Red Sox Re-Acquire Alex Gonzalez

[cobra24]

I think this team can and will hit enough to be a serious contender, as long as they play Lowell at DH more often than not. I'll take the improved defense at SS. If you take Kotchman at first, Youk at third, Gonzalez and short and Pedey at second, that's very formidable infield defense.

 

Ellsbury - CF

Pedroia - 2B

Youkilis - 3B

Martinez - C

Bay - LF

Drew - RF

Lowell - DH

Kotchman - 1B

Gonzalez - SS

 

That lineup should hit pretty well.

 

Lets see if Francona has the balls to bench Papi and Tek. Then i might have a little bit of faith.

[Gosawks]

I like this move. I loved him when he was here in 2006, and thought the Sox should have held onto him. He's probably the best defensive SS I have ever seen (keep in mind that I'm only 18), and I really don't mind if he doesn't hit, because none of the other options have been hitting anyways. Nice move.

[a700hitter]

This makes the Guzman trade look better. At least, he has some offensive skills.

[italstallianion]

Looks like we gave up Kris Negron in the deal.

 

 

A little refresher on Kris Negron:

 

Speedy infielder plays 2B, SS, 3B, and all three OF positions. Top notch glove with excellent range. At the plate, Negron gets on base at an okay clip, but the hits just aren't there enough. He has a good eye at the plate but still hacks on pitches out of the zone on occasion. Exceptionally fast down the line to first, and quick on the basepaths. Negron would be a prototypical leadoff hitter if he could make more contact.

[Dojji]

In other words, a 23 year old A ball utility man with big problems making contact.

 

what's below the level of a dojji type anyway?

[Gosawks]

This makes the Guzman trade look better. At least' date=' he has some offensive skills.[/quote']

 

The Red Sox never claimed Guzman on waivers and the Nationals came out and said that he would not be traded. He was never an option.

[jacksonianmarch]

I wouldnt call Gonzalez a big defensive upgrade anymore. He's lost a TON of range due to his knee injuries. His hands are as slick as ever, and his arm is still solid, but a shortstop makes his bacon on range and he doesnt have it. Maybe he needs to do what Jeter did and go to Athlete's Performance in the offseason, cause if he could regain what he was for you guys 3 yrs ago, he'd be really useful

[BoSox21]

I wouldnt call Gonzalez a big defensive upgrade anymore. He's lost a TON of range due to his knee injuries. His hands are as slick as ever' date=' and his arm is still solid, but a shortstop makes his bacon on range and he doesnt have it. Maybe he needs to do what Jeter did and go to Athlete's Performance in the offseason, cause if he could regain what he was for you guys 3 yrs ago, he'd be really useful[/quote']

 

over Nick Green? yea, he's a big defensive upgrade

[jacksonianmarch]

Over Nick Green, he is better defensively mostly because Green has no range, hands or accurate arm. I just think that they got a guy for past performances on the cheap hoping that he can regain his form.

[a700hitter]

The Red Sox never claimed Guzman on waivers and the Nationals came out and said that he would not be traded. He was never an option.

Whether he was an option or not, we had a pretty heated discussion regarding the value of getting him. Some posters were very negative about getting Guzman. I think this acquisition makes a deal for Guzman look good. It doesn't matter that it was not an option.

[Dojji]

Whether he was an option or not' date=' we had a pretty heated discussion regarding the value of getting him. Some posters were very negative about getting Guzman. I think this acquisition makes a deal for Guzman look good. It doesn't matter that it was not an option.[/quote']

 

No, this is still a better option. Guzman wasn't just a big fat risk this season, he also would have cost us $8M for next season as well. At least Gonzalez is a true low risk flier who won't have any repercussions in 2010.

[Keeper]

I agree about Guzman being a better option.

 

If Gonzalez approaches the .793 OPS he put up with the Reds last year, it's a good move. If he continues with this year's suck, it's a meh move.

[a700hitter]

No' date=' this is still a better option. Guzman wasn't just a big fat risk this season, he also would have cost us $8M for next season as well. At least Gonzalez is a true low risk flier who won't have any repercussions in 2010.[/quote']But he sucks. He can't hit his weight.

[Dojji]

But he sucks. He can't hit his weight.

 

Then he can't, but at least even if he can't he doesn't set the team back. If Guzman bombs, we're on the hook for $17M worth of suck at shortstop and are impeded in our quest to obtain Hanley Ramirez in the offseason.

[jacksonianmarch]

No' date=' this is still a better option. Guzman wasn't just a big fat risk this season, he also would have cost us $8M for next season as well. At least Gonzalez is a true low risk flier who won't have any repercussions in 2010.[/quote']

 

unless they pick up his option

[Dojji]

unless they pick up his option

 

There is no way whatsoever that the Boston Red Sox pick up Gonzalez' option. For one thing there's a chance he might be a T ype B. If not, they can probably resign Gonzalez far cheaper than that on the free market.

 

they've made their intentions pretty clear IMHO. Plug in scrubs and trash this year, clear the roster and go for a good SS in the offseason.

[Gosawks]

Whether he was an option or not' date=' we had a pretty heated discussion regarding the value of getting him. Some posters were very negative about getting Guzman. I think this acquisition makes a deal for Guzman look good. It doesn't matter that it was not an option.[/quote']

 

 

We can talk all we want about getting a player but if he isn't available it does not really matter does it? We can talk about trading for Albert Pujlos too, but if there is no evidence that he is available or if we dont have intrest in Guzman then why are we have a dicussion about Guzman? You are making it sound like an option by saying it makes Guzman look like a good deal when there was no dicussions between the Red Sox and Nationals for Guzman. See what im getting at here?

[jacksonianmarch]

There is no way whatsoever that the Boston Red Sox pick up Gonzalez' option. For one thing there's a chance he might be a T ype B. If not, they can probably resign Gonzalez far cheaper than that on the free market.

 

they've made their intentions pretty clear IMHO. Plug in scrubs and trash this year, clear the roster and go for a good SS in the offseason.

 

Who? There arent any available on the FA market, unless you consider Jack Wilson a good SS. The SS market is WAY down and the best ones are either locked in (Hanley, Jeter) or so young that they are cost controlled (Andrus, Escobar). The sox may be stuck looking for a defense first SS for the short term while giving Lowrie a shot at developing.

[Dojji]

Who? There arent any available on the FA market' date=' unless you consider Jack Wilson a good SS. The SS market is WAY down and the best ones are either locked in (Hanley, Jeter) or so young that they are cost controlled (Andrus, Escobar). The sox may be stuck looking for a defense first SS for the short term while giving Lowrie a shot at developing.[/quote']

 

What about Michael Young or Jhonny Peralta? there's a good reason both should be available (CLE Cabrera + rebuilding, TEX Andrus + budget)

[cobra24]

I vote for Michael Young...

[TedWilliams101]

Stupid. They should have gotten Cabrera while he was available. It was known that Toronto wanted to get rid of Scutaro. This has to be the worst option possible. .258 OBP this season, and that is supposed to be an upgrade or depth how? Gonzalez is one of the worse overall SS in baseball right now.

[a700hitter]

We can talk all we want about getting a player but if he isn't available it does not really matter does it? We can talk about trading for Albert Pujlos too' date=' but if there is no evidence that he is available or if we dont have intrest in Guzman then why are we have a dicussion about Guzman? You are making it sound like an option by saying it makes Guzman look like a good deal when there was no dicussions between the Red Sox and Nationals for Guzman. See what im getting at here?[/quote']There was a report that Sox had claimed him. A lively debate had ensued. I was comparing that hypothetical acquisition to this. I wasn't saying that it is or was an option.

[cobra24]

No' date=' this is still a better option. Guzman wasn't just a big fat risk this season, he also would have cost us $8M for next season as well. At least Gonzalez is a true low risk flier who won't have any repercussions in 2010.[/quote']

 

 

Where is the risk? his numbers are pretty damn good... and how is Gonzalez a better fit right now? he is trash!

[BSN07]

There was a report that Sox had claimed him. A lively debate had ensued. I was comparing that hypothetical acquisition to this. I wasn't saying that it is or was an option.

 

Guzman hit's marginally better then green. But his defense might be worse. Even if Agon doesn't hit much out of the 9th spot, at least he can field the position.

 

What good are singles if your giving the other team extra outs in the field?

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

People are actually mad about this?

 

 

Gonzalez is a good defensive SS. Becomes the best one on the team, by a good margin. He can't hit, but I'd rather have an incompetent bat combined with quality fielding than a shaky bat combined with a shaky fielder.

[CrespoBlows]

over Nick Green? yea' date=' he's a big defensive upgrade[/quote']

 

Gonzalez is an average defensive SS, but he doesn't make nearly the amount of errors that Green does.

 

This move isn't an upgrade.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Where is the risk? his numbers are pretty damn good... and how is Gonzalez a better fit right now? he is trash!

Defense is trash?

[a700hitter]

Where is the risk? his numbers are pretty damn good... and how is Gonzalez a better fit right now? he is trash!

Doji almost always addresses financial risk to the exclusion of the risk that is important to most fans--- that the guy will suck. AGon sucks. Guzman does not.

[a700hitter]

Gonzalez is an average defensive SS, but he doesn't make nearly the amount of errors that Green does.

 

This move isn't an upgrade.

He might actually be an inferior offensive player compared to Green at this stage in his career.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Doji almost always addresses financial risk to the exclusion of the risk that is important to most fans--- that the guy will suck. AGon sucks. Guzman does not.

 

Gonzalez can play defense. Guzman's decent, but not as good as Gonzalez. He also comes with a much higher price tag. You may not care about that kind of thing, but the team does (and rightfully so, since it is their money).

 

He might actually be an inferior offensive player compared to Green at this stage in his career.

 

Doesn't really matter.