Article: Who’s the Red Sox Third Baseman? It's Messy

[mvp 78]

16 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

OK, sorry. I do think Rafaela as a super-duper utility man could still get 450-550 PAs, even without major injuries. He can play OF, 2B, SS and by moving others to 3B or 1B can fill in their slots, if a corner IF'er goes down.

He's getting paid a lot for a bench role...

I'm going to stop you right there. He was EXTENDED at 7M per year for an untested player. It was a horrible decision. No other bench player with one year's experience has that CBT hit. He's being paid as a STARTER. He's being extended because they assumed that he was going to do well in his ARB years (he wouldn't have) and wanted to protect him from leaving in FA. It's the one deal that makes me really question what the hell Breslow was doing last season. 

[Old Red]

14 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I'm going to stop you right there. He was EXTENDED at 7M per year for an untested player. It was a horrible decision. No other bench player with one year's experience has that CBT hit. He's being paid as a STARTER. He's being extended because they assumed that he was going to do well in his ARB years (he wouldn't have) and wanted to protect him from leaving in FA. It's the one deal that makes me really question what the hell Breslow was doing last season. 

Brez was in a given mood last year for better, or worse, and tried to lock up the young guys, RAF Man, and Bello took it, and Casas didn’t. 

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, notin said:

I’d do it to get Anthony in the lineup.  Maybe limit Rafaela to a super utility / RHH platoon in RF.  Demote Romy to Worcester…

Maybe not....

vs RHP:
LF Anthony, CF Duran, RF Abreu

vs LHP:                                                                                                                                                                                  LF Refsnyder, CF Duran, RF Anthony

Anthony will not be called up to play PT.

Refsnyder will not be benched vs LHPs.

 

[mvp 78]

23 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Brez was in a given mood last year for better, or worse, and tried to lock up the young guys, RAF Man, and Bello took it, and Casas didn’t. 

It was dumb because it hamstrings the budget if Henry doesn't want to spend at some point. 

[mvp 78]

18 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Maybe not....

vs RHP:
LF Anthony, CF Duran, RF Abreu

vs LHP:                                                                                                                                                                                  LF Refsnyder, CF Duran, RF Anthony

Anthony will not be called up to play PT.

Refsnyder will not be benched vs LHPs.

 

Have Refsnyder DH? 

[Old Red]

2 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

It was dumb because it hamstrings the budget if Henry doesn't want to spend at some point. 

I agree, but Brez thought it was a good idea at the time.

[Hitch]

Paying under $7m a year for a contract delivering almost 3 WAR a season so far is just fine by me,

[mvp 78]

18 minutes ago, Hitch said:

Paying under $7m a year for a contract delivering almost 3 WAR a season so far is just fine by me,

Not when you could pay him 750k for 3 years and then 2M, 4M and 6M. He's massively overpaid. 

[TheSplinteredSplendor]

On 2/21/2025 at 6:44 PM, jad said:

You really think the union would go along with this?  You really do?  Guy doesn't want to play a certain position? we bench him without pay.  We don't like a guy's attitude? Bench him without pay.  Guy doesn't get in perfect shape? Bench him without pay. Even the cowardly-ass unions I've been paart of (and you too, I imagine), would not accept that .    Actually, I'm pretty sure the ONLY place such idiotic discussions are taking plaace are on sports boards and in some minor-reporter's head.

Well, if he refuses to play where the team tells him to play then he is in violation of his contract. Hence, the union would have no leg to stand on. That's why, as the article pointed out, Soriano moved to the outfield. Smh.

And, no, I never have been part of a union nor would I. I have been a business owner most of my adult life, not a worker.

[TheSplinteredSplendor]

On 2/21/2025 at 6:31 PM, mvp 78 said:

Manfred is already threatening a lockout in 2027, so I don’t think we’re getting a strike before then. 

Regardless, they weren't going to strike because devers refused to follow the team's instructions.

jad is delusional.

[mvp 78]

17 minutes ago, TheSplinteredSplendor said:

Regardless, they weren't going to strike because devers refused to follow the team's instructions.

jad is delusional.

Everyone is allowed a bad take here or there. You have had your fair share as well. 

[TheSplinteredSplendor]

7 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Everyone is allowed a bad take here or there. You have had your fair share as well. 

Nah, once I thought I was wrong, but I was mistaken! :)

[Bellhorn04]

11 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Makes me wonder if he needed surgery last August and maybe he'd be okay by now.

It was diagnosed as inflammation and no structural damage.  What kind of surgery?

[mvp 78]

9 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

It was diagnosed as inflammation and no structural damage.  What kind of surgery?

I would like jacko's take on the matter, actually. 

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Have Refsnyder DH? 

Instead of Devers/Casas?

[mvp 78]

Just now, moonslav59 said:

Instead of Devers/Casas?

Jeez, I was under the assumption that Devers was still at 3b and Bregman was at 2b. Until Devers is actually moved off position, I think that's the starting point for most arguments. 

[notin]

3 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Maybe not....

vs RHP:
LF Anthony, CF Duran, RF Abreu

vs LHP:                                                                                                                                                                                  LF Refsnyder, CF Duran, RF Anthony

Anthony will not be called up to play PT.

Refsnyder will not be benched vs LHPs.

 

Still involves benching Rafaela.

Refsnyder works just as well (or better?) in a DH platoon…

[drewski6]

The Red Sox 3rd baseman is TBD.  Lot of moving parts, and we need the spring to see if prospects force their way on, Devers health, any other injuries...

There is simply no reason to make a final decision right now.

My hunch is our 3b next year is going to be Devers some of the time, Bregman some of the time, maybe Christian Campbell some of the time, maybe another dude some of the time. But I think its fluid.

[Old Red]

30 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

The Red Sox 3rd baseman is TBD.  Lot of moving parts, and we need the spring to see if prospects force their way on, Devers health, any other injuries...

There is simply no reason to make a final decision right now.

My hunch is our 3b next year is going to be Devers some of the time, Bregman some of the time, maybe Christian Campbell some of the time, maybe another dude some of the time. But I think its fluid.

Either Devers should be the 3B FT, or not. Having him be part of a revolving door he’d be worse than he is now IMO. Either FT 3B, or FT DH.

[TheSplinteredSplendor]

39 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

The Red Sox 3rd baseman is TBD.

Not according to devers......

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Still involves benching Rafaela.

Refsnyder works just as well (or better?) in a DH platoon…

Agreed, but with Bregman at 3B and Devers/casas at DH, Ref has to play corner OF vs LHPs.

[moonslav59]

20 minutes ago, TheSplinteredSplendor said:

Not according to devers......

Bregman has equal seniority. I'm not sure why Devers might thinkhis opinion over rides all others.

[Bellhorn04]

10 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Bregman has equal seniority. I'm not sure why Devers might thinkhis opinion over rides all others.

Not sure how much it matters, but seniority typically refers to amount of time with the organization, no?

[Old Red]

6 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Bregman has equal seniority. I'm not sure why Devers might thinkhis opinion over rides all others.

This has been already been gone over before. Having equal seniority in the league ALL with ANOTHER team does not give Bregman equal seniority with the Red Sox IMO. Devers has EVERY right to feel that way, and it shouldn’t come as any surprise to anyone.

[Old Red]

7 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Not sure how much it matters, but seniority typically refers to amount of time with the organization, no?

100% Yes! That’s basically what Casas was saying when Casas was asked the question about who should play 3B.

[dgalehouse]

If things are done as they should be, this is the manager's decision. Cora should not let it drag out. Take everything into account and make your lineup out the way you think is best. The sooner, the better. 

[Bellhorn04]

29 minutes ago, dgalehouse said:

If things are done as they should be, this is the manager's decision. Cora should not let it drag out. Take everything into account and make your lineup out the way you think is best. The sooner, the better. 

There are a bunch of moving parts.  In theory both Campbell and Grissom have a shot at being opening day 2B, for one thing.  If neither of them impresses enough, it could make sense for Bregman to be opening day 2B, which means Devers at 3B.  So it's a little soon to be telling any of these guys where they're playing.

[Old Red]

2 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

There are a bunch of moving parts.  In theory both Campbell and Grissom have a shot at being opening day 2B, for one thing.  If neither of them impresses enough, it could make sense for Bregman to be opening day 2B, which means Devers at 3B.  So it's a little soon to be telling any of these guys where they're playing.

That seems to be the dominant theory out there that someone has to win the 2B job impressive enough, so they will pretty much man the position FT. Like Merloni said if that happens great, and if not Bregman should be at 2B, and Raffy at 3B providing Raffy is physically able to throw.

[dgalehouse]

It's an important decision that the manager has to make. It effects the infield defense on the one hand and the morale and attitude of your best hitter on the other hand. Both play a big role in the team's success. But that is the manager's job. Do it. Letting it drag on shows indecisiveness.   And if a prospect makes a big enough impact in spring training to win a starting job, you can make adjustments. That is always the case with rookies anyway. Saying things like " These things have a way of sorting themselves out ", etc. is a cop out. 

[Hitch]

7 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Not when you could pay him 750k for 3 years and then 2M, 4M and 6M. He's massively overpaid. 

We've no idea yet how much he would have got in arb and free agent years. The time to judge if he's been massively overpaid will be in several years.

Until then, 6,250,000 against the luxury tax is killing no-one.