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But the question is what to do with Abreu going forward if Vaughn rockets through the system or if Eloy doesn't get much better in LF while a minor league OF all of a sudden can replace Eloy in the OF. JDM more than likely has a shot at his last big contract which will require multiple years of commitment. Him at DH requires Abreu to play 1st base more, not less ,as most of us would like and keeps Eloy in LF. It also could block Vaughn if he does as many hope he can do. The only way JDM works is if Abreu signs for like 1 year at a time. Also if you consider the AAV of Martinez it might hurt the chances of spending the money on pitching if we consider pitching to be the top priority and also limits upgrading other needs like BP ,C, OF and bench. Too many DH types means the bench would probably need to have 2 guys who can play IF and OF. He's also RH and that's not usually a problem when it comes to a great hitter but Abreu , Eloy and Vaughn are all also RH.

I'm a big believer in defensive support for a young pitching staff. And although I'm usually against guys whose WAR is propped up by their defense he wouldn't be a huge mistake contractually like Jason Heyward especially if non tendered even if that possibility seems unlikely since the BoSox are more likely looking to trade him.

If he is non tendered I think JBJ is a really good option but only for a year with an option. Good fielder, 20 HR pop, good base runner.

Some might but most wouldn't .It's every pitchers job to be a good pitcher but when you have a specific job that's how you are measured. Closer means close out the game, Preserve the lead for the W. I wasn't saying Colome is better than Chapman, I mean Chapman is better. That's obvious without you telling me the stats in non save situations. The K's, the stuff, the big salary are all pretty good indications of how good he is. When a certain role is yours sometimes guys have a hard time pitching outside that role. Just ask Kershaw .

If a closer's main job is to prevent the other team from tying or going ahead thus earning a save Colome was slightly more effective than Chapman in 2019. I don't think I've seen one person mention Chapman for 2020 and for good reason. Can't pay a RP $15M+ when you have so many other holes that deserve $15M a year.

if you look at the link all the jersey's listed have 10 days left to bid on them as of today. It's possible the Robert Madrigal and Walker ones were auctioned off earlier I guess but I'd think they'd leave the auction open longer for the most popular ones to get the most money possible.

Just go after them all and if you can get a Wheeler while negotiating with Stras or Cole you can always bow out or play along until the price gets beyond your comfort level. Yea it's not really the agents dragging things out it's the owners. Expecting any major early signing is tough now . Time is mostly the friend of the owners because the players need jobs and the closer the season gets to starting without a job the more the pressure is on the player. That's how costs have been held down the last few years. Sure the top guys will get their money but guys like Moustakas have been getting screwed. We've seen guys not sign before mid season because of a draft pick attached. We've seen Grandal turn down multi year offers he didn't like to wait, get a year older and bet on himself. Always a risky proposition. Also rebuilding teams narrow the playing field for the free agents.

A few guys have the after arb and pre arb costs and resigning Abreu at around $68-70. If we could all start at the same point it would help things out. $54.5M is a big difference than $68-70M

I think many of us are over thinking this. We all have our preferences among the Free Agents. The main thing the Sox have to do is take action using some of the guys we all think could propel the Sox to a 20 game improvement and hope most of the moves work while young guys get better. If Kopech , Lopez, Cease, Robert, Madrigal, Moncada, Anderson, Collins, Jimenez ,Giolito and minor league pieces don't become who we hope then no amount of free agents is going to matter. That's 10 main core pieces ,4 of which showed their talent in 2019 with the Sox. If 4 of the remaining 6 shine ,things get a lot better. Then maybe one of Vaughn , Rodon and Dunning steps up. Then there's the minor league OF's who are at least at AA Basabe, Adolfo .Rutherford. Gonzalez one of them becoming good would be great since they all seem to be decent fielders. Would be nice to get a boost amongst the, Hansen, Burdi, Mercedes,Sheets. Hamilton, Johnson group too which I think covers just about everybody who is considered not that far from the majors. If by 2021 we aren't getting the results from the young core it's going to be a bumpy ride ahead.

Not Leury . Corner OF's need to have at least good chance for 20+ HR's and a .750+ OPS which is why I said Avisail Garcia and have said Dickerson, Gardner, Puig Nimmo, JBJ. Ideally at least a .325 OBP too. Since we thinking just for one year, figure out who has the best chance for those numbers while playing average defense. In the case of Nimmo I'd take the 3 years before free agency on the hopes he can be the kind of player he was in 2018 depending on who the Mets want in return for him.

Thxfrthhmmrs was the one who came up with $70M and I've been repeating it since I trust him. Just depends on who the Sox non tender and what Abreu gets.

No you were 2 years off since you said "signing a 38 year old" and since his birthday is in June accuracy says we'd be "signing" a 36 yr old since he would sign between November and March. And by agenda the older you say he is the more that makes your post appear like its an outlandish idea to sign someone that old . That's all the agenda you need to give inaccurate info .

Totally agree as long as people get the info right which you did and others did not because then one person says he's 38 then another etc. which makes it seem like they have an agenda . I did edit the post you quoted to even include Avi as a choice. As far as choices go he's still youngish, has decent pop plays adequate defense based on speed and arm but we are all well aware his doesn't stay healthy and isn't an OBP guy and many would contradict that I say he's decent on D by saying he sucks on D.

I don't think anyone is writing his name in stone there are tons or ways to go with none of the free agents ideal candidates be it handedness, age, defense, multiple years in the contract , too much money when other positions might be priorities or giving up assets in a trade.. I'm constantly bouncing around on RF from Dickerson , Gardner, Puig, Nimmo ,JBJ to scanning the upper minors for someone who seems ready who is a decent 2 way player like some of the A's minor league OF's. Can't rule out Avi either .

He's 36 now and his birthday is in June so technically we'd be signing a 36 yr old. Now you can stop wondering why I don't say certain things to you like I said to Bmags along with your Abreu agenda and not knowing how well Colome did this year. Informed people get praised. Meatballs are for spaghetti.

I don't see any for any of the players you mentioned, Robert. Madrigal or Walker.

The way you took it seems right but many of the guys you will be checking box scores on are guys who also need to have good years. I also don't necessariiy agree that some years are make or break years. Maybe with the older minor leaguers like Luis Gonzalez but we never really know what guys are working on down on the farm. That's one of the reasons why I follow Rutherford closely. I like that he works out with Yelich, Braun, Moustakas due to his friendship with Yelich. He could be learning things hes trying to incorporate into his game and sometimes it takes a while to find your own path through everything that you are learning from those guysamd your coaches. Though he's not having a particularly strong AFL season he does seem to be getting better after a bad start and his hits are doubles and triples. His last 10 games his OPS is .806 and OBP .333 .

Yes I like this one too. Is there a projected payroll you envision ? Edit{ I see your payroll now). Just asking to see about relievers or a stronger bench piece like Holt or Kendrick. Nimmo would probably bring more OBP and if he's rebounds strongly he'd be a huge addition . He might be the one guy I'd do my best to trade for especially if we lay the groundwork early in the off season and tell the Mets to keep us in the loop for him as we pursue FA starting pitching. Also not opposed to JBJ especially if non tendered.

Also Gardner is still capable of playing CF but really he's played about as much RF as Dickerson has which is basically zero but more than likely would be a better candidate to adjust quickly since he is generally considered a good fielder even at his age while Dickerson s rep defensively is iffy. Gardner also doesn't have a particularly strong arm and if Puig wasn't such a crazy I'd consider him strongly as the best combo of power and defense. I'd approach him with not a lot of guaranteed money but a boatload in incentives that included heavy fines for tardiness or not following defensive positioning . Make it so he can make really good money by just playing great and following rules that everyone else has to follow. Fit in, play great, get paid. Gardner also has a rep for helping young outfielders become better as he did with Judge just as JD Martinez has a rep for helping guys become better hitters. I don't know how likely Gardner is . He always seemed like a Yankee for life kind of guy though.

My thoughts are confused. I'm not that savvy to try and figure out how do do this. I've seen a few others try to get their "team" on here but looks like I'm not the only one who is struggling with it. Even you signed a bunch of guys and miscalculated the total payroll. Plus I also see $1M for Yonder Alonso and I don't know why. Wouldn't the Sox have paid him off already this year if that $1M is a buyout ? I also think its too early to do this. I want to take a look at who is non tendered. If I tried this, even if I could figure it out. I'd probably be making at least 50 different signing scenarios since there are so many ways you can go with players and payroll. If I had to pick just one RF it would probably be Nimmo which goes against my thoughts on trading prospects so it depends on what the Sox would have to trade for him. I'd also really like to upgrade OBP which more than likely means Grandal and Nimmo ideally which also gets a few lefties with pop if Nimmo can bounce back. You also know I like Moustaskas more for power and versatility than anything since he's not a great OBP guy. With all those guys and Abreu DH seems to be well covered, Plus the team can go in a whole other direction if they tell Abreu he's the DH most of the time while Moose then plays 1st base with Grandal and Collins both getting time at 1st/DH/C , I prefer a lefty in the starting rotation but I'd be more than pleased with Cole Strasburg Wheeler among the righties. Wood another LH option maybe on an incentive deal. Due diligence on his back medicals before you pull the trigger on him since he ended the season injured. Maybe use him as a spot starter and long man in the pen or even a 6th /7th inning setup guy allowing Kopech /Cease to get rest in season.

OK you are right .I'll say then that he won't resign with the Nats 75% sure. Better ?

Well you are Mr. Mister re-sign so you would. I 'll go opposite and say . He becomes a free agent, 75% sure.

I have a Sox tie. I wear it with my black suit.

Well that's the thing . You have to have some degree of patience with prospects. We all bemoan trading away Tatis Jr. and then turn around and say everyone else is a bust . Some will fail some will succeed. So we trade away guys now you think are busts but who project to be decent 2 way players like Basabe , Rutherford, Walker ,Gonzales among our OF's. They have to be given more time because if you think they are busts then we aren't getting much for them anyway and will have to trade the guys like Collins, Lopez, Cease, Dunning, Vaughn , Stiever, Madrigal or even Robert. I sure don't want to trade Robert or any of them really. At least not until I see some good free agents signed.

I never said JBJ would kill off the rebuild. In a previous post with you I said he would be great. But maybe he will be a non tender and if so he' goes straight to the top of the list for who I want.