Devers signs 11 year $331 million extension

[mvp 78]

Not well, I'm afraid. Everyone seems to agree now he's a DH. $313.5 million is a lot of dough for a DH. Should have spent it on Betts, obviously. Thanks Henry!

 

Defensively, he's been fine enough this year. If he plays like this, he can fake it for another 5 years or so. Wait until Casas is gone and move Devers to 1b.

[moonslav59]

Not well, I'm afraid. Everyone seems to agree now he's a DH. $313.5 million is a lot of dough for a DH. Should have spent it on Betts, obviously. Thanks Henry!

 

I think he'd be a better defensive 1Bman than Casas after just a few short months of adjustments. His main issue on D is throwing, not glovework.

 

I do worry about his footwork, and at 1B, it is very important. Maybe playing Casas and Devers 81 games at 1B and 81 games at DH would allow them to get more ABs, due to less need for full days off, and perhaps even lessen their chances of injury.

 

If Mayer turns out to be a keeper, maybe we can shift Story to 3B. (Not sure his arm can handle it.)

 

C: Wong-Teel

1B/DH: Devers-Casas

2B: Grissom (AAA: EValdez/Yorke)

3B: Story (AAA: Meidroth)

SS: Mayer (Story/Grissom)

LF: Duran (Refsnyder/Abreu)

CF: Anthony-Rafaela

RF: Abreu-Anthony

 

With the pitching staff looking more encouraging than it has since 2018, maybe- just maybe, we can become relevant sooner than some seem to think.

[moonslav59]

Mistakes like losing Mookie Betts tend to compound themselves. Now we're paying the same money to a vastly inferior player.

 

Losing Betts will always be unforgivable.

[moonslav59]

Defensively, he's been fine enough this year. If he plays like this, he can fake it for another 5 years or so. Wait until Casas is gone and move Devers to 1b.

 

He's decent on D, every 2-3 years, or so, and for parts of the other seasons.

[Bellhorn04]

I think he'd be a better defensive 1Bman than Casas after just a few short months of adjustments. His main issue on D is throwing, not glovework.

 

I do worry about his footwork, and at 1B, it is very important. Maybe playing Casas and Devers 81 games at 1B and 81 games at DH would allow them to get more ABs, due to less need for full days off, and perhaps even lessen their chances of injury.

 

If Mayer turns out to be a keeper, maybe we can shift Story to 3B. (Not sure his arm can handle it.)

 

C: Wong-Teel

1B/DH: Devers-Casas

2B: Grissom (AAA: EValdez/Yorke)

3B: Story (AAA: Meidroth)

SS: Mayer (Story/Grissom)

LF: Duran (Refsnyder/Abreu)

CF: Anthony-Rafaela

RF: Abreu-Anthony

 

With the pitching staff looking more encouraging than it has since 2018, maybe- just maybe, we can become relevant sooner than some seem to think.

 

Maybe is the best we have.

[Bellhorn04]

He's decent on D, every 2-3 years, or so, and for parts of the other seasons.

 

That's not so good.

[Bellhorn04]

Defensively, he's been fine enough this year. If he plays like this, he can fake it for another 5 years or so. Wait until Casas is gone and move Devers to 1b.

 

Sounds terrific! 2030 is gonna rock.

[moonslav59]

That's not so good.

 

No, and that is why I think moving him to 1B/DH improves the team and his value.

 

People say why pay him $300M to DH, but is it better to pay him $300M to suck at defense 2 out of every 3 years, or 2.5 out of 4 years?

[Bellhorn04]

No, and that is why I think moving him to 1B/DH improves the team and his value.

 

People say why pay him $300M to DH, but is it better to pay him $300M to suck at defense 2 out of every 3 years, or 2.5 out of 4 years?

 

Casas and Yoshida are somewhat in the way of the great reconfiguration.

[moonslav59]

Casas and Yoshida are somewhat in the way of the great reconfiguration.

 

Just Yoshida, unless you are okay with him playing LF again.

 

Casas is not good on D at 1B. Having Devers and Casas share the DH and 1B slot 100% is not an issue.

 

Trading Yoshida plsu half or more of his contract may be the only solution. Duran deserves to play. I'm not benching him to get Yoshida playing time in LF.

[Bellhorn04]

Breslow should just release Yoshida or trade him and pay all but a million a year or something. Now the dude is even injury-prone. Nice job Bloom.

[mvp 78]

Upon news of the signing:

 

Awesome.

 

We're on the way back now.

 

Now:

 

But what about the defense???

[mvp 78]

The same for 2023, yes, but this is huge.

 

No opt outs.

 

No no-trade clause.

 

The monkey is off our backs. Big sigh of relief, and not just for fans.

 

And no complaints about his horrible defense apparently.

[Bellhorn04]

Upon news of the signing:

 

 

 

Now:

 

But what about the defense???

 

Yes, I definitely underestimated his defensive issues. They have been brought to my attention very emphatically since then.

 

I think I also figured that extension was a sign of more good spending to come. They keep fooling me.

[Old Red]

I think he'd be a better defensive 1Bman than Casas after just a few short months of adjustments. His main issue on D is throwing, not glovework.

 

I do worry about his footwork, and at 1B, it is very important. Maybe playing Casas and Devers 81 games at 1B and 81 games at DH would allow them to get more ABs, due to less need for full days off, and perhaps even lessen their chances of injury.

 

If Mayer turns out to be a keeper, maybe we can shift Story to 3B. (Not sure his arm can handle it.)

 

C: Wong-Teel

1B/DH: Devers-Casas

2B: Grissom (AAA: EValdez/Yorke)

3B: Story (AAA: Meidroth)

SS: Mayer (Story/Grissom)

LF: Duran (Refsnyder/Abreu)

CF: Anthony-Rafaela

RF: Abreu-Anthony

 

With the pitching staff looking more encouraging than it has since 2018, maybe- just maybe, we can become relevant sooner than some seem to think.

 

Playing Casas, and Raffy each 81 games at 1B?🙈🤭🤮. I think that’s a terrible idea, and wouldn’t help either one of them. Maybe Raffy could play 1B, and maybe he couldn’t, but i wouldn’t count on it, and haven’t seen anything to suggest he can. He is no Boomer Scott, or even Youck with the glove for that matter.

[mvp 78]

Yes, I definitely underestimated his defensive issues. They have been brought to my attention very emphatically since then.

 

I think I also figured that extension was a sign of more good spending to come. They keep fooling me.

 

Well, just don't fall for the Lucy holding the football act again.

[mvp 78]

Casas was the second worst 1b last season. Devers was tied with Muncy for worst at 3b.

 

Can Casas get better? Maybe. There's probably a better shot that Devers is a more proficient 1b than Casas IMO. I just don't know why you'd mess around with them yet to plug Story at 3b when he can't stay healthy enough to be on the field for more than a few weeks a year. Story is a backup player going forward. You can't rely on him for anything.

[mvp 78]

And I wouldn't pencil Grissom in as the starting 2b for 2025.

[Old Red]

No, and that is why I think moving him to 1B/DH improves the team and his value.

 

People say why pay him $300M to DH, but is it better to pay him $300M to suck at defense 2 out of every 3 years, or 2.5 out of 4 years?

 

Moving Raffy anywhere does NOT increase his value. Talking about 2 out of every 3 years, or 2.5 out of 4 years is useless too. Either he gets better, or he doesn’t.

[notin]

Moving Raffy anywhere does NOT increase his value. Talking about 2 out of every 3 years, or 2.5 out of 4 years is useless too. Either he gets better, or he doesn’t.

 

It doesn't increase his value, but it doesn't hurt it either. Devers' value is solely tied to his bat.

 

But moving him does stand a chance at improving overall team play by upgrading the defense. Austin Riley made a difference with his glove last night, for example...

[notin]

And I wouldn't pencil Grissom in as the starting 2b for 2025.

 

I would right now. Who's knocking on that door?

[mvp 78]

I would right now. Who's knocking on that door?

 

He's played 4 games for the Sox. He could be absolutely brutal this year. His defense could be as bad at 2b as it was at SS. Maybe he just doesn't hit at all? If that's the case, they'd have to find someone else. Mayer? Story? Acquisition? Other internal option?

[Old Red]

It doesn't increase his value, but it doesn't hurt it either. Devers' value is solely tied to his bat.

 

But moving him does stand a chance at improving overall team play by upgrading the defense. Austin Riley made a difference with his glove last night, for example...

 

The Braves also have an excellent 1B. They are playing the cards they dealt themselves, and the Red Sox are doing the same with NOshida, Raffy, and Casas. The Braves dealt themselves a better hand, and that’s one reason they are a better team.

[Old Red]

He's played 4 games for the Sox. He could be absolutely brutal this year. His defense could be as bad at 2b as it was at SS. Maybe he just doesn't hit at all? If that's the case, they'd have to find someone else. Mayer? Story? Acquisition? Other internal option?

 

Who knows maybe the RAF Man sticks in the IF somewhere. Grissom is far from a lock as the long term solution at 2B.

[notin]

He's played 4 games for the Sox. He could be absolutely brutal this year. His defense could be as bad at 2b as it was at SS. Maybe he just doesn't hit at all? If that's the case, they'd have to find someone else. Mayer? Story? Acquisition? Other internal option?

 

He could be absolutely brutal, but again, 4 games. At a bare minimum he should be "penciled" long enough to see how good he really is, and right now, like it or not, he is the clear frontrunner for the 2b position in 2025. The only other feasible option within the organization is Mayer, and you don't move him to 2B unless you have confidence Story will be showing up for work a rather large amount of time over the next 3 seasons.

 

But right now any questions we have about Grissom - most of which I would suspect are tied to his 2 for 17 start - apply just as easily to any other internal option that we have.

 

And if Grissom even appears to be a league average secondbaseman with the glove, how high is upgrading over him on the priority list?

 

I mean, even if Grissom is a complete bust this year all around, is that the extent of his opportunity?

[dgalehouse]

You can't put it all on Devers. It's a team sport. When one guy is struggling (and it happens to everyone) the others have to step up and do their part. Right now the Sox are getting very little from the bottom half of the order.

[notin]

The Braves also have an excellent 1B. They are playing the cards they dealt themselves, and the Red Sox are doing the same with NOshida, Raffy, and Casas. The Braves dealt themselves a better hand, and that’s one reason they are a better team.

 

A lot of the cards the sox dealt themselves are sitting out the games right now. Two of the three players you highlight are not available and the Sox have had to dig deep for replacements. When was the last time you saw a player get called up simply because he was the only healthy bat left on the 40 man roster?

 

This team isn't a great defensive team with Casas and Yoshida in the lineup, but it is a better overall team...

Edited May 9, 2024 by notin

[notin]

You can't put it all on Devers. It's a team sport. When one guy is struggling (and it happens to everyone) the others have to step up and do their part. Right now the Sox are getting very little from the bottom half of the order.

 

The bottom half of the order has been filled with guys no one expected any production from, let alone relied on it. This team is still down 3 starters from the lineup. If they could replace Romy/Hamilton/Cooper/Smith types with Casas, Yoshida, and Story, I suspect the hitting would be noticeably better.

 

And even Romy is in there as an upgrade over the deadweight occupying that spot previously...

[mvp 78]

The Braves also have an excellent 1B. They are playing the cards they dealt themselves, and the Red Sox are doing the same with NOshida, Raffy, and Casas. The Braves dealt themselves a better hand, and that’s one reason they are a better team.

 

Braves signed young talent to below market extensions. Red Sox are signing young talent to at or above market extensions.

[mvp 78]

Who knows maybe the RAF Man sticks in the IF somewhere. Grissom is far from a lock as the long term solution at 2B.

 

I need my IFers to OPS higher than 650.