Pedroia out with renewed left knee pain

[Bellhorn04]

They can keep him on the 60 Day IL forever, like the Rangers are doing with Prince Fielder...

 

So that's the likely outcome here.

[S5Dewey]

You guys are hilarious! Pedroia took a frickin discount to sign back with the Sox. He’d have either made the same amount over a shorter contract or made a higher total amount over the same time frame had he gone to market. Now you want him to give up two years of lottery money because he got hurt? That’s funny. And to consider him a flawed person who should “do the right thing” and retire and forgo the big payday is something nobody on this board would do. Cut the crap.

 

That's the reason players take these long term contracts - as insurance against getting hurt (or seeing their skills decline). Anyone who was watching Pedey play must have seen the danger in signing him to that contract but it was preferable to watching him walk.

 

In our quest to "get as much as we can" some people sometimes forget the ethical issues involved in it. Pedroia has already made over $110,000,000 (that's one hundred ten million dollars) in his career. He can help his team by walking away from the remaining $25,000,000, probably without hurting his standard of living too badly. /s/

 

Under the circumstances I'd hope he can see clear to retire, then take some kind of a baseball job within the organization. All he's doing now is tarnishing his legacy.

[notin]

Pedroia is probably never playing again. It doesn’t seem to bother very many that one of the greatest second basemen in team history is likely done. But a lot of people seem bothered that he is still getting paid...

[Bellhorn04]

That's the reason players take these long term contracts - as insurance against getting hurt (or seeing their skills decline). Anyone who was watching Pedey play must have seen the danger in signing him to that contract but it was preferable to watching him walk.

 

In our quest to "get as much as we can" some people sometimes forget the ethical issues involved in it. Pedroia has already made over $110,000,000 (that's one hundred ten million dollars) in his career. He can help his team by walking away from the remaining $25,000,000, probably without hurting his standard of living too badly. /s/

 

Under the circumstances I'd hope he can see clear to retire, then take some kind of a baseball job within the organization. All he's doing now is tarnishing his legacy.

 

Why should he give up the money, though, when he was obviously injured right on the field?

 

This is no phantom injury or Cespedes-like idiot off-field injury.

[Bellhorn04]

Pedroia is probably never playing again. It doesn’t seem to bother very many that one of the greatest second basemen in team history is likely done. But a lot of people seem bothered that he is still getting paid...

 

Sports fans are the best.

[jung]

You guys are hilarious! Pedroia took a frickin discount to sign back with the Sox. He’d have either made the same amount over a shorter contract or made a higher total amount over the same time frame had he gone to market. Now you want him to give up two years of lottery money because he got hurt? That’s funny. And to consider him a flawed person who should “do the right thing” and retire and forgo the big payday is something nobody on this board would do. Cut the crap.

 

I think you are jumping to a conclusion jacko. Not unusual for a Yankee fan posting on a Red Sox board. Nobody is saying Pedey should take some giant cut in Salary. They should buy Pedey out of his player contract, pay him the equivalent amount or close to it, only pay it the way a consultant gets paid under terms of a consultancy and relieve everybody including Pedey of continuing to play out this charade. Even if the money is the same the PA will whine because they whine about everything.

 

If nobody has noticed players really don't play for your hometown team any longer. They play for the PA. That is why relationships between "competitors" on the field are now so touchy feely and there is so much "have a good season brother" NONSENSE on the field. Their unis are just the laundry they wear. it gets a bit more competitive in the post season. But that is about it.

Edited May 26, 2019 by jung

[S5Dewey]

Why should he give up the money, though, when he was obviously injured right on the field?

 

This is no phantom injury or Cespedes-like idiot off-field injury.

 

First, let me say again, "Thanks, Manny. You C/s!" :-(

 

Whether or not he should do it is open to each person's view. He could do it to help his team be competitive during the next two years as well as to polish his reputation as a "team player".

 

Of course, after "It's not me, it's them" it's possible that his reputation as a team player is questionable anyway.

[Bellhorn04]

First, let me say again, "Thanks, Manny. You C/s!" :-(

 

Whether or not he should do it is open to each person's view. He could do it to help his team be competitive during the next two years as well as to polish his reputation as a "team player".

 

No, he really doesn't need to do that to be seen as a team player.

 

A lot of people would think he was an idiot (like Ryan Dempster) if he did that.

 

And as notin says, this team has more than enough money to work with as is.

[S5Dewey]

No, he really doesn't need to do that to be seen as a team player.

 

A lot of people would think he was an idiot (like Ryan Dempster) if he did that.

 

And as notin says, this team has more than enough money to work with as is.

 

Among me and a whole lot of my friends the question of Pedey's being a team player was called into question with "It's not me, it's them", so that ship may have already sailed.

 

It's a sad commentary when the definition of a person's success is measured by how much he's got rather than what he's done. In terms of baseball I have a lot more respect for Dempster than for Pedey at the moment.

[Bellhorn04]

It's a sad commentary when the definition of a person's success is measured by how much he's got rather than what he's done. In terms of baseball I have a lot more respect for Dempster than for Pedey at the moment.

 

To me that makes no sense whatsoever. Dempster retired when he could still play, because of his marital issues.

 

Pedroia is not retiring after devastating injury and difficult rehab because he wants to play.

 

For all we know Pedroia might be willing to retire and give up the money. You're just assuming he wouldn't do that.

[notin]

Among me and a whole lot of my friends the question of Pedey's being a team player was called into question with "It's not me, it's them", so that ship may have already sailed.

 

It's a sad commentary when the definition of a person's success is measured by how much he's got rather than what he's done. In terms of baseball I have a lot more respect for Dempster than for Pedey at the moment.

 

 

Pedroia was injured playing baseball. Even if the “not me” episode was what you’ve always thought, he was still injured playing, unlike Dempster.

 

Pedroia earned his money and the Sox have plenty...

[devildavid]

Pedroia was a great player. I think I wrote him off back in 2017 as I saw him heading down the Youkilis highway. His style of play was a two edged sword; it made him great and it wore him down. The Machado incident just told me how old school tough he was, not that he wasn't a team player. He always gave his all on the field for the team. I have no complaints about his efforts in support of the team. He just never knew enough to take time to heal and he couldn't alter the style of play that got him to the big leagues and made him great.

[S5Dewey]

Pedroia was injured playing baseball. Even if the “not me” episode was what you’ve always thought, he was still injured playing, unlike Dempster.

 

Pedroia earned his money and the Sox have plenty...

 

That's why I have so much respect for Dempster. He looked at his financial situation and made a choice to walk away while he could still play while leaving $13M on the table. Pedey may not have a choice and (according to what many here think) he's instead going to collect every penny he's due in spite of the fact that he's no longer able to play. Pedroia may have earned his money but like JH he's got enough to support an opulent lifestyle for the rest of his life. $100,000, 000 will do that for you... I imagine.

[cp176]

The 'soap-operaish" comment isn't directed at him, right? (I don't think you mean it that way). He's never been my favorite player, but he went all-in in a desperate attempt to get back. A lot of athletes have succumbed to the lure of that procedure (Greg Oden is the most striking example), which to me sounds close to quackery (as it also does to those few doctors and PAs I've asked about it) ("So, you have back pain? I have an idea: let's pulverize a couple of your vertebrae and see what happens."). He's doing his best to earn what the RS pay him, but I too doubt he'll ever be back.

 

I absolutely love(ed) the way Pedroia plays or played the game. No question at all in my mind but what he should certainly be paid. The soap operish comment was made with regard to the sweeping generalizations being made about what people think about the story in general. It is likely that he still thinks that he can play. That would not be unusual for any athlete who has been as good as he has been.

[cp176]

Pedroia is probably never playing again. It doesn’t seem to bother very many that one of the greatest second basemen in team history is likely done. But a lot of people seem bothered that he is still getting paid...

 

Do you really believe that a lot of people are bothered by the fact that Pedroia is being paid? I don't. Personally it bothers me a lot that the end of his career likely is here. With all the money that gets thrown at athletes today, I can say personally that I know no one who would expect him to sacrifice the money due him via his contract. The story itself though is old.

[jacksonianmarch]

I think you are jumping to a conclusion jacko. Not unusual for a Yankee fan posting on a Red Sox board. Nobody is saying Pedey should take some giant cut in Salary. They should buy Pedey out of his player contract, pay him the equivalent amount or close to it, only pay it the way a consultant gets paid under terms of a consultancy and relieve everybody including Pedey of continuing to play out this charade. Even if the money is the same the PA will whine because they whine about everything.

 

If nobody has noticed players really don't play for your hometown team any longer. They play for the PA. That is why relationships between "competitors" on the field are now so touchy feely and there is so much "have a good season brother" NONSENSE on the field. Their unis are just the laundry they wear. it gets a bit more competitive in the post season. But that is about it.

 

You’re jumping to a conclusion that is impossible. You continue to spout this garbage that cannot work. It is against the CBA to intentionally subvert the lux tax. You cannot do it. Period

[moonslav59]

I have no issue with Pedey collecting every penny still owed to him and admire his will to return.

 

I also don't expect any production from him.

 

As long as he is not wasting a roster slot from someone more deserving, I don't think there's an issue.

 

I do think we should try to get him to restructure his deal, and if it doesn't work or gets shot down by the league, so be it.

[vegasbob]

From today's story on his return to Boston to see the medical staff, I now think we are right on the verge of the previously mentioned 60 day IL , right up to next season . Dustin will get paid, the roster slots and Red Sox minor league teams won't be holding anyone back. So this may be the ending, a quiet one with an announcement next Spring. Takes the Sox off the hook PR wise, and Pedey gave it his all as usual trying to comeback.

 

I'm with Dewey about Machado needing to experience some discomfort . San Diego's only 70 miles to the South, so Guido and his kneeknocker may be heading that way.

[jung]

You’re jumping to a conclusion that is impossible. You continue to spout this garbage that cannot work. It is against the CBA to intentionally subvert the lux tax. You cannot do it. Period

 

So Pedey can't retire as a player and be signed on as a consultant? Good luck going to Court with that one. If he retires the Sox still retain his contract as a player and can only bring him back as a player under those terms. Its not the NFL so they can't just have him come back AS A PLAYER at a lower salary. That the Sox cannot do. However if Pedey retires as a player and is hired as a consultant the PA has nothing to whine about AT ALL, though they might because whining is their reason to exist.

 

Suppose Pedey retired as a player and they signed him formally as a coach. Are you saying the Sox would have to pay him as they were paying him as a player? Good luck with that one too.

 

Players are players. Coaches are coaches. Consultants are consultants. As long as the Sox did not bring him back as a PLAYER at some later date and tried to do it at some different salary than his PLAYER's contract called for the PA simply would not have a leg to stand on. Even retiring as a player would not relieve the Sox of their obligation to pay him as a player IF HE CAME BACK AS A PLAYER nor would it relieve Pedey of his obligation to the Sox AS A PLAYER until the full term of that existing player contract is consumed.

 

If Pedey wants to continue to try to continue his career as a player, it simply does not matter what the Sox want to do. But there is absolutely nothing that says that Pedey does not have value as anything BUT a player and that both Pedey and the Franchise cannot try to extract that value as something other than a player. But the Sox as an organization have every right to keep Pedey puddling around in Pawtucket or Lowell or Portsmouth as long as they want to as long as he is pursuing his career as a player and they own his player contract. They NEVER really have to bring him back to play up here if they don't want to do so because nobody has tried to play MLB on that injury after that particular surgical procedure and Pedey has been up and back twice already more than suggesting that whatever he is doing down there is not preparing him to meet the standard that Cora has set for him.

 

You kill me....you really do. You claim that Pedey is done. I agree with you on that score. Then you want to go on and argue that the Sox and Pedey MUST go on to play out this torturous charade to the bitter end regardless of what would be right for Pedey or for the Sox. It might work out that way. But your argument is that IT MUST work out that way which is absurd. Isn't there something of value you could do at the Yankee board?

Edited May 26, 2019 by jung

[Bellhorn04]

So Pedey can't retire as a player and be signed on as a consultant? Good luck going to Court with that one. If he retires the Sox still retain his contract as a player and can only bring him back as a player under those terms. Its not the NFL so they can't just have him come back AS A PLAYER at a lower salary. That the Sox cannot do. However if Pedey retires as a player and is hired as a consultant the PA has nothing to whine about AT ALL, though they might because whining is their reason to exist.

 

Suppose Pedey retired as a player and they signed him formally as a coach. Are you saying the Sox would have to pay him as they were paying him as a player? Good luck with that one too.

 

If Pedey retires and the Sox hire him as a consultant or in some other capacity, how much would they pay him? That's the whole crux of the issue. If they pay him market rate for that position, there wouldn't be any issues. But if they pay him $10 million a year for 2 years, then it becomes an obvious attempt to circumvent the luxury tax.

[Nick]

If Pedey retires and the Sox hire him as a consultant or in some other capacity, how much would they pay him? That's the whole crux of the issue. If they pay him market rate for that position, there wouldn't be any issues. But if they pay him $10 million a year for 2 years, then it becomes an obvious attempt to circumvent the luxury tax.

 

Yep.....need to wear big boy pants.

 

NO ONE PUT A GUN TO HENRY'S HEAD TO GIVE PEDEY THE CONTRACT HE HAS.....MAN UP.

[notin]

Do you really believe that a lot of people are bothered by the fact that Pedroia is being paid? I don't. Personally it bothers me a lot that the end of his career likely is here. With all the money that gets thrown at athletes today, I can say personally that I know no one who would expect him to sacrifice the money due him via his contract. The story itself though is old.

 

 

Do you really think all this talk about Pedroia is for any other reason other than his blatant refusal to retire and forego his remaining salary and how this will have a negative impact on DD’s ability to spend money....

[jung]

If Pedey retires and the Sox hire him as a consultant or in some other capacity, how much would they pay him? That's the whole crux of the issue. If they pay him market rate for that position, there wouldn't be any issues. But if they pay him $10 million a year for 2 years, then it becomes an obvious attempt to circumvent the luxury tax.

 

Actually I don't think the pay is the issue.

 

As it is today, Pedey is required to put in the therapy and the work in an effort to get back to playing at a MLB level hobbled by an injury and subsequent surgery that nobody has ever played MLB with before. If Pedey is insistent on continuing his career as a player then the Sox MUST honor his contract as a player and oh by the way Pedey MUST honor the same contract.

 

In the meantime, we know he is not coming back. If he could come back it would have happened by now. Pedey himself admitted that if he could not come back from the long initial therapy and rehab stint then IT WAS OVER. Well that did not work out. Yet its not over???? We are now onto version 3 of therapy and rehab stints past when Pedey said it would be over. Who is kidding who? This is a charade that satisfies nobody and nothing. Pedey comes back. He exerts the kind of stress that only play at the highest level exerts. Pedey goes down again.

 

At the same time, we have a guy playing 2nd here that has no earthly idea what he is doing playing 2nd base and even if and when Holt comes back, the best the Sox get is Holt sharing time with Chavis at 2nd and Chavis sharing time with Moreland at 1st or Chavis continues on the path he is on for this year which is frankly not encouraging at the plate. The leagues pitchers are figuring him out and he is simply not READY to face MLB pitching day in and day out. They don't give out runs based on how far the ball went over the fence, just whether it went over or not. So maybe Pearce gets right and we really only want Chavis sharing time with Holt at 2nd.

 

Clearly Pedey has been schooling Devers when Pedey is here and clearly Chavis is just guessing at 2nd base. Its a joke. Gurriel at 2nd is also a joke by the way. But at least Gurriel is a full grown man, real live MLB player. I don't know if I want Chavis sharing time with Moreland. But it appears the Sox want to keep playing Chavis at 2nd regardless of the fact that he is lost out there and Holt is too fragile and Nunez is a horrid 2nd baseman. Does Pedey really want to continue to try to play until it puts him back on an operating table again. Suppose just trotting around as an aging human being becomes a problem for Pedey over this silly charade.

 

I like the idea of the 60 day DL stint that "Bob" posted about. But Pedey's contract runs out through the 2021 season. Do we really want to see Pedey and the team tied to this charade for two more years because of the money? Screw the money. Frankly I don't care if they pay him every dime. However it might make more sense to have Pedey retire as a player and sign him to a contract as a consultant or coach that binds him to a set of tasks that are part of that contract as opposed to keeping him and the team tied to this particular whipping post while not getting the actual value out of Pedey that they can extract.

 

Whatever makes sense to both parties money-wise is what they should do money-wise all the way up to paying Pedey every dime. But set him to a different set of tasks and obligations than the tasks and obligations of a PLAYER contract because the Sox do have a need for Pedey but not as a crippled player and Pedey does have value since there appears NOBODY in this organization that actually knows how to play 2nd base other than Holt or possibly Betts and the Sox are trying to extract as much PR out of the "young Atlas" Chavis fantasy as they can. They are also trying to extract as much value out of GG/MVP Betts as they can which clearly should mean Betts stays in RF.

 

I am not sure anybody has helped Devers as much as Pedey and X have up here and I am not at all convinced that anybody in this organization can devote the time to Chavis at 2nd than Pedey IF he is going to stay up here. Just untie Pedey from this whipping post which eventually it will become for Pedey if its not already.

 

Of course, if the Sox COULD just pay out for a hitting/fielding competent MLB 2nd baseman I assume they would just as they would likely prefer a competent CFer that can hit his weight for more than a few weeks a season. Neither appears likely at this point.

Edited May 26, 2019 by jung

[Nick]

Actually I don't think the pay is the issue.

 

As it is today, Pedey is required to put in the therapy and the work in an effort to get back to playing at a MLB level hobbled by an injury and subsequent surgery that nobody has ever played MLB with before. If Pedey is insistent on continuing his career as a player then the Sox MUST honor his contract as a player and oh by the way Pedey MUST honor the same contract.

 

In the meantime, we know he is not coming back. If he could come back it would have happened by now. Pedey himself admitted that if he could not come back from the long initial therapy and rehab stint then IT WAS OVER. Well that did not work out. Yet its not over???? We are now onto version 3 of therapy and rehab stints past when Pedey said it would be over. Who is kidding who? This is a charade that satisfies nobody and nothing. Pedey comes back. He exerts the kind of stress that only play at the highest level exerts. Pedey goes down again.

 

At the same time, we have a guy playing 2nd here that has no earthly idea what he is doing playing 2nd base and even if and when Holt comes back, the best the Sox get is Holt sharing time with Chavis at 2nd and Chavis sharing time with Moreland at 1st or Chavis continues on the path he is on for this year which is frankly not encouraging at the plate. The leagues pitchers are figuring him out and he is simply not READY to face MLB pitching day in and day out. They don't give out runs based on how far the ball went over the fence, just whether it went over or not. So maybe Pearce gets right and we really only want Chavis sharing time with Holt at 2nd.

 

Clearly Pedey has been schooling Devers when Pedey is here and clearly Chavis is just guessing at 2nd base. Its a joke. Gurriel at 2nd is also a joke by the way. But at least Gurriel is a full grown man, real live MLB player. I don't know if I want Chavis sharing time with Moreland. But it appears the Sox want to keep playing Chavis at 2nd regardless of the fact that he is lost out there and Holt is too fragile and Nunez is a horrid 2nd baseman. Does Pedey really want to continue to try to play until it puts him back on an operating table again. Suppose just trotting around as an aging human being becomes a problem for Pedey over this silly charade.

 

I like the idea of the 60 day DL stint that "Bob" posted about. But Pedey's contract runs out through the 2021 season. Do we really want to see Pedey and the team tied to this charade for two more years because of the money? Screw the money. Frankly I don't care if they pay him every dime. However it might make more sense to have Pedey retire as a player and sign him to a contract as a consultant or coach that binds him to a set of tasks that are part of that contract as opposed to keeping him and the team tied to this particular whipping post while not getting the actual value out of Pedey that they can extract.

 

Whatever makes sense to both parties money-wise is what they should do money-wise all the way up to paying Pedey every dime. But set him to a different set of tasks and obligations than the tasks and obligations of a PLAYER contract because the Sox do have a need for Pedey but not as a crippled player and Pedey does have value since there appears NOBODY in this organization that actually knows how to play 2nd base other than Holt or possibly Betts and the Sox are trying to extract as much PR out of the "young Atlas" Chavis fantasy as they can. They are also trying to extract as much value out of GG/MVP Betts as they can which clearly should mean Betts stays in RF.

 

I am not sure anybody has helped Devers as much as Pedey and X have up here and I am not at all convinced that anybody in this organization can devote the time to Chavis at 2nd than Pedey IF he is going to stay up here. Just untie Pedey from this whipping post which eventually it will become for Pedey if its not already.

 

Of course, if the Sox COULD just pay out for a hitting/fielding competent MLB 2nd baseman I assume they would just as they would likely prefer a competent CFer that can hit his weight for more than a few weeks a season. Neither appears likely at this point.

 

You can't avoid Pedey's salary counting towards luxury tax computation. That's what we're talking about.

 

Has Chavis cost us a game anymore than any other player? How about Barnes last night?

 

22-12 since Chavis call up. 6-13 prior to call up. He's not the problem.

Edited May 26, 2019 by Nick

[oldtimer]

You can't avoid Pedey's salary counting towards luxury tax computation. That's what we're talking about.

 

Has Chavis cost us a game anymore than any other player? How about Barnes last night?

 

22-12 since Chavis call up. 6-13 prior to call up. He's not the problem.

 

The problem was giving a long term contract to Pedey when he was clearly on the downswing and had potential medical issues. They of course were magnified by the Machado slide. I hope the Sox will learn from this and avoid sentimentality when giving contracts.

[Nick]

The problem was giving a long term contract to Pedey when he was clearly on the downswing and had potential medical issues. They of course were magnified by the Machado slide. I hope the Sox will learn from this and avoid sentimentality when giving contracts.

 

I agree. Trout is deserving of his contract. I'm not sure any other position player deserves $300M+. I'm thinking of huge contracts given to Cano, Machado and Harper.

[cp176]

Do you really think all this talk about Pedroia is for any other reason other than his blatant refusal to retire and forego his remaining salary and how this will have a negative impact on DD’s ability to spend money....

 

No I agree with you but all this talk as you say might what be at a max 10 people who post here? I do not think that what comes out of the talksox forum board in any way resembles what the thinking of all Red Sox fans might be. I get the fact that of course we here all know what is really going on right? lol

[jung]

You can't avoid Pedey's salary counting towards luxury tax computation. That's what we're talking about.

 

Has Chavis cost us a game anymore than any other player? How about Barnes last night?

 

22-12 since Chavis call up. 6-13 prior to call up. He's not the problem.

 

Which means they are stuck with this situation and CAN't bring in another 2nd baseman. Thats all that means.

 

From my own last post:

Of course, if the Sox COULD just pay out for a hitting/fielding competent MLB 2nd baseman I assume they would

 

They can't. They ARE caught on the luxury tax and that one is not a PA issue. The PLAYER contract is a PA issue and Lux Tax is a is a league issue. The Sox are entirely caught on the Lux Tax but not on the Player contract issue as long as Pedey is no longer pursuing a career as a player and retires. At that point his Player contract and associated Salary and other commitments only come into play again if he tries to come back as a player. That does not mean they have to be caught extracting virtually no value from Pedey because they MUST extract value from him as a player.

 

I can't see making the case that Chavis IS the big turnaround and how big a turnaround are we really talking about. Frankly I think people are simply overly impressed with the length of his HRs. They don't pay out runs for HR's based on how far, just how many. They started turning it around when the Rotation got innings under their belt having spent ST in hammocks.

 

I am not encouraged enough by Chavis to think that they will not need better defense from him if he is gong to stay up here and getting significant playing time at 2nd. Pitchers around the league are already figuring him out. But no matter who is doing what at the plate, this team wins and loses based on its pitching and most specifically its Rotation, more so than other teams. If we are healthy and the Astros are healthy can we match them bat for bat? NO!!! If we are healthy and the Yankees are healthy can we match them bat for bat? NO!!!

 

You can't afford holes all over creation when your Rotation is how you win games which is why we should not play around with these catch as catch can corner OFer configurations in Fenway and why the Sox really don't have OF options that make any sense beyond Beni in LF, JBJ in CF and Betts in RF. They have spot corner OFers beyond the standard starting OF and that is it. Not to mention that when JD is out of the offense there is NOBODY including Chavis that makes up for his absence. So do we really want JD stumbling around in the Of as he was those two straight days in Fenway just based on the threat of injury if nothing else?

 

Chavis cost them a run at 2nd base just last night if nobody noticed. He airmailed two throws into the loge seats at Fenway before that. He has played all of 6 games in the minors before coming here. So whether we like it or not, the Sox are stuck and the only guy they appear ready to toss at 2nd base for significant time is a guy that has no earthly idea how to play there on a team that wins essentially on defense and run prevention because its best asset is its Rotation.

Edited May 26, 2019 by jung

[Bellhorn04]

The problem was giving a long term contract to Pedey when he was clearly on the downswing and had potential medical issues.

 

When Pedroia signed the contract extension, in July 2013, he was neither clearly on the downswing nor with any obvious potential medical issues.

[notin]

Which means they are stuck with this situation and CAN't bring in another 2nd baseman. Thats all that means.

 

From my own last post:

Of course, if the Sox COULD just pay out for a hitting/fielding competent MLB 2nd baseman I assume they would

 

They can't. They ARE caught on the luxury tax and that one is not a PA issue. The PLAYER contract is a PA issue and Lux Tax is a is a league issue. The Sox are entirely caught on the Lux Tax but not on the Player contract issue as long as Pedey is no longer pursuing a career as a player and retires. At that point his Player contract and associated Salary and other commitments only come into play again if he tries to come back as a player. That does not mean they have to be caught extracting virtually no value from Pedey because they MUST extract value from him as a player.

 

I can't see making the case that Chavis IS the big turnaround and how big a turnaround are we really talking about. Frankly I think people are simply overly impressed with the length of his HRs. They don't pay out runs for HR's based on how far, just how many. They started turning it around when the Rotation got innings under their belt having spent ST in hammocks.

 

I am not encouraged enough by Chavis to think that they will not need better defense from him if he is gong to stay up here and getting significant playing time at 2nd. Pitchers around the league are already figuring him out. But no matter who is doing what at the plate, this team wins and loses based on its pitching and most specifically its Rotation, more so than other teams. If we are healthy and the Astros are healthy can we match them bat for bat? NO!!! If we are healthy and the Yankees are healthy can we match them bat for bat? NO!!!

 

You can't afford holes all over creation when your Rotation is how you win games which is why we should not play around with these catch as catch can corner OFer configurations in Fenway and why the Sox really don't have OF options that make any sense beyond Beni in LF, JBJ in CF and Betts in RF. They have spot corner OFers beyond the standard starting OF and that is it. Not to mention that when JD is out of the offense there is NOBODY including Chavis that makes up for his absence. So do we really want JD stumbling around in the Of as he was those two straight days in Fenway just based on the threat of injury if nothing else?

 

Chavis cost them a run at 2nd base just last night if nobody noticed. He airmailed two throws into the loge seats at Fenway before that. He has played all of 6 games in the minors before coming here. So whether we like it or not, the Sox are stuck and the only guy they appear ready to toss at 2nd base for significant time is a guy that has no earthly idea how to play there on a team that wins essentially on defense and run prevention because its best asset is its Rotation.

 

 

The Sox aren’t playing Chavis at 2b because having Pedroia prevents them from getting another player; they’re playing Chavis at 2b to get his bat in the lineup and there’s nowhere else to play him on the field.

 

I don’t get all this whining about Pedroia trying to come back repeatedly if he’s done. Let him try. He’ll probably spend 2 1/2 years on the 60 day DL where he takes no roster spots from anyone at any level, and he won’t prevent the Sox from signing Scooter Gennett or whoever among the available players.

 

Let Pedroia try and pay him what both parties agreed he was worth and stop pretending this is the only hamstring contract in MLB. He’s not hurting anyone. Except maybe his own knees...