Should Jackie Bradley Jr be traded?

[Bellhorn04]

Is it possible that JBJ has finally sort of figured it out with the stick? That would be great for him and us.

[mvp 78]

Is it possible that JBJ has finally sort of figured it out with the stick? That would be great for him and us.

 

One could only dream... I've been on this rollercoaster before.

[S5Dewey]

Either he has or he hasn't. If he hasn't this is the longest 'hot streak' of his career so I like to think that he has. The biggest difference I've seen is his ability/willingness to hit to the left side of 2B. It also may be pertinent that Cora said a short while back that JBJ has now come on board with the coaching staff. (I'm paraphrasing. I don't have the exact quote).

 

If he has it's good news/bad news. The good news is that he's now a GG caliber CF whom we can expect an OPS of .800+ next year. The bad news is that we may not be able to afford to keep him. Being someone who loves his defense I was (somewhat) hoping he'd continue to struggle at the plate so he could be signed at a lower salary when his arb years are over.

[jacksonianmarch]

Either he has or he hasn't. If he hasn't this is the longest 'hot streak' of his career so I like to think that he has. The biggest difference I've seen is his ability/willingness to hit to the left side of 2B. It also may be pertinent that Cora said a short while back that JBJ has now come on board with the coaching staff. (I'm paraphrasing. I don't have the exact quote).

 

If he has it's good news/bad news. The good news is that he's now a GG caliber CF whom we can expect an OPS of .800+ next year. The bad news is that we may not be able to afford to keep him. Being someone who loves his defense I was (somewhat) hoping he'd continue to struggle at the plate so he could be signed at a lower salary when his arb years are over.

 

He’s as streaky as they come. “Expecting” anything of him outside of good defense is a fools errand

[S5Dewey]

He’s as streaky as they come. “Expecting” anything of him outside of good defense is a fools errand

 

Call me a fool then. I've been called worse.

[OH FOY]

He's swinging much, much better. During Spring Training, Double AA, and Triple AAA, Pitchers were throwing it by him. Now, he is quicker to the Pitch, and trying to go other way. Problem with JBJ is if he lifts his head, wont make contact, keeps his head down, he'll be fine. Been doing that a lot lately, just missed a lot of balls, that he had a very good swing on.

[mvp 78]

If he has it's good news/bad news. The good news is that he's now a GG caliber CF whom we can expect an OPS of .800+ next year. The bad news is that we may not be able to afford to keep him. Being someone who loves his defense I was (somewhat) hoping he'd continue to struggle at the plate so he could be signed at a lower salary when his arb years are over.

 

The aristocrats!

[moonslav59]

I wouldn't be surprised, if he has further prolonged slumps, but I'm hopeful he will stay more consistently between. 700 and .850.

 

I do think his extremely poor start to 2018 will keep his arb cost down a bit.

[notin]

I wouldn't be surprised, if he has further prolonged slumps, but I'm hopeful he will stay more consistently between. 700 and .850.

 

I do think his extremely poor start to 2018 will keep his arb cost down a bit.

 

If he continues to have prolonged slumps, maybe his arb price comes down and he becomes easier to retain...

[sk7326]

His 2019 arb won't be too difficult. The thing with Bradley will be the 2019-2020 offseason where it is the prime time to trade him if you don't want to re-sign him. The market of alternatives will be key - but Red Sox can replace him at CF internally quite credibly, and Bradley will be 30 by opening day 2020.

[moonslav59]

His 2019 arb won't be too difficult. The thing with Bradley will be the 2019-2020 offseason where it is the prime time to trade him if you don't want to re-sign him. The market of alternatives will be key - but Red Sox can replace him at CF internally quite credibly, and Bradley will be 30 by opening day 2020.

 

I don't want to trade him: I hope we extend him, but yes, after 2019 might be the best time to trade him, especially if we know we won't keep him.

[sk7326]

I don't want to trade him: I hope we extend him, but yes, after 2019 might be the best time to trade him, especially if we know we won't keep him.

 

He is a hard guy to replace defensively. Fortunately we already have one of the most qualified to do so. Really it comes down to whether the corner outfield market is promising. That said, his flaws should make him affordable to keep.

[Jasonbay44]

I'm all for giving JBJ an extension. I hope it isn't extremely pricey, but I really like him and want him around for both now and the future. The slumps don't bother me, at the end of the year we usually get a decent bat and elite defense and base running, which I'm fine with for a bottom of the order bat.

[S5Dewey]

I'm all for giving JBJ an extension. I hope it isn't extremely pricey, but I really like him and want him around for both now and the future. The slumps don't bother me, at the end of the year we usually get a decent bat and elite defense and base running, which I'm fine with for a bottom of the order bat.

 

If I'm DD I'm all over an extension for JBJ during this off season.

 

The downside: If he reverts back to what he was early in this season we've got a GG CF who's hitting ~.200.

The upside: If he's turned the corner offensively and has become what he's become lately we've got a GG CF with an OPS of ~.800.

 

NOW is the time to sign him because if he HAS turned that corner - and I believe he has because of his approach and hitting the ball to the opposite field more now - there's no way we'd be able to sign both him and Mookie.

 

Do it now.

[OH FOY]

JBJ has gotten a lot of timely and important hits, in the 2nd half of season. The ole "Clutch" word pops up then, cant have that. That tells me he is mind is right at the plate, most important thing to hit in the Clutch. Has nothing to do if you get the hit, but state of mind because of important situation. You cant predict a hit in Low Leverage Situation, never mind when maybe the game might be on the line.

[Bellhorn04]

If I'm DD I'm all over an extension for JBJ during this off season.

 

The downside: If he reverts back to what he was early in this season we've got a GG CF who's hitting ~.200.

The upside: If he's turned the corner offensively and has become what he's become lately we've got a GG CF with an OPS of ~.800.

 

NOW is the time to sign him because if he HAS turned that corner - and I believe he has because of his approach and hitting the ball to the opposite field more now - there's no way we'd be able to sign both him and Mookie.

 

Do it now.

 

So what should DD try to sign him for?

[OH FOY]

Here's I define "Clutch Hitters", a good Clutch hitter, will control the situation, one that cannot do it, will let the Pitcher control the situation. Throw out the stats, watch the hitters. You can see them. Jeter good example, Ortiz another.

[OH FOY]

This is the first year JBJ hasn't tailed off in 2nd half of season, actually gotten better and more consistent. This is absolutely a good sign. You want to be on top of your game at end of season, and Playoffs, not in April or May, and then tail off.

[Kimmi]

Here's I define "Clutch Hitters", a good Clutch hitter, will control the situation, one that cannot do it, will let the Pitcher control the situation. Throw out the stats, watch the hitters. You can see them. Jeter good example, Ortiz another.

 

Jeter and Ortiz were simply good hitters. That's all there is to it.

[Kimmi]

Count me in as a JBJ fan. From the very beginning of his big league career, he is one of the guys I pulled the hardest for. It's nice to see him contributing offensively, though I would be a fan either way.

[OH FOY]

Jeter and Ortiz were simply good hitters. That's all there is to it.

 

For you not for me. You see things different than I do. No problem. I can point out guys like Reggie Jackson too. Tougher in High leverage situation, and he would never win a Batting title. Probably strike out 3 times, look like crap, but you didn't want him up with game on the line.

Edited September 22, 2018 by OH FOY!

[notin]

For you not for me. You see things different than I do. No problem. I can point out guys like Reggie Jackson too. Tougher in High leverage situation, and he would never win a Batting title. Probably strike out 3 times, look like crap, but you didn't want him up with game on the line.

 

Reggie Jackson proves what I have always said about clutch - that it’s more of a reputation and the successes are memorable while you forget the failures. Reggie had a terrific postseason career with over 300 plate appearances, but most people only remember the 1977 World Series.

 

The truth is, overall, Reggie did not hit much better in the postseason than he did outside of it. His .885 postseason OPS is only marginally higher than his .845 career OPS, an OPS that was brought down by playing until age 41...

[OH FOY]

For me its just a state of mind.

 

Quick trivia, who had the game winning hit in the 1978 Play-off game between the Yanks and Red Sox? Wasn't Bucky Dent. And who was the Pitcher for the Sox, that gave it up?

[notin]

For me its just a state of mind.

 

Quick trivia, who had the game winning hit in the 1978 Play-off game between the Yanks and Red Sox? Wasn't Bucky Dent. And who was the Pitcher for the Sox, that gave it up?

 

Reggie did hit the home run for the fifth run.

 

Although technically, the way a game winning RBI was defined, Bucky Dent did have the game-winning hit...

[Dojji]

JBJ rallied well after a very rough start and turned in a fairly satisfactory year. He did enough offensively to justify his spot in the lineup so he could earn his paycheck defensively. For JBJ, I know he's capable of more but if he does at least that, I'm not gonna be too hard on him. Not a good year, JBJ, but good enough.

[Bellhorn04]

For me its just a state of mind.

 

Quick trivia, who had the game winning hit in the 1978 Play-off game between the Yanks and Red Sox? Wasn't Bucky Dent. And who was the Pitcher for the Sox, that gave it up?

 

Reggie did hit the home run for the fifth run.

 

Although technically, the way a game winning RBI was defined, Bucky Dent did have the game-winning hit...

 

notin is correct. Dent had the game-winning RBI, the way game winning RBI was defined during its short period of usage as an 'official stat'.

 

The principle was identical to the way winning pitcher is defined (outside of the 5 inning requirement for starters). The game winning RBI was the one that drove in the run that put you ahead to stay.

 

Bob Stanley gave up Reggie's HR. Giving poor old Bob a direct contribution to 2 of the most devastating losses in franchise history!

[notin]

notin is correct. Dent had the game-winning RBI, the way game winning RBI was defined during its short period of usage as an 'official stat'.

 

The principle was identical to the way winning pitcher is defined (outside of the 5 inning requirement for starters). The game winning RBI was the one that drove in the run that put you ahead to stay.

 

Bob Stanley gave up Reggie's HR. Giving poor old Bob a direct contribution to 2 of the most devastating losses in franchise history!

 

A sad legacy for a pitcher who was probably the best reliever in franchise history...

[Dojji]

A sad legacy for a pitcher who was probably the best reliever in franchise history...

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/papeljo01.shtml

 

The Steamer was great in his day, but there is no contest here. Putting it over the top is the fact that Pap did one thing Stanley never did -- pitch the final out of a World Series victory.

Edited September 22, 2018 by Dojji

[S5Dewey]

So what should DD try to sign him for?

 

Top tier CF'rs (disregarding Trout) are getting an eyeball average of ~$10MM/year. IMO JBJ isn't in Trout's class @ $24MM but he's demonstrated the potential over the back half of 2018 to be in that top tier. He's making $6.1MM this year with (IIRC) two arb years left. I'd offer him 5 years at an average of $10MM backloaded, ($8, 9, 10,11,12) maybe with a player option after 3 years to try to exploit the down offensive years he's had.

 

IMO if he keeps hitting like he has been during the last half of 2018 he'll get more than that on the open market after his arb years.

[Dojji]

I'd go 4 years at 8.5M AAV. So 4/34 The fact is that JBJ is a solid piece, but also replaceable with the 3 other outfielders we have. There's no need to buy high here.

 

I'm hoping that a little more money and one less year might actually offset. JBJ's going to want to be in his early 30s when he goes looking for his next big contract. Going into his age 32 campaign works better for him at the next contract than 33 does.