Article: Masataka Yoshida’s Future in Boston Is as Clear as Mud

[Nick]

Speaking of Whitlock. I always felt Whitlock HAD to be considered for starting job SOLEY because we had no depth at starting pitching.

I think that was very true at the time of his extension. Why would anyone extend him for that much money for a reliever?

Now with plethora of starters, we can put him away in the pen.

 

[notin]

3 hours ago, Bellhorn04 said:

His only real opening is if Devers has to go on the IL, which is not really what you want.

Hardly.

If Duran gets hurt?  If Campbell struggles (and Cora moves Bregman to 2b?). If Rafaela needs to be sent down?

The Sox do have other options in these scenarios, but that doesn’t eliminate the possibility of Yoshida…

[Nick]

Yesterday I contacted "Cot's". I let him know that Sean Newcomb was not listed anywhere.

It's been corrected. I see his name on there today.

This is my third e-mail to the site over the last several years. 

Yep, I can be very nerdy.

[mvp 78]

9 minutes ago, Nick said:

Speaking of Whitlock. I always felt Whitlock HAD to be considered for starting job SOLEY because we had no depth at starting pitching.

I think that was very true at the time of his extension. Why would anyone extend him for that much money for a reliever?

Now with plethora of starters, we can put him away in the pen.

4/19M is a reliever contract. Even the two club options at 8 and 10 are very reasonable for a good reliever. 

[mvp 78]

4 minutes ago, Nick said:

Yesterday I contacted "Cot's". I let him know that Sean Newcomb was not listed anywhere.

It's been corrected. I see his name on there today.

This is my third e-mail to the site over the last several years. 

Yep, I can be very nerdy.

If they are missing Newcomb, guess what else they are probably missing across the league. The old grey mare ain't what she used to be. 

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Abreu didn’t hit lefties well in the minors either.  I don’t think his role expanded because he had a great opening day.  And it won’t be reduced if he goes 0 for 4 today…

Agreed, and all he did vs a lefty was draw a walk.

[drewski6]

If the red sox, at 25 years old, wont even give abreu the chance to be a non platoon player, then abreu needs to demand a trade. full stop.

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, drewski6 said:

If the red sox, at 25 years old, wont even give abreu the chance to be a non platoon player, then abreu needs to demand a trade. full stop.

When a player platoons, he often gets several chances to bat vs the oppo hand RP'er. He will need to do well in those few and far between ABs to work his way into playing FT.

You can't hit .525 and demand anything.

I'm not against giving anyone a chance, but we need to win as much as we can.

BTW, why can't Ref demand to play vs lefties or be traded? Now, he would have a strong case.

[mvp 78]

7 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

If the red sox, at 25 years old, wont even give abreu the chance to be a non platoon player, then abreu needs to demand a trade. full stop.

If Masataka is ok to be sent to AAA, Wilyer should be fine to platoon. The Sox are in the winning business. Abreu really struggles against LHP. It's fine if he's the big spoon in RF with Refsnyder. He'll get a lot of at bats that way. 

[Hitch]

2 hours ago, notin said:

Hardly.

If Duran gets hurt?  If Campbell struggles (and Cora moves Bregman to 2b?). If Rafaela needs to be sent down?

The Sox do have other options in these scenarios, but that doesn’t eliminate the possibility of Yoshida…

Anthony comes up. 

Mayer comes up.

Bregman is not moving off 3rd.

Yoshida has no long term place at this club and they'll continue to try and unload him.

[mvp 78]

Just now, Hitch said:

Anthony comes up. 

Mayer comes up.

Bregman is not moving off 3rd.

Yoshida has no long term place at this club and they'll continue to try and unload him.

Bregman may opt out this offseason. Story has an opt out too, but it's less likely. 

3B Mayer

SS Story

2B Campbell

LF Anthony

DH Devers

One of the above players could still get hurt and the cards could get shuffled again (Devers to 3B, Masa to DH). Casas also isn't the healthiest guy in the world and has a contract that ends in a few years. Do they just trade him if they don't extend him? 

It seems to make sense that the easiest roster maneuver is to eat salary and trade Masa, but this ownership group has held a tight budget at times. 

[Hitch]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

Bregman may opt out this offseason. Story has an opt out too, but it's less likely. 

3B Mayer

SS Story

2B Campbell

LF Anthony

DH Devers

One of the above players could still get hurt and the cards could get shuffled again (Devers to 3B, Masa to DH). Casas also isn't the healthiest guy in the world and has a contract that ends in a few years. Do they just trade him if they don't extend him? 

It seems to make sense that the easiest roster maneuver is to eat salary and trade Masa, but this ownership group has held a tight budget at times. 

There's no chance Devers goes back to 3rd now they've got him off bar an injury crisis this year. If Bregman and Story (next to no chance) opt out they'll make other signings/promotions. Devers is the longterm DH and they're going to continue to try and trade Yoshida. 

I don't know if people are playing Devil's Advocate with this, but I hope that's what it is at least. He's getting little game time bar an injury crisis. 

[moonslav59]

19 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

If Masataka is ok to be sent to AAA, Wilyer should be fine to platoon. The Sox are in the winning business. Abreu really struggles against LHP. It's fine if he's the big spoon in RF with Refsnyder. He'll get a lot of at bats that way. 

He may end up PH'ing in many games he starts on the bench.

[moonslav59]

7 minutes ago, Hitch said:

There's no chance Devers goes back to 3rd now they've got him off bar an injury crisis this year. If Bregman and Story (next to no chance) opt out they'll make other signings/promotions. Devers is the longterm DH and they're going to continue to try and trade Yoshida. 

I don't know if people are playing Devil's Advocate with this, but I hope that's what it is at least. He's getting little game time bar an injury crisis. 

Agreed.

Mayer is the longtime back-up at 3B.

[mvp 78]

13 minutes ago, Hitch said:

There's no chance Devers goes back to 3rd now they've got him off bar an injury crisis this year. If Bregman and Story (next to no chance) opt out they'll make other signings/promotions. Devers is the longterm DH and they're going to continue to try and trade Yoshida. 

I don't know if people are playing Devil's Advocate with this, but I hope that's what it is at least. He's getting little game time bar an injury crisis. 

He's still taking reps at 3b before games so we'll just have to see.

[mvp 78]

6 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Agreed.

Mayer is the longtime back-up at 3B.

Mayer's best position would be SS though! 

In a perfect world, they could have the following lineup next season:

1B Casas

2B Campbell

SS Mayer

3B Bregman

LF Anthony

CF Duran

RF Abreu

DH Devers

[moonslav59]

6 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Mayer's best position would be SS though! 

In a perfect world, they could have the following lineup next season:

1B Casas

2B Campbell

SS Mayer

3B Bregman

LF Anthony

CF Duran

RF Abreu

DH Devers

Agreed.

I still like notin's trade idea of Story for Murphy. Maybe throw in some cash and or a blocked prospect.

I think DHam, Romy & Rafaela can be enough middle IF depth to hold us to Arias & Romero.

[Bellhorn04]

1 hour ago, drewski6 said:

If the red sox, at 25 years old, wont even give abreu the chance to be a non platoon player, then abreu needs to demand a trade. full stop.

And Cora will give Abreu the chance to show he can hit lefties.  We just saw it in Game One.

I don't think you could ask for a better manager in a situation like this.

[drewski6]

2 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

If Masataka is ok to be sent to AAA, Wilyer should be fine to platoon. The Sox are in the winning business. Abreu really struggles against LHP. It's fine if he's the big spoon in RF with Refsnyder. He'll get a lot of at bats that way. 

Wilyer Abreu will just not stop getting better, and the suggestion that he struggles at anything baseball related may be dated.  Hes criminally underrated, winning a gold glove in his rookie season and coming into this year locked in at the plate.  .275 is the new .300. Understand its one game, but combined with last years improvement, it could suggest another step forward.  He may not even have 100% of his energy right now. But if he does - he shouldnt sit against anyone until he strikes out.  If after a couple weeks , he settles into what many are saying he is (platoon player), fine.  But he could be this years Duran and if hes going to be , let him

Dude is super impressive. I thought Bregman was going to be our under the radar monster and my moneys on Abreu now.  Im about to go trade George Kirby for him in my fantasy league and in 2 months Harmony is going to be proposing that very trade here.

My money is that he's going to compete for both GG and SS slugger this year, and thats not a guy you platoon.

[drewski6]

But I do think that obviously Refsnyder will start a significant percentage of time vs lefties. I just dont think its going to be a straight swap for Abreu this year because I think Abreu (mostly due to his age, hes entering his prime now + hes shown a tendency to improve) has taken another step forward and has become too good to platoon. Hes prob .800 vs LHP, .900 vs RHP, GG defense.

Yes, MVP votes

[Old Red]

1 hour ago, Bellhorn04 said:

And Cora will give Abreu the chance to show he can hit lefties.  We just saw it in Game One.

I don't think you could ask for a better manager in a situation like this.

I wouldn’t look to deep into Cora leaving Abreu in to face a lefty. If Ref Man would have been sent up to bat for  Abreu then the Texas manager most likely would have brought Martin in to face the Ref Man, so that’s why Cora left Abreu in IMO. If Martin hadn’t been warming up it might have meant more.

[Old Red]

2 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

When a player platoons, he often gets several chances to bat vs the oppo hand RP'er. He will need to do well in those few and far between ABs to work his way into playing FT.

You can't hit .525 and demand anything.

I'm not against giving anyone a chance, but we need to win as much as we can.

BTW, why can't Ref demand to play vs lefties or be traded? Now, he would have a strong case.

Demand to play against lefties, or be traded? He’s a role player with Nothing guaranteed. Bye bye Felicia. 🙈🤭🙈. LMAO how much you worry about how many AB the Ref Man May, or may not get. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

No proof here, but speculation: Refsnyder keeps his mouth shut no matter his game usage, because he is already regarded by the org as a future coach. 

 

[moonslav59]

31 minutes ago, Old Red said:

I wouldn’t look to deep into Cora leaving Abreu in to face a lefty. If Ref Man would have been sent up to bat for  Abreu then the Texas manager most likely would have brought Martin in to face the Ref Man, so that’s why Cora left Abreu in IMO. If Martin hadn’t been warming up it might have meant more.

Exactly, and that is why most platoon guys stay in the game, even if they flip pitchers.

Abreu started 6 games vs LHPs, last year, and I think 4 of those were in one week, when Ref was out. He started 104 games vs RHPs. That's about a straight of a platoon as you see. He still ended up getting 67 PAs vs lefties, so they must have left him in often.

6 out of 110 starts ve LH'd SP'ers is 5.5%.

67 PAs out of 447 PAs is 15%.

I could see Ref giving Rafaela or Duran a breather vs LHPs, here and there, but for the most part, Abreu will and should sit vs LH'd starters, until he starts showing better numbers. 1 BB in 1 PA is not some sign or a turn around.

[moonslav59]

31 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Demand to play against lefties, or be traded? He’s a role player with Nothing guaranteed. Bye bye Felicia. 🙈🤭🙈. LMAO how much you worry about how many AB the Ref Man May, or may not get. 

I wasn't saying he should or will. My point was that he has a better case than Abreu.

I'm not worried at all about Ref getting ABs vs LHPs, so keep up the strawman arguments. I know he will get them, because Cora is no fool.

[Hitch]

20 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

He's still taking reps at 3b before games so we'll just have to see.

I mean, that's just good sense. Bregman could blow out a knee or need TJ tomorrow. And I'm sure he'll spell Bregman here and there to give him some time off. But now that they've got one of the worst defenders off of 3rd, they're not going to put him back there unless there's a crisis. 

[moonslav59]

12 minutes ago, Hitch said:

I mean, that's just good sense. Bregman could blow out a knee or need TJ tomorrow. And I'm sure he'll spell Bregman here and there to give him some time off. But now that they've got one of the worst defenders off of 3rd, they're not going to put him back there unless there's a crisis. 

I think Mayer takes over 3B, if there is a major injury, but Devers would play 3B for a game, here and there, when Bregman needs rest or has a minor injury.

Yes, it's a good idea he still takes reps at 3B.

(Romy could play 3B, too.)

[Hitch]

2 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I think Mayer takes over 3B, if there is a major injury, but Devers would play 3B for a game, here and there, when Bregman needs rest or has a minor injury.

Yes, it's a good idea he still takes reps at 3B.

(Romy could play 3B, too.)

I tend to agree, though I can see a scenario where if Bregman got hurt tomorrow, Devers steps back there for now rather than bringing Mayer back up immediately. I think they'll ride Mayer until an extra year of control now unless something drastic happens. Same with Anthony.

[moonslav59]

3 minutes ago, Hitch said:

I tend to agree, though I can see a scenario where if Bregman got hurt tomorrow, Devers steps back there for now rather than bringing Mayer back up immediately. I think they'll ride Mayer until an extra year of control now unless something drastic happens. Same with Anthony.

I could see them waiting, if the injury happened very soon. Another option could be...

3B Campbell

SS Story

2B DHam-Romy platoon

[notin]

21 hours ago, Hitch said:

Anthony comes up. 

Mayer comes up.

Bregman is not moving off 3rd.

Yoshida has no long term place at this club and they'll continue to try and unload him.

I called him depth.  And right now, he is.  Who said anything about long term?  
 

His salary is prohibitive enough that dealing him means paying him to play elsewhere while opening up a roster spot for a lesser player.  Better off holding on to him right now…