Red Sox Sign Marwin Gonzalez

[mvp 78]

Not really, but not because of injuries, as far as I know.

 

He was more or less platooned in MN.

 

1997 51 PAs (594 in minors)

1998 326 PAs (40)

1999 25 PAs (563)

2000 478 PAs (0 minors)

2001 347 PAs (58)

2002 466 PAs

 

From 2000-2002, he never went over 478 PAs in MLB or combined.

 

That's way better than Cordero, of course, but he was never considered FT in MN.

 

 

Cordero was not "physically" playing full seasons as he was on the DL/IL. I think Ortiz was far closer to being considered to have played a full season.

 

With Cordero, he's a big unknown. He's a lottery ticket that probably won't work out, but something you'll dream on.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

What was encouraging about the Ortiz acquisition -- for me, at least (I promise not to make any blanket statements that may be perceived as assumptions of fact) -- is that he was the MVP of a winter league right before '03. That meant to me that he could be a factor in the lineup.

 

This parallels more with Duran (not Cordero), who was just voted MVP of the Puerto Rican league playoffs; at least in the hopes of him being an MLB contributor soon.

[mvp 78]

What was encouraging about the Ortiz acquisition -- for me, at least (I promise not to make any blanket statements that may be perceived as assumptions of fact) -- is that he was the MVP of a winter league right before '03. That meant to me that he could be a factor in the lineup.

 

This parallels more with Duran (not Cordero), who was just voted MVP of the Puerto Rican league playoffs; at least in the hopes of him being an MLB contributor soon.

 

There's been a ton of clips of him on Twitter from his highlights from PR. Again, it's the recency bias, but without an actual 2020 MiLB season, we have nothing else to go on.

[harmony]

What was encouraging about the Ortiz acquisition -- for me, at least (I promise not to make any blanket statements that may be perceived as assumptions of fact) -- is that he was the MVP of a winter league right before '03. That meant to me that he could be a factor in the lineup.

 

This parallels more with Duran (not Cordero), who was just voted MVP of the Puerto Rican league playoffs; at least in the hopes of him being an MLB contributor soon.

From the FanGraphs scouting report posted a month ago:

Despite his speed, Duran’s instincts in center field are still not good (though they’ve improved), and he relies on his speed to make up for what he lacks in off-the-bat feel and anticipation. It’s possible the swing change has unlocked the power necessary to make Duran a regular, but it’s also possible that it has de-stabilized his feel for contact. We won’t know until he’s generated a bigger statistical sample with the new cut. I have him in as a fourth or platoon outfielder, a 1.5-ish WAR type of player. (Alternate site, Liga de Béisbol)

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/top-47-prospects-boston-red-sox/

 

Fans should hope for the best but be prepared for something less.

Edited February 12, 2021 by harmony

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

From the FanGraphs scouting report posted a month ago after the Puerto Rican league playoffs:

 

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/top-47-prospects-boston-red-sox/

 

Fans should hope for the best but be prepared for something less.

 

Sox may still rush him and hope for an impactful debut, in the hopes of enticing another club to give up an actual good (pitching, please) prospect... all the while planning on Jimenez as the centerfielder of the near future.

[mvp 78]

From the FanGraphs scouting report posted a month ago after the Puerto Rican league playoffs:

 

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/top-47-prospects-boston-red-sox/

 

Fans should hope for the best but be prepared for something less.

 

That was posted prior to the Caribbean Series.

 

Fangraphs article: 1/11.

 

Caribbean Series: began 1/31.

[mvp 78]

Sox may still rush him and hope for an impactful debut, in the hopes of enticing another club to give up an actual good (pitching, please) prospect... all the while planning on Jimenez as the centerfielder of the near future.

 

If the Sox win the lottery, Duran goes to RF, Jimenez stays in CF.

[moonslav59]

Cordero was not "physically" playing full seasons as he was on the DL/IL. I think Ortiz was far closer to being considered to have played a full season.

 

With Cordero, he's a big unknown. He's a lottery ticket that probably won't work out, but something you'll dream on.

 

Agreed. As far as I know, Papi was never injured with MN. There is a big difference; I agree.

 

My point was that sometimes players only become FT by age 27 or later- for various reasons.

 

I'm not projecting Cordero to be anything like Papi, but he has some serious tools, and has shown some of these tools in small scattered sample sizes.

 

I'm choosing to be optimistic with him, knowing full well, he may give us squat.

[harmony]

That was posted prior to the Caribbean Series.

 

Fangraphs article: 1/11.

 

Caribbean Series: began 1/31.

Thank you for the correction.

 

To be precise, Jarren Duran was the MVP of the 2020-21 Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente Final Series in late January (not the later Caribbean Series). Both series occurred after the FanGraphs scouting report.

Edited February 12, 2021 by harmony

[moonslav59]

What was encouraging about the Ortiz acquisition -- for me, at least (I promise not to make any blanket statements that may be perceived as assumptions of fact) -- is that he was the MVP of a winter league right before '03. That meant to me that he could be a factor in the lineup.

 

This parallels more with Duran (not Cordero), who was just voted MVP of the Puerto Rican league playoffs; at least in the hopes of him being an MLB contributor soon.

 

Also, if you projected his last year with MN to 650 PAs, he'd have hit 26 HRs with 100 RBIs, an .839 OPS and 70 xbhs.

 

As it turned out, he did have long periods with struggles vs LHPs, but he proved he was worthy of being a FT'er at age 27- same age Cordero is. That's all I'm saying.

 

If he can stay healthy for 600 PAs, would anyone be surprised if he hit 26 HRs with maybe 70 xbhs?

 

The PA question is a bigger if than the 26 HRs.

[moonslav59]

If the Sox win the lottery, Duran goes to RF, Jimenez stays in CF.

 

The "near future" might not be so accurate. He's 20 and players in A- Lowell back in 2019.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

If the Sox win the lottery, Duran goes to RF, Jimenez stays in CF.

 

As long as winning the lottery means another high draft pick that nets a future pitching ace.

[a700hitter]

NO, you see, in BROOKLYN everyone is a bum so it's ok to call him a bum. He's a pig. He stinks.

It’s not like its fighting words. They are one word descriptions that should clue people into the fact that they don’t have to crunch his stats to know that they shouldn’t be investing in his rookie card. And guys like you we would call a jerkoff. One word, and everyone knows what they are dealing with. Don’t be insulted. You are in good company. In Brooklyn, we used a lot of Yiddish words too. They are very descriptive and just don’t translate. I’ll have to start working them into my posts.

[a700hitter]

I'm not saying Cordero will be anywhere near the next Papi. I'm just pointing out that Papi was not FT with MN.

 

He also played 6 years in the majors with MN- playing in 455 games and 1693 PAs (67 gm/yr and 282 PA/yr- again, not because of injury, since he put in time in MiLB).

 

He didn't immediately establish himself as a FT'er or a great hitter until age 27 with Boston.

 

That's the only point I was making.

Even with Minnesota, Ortiz was OPSing over .800 and he was playing 120-130+ games in three of those years. I don’t consider that a part timer or bench player. Franchy has not been more than a bench player. I just don’t see any basis for the comparison. Edited February 12, 2021 by a700hitter

[a700hitter]

But he is not a bum. There might be legitimate heath concerns, however...

Do you prefer “stinks”?

[notin]

Even with Minnesota, Ortiz was OPSing over .800 and he was playing 120-130+ games in three of those years. I don’t consider that a part timer or bench player. Franchy has not been more than a bench player. I just don’t see any basis for the comparison.

 

Ortiz only player in over 120 twice in Minnnesota, in 2000 and again in 2002. Of the 255 games he played in those two seasons, he started only 196 of them.

 

196 starts in two non-consecutive seasons is really not a full time starter. He looks to have been a strong side platoon player given how few starts vs LHP...

[mvp 78]

It’s not like its fighting words. They are one word descriptions that should clue people into the fact that they don’t have to crunch his stats to know that they shouldn’t be investing in his rookie card. And guys like you we would call a jerkoff. One word, and everyone knows what they are dealing with. Don’t be insulted. You are in good company. In Brooklyn, we used a lot of Yiddish words too. They are very descriptive and just don’t translate. I’ll have to start working them into my posts.

The only Yiddish word I know that describes you is panty waste.

 

[mvp 78]

Even with Minnesota, Ortiz was OPSing over .800 and he was playing 120-130+ games in three of those years. I don’t consider that a part timer or bench player. Franchy has not been more than a bench player. I just don’t see any basis for the comparison.

 

He was a starter that got injured. He’s never been a backup.

[a700hitter]

Ortiz only player in over 120 twice in Minnnesota, in 2000 and again in 2002. Of the 255 games he played in those two seasons, he started only 196 of them.

 

196 starts in two non-consecutive seasons is really not a full time starter. He looks to have been a strong side platoon player given how few starts vs LHP...

400+ ABs in a season is not a bench player. He did that twice in Minnesota.

[a700hitter]

The only Yiddish word I know that describes you is panty waste.

 

You need to work on your Yiddish.

[mvp 78]

You need to work on your Yiddish.

 

My Rosetta Stone software must have a virus.

[Kimmi]

Bloom felt a burning need to spend $11 million of his $25 million 2021 FA budget on 2 utility guys. I don’t get it.

 

Depth and versatility. Makes sense.

[Kimmi]

Cora like Marwin. That's good enough for me.

[moonslav59]

Depth and versatility. Makes sense.

 

Agreed, once we add a CF'er or 2Bman. Then, the whole puzzle is completed.

[jad]

Actually, I think the word we can agree describes the last season and offseason: Oy!

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Cora like Marwin. That's good enough for me.

 

Me, too. Fans maybe underestimate how much the familiarity factor can positively affect a new player's performance. The Cora connection is also why I wouldn't be surprised to see Correa and hopefully McCullers in a Sox uniform a year from now...

 

As for Marwin, I hope fans will welcome him to Boston -- and remember he looked pretty good slugging homers off Price and Barnes in the '18 ALCS, the year after smashcans.

[harmony]

Marwin Gonzalez has an interesting comp in Asdrubal Cabrera, who Friday reportedly signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks for $1.75 million plus up to $1.05 million in incentives.

 

Both are 6-foot, 205-pound, switch-hitting Venezuelan utility players, although Cabrera has never played in the outfield. Cabrera, who is three-plus years older than Gonzalez, has posted 29.1 bWAR and an OPS+ of 106 in 1,712 career games while Gonzalez has posed 13.9 bWAR and an OPS+ of 99 in 962 career games.

 

Steamer and ZiPS project Cabrera with 2021 WAR of 0.5 in 73 games and 0.9 in 125 games while projecting Gonzalez with 2021 WAR of 0.7 in 78 games and 0.9 in 127 games.

 

The Red Sox signed Gonzalez to a one-year, $3 million contract with up to $1 million in incentives.

 

Trivia: On June 30, 2006, Seattle traded 20-year-old minor leaguer Asdrubal Cabrera to the Cleveland Guardians for 36-year-old first baseman Eduardo Perez, who retired after posting a negative 0.9 bWAR in only 43 games for the Mariners that season. As a point of reference, Heathcliff Slocumb posted 0.4 bWAR for the Mariners.

 

More trivia: The following month, on July 26, 2006, Seattle traded 24-year-old outfielder Shin-Soo Choo to the Cleveland Guardians for 29-year-old first baseman Ben Broussard, who posted a negative 0.7 bWAR in 155 games with the Mariners. Choo has since posted 35.0 bWAR in 1,638 games.:(

Edited February 13, 2021 by harmony

[mvp 78]

Actually, I think the word we can agree describes the last season and offseason: Oy!

 

Merde.

[jad]

Merde.

 

As noted earlier, you really need to work on your Yiddish, dude!! (And, on more important matters, what happened to the USC avatar???)

[notin]

My Rosetta Stone software must have a virus.

 

Oh vey! Not mussugganah!