Offseason Planning Survey Results
Thanks for casting votes everyone, there were 2,282 responses in 4 hours after I tweeted the survey link. Let’s get to the results.
In the qualifying offer system, clubs wishing to receive compensatory Draft picks for the loss of a free agent can make a one-year "qualifying offer," worth the mean salary of MLB's 125 highest-paid players link
This year’s qualifying offer is projected to be between $18-19 million. Xander Bogaerts, Nathan Eovaldi, Michael Wacha, and J.D. Martinez are the Red Sox candidates, with three being up for debate.
Results:
Eovaldi: 65% YES, 35% no
Wacha: 52% YES, 48% no
Martinez: 20% yes, 80% NO
How about picking up James Paxton’s 2 year, $26M team option?
40% yes, 60% NO
In 2001, Manny Ramirez and Dante Bichette led the Red Sox in DH plate appearances. In 2002, it was Ramirez and Carlos Baerga. Every year since then has been David Ortiz or J.D. Martinez, aside from 2017, when Hanley Ramirez bridged the gap.
With 28% of the vote, 36-year-old Jose Abreu is the clear favorite of the voters for the 2023 Red Sox DH role.
Josh Bell and “No Primary DH” were next with 18% each. In the next tier, Trey Mancini slightly edged out J.D. Martinez, 13% to 11%.
It seems people are not enamored with the idea of paying Willson Contreras to DH, as he finished with only 5% of the vote. Eric Hosmer received 4%, with Mitch Haniger and Brandon Drury each collecting some write-in votes.
If the Red Sox have a new shortstop in 2023, 77% of voters want Trea Turner (42%) or Carlos Correa (35%) signing with the Red Sox.
Trevor Story and Dansby Swanson tied with 9.4% of votes. Kiké Hernandez and Jose Iglesias also tied, receiving 1.9% of votes.
Though it seems clear that the Red Sox are positioning themselves to have Garrett Whitlock start in 2023, only 23% of voters want to see him in that role. 21% like the idea of him closing, with 56% wanting him to continue his middle-innings dominance.
If no outside closer is brought in this winter, Tanner Houck is the preference to begin the season at the back end of the bullpen, picking up 36% of votes. John Schreiber and Garrett Whitlock were neck and neck with around 26%, and Matt Barnes’ 9.7% was a distance fourth.
A Reese McGuire and Connor Wong catching tandem seems good enough for most voters.
99.7% of voters demand the Red Sox make a strong effort to sign Rafael Devers.
And a strong effort to sign Xander Bogaerts? 86% YES, 14% no.
40% of voters who want the Red Sox to sign Xander Bogaerts think he should be offered a 6-year contract (through his age 35 season). A 5-year contract received 23% of the vote, 7-years 19%, and 4-years 8%.
As for average annual value, $25M led the way with 25% of the votes. $28M 18%, $30M 16%, $27M 14%, $26M 8%, $24M 5%.
The average contract to Xander Bogaerts by voters was: 5.84 Years, $26.87M AAV
5 years, $134M
6 years, $161M