first one isn’t sooner than, say, 5 years.I'm also wondering whether Soto would want an opt out after like 5 years and get on the open market again at 30 or 31. If you do that, maybe do the first 5 years at a higher AAV and the other years at a lower AAV.
Trading for him when the Padres did would have worsened the conditions that make it possible for us to sign him now, namely the ability to staff several positions with league-minimum above-average regulars. I would have been pleased had it happened but probably not at the cost the Padres paid.Yeah, no. If there was truly a mutual interest, we can get a deal done thing on the back burner, they could have traded for him when he was sent to San Diego (let alone when the Yankees got him) and inked an extension then. No way do they sit back for three years stockpiling and saving just for the chance of signing him as a free agent. Too much could have changed in the meantime, like he signs an extension with another team and never hits free agency.
They're a player for him because he happens to be hitting free agency at the right time in the franchise's rebuild/retool, not because he's been their ultimate target all along.
Doing that would really benefit the Sox, right? </ducks>I'm also wondering whether Soto would want an opt out after like 5 years and get on the open market again at 30 or 31. If you do that, maybe do the first 5 years at a higher AAV and the other years at a lower AAV.
small correction - Soto hits from the left side, too. If they can get him, great, though I think subsequent counter moves to make the line up more balanced L/R would have to happen.My wet dream of an offseason is...
- Sign Soto
- Trade Abreu and Bleis for Crochet
- Sign Fried
- Sign Teoscar and make Yoshida disappear somehow (is he even going to be ready for ST?)
- Sign Tanner Scott
No idea where that would put us in terms of payroll.
Rotation:
Max Fried (L), Tanner Houck (R), Garret Crochet (L), Brayan Bello (R), Kutter Crawford (R)
Bullpen:
Liam Hendricks (R), Tanner Scott (L), Justin Slaten (R), Garrett Whitlock (R), Lucas Giolito (R), Cooper Criswell (R), Michael Fullmer (R), Cam Booser (L)
Lineup:
CF - Jarren Duran (L)
RF - Juan Soto (R)
3B - Rafael Devers (L)
DH - Teoscar Hernandez (R)
1B - Triston Casas (L)
2B - Kristian Campbell (R)
LF - Roman Anthony (L)
SS - Trevor Story (R)
C - Conner Wong (R) / Kyle Teel (L)
Bench:
Vaughn Grissom, Ceddanne Rafaela, Rob Refsnyder, David Hamilton
(Side note, I'd prefer Roki Sasaki to Max Fried, but you know... Dodgers)
Getting Soto has no bearing on L/R. Soto hits righties and lefties equally as well.small correction - Soto hits from the left side, too. If they can get him, great, though I think subsequent counter moves to make the line up more balanced L/R would have to happen.
I think the opt outs are inevitable. That horse left the stable a long time ago. If it gets to that, the RS would have to ensure that they had at least 5 years of protection before Soto goes to the market.Yeah, I don’t think the gross amount or AAV will be the real sticking points. Every interested team can get there. The real question to me is structure of the deal. In a deal that long, you have to imagine Boras will negotiate some player opt outs. And, quite frankly, I’d agree to whatever as long as the first one isn’t sooner than, say, 5 years.
Honest question: why? Soto's career split against LHP is an OBP-heavy .860 OPS, and it was .966 in 2024. He's better left on left than most righties we might acquire to balance the lineup.small correction - Soto hits from the left side, too. If they can get him, great, though I think subsequent counter moves to make the line up more balanced L/R would have to happen.
I would think this would benefit MFY, since they're a WS team now and with him still in pinstripes may be again for a couple of those 5 years. If a ring motivates him, that is.Doing that would really benefit the Sox, right? </ducks>
Could you tell us more about who this person is?This would be nice if true. While I do want Soto in Boston, the Yankees losing to either the Sox or Mets would be delightful.
Nope. I mean, the profile pic is Mac Jones.Is this Judgeaport a credible reporter? Embarrassed to say I’m not familiar with his work.