2020-2021 Offseason Thread

[Bellhorn04]

Even with a steel boot on his left ankle, he's probably still a better defender than Bogey, but missing time is a big concern.

 

Plus the fact that it's the same recurring issue.

[notin]

I just read that Simmons has had 3 left ankle sprains in the last 2 seasons.

 

He played only 103 games in 2019 and 30 in 2020.

 

And he still lead all MLB shortstops in UZR/150 in that time frame (min: 1,000 innings) while playing on one ankle. And even with his reduced playing time, he still finished in the top 5 in UZR and top 8 in DRS.

 

That's ridiculous...

[Bellhorn04]

And he still lead all MLB shortstops in UZR/150 in that time frame (min: 1,000 innings) while playing on one ankle. And even with his reduced playing time, he still finished in the top 5 in UZR and top 8 in DRS.

 

That's ridiculous...

 

I assume he's one of the very best ever.

 

His 2020 short sample numbers were not nearly as good as 2019, though, correct?

[notin]

I assume he's one of the very best ever.

 

His 2020 short sample numbers were not nearly as good as 2019, though, correct?

 

Comparing defensive numbers over a 20 game sample is a useless venture...

[mvp 78]

And he still lead all MLB shortstops in UZR/150 in that time frame (min: 1,000 innings) while playing on one ankle. And even with his reduced playing time, he still finished in the top 5 in UZR and top 8 in DRS.

 

That's ridiculous...

 

So Pedroia could play with one leg then?

[Bellhorn04]

Comparing defensive numbers over a 20 game sample is a useless venture...

 

It was 30 games. But still, they do jump out as inferior to previous years. I would think that had something to do with the recurring injury problem.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I'm glad this forum didn't explode when Cora listed his core players yesterday (in order): "Rafie, Xander, Beni..."

[Bellhorn04]

I'm glad this forum didn't explode when Cora listed his core players yesterday (in order): "Rafie, Xander, Beni..."

 

Good stuff by AC, IMO. Give the young man a much-needed vote of confidence.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Good stuff by AC, IMO. Give the young man a much-needed vote of confidence.

 

Beni is my candidate for Comeback of the Year (if healthy).

[moonslav59]

Beni is my candidate for Comeback of the Year (if healthy).

 

That would be very nice. I'm hoping Sale wins it.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

That would be very nice. I'm hoping Sale wins it.

 

That would mean the Sox make the postseason (though realistically, I'd be happy with one good solid final month of starts that signal a full recovery).

[Larry Cook]

That would be very nice. I'm hoping Sale wins it.

 

Usually year two after Tommy John is where they really take off.

[moonslav59]

Usually year two after Tommy John is where they really take off.

 

Yes, but Sale is a special breed. I feel his drive to excel may help him return more quickly. I hope not so quickly he has a setback.

[harmony]

My question was harmony’s comment about Boston being an unlikely destination. Based on what? Boston needs SP. Walker is a SP. The only reason it’s an unlikely destination will be the number of teams looking for starters. But all of them will be equally unlikely.

 

Except Seattle. That team will be the least likely, and by a lot. Too much air travel, and no one likes air travel...

As a non-tendered free agent last offseason Taijuan Walker signed with a Seattle club that was not expected to contend in 2020.

 

From Walker's Twitter account:

 

https://twitter.com/tai_walker/status/1299376282262745088/photo/1

 

https://twitter.com/MLBNetworkRadio/status/1298812489912717313/photo/1

 

His other tweets suggest an affinity for Seattle.

 

Walker's wife is from Seattle (as is the wife of Walker's buddy, lefty Marco Gonzales, who had an offseason home in Seattle before his trade to the Mariners).

 

The Mariners probably have less than a 50 percent chance of signing Walker but because of the team culture their chances may be as good as any team's.

 

Or not.

[kenmeister]

Here is one accepted by MLBTradeValues:

 

To ATL

Bogey ($20M x 2) (Bogey to 3B?)

 

To BOS

Wil Smith ($13M x 2)

Ender Inciarte (9.7M x 1)

($19.4M combined on lux tax budget)

AJ Minter(RP: 3 arbs left)

PLUS:

Contreras © prospect

Harris (OF) prospect

 

After the Betts trade, I said well at least they still have Bogey and Raffi. If they trade Bogey, I think it would be too much for me.

[moonslav59]

After the Betts trade, I said well at least they still have Bogey and Raffi. If they trade Bogey, I think it would be too much for me.

 

Will you feel any better, if we do not do all that well over the next 2 years and lose Bogey for next to nothing?

 

(BTW, I'd like to keep Bogey, too, but the opt out is real, and we have to consider ways to get better for the long run.)

[Larry Cook]

Will you feel any better, if we do not do all that well over the next 2 years and lose Bogey for next to nothing?

 

(BTW, I'd like to keep Bogey, too, but the opt out is real, and we have to consider ways to get better for the long run.)

 

At some point, we have to figure out if we want an offensive juggernaut or a team that can play some defense.

 

Bogey and devers are substandard defenders. Second base is a black hole for defense and offense. First base - who knows?

 

 

How can we ask pitchers to generate ground balls, when our infield defense is pathetic.

[moonslav59]

At some point, we have to figure out if we want an offensive juggernaut or a team that can play some defense.

.

 

The choice need not be all of one or the other.

[oldtimer]

At some point, we have to figure out if we want an offensive juggernaut or a team that can play some defense.

 

Bogey and devers are substandard defenders. Second base is a black hole for defense and offense. First base - who knows?

 

 

How can we ask pitchers to generate ground balls, when our infield defense is pathetic.

 

Cora said he would like speed on the team and also to play good defense. He specifically talked about Devers and how he had worked with him and wondered what the program was like in his absence, since the results weren't good.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

At some point, we have to figure out if we want an offensive juggernaut or a team that can play some defense.

 

Bogey and devers are substandard defenders. Second base is a black hole for defense and offense. First base - who knows?

 

 

How can we ask pitchers to generate ground balls, when our infield defense is pathetic.

 

Ask the Bronx Bombers if they're ready to admit defense matters at key positions like shortstop and catcher.

[Bellhorn04]

At some point, we have to figure out if we want an offensive juggernaut or a team that can play some defense.

 

Bogey and devers are substandard defenders. Second base is a black hole for defense and offense. First base - who knows?

 

How can we ask pitchers to generate ground balls, when our infield defense is pathetic.

 

Larry, did it occur to you that they won 2 division titles and 1 championship with Bogey and Devers?

[mvp 78]

Larry, did it occur to you that they won 2 division titles and 1 championship with Bogey and Devers?

 

Bogey has 2 rings.

[notin]

Really the only question surrounding Devers is - first or third base?

 

With Cora back in the fold, the most likely answer is third base. This leaves 1B open for Dalbec or Chavis, and very likely means another LHH 1B will be brought into the mix. Mitch Moreland headlines a group of possibilities that also includes Matt Adams, Carlos Santana, Jake Lamb, Justin Smoak, Logan Morrison and Danny Murphy. And also likely Travis Shaw once Toronto non-tenders him...

Edited November 12, 2020 by notin

[mvp 78]

Really the only question surrounding Devers is - first or third base?

 

With Cora back in the fold, the most likely answer is third base. This leaves 1B open for Dalbec or Chavis, and very likely means another LHH 1B will be brought into the mix. Mitch Moreland headlines a group of possibilities that also includes Matt Adams, Carlos Santana, Jake Lamb, Justin Smoak, Logan Morrison and Danny Murphy. And also likely Travis Shaw once Toronto non-tenders him...

 

I would try to keep Devers at 3b too. When Casas comes up, they need to think about moving Dalbec elsewhere (if still hitting like 2020). If Devers really can stick at 3b long term, maybe Dalbec's big arm can play better in LF? I know it's kind of wasted in Fenway, but it could turn a lot of wall ball doubles into singles.

[moonslav59]

Casas is a ways away, and not a certainty. We'll know a lot more about Devers at 3B and Dalbec, wherever he is at that time.

 

First things first: Chavis is the duplicated value.

[mvp 78]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/11/offseason-outlook-boston-red-sox-11.html

 

Veterans Jake Odorizzi, Jose Quintana or Masahiro Tanaka could bring some stability, as odd as it would be to see Tanaka pitching on the other side of the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry. Corey Kluber or James Paxton could be had at relative bargain prices given their injury-marred 2020 seasons, or Taijuan Walker or Garrett Richards could be pursued after their bounce-back campaigns. If the Red Sox want to add a veteran to just eat some innings, they could turn to old friends Jon Lester, Rick Porcello, or Martin Perez. Boston declined its $6.85MM club option on Perez, perhaps a bit of a surprise considering their need for pitching, but Perez posted some pretty middling numbers in 2020.

 

If Bloom’s time with the Rays tells us anything about the approach he’ll take with the relief market in Boston, he’ll eschew going after bigger names like Liam Hendriks and the lucrative multi-year deals required to land top-of-the-market relievers. The market should have plenty of short-term options available — former Rays Kirby Yates, Sergio Romo, and Brad Boxberger among them — not that Bloom will necessarily be predisposed to look at former Tampa Bay arms. The Red Sox could also explore a reunion with Collin McHugh, who signed with the club last March but didn’t pitch after some lingering elbow problems led McHugh to opt out of the season.

 

That leaves second base as the glaring weak link. The Red Sox liked what they saw in Arroyo last year and it seems too early to give up on Chavis, so the backup plan could be to use these two and Munoz at the position and see what develops. However, second base is also the most obvious spot for an external solution, especially since some solid options exist in free agency. Beyond LeMahieu as the biggest get, Tommy La Stella, Cesar Hernandez, Kolten Wong, and Korean star Ha-Seong Kim are available. Since star prospect Jeter Downs (whose potential debut in 2021 shouldn’t be ruled out) might eventually end up as the second baseman of the future, Boston would probably prefer to seek out shorter-term rather than longer-term contracts for any second baseman they might pursue.

[mvp 78]

Casas is a ways away, and not a certainty. We'll know a lot more about Devers at 3B and Dalbec, wherever he is at that time.

 

First things first: Chavis is the duplicated value.

 

A ways away? I remember you saying the same thing about Devers when he was in AA. If Casas hits like Devers or Beni did in AA, we'll see him this year.

[mvp 78]

Chavis will be dealt this offseason IMO.

[moonslav59]

A ways away? I remember you saying the same thing about Devers when he was in AA. If Casas hits like Devers or Beni did in AA, we'll see him this year.

 

I never downplayed Devers. You must be thinking of somebody else.

[mvp 78]

I never downplayed Devers. You must be thinking of somebody else.

 

I'm a very petty person, but not petty enough to pick out the old posts where you told me that I was wrong for thinking Devers would get called up in 2017.