The problem is simple: it's home runs and .OPS

[caulfield12]

Therein lies the problem....if a slightly above average veteran like Reddick is way out of their price range (supply and demand imbalance) or comfort zone...that leaves only two choices, high risk players who are subsidized like Sandoval or the likes of Puig, change of scenery types that are rolls of the dice at best.

 

If they pay anything close to the going rate in free agency, their budget will blow up quickly before they come remotely close to a team projected at 85-89 wins.

[SCCWS]

While I would also not be super-happy about the defensive downgrade of moving Eaton back to CF, the Sox need another high-OBP player more than they need Eaton if RF. Finding a CF who can hit and get on base with a .330+ OBP AND be a defensive upgrade to Eaton is going to be difficult. Especially considering that the Sox are probably not going to give out a $120M+ contract and currently aren't a popular destination for free agents. Also consider that most free agents don't want to DH... unless they're old, slow, and injury-prone like Morneau. If Hahn were able to convince somebody like Cespedes or Reddick to sign with the Sox, I doubt there's any way that either would agree to DH.

 

A best-case scenario to address OF/DH for the Sox this offseason would probably be signing Reddick, moving Eaton back to CF, and convincing Morneau to sign a two-year deal to be our primary DH. I think that Reddick is pretty much a pipe dream, and my guess is that Morneau will end up paying for a team that's closer to winning a ring (e.g., Boston).

 

Unless Boston is very busy trading in the offseason, I don't see them adding a DH. I think Panda and Hanley Ramirez will take the AB's of Ortiz.

 

[Black_Jack29]

We need to shoot higher than him. We've been adding Josh Reddick types for a few years now and well, you've seen how that's worked out for us.

 

I hear ya, but I don't foresee JR shelling out $!50M+ for Cespedes when he hits free agency this winter.

 

[Y2Jimmy0]

If the Sox weren't willing to up the ante for Cespedes last offseason, why would they do it this year and give up the 12th pick in the draft to do so? It doesn't make sense.

[Thad Bosley]

If the Sox weren't willing to up the ante for Cespedes last offseason, why would they do it this year and give up the 12th pick in the draft to do so? It doesn't make sense.

It's set up an interesting Catch-22 for the offseason. According to Hawk at the end of his last broadcast on Sunday, Mr. Reinsdorf expressed to him on a few recent occasions that he, meaning JR, "really, really, really wants to win next year". And so what does that mean to a team that for its final 80% of the season has played at a worse winning % than the team that lost 99 games in 2013? The answer ain't coming out of the minor leagues, as we all know. Maybe a couple of guys here in there on the pitching staff, but certainly nothing position player wise. So what do you do if your plan is to try and win next year? We shall soon see I guess in the ensuing months ahead!!

[Bob Sacamano]

I have a feeling they move one of Sale/Quintana in a package of MLB/near MLB ready position players (along with an arm or 2), move a guy with an expiring contract for decent prospects (Melky/Frazier) and then sign cheap stop gaps/bounceback type players and claim they're trying to compete. In reality, it looks more like a rebuilding plan.

Edited September 28, 2016 by soxfan2014

[Black_Jack29]

It's set up an interesting Catch-22 for the offseason. According to Hawk at the end of his last broadcast on Sunday, Mr. Reinsdorf expressed to him on a few recent occasions that he, meaning JR, "really, really, really wants to win next year". And so what does that mean to a team that for its final 80% of the season has played at a worse winning % than the team that lost 99 games in 2013? The answer ain't coming out of the minor leagues, as we all know. Maybe a couple of guys here in there on the pitching staff, but certainly nothing position player wise. So what do you do if your plan is to try and win next year? We shall soon see I guess in the ensuing months ahead!!

 

It's remotely possible that JR out-bids other teams for Cespedes, but puts an "out" clause in his contract to keep the Sox off the long-term hook (similar to what he did with Albert Belle or how Heyward's contract is currently structured). That's the only way I see JR landing an elite FA.