Swihart requests a trade

[jacksonianmarch]

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/red-sox/agent-asks-red-sox-trade-blake-swihart

 

Gotta love this. The guy is lucky to be accruing big league service time

[Slasher9]

He should ask for a trade.

[S5Dewey]

That's pretty much what I posted the other day - that what's going on now isn't productive for either Swihart or the Red Sox. If I'd been in Swihart's shoes I'd have been asking to be traded before now.

[bkzwhitestrican]

I could see a team like the Rays trading for him and sticking him into their lineup. Rob Refsnyder has played in half of their games this season for goodness sake!

[notin]

He can request a trade all he wants. But finding another team that s willing to give anything up for him is another matter.

 

He has two selling points - a low salary and experience at multiple positions. But he isn't much of a catcher and his only other positions in MLB are 1B and corner OF, neither of which are hard to fill with more established players.

 

The most likely deal might be for an injured or overpriced player some dirt cheap team (Miami? Pittsburgh?) is looking to get rid of. I could see him going for former Sox relievers Brad Ziegler ($9mill) or Junichi Tazawa ($7mill), assuming the Sox are willing to absorb that payroll. While Billy Beane seems to like collecting former top prospect types with limited position flexibility, I doubt he moves Santiago Casilla ($5.5mill) so readily, although I suppose it is possible.

 

Beyond that, maybe something along the lines of the Buchholz/Tobias trade where the Sox get a longshot minor leaguer who never sees the inside of Fenway Park...

[mvp 78]

If he was good enough, he’d be getting playing time.

[Station 13]

If he was good enough, he’d be getting playing time.

 

Swihart is catch 22. I would need to see him start 7-10 games straight first. He has lost so much development and playing out of position. If a bum like Leon/Vazquez can get playing time, Swihart deserves a chance, here or another place.

[a700hitter]

He can request a trade all he wants. But finding another team that s willing to give anything up for him is another matter.

 

He has two selling points - a low salary and experience at multiple positions. But he isn't much of a catcher and his only other positions in MLB are 1B and corner OF, neither of which are hard to fill with more established players.

 

The most likely deal might be for an injured or overpriced player some dirt cheap team (Miami? Pittsburgh?) is looking to get rid of. I could see him going for former Sox relievers Brad Ziegler ($9mill) or Junichi Tazawa ($7mill), assuming the Sox are willing to absorb that payroll. While Billy Beane seems to like collecting former top prospect types with limited position flexibility, I doubt he moves Santiago Casilla ($5.5mill) so readily, although I suppose it is possible.

 

Beyond that, maybe something along the lines of the Buchholz/Tobias trade where the Sox get a longshot minor leaguer who never sees the inside of Fenway Park...

He has no options left. I don’t see him sticking at the MLB level with anyone. He has no defensive position, and he doesn’t hit enough to be a DH. Eventually, he will have to accept an assignment to the minors.

[S5Dewey]

He has no options left. I don’t see him sticking at the MLB level with anyone. He has no defensive position, and he doesn’t hit enough to be a DH. Eventually, he will have to accept an assignment to the minors.

 

That may be exactly what he needs right now to get his game back together again. Remember, at one time he and Vaz were neck-and-neck for the starting catching position in Boston. I see it as being entirely possible that with the right tutor he could be an average catcher with a better than average bat (for a catcher). Players have made a career out of that.

 

The thing is, he's not getting any younger and if he's going to do that he needs to be cut loose from the Sox so he can have a chance to do it.

 

IMO the reason he's still with the team is because 1) he has no options left, and 2) he's the insurance in case Vaz or Leon gets hurt. That puts him in what someone else has called a tough spot. He wants to be traded but the FO won't trade him because they MIGHT need him.

[notin]

I'm not really sure what Swihart gives the Sox right now they couldn't get from one of many catchers with options or on minor league deals.

 

If they don't like his defense behind the plate, wouldn't they be better off with a defensively talented journeyman back there?

 

Dombrowski has brought in guys like Bryan Holaday in the past to fill a catcher void...

[S5Dewey]

I'm not really sure what Swihart gives the Sox right now they couldn't get from one of many catchers with options or on minor league deals.

 

If they don't like his defense behind the plate, wouldn't they be better off with a defensively talented journeyman back there?

 

Dombrowski has brought in guys like Bryan Holaday in the past to fill a catcher void...

 

I completely agree with this. It's why I don't understand why they don't do Blake a favor and cut him loose - get whatever they can and do both of them a favor. Unless it's because of the salary thing. We ARE dangerously close to the big limit.

[moonslav59]

Once some teams are out of it, they may throw him out there for a month or two and see what happens.

 

Maybe some teams feel like they are out of it now, and might give an A level prospect with some hopes for a shot at finding a catcher who can hit well enough to offset his defensive woes.

[mvp 78]

I completely agree with this. It's why I don't understand why they don't do Blake a favor and cut him loose - get whatever they can and do both of them a favor. Unless it's because of the salary thing. We ARE dangerously close to the big limit.

 

Why do him afavor? This is a business. He’s their asset.

[mvp 78]

He has no options left. I don’t see him sticking at the MLB level with anyone. He has no defensive position, and he doesn’t hit enough to be a DH. Eventually, he will have to accept an assignment to the minors.

 

He’s a guy with potential, but hasn’t really lived up to expectations. Is he any different than the Cechinnis or Lavarnways of the world?

[notin]

I completely agree with this. It's why I don't understand why they don't do Blake a favor and cut him loose - get whatever they can and do both of them a favor. Unless it's because of the salary thing. We ARE dangerously close to the big limit.

 

While teams do certainly do favors for players - like Steve Piscotty being dealt to Oakland - I suspect that as the return of Pedroia approaches, maybe they will move Swihart elsewhere.

 

Certainly teams will make offers. None will be enticing. Swihart probably brings back a 26yo AA player or some sort of organizational depth that need not be added to the 40-man.

 

Salary dumps are always possible, but it also depends how much money the Sox take on and for how long. The Ziegler/Tazawa scenario above might actually b best case, and I'm not sure how willing DD is to take on those deals, both of which expire after this season...

[Yaz Fan Since 67]

He has no options left. I don’t see him sticking at the MLB level with anyone. He has no defensive position, and he doesn’t hit enough to be a DH. Eventually, he will have to accept an assignment to the minors.

 

 

I think all of this is pretty clear at this point, he really doesn't have anything to offer the Sox or any other big league team. He had his chances, he didn't earn more playing time.

[harmony]

Blake Swihart is entirely justified in seeking a trade for an opportunity to succeed or fail as an MLB player. I have little confidence in Swihart but I hope he proves me wrong.

 

In terms of Swihart's trade value, I posted this recently:

 

Blake Swihart is a year older now than Jarrod Saltalmacchia was in June 2010 when the Texas Rangers traded the switch-hitting catcher to the Red Sox for Chris McGuiness, Roman Mendez, Michael Thomas and cash. SoxProspects has never ranked the three prospects among the Top 20 in the organization. McGuiness and Thomas apparently are out of organized baseball while Mendez is a 27-year-old toiling at Double A.

 

Saltalamacchia peaked at No. 18 on Baseball America's Top 100 prospect list while Swihart peaked at No. 17.

 

At the time of the 2010 trade Saltalamacchia was back down at Triple A, much as Swihart had spent much of his age 25 season at Triple A after being a starter at the MLB level.

 

With Saltalamacchia as his optimistic ceiling, Swihart has limited trade value.

 

https://www.talksox.com/forum/threads/18548-A-Realistic-View-at-2018-Part-II?p=1140378#post1140378

[FredLynn]

If he was good enough, he’d be getting playing time.

 

One the other hand, if he was given playing time maybe he would prove that he was good enough....maybe not, of course. Point is, he was never really given a chance behind the plate. I don't blame him for wanting out.

[moonslav59]

One the other hand, if he was given playing time maybe he would prove that he was good enough....maybe not, of course. Point is, he was never really given a chance behind the plate. I don't blame him for wanting out.

 

He looked okay when rushed into duty a few years back, but he really has not done anything in the minors to show he deserves another long look. Apparently, his defense does not look good to Sox management, so he really needed to show a big plus bat over the last couple years. He did not.

[jung]

With the few spots left for bench players on the modern 25 man, moving Swihart would be a favor to us as well as him. With so few bench players available you simply can't have a guy on the bench that you won't use. How do you think we ended up with Wright pinch running? How did that work out for us?

[mvp 78]

With the few spots left for bench players on the modern 25 man, moving Swihart would be a favor to us as well as him. With so few bench players available you simply can't have a guy on the bench that you won't use. How do you think we ended up with Wright pinch running? How did that work out for us?

The pinch running was a management mistake, not an issue with roster size.

[notin]

The pinch running was a management mistake, not an issue with roster size.

 

Also a common NL strategy, and it was in an Interleague game.

 

If Farrell wanted to use a pitcher as a pinch runner, he had Pomeranz available who had done the exact same role earlier in the season with San Diego...

[harmony]

The Red Sox have known for at least a year that the club had a logjam at catcher. I suspect the Sox have been shopping the catchers for a long time but have declined multiple offers. Perhaps the Sox need to lower their sights in what a trade will return.

[notin]

The Red Sox have known for at least a year that the club had a logjam at catcher. I suspect the Sox have been shopping the catchers for a long time but have declined multiple offers. Perhaps the Sox need to lower their sights in what a trade will return.

 

You're assuming they think of Swihart as a catcher. And that anyone else does...

[dgalehouse]

Pedroia will be back shortly. Then a roster move will be made. We have enough utility guys , and we don't need three catchers. Either Swihart or Leon has to go. Cora seems to prefer Leon. There is no sense keeping Swihart if you are not going to use him. Trade him for whatever you can get. Of course , this could be rued because Swihart has a chance to be better , while Leon will never be more than what he is. But that's how it goes. I'm sure Dombrowski understands this.

[jacksonianmarch]

I think the sox moved on from him as a catcher just as soon as they started to improve. A team with high aspirations cannot be bringing along a catcher who is still being taught the position. I think Swihart gets snapped up by a team like SD or TB and moves right back behind the dish

[harmony]

You're assuming they think of Swihart as a catcher. And that anyone else does...

I question the market for a non-catcher whom ZiPS, Steamer and FanGraphs Depth Charts project with rest-of-season wRC+ of 58, 68 and 63.

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=13176&position=C

[notin]

I question the market for a non-catcher whom ZiPS, Steamer and FanGraphs Depth Charts project with rest-of-season wRC+ of 58, 68 and 63.

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=13176&position=C

 

I believe most accept it is somewhat limited. Like I saidm his salary and versatility, limited as it is, are his selling points.

 

Likely the Sox get back a salary dump or an aging or oft-injured minor leaguer who has also moved from "prospect" to "suspect"...

[notin]

Pedroia will be back shortly. Then a roster move will be made. We have enough utility guys , and we don't need three catchers. Either Swihart or Leon has to go. Cora seems to prefer Leon. There is no sense keeping Swihart if you are not going to use him. Trade him for whatever you can get. Of course , this could be rued because Swihart has a chance to be better , while Leon will never be more than what he is. But that's how it goes. I'm sure Dombrowski understands this.

 

But will the improved version of Swihart ever be even as good as Leon is now?

[dgalehouse]

But will the improved version of Swihart ever be even as good as Leon is now?

 

Swihart is younger , faster , more athletic. Switch hitter. Very possible that he turns out to be better than Leon. I am sure some team will be willing to find out.