Red Sox sign Alex Bregman

[Hugh2]

4 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

They already said he will be, so there is that.

The worst choice is playing Masas at DH, so Bregman can play 2B, Devers 3B and Casas 1B.

Do we believe everything they say?

alternatively, if they wanted to move Yoshida or at least not cause drama would they openly say they don't have confidence in him playing the field?

If Campbell and Anthony look ready, do you block one of those guys so Masa can play LF? I don't think that would happen at this point. 

I'm not saying he wont' play any LF this year, but his days of starting in LF are over, in Boston at least. 

[mvp 78]

14 hours ago, Old Red said:

Is he a plus plus 2B? How’s he turn the DP? Is just equal, or yet to be determined better offense worth $40M?

Bregman will at least be an average 2B. O'Neill was a big time negative defender in OF last year. 

[Old Red]

3 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Bregman will at least be an average 2B. O'Neill was a big time negative defender in OF last year. 

I wasn’t for bringing O’Neil back, but just asking if Bregman would give you more HR, and RBI production than what O’Neil did, and if  the Red SOX Would be any more improved against LHP.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

20 minutes ago, Hitch said:

Also Bregman is not playing 2B so Massa can play. Nobody is playing anywhere just so Masaa can play. He's an afterthought, an annoyance. Not a part they're figuring stuff out around. 

Holy - you guys realize Yoshida is a career .300 hitter vs. right-handed pitchers?

Devers and Duran are career .280 batters vs RHP, Abreu .277, Bregman .271. 

Princeton can use a guy like Joel.

[mvp 78]

4 minutes ago, Old Red said:

I wasn’t for bringing O’Neil back, but just asking if Bregman would give you more HR, and RBI production than what O’Neil did, and if  the Red SOX Would be any more improved against LHP.

O'Neill had more HRs than Bregman did, but Bregman had way more total bases than O'Neill which is more important. He's been much healthier and productive than O'Neill has been, even last year. Also, Bregman has a very low k rate, which this team really needs. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

27 minutes ago, Old Red said:

I wasn’t for bringing O’Neil back, but just asking if Bregman would give you more HR, and RBI production than what O’Neil did, and if  the Red SOX Would be any more improved against LHP.

TO's 31 homers partially accounted for 61 RBI, which means he only drove in 30 teammates the entire season.

In comparison, Ceddanne Rafaela drove in 60 teammates. And there are posters here who wanted him sent back to the minors.

[Hitch]

26 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Holy - you guys realize Yoshida is a career .300 hitter vs. right-handed pitchers?

Devers and Duran are career .280 batters vs RHP, Abreu .277, Bregman .271. 

Princeton can use a guy like Joel.

I do, For me he's a one tool, light hitting DH. But it's not about my opinion, (apart from his contract, I don't dislike having him around), but if you think Cora wants him on this team, you've either not being paying attention or forgetting how he treated him for parts of last year. There were days and weeks where he was getting questions on why he wasn't playing Yoshida DH against righties (or at all in the field), and he was glib, almost dismissive on times This happened routinely,  I feel like a lot of you have forgotten this.

A 2 minute google and you can find these sorts of comments coming out a lot last year - 

Quote

Despite how well Masataka Yoshida is playing for the Red Sox of late, the team opted to not to start him Friday night.

Yoshida was benched in Boston’s first game of its series against the Tigers in favor of Rafael Devers, who was the Red Sox’ designated hitter in their 7-5 victory Friday. Devers had missed the previous three games due to shoulder soreness.

“He’s not playing the outfield,” Cora explained (h/t MassLive’s Christopher Smith). “He hasn’t played the outfield the whole season. We’re not going to do it now.”

 

Quote

Masataka Yoshida being out of the Boston Red Sox starting lineup for a third straight game when they take on the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday raised eyebrows.

Given the rash of injuries that have hit the Red Sox early this season, perhaps the injury bug bit Yoshida as well. But that's not the case.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora explained Yoshida's absence has to do with the returns of Tyler O'Neill and Rafael Devers, who missed the last five games due to a knee injury. The Red Sox put O'Neill and Devers at the designated hitter spot in their first games back, bumping Yoshida out of his role.

"(Yoshida's) an everyday DH, man. I don't know what the big deal is," Cora told reporters from Progressive Field, per MLB.com's Ian Browne. "O'Neill had to DH yesterday. Raffy had to DH today. He'll DH tomorrow. I don't get it. It just happens that (O'Neill) came out of the IL and Raffy can't play third today. So he's not DH-ing. Our outfield is O'Neill, (Wilyer) Abreu and (Jarren) Duran. Yesterday and today, he was ready to play but we can't play him. How do you see it?”

 

Yoshida played like twice in the next week after this quote.  I remember Cora getting ratty about it when pressed. 

Like I said, it;s not what I think is going to happen, or how he is viewed, it's what Cora is telling you if you watch him talk about the guy. I get the impression (this is just a hunch) that Breslow sees him in not much a better light. If he was available for £8m a year, we would't be bringing him here. If they can find a way to give away his contract, he's gone. 

That people think he is going to start a significant amount of games in left field this year, just to get him in the lineup, blows my mind.

[mvp 78]

7 minutes ago, Hitch said:

I do, For me he's a one tool, light hitting DH. But it's not about my opinion, (apart from his contract, I don't dislike having him around), but if you think Cora wants him on this team, you've either not being paying attention or forgetting how he treated him for parts of last year. There were days and weeks where he was getting questions on why he wasn't playing Yoshida DH against righties (or at all in the field), and he was glib, almost dismissive on times This happened routinely,  I feel like a lot of you have forgotten this.

A 2 minute google and you can find these sorts of comments coming out a lot last year - 

 

 

Yoshida played like twice in the next week after this quote.  I remember Cora getting ratty about it when pressed. 

Like I said, it;s not what I think is going to happen, or how he is viewed, it's what Cora is telling you if you watch him talk about the guy. I get the impression (this is just a hunch) that Breslow sees him in not much a better light. If he was available for £8m a year, we would't be bringing him here. If they can find a way to give away his contract, he's gone. 

That people think he is going to start a significant amount of games in left field this year, just to get him in the lineup, blows my mind.

He couldn't physically play the OF last year because of his shoulder. Seems obvious enough to me. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

6 minutes ago, Hitch said:

Yoshida played like twice in the next week after this quote.  I remember Cora getting ratty about it when pressed. 

Like I said, it;s not what I think is going to happen, or how he is viewed, it's what Cora is telling you if you watch him talk about the guy. I get the impression (this is just a hunch) that Breslow sees him in not much a better light. If he was available for £8m a year, we would't be bringing him here. If they can find a way to give away his contract, he's gone. 

That people think he is going to start a significant amount of games in left field this year, just to get him in the lineup, blows my mind.

I think most agree Cora's comments about Masa playing LF -- or even if he does play there a little -- was to drive up his trade value. The Sox have plenty of better options in the outfield.

Not that I think Yoshida totally sucks as bad as Franchy or Schwarbs or Manny (-21.7 dWAR) or plenty of other butchers out there over the years.

But true contenders play competent outfielders that can at least get a glove on line drives and deflect, redirect and protect light bulbs on the Green Monster (there's a reason we've never seen that before in Fenway Park).

[Hitch]

10 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

He couldn't physically play the OF last year because of his shoulder. Seems obvious enough to me. 

The point is he wasn't getting DH spots either, even following good days. Cora (and I believe Breslow) doesn't rate him. That seems obvious enough to me.

[Old Red]

15 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

He couldn't physically play the OF last year because of his shoulder. Seems obvious enough to me. 

Yeh, we’ll go with that. Masa is still looking for that ball that got stuck in the light in the wall. 🤫

[Bellhorn04]

6 minutes ago, Hitch said:

The point is he wasn't getting DH spots either, even following good days. Cora (and I believe Breslow) doesn't rate him. That seems obvious enough to me.

He did step up to the plate 421 times last year, 7th most on the team.  It's not like he was totally buried.

[Old Red]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

O'Neill had more HRs than Bregman did, but Bregman had way more total bases than O'Neill which is more important. He's been much healthier and productive than O'Neill has been, even last year. Also, Bregman has a very low k rate, which this team really needs. 

Total bases are one thing, but HR, and RBI show up on the scoreboard as they happen. We’ll see what kind of Numbers Bregman can put up this year.

[notin]

1 hour ago, Hitch said:

Cora said it once, and if you think it was for any other reason than trying to add value so they can dump him I think you're in for a surprise. Cortillo, McAdam's and Meloni all think this as well. 

Cora and Breslow clearly don't rate the guy. I don't blame them.

Also Bregman is not playing 2B so Massa can play. Nobody is playing anywhere just so Masaa can play. He's an afterthought, an annoyance. Not a part they're figuring stuff out around. 

I am willing to bet the Sox do not think of Yoshida as “an annoyance.”   Just some fans…

[mvp 78]

17 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Total bases are one thing, but HR, and RBI show up on the scoreboard as they happen. We’ll see what kind of Numbers Bregman can put up this year.

O'Neill 109 HR 278 RBI 

Bregman 191 HR 663 RBI

Bregman had 75 RBI last season. O'Neill has only had more than that once in his whole career!!!!!!

[mvp 78]

16 minutes ago, notin said:

I am willing to bet the Sox do not think of Yoshida as “an annoyance.”   Just some fans…

Masa is going to be dunking on some of these fans like Air Bud this season. 

[Old Red]

3 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

O'Neill 109 HR 278 RBI 

Bregman 191 HR 663 RBI

Bregman had 75 RBI last season. O'Neill has only had more than that once in his whole career!!!!!!

Good stats, and now we’ll just have to wait, and see how many HR, and RBI Bregman puts up this year, which most likely will be more RBI than O’Neil did last year.

[Hitch]

23 minutes ago, notin said:

I am willing to bet the Sox do not think of Yoshida as “an annoyance.”   Just some fans…

An annoyance is probably too strong.

But if he's available for £8m on the free market, we're not bringing him here. If he's available for even less but we had to give up a prospect, we're not bringing him here.

Every year/every team there's a player that gets more heat than most (and perhaps more than they deserve). A counter movement always arises from people that think he's getting hard done by. That's what is happening here. Because I'm pretty sure that in my two scenarios above, not even the counter argument people sign him under those terms.

Regardless, every respected RS journalist has posted this off season that the Red Sox are trying to find ways to move him.

He's not wanted. That this point needs to be argued for so much, is quite surprising. 

[Old Red]

5 minutes ago, Hitch said:

An annoyance is probably too strong.

But if he's available for £8m on the free market, we're not bringing him here. If he's available for even less but we had to give up a prospect, we're not bringing him here.

Every year/every team there's a player that gets more heat than most (and perhaps more than they deserve). A counter movement always arises from people that think he's getting hard done by. That's what is happening here. Because I'm pretty sure that in my two scenarios above, not even the counter argument people sign him under those terms.

Regardless, every respected RS journalist has posted this off season that the Red Sox are trying to find ways to move him.

He's not wanted. That this point needs to be argued for so much, is quite surprising. 

The Red Sox reportedly did try to unload Masa to Seattle when discussing the Casas/Castillo trade, but Seattle said no.

[Jasonbay44]

Even if Bregman can’t match O’Neill’s offensive production fully, having Casas for a full season over Dominic Smith and friends should help the offense.

Last season, there was over 500 ABs taken by Dominic Smith, Garrett Cooper, Pablo Reyes, Emmanuel Valdez, Bobby Dalbec and other rejects. With the current depth and MLB ready prospects, even with injuries that hopefully shouldn’t be a major issue this season. 

[notin]

36 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Total bases are one thing, but HR, and RBI show up on the scoreboard as they happen. We’ll see what kind of Numbers Bregman can put up this year.

O’Neill wasn’t exactly Mr. RBI.  He drove in himself more than he did all of his teammates combined.  That’s not easy to do with 30+ home runs…

[Hugh2]

12 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Good stats, and now we’ll just have to wait, and see how many HR, and RBI Bregman puts up this year, which most likely will be more RBI than O’Neil did last year.

I bet Bregman doesn't put up more HR's than O'Neil did last year. 

But I'd also be willing to bet O'Neil doesn't either

[Bellhorn04]

7 minutes ago, notin said:

O’Neill wasn’t exactly Mr. RBI.  He drove in himself more than he did all of his teammates combined.  That’s not easy to do with 30+ home runs…

Are you calling him a chocker with men on base?

[mvp 78]

 

[jad]

2 hours ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Holy - you guys realize Yoshida is a career .300 hitter vs. right-handed pitchers?

Devers and Duran are career .280 batters vs RHP, Abreu .277, Bregman .271. 

Princeton can use a guy like Joel.

Yoshida has hit better than most RS starters, who are mired around .250.  The anti-Masa rhetoric is hardly explainable from a baseball standpoint, but given Boston's history, it's not surprising.

[notin]

15 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Are you calling him a chocker with men on base?

He drove in 30 teammates.

For some perspective, Refsnyder drove in 29. Dominic Smith drove in 28.  Romy Gonzalez drove in 23…

[notin]

40 minutes ago, Hitch said:

An annoyance is probably too strong.

But if he's available for £8m on the free market, we're not bringing him here. If he's available for even less but we had to give up a prospect, we're not bringing him here.

Every year/every team there's a player that gets more heat than most (and perhaps more than they deserve). A counter movement always arises from people that think he's getting hard done by. That's what is happening here. Because I'm pretty sure that in my two scenarios above, not even the counter argument people sign him under those terms.

Regardless, every respected RS journalist has posted this off season that the Red Sox are trying to find ways to move him.

He's not wanted. That this point needs to be argued for so much, is quite surprising. 

Players are offered up in trades for more reasons than teams trying to get rid of them.  In fact, money is quite often a much larger factor.

Regardless right now he’s with the Sox, and most likely the starting DH.  That Cora has talked about him in the OF does indicate he’s in their plans this year.

People keep wanting the Sox to be run like the Dodgers?  Have you seen what the Dodgers do? They spend lots of money, stock up on MLB depth, and block prospects until they need them.  Isn’t that exact cry what Boston is doing?

[Old Red]

7 minutes ago, jad said:

Yoshida has hit better than most RS starters, who are mired around .250.  The anti-Masa rhetoric is hardly explainable from a baseball standpoint, but given Boston's history, it's not surprising.

When the Red Sox outbid everyone, and shut the bidding down in record time for Masa the Red Sox were in need of outfielders. Now they are not. Masa is not a good OF, and doesn’t hit enough to just be a FT DH unlike Ortiz, or JD, and I don’t think there is ANYTHING more to it than the Red Sox would like to get out of that contract, and move other people through the DH role, and NOTHING else IMO. Boston history?🙈

[Hitch]

11 minutes ago, jad said:

Yoshida has hit better than most RS starters, who are mired around .250.  The anti-Masa rhetoric is hardly explainable from a baseball standpoint, but given Boston's history, it's not surprising.

Hardly explainable why a light hitting DH who can't run, can't play defence and is on a contract absolutely nobody would pick up even if it was at half value on the free list right now is suffering disapproving rhetoric?

Goodness me. 

[Hitch]

2 minutes ago, notin said:

Players are offered up in trades for more reasons than teams trying to get rid of them.  In fact, money is quite often a much larger factor.

Regardless right now he’s with the Sox, and most likely the starting DH.  That Cora has talked about him in the OF does indicate he’s in their plans this year…

Agree on point 1. Disagree on point 2 and 3. But we shall see in time one way or another.

I'd love for you to be right that he'll end up valuable to us (and used).