2018 Red Sox roster building

I'd like that too but I'd prefer they spend the money on a needed middle of the order bat - JDM. If they do that they won't have a lot of money left to build the bench, which I would anticipate would have four of these five players: Leon, Swihart, Brentz, Marrero (the first four are all out of options) and the loser of the Ramirez/Moreland 1b battle if they do sign JDM. I assume with Pedroia on the DL either Hernandez or possibly Quiroz platoons at 2b with Marrero.

With the Sox likely to keep 12 pitchers it's hard to see both Leon and Swihart on the roster. I'd prefer Swihart as I think Leon is morphing back into the hitter he's almost always been. I like his catching, but they have to find out what they have in a healthy Swihart.

Most teams including the Red Sox have 4 players max on the bench, and oftentimes 3.  That won't work.  Plus, there's no indication that Swihart would be an acceptable backup catcher.

Eh, you'd be surprised - Davis has arguably been the better pitcher over the last four years, and at the very least, they're comparable. I think he's basically setting the approximate bar for Kimbrel's deal before another year of inflation. I guessed 5/80 or 5/90 before the Davis deal and I don't think the Davis deal changes that.

I think I am still a bit old school in my thinking that RP are guys who couldn't quite make it as starters and are not reliable from year to year. I know that is not totally true anymore but I have witnessed enough guys pitch poorly for the Sox out of the pen to be doubtful, it is a long list.

You worry about any pitcher, they are a walking injury risk. At the same time Kimbrel has been very healthy and his velocity is still increasing. Started out at 95 mph rookie year and was over 98 mph last year. He's been a reliever his entire career unlike guys like Davis and Paplebon, who were starters at some point and had a lot more innings. So while I worry, the last thing I worry about is his velocity just disappearing. He was very good when he was at 95 mph. Guys like Bill Wagner never lost much velocity, even in his late 30s. The bigger worry is his contract and the impact it could have on resigning other players.

Aaaaaaaanyway.

This is from a month ago, but I don't think anyone linked it and it's still relevant - Passan with four reasons why the offseason's been so slow. sports.yahoo.com/four-reasons-mlbs-hot-stove-lukewarm-022841950.html

Yeah, I am not paying him 80 million.  Much cheaper alternatives. That said, we have this year to realize the best outcome for our investment.  We haven't gotten squat from him for playoff numbers.  We need him closing playoff games with multiple K's this year.  Otherwise the trade will certainly fall in the net negative (not trying to start that whole thing again).

I am keeping Devers, Mookie, Bennie and Sale. They can have whoever else for Machado, and of course need to know he will sign here.

Yes, Wagner is a freak of nature. He is the most dominant left handed reliever in MLB history and a borderline HOF.

The good news is Kimbrel is in the same kind of class as Wagner when it comes to dominance and may be a freak of nature himself.

Interesting. Wasn't giving it much thought but seeing that makes me think either the Red Sox want him really badly or they're trying to get more leverage toward Martinez as in "you're not the only big bat we can get so the price needs to come down".

The thing is that the Sox would have to pay a premium price to get a rental. I don't think the Sox will be able to negotiate a long-term deal with Machado unless they plan on spending $300 million or so, and even with that he might prefer to go to free agency. He or his agent must suspect that the Yankees would be interested.

Duquette is not going to grant the Sox a window to negotiate the extension so you'd think it would keep the price down a bit.

But would getting (or renting) Machado preclude the Sox from signing Martinez? If they sign Martinez that's a lot less money to throw toward Machado and/or expect to have a shot at extending Sale or Betts down the road, and Pomeranz and Kimbrel would be goners after the season I'd think.

A lineup with Martinez and Machado added would certainly put the Red Sox lineup on par with the Yankees and Astros.

But how would the rest of the infield be configured? Especially if they did get both as Martinez would be primarily the DH, which means they either simply deal Bogaerts away and have Machado at SS or they have to either DH or move Devers to 1b and Bogaerts to 3b if he isn't part of a deal, and if that's the case Hanley would be given away for next to nothing as he'd be out of job in that scenario and Moreland would be relegated to the bench (not that I have an issue with that). Either that or perhaps JBJ is dealt away in the deal instead of Bogaerts and Martinez winds up in LF with Hanley as DH? Don't think Dombrowski would do that, though.

I don't take these rumors seriously - at least for now, but at this extremely boring time of the year for baseball it certainly does give a lot of food for thought.

That was my immediate thought as well.  Just more posturing trying to get JDM and Boras to blink.

I honestly cannot believe that Angelos is interested in dealing with the Red Sox at all, especially given the rumors of wanting a guarantee that a team they traded him to would not flip him to the Yankees.  I have to believe that would also apply to the Red Sox and we just haven't heard that.