2016 Red Sox Hot Stove Discussion Thread

[cp176]

The question is how long will it be before he gets injured. Our OF is a wild card going into the season. Can Rusney be a productive full time OFer? Did Bradley turn a corner in 2015?

 

As good as their defense might be, I think that we will need one of these two guys to hit.

[mvp 78]

There is a premium on defense right now, especially up the middle.

 

If that's the case, why did the Braves trade Andrelton Simmons?

[Kimmi]

If that's the case, why did the Braves trade Andrelton Simmons?

 

Aren't the Braves in rebuild/tank mode?

[Bellhorn04]

Aren't the Braves in rebuild/tank mode?

 

Sounds to me to like the correct answer.

[User Name]

If that's the case, why did the Braves trade Andrelton Simmons?

 

Why did the Angels trade their best pitching propect for him?

[mvp 78]

Why did the Angels trade their best pitching propect for him?

 

I'd trade Owens for an AS SS.

[mvp 78]

Aren't the Braves in rebuild/tank mode?

 

Not a FA until 2021. No reason to move on from a young talent like that. That's a guy you keep while rebuilding.

[a700hitter]

Not a FA until 2021. No reason to move on from a young talent like that. That's a guy you keep while rebuilding.

Especially if fielding is so critically important in building a winning team.

[Kimmi]

Not a FA until 2021. No reason to move on from a young talent like that. That's a guy you keep while rebuilding.

 

The Braves have made it known that they are centering their rebuild around pitching. They are looking to create another Smoltz-Glavine-Maddux era.

 

Trading Simmons was not a popular move, and I'm sure it was difficult for the Braves to do. But they got LA's top two pitching prospects plus some cash back. As we have seen from this offseason, developing or obtaining cost controlled pitching is a very smart move.

[Bellhorn04]

Not a FA until 2021. No reason to move on from a young talent like that. That's a guy you keep while rebuilding.

 

There's always the possibility it was a stupid move, too.

[Kimmi]

There's always the possibility it was a stupid move, too.

 

LOL That too.

[Palodios]

With Alex Gordon's "bargain" signing, I'm surprised he wasn't drawing more comparisons to Victorino. 32 year old outfielders, elite gloves, with .775 OPSes, both coming off meh seasons.

 

Its a real shame that Victorino's knees went downhill so fast.

[mvp 78]

He most likely could have received more if a first round pick wasn't attached to him.

[a700hitter]

The Blue Jays add Drew Storen to the back end of their bullpen. The ALE teams are building very strong late inning pens.

Nationals Acquire Ben Revere From Blue Jays For Drew Storen

 

By Jeff Todd | January 8, 2016 at 9:24pm CST

 

The Nationals and Blue Jays have officially struck a deal that will send outfielder Ben Revere to the Washington and reliever Drew Storen to Toronto, as Jon Heyman first reported on Twitter. A player to be named later will also head to D.C., and the Nats will kick in cash sufficient to offset the differences in the players’ anticipated 2016 salaries, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets.

 

MLBTR projects Revere to earn $6.7MM this year in arbitration. He’s also eligible for one more season of arb control thereafter. Storen, meanwhile, projects at a $8.8MM salary in his final year of eligibility.

 

While it isn’t quite a blockbuster, this move certainly rates as a significant trade for both clubs. As I noted in breaking down the Nats’ offseason back in November, a deal along these lines between these two clubs has long made conceptual sense — though it’s also understandable that both wanted to explore other possibilities before pulling the trigger. Much like the deal that sent Jon Niese to the Pirates for Neil Walker earlier this winter, this trade involves two similarly-priced assets being exchanged as each organization seeks to address their respective needs.

 

Aug 18, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Ben Revere (7) smiles as he waits to bat Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Blue Jays won 8-5. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

 

For the Nats, adding a left-handed-hitting outfielder who is capable of playing center field has long been a priority. While there have been suggestions at times that the club might have looked for a more significant piece to build out its outfield, it ultimately settled on a solid option in Revere who can share time in center with Michael Taylor and spell Jayson Werth in left, potentially creating a three-man rotation for two slots that should function well alongside Bryce Harper. In some ways, he’s a faster, younger, lighter-hitting version of the just-departed Denard Span, though it’s certainly arguable that the former Nat had a better glove.

 

The team’s relationship with Storen had long seemed destined to end. After replacing him once in the closer’s role with Rafael Soriano, the Nats ruffled some feathers by adding Jonathan Papelbon down the stretch last year. Needless to say, that move blew up in spectacular fashion, and seemingly created some tension between the organization and its former first-round draft pick.

 

On the Jays’ side of the equation, Revere was something of a luxury. Acquired at the trade deadline last summer, his essential role can be filled by Michael Saunders, who missed all of last year but is expected to return to full strength in 2016. And Dalton Pompey also joins Kevin Pillar in the outfield mix (along with superstar Jose Bautista, of course).

 

Aug 6, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals relief pitcher Drew Storen (22) throws to the Arizona Diamondbacks during the eighth inning at Nationals Park. The Washington Nationals won 8 - 3. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

 

By bringing in Storen, the Jays have added a big arm to the back of the pen without taking on a lengthy commitment. There’s no denying that the 28-year-old has struggled at times, but he’s also been dominant for lengthy stretches. Whether he’s serving in a set-up capacity in front of Roberto Osuna or even taking the 9th himself, there’s good reason to believe that Storen can be a valuable late-inning arm.

 

Of course, both players in this trade come with their share of demerits. Revere, 27, doesn’t hit for power or draw walks. Though he’s always made a ton of good contact and doesn’t strike out much, any dip in contact ability or speed could spell trouble. And he’s a mystery on the defensive side of the equation. After garnering strong defensive metrics at times with the Twins, Revere has looked lost at times on his routes and generally received quite poor ratings in recent seasons.

 

So long as he can get on base enough, though, Revere seems a good bet at least to function as a solid fourth outfielder. He’s still plenty young, and delivers serious value with his legs. He has 80 steals on the ledger over the last two years and is second only to speed demon Billy Hamilton in Fangraphs’ total baserunning value measure (BsR) over those seasons. Notably, Revere has also generally posted neutral platoon splits, though he was quite a bit more effective last year against right-handed pitching.

 

And Storen has been somewhat fickle on the mound, with his general excellence sometimes punctured with ill-timed lapses. It’s all but impossible to know whether that’s a genuine cause for concern or just a sample blip, but there is a perception that he’s faltered in the brightest lights. Of course, he’s also locked up 95 saves, so it isn’t as if he’s a stranger to succeeding in high-leverage spots.

 

All told, Storen owns a 3.02 ERA in his 334 big league frames. He’s struck out an average of 8.6 and walked 2.6 batters per nine for his career, but his K rate jumped significantly last season. Storen’s average fastaball velocity trended up, topping 94 mph for the first time since 2012, and he got big results with his slider. He ended the season with a 12.2% swinging-strike rate that was the second best of his career. On the other hand, Storen also put up wider-than-usual platoon splits.

 

There are broader impacts here, too. For one thing, it now seems rather unlikely that the Nats will re-enter the outfield market. The move seemingly takes them out of the running for Gerardo Parra and would make a play for Justin Upton or Yoenis Cespedes seem even more remote. On the other hand, Washington could still stand to add to the bullpen and has been rumored to be considering moves in the starting staff as well. The Jays seem less likely to tinker at this point, though making a bullpen upgrade without taking on more salary could in theory open some creative options.

 

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

[mvp 78]

Heyman : "Brennan boesch signs red sox minors deal. $1M in mjaors"

[a700hitter]

Spring Training Invitees Announced:

 

Allen Craig, Sam Travis, 6 others round out Red Sox non-roster spring training invitees

01.13.16 at 3:44 pm ET

By Rob Bradford

 

The Red Sox have boosted their list of non-roster spring training invitees to 14 players after announcing eight more to the group Wednesday.

 

Those most recently announced as invitees to major league camp are infielders Josh Rutledge and Sam Travis, outfielders Brennan Boesch and Allen Craig, catcher Sandy Leon and pitchers Roman Mendez, Kyle Martin and Danny Rosenbaum.

 

Already on the list of non-roster invitees were pitchers William Cuevas, Sean O’Sullivan and Anthony Varvaro, third baseman Chris Dominguez, outfielder Ryan LaMarre, and catcher Ali Solis.

 

Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Fort Myers, Fla. Feb. 18, with position players starting Feb. 24.

[a700hitter]

Pedroia throwing down with Kimmi:

 

Dustin Pedroia has no use for defensive metrics, or another season like last one

Wed, 01/13/2016 - 11:33pm

 

He has spent this offseason making the 45 minute drive to the workout facility he used to call home, EXOS, on the other side of Phoenix. And the second baseman has taken a good hard look in the mirror as to what hasn't gone quite as planned the past couple of years, coming away with a uniquely different approach toward preparing for the 2016 season.

 

But if you really want to see the passion of Pedroia, mention a little thing called defensive metrics.

 

"Listen, I'll go out there and my play will speak for itself," Pedroia said when appearing on the Bradfo Show podcast. "I'm to a point where you kind of heard it all. You play in that market for a long time and you understand that one game you go 0-for-4 and you stink, and the next game you go 4-for-4 and you're the best player ever. I was having my best year of my career until I got hurt. I don't listen to any of what this says, or what that says. Shoot, the year before I think it was one of the best defensive metrics for a second baseman. And the year after it was terrible? Come on.

 

"I don't put too much stock into those kind of things. Don't worry, I'm going to be ready to play baseball and be healthy and do all the things that I've always done. I don't need anybody to motivate me. I'm to the point now where people say bad things, or people question me, that's great. I hear it, but that's not my job to go in the locker room and yell at that person. My job is to help the Red Sox win games, and I'm going to do that."

 

UZR. DRS. DEF. RZR. WAR.

 

Pedroia thinks they are all BS.

 

But he still hears the noise. It's the kind of murmur that the 32-year-old hasn't had to deal with much throughout his nine-year career as a full-time big leaguer. But now he has his new boss, Dave Dombrowski, saying things at the winter meetings like, "I know what the metrics say," when asked about Pedroia. And all of a sudden, the four-time Gold Glove two-bagger has found himself carrying around a few more chips on those well-worn shoulders.

 

"To be honest with you, I don't read into defensive metric stuff because that's not what I believe in defensively," he said. "If you're in the middle of the field, you have to know what pitch is going to try and be executed and it's my job to try and position myself. If the hitter stays inside the ball, and I'm playing him to pull, if our guy executes his pitch and he takes a good swing and shoots it up the middle and I don't get to it, that's good hitting. There are times our pitcher makes his pitch and the guy smashes one into the 3-4 hole and I'm standing right there and I don't have to move one foot, does that mean I don't have any range? No, that means I'm smart and I position myself in the right area to make a play. Defensive metrics, I don't think they hold that (into account). That's why you back to the eye test. You watch the game, you know who's a good defensive player out there. It's common sense. If Chris Davis is up I'm probably not going to play him up the middle. He's going to slam balls in the hole with top-spin, or he's going to hit the ball in the air the other way, so it's pointless to have that many defenders playing on the left side of the field and that's why we bring guys over because the spray chart shows.

 

"Defensive metrics, I don't know what they use. I don't necessarily care. My job is that there are a lot of people that are going to factor into how I play second. I connect with the first baseman. I'm always talking to the shortstop. We're all helping each other out. That's it. We all have to be on the same page, help each other out, position ourselves correctly and execute pitches. If we do that hopefully everybody's zone rating is great. The bottom line is to prevent runs, and have a plan and execute that plan. If we do that, that's all you can do."

 

Did you get the idea that Pedroia doesn't buy into the whole defensive metrics thing?

 

But that doesn't mean there hasn't been an offseason revelation.

 

The games played -- which were limited to 93 last season due to a hamstring injury -- didn't necessarily elicit the look in the mirror. What did was how he found himself playing the game. That was an uncomfortable reality he now can admit took an unexpected turn.

 

"I've done a lot more agility stuff this offseason just because I wanted to," he explained. "I think last year I focused more on strength because I had some hand injuries. This is on me, I let that seep into my head that my power was declining so I wanted to make sure I was as strong as possible. I did more stuff on the strength side and it took away from my form running. That's not saying why I hurt my hamstring. I hurt my hamstring because I basically stepped in a hole and it kind of gave out and I couldn't correct. I'm training to be an athlete. Train for quickness. Train to be wiry strong. I dive all the time, so to hit the ground and be able to pop back up. Have some pop in my step. That's what I've been focusing on this year, making sure I'm an athlete. I'm flying around the field. I;m diving everywhere, and it doesn't hurt me. Early in my career, everybody said it was going to catch up with me. But I trained for that. That's what I'm doing this year, making sure every time I hit the ground I'm popping back up and it's like I did another rep in my workouts."

 

Pedroia added, "I was so zoned in on getting my strength back and proving the power was going to be fine that I lost something in being a complete all-around player. And that's what made me good. If you go into the Red Sox for three or four games, I want you leaving knowing that guy can beat you a 1,000 different ways. I'm not saying I lost sight of that, but I'm getting back to the basics. In this game you have to find ways to win. You have to save runs. You have to run the bases well. You have to steal bases. Everything in the game, I want to make sure is on point."

 

Sure, it's a familiar wave of motivation. But, if things unfold like Pedroia is planning, you'll be seeing a brand new/same old second baseman in just more than a month.

 

"That's my goal every year, to try and be better every single year, and learn," he said. "Obviously the older you get you have to train smarter. You have to learn how to take care of your body better. That's my focus. I have to be on the field for 155 games or whatever. If I'm on the field, I'm going to produce. You guys have watched me for 10 years? I'm pretty sure if you've watched me play baseball I'm impacting the game in a positive way. That's my goal, be on the field and help my team win. All the other stuff is hearsay. It's stuff I don't focus on."

[Bellhorn04]

Spring Training Invitees Announced:

 

Allen Craig really falls into a special category of non-roster invitees, where they're paying him 9 million this year and 11 million next year.

[mvp 78]

Pedroia throwing down with Kimmi:

 

That's only because he kinda sucked last year.

[Bellhorn04]

That's only because he kinda sucked last year.

 

He didn't suck when he played. He just didn't play enough.

[cp176]

Pedroia throwing down with Kimmi:

 

It is a very revealing article. The people who actually go onto the field probably aren't (hopefully) paying too much attention to the metrics. Most of these guys probably know less about what all of the abbreviations mean than I do. There has to be some sort of filter between management and players. Now that is not to say that all of the information gleaned from the compilation of the data shouldn't be used. Not very likely that many of the actual players are doing the interpretation.

[a700hitter]

That's only because he kinda sucked last year.

 

Metrics weren't needed to see his bobbles and errors on some very easy balls.

[a700hitter]

Allen Craig really falls into a special category of non-roster invitees, where they're paying him 9 million this year and 11 million next year.

 

They should make him pay for his own room.

[Dojji]

He didn't suck when he played. He just didn't play enough.

 

It all factors in, and that's the problem. The man's in decline, just like I feared he might be as early as 2 years ago.

 

It was never about performance with Pedroia. It was about how long his body is going to hold up to the strain he asks of it. Not a lot of really short guys are effective into their mid to late 30's, and it looks at the moment like PEdey's not going to be an exception to that rule.

[cp176]

He didn't suck when he played. He just didn't play enough.

 

I see him as a hell of a lot better bet to get it done than I do of Ramirez getting it done at first. All projections aside, all issues about what we look like on paper, quite a few things really do have to go well in order for this team to be in the hunt next fall.

[mvp 78]

He didn't suck when he played. He just didn't play enough.

 

The metrics say it was his worst defensive season whether he played 162 or not. Maybe he struggled only during the games I watched, but I doubt it. In years past, a ball hit towards second wasn't concerning for me. He was a defensive beast. Last year, he wasn't. He was replacement level defensive wise.

[Bellhorn04]

It all factors in, and that's the problem. The man's in decline, just like I feared he might be as early as 2 years ago.

 

It was never about performance with Pedroia. It was about how long his body is going to hold up to the strain he asks of it. Not a lot of really short guys are effective into their mid to late 30's, and it looks at the moment like PEdey's not going to be an exception to that rule.

 

I don't dispute that he's in decline phase or that injuries are a concern. But let's not overstate things either.

 

From 2011 to 2014 he played in 595 games, or 149 games a season. And he finished in the top 10 in MVP voting twice in those 4 years.

[User Name]

It all factors in, and that's the problem. The man's in decline, just like I feared he might be as early as 2 years ago.

 

It was never about performance with Pedroia. It was about how long his body is going to hold up to the strain he asks of it. Not a lot of really short guys are effective into their mid to late 30's, and it looks at the moment like PEdey's not going to be an exception to that rule.

 

Yet it wasn't going to be a problem with a short 3B overweight by 100 pounds? That contract made sense? Be consistent.

[Dojji]

You misunderstand. I hated the Sandoval signing, I knew he was in decline and thought it was completely unnecessary even if he was productive. I just think it's a bit unreasonable to say that it was obvious he would decline that much that fast.

[cp176]

Clearly big, tall, strong guys are the way to go. They run faster, hit harder, and hurt the ground more than themselves when dive for balls. The deck is clearly stacked against a guy like Pedroia. If he doesn't at least have blue eyes, he could be really screwed.