Red Sox Sign Masataka Yoshida

[notin]

No will challenge the Red Sox as long as Madman Sale is around. They'd be afraid he'd scissor their shirts, ram them with his bike, and king kong them with big screen TVs.

 

At any point will they be worried about his pitching?

[Bellhorn04]

At any point will they be worried about his pitching?

 

He's our ace for 2023! What can possibly go wrong.

[Hugh2]

Reports coming out that Bloom signed the wrong Japenese guy and was confused when he learned Yoshida can't pitch.

[notin]

Reports coming out that Bloom signed the wrong Japenese guy and was confused when he learned Yoshida can't pitch.

 

 

Former MLB player and Sox fan detractor Adam Jones had a different take on Yoshida.

 

https://nesn.com/2022/12/ex-mlb-player-calls-red-soxs-masataka-yoshida-japanese-juan-soto/

[Hugh2]

Former MLB player and Sox fan detractor Adam Jones had a different take on Yoshida.

 

https://nesn.com/2022/12/ex-mlb-player-calls-red-soxs-masataka-yoshida-japanese-juan-soto/

 

There are people who absolutely love his hit tool and think he's going to be a league leader in OBP, a high-end lead-off guy. But this is Boston....we find the bad....we amplify the bad....we shut out everything else.....and we act accordingly. Funny isn't it? in the same day we complain about the Sox being cheap we can complain about them spending too much on a guy because someone said so. someone said so too that Bogaerts was overpaid, his contract left GM rivals stunned. But this is Boston, we get to have our cake and eat it too.

[notin]

There are people who absolutely love his hit tool and think he's going to be a league leader in OBP, a high-end lead-off guy. But this is Boston....we find the bad....we amplify the bad....we shut out everything else.....and we act accordingly. Funny isn't it? in the same day we complain about the Sox being cheap we can complain about them spending too much on a guy because someone said so. someone said so too that Bogaerts was overpaid, his contract left GM rivals stunned. But this is Boston, we get to have our cake and eat it too.

 

I do like that the Sox might have an actual leadoff hitter for the first time since 2019. It was why I wanted Nimmo way back when.

 

Now Nimmo was certainly a more established commodity, so the Sox clearly settled here…

[Bellhorn04]

If Yoshida rakes, Red Sox fans will like him and will say Bloom got a good deal. It all comes down to what happens on the field.

[Hugh2]

I do like that the Sox might have an actual leadoff hitter for the first time since 2019. It was why I wanted Nimmo way back when.

 

Now Nimmo was certainly a more established commodity, so the Sox clearly settled here…

 

I was guilty of wanting Nimmo too, but looking at his career at bats. He just doesn't look like a guy that can give you 500 at bats a season. That was him in his 20's what is he going to be like in his 30's????

[notin]

I was guilty of wanting Nimmo too, but looking at his career at bats. He just doesn't look like a guy that can give you 500 at bats a season. That was him in his 20's what is he going to be like in his 30's????

 

 

I had mixed thoughts.

 

He was injured in 2019 and 2021. 2020 is deceiving as it was a short season. I’m not sure he was a full time player in 2017.

 

There was a risk. I just wasn’t sure how big of one. It certainly didn’t impact his deal like it would have in other years…

[moonslav59]

Former MLB player and Sox fan detractor Adam Jones had a different take on Yoshida.

 

https://nesn.com/2022/12/ex-mlb-player-calls-red-soxs-masataka-yoshida-japanese-juan-soto/

 

Despite what the negative ninnies think or expect, this guy has a pretty good chance at being REAL good.

[notin]

If Yoshida rakes, Red Sox fans will like him and will say Bloom got a good deal. It all comes down to what happens on the field.

 

Very true…

[notin]

Despite what the negative ninnies think or expect, this guy has a pretty good chance at being REAL good.

 

But.. but .. but some guy found some scouts who didn’t like him. He probably found some that did, but he “forgot” to put those wires in the article.

 

Lost in all this is the Sox signed him for only 5 years at what used to be an excessive AAV, but really is 4th starter money these days.

[moonslav59]

But.. but .. but some guy found some scouts who didn’t like him. He probably found some that did, but he “forgot” to put those wires in the article.

 

Lost in all this is the Sox signed him for only 5 years at what used to be an excessive AAV, but really is 4th starter money these days.

 

He's barely post prime in his last year, too.

[sk7326]

If Yoshida rakes, Red Sox fans will like him and will say Bloom got a good deal. It all comes down to what happens on the field.

 

It's not a terrible AAV - but it all comes down to whether he hits the ball hard. The rest of the toolset looks unremarkable. The strike zone command thing is dependent on pitchers actually caring about whether you swing the bat or not.

[Bellhorn04]

It's not a terrible AAV - but it all comes down to whether he hits the ball hard. The rest of the toolset looks unremarkable. The strike zone command thing is dependent on pitchers actually caring about whether you swing the bat or not.

 

Everyone talks about the OBP, but his SLG the last two seasons was .559 and .557. He did seem to hit the ball pretty hard.

[moonslav59]

It's not a terrible AAV - but it all comes down to whether he hits the ball hard. The rest of the toolset looks unremarkable. The strike zone command thing is dependent on pitchers actually caring about whether you swing the bat or not.

 

When you hit over .300, they care. It's b een a very remarkable "tool," and he hits the ball hard- just not for a lot of homers.

 

Think of the big Fenway RF and no shift. This guy may lead the league in BA and or Doubles.

 

A slugging percent over .500 the last 2 years, thanks Bell, is a great "tool."

 

I'm not sure why so many people are choosing to be so pessimistic. I understand he is hard to project or translate to MLB, but it's not like there is no history of success with batters from that league.

 

I'm going the optimistic route with MY and hope I'm not wrong.

[moonslav59]

Man, the excitement over this signing last what?

 

Like 17 minutes?

[moonslav59]

The only beef I have over signing Yoshida is that LF was not a high need area.

 

If we end up trading Dugo to fill another need in a decent way, that beef goes away.

[Bellhorn04]

The only beef I have over signing Yoshida is that LF was not a high need area.

 

If we end up trading Dugo to fill another need in a decent way, that beef goes away.

 

This was all about the guy's offense. The reports say he's not a good fielder and may actually be better suited to be a DH.

[moonslav59]

This was all about the guy's offense. The reports say he's not a good fielder and may actually be better suited to be a DH.

 

Okay. I think DH was not a high need area, either, but it was above LF in the pecking order.

 

$18M is about 20% of the assumed winter spending budget. IMO, these were our highest need areas:

 

SP1 or SP2: still open

SS: still open

RF: still open

Closer: Jansen

Solid set up: Martin

Pen depth: Joely

C: still open

DH: Yoshida (or Dugo, if we fill RF) or DH/RF or DH/1B (and trade Dalbec and/or Hosmer)

SP3 or SP4: still open

 

My biggest beef, so far, is we spent $50 of the $90M, counting the Kike extension, and filled one of our top 4 need areas (CF.)

 

We have just $40M left and 3 major needs. We can trade to fill one or two, but that goes against the long term future priority. It looks like Mayer is going to be our next significant SS. I'm fine with that. I'm fine with signing Andrus or Segura (move Story to SS for just one year) to bridge to Mayer. This might leave $30M to fill the RF and SP needs. My guess is they go with Dugo and Ref in RF- perhaps ending up with a platoon, which on paper looks very nice- on offense, but that really makes their priority for RF defense and the whole JBJ fiasco look even worse- not that they care a bout their image, anymore.

 

Senga is now off the board- some I think had more upside than Nate or Kluber + Wacha. Is Rodon a meaningful target? To me, he is not "the guy" you choose to overpay. Without parting with Mayer, what kind of ace can you trade for without pulling a DD and parting with 3-4 of our top 6 or 7 prospects? I'm not even sure we can get one without giving up Mayer. Maybe, next year, if Romero, Bleis and Yorke see their stock go through the roof.

 

I'm not all that optimistic we pull off any deal or signing that wows me, but maybe JH will be moved by the intense disgust Sox Nation seems to be feelin, right now, and feels the need to do something he didn't want to do just a few days ago. He may have to force Bloom to do something he's against doing.

[mvp 78]

It's not a terrible AAV - but it all comes down to whether he hits the ball hard. The rest of the toolset looks unremarkable. The strike zone command thing is dependent on pitchers actually caring about whether you swing the bat or not.

 

No.

[notin]

Okay. I think DH was not a high need area, either, but it was above LF in the pecking order.

 

$18M is about 20% of the assumed winter spending budget. IMO, these were our highest need areas:

 

SP1 or SP2: still open

SS: still open

RF: still open

Closer: Jansen

Solid set up: Martin

Pen depth: Joely

C: still open

DH: Yoshida (or Dugo, if we fill RF) or DH/RF or DH/1B (and trade Dalbec and/or Hosmer)

SP3 or SP4: still open

 

My biggest beef, so far, is we spent $50 of the $90M, counting the Kike extension, and filled one of our top 4 need areas (CF.)

 

We have just $40M left and 3 major needs. We can trade to fill one or two, but that goes against the long term future priority. It looks like Mayer is going to be our next significant SS. I'm fine with that. I'm fine with signing Andrus or Segura (move Story to SS for just one year) to bridge to Mayer. This might leave $30M to fill the RF and SP needs. My guess is they go with Dugo and Ref in RF- perhaps ending up with a platoon, which on paper looks very nice- on offense, but that really makes their priority for RF defense and the whole JBJ fiasco look even worse- not that they care a bout their image, anymore.

 

Senga is now off the board- some I think had more upside than Nate or Kluber + Wacha. Is Rodon a meaningful target? To me, he is not "the guy" you choose to overpay. Without parting with Mayer, what kind of ace can you trade for without pulling a DD and parting with 3-4 of our top 6 or 7 prospects? I'm not even sure we can get one without giving up Mayer. Maybe, next year, if Romero, Bleis and Yorke see their stock go through the roof.

 

I'm not all that optimistic we pull off any deal or signing that wows me, but maybe JH will be moved by the intense disgust Sox Nation seems to be feelin, right now, and feels the need to do something he didn't want to do just a few days ago. He may have to force Bloom to do something he's against doing.

 

Despite that Yoshida was likely signed to replace some of the offense lost with the whole Bogaerts scenario, I do doubt they have z Yoshida penciled in at DH.

 

It doesn’t make the OF defense much better, but then if other trades are in the works, it wouldn’t surprise me if Verdugo was one of the players being shopped…

[moonslav59]

This was all about the guy's offense. The reports say he's not a good fielder and may actually be better suited to be a DH.

 

They don't say he's a bad fielder, so he'll be in LF for a while.

 

I can't see us going with Dugo and Ref in RF, but their splits make for a good platoon. (Cora has refused to platoon Dugo for a long time, despite his poor splits.)

 

Dugo vs RHP

.812 career

.746 '22

.894 '21

.876 '20

 

Ref vs LHP

.728 career

1.005 '22

.784 '21

 

2020-2022

.815 Dugo v R (27th among OF'ers with 1000+ PAs v R)

.800 Ref v L (49th among OF'er with 220+ PAs v L)

 

Last year, our RF OPS was .661.

 

Our LF OPS was .694 (added Yoshida)

 

Our CF OPS was .671 (maybe a healthy Kike changes this)

 

The OF D did not get any better, except maybe CF, but the O surely should.

 

[moonslav59]

Despite that Yoshida was likely signed to replace some of the offense lost with the whole Bogaerts scenario, I do doubt they have z Yoshida penciled in at DH.

 

It doesn’t make the OF defense much better, but then if other trades are in the works, it wouldn’t surprise me if Verdugo was one of the players being shopped…

 

Could we sign a RF'er and use Dugo at DH and 4th OF'er? (Ref is the 5th OF'er/DH?)

[mvp 78]

I hope to have clarity regarding the OF prior to spring training... Not expecting it though.

[moonslav59]

I hope to have clarity regarding the OF prior to spring training... Not expecting it though.

 

Even if we add no more OF'ers, every OF position looks to greatly improve on offense while the corner positions get worse on D.

 

LF: Yoshida

 

CF: Kike (150+ games?)

 

RF: Dugo/Refsnyder (platoon?)

 

Last year, every OF position had an OPS under .695 and 90 OPS+.

 

Overall, it was .676. (86 OPS+)

[sk7326]

When you hit over .300, they care. It's b een a very remarkable "tool," and he hits the ball hard- just not for a lot of homers.

 

Think of the big Fenway RF and no shift. This guy may lead the league in BA and or Doubles.

 

A slugging percent over .500 the last 2 years, thanks Bell, is a great "tool."

 

I'm not sure why so many people are choosing to be so pessimistic. I understand he is hard to project or translate to MLB, but it's not like there is no history of success with batters from that league.

 

I'm going the optimistic route with MY and hope I'm not wrong.

 

A slugging pct over .500 in the NPB - how it translates is questionable. I am hopeful, but it looks more like Fukudome than Matsui on paper. I will be the happiest person to be proven wrong.

[moonslav59]

A slugging pct over .500 in the NPB - how it translates is questionable. I am hopeful, but it looks more like Fukudome than Matsui on paper. I will be the happiest person to be proven wrong.

 

Just give me a .380+ OBP and .460 SLG (due mostly to BA) and I'll call it a big win.

 

I'm thinking we might see .400/.480/.880 with a floor of maybe .360/.420/.780.

[mvp 78]

A slugging pct over .500 in the NPB - how it translates is questionable. I am hopeful, but it looks more like Fukudome than Matsui on paper. I will be the happiest person to be proven wrong.

 

Fukudome's k/bb rate was similar when he got to MLB. If Yoshida can still bb more than he k's, that's going to provide a lot of value. Yoshida may only be a 10-15 HR guy, but that would still be ok in this league. The Sox big problem recently is not being patient at the plate. This goes towards fixing that.

[mvp 78]

A slugging pct over .500 in the NPB - how it translates is questionable. I am hopeful, but it looks more like Fukudome than Matsui on paper. I will be the happiest person to be proven wrong.

 

Also, Matsui was a great ballplayer. I don't think Yoshida is close to that level.