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Sox Machine Live!: Hello, Andrew Benintendi
The live stream begins at 8:00 PM CT. Watch in the player below or on our YouTube channel.
Podcast episode below:
So do we have any idea where this team is at now in terms of available salary?
Around $188 million
Great discussion, thanks guys. Two comments:
1. Even though nobody expects star hitter numbers from Benintendi, having fewer crappy hitters (Leury, for example) in the lineup on a regular basis might help take some pressure off the core guys. Yes, they still have to be the stars, but I feel like the burden to perform is amped up when the non-stars are doing absolutely nothing for the offense.
2. I expect trading Hendriks is still going to be a good idea. If they can get a LH2B upgrade in return, on top of clearing payroll space, maybe they sign someone like Adam Duvall for 4th OF (Fangraphs predicts 1yr/$7M). Trading Hendriks for a 4th OF instead and figuring out a different fix at 2B would also make sense. And I don’t mind giving a shot to Lopez et al. to close games. It just seems like a calculated risk worth taking. If the Sox are otherwise contenders at the trade deadline but without a steady closer, I’m guessing there will be someone available.
If you feel you can make the team better by trading Liam fine, but there should be no talk of trading him to clear payroll. Jerry should be continuing to add payroll not cutting it. We as a fanbase should not be giving him any cover to cut payroll by endorsing different trade strategies to cut it.
We are currently eigth in total payroll if the season started today.
The Blue Jays that couldn’t play in their home park for a year and a half have a higher payroll than us
The middle market Padres have a higher payroll than us by 42 million
The Phillies are above us by 37 million.
The Mets payroll is above us by 151 million dollars
We shouldn’t be cutting payroll. There isn’t any reason we shouldn’t be able to sustain this payroll.
I hear you, but you can say both things. You can say, “the Sox should raise payroll $10 million this year” at the same time you can say “the Sox should trade Hendriks to clear payroll space.”
If JR told Hahn, your new payroll is $205 million, and I don’t care about long contracts anymore, then maybe Hahn thinks its best for the team to trade Hendriks to clear more space so he can sign Dansby Swanson or something.
My basic point is that the Sox are over-invested in the bullpen, both in payroll allocated and in strength of the unit vs. needs of the team in other places. Whatever payroll is, I expect it’ll be a good idea to trade Hendriks.
Royals trying to move Michael A. Taylor per MLBTR. He’d probably be a good fit for Beefloaf’s “speed/defense” fourth outfielder, even if he is on the wrong side of thirty. Probably won’t command a big trade return and only due 1/4.5, so the money and trade costs aren’t prohibitive. I dunno, seemed like it might be a fit with Engel not being reliable in terms of health or performance.
I think they are making him available because so many are still looking for CF that they think they can flip him for more than he’s worth.
Possibly, or they’re just trying to shed every cent of salary they possibly can, I dunno. But I’d give up a Burger or Sheets or some second or third tier prospect to get him.
Whats the lineup gonna be? Do they put Benintendi up top or more down in the order, could see him hitting 2nd or 7-9…..
TA
Benintendi
Robert
Eloy
Grandal
Vaughn
Moncada
Sosa
Colas
or
TA
Moncada
Robert
Eloy
Grandal
Vaughn
Benintendi
Sosa
Colas
Hate to put the 2 rookies at the bottom next to each other without much cover but kinda feels like that is how it will come out vs right hand starters
I think he’s an obvious 2 hole hitter for us, much better than Moncada who I didn’t like there.
If you don’t like the 2 rookies together then maybe we shouldn’t run two rookies out there….
Grandal cannot hit 5th until he shows us he doesn’t suck. I’d hit him 8th
Lefty Alex Rios.
Meh.
We can only hope he’s as good as Rios in one of his good years (2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012). Maybe some consistency would have made it easier to appreciate Rios.
I guess it would’ve helped if 3 of those good years were with the Sox. I can see the resemblance though. I think 2010 Alex Rios would be great for 2023 Andrew Benintendi.
He’s never been on my radar but if we are going to run Benintendi and Colas out at the corners and without Jose we are going to need someone who can hit 20HR at 2B. The only realistic get without trading the closer is Brandon Drury.