A Realistic View of 2023: Part II

[notin]

He's the garbage time guy, but he needs to be at least competent enough to not force your closer to come in when you have more than a 5 run lead. Ort has options and will be the first sent to WOO once the next relief guy gets healthy.

 

Get a healthy relief guy!!!

 

 

Also, how on Earth do the PADRES sign Jose Iglesias!?! Dodgers? Makes sense. Red Sox? Clear need. Pirates? Good fit.

 

But the Padres? Already the most shortstop-infested roster ever!! He will just step in and be like 14th on the depth chart. (That’s not hyperbole.) Never mind the Padres, what was Iglesias thinking?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Duran is third in WAR for active Red Sox position players (behind Dugie and Devers). He also has a positive dWAR for the first time in his big league career.

 

Boston chose Duran in the 2018 draft with its 7th pick, 220th overall... after 1. Casas, 2. Decker, 3. Feltman, 4. Cottam, 5. Ward, 6. Granberg.

 

He turns 27 in September, so it's either still late... or right on prime.

[mvp 78]

Get a healthy relief guy!!!

 

 

Also, how on Earth do the PADRES sign Jose Iglesias!?! Dodgers? Makes sense. Red Sox? Clear need. Pirates? Good fit.

 

But the Padres? Already the most shortstop-infested roster ever!! He will just step in and be like 14th on the depth chart. (That’s not hyperbole.) Never mind the Padres, what was Iglesias thinking?

 

My guess is Iglesias has another opt out built into the new contract and he really likes the El Paso Chihuahuas uni.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Get a healthy relief guy!!!

 

 

Also, how on Earth do the PADRES sign Jose Iglesias!?! Dodgers? Makes sense. Red Sox? Clear need. Pirates? Good fit.

 

But the Padres? Already the most shortstop-infested roster ever!! He will just step in and be like 14th on the depth chart. (That’s not hyperbole.) Never mind the Padres, what was Iglesias thinking?

 

All blondes, and they rollerblade to the beach every day...

[notin]

All blondes, and they rollerblade to the beach every day...

 

He’s going to report to El Paso. That beach is a 4,000 hour trip by rollerblade…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

He’s going to report to El Paso. That beach is a 4,000 hour trip by rollerblade…

 

After Tucson it's all flat. But he could always take a weather balloon from a ranch near Roswell.

[Bellhorn04]

My guess is Iglesias has another opt out built into the new contract and he really likes the El Paso Chihuahuas uni.

 

Good one.

[mvp 78]

Good one.

 

El Paso is also one of the more hitter friendly stadiums in PCL which is a hitter friendly league. Maybe he's hoping for a stat bump that could get him a call up somewhere else?

[notin]

El Paso is also one of the more hitter friendly stadiums in PCL which is a hitter friendly league. Maybe he's hoping for a stat bump that could get him a call up somewhere else?

 

But if you know it’s a hitter friendly stadium, shouldn’t every MLB GM also be aware that any increase is likely just PCL Stadium Fluff and be somewhat less impressed?

[S5Dewey]

Get a healthy relief guy!!!

 

 

Also, how on Earth do the PADRES sign Jose Iglesias!?! Dodgers? Makes sense. Red Sox? Clear need. Pirates? Good fit.

 

But the Padres? Already the most shortstop-infested roster ever!! He will just step in and be like 14th on the depth chart. (That’s not hyperbole.) Never mind the Padres, what was Iglesias thinking?

 

It's possible that Iglesias wants to stay in baseball and the Padres is the only offer he got.

 

Now you ask, what's in it for the Padres? Maybe they recognize that there are several teams who need a SS and they may be able to trade him for something they need. Do the Padres need a relief pitcher who can't get anyone out? Ort for Iggy might work.

[mvp 78]

But if you know it’s a hitter friendly stadium, shouldn’t every MLB GM also be aware that any increase is likely just PCL Stadium Fluff and be somewhat less impressed?

 

I also knew that going into the season without a good SS/2B or decent SP options wasn't a great idea, but Chaim did it anyway.

[notin]

I also knew that going into the season without a good SS/2B or decent SP options wasn't a great idea, but Chaim did it anyway.

 

Well, even after Sort went down, they had Kike and Chang in line.

 

My question is - if you don’t like Hamilton enough to play him, why is he on the 40 man roster? Sure there was fear he might get taken in the Rule 5 draft, but who cares if he isn’t good enough to play?

[Hugh2]

It's possible that Iglesias wants to stay in baseball and the Padres is the only offer he got.

 

Now you ask, what's in it for the Padres? Maybe they recognize that there are several teams who need a SS and they may be able to trade him for something they need. Do the Padres need a relief pitcher who can't get anyone out? Ort for Iggy might work.

 

I don't think that's the case. Jose has been a FA now for two weeks after being released. I'm not sure a team would want to give up assets for guy they could have just signed now.

 

Team needs can change though.

 

Re-read your post. You're pretty much saying exactly this.

[mvp 78]

Well, even after Sort went down, they had Kike and Chang in line.

 

My question is - if you don’t like Hamilton enough to play him, why is he on the 40 man roster? Sure there was fear he might get taken in the Rule 5 draft, but who cares if he isn’t good enough to play?

 

I wouldn't have put him on the 40 man. I have the same question.

 

I'm not sure Chang is really a great depth option at SS long term. When Story goes down, the Sox were left with Kiké/Arroyo/MondesIL/Chang/Valdez as the "viable" options. That's got to be bottom 5 in the league for middle IF once you exclude Story.

[moonslav59]

I also knew that going into the season without a good SS/2B or decent SP options wasn't a great idea, but Chaim did it anyway.

 

I totally agree, and he didn't have to go expensive at middle IF.

 

I will say, he seems to have done a good to very good job filling these high need, off season slots:

 

Closer: Jansen

Set-Up: Martin (TBD a bit)

CF: Duvall (until hurt, but Duran is filling in nicely)

LF: Yoshida

DH Turner

 

Our OF went from near worst to near best, overnight.

 

Our pen went from bottom 8 to top 8.

 

Trusting in Bello and Casas is looking questionable, early in the season, but trusting in Duran as OF depth and Wink/Crawford as long men has looked good, so far.

[moonslav59]

They might have been afraid Hamilton would be taken Rule 5, and his hot start is showing maybe they might be right about protecting him, but we should know more about him in a couple months.

 

His trade value might have risen over the first month, but I doubt many GMs are swayed over small sample sizes, like many of us are.

[mvp 78]

They might have been afraid Hamilton would be taken Rule 5, and his hot start is showing maybe they might be right about protecting him, but we should know more about him in a couple months.

 

His trade value might have risen over the first month, but I doubt many GMs are swayed over small sample sizes, like many of us are.

 

I'm not swayed by his hot start. The Sox aren't either. They haven't called him up yet. Valdez is the one up right now.

[Bellhorn04]

We're Even Steven.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

We're Even Steven.

 

Can't say I'm disappointed after a tough stretch of playing first-place or contending teams. After getting swept out of the Trop, to go 8-5 vs. the Angels, Twins, Brewers and O's, the Sox have staved off elimination for another month.

 

No time to wallow in the mire.

[notin]

I'm not swayed by his hot start. The Sox aren't either. They haven't called him up yet. Valdez is the one up right now.

 

I don’t think it’s so much being swayed by his hot start as it is needing a SS and Hamilton is the last man standing.

 

He’s already on the 40 man. He’s already 25 years old. Not like they’re going to “ruin his development”. Either he’s a major leaguer or he isn’t, and right now is a good time to find out…

[Hugh2]

I don’t think it’s so much being swayed by his hot start as it is needing a SS and Hamilton is the last man standing.

 

He’s already on the 40 man. He’s already 25 years old. Not like they’re going to “ruin his development”. Either he’s a major leaguer or he isn’t, and right now is a good time to find out…

 

Hamilton has a 30 arm. He'd be the league leader in giving up infield hits at SS

[Hugh2]

I think Hamilton would be better at 2nd. Problem is, we need SS.

[mvp 78]

I don’t think it’s so much being swayed by his hot start as it is needing a SS and Hamilton is the last man standing.

 

He’s already on the 40 man. He’s already 25 years old. Not like they’re going to “ruin his development”. Either he’s a major leaguer or he isn’t, and right now is a good time to find out…

 

Hamilton is a 2B by all accounts. Valdez can't play 2B from what I've seen. He's the worst 2B that I can remember. He can hit though. My preference would be to stop punting on defense and just through Hamilton at 2B and see what happens at this point.

[mvp 78]

I think Hamilton would be better at 2nd. Problem is, we need SS.

 

Kiké is back to SS because he has the arm. Hamilton can field the position, but can't make the throws.

[notin]

Hamilton has a 30 arm. He'd be the league leader in giving up infield hits at SS

 

 

As opposed to leading the league in infield errors? Not sure that’s a step down. Plus he has 70 speed; he can run across the diamond and simply hand the ball to Casas.

 

Are IL hitters racking up infield hits to Hamilton? I honestly don’t know…

[notin]

Hamilton is a 2B by all accounts. Valdez can't play 2B from what I've seen. He's the worst 2B that I can remember. He can hit though. My preference would be to stop punting on defense and just through Hamilton at 2B and see what happens at this point.

 

I’d be ok with Hamilton at 2b, but that definitely keeps Kike at SS, especially with the way Duran is hitting…

[Old Red]

Kike at SS, and Valdez at 2B is Clink, and Clank. The Red Sox need a defensive SS. Kike can play SS, but he is not a SS. Chang solidified the D at SS, and the IF, so to go back to Kike is a step back.

[mvp 78]

The guys in the system who can actually play a respectable SS:

Nick Sogard - AAA (no pop at all, but can field the position and take a walk)

Niko Goodrum - AAA (no options, will have a 50% k rate)

Christian Koss - AA (a poor man's Rafaela, good glove, has pop, will k a lot and not walk)

Ceddanne Rafaela - AA (great glove, has pop, will k a lot and not walk, should stay in CF as he is plus plus there)

Marcelo Mayer - A (plus defender, question on when he'll arrive but not if)

[mvp 78]

Kike at SS, and Valdez at 2B is Clink, and Clank. The Red Sox need a defensive SS. Kike can play SS, but he is not a SS. Chang solidified the D at SS, and the IF, so to go back to Kike is a step back.

 

Capable fielding SS's aren't hard to find. Just trade for one sitting in AAA somewhere that can barely hit. Those guys tend to be dime a dozen.

[mvp 78]

I’d be ok with Hamilton at 2b, but that definitely keeps Kike at SS, especially with the way Duran is hitting…

 

Until they get a better option at SS, I think that's what they are stuck with.