A Realistic View at 2018: Part I

[Bellhorn04]

We can add someone else to the mix of potential 2B to fill in for Pedroia. I know nothing about this guy besides what's written here but his numbers look pretty good. He also plays shortstop and 3B, and has played in the outfield.

 

Boston Red Sox free agency: Esteban Quiroz, an infielder from Mexico, signs with Boston

Updated 11:22 AM; Posted 10:53 AM

 

 

By Christopher Smith

 

The Red Sox have signed Mexican infielder Esteban Quiroz to a minor league deal. Team Mexico tweeted the news of his signing.

 

The 25-year-old left-handed hitter posted a .293 batting average with a .428 on-base percentage, .488 slugging percentage, .916 OPS, 11 homers, 23 doubles and 49 RBIs in 89 games during 2017 for Leones de Yucatan of the Mexican League.

 

The 5-foot-7, 175-pounder posted a .335/.449/.522/.972 line with 15 homers, 18 doubles and 63 RBIs in 97 games during 2016 for Tigres de Quintana Roo.

 

He has played second base, shortstop and third base. He also played center, right and left field earlier in his career. He hasn't played the outfield since 2015.

 

He is not part of Boston's amateur international bonus pool spending because he's 25 and he's played seven professional seasons in Mexico (requirement is minimum six seasons). So the Red Sox still have approximately $462,000 to offer Shohei Ohtani.

 

Dustin Pedroia (knee surgery) is expected to miss the first month and then at least some of May. Quiroz will head into spring training on a minor league deal but he'll compete with several others, including Marco Hernandez, Brock Holt, Deven Marrero, Tzu-Wei Lin and even potentially Blake Swihart, for the second base job.

 

Thanks Dave! I think.

[Larry Cook]

Thanks Dave! I think.

 

I like this signing. Worst case is this adds depth.

[dgalehouse]

Thanks Dave! I think.

 

We do need a backup second baseman. I understand he was on the short list.

[Spudboy]

The kid we got from Philly for Buch had a decent year and evolved it seems. He was doing well in the AFL as well.

[Kimmi]

I was responding to a poster who claimed Marco has not played in over a year, when in reality, he was management's first choice off the bench this season: first to cover for Bogey and then to cover for Pablo. He played in 21 of our first 27 games.

 

He ended up having his non-throwing shoulder operated on in late May. He missed the rest of 2017. I do not think it will be an issue next year, and I've heard he is expected to be the odds on favorite to start at 2B next year until Pedey comes back.

 

From what I've read, it does sound like Marco is the favorite going into spring training. Lin could possibly challenge that, as well as Quiroz. A little healthy competition isn't a bad thing.

[Kimmi]

Thanks Dave! I think.

 

I like the move. Quiroz does have good numbers, albeit in other leagues, and he can play both the infield and outfield. He may not amount to anything more than depth, but he could end up being a super sub guy or a solid replacement for Pedroia.

[oldtimer]

I like the move. Quiroz does have good numbers, albeit in other leagues, and he can play both the infield and outfield. He may not amount to anything more than depth, but he could end up being a super sub guy or a solid replacement for Pedroia.

 

Kind of humorous though as he is 5'7". I swear, to be a field player for the Sox you have to be diminutive. I think Bogey and Hanley are the only two playerss over 6' tall and I am not certain about Hanley.

 

I know Altuve is small also, but he is a very special player.

[moonslav59]

From what I've read, it does sound like Marco is the favorite going into spring training. Lin could possibly challenge that, as well as Quiroz. A little healthy competition isn't a bad thing.

 

No, it's not. I do not think Marco has a lock on 2B.

 

I also think Holt is in the mix.

 

Marrero is out of options and may end up being the odd man out, but he may make the 25 man roster just to keep the depth.

[harmony]

Kind of humorous though as he is 5'7". I swear, to be a field player for the Sox you have to be diminutive. I think Bogey and Hanley are the only two playerss over 6' tall and I am not certain about Hanley.

 

I know Altuve is small also, but he is a very special player.

Hanley Ramirez is a big guy at 6-foot-3, 240 pounds.

[harmony]

The kid we got from Philly for Buch had a decent year and evolved it seems. He was doing well in the AFL as well.

Josh Tobias, who turns 25 years old today, has never played above Double A.

[moonslav59]

H a p p y

 

T h a n k s g i v i n g!

[moonslav59]

Josh Tobias, who turns 25 years old today, has never played above Double A.

 

He got promoted to AA this season and struggled a little bit.

[Larry Cook]

He got promoted to AA this season and struggled a little bit.

 

I saw him once and if the pitch bent at all, he could not hit it.

[Kimmi]

Kind of humorous though as he is 5'7". I swear, to be a field player for the Sox you have to be diminutive. I think Bogey and Hanley are the only two playerss over 6' tall and I am not certain about Hanley.

 

I know Altuve is small also, but he is a very special player.

 

Yeah, I agree that it's kind of funny that we have so many smaller players on our team. Not sure why that is.

[Kimmi]

No, it's not. I do not think Marco has a lock on 2B.

 

I also think Holt is in the mix.

 

Marrero is out of options and may end up being the odd man out, but he may make the 25 man roster just to keep the depth.

 

Swihart may also be in that mix, though like many others, I'm not confident in his ability to play 2B well.

[Kimmi]

H a p p y

 

T h a n k s g i v i n g!

 

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours Moon, and to everyone here.

[cp176]

Did you mean there's no reason he WON'T be ahead of the others?

 

Those double negative get confusing.

 

yes i did. sorry about that.

[moonslav59]

Swihart may also be in that mix, though like many others, I'm not confident in his ability to play 2B well.

 

I'm thinking they may try Swihart at 2B to be the 3rd or 4th string in case we get into pinch hitting for Marco, Holt or Marrero.

 

I just can't see him as a serious contender for the starting 2B job for April & May. Maybe (big maybe) if Pedey has not returned by June, Swihart might improve enough and/or others have struggled enough for him to win the job.

[cp176]

Most of us have expressed how important it is to be solid defensively up the middle. Although I think that Swihart still has the potential to play somewhere at the ml level, I guess I would be pretty surprised if he was able to play second base well enough to pass the gloves of Hernandez, Marrero, and Lynn in that order for me. Guys who have spent the bulk of their careers around the second base bag.

[moonslav59]

Most of us have expressed how important it is to be solid defensively up the middle. Although I think that Swihart still has the potential to play somewhere at the ml level, I guess I would be pretty surprised if he was able to play second base well enough to pass the gloves of Hernandez, Marrero, and Lynn in that order for me. Guys who have spent the bulk of their careers around the second base bag.

 

Agreed, and with an IF that is at least below average at every other position (assuming Devers at 3B, HRam at 1B and Bogey at SS), we can't afford to be terrible at 2B on defense.

 

IMO, Swihart would have to be great offensively to outweigh the drop in defense. I'm not seeing that happening to start 2018.

[Larry Cook]

A couple years ago, I had mookie and Swihart as untouchable. But then Swihart ripped up his ankle and he has never been the same.

 

Without him, who becomes the third catcher? Romanski?

[moonslav59]

A couple years ago, I had mookie and Swihart as untouchable. But then Swihart ripped up his ankle and he has never been the same.

 

Without him, who becomes the third catcher? Romanski?

 

Maybe we sign Butler again to play in AAA.

[moonslav59]

MLBTR projected us to sign 3 free agents:

 

JD Martinez $25M x 6

Logan Morrison $12M x 3

Bryan Shaw $7M x 3

 

These three deals would put us dangerously close to the major penalty luxury tax limit. I think we'd have to shed a little salary to stay under, and we'd have nothing left to spend mid season, if needed.

 

[moonslav59]

Dave Cameron created two lists:

 

FA Bargains:

Santana

L Cain

T Hunter

J Dyson

D Fister

 

FA Landmines (avoid):

Hosmer

Holland

Lynn

Nunez

Cashner

[a700hitter]

Dave Cameron created two lists:

 

FA Bargains:

Santana

L Cain

T Hunter

J Dyson

D Fister

 

FA Landmines (avoid):

Hosmer

Holland

Lynn

Nunez

Cashner

Laughing hysterically at Fister and Tommy Hunter being bargains. They are dumpster diving material.

[moonslav59]

Laughing hysterically at Fister and Tommy Hunter being bargains. They are dumpster diving material.

 

I like Dyson, but it looks like Brentz will be getting a hard look at 4th OF'er.

[notin]

Laughing hysterically at Fister and Tommy Hunter being bargains. They are dumpster diving material.

 

They probably are bargains.

 

Fister was OK on a minor league deal last year. Hunter is a decent pitcher with a history of arm troubles. Both are likely to be worth more than their paychecks.

 

Free agency isn't always about looking for All Stars.

[moonslav59]

They probably are bargains.

 

Fister was OK on a minor league deal last year. Hunter is a decent pitcher with a history of arm troubles. Both are likely to be worth more than their paychecks.

 

Free agency isn't always about looking for All Stars.

 

Every year some free agent "dumpster dive" turns into a "bargain".

 

I don't see Fister doing much better than he did this year, but I guess he could.

[a700hitter]

They probably are bargains.

 

Fister was OK on a minor league deal last year. Hunter is a decent pitcher with a history of arm troubles. Both are likely to be worth more than their paychecks.

 

Free agency isn't always about looking for All Stars.

They are dumpster dives worth minor league contracts. If they make the MLB roster, they will be outperforming expectations. They are hardly worth mentioning in an article as "bargains."

[jacksonianmarch]

Hunter is coming off a great season in which he finally translated his power into K’s. 1.2 WAR for 58IP is hard to do