Is the actual rotation the worst in the last 10 Y?

[cp176]

Sox would have to pick up more than some at $22mil/year.

they stand to lose a lot more than that if they don't make some moves.

[Northern Star]

they stand to lose a lot more than that if they don't make some moves.

I only realized today exactly how much they are paying Hanley to play out of position. Wow.

[Palodios]

I don't understand why people believe Hanley is untradeable. He has a career .870 ops, he's still young and 3/60 isn't an insane contract, especially for a 31 year old. What other middle of the order bats are going to be available at the trade deadline ?

[Kimmi]

I don't understand why people believe Hanley is untradeable. He has a career .870 ops, he's still young and 3/60 isn't an insane contract, especially for a 31 year old. What other middle of the order bats are going to be available at the trade deadline ?

I'm not sure why people want to trade Hanley. People are using revisionist history in their assessments of both the Hanley and Pablo deals.

In 2013 and 2014, Hanley was worth 5.1 and 3.3 WAR, despite playing in only 86 and 128 games, respectively, and despite his poor defense. His contract is more than reasonable.

Also, in terms of the question of why anyone would think he would be okay in LF, left field is the 2nd easiest defensive position to play, while SS is the 2nd hardest defensive position to play. It's not uncommon or unreasonable to think that moving a poor or aging SS to LF will make him a better defender, if even only slightly. Outside of possible concerns with his attitude, there was nothing wrong with the Hanley contract, and there were good reasons to believe that his attitude would not be a problem. Personally, I don't think it is.

As far as Pablo goes, I was not a fan of his signing, only because I thought that for the price, there were better options, such as Headley. However, we desperately needed an upgrade at 3B. Based on his numbers from the previous seasons, Pablo should have been a significant upgrade over what we had last season. Pablo represented a key addition to this team, albeit a slightly overpaid one. Obtaining a 3B was a necessity. There is no way anyone could know whether Donaldson to the Sox was a viable option, so blaming Ben for not getting him is ridiculous.

[a700hitter]

There is no way anyone could know whether Donaldson to the Sox was a viable option, so blaming Ben for not getting him is ridiculous.

I am not sure what you mean by this. I am pretty sure that we could have topped a package of Brett Lawrie and Graveman. Toronto fleeced the hugely overrated Billy Beane.

[Bellhorn04]

I am not sure what you mean by this. I am pretty sure that we could have topped a package of Brett Lawrie and Graveman. Toronto fleeced the hugely overrated Billy Beane.

Timing is the question. Sandoval signed with us on November 25. Donaldson was traded on November 28.

What did Ben know, and when did he know it?

[a700hitter]

Timing is the question. Sandoval signed with us on November 25. Donaldson was traded on November 28.

What did Ben know, and when did he know it?

It's his job to know these things. He is supposed to make these things happen, not read about them in the newspaper. Are we to believe that Beane would shop Donaldson to only one team or that he was so overwhelmed by the offer of Lawrie and Graveman that he accepted it on the spot.

[Bellhorn04]

The big rumor about the Donaldson trade was that he said something that dissed Beane, Billy freaked out and wanted him traded ASAP.

[iortiz]

It's his job to know these things. He is supposed to make these things happen, not read about them in the newspaper. Are we to believe that Beane would shop Donaldson to only one team or that he was so overwhelmed by the offer of Lawrie and Graveman that he accepted it on the spot.

Yup. The more I see the people that have played in our 3B, the more I wonder, why in the hell did we let walk Beltre?

[Bellhorn04]

If Ben knew Donaldson was available and made no play for him, then yes, I agree absolutely, it was a royal fuck-up.

[Bellhorn04]

Yup. The more I see the people that have played in our 3B, the more I wonder, why in the hell did we let walk Beltre?

The mistake there was betting that Youk would be just fine at third for several more years.

[a700hitter]

If Ben knew Donaldson was available and made no play for him, then yes, I agree absolutely, it was a royal fuck-up.

It was a royal fuck up for not knowing that he was available. He has a whole organization at his disposal that is supposed to know these things.

[Elktonnick]

While I can agree with about Hanley especially since he is DH in waiting, the Sandoval deal then and now makes little sense. Sandoval defensive skills were sliding before the trade hence SF's reluctance to sign him.
His size and weight means that his defensive skills as a third baseman will likely deteriorate more rapidly then someone with a different height and weight. Given his likely poor future conditioning he is a poor candidate for 1st once his 3rd base skills deteriorate. His future DH role is unlikely if one envisions Ramirez in that position in 2016 and beyond.

Furthermore there was ample reporting about Sandoval being well known for having relative poor regular season hitting numbers. Where he really shines is in the playoffs. The Sandoval signing only is rational if Cherrington believed he was an essential piece for success in the playoffs.

Given the current total dysfunction that is this club, such thinking can best be described as delusional on Cherrington's part. Which is perhaps why so many now question Cherrington competence to be a Major League GM.

[Spudboy]

Timing is the question. Sandoval signed with us on November 25. Donaldson was traded on November 28.

What did Ben know, and when did he know it?

I heard that Donaldson and Bean went at it at the ballpark. So that seems to indicate that it happened during the season. If so, I would assume that Ben knew what Toronto knew before Donaldson was traded. We have no way of knowing the exact timing. But if Ben DID know that Donaldson was available while in pursuit of Sandoval then he is one dumb ass motherfucker. That is just very bad business.

Who knows, though.

[a700hitter]

I heard that Donaldson and Bean went at it at the ballpark. So that seems to indicate that it happened during the season. If so, I would assume that Ben knew what Toronto knew before Donaldson was traded. We have no way of knowing the exact timing. But if Ben DID know that Donaldson was available while in pursuit of Sandoval then he one dumb ass motherfucker. That is just very bad business.

Who knows, though.

Ben, one dumb ass mutherfucker! Lol! Love it.