Red Sox close to deal with Kevin Pillar

[Hitch]

The Sox try to sign Kevin Pillar, and everyone assumes he is the clear starter. Why?

 

I think only one person said he'd be a clear starter. He's a rotating bench piece, unless JJB gets traded for pitching.

[Slasher9]

Every time you propose a trade an angel dies.

 

lol. pretty good hitch

[Slasher9]

I assume most are assuming this means JBJ is being traded.

 

not me. i think we DFA him. i think i said that soon after we picked up his ARB year. we can dump him in ST and only be on the hook for a small portion of the $11MM.

[Slasher9]

FTR - i am NOT in favor of dumping JBj. or trading him. but i do believe that is what Bloom will do.

Me? i have JBj in CF for the next 4 years...

[moonslav59]

FTR - i am NOT in favor of dumping JBj. or trading him. but i do believe that is what Bloom will do.

Me? i have JBj in CF for the next 4 years...

 

We should have made a longer term deal with JBJ rather than pay $11M for 1 year. Maybe we tried.

 

We probably knew we'd get under the lux line, so paying $11M would not be taxed, but it was always my belief that when we did not non tender him, we had a deal in place.

 

He's been my favorite Sox fan since before he was even called up, and that wasn't easy at times, and I'd love to have him longer term but not at anywhere near $11M a year.

[mvp 78]

not me. i think we DFA him. i think i said that soon after we picked up his ARB year. we can dump him in ST and only be on the hook for a small portion of the $11MM.

 

They are still well under the lux tax. I think they keep JBJ and Pillar, but use Pillar in about 100 games as 4th OF.

[mvp 78]

Also, PILLAR IS INJURY INSURANCE IF VERDUGO ISN'T HEALTHY.

[Slasher9]

They are still well under the lux tax. I think they keep JBJ and Pillar, but use Pillar in about 100 games as 4th OF.

 

i would be very much OK with this approach.

[Slasher9]

Also, PILLAR IS INJURY INSURANCE IF VERDUGO ISN'T HEALTHY.

 

why do we continue to trade for INJURED PLAYERS???!!!!

sad!

[notin]

Also, PILLAR IS INJURY INSURANCE IF VERDUGO ISN'T HEALTHY.

 

Or if they want to platoon JBJ or if benintendi gets injured. Basically I think they want an actual fourth outfielder and don't consider JDM to be that guy...

[notin]

We should have made a longer term deal with JBJ rather than pay $11M for 1 year. Maybe we tried.

 

 

Possible. He is a Boras client..

[OH FOY]

In Fenway he has a .307 BA in 47 Games. Short sample for sure, but it a good gage point he likes hitting there.

[notin]

In Fenway he has a .307 BA in 47 Games. Short sample for sure, but it a good gage point he likes hitting there.

 

Yeah but that was all against Red Sox pitching...

[mvp 78]

Yeah but that was all against Red Sox pitching...

 

Need to trade all our pitchers away so that he'll have that opportunity again.

[redsoxrules]

Reports are that it's a one year deal.

[notin]

Reports are that it's a one year deal.

 

Not sure why everyone thinks this is the end of JBJ. I still think Pillar is the new Jonny Gomes/Chris Young type player, assuming he ever actually signs...

[mvp 78]

Not sure why everyone thinks this is the end of JBJ. I still think Pillar is the new Jonny Gomes/Chris Young type player, assuming he ever actually signs...

 

Some people don't realize the importance of bench/role players? IDK.

 

I like this move.

[Bellhorn04]

Not sure why everyone thinks this is the end of JBJ.

 

Maybe because there have been so many posts wondering why we didn't non-tender or trade JBJ and about how overpaid he is this year?

[Jasonbay44]

Speaking of bench players, I’m surprised Brock Holt hasn’t been brought back. He can’t be expensive

[mvp 78]

Speaking of bench players, I’m surprised Brock Holt hasn’t been brought back. He can’t be expensive

 

At the beginning of the offseason, some people were saying he'd get 7M AAV. There's no way that's the case now.

[Kimmi]

I don’t think this means JBJ is traded though. I think Bloom is just filling out his roster with guys who play hard.

 

It will be interesting to see what happens with JBJ, but I don't think he'll be traded. There will enough at bats to go around to all 4 outfielders.

[Kimmi]

They are still well under the lux tax. I think they keep JBJ and Pillar, but use Pillar in about 100 games as 4th OF.

 

Also, PILLAR IS INJURY INSURANCE IF VERDUGO ISN'T HEALTHY.

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

OTOH, we do need pitching...

[moonslav59]

It will be interesting to see what happens with JBJ, but I don't think he'll be traded. There will enough at bats to go around to all 4 outfielders.

 

It makes a lot of sense to finally get a RH'd back-up/platoon type bat in our OF, so JD will only play there in NL parks.

 

We may see Pillar play some vs RHPs, but that will probably happen mostly when someone is hurt or slumping.

 

If we strategically rest Beni and JBJ (Verdugo hits L-R about the saame) only against LH'd starters, I can see Pillar starting just about every game vs righties. I think he's more than just insurance against Verdugo's health. I could see him start every game in LF or CF vs a LH'd starter and maybe get a few games in RF vs RHPs. Yes, plenty of ABs.

 

Let's look at the splits:

OPS Career/2019

 

vs RHPs

.830/.764 Beni

.783/.807 Verdugo

.750/.787 JBJ

.676/.681 Pillar

 

vs LHP

.785/.843 Verdugo

.766/.823Pillar

.696/.796 Beni

.669/.640 JBJ

 

Last year, we faced 54 LH'd starters and 108 RH'd starters. In theory, we might sit JBJ vs about 35-40 lefties, Beni 8-15 and Verdugo 2-5. Vs, RHPs, Pillar might start 5-10 games in RF. This assumes no injuries and about the same ratio of L-R starters in 2020.

 

[mvp 78]

My thoughts exactly.

 

OTOH, we do need pitching...

Even with an opener, they need another starter at least as depth.

[moonslav59]

Even with an opener, they need another starter at least as depth.

 

Yes!

[notin]

Even with an opener, they need another starter at least as depth.

 

Multiple...

[moonslav59]

Multiple...

 

One now and one at the deadline.

[TylerD]

Speaking of bench players, I’m surprised Brock Holt hasn’t been brought back. He can’t be expensive

Agreed. He’s a good player.

[moonslav59]

Assuming we could get Holt for $4M x 2, does even $4M prevent us from getting the 2 decent pitchers we need?

[Bellhorn04]

Assuming we could get Holt for $4M x 2, does even $4M prevent us from getting the 2 decent pitchers we need?

 

Most likely.

 

We were 19.6 under before Pillar.