Question of the week: Should Raffy agree to play first?

[moonslav59]

21 minutes ago, Old Red said:

 I have never gotten the philosophy of moving him to another position. He is fine right where he is 3B,

There. I fixed your long-held position for you.

[Hugh2]

5 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Who would be the DH? My optimal roster construction still has Raffy at DH. 

Before Bregman got hurt my optimal lineup was

DH Roman Anthony

1B Devers

2nd Campbell

SS Story

3B Bregman

LF DUran

CF Rafaela

RF Abreu

Now, Anthony would still get 2/3 of his time in the outfield and rotate the DH.  You could do the same thing now with Mayer at 3B when Abreu comes back. 

This. will obviously not happen

 

[Old Red]

2 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

A "right to be annoyed"??? The team first attitude is "the addition of Bregman makes us a better club. I'll play wherever I am told to play, to the best of my ability".

Obviously that did not happen. And given the state of the team now it doesn't matter where he plays. They still will not be playing baseball in Oct.

He is playing where he was told to play, which is DH, which getting hm off the field makes the Red Sox a better team IMO, and I think Cora’s as well. There is a very bad misconception out there that Cora has told Raffy to go to 1B, which he hasn’t, which is driving the media, and many on here to come up with a negative, and false narrative.

[Old Red]

8 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

There. I fixed your long-held position for you.

I should have added batting 2nd.

[Old Red]

19 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Before Bregman got hurt my optimal lineup was

DH Roman Anthony

1B Devers

2nd Campbell

SS Story

3B Bregman

LF DUran

CF Rafaela

RF Abreu

Now, Anthony would still get 2/3 of his time in the outfield and rotate the DH.  You could do the same thing now with Mayer at 3B when Abreu comes back. 

This. will obviously not happen

 

So the main purpose of putting a bad, bad fielding Raffy back into the field was to get Anthony in the lineup, and moving a bad, bad fielder to 1B has pretty much been the only option of many on here, and the media. The Red Sox are solid at 1B without Raffy there.

[mvp 78]

DH Raffy 

1B Toro/Romy

Toro vs RHP 989 OPS

Romy vs LHP 950 OPS

 

 

[Old Red]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

DH Raffy 

1B Toro/Romy

Toro vs RHP 989 OPS

Romy vs LHP 950 OPS

 

 

Most likely Toro, and Romy won’t keep this up all season, but right now as Cora has said the Red Sox are solid at 1B, and also at DH.

[FredLynn]

17 minutes ago, Old Red said:

He is playing where he was told to play, which is DH, which getting hm off the field makes the Red Sox a better team IMO, and I think Cora’s as well. There is a very bad misconception out there that Cora has told Raffy to go to 1B, which he hasn’t, which is driving the media, and many on here to come up with a negative, and false narrative.

Cora never told him to play 1B because Devers made it quite clear that that wasn’t going to happen. Not sure if Breslow talked to him about it-I kinda recall that conversation happening but I could be wrong. 
 

Apologies for the ad here:

BOSTON -- Rafael Devers is the Boston Red Sox's designated hitter.

And he's not interested in another position switch.

 

ADVERTISING

Speaking with reporters for the first time since Triston Casas was ruled out for the season after rupturing his left knee tendon and undergoing surgery, Devers said Thursday that Red Sox management approached him about the idea of filling in as Boston's first baseman.

Devers, a three-time All-Star, said he doesn't see it in his best interest to make another position switch after being asked to move from third base to DH during spring training after the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman to play third.

"They came to me and talked to me about it," Devers said after homering and driving in two in Boston's 5-0 win over Texas.

 

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/45059014/rafael-devers-tells-red-sox-move-first-base

[Old Red]

3 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

Cora never told him to play 1B because Devers made it quite clear that that wasn’t going to happen. Not sure if Breslow talked to him about it-I kinda recall that conversation happening but I could be wrong. 
 

Apologies for the ad here:

 

BOSTON -- Rafael Devers is the Boston Red Sox's designated hitter.

And he's not interested in another position switch.

 

ADVERTISING

Speaking with reporters for the first time since Triston Casas was ruled out for the season after rupturing his left knee tendon and undergoing surgery, Devers said Thursday that Red Sox management approached him about the idea of filling in as Boston's first baseman.

Devers, a three-time All-Star, said he doesn't see it in his best interest to make another position switch after being asked to move from third base to DH during spring training after the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman to play third.

"They came to me and talked to me about it," Devers said after homering and driving in two in Boston's 5-0 win over Texas.

 

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/45059014/rafael-devers-tells-red-sox-move-first-base

Brez talked to Raffy, but Cora didn’t, and Cora said he wasn’t going to. Cora, and Brez had a disagreement about it, and Cora won out even with JH refereeing.

[mvp 78]

15 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Most likely Toro, and Romy won’t keep this up all season, but right now as Cora has said the Red Sox are solid at 1B, and also at DH.

Romy '24 vs LHP 879 OPS

[mvp 78]

And if you don't like Romy, Blaze Jordan hits LHP pretty well or at least has a history of it in MiLB. Maybe they do that route towards the end of the year/next year. 

[FredLynn]

7 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Brez talked to Raffy, but Cora didn’t, and Cora said he wasn’t going to. Cora, and Brez had a disagreement about it, and Cora won out even with JH refereeing.

Breslow talked to Devers about it and Devers did what’s best for Devers at the expense of the team. The proper response was “ I’ll play wherever management wants me to play.” Of course Cora never brought it up after Breslow discussed it with Devers. It would have been pointless and just pissed him off.

”Me first; team after that”

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

Breslow talked to Devers about it and Devers did what’s best for Devers at the expense of the team. The proper response was “ I’ll play wherever management wants me to play.” Of course Cora never brought it up after Breslow discussed it with Devers. It would have been pointless and just pissed him off.

”Me first; team after that”

Have you seen how Toro has been playing? If Raffy moved to 1b, Toro would be in AAA. He did what was best for the team. 

[notin]

40 minutes ago, Old Red said:

He is playing where he was told to play, which is DH, which getting hm off the field makes the Red Sox a better team IMO, and I think Cora’s as well. There is a very bad misconception out there that Cora has told Raffy to go to 1B, which he hasn’t, which is driving the media, and many on here to come up with a negative, and false narrative.

I don’t think Cora asked him to play 1b.  In fact, he seemed to avoid that whole confrontation, which was a recurring theme on that drama.   
 

If they just decided to move Devers to first on a whim, I would have understood Devers’ frustration.  Maybe not condoned it, but at least understood it.  But when a teammate goes down for the year, and Devers gets asked to help fill another void, I cannot justify his selfish response, especially if his translator accurately repeated what he said.

But I guess since he is hitting well and Toro has been working out, it’s ok in some eyes.  As long as Toro keeps hitting, I guess…

[FredLynn]

2 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Have you seen how Toro has been playing? If Raffy moved to 1b, Toro would be in AAA. He did what was best for the team. 

Right

like anyone could have predicted Toro would play so well. Besides-Toro is playing 3B. Devers could still have played 1B. 

[Old Red]

3 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

Breslow talked to Devers about it and Devers did what’s best for Devers at the expense of the team. The proper response was “ I’ll play wherever management wants me to play.” Of course Cora never brought it up after Breslow discussed it with Devers. It would have been pointless and just pissed him off.

”Me first; team after that”

Cora wasn’t going to bring it up, and that’s why Brez talked with Raffy.  Me first would have been to Raffy to stay at 3B. Team first is Raffy being DH, and being good at it. Team first would not be a bad, bad 3B, and try to make a 1B out of him, and especially during the season in real time. 👋

[Old Red]

4 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

Right

like anyone could have predicted Toro would play so well. Besides-Toro is playing 3B. Devers could still have played 1B. 

Romy, and Toro have been solid at 1B. No need to try Raffy there, or even pick up a glove.

[Old Red]

6 minutes ago, notin said:

I don’t think Cora asked him to play 1b.  In fact, he seemed to avoid that whole confrontation, which was a recurring theme on that drama.   
 

If they just decided to move Devers to first on a whim, I would have understood Devers’ frustration.  Maybe not condoned it, but at least understood it.  But when a teammate goes down for the year, and Devers gets asked to help fill another void, I cannot justify his selfish response, especially if his translator accurately repeated what he said.

But I guess since he is hitting well and Toro has been working out, it’s ok in some eyes.  As long as Toro keeps hitting, I guess…

Right that Cora never asked Raffy to play 1B, and said he wasn’t going to. If Cora had asked Cora to play 1B my stance would soften some. Raffy was never going to be a backup infielder at Any position, and that’s why they told him to put his glove away. It doesn’t change anything if Bregman, and or Casas both went down for the year. No one is going to be a better DH than Raffy, and Raffy is not going to be better on D than what’s out there now, so NO need to move Raffy off DH where he is best suited.

[notin]

20 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Have you seen how Toro has been playing? If Raffy moved to 1b, Toro would be in AAA. He did what was best for the team. 

Toro has made Devers look a lot better, but Devers certainly wasn’t thinking about Toro when he commented about it being Breslow’s job to go get a 1b…

[FredLynn]

30 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Right that Cora never asked Raffy to play 1B, and said he wasn’t going to. If Cora had asked Cora to play 1B my stance would soften some. Raffy was never going to be a backup infielder at Any position, and that’s why they told him to put his glove away. It doesn’t change anything if Bregman, and or Casas both went down for the year. No one is going to be a better DH than Raffy, and Raffy is not going to be better on D than what’s out there now, so NO need to move Raffy off DH where he is best suited.

I wrote this earlier and my post got eaten by the dog it seems. 
During the Yankee series Chisholm was wearing a mic.. The asked him about the switch to 3B when he became a Yankee (he was an OF). He told the Yankees he’d play anywhere they asked-he just wanted to play.

THAT is the proper attitude.

[notin]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

And if you don't like Romy, Blaze Jordan hits LHP pretty well or at least has a history of it in MiLB. Maybe they do that route towards the end of the year/next year. 

Took some time,  but it is good to see Blaze hitting well.  For a while he looked like his future involved getting left unprotected for the Rule 5 draft…

[mvp 78]

41 minutes ago, notin said:

Toro has made Devers look a lot better, but Devers certainly wasn’t thinking about Toro when he commented about it being Breslow’s job to go get a 1b…

Since Raffy made those comments: Toro 1033 OPS

Raffy knew what he was doing. He was being a leader by lighting a fire under Toro's butt. 

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, notin said:

Took some time,  but it is good to see Blaze hitting well.  For a while he looked like his future involved getting left unprotected for the Rule 5 draft…

I see some fans getting an itchy trigger finger to call him up now, but he still needs more time in AAA. If he gets a shot in BOS, it'd be more than I expected for sure going back to last season. I had kind of written him off. His glove has gotten better and his bat has really come around this year. 

[Old Red]

2 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

I wrote this earlier and my post got eaten by the dog it seems. 
During the Yankee series Chisholm was wearing a mic.. The asked him about the switch to 3B when he became a Yankee (he was an OF). He told the Yankees he’d play anywhere they asked-he just wanted to play.

THAT is the proper attitude.

Chisholm, and Raffy are two entirely different players in two entirely different situation. Chisholm is nowhere near the hitter/DH as Raffy, and Raffy is nowhere near the athlete Chisholm is. Raffy is the BEST DH on the team, and the worst defensive IF on the team. That’s a no brainer what’s best for the team, and the proper attitude is to be the DH. This subject has been beaten to death, and the fact remains Raffy is doing what’s best for the team IMO.👋

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Old Red said:

I should have added batting 2nd.

Except he batted 4th more than 2nd, last year, and you had no issue with that, so just how long-standing is your opinion?

[FredLynn]

6 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Chisholm, and Raffy are two entirely different players in two entirely different situation. Chisholm is nowhere near the hitter/DH as Raffy, and Raffy is nowhere near the athlete Chisholm is. Raffy is the BEST DH on the team, and the worst defensive IF on the team. That’s a no brainer what’s best for the team, and the proper attitude is to be the DH. This subject has been beaten to death, and the fact remains Raffy is doing what’s best for the team IMO.👋

I agree with you on just one thing: this subject HAS been beaten to death.

It’s irrelevant now since we still aren’t playing baseball in October. Again

 

[Old Red]

7 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Except he batted 4th more than 2nd, last year, and you had no issue with that, so just how long-standing is your opinion?

Last year, and this year are two different years. Next year he could bat 3rd. 

[dgalehouse]

At this time, there is no reason whatsoever to move Devers from DH to play first base. There is no logic to that at all.

[mvp 78]

11 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Last year, and this year are two different years. Next year he could bat 3rd. 

Ewww, that's like the 6th worst position to hit according to the metrics. 

[mvp 78]

4 minutes ago, dgalehouse said:

At this time, there is no reason whatsoever to move Devers from DH to play first base. There is no logic to that at all.

No, just spite.