I think he has done a good job developing the younger players. I am not sure if his 'no nonsense' charisma is for show or if he really is like that, but it seems to be working with the younger players as he looks to be developing end of bench or young players into legit rotational guys. Maybe Brad Stevens has something to do with that as well since that was his strength but I am enjoying the improvements so far. It's only going to help us as we solidify who is going to be on the roster and getting good minutes and who can be traded for assets if another location is best for the player once Tatum comes back.

Quote from: mobilija on Yesterday at 10:25:09 PM

Quote from: Csfan1984 on Yesterday at 02:00:24 PM

I'm still think he is a below average coach but he is showing growth. He very well could be a great coach in three years. More experience and more refining a system around players is going to help him.

Huh?
A below average coach has this team at below average, at best.
You think that most coaches in this league with a roster missing half its playoff rotation and best player missing from the previous year would be in the top third of the conference?Unrealistic expectations.
This team is excelling despite the dire preseason predictions, that?s coaching.
This team has players that previously were doing nothing andding to winning and a top 20 player getting MVP like props. That?s excellent coaching.
What exactly is below average from Mazulla right now?

I'd say ATO plays and in-game management where Plan A isn't working and he should be shifting to Plan B.

on the plus side, he's got everyone playing hard for him and he's figured out who's a contributor and who's bench filler without being dogmatic about playing bigs just because he needs one to backup Q.

In game management has been why this team is winning. He has consistently rode the hot bench piece. Adjusting minutes to the role players that have it going or are a good matchup on any particular night. He?s not just riding 8 players with their prescribed minutes, he?s actually fluctuating playing time thru 10 or even 11 guys based on what any given game or even quarter needs. And it?s leading to wins. That?s high level in game decision making from the coach.
I don?t know what Plan A or Plan B ur referring to. But I?m seeing lots of different sets being run, honing in on effective actions and riding those into closing out games offensively.

Quote from: Vermont Green on Today at 10:34:30 AM

Quote from: Ilikesports17 on December 17, 2025, 11:18:29 PM

With Bregman unsigned the Red Sox infield is Marcelo Mayer and Trevor Story along with Triston Casas, Romy Gonzalez, David Hamilton and Nick Sogard. I dont think Im missing anyone.

I just dont see how you can possibly go into next season without two new opening day infielders. But I just dont see Boston shelling out the money to acquire them.

I think Boston needs two of Bregman, Bichette, Okatami, Marte, Contreras, Suarez, or some other trade target we didnt know was available.

Not every combo in that list makes sense, but all the ones that do are going to cost this team at least 40 million in additional money and if the last few years are a guide, the Sox basically treat the luxury tax like an informal salary cap. I just dont see them blasting 15 mil outside of it.

I'm worried the two options here are going to be 1) add one of those bats and leave us short an MLB infielder come opening day. or 2) bring in two of those options but end up shelling out really significant prospect capital to get teams to eat money and keep us right around that tax line.

That's not even getting to the rotation where I've just conceded that Sonny Gray is going to be our front line number 2 pitcher Breslow claimed he'd get.

The Contreras trade gives you one of the two you were asking for.  I am happy with that but there is still a need at 2B and/or 3B, as you say.  It is hard to know where things stand with Bregman and Bichette.  I doubt Bregman is getting 5 or 6 year offers, but who knows.  And I am not sure TOR is going to be able to offer Bichette big money, they already have committed a lot.  I feel that both these guys are still very much in play for BOS.

If Contreras is the last big deal of the off season, I will be disappointed.  If they add one of Bregman or Bichette (or something comparable), I will call it a good off season.  If they miraculously get both, it will be a great off season.

Best case for the position players:

C    Narvaez
1B  Contreras
2B  Bichette
SS  Story
3B  Bregman
OF  Anthony/Duran/Rafaela/Abreu (some combination)
DH  Casas

That line up does not have any single power bat but is solid up and down the line up with some guys that can play multiple positions when needed.  It might not be the end of the world to have Campbell at 2B or Mayer at 3B.  I prefer vets, but these are pretty good options as well.

With the added pitching, I think this team will be better than many think.

I think you need to judge off-seasons in context.  The Red Sox are worth $4.8 billion, and led MLB with an estimated $120 million in profit last year.  Yet, they haven't signed an outside free agent, and are adding prospects to deals to save money.

This team had the resources to add Alonso *and* Bichette *and* Bregman.  They're just not reinvesting in the team.

I agree to a point but final judgement needs to be on the entirety of the off season and in the end, how well the team actually does.  I don't feel that Alonso and Schwarber were particularly good signings; there is a lot of risk.  Older sluggers who don't play defense very well.  I want to see how Bichette and Bregman (and a few others) turn out before I brandish a pitchfork and storm Fenway.  You are correct that there is a reasonable expectation that owners should spend money on the team.  I share that expectation.  But getting saddled with bad contracts doesn't do any good.  Do you really want to repeat mistakes like Pablo Sandoval and Chris Sale?  Do you want the Red Sox to be the Padres?

These 5 and 6 year deals for players in their early 30's are risky.  They can blow up in a hurry.  The Red Sox have been burned as much as any team.  I am OK with a balanced approach.  Maintain some level of internally developed, affordable players but also accept the reality that you are going to have to bring in some risky contracts if you want to compete.  I am OK with trying to be smart about the risky contracts to a point.  I am not satisfied with the off season to date.  I would like to see them spend on Bregman and/or Bichette.  If they do that, or something comparable, I think they will be in the hunt for the AL Pennant.  I don't expect them to spend like the Dodgers.  You just have to accept that that is not going to happen.

The Pats could get the 1 seed if they win out and LAC beats DEN in Week 18

Now another thought. There's a pretty high chance Buffalo is the 6 or 7 seed if they lose to the Eagles next week. In that scenario if Buffalo wins wild card weekend, we'd face them in the divisional round IF we got the 1 seed since they play the lowest remaining. Are we fine with that?

The other scenario is 2 seed, play Houston wild card weekend probably and then the winner of Steelers-Chargers in the divisional. Path math!

Quote from: Vermont Green on Today at 10:34:30 AM

Quote from: Ilikesports17 on December 17, 2025, 11:18:29 PM

With Bregman unsigned the Red Sox infield is Marcelo Mayer and Trevor Story along with Triston Casas, Romy Gonzalez, David Hamilton and Nick Sogard. I dont think Im missing anyone.

I just dont see how you can possibly go into next season without two new opening day infielders. But I just dont see Boston shelling out the money to acquire them.

I think Boston needs two of Bregman, Bichette, Okatami, Marte, Contreras, Suarez, or some other trade target we didnt know was available.

Not every combo in that list makes sense, but all the ones that do are going to cost this team at least 40 million in additional money and if the last few years are a guide, the Sox basically treat the luxury tax like an informal salary cap. I just dont see them blasting 15 mil outside of it.

I'm worried the two options here are going to be 1) add one of those bats and leave us short an MLB infielder come opening day. or 2) bring in two of those options but end up shelling out really significant prospect capital to get teams to eat money and keep us right around that tax line.

That's not even getting to the rotation where I've just conceded that Sonny Gray is going to be our front line number 2 pitcher Breslow claimed he'd get.

The Contreras trade gives you one of the two you were asking for.  I am happy with that but there is still a need at 2B and/or 3B, as you say.  It is hard to know where things stand with Bregman and Bichette.  I doubt Bregman is getting 5 or 6 year offers, but who knows.  And I am not sure TOR is going to be able to offer Bichette big money, they already have committed a lot.  I feel that both these guys are still very much in play for BOS.

If Contreras is the last big deal of the off season, I will be disappointed.  If they add one of Bregman or Bichette (or something comparable), I will call it a good off season.  If they miraculously get both, it will be a great off season.

Best case for the position players:

C    Narvaez
1B  Contreras
2B  Bichette
SS  Story
3B  Bregman
OF  Anthony/Duran/Rafaela/Abreu (some combination)
DH  Casas

That line up does not have any single power bat but is solid up and down the line up with some guys that can play multiple positions when needed.  It might not be the end of the world to have Campbell at 2B or Mayer at 3B.  I prefer vets, but these are pretty good options as well.

With the added pitching, I think this team will be better than many think.

I think you need to judge off-seasons in context.  The Red Sox are worth $4.8 billion, and led MLB with an estimated $120 million in profit last year.  Yet, they haven't signed an outside free agent, and are adding prospects to deals to save money.

This team had the resources to add Alonso *and* Bichette *and* Bregman.  They're just not reinvesting in the team.

That's how I feel. If they add Bichette or Bregman, and then trade Duran in a package for a #2 SP, I'd be pretty happy and take it back. But idk, it still felt like they had a real chance to pounce after last season, sort of like 2021 where they also made the playoffs and had momentum, but then they had a stale offseason and things went south after. And again, will they do those things I listed? Those were glaring needs going into the offseason and they still haven't done them. Gray and Contreras are solid moves but not really needle-movers IMO