hogan873

So he's doing everything except one of the crucial things required to play a position. This is not an encouraging update. Hopefully he can start throwing soon, but I wouldn't expect him to be breaking camp with the club.

The Sox are going with an "offense-heavy" approach and will carry only seven pitchers. All will be both starters and relievers. This will allow the team to carry a back-up player for every offensive position. This will also allow multiple position players to pitch, as the team will be down by 10+ runs often. "We're gonna create the next Ohtani right here on the South Side," said Chris Getz. Ethan Katz added, "I'm excited to teach new guys how to pitch. It's another challenge that we're not going to back down from." Jerry Reinsdorf was seen counting money in the background.

As someone mentioned on X, adding Dalbec and Gallo as NRIs is going to put more pressure on Vaughn. I have a feeling Gallo makes the team and gets some starts at 1B and in the OF against RH pitchers. I'm not going to expect anything from him, especially based on his stats over the last few years. But maybe this will light a fire under Vaughn's ass.

Regardless of what the Sox say publicly, this move screams a Robert trade, especially with it being a guaranteed contract. If Robert does get traded, and Taylor is our starting CF, it will be fine defensively, but offensively...yikes.

Josh Rojas does have an MLB contract, which is why he'll likely make the roster. But as a starter or bench piece? It'll be interesting.

Man, I forgot about him. The Sox have a TON of guys for the infield. Let's just hope they end up with the best possible combination of players (he typed, trying not to laugh).

Spring training will tell us a lot, especially about the infield. Meidroth, with a good spring, could be on the roster, maybe even as the starting 2B. I'd be surprised if anyone other than Vargas is the starting 3B, and not necessarily because he'd be the best. Rojas likely makes the roster, at least as a bench piece. Montgomery may have somewhat of an inside track going in, but a lackluster spring likely starts him at AAA. Ramos may also start in AAA.

Holy hell baseball season needs to start. A thread about Brandon Eisert has nine pages.

Between the two of them, they MIGHT play 120 games.

The Sox already paid Moncada $5 million to go away. They were not going to pay him another $5 million to come back, and rightfully so. I hope he has a good year in LA, but he was all but useless after 2021. Way too many injuries, and his power disappeared. As far as Anderson, see ya. He became a head case with too many off field issues that certainly affected his on field performance. Hopefully he gets his s%*# straightened out and plays well. The Angels could have a nice left side of the infield for 2025, but a lot of stuff needs to go right. The Sox have about 10 guys to fill those same two spots, and I'd be willing to bet whatever combination of players that ends up there will have comparable numbers (or better) to TA and Yoan.

I think Meidroth ends up at 2B, and Rojas is a bench piece but gets plenty of time at all three spots (outside of 1B). Sosa may have the inside track at SS, but I imagine the Sox really want Colson to end up there. I'd agree with the OP that, defensively, none are better than Naperville Nicky, but several of these guys should have better offensive seasons.

Yeah, I miss it, too. I can pretty much watch any game, or at least have one on in the background. I have no interest in the Super Bowl. I don't follow basketball or hockey. I know the season is going to be rough for the Sox, and the fans, but I am interested in watching some of the new young talent. I'm actually looking forward to spring training and hearing about how multiple guys are in the best shape of their lives!

That's because the prospect points awarded to the Sox are meaningless while the points awarded to other teams are 100% accurate. I get it, last year beat almost every ounce of optimism out of most of us. But, I do feel better about the team looking forward. Hopefully when some of these prospects make it and have the chance to be really good in the MLB, the team has a new owner and will actually try to keep them instead of trading them away before it's time to pay them.

As Sox fans, we know who this guy is. When sticky stuff was banned, he dropped off dramatically. However, he got better again…maybe slyly using sticky stuff again.

The future certainly looks brighter with a very good farm system. The problem is, any of the guys who work out and end up being good MLB players will be traded before being paid to stay. That is, until there is new ownership.

He was probably the cause of all of it, if the rumors of his string of women on the side were accurate.

I still think some of his decline was due to his off field problems. The mental and emotional issues had to have taken a toll. I hope he makes the Angels MLB team, but, man, what could have been...

The Sox have about 17 guys for three positions (2B, 3B, SS) and a bench spot or two. It will be interesting to see who floats to the top. Sosa should have the inside track if he can prove that September wasn't a fluke. Spring training should be interesting, at least.

Nice addition. Inning eater, and had a decent 2024 with the Padres.

This is extremely frustrating. I was a Pirates fan in the late 80s and early 90s, having grown up near Pittsburgh. The strike in 1994, along with the Pirates dismantling their team for years, made me lose interest in baseball. I moved to the area in 1999, and my wife was a Sox fan, so I adopted them as my team. Twenty years later, we've gone full circle, and my team refuses to spend money and put a good team on the field. I don't blame teams that spend. It's greedy owners like JR that are killing the sport. MLB needs a salary floor before a salary cap.

Since the email came from the Sox, it didn't even make it to the Spam folder. It went to the Great Value Canned Meat folder.

Very early speculation, but I'd say 1B Vaughn/Vargas 2B Meidroth SS Baldwin/Sosa 3B Rojas/Vargas Vargas and Vaughn will get DH time, too. Ramos probably starts in AAA.

I don't think there should be any concern about Vargas getting playing time, regardless of this move. The team seems pretty high on him, and they'd better be since he was the "big return" in a trade. Vaughn, Vargas, and Rojas are probably certainties. Sosa, Ramos, Meidroth, Baldwin, and Montgomery will be fighting for the last few spots.

Yeah, majority of his time has been at 3B. I was just checking that out. Maybe Vargas moves to 1B with him and Vaughn splitting time there and at DH?

Decent WAR last year with a low BA. I'm assuming he's a good defender? Couple good years with Arizona in 21 and 22. The Sox have...quite a few infielders now.