Article: Nolan Arenado Makes Sense for the Red Sox (If They Make the Right Trade)

[moonslav59]

8 minutes ago, notin said:

Or - crazy thought here - they could start the year with Casas (1b), Grissom (2b), Devers (3b) and Story (SS) with Yoshida at DH…

It can happen with minimal transactions!!

Sure, run back a losing combo.

I've not given up on Grissom, but your continued faith in him over a DHam-Romy platoon surprises me.

[Old Red]

20 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Sure, run back a losing combo.

I've not given up on Grissom, but your continued faith in him over a DHam-Romy platoon surprises me.

Losing combo yes, but Story was out most of the year. Casas was out a good part of the year. Grissom was hurt in ST, which carried over into the regular season, and then came back, and had injuries again. Masa was out a part of the season too. Hardly an accurate preview of things to come if healthy.

[Larry Cook]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Or - crazy thought here - they could start the year with Casas (1b), Grissom (2b), Devers (3b) and Story (SS) with Yoshida at DH…

 

It can happen with minimal transactions!!

Three of the 4 are dumpster fires on defense!

swiss cheese infield 

[notin]

2 hours ago, Larry Cook said:

Three of the 4 are dumpster fires on defense!

swiss cheese infield 

But Yoshida is a flawless defender at DH.  So there is that…

[notin]

3 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Sure, run back a losing combo.

I've not given up on Grissom, but your continued faith in him over a DHam-Romy platoon surprises me.

They’re all options.  But the Sox clearly saw something in Grissom that they felt made him worth taking on money in the Sale trade.  And Atlanta saw enough in Grissom that they spent include him in that trade unless Boston paid up.  Unless they sign Bregman (still in play), Grissom is the likeliest member of the Sox organization to get first crack at 2b…

[mvp 78]

15 hours ago, drewski6 said:

He may be this year's Boras 4, as in overplayed his hand

That's my opinion as well. 

[mvp 78]

12 hours ago, notin said:

Or - crazy thought here - they could start the year with Casas (1b), Grissom (2b), Devers (3b) and Story (SS) with Yoshida at DH…

 

It can happen with minimal transactions!!

Pain.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

11 hours ago, Old Red said:

Losing combo yes, but Story was out most of the year. Casas was out a good part of the year. Grissom was hurt in ST, which carried over into the regular season, and then came back, and had injuries again. Masa was out a part of the season too. Hardly an accurate preview of things to come if healthy.

Sounds like a plan: bring back all the injury-prone players and count on them again, because athletes are always healthier with every additional year they age.

[Old Red]

14 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Sounds like a plan: bring back all the injury-prone players and count on them again, because athletes are always healthier with every additional year they age.

I’m not for bringing them all back at all. I was pointing out a little tidbit that was left out that all were injured last year including Raffy who had a bad shoulder from early in the season.

[mvp 78]

16 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Sounds like a plan: bring back all the injury-prone players and count on them again, because athletes are always healthier with every additional year they age.

Grissom doesn't have a track record of being injured prior to last season and neither does Masa. Story and Casas are a different issue at the moment. 

[Bellhorn04]

21 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Sounds like a plan: bring back all the injury-prone players and count on them again, because athletes are always healthier with every additional year they age.

Out of Casas, Grissom and Story, the only one that's had his 25th birthday is Story, so I don't think age is a factor here.

Casas - his injury is of a type that makes us all nervous, no question.  May have to do with why they seem to be actively shopping him.

Grissom - Mr. X - the odds don't seem great he's a long-term Red Sox player, but they have to give him a shot.

Story - have to give him his shot too.  Sale-esque situation.

I don't think the Sox are really counting on any of these 3 as locks to be healthy and productive.

[Old Red]

5 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Grissom doesn't have a track record of being injured prior to last season and neither does Masa. Story and Casas are a different issue at the moment. 

Story has three years left on his contract. Haven’t heard if the Red Sox are trying to work out an extension with Casas like they were last year. I’m guessing not.

[moonslav59]

It goes beyond injury for Grissom and Story. Can they hit? 

We know Story is a plus glove, but we also know Grissom looks awful. Grissom is young enough to still improve, but can we afford to give him a long look and find out the answer is no?

I'd rather start the season with a DHam-Romy or DHam-Grissom 2B platoon, or just give Campbell the job right out of the gate. Both look like better chances at early success.

Playing Grissom in some attempt to make some good on the Sale trade does sound like something the Sox FO may choose to do, but how about trying to give the club the best chance at winning?

11 hours ago, Old Red said:

 

 

[Bellhorn04]

6 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Story has three years left on his contract. Haven’t heard if the Red Sox are trying to work out an extension with Casas like they were last year. I’m guessing not.

Especially since they seem very busy trying to work out a trade for him.

 

[moonslav59]

4 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Out of Casas, Grissom and Story, the only one that's had his 25th birthday is Story, so I don't think age is a factor here.

Casas - his injury is of a type that makes us all nervous, no question.  May have to do with why they seem to be actively shopping him.

Grissom - Mr. X - the odds don't seem great he's a long-term Red Sox player, but they have to give him a shot.

Story - have to give him his shot too.  Sale-esque situation.

I don't think the Sox are really counting on any of these 3 as locks to be healthy and productive.

Casas has had other injuries, too. He's had over 371 PAs, once (2023) since 2019. His highest 3 seasons are 501, 500 and 493.

[Bellhorn04]

4 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

It goes beyond injury for Grissom and Story. Can they hit? 

We know Story is a plus glove, but we also know Grissom looks awful. Grissom is young enough to still improve, but can we afford to give him a long look and find out the answer is no?

I'd rather start the season with a DHam-Romy or DHam-Grissom 2B platoon, or just give Campbell the job right out of the gate. Both look like better chances at early success.

Playing Grissom in some attempt to make some good on the Sale trade does sound like something the Sox FO may choose to do, but how about trying to give the club the best chance at winning?

 

I do think Campbell has a shot at opening day 2B if he impresses bigly in spring opportunities. 

[mvp 78]

19 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Story has three years left on his contract. Haven’t heard if the Red Sox are trying to work out an extension with Casas like they were last year. I’m guessing not.

Why would they work on an extension? He said no last year and their offer would be lower this time. 

[mvp 78]

20 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Casas has had other injuries, too. He's had over 371 PAs, once (2023) since 2019. His highest 3 seasons are 501, 500 and 493.

2018: tore UCL in thumb in second game

2019: 500

2021: 449 (including AFL)

2022: 429 (doesn't include USA baseball stats 24+ PA's,, missed 2 months with high ankle sprain)

2023: 502 (shoulder inflamation)

2024: 292 (rib injury)

[Bellhorn04]

Looks like Triston should have accepted the extension offer he got.

[Old Red]

28 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Why would they work on an extension? He said no last year and their offer would be lower this time. 

True blue, and Casas would be in a weaker position now IMO.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Old guy rant, but last century most preseason outlooks began with, "If our pitching stays healthy..."

Nowadays, every Red Sox winter always seems to start with, "IF EVERYTHING WORKS OUT PERFECTLY..."

... modern athletes are just bigger, stronger, more easily injured. It's why teams try to develop multi-positional players (and not Franchys, looking to contrive a position they may be competent at MLB levels).

Guys like Rafaela and hopefully Campbell have even more roster value than we can imagine. 

[Bellhorn04]

4 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Old guy rant, but last century most preseason outlooks began with, "If our pitching stays healthy..."

Nowadays, every Red Sox winter always seems to start with, "IF EVERYTHING WORKS OUT PERFECTLY..."

... modern athletes are just bigger, stronger, more easily injured. It's why teams try to develop multi-positional players (and not Franchys, looking to contrive a position they may be competent at MLB levels).

Weirdly enough, it seems to be baseball of all the major sports that has seen a rise in injury rates, as some guys continue to throw the ball harder and others try to hit it harder...

[mvp 78]

17 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Old guy rant, but last century most preseason outlooks began with, "If our pitching stays healthy..."

Nowadays, every Red Sox winter always seems to start with, "IF EVERYTHING WORKS OUT PERFECTLY..."

... modern athletes are just bigger, stronger, more easily injured. It's why teams try to develop multi-positional players (and not Franchys, looking to contrive a position they may be competent at MLB levels).

Guys like Rafaela and hopefully Campbell have even more roster value than we can imagine. 

Baseball players have always gotten injured. Ellis Burks and Mike Greenwell weren't jacked to the gills and they had injury issues off and on. Not every player can be a Dwight Evans and stay relatively healthy for most of their career. 

[mvp 78]

15 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Weirdly enough, it seems to be baseball of all the major sports that has seen a rise in injury rates, as some guys continue to throw the ball harder and others try to hit it harder...

I thought it was launch angles, not necessarily swinging harder? 

[notin]

1 hour ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Sounds like a plan: bring back all the injury-prone players and count on them again, because athletes are always healthier with every additional year they age.

That’s why we dealt Sale.

Are we back to labeling every player coming off an injury as “injury-prone”?  I mean, with the obvious exception of 2020, Devers hasn’t had fewer that 600 PA in a season since 2018.  And is Grissom really “injury prone”?

[notin]

1 hour ago, Bellhorn04 said:

I do think Campbell has a shot at opening day 2B if he impresses bigly in spring opportunities. 

He certainly does.

Despite my prediction the Sox will eventually be the “someone” that signs Bregman, 2b seems like the least of their issues due to the depth of options.  Even if Grissom, Hamilton, etc. dont pan out, they at least have Campbell.

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, notin said:

That’s why we dealt Sale…

If we deal Story, he could win Comeback Player of the Year though...

[notin]

3 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

If we deal Story, he could win Comeback Player of the Year though...

He  could also win it if we don’t deal him

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

8 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Baseball players have always gotten injured. Ellis Burks and Mike Greenwell weren't jacked to the gills and they had injury issues off and on. Not every player can be a Dwight Evans and stay relatively healthy for most of their career. 

Not denying that, but maybe guys played hurt more, while teams had less invested in them -- thus, less inclination to "take care of them." Players weren't set for life and didn't want to risk losing their jobs.

Yaz always played hurt, taping up injuries and adjusting stances and swings; he got booed when his production cratered in the early 70s, but he was at half-mast.

Rice was always in the line-up, but Lynn got grief for missing games for being too fragile.

[Bellhorn04]

18 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I thought it was launch angles, not necessarily swinging harder? 

I assume swinging harder can also translate to higher exit velocity.

Think Raffy's legendary HR off Chapman.

Raffy swings very hard and he had shoulder issues last year.  I'm thinking of him too, not just Casas.