Red Sox To Sign J.D. Martinez

[dgalehouse]

J.D. is a ballplayer. He doesn't object to D.H.ing , but he wants to play in the field as well. Obviously , he is not the defender that our other outfielders are , but he is not a liability either. If playing some outfield keeps him happy and productive , I have no problem with it. Maybe down the road , he can be a full time DH.

[moonslav59]

His defense is fine. Using past statistics to prove otherwise is joke like. What is he right now? If anyone wants him, including the Sox, they might just have to pony up a little more. He has played more than half of his games in the outfield and seriously I don't get the folks that think he just sucks so bad out there. If he keeps producing at this pace, and he wants to spend half his time in the outfield, I'm reasonably certain that there will be plenty of teams who will be willing to take a shot at a 32 year guy for a few years. I hope that it is the Sox. Now - Don't get me going about how he should just be a dh! lol

 

I agree, but nobody will be signing him for his defense, and his defense is not going to up his value more than where it is now.

 

If he does great for 2 full seasons with us and opts out, I would not be surprised if he ends up back here at just a little more per year or for a longer term deal at a similar $/yr rate.

 

Maybe by then, he won't hate the DH'ing so much.

 

Maybe he'll look for a place he can play OF more often.

 

My guess is, if he does great, plays nearly every game and has a ring on his finger, he'll want to stay put.

 

[moonslav59]

I had only seen JDM play a couple of times on tv before the Sox picked him up so I had no opinion of his defense. I'm going to continue to stand behind what I said in ST and even early in the season. He looked lost out there misjuding balls on a wholesale basis. He usually made the play but too many of them were leaping catches or basket catches on what should have been routine plays.

 

However... that's not the guy I'm seeing out there now. Nobody is going to confuse him with any of our regular outfielders but our regular outfielders are the cream of the crop so that wouldn't be a fair comparison. There's no doubt that it's a defensive downgrade when he plays in the OF but I now have confidence that he can make any play that an average outfielder can make and make the play like he knows what he's doing. IMO there are teams who'd love to have a 4th outfielder who plays defense like JDM does.

 

Yes, us.

 

Good post.

[a700hitter]

I had only seen JDM play a couple of times on tv before the Sox picked him up so I had no opinion of his defense. I'm going to continue to stand behind what I said in ST and even early in the season. He looked lost out there misjuding balls on a wholesale basis. He usually made the play but too many of them were leaping catches or basket catches on what should have been routine plays.

 

However... that's not the guy I'm seeing out there now. Nobody is going to confuse him with any of our regular outfielders but our regular outfielders are the cream of the crop so that wouldn't be a fair comparison. There's no doubt that it's a defensive downgrade when he plays in the OF but I now have confidence that he can make any play that an average outfielder can make and make the play like he knows what he's doing. IMO there are teams who'd love to have a 4th outfielder who plays defense like JDM does.

I watched a lot of him last year when he went on his tear with Arizona. I have to admit that I never paid much attention to his fielding, because I was fixated on his offense. He was such a force last year that he overshadowed Goldy. If he had been terrible in the field, I probably would have noticed.

[Spudboy]

J.D. is a ballplayer. He doesn't object to D.H.ing , but he wants to play in the field as well. Obviously , he is not the defender that our other outfielders are , but he is not a liability either. If playing some outfield keeps him happy and productive , I have no problem with it. Maybe down the road , he can be a full time DH.

 

Boom.

[Spudboy]

Well anyone can point to defensive metrics and can conclude that he is a clod out there.

 

But that is not what I have seen. I can not comment with any voracity on his reads and breaks. I never really get to see those much. But he is playing hard. He digs it for balls and makes strong throws in. He does not have the speed that we are used to seeing but that does not mean he is not athletic.

 

And another thing, he runs hard to 1st base. That says something to me, anyway.

[Jasonbay44]

JD isn't a good fielder and it honestly looks worse when he's out there, because he's usually in the lineup instead of someone like JBJ, who is obviously an extremely gifted fielder, but in all honestly, does it matter? JD is having an MVP type season offensively and he at least shows effort and isn't a moron out there, like some other players we've had. I like the guy a lot, loved the signing at the time and obviously who doesn't love it more now? He works hard, hustles, and is one of the smarter hitters I've ever seen in Fenway. I don't have any complaints about JD, don't even care if his fielding is "bad" or mediocre, or whatever.

[a700hitter]

JD isn't a good fielder and it honestly looks worse when he's out there, because he's usually in the lineup instead of someone like JBJ, who is obviously an extremely gifted fielder, but in all honestly, does it matter? JD is having an MVP type season offensively and he at least shows effort and isn't a moron out there, like some other players we've had. I like the guy a lot, loved the signing at the time and obviously who doesn't love it more now? He works hard, hustles, and is one of the smarter hitters I've ever seen in Fenway. I don't have any complaints about JD, don't even care if his fielding is "bad" or mediocre, or whatever.

He is more mediocre/average. He is not bad.

[cp176]

Well anyone can point to defensive metrics and can conclude that he is a clod out there.

 

But that is not what I have seen. I can not comment with any voracity on his reads and breaks. I never really get to see those much. But he is playing hard. He digs it for balls and makes strong throws in. He does not have the speed that we are used to seeing but that does not mean he is not athletic.

 

And another thing, he runs hard to 1st base. That says something to me, anyway.

 

 

I think that you are right on. He really is an incredible athlete.

[Jack Flap]

I admit I have not consulted the defensive metrics this year on JDM (I doubt he has enough of a sample size to be able to say much definitively anyway?), but based on the eye test I have to agree with the crowd here that he's been fine. He's no Jackie or Mookie out there, but I can't remember at any point thinking "Man, this guy is killing us," either. I love what our regular three bring defensively, but if sticking Martinez out there now and then keeps him happy and everyone else fresh, I don't think there should be any issue with that.

 

Offensively, obviously, the results speak for themselves, and I'm not even sure we've seen him at his absolute best yet. Love, love, love this signing.

[Kimmi]

His defense is fine. Using past statistics to prove otherwise is joke like. What is he right now? If anyone wants him, including the Sox, they might just have to pony up a little more. He has played more than half of his games in the outfield and seriously I don't get the folks that think he just sucks so bad out there. If he keeps producing at this pace, and he wants to spend half his time in the outfield, I'm reasonably certain that there will be plenty of teams who will be willing to take a shot at a 32 year guy for a few years. I hope that it is the Sox. Now - Don't get me going about how he should just be a dh! lol

 

JD is fine in the OF defensively because his offense more than makes up for his shortcomings defensively, sort of the opposite of JBJ, (although JBJ is starting to come on offensively). Of course any team would take JD.

 

JD does not make any glaring mistakes in the outfield, which makes it seem like he is doing just fine out there. However, to date, he has been below average defensively. FACT

[Kimmi]

J.D. is a ballplayer. He doesn't object to D.H.ing , but he wants to play in the field as well. Obviously , he is not the defender that our other outfielders are , but he is not a liability either. If playing some outfield keeps him happy and productive , I have no problem with it. Maybe down the road , he can be a full time DH.

 

I have no problem with JD playing the field from time to time.

[Kimmi]

Well anyone can point to defensive metrics and can conclude that he is a clod out there.

 

But that is not what I have seen. I can not comment with any voracity on his reads and breaks. I never really get to see those much. But he is playing hard. He digs it for balls and makes strong throws in. He does not have the speed that we are used to seeing but that does not mean he is not athletic.

 

And another thing, he runs hard to 1st base. That says something to me, anyway.

 

I am not trying to dog JD. I love the guy and I love the way he approaches and plays the game.

[Kimmi]

JD isn't a good fielder and it honestly looks worse when he's out there, because he's usually in the lineup instead of someone like JBJ, who is obviously an extremely gifted fielder, but in all honestly, does it matter? JD is having an MVP type season offensively and he at least shows effort and isn't a moron out there, like some other players we've had. I like the guy a lot, loved the signing at the time and obviously who doesn't love it more now? He works hard, hustles, and is one of the smarter hitters I've ever seen in Fenway. I don't have any complaints about JD, don't even care if his fielding is "bad" or mediocre, or whatever.

 

I agree with this 100%.

 

I told you all not to get me started. LOL

[Kimmi]

He is more mediocre/average. He is not bad.

 

Nope. He is bad.

 

That said, I will leave the topic alone. I do not like commenting negatively about one of our players, especially one who is so great in every other aspect of the game, including intangibles. I will let you all believe what you want to believe.

[Bellhorn04]

Nope. He is bad.

 

That said, I will leave the topic alone.

 

Not just yet!

 

'Below average' can be properly described as mediocre, wouldn't you say? It looks like for his career JD falls into that category.

[Kimmi]

Not just yet!

 

'Below average' can be properly described as mediocre, wouldn't you say? It looks like for his career JD falls into that category.

 

LOL Semantics.

[SoxnCycles]

Not just yet!

 

'Below average' can be properly described as mediocre, wouldn't you say? It looks like for his career JD falls into that category.

 

I always considered mediocre as neither good nor bad, middle of the road or average.

And yes, I am bored at the moment.

[notin]

I had only seen JDM play a couple of times on tv before the Sox picked him up so I had no opinion of his defense. I'm going to continue to stand behind what I said in ST and even early in the season. He looked lost out there misjuding balls on a wholesale basis. He usually made the play but too many of them were leaping catches or basket catches on what should have been routine plays.

 

However... that's not the guy I'm seeing out there now. Nobody is going to confuse him with any of our regular outfielders but our regular outfielders are the cream of the crop so that wouldn't be a fair comparison. There's no doubt that it's a defensive downgrade when he plays in the OF but I now have confidence that he can make any play that an average outfielder can make and make the play like he knows what he's doing. IMO there are teams who'd love to have a 4th outfielder who plays defense like JDM does.

 

Those early looks at Martinez in the outfield might be blurred by the extremely late start he got for spring training...

[Bellhorn04]

I always considered mediocre as neither good nor bad, middle of the road or average.

And yes, I am bored at the moment.

 

You're right. I think mediocre encompasses slightly above and slightly below average.

 

So the question is, how far below average is JD as a fielder?

[Station 13]

Last night game was won on defense. JD doesn't make those plays in the 8th.

[Bellhorn04]

FanGraphs has him at a total career UZR/150 of -3.1 runs. That looks like mediocre to me.

[Bellhorn04]

The legend of JDM only grew last night. One fantastic at-bat after another.

 

And now we hear Cora saying that he is the team leader.

[Kimmi]

The legend of JDM only grew last night. One fantastic at-bat after another.

 

And now we hear Cora saying that he is the team leader.

 

Thanks Dave!

[sk7326]

JD is a bad outfielder. Is it worth it giving him some turns there for larger roster purposes? (keeping him happy, rotating bats at DH) Who knows. But he is a 1-way player ... but he has more than delivered on that 1-dimension.

 

While he is a one-dimensional player, he is great at it ... and it is the one thing the team needed more than any other. That he might have a 5 win season while offering no defensive value is a real achievement.

[S5Dewey]

JD is a bad outfielder. Is it worth it giving him some turns there for larger roster purposes? (keeping him happy, rotating bats at DH) Who knows. But he is a 1-way player ... but he has more than delivered on that 1-dimension.

 

While he is a one-dimensional player, he is great at it ... and it is the one thing the team needed more than any other. That he might have a 5 win season while offering no defensive value is a real achievement.

 

I disagree. He was "weak" (I'm being generous) during ST and at the beginning of the season but he's improved A LOT since them. He'll always be seen as a "bad" infielder as long as he's being compared to the three we have out there though.

[a700hitter]

JD is a bad outfielder. Is it worth it giving him some turns there for larger roster purposes? (keeping him happy, rotating bats at DH) Who knows. But he is a 1-way player ... but he has more than delivered on that 1-dimension.

 

While he is a one-dimensional player, he is great at it ... and it is the one thing the team needed more than any other. That he might have a 5 win season while offering no defensive value is a real achievement.

You are wrong. He is very serviceable in the OF.

[a700hitter]

I disagree. He was "weak" (I'm being generous) during ST and at the beginning of the season but he's improved A LOT since them. He'll always be seen as a "bad" infielder as long as he's being compared to the three we have out there though.

Beni is better but not by the wide margin like the other 2. Beni's routes to balls are not great. He is still misplaying some balls off the wall and JD has the better more accurate arm and he is not afflicted with head up ass disease like Beni. I have no problem with JD in LF. He doesn't need to be replaced defensively in the late innings in my mind unless it is Bradley who is sitting on the bench.

[sk7326]

You are wrong. He is very serviceable in the OF.

 

Bad by UZR, worse by DRS ... eye test does not reflect anything special. He is not Hanley in LF bad - but nobody is. He's a decent OF for a DH.

[a700hitter]

Bad by UZR, worse by DRS ... eye test does not reflect anything special. He is not Hanley in LF bad - but nobody is. He's a decent OF for a DH.

Very adequate in LF in Fenway. He plays the caroms well. Strong accurate arm. Makes smart throws.