Article: Rafael Devers May Actually Play First Base, Eventually

[Old Red]

6 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

It's not a question of if, but when. Devers will play first base and the Red Sox will promote actual hitters to the majors.

Raffy may look clunky at 1B, but who doesn't among Toro, Romy and even Casas? Schwarber did, too, in 2021 -- but getting his bat in the line-up, and keeping JD Martinez at DH almost won a pennant.

The key is to boost the offense, which is just inadequate. Boston, 4-10 in one-run losses, leads the league in one-run losses, tied with the other Sox (the worst team in the history of last year).

Luckily, in the especially-inept AL East, no club is over .500 in one-run games. This division is available... BTW: the two best are KC and Cleveland, both at 8-2.

And don't worry about splits for Mayer or Anthony. Marcelo is batting .256 vs. lefties. Roman is hitting .363. Compare that to Duran .220, Abreu .188, or Rafaela .179 (a RHH) vs. southpaws. Or Story .218 vs. righties (83% of his ABs).

They'll be alright.

 

Campbell doesn’t really have a position, and certainly isn’t an established 2B, so he could move over to 1B, and bring Mayer up. Easy peasy.

[groovey]

Just what this teams needs more distractions.

So let see we can all agree Xander Bogaerts was pretty much considered a close friend to Devers and kept him inline as a big brother figure and when he got traded to the Padres that didn't sit well with Devers.

Years pass Devers and playing third base Red Sox mediocre team at best for the last 3 years.

Fast forward spring training Red Sox makes a move to bolster the team offensively as well as defensively with Bregman.

When Devers is told that he going to DH he whines like a spoiled little child and Cora has to put his kid gloves on to smooth things over to convince Devers that's this is in the best interest for the "Team". 

Right out of the gate Devers falls on his face goes something like 0-19 and then gradually gets his timing back and starts to getting some key hits and now seem comfortable in the role he's ask to play.

Casa goes down with a serious injury and immediately there's a void at first base. And Gonzales plays the position not spectacular but trying to patch the hole.

Now the media gets involved saying that the wise thing to do because Devers has played a corner position that would be the most logical maneuver to put him. Breslow is interviewed and asked about the recent events and asked about moving Devers to first and totally agrees that it's in the best interest for the "team" to put Devers there. And here's Cora telling the media no Devers is their DH.Then what does the Domincan drama queen say "they can't expect me every position. 

Henry,Kenny,Breslow fly out to speak to him and the report is they had  "a productive meeting."

Dude you're a baseball player for f*** sakes you're playing a child's game and being paid millions of dollars to do it.

Henry needs get his work visa revoked send his ass packing back to the Domincan Republic and let him play third base down there and see if his attitude changes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[moonslav59]

9 hours ago, Old Red said:

Like I said before Cora said before Raffy spoke up yesterday that he hadn’t talked to Raffy about playing 1B, and wasn’t going too, but Brez did, which leads me to believe that Cora, and Brez may have a different opinion about if Raffy Should try, and play 1B, or not. If Cora thought Raffy should try 1B I think he would have a better chance of convincing Raffy than Brez would IMO.🙈

Not sure what this has to do with calling people liars, when they may have fully meant what they said.

I agree. It should have been Cora, and he speaks Spanish. More bumbling and stumbling or just plain stupidity on how they handle delicate situations. No argument fro me on that.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 hour ago, Old Red said:

Campbell doesn’t really have a position, and certainly isn’t an established 2B, so he could move over to 1B, and bring Mayer up. Easy peasy.

To discerning fans, this looks like the answer to a few problems: no more Raffy angst, plus Mayer is a better middle infielder than Campbell. 

But perhaps the Sox envision a very near-future DP combo of Mayer at SS, Campbell at 2nd, and don't want to disrupt that scenario.

Boston also may want Raffy at 1B to create an opening at DH, so Anthony, the best-hitting prospect in the minors, can join the batting order ASAP.

[moonslav59]

10 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

To discerning fans, this looks like the answer to a few problems: no more Raffy angst, plus Mayer is a better middle infielder than Campbell. 

But perhaps the Sox envision a very near-future DP combo of Mayer at SS, Campbell at 2nd, and don't want to disrupt that scenario.

Boston also may want Raffy at 1B to create an opening at DH, so Anthony, the best-hitting prospect in the minors, can join the batting order ASAP.

It's not ideal to call up Anthony to DH, but Yoshida is not ready, so this does make sense.

So does Campbell at 1B, and since we are already playing KC in CF some games, I'm not sure 1B messes with the future keystone combo anymore than CF does. This is all temporary, no matter what choice we end up making.

Refsnyder could DH vs LHPs, and we could shuffle the OF'ers around or just play Anthony in RF vs LHPs, but he's been playing LF and CF most of the time, I believe. RF is not easy at Fenway, as we all know. LF would be better, and Duran in CF is fine with me, but then who plays RF? Rafaela vs lefties? It still ends up with Anthony's bat replacing Casas, so I'd be fine with a shuffle, too. (Others are not, as I have found out.)

[Old Red]

37 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Not sure what this has to do with calling people liars, when they may have fully meant what they said.

I agree. It should have been Cora, and he speaks Spanish. More bumbling and stumbling or just plain stupidity on how they handle delicate situations. No argument fro me on that.

It has nothing to do with calling people liars, but it seems this story is growing more angles to it everyday. The point on Cora not talking to Raffy may have to do with a theory that Cora doesn’t agree with Brez that Raffy should try 1B, and thus that has created another angle to the Raffy situation, and that’s why Dam, and JH is in town also.

[notin]

10 hours ago, Old Red said:

I should have posted how it was actually said, and used long term instead of foreseeable future, so signing a 10 year contract I would say long term would be at Least 5 years if not longer. Once again as far as Raffy was concerned when he signed that contract the promise was made by the Boston Red Sox, and it doesn’t matter if it was Sam, Cora, Bloom, Brez, or JH himself, and if they are still with the Red Sox.

So what was said? I keep asking.  What if Bloom said “ as long as I’m here, you’re my third baseman”?

Not that Breslow is accountable for Bloom’s verbal promises anyway.

But more important, they gave him two years and Devers LOST THE JOB.  At some point, isnt Devers accountable for his own play?

[moonslav59]

10 hours ago, Old Red said:

Playing bad D at your position makes you a bad teammate? 

 

Who said that?

The strawman?

It wasn't me.

[notin]

1 minute ago, Old Red said:

It has nothing to do with calling people liars, but it seems this story is growing more angles to it everyday. The point on Cora not talking to Raffy may have to do with a theory that Cora doesn’t agree with Brez that Raffy should try 1B, and thus that has created another angle to the Raffy situation, and that’s why Dam, and JH is in town also.

Cora originally wanted Bregman for 2b, not 3b.  He’s been reluctant to move Devers multiple times this year.  Is this because he wants Devers at 3b or because he knows Devers can be difficult?

He has never expressed interest in upholding this alleged promise…

[notin]

10 hours ago, Old Red said:

Playing bad D at your position makes you a bad teammate? Wow! The Red Sox must of had a lot of bad teammates the last two years, because the team has had 100+ errors, and pretty much led all of MLB in that category. No wonder they have played 500, or mostly below baseball the past 3 years, because they have had to many bad teammates making to many errors, so that explains it all   LOL.🙈

 

 

🤭

Playing bad D doesn’t make you a bad teammate.  But playing bad defense and refusing the manager’s requests to move you does…

[moonslav59]

4 minutes ago, Old Red said:

It has nothing to do with calling people liars, but it seems this story is growing more angles to it everyday. The point on Cora not talking to Raffy may have to do with a theory that Cora doesn’t agree with Brez that Raffy should try 1B, and thus that has created another angle to the Raffy situation, and that’s why Dam, and JH is in town also.

Yes, you are right. My bad. You weren't talking about the definition of "liar," but rather "foreseeable future" and "long term."

I apologize.

[notin]

28 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

To discerning fans, this looks like the answer to a few problems: no more Raffy angst, plus Mayer is a better middle infielder than Campbell. 

But perhaps the Sox envision a very near-future DP combo of Mayer at SS, Campbell at 2nd, and don't want to disrupt that scenario.

Boston also may want Raffy at 1B to create an opening at DH, so Anthony, the best-hitting prospect in the minors, can join the batting order ASAP.

If that were the case, the odd-fitting “Story to 1b” solution checks all the boxes.  Especially since Story doesn’t complain when moved…

[moonslav59]

2 minutes ago, notin said:

Playing bad D doesn’t make you a bad teammate.  But playing bad defense and refusing the manager’s requests to move you does…

Moving Devers to 1B or DH makes him and the team better.

Yes, refusing to go along with making the team better is the issue.

I'm never one to trust translators, so I'm not sure exactly what Devers said or meant in his heart, but this sounded worse than the move to DH event.

He may very well end up at 1B and eventually, maybe even like it.

I've felt Devers could be a decent 1Bman for many years, but it seems like the gods have been against the idea for just as long a time.

 

[moonslav59]

3 minutes ago, notin said:

If that were the case, the odd-fitting “Story to 1b” solution checks all the boxes.  Especially since Story doesn’t complain when moved…

The thing I don't like about that idea is that Story is probably still a better defensive SS than Mayer and certainly a better 2Bman than Campbell. Campbell's height might make him a better 1Bman than Story, so it's not the moves based on better D.

Mayer SS, Story 2B, Campbell 1B might be best.

Story SS< Mayer 2B, Campbell 1B might be second best of the 3 chocies at who plays 1B. (I don't see Mayer at 1B as an option.)

[Bellhorn04]

17 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Who said that?

The strawman?

It wasn't me.

You said "Playing the worst defense at your position is not being a good teammate".  Much the same thing.  You did add an LOL at the end.

[Old Red]

19 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

It's not ideal to call up Anthony to DH, but Yoshida is not ready, so this does make sense.

So does Campbell at 1B, and since we are already playing KC in CF some games, I'm not sure 1B messes with the future keystone combo anymore than CF does. This is all temporary, no matter what choice we end up making.

Refsnyder could DH vs LHPs, and we could shuffle the OF'ers around or just play Anthony in RF vs LHPs, but he's been playing LF and CF most of the time, I believe. RF is not easy at Fenway, as we all know. LF would be better, and Duran in CF is fine with me, but then who plays RF? Rafaela vs lefties? It still ends up with Anthony's bat replacing Casas, so I'd be fine with a shuffle, too. (Others are not, as I have found out.)

Yoshida is not ready for what? To DH? Didn’t Yoshida DH in ST? Yoshida is not the DH in Boston, because Raffy is. I agree with you to put Campbell at 1B, because  he doesn’t really have an established position anyway, and so far hasn’t really shined at 2B anyway, and bring Mayer up to play 2B. That’s an easy fix, and you Don have to make all those other moves.

[Bellhorn04]

Funny the different attitudes there are about guys being asked to play multiple positions.  Some think it's of huge benefit to the team, others hate seeing guys being "jerked around" - especially young players.

If all our big 3 prospects end up playing different positions from what they played coming up, that'd really be...different.

[Old Red]

21 minutes ago, notin said:

Playing bad D doesn’t make you a bad teammate.  But playing bad defense and refusing the manager’s requests to move you does…

Do you watch interviews? If you did you would KNOW that Cora said he had Not talked to Raffy about playing 1B, and said he wasn’t going to, so I don’t see except in your mind how Raffy has refused his manager’s request to play 1B.🤭

[Old Red]

2 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Funny the different attitudes there are about guys being asked to play multiple positions.  Some think it's of huge benefit to the team, others hate seeing guys being "jerked around" - especially young players.

If all our big 3 prospects end up playing different positions from what they played coming up, that'd really be...different.

I get it that playing different positions may help you get into the lineup like it has Campbell, but I definitely don’t think moving him around before he got to Boston, and now has helped him become an established big league 2B, which he at the moment he is not.

[notin]

13 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Do you watch interviews? If you did you would KNOW that Cora said he had Not talked to Raffy about playing 1B, and said he wasn’t going to, so I don’t see except in your mind how Raffy has refused his manager’s request to play 1B.🤭

You’re replying to a generic statement independent of Devers…

[notin]

16 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Funny the different attitudes there are about guys being asked to play multiple positions.  Some think it's of huge benefit to the team, others hate seeing guys being "jerked around" - especially young players.

If all our big 3 prospects end up playing different positions from what they played coming up, that'd really be...different.

Would it be?  A significant number of players change positions early in their career for any number of reasons.  Can’t play old position.  Old position blocked.  Need someone for another position.  Etc…

[notin]

24 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Yoshida is not ready for what? To DH? Didn’t Yoshida DH in ST? Yoshida is not the DH in Boston, because Raffy is. I agree with you to put Campbell at 1B, because  he doesn’t really have an established position anyway, and so far hasn’t really shined at 2B anyway, and bring Mayer up to play 2B. That’s an easy fix, and you Don have to make all those other moves.

Yoshida is certainly ready to DH.  But I get the impression Cora is not wild about Yoshida sometimes…

[Old Red]

2 minutes ago, notin said:

You’re replying to a generic statement independent of Devers…

I’m replying to an actual interview that to me says it all about what Cora thinks about moving Raffy to 1B, so it’s not independent of Devers at all.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

15 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Funny the different attitudes there are about guys being asked to play multiple positions.  Some think it's of huge benefit to the team, others hate seeing guys being "jerked around" - especially young players.

If all our big 3 prospects end up playing different positions from what they played coming up, that'd really be...different.

Young players have young bodies, which in the sports degree of baseball physiology that I just made up makes them more apt to be adaptable.

Plus, they'll play anywhere to make the majors or stay in the majors.

Moving veterans ballplayers -- who have earned the respect of becoming veterans -- has more potential drama, and aftereffects in the clubhouse.

As for Story's very it's still early hot streak, does anyone remember most of the pitches he barreled were hanging breaking balls? Maybe he's not just in a slump...

[Old Red]

1 minute ago, notin said:

Yoshida is certainly ready to DH.  But I get the impression Cora is not wild about Yoshida sometimes…

I agree, but Yoshida is not out in exile collecting his $18M, because he is hurt (wink, wink). It’s because of the old roster construction thing.

[notin]

1 minute ago, Old Red said:

I’m replying to an actual interview that to me says it all about what Cora thinks about moving Raffy to 1B, so it’s not independent of Devers at all.

You replied to my statement, not Cora’s.

It is true if a bad defensive player refuses a managerial request to move, HEs a bad teammate.  As I stated earlier, Cora has been unwilling to move Devers multiple times now.  But is this an infication that he likes Devers at 3b or thinks Devers can be difficult?

[jad]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

Not sure what this has to do with calling people liars, when they may have fully meant what they said.

I agree. It should have been Cora, and he speaks Spanish. More bumbling and stumbling or just plain stupidity on how they handle delicate situations. No argument fro me on that.

Exactly.  We have no idea what Raffy actually said, and won't know until we have a transcription in Spanish.   (And as far as the latest report of 'his teammates turning against him,' that is based on a single quotation, saying he should just keep quiet and say nothing.  Hell, I'd advise him the same thing, since every time he says anything, media members and fans check the latest translation then over-read it for every nuance imaginable:  it's like a bunch of dumb-ass sophomores in a comp. lit. class.

[Old Red]

2 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Young players have young bodies, which in the sports degree of baseball physiology that I just made up makes them more apt to be adaptable.

Plus, they'll play anywhere to make the majors or stay in the majors.

Moving veterans ballplayers -- who have earned the respect of becoming veterans -- has more potential drama, and aftereffects in the clubhouse.

As for Story's very it's still early hot streak, does anyone remember most of the pitches he barreled were hanging breaking balls? Maybe he's not just in a slump...

Well said, and as I’ve stated before I believe Story left his best bats in Colorado when he moved to Boston. It was good to see him get off to a good start, and has not only stayed healthy so far, but has played a good SS. His bat on the other hand is getting more holes in it everyday.

[notin]

4 minutes ago, Old Red said:

I agree, but Yoshida is not out in exile collecting his $18M, because he is hurt (wink, wink). It’s because of the old roster construction thing.

Well, yes and no.

He did actually have shoulder surgery and I would hope you can see how that affects his ability to make throws from the outfield.

But he is a bad fit here if Devers remains at DH…

[Hugh2]

58 minutes ago, notin said:

So what was said? I keep asking.  What if Bloom said “ as long as I’m here, you’re my third baseman”?

Not that Breslow is accountable for Bloom’s verbal promises anyway.

But more important, they gave him two years and Devers LOST THE JOB.  At some point, isnt Devers accountable for his own play?

Devers has arguably been the worse full time 3B in baseball the past few years.

 

i employ people, if you’re the worse at something im moving your job responsibilities and I have zero remorse.  Im sure running a baseball team ain’t the same thing but I’ve learned to always make it about the work.  
 

Raffy can’t argue with the play.  He can hit but he can’t pick it.  
 

I think he has a right to upset with how things were conveyed to him and how they played out.  But ultimately he needs to get over it and pick up that 1B glove.