This is a project where 30 people got together to act as the GMs of the 30 MLB teams with the idea of conducting the offseason in one week. This is what happened in this simulation, not a prediction of what will happen in real life.
By Joe Barbieri
For the third consecutive season, I presided over the front office of the Boston Red Sox – a team I have rooted for and monitored closely for decades. While this project is obviously just pretend, I afforded it very careful consideration and prioritized bolstering the team’s present without mortgaging its future – something I hope the actual powers that be in the Red Sox front office will do this offseason unlike in years past.
The challenges facing the Red Sox entering 2018 were a somewhat stagnant offense in the wake of David Ortiz’s retirement and an underachieving rotation relative to cost. Creating payroll flexibility to address these concerns was the first order of business, and it seemed the most obvious burden I wanted lifted was David Price’s $30 million contract. I was able to successfully able to trade Price away in this project last year, but his value to suitors understandably took a hit following a season in which he logged fewer than 75 innings and proved even more thin skinned than in his first season with the team.
Realizing the extreme difficulty in moving Price, I then shifted my focus to moving 2016 Cy Young Award Winner Rick Porcello’s contract. While Porcello had a down year in 2017, he still has plenty of prime years left and could draw interest from a team with money to burn. The first team I earmarked as being in that position was the Philadelphia Phillies, to whom I proposed Porcello and first baseman Sam Travis for slugger Rhys Hoskins. The Phillies were agreeable, and the Red Sox were able to clear over $21 million in salary space while landing their first baseman of the future.
Despite not making his major league debut until August 10, the 24-year-old Hoskins belted 18 home runs last year – only six fewer than Mookie Betts’ Red Sox-leading total of 24. Still on his rookie contract, Hoskins was the inexpensive yet impactful bat Boston needed.
With a pocket full of newfound money, the Red Sox looked to the free-agent market to land a frontline starter to add to a rotation featuring Chris Sale, Drew Pomeranz, Eduardo Rodriguez and likely Price. However, Boston was soundly outbid for the services of Jake Arrieta and Alex Cobb early in the week, rendering the trade route as the most likely scenario for bolstering the rotation. As it turned out, one presented itself midweek.
The general manager of the Royals reached out to see if I had any interest in former Cy Young Award winner Zach Greinke, who had been acquired by the Diamondbacks a day or two earlier. While Greinke’s salary was an enormous and seemingly prohibitive $34 million, the Royals were seeking prospects and contracts up to $14 million. When the Royals were willing to consider enigmatic Rusney Castillo – who had a nearly $12 million contract but was not even on Boston’s 40-man roster – a prospect they would take in return, a deal was imminent.
The official deal was Greinke for Castillo, reliever Joe Kelly, knuckleballer Steven Wright and top third base prospect Michael Chavis. Losing Chavis stung the most in that trade, but he likely was going to be blocked at the hot corner following the emergence Rafael Devers anyway.
While the Red Sox had succeeded in solidifying their rotation, another void developed during the week with the news that second baseman Dustin Pedroia would likely be out until June following knee surgery. Trade talks with the Oakland A’s and San Diego Padres ensued, with one potential deal involving Price being shipped to Oakland. While that never materialized, an agreement eventually was struck with the A’s in which Jed Lowrie was shipped to Boston for fellow infielder Brock Holt and pitching prospect Mike Shawaryn.
Taking on Lowrie’s $6 million contract brought the Red Sox to their spending limit. However, they still were razor thin in the outfield and really could benefit with the addition of an experienced first baseman to spell/mentor a guy with less than two months of major league experience. Outbid for the services of free agent Yonder Alonso earlier in the week, the Red Sox needed to clear salary space in order to pursue competent first base and outfield depth.
The Red Sox explored a trade with the Chicago White Sox, who had inquired about closer Craig Kimbrel earlier in the week. The White Sox had been stockpiling quality relievers throughout the project, and I had hoped they would be willing to part with recently-acquired Ken Giles, who was making less than half of Kimbrel’s salary. Chicago preferred to keep Giles in any deal involving Kimbrel, and talks came to a halt.
Again the Red Sox went knocking on the Phillies’ door, offering Jackie Bradley and his $5.9 million salary for intriguing young outfielder Nick Williams. Philadelphia insisted on getting a reliever in return, and with the inclusion of righty Heath Hembree, a second deal between the Red Sox and Phillies was struck.
While Boston had no intention of parting with a defensive wizard like JBJ at the onset of the week, finding a cheaper outfield option became necessary in order to supplement the roster with valuable positional depth. Williams, 24, performed admirably in his first taste of the majors with Philadelphia, but the Red Sox needed veteran insurance and outfield defensive versatility. These objectives were met with the free-agent signing of Michael Brantley for $3.2 million. Brantley, who has played all three outfield positions, is projected to be fully healthy in 2018 following lingering shoulder and ankle issues this past season.
With $2.1 million of salary space remaining, the Red Sox used that to bring in free-agent Matt Adams as both an accomplished left-handed bat off the bench and insurance for Hoskins at first base. Adams, 29, set career highs with 20 homers and an .841 OPS last season.
Boston made one final roster move before the week drew to a close, signing catcher Sandy Leon to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Leon, infielder Josh Rutledge and reliever Robbie Ross, Jr. had not been offered salary arbitration by the team at the beginning of the week. Leon, who had been due to make $2.1 million, will compete with Blake Swihart to be the backup to Christian Vasquez.
Looking back at my week as pretend general manager of the Boston Red Sox, I am satisfied with the moves made to win now, provide excellent positional depth and even build for the future with the addition of studs like Hoskins and Williams. One area I wish I addressed was the bullpen, which lost Addison Reed to free agency and Joe Kelly and Heath Hembree to trades. The team can take comfort in the healthy return of Carson Smith and emergence of Austin Maddox toward the end of 2017, and the presumed return of setup man Tyler Thornburg from shoulder surgery should strengthen the bridge to Kimbrel in 2018. Still, another quality bullpen arm would have been nice. Hopefully the Red Sox will not have to dig deeply into their farm system to address relief deficiencies en route to their first deep playoff run since 2013.
| Position Player | Projected position | 2018 salary |
|---|---|---|
| Hanley Ramirez | DH | $22,750,000.00 |
| Dustin Pedroia | 2B | $16,125,000.00 |
| Mookie Betts | OF | $8,200,000.00 |
| Xander Bogaerts | SS | $7,600,000.00 |
| Jed Lowrie | INF | $6,000,000.00 |
| Michael Brantley | OF | $3,200,000.00 |
| Matt Adams | 1B | $2,100,000.00 |
| Christian Vasquez | C | $1,500,000.00 |
| Andrew Benintendi | OF | $615,000.00 |
| Rafael Devers | 3B | $615,000.00 |
| Rhys Hoskins | 1B | $600,000.00 |
| Nick Williams | OF | $600,000.00 |
| Blake Swihart | C | $555,000.00 |
| Pitchers | ||
| Zack Greinke (RHP) | SP | $34,000,000.00 |
| David Price (LHP) | SP | $30,000,000.00 |
| Craig Kimbrel (RHP) | RP | $13,000,000.00 |
| Chris Sale (LHP) | SP | $12,500,000.00 |
| Drew Pomeranz (LHP) | SP | $9,100,000.00 |
| Eduardo Rodriguez (LHP) | SP | $2,700,000.00 |
| Tyler Thornburg (RHP) | RP | $2,100,000.00 |
| Carson Smith (RHP) | RP | $1,100,000.00 |
| Brandon Workman (RHP) | RP | $900,000.00 |
| Matt Barnes (RHP) | RP | $575,000.00 |
| Robby Scott (LHP) | RP | $555,000.00 |
| Austin Maddox (RHP) | RP | $555,000.00 |
| Other | ||
| Portion of Pablo Sandoval’s contract | $18,455,000.00 | |
| Total salaries | $196,000,000.00 | |
| Total budget | $196,000,000.00 |
Those first two trades were fantastic for the Sox.
Didn’t like the Nick Williams deal, though. I understand why you had to do it but even factoring that in, I thought you were on the short end. Can Betts play CF?
Agree on the JBJ trade. His defense is elite. Finances forced my hand, otherwise no deal. I do like Nick Williams, who mashed in Philly down the stretch. Getting Michael Brantley and with some of the money saved on JBJ made it more palatable.
The fans love Hoskins in Philly, a real GM never makes that nutty trade.
Agree w/ Brian on Nick Williams trade.
But: thoughtful and aggressive.
Nice work! In real life, Sawx fans have to hope and pray that Price returns to form. At his best he can form a monster 1-2-3 punch with Sale and Porcello.
Price did look great coming out of the pen down the stretch and in the postseason, so there’s at least optimism for a return to form!
The Hoskins deal was a steal. I agree about the bullpen as it’s tough to rely on Thornburg coming into the season. Good team though.