Spring Training 2018 Thread

[mvp 78]

He's also pissed from reading Talksox.

 

He should take a number.

[Youk Of The Nation]

Only one more week until baseball, I'm so excited! This offseason has just dragged ooooon and oooon. I've already taken next Thursday off from work. I'm working a double shift for someone else in exchange for their covering the 29th, all so I can follow all 15 games played that day.

[mvp 78]

@redsoxstats

 

Marrero is making his push, 8 for his last 21 with 3 doubles.

 

DFA Leon

[mvp 78]

@PeteAbe

 

JD Martinez with a wind-blown RBI triple that was more a double and an error. #RedSox up, 6-2. Shooting for a 10th consecutive win, which hasn’t happened in spring training since 1951.

 

Back to back to back

[mvp 78]

https://www.overthemonster.com/2018/3/22/17150926/red-sox-trade-rumors-brock-holt-deven-marrero

 

As is largely the case around the league every year, most of the Red Sox spots are spoken for and the majority of players in their camp have known for a while whether or not they had a good shot at making the roster. That doesn’t include Brock Holt and Deven Marrero, though, who sure seem to be fighting for the last spot on Boston’s bench. Evan Drellich of NBC Boston has said that Blake Swihart, unsurprisingly, locked up one spot, meaning the bench has just one empty spot remaining. According to Drellich, it seems the Red Sox are shopping both Holt and Marrero in trade talks, indicating that Dave Dombrowski could decide to move whichever player he doesn’t keep.

 

With only one spot left for the two bench players, it’s worth checking to see if other front offices may value either Holt or Marrero more than one would expect. Presumably, neither would bring back a ton in trade, but you never know a player’s worth for sure until you ask. As for which player should be kept, I keep going back and forth and the fact that they could trade the loser may change things. I’ve said on these very pages earlier in the winter that I’d keep Marrero, and the argument was largely because Holt could be optioned and this would allow them to keep as much depth as possible. If Dombrowski decides he’s going to trade whichever player doesn’t make the cut and instead rely on Tzu-Wei Lin as their top Triple-A depth pice — a not unreasonable decision — then nothing matters besides who you think creates more value. Marrero’s glove is obviously far and away better than Holt’s, but if the latter is healthy his bat is much better. I’d lean towards keeping Holt’s bat over Marrero’s glove if the loser is going to leave the organization, but it’s close enough that I could objectively see the case on either side.

 

One part of this that shouldn’t have any effect on this, and something that I’ve seen come up from enough people in the know that I’m assuming it is having an effect, is Holt’s salary. In this new era of baseball with harsher luxury tax penalties that also have baseball ops consequences, salaries around the league are even more scrutinized than they already were. In 2018, Holt is set to make $2.225 million compared to the major-league minimum being earned by Marrero. Choosing the latter and trading the former would result in a $1.68 million savings for the Red Sox, a team that is ostensibly in a win-now window... If that little amount of money is going to make a difference towards which kind of player the Red Sox will be willing to acquire to improve the team in July, then they aren’t serious enough about putting together the best roster possible. If they decide that Marrero is the better player to keep for baseball reasons and clearing a million and change is just a side benefit, then it’s hard to complain. But if the $1.68 million savings is a deciding factor in all of this, I just have no idea what we’re doing here.

[mvp 78]

@PeteAbe

 

#RedSox, once up 7-4, have so far allowed six runs in the sixth inning. Rough outings for Joe Kelly and Robby Scott.

 

Scott may be on the outside looking in since Cora isn't 100% going to carry a lefty in the pen. He wants guys that can get batters from both sides of the plate out.

[harmony]

@PeteAbe

 

#RedSox, once up 7-4, have so far allowed six runs in the sixth inning. Rough outings for Joe Kelly and Robby Scott.

 

Scott may be on the outside looking in since Cora isn't 100% going to carry a lefty in the pen. He wants guys that can get batters from both sides of the plate out.

The Phillies have released left-hander Fernando Abad and the Diamondbacks have released lefty Antonio Bastardo:

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/03/phillies-release-fernando-abad.html

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/03/diamondbacks-release-antonio-bastardo.html

[cp176]

Poyner looking good, wonder if he goes North?

 

I mentioned this about a week ago when I read the article where Cora made some interesting comments about this guy. It looks likely that he will not make the 25 man but who knows. looks like he understands something that is very important - how to get people out. Looking forward to following his progress.

[Kimmi]

No, there hasn't, but if he fells like we are shorting him out of his vesting option, while he is playing well, I think it's safe to say no player would remain silent (justifiably so).

 

This is one of the reasons why it would be unwise for the Sox to limit Hanley's PAs if he is hitting well.

 

Yes, he would be justified in his grumbling if that were the case. Many people are assuming Hanley will be grumbling even if Moreland is outhitting him and, therefore, justifiably

getting more PAs than Hanley. I don't think that would be the case.

[Kimmi]

A vesting Hanley option may close the window earlier or with a slam.

 

As I said before, Hanley's option vesting or not vesting is not what will make or break the cliff.

[Kimmi]

Whenever I hear the statement "X understands the situation" in a business context, X is invariably about to get screwed, and consequently does not accept the 'situation' in the least.

 

Well, the Sox should not screw him. Let performance dictate playing time, not the option. If things are handled that way, Hanley will accept the situation.

[Kimmi]

He's also pissed from reading Talksox.

 

Holt only reads my posts, from which he gets his motivation.

[Kimmi]

Only one more week until baseball, I'm so excited! This offseason has just dragged ooooon and oooon. I've already taken next Thursday off from work. I'm working a double shift for someone else in exchange for their covering the 29th, all so I can follow all 15 games played that day.

 

Good stuff Youk. If the 29th weren't the day before my spring break starts, I'd take the day off too.

 

Go baseball!

[Natick to NC]

Poyner looking good, wonder if he goes North?

 

I hope to all that's good in this world that we find a taker for gas can Kelly and promote a guy like this kid poyner

[Natick to NC]

@PawSox

 

Brock Holt is batting .345 (10-for-29) and

leads the @RedSox with a .472 OBP. Holt has also only struck out twice this spring.

 

I'd keep Holt over marrero he clearly won the bench Job along with the Swiss Army knife .

[moonslav59]

Based on like 8 IP in ST'ing games? Wow!

 

You are harsh!

[mvp 78]

I'd keep Holt over marrero he clearly won the bench Job along with the Swiss Army knife .

 

If Holt's glove was better, he'd be a no doubt 25 man roster guy. His glove leaves a lot to be desired since there are still question marks about his bat. They already have swiss army knives in Nunez and Swihart.

[moonslav59]

If Holt's glove was better, he'd be a no doubt 25 man roster guy. His glove leaves a lot to be desired since there are still question marks about his bat. They already have swiss army knives in Nunez and Swihart.

 

Exactly, and even if he returns to the .727 hitter he was in his all star season, who is he ever going to PH for?

 

If we won't use him for his better- than- normal utility IF'er offense, we certainly won't use him for defense!

 

His only real value is his ability to fill-in (notice I did not say play) at 8 positions. This allows a manager to "use up" his entire bench as he see fit, knowing he has Holt at the end of the bench "just in case". I'm sorry, but that has little value compared to Swihart,

who is likely a better hitter and can catch or Marrero, someone who can actually field better than all of our opening day infielders. There's more value to marrero as a late inning replacement player than to Holt.

 

Just stash Holt in AAA and move on.

 

Once Pedey returns, we'll have Nunez as the guy that can play 7 positions and Swihart who can play 3-4, including the 2 Nunez can't play.

[Bellhorn04]

I think it makes a lot of sense for Holt to start in AAA. We'll need him soon enough.

[mvp 78]

I think it makes a lot of sense for Holt to start in AAA. We'll need him soon enough.

 

If our depth is so horrible, you gotta stash the guys you can.

[moonslav59]

I think it makes a lot of sense for Holt to start in AAA. We'll need him soon enough.

 

I'm not so sure we'll need him.

 

If there's an OF'er injury, we'll use JDM, Swihart and when Pedey is back, Nunez.

 

If a 1Bman gets hurt, we have Moreland or HRam and would probably call up Travis or use Swihart before Holt there.

 

If Pedey returns, Nunez will push Marrero of the roster, unless there's another IF injury, whereby Marrero stays and Holt remains in AAA. If an IF'er gets hurt before Pedey returns, then yes, Holt would and should get the call up over Lin or Chavis. There just this one specific scenario within a specific time frame (Before Pedey's return) where Holt gets called up over someone else, IMO.

[mvp 78]

I'm not so sure we'll need him.

 

If there's an OF'er injury, we'll use JDM, Swihart and when Pedey is back, Nunez.

 

If a 1Bman gets hurt, we have Moreland or HRam and would probably call up Travis or use Swihart before Holt there.

 

If Pedey returns, Nunez will push Marrero of the roster, unless there's another IF injury, whereby Marrero stays and Holt remains in AAA. If an IF'er gets hurt before Pedey returns, then yes, Holt would and should get the call up over Lin or Chavis. There just this one specific scenario within a specific time frame (Before Pedey's return) where Holt gets called up over someone else, IMO.

 

But when multiple injuries happen, I'd rather have Holt on the roster than most other pieces from AAA right now. Chavis isn't even playing in ST yet.

[moonslav59]

But when multiple injuries happen, I'd rather have Holt on the roster than most other pieces from AAA right now. Chavis isn't even playing in ST yet.

 

Yes, of course. I would not trade Holt. We won't get much in return, for one thing, and we may need him later.

 

Any recent word on Marco?

[mvp 78]

Yes, of course. I would not trade Holt. We won't get much in return, for one thing, and we may need him later.

 

Any recent word on Marco?

 

Out until May.

[moonslav59]

Out until May.

 

Everytime he has a window to show what he's got, he's out hurt himself.

[jung]

For those that don't know it, all of the MLB forums that were still active were closed down as of today...about 15 minutes ago. They are all gone include the Sox forum.

[mvp 78]

For those that don't know it, all of the MLB forums that were still active were closed down as of today...about 15 minutes ago. They are all gone include the Sox forum.

 

Oh well.

[mvp 78]

@SoxProspects

 

Sixth home run of #SoxSpring for Travis, who is tied for the MAJOR LEAGUE lead in dingers during spring training. #SoxProspects

 

His ground ball to fly ball ratio is still not that hot tho.

[Michfan]

For those that don't know it, all of the MLB forums that were still active were closed down as of today...about 15 minutes ago. They are all gone include the Sox forum.

 

Just noticed the MLB forum was shut down too. it was really nice of MLB to not inform everyone and give them a little notice.

I see one person (jung) over here.

[Maxbialystock]

I'm not so sure we'll need him.

 

If there's an OF'er injury, we'll use JDM, Swihart and when Pedey is back, Nunez.

 

If a 1Bman gets hurt, we have Moreland or HRam and would probably call up Travis or use Swihart before Holt there.

 

If Pedey returns, Nunez will push Marrero of the roster, unless there's another IF injury, whereby Marrero stays and Holt remains in AAA. If an IF'er gets hurt before Pedey returns, then yes, Holt would and should get the call up over Lin or Chavis. There just this one specific scenario within a specific time frame (Before Pedey's return) where Holt gets called up over someone else, IMO.

 

Well put. You gotta look at the eaches, which I did not do.