Question of the week: Was trading Devers the right call?

[moonslav59]

3 hours ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

When the first thing Devers said when he put on the Giants' uniform is I'll play any position you need me at. IMHO, that was Devers bashing the Sox.

I said the same thing, when it happened. He showed his hand. It wasn't about being "asked to play every position," it was about sticking it to his boss- a boss that was not the one who promised he'd play 3B forvers.

[Kimmi]

On 8/1/2025 at 7:53 PM, moonslav59 said:

I agreed that posting Devers numbers is fair game. (Just don't say Toro has done better.)

I agree the trade was the right thing to do, but I would not use small sample sizes to make it look like Devers sucks. (I'm fine that others post those numbers.)

I think Devers will hit well, again, and it will still be the right thing to do.

I also think that Devers will hit well again, and I also will still think it was the right thing to trade him.  

As I've said before, I'm relieved to be rid of that contract.  It's now wait to see what ownership does with the freed up money.  The trade deadline was underwhelming, but I think that was more about the price in prospects versus any added cost in salary.

[moonslav59]

8 minutes ago, Kimmi said:

I also think that Devers will hit well again, and I also will still think it was the right thing to trade him.  

As I've said before, I'm relieved to be rid of that contract.  It's now wait to see what ownership does with the freed up money.  The trade deadline was underwhelming, but I think that was more about the price in prospects versus any added cost in salary.

Exactly.

The Betts trade killed us, but what made it even worse was not spending one penny of what we offered him, before we decided to trade him.

[Kimmi]

16 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Exactly.

The Betts trade killed us, but what made it even worse was not spending one penny of what we offered him, before we decided to trade him.

Ironically, I think that's one of the reasons that they ultimately extended Devers.

[dgalehouse]

What is going on with Mookie ? He is having an awful season. 

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, Kimmi said:

Ironically, I think that's one of the reasons that they ultimately extended Devers.

Good point, but then just when you think they are back to spending big, like with Bregman, they trade Devers and add almost no salary but Hicks and a couple small partials at the deadline.

I thought last winter proved something- now we wait, again, and wonder...

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

2 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Exactly.

The Betts trade killed us, but what made it even worse was not spending one penny of what we offered him, before we decided to trade him.

"And we took all the resources that the organization provides us, and we added... Kiké Hernandez... Hunter Renfroe... Adam Ottavino... Garrett Richards. We did all those things." said Chaim, to fans at Winter Weekend. 

It's like a list of Russian students who went hiking at a place literally called Dead Mountain and were never seen alive again.

[moonslav59]

3 hours ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

"And we took all the resources that the organization provides us, and we added... Kiké Hernandez... Hunter Renfroe... Adam Ottavino... Garrett Richards. We did all those things." said Chaim, to fans at Winter Weekend. 

It's like a list of Russian students who went hiking at a place literally called Dead Mountain and were never seen alive again.

Those guys barely ate up Porcello's money. JH still owed us for Kimbrel and Kelly's from 2019's team. Then there was half Price's money left in JH's wallet, before we even sniffed the lost Betts money.

The sham began in 2019, became a shame in 2020 and stayed that way until last winter.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

7 hours ago, dgalehouse said:

What is going on with Mookie ? He is having an awful season. 

He can always go back to bowling.

[moonslav59]

15 hours ago, dgalehouse said:

What is going on with Mookie ? He is having an awful season. 

I was never one to think he would not age well, and maybe this is just a glitch in his twitch.

[drewski6]

18 hours ago, dgalehouse said:

What is going on with Mookie ? He is having an awful season. 

I think it started with an illness, or maybe it started before, but was made worse by an illness
He dropped weight, didnt need to drop the weight (obvs) and has been struggling to gain it back.

[Hitch]

I'm hesitant to make this point because I'm not sure it's entirely new, and I really don't want to start the Devers thing again, but it occurred to me on a hike yesterday, this team is unburdened by Devers, and not in a way that says anything bad about him. 

This team was his - he was our superstar, the best paid player in the organisation's history. But he didn't like the leadership side of things. He's a quiet guy that doesn't buy into the hype side of baseball, the glitz and all the sideshow. Carrabis said that in the off season he would change his phone and you wouldn't hear form him (which I totally get - I'd be the same). I think maybe he was just too big for Boston in that he's the guy, yet he is detached in a sense and maybe some of the younger kids feel a little unable to approach him and it's not his natural way to take them under his wing and work the video room with them, etc. Then you balance that against Bregman (again no judgement) and he's the opposite - loves the limelight, goes out of his way to go to the youngsters and give advice and lead them and the team. Maybe a character like Duran feels more empowered now to be one of the bigger personalities in the team, take over the radio, etc. 

I think having this heavyweight of a personality no longer there, everyone else has felt they're more able to move into the spaces that have been released. I keep hearing about how free and together the locker room is now. 

Whatever about Devers' performance, the Giants will get plenty of great out of him, I've no doubt, but I think the move is quite possibly just what this set of players needed. 

[cp176]

On 7/15/2025 at 7:27 PM, Duran Is The Man said:

Jim Ed and Devers through age 27 season. Jim Ed leads in nearly every significant catergory and this is with one less season than Devers. adding another season for Rice and he leads in everything but doubles, BB and strikeouts. 

 

You mean that same Jim Rice who was in his prime one of the best right handed hitters of all time?  The same guy who the Red Sox staff felt shouldn’t be giving a young player hitting advice?  A healthy rice in ‘75 and we win the series.

[cp176]

Devers = addition by subtraction.  I’m glad that his former teammates have really said nothing about the trade but every one of them saw and experienced a player who was not willing to do what was right to possibly make his team better.  I’m guessing that right now they are all pretty happy with way things turned out.

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, Hitch said:

I'm hesitant to make this point because I'm not sure it's entirely new, and I really don't want to start the Devers thing again, but it occurred to me on a hike yesterday, this team is unburdened by Devers, and not in a way that says anything bad about him. 

This team was his - he was our superstar, the best paid player in the organisation's history. But he didn't like the leadership side of things. He's a quiet guy that doesn't buy into the hype side of baseball, the glitz and all the sideshow. Carrabis said that in the off season he would change his phone and you wouldn't hear form him (which I totally get - I'd be the same). I think maybe he was just too big for Boston in that he's the guy, yet he is detached in a sense and maybe some of the younger kids feel a little unable to approach him and it's not his natural way to take them under his wing and work the video room with them, etc. Then you balance that against Bregman (again no judgement) and he's the opposite - loves the limelight, goes out of his way to go to the youngsters and give advice and lead them and the team. Maybe a character like Duran feels more empowered now to be one of the bigger personalities in the team, take over the radio, etc. 

I think having this heavyweight of a personality no longer there, everyone else has felt they're more able to move into the spaces that have been released. I keep hearing about how free and together the locker room is now. 

Whatever about Devers' performance, the Giants will get plenty of great out of him, I've no doubt, but I think the move is quite possibly just what this set of players needed. 

Nicely put. Good job.

[Kimmi]

On 8/4/2025 at 7:08 PM, moonslav59 said:

Good point, but then just when you think they are back to spending big, like with Bregman, they trade Devers and add almost no salary but Hicks and a couple small partials at the deadline.

I thought last winter proved something- now we wait, again, and wonder...

Locking up Anthony is a good start to using some of this money.  I'd prefer spending the money this way over spending it on long-term deals for aging free agents.  

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Would it be fair to say that Devers has the largest contract for an everyday player who isn't a super star?

[Bellhorn04]

Since the trade:

Red Sox 31-20

Giants 18-33

[notin]

On 8/4/2025 at 3:19 PM, dgalehouse said:

What is going on with Mookie ? He is having an awful season. 

It happens…

[moonslav59]

4 hours ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Since the trade:

Red Sox 31-20

Giants 18-33

Wow, it's been over 50 games! It feels like just a few weeks ago.

Devers is going to hit well, again, someday, but so far:

.905 w BOS

.746 w SFG

.543 Toro since the trade is a pertinent fact, too.

 

[Bellhorn04]

15 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Wow, it's been over 50 games! It feels like just a few weeks ago.

Devers is going to hit well, again, someday, but so far:

.905 w BOS

.746 w SFG

.543 Toro since the trade is a pertinent fact, too.

 

There's no way to document it, but I think the attitude factor can't be dismissed.

[moonslav59]

2 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

There's no way to document it, but I think the attitude factor can't be dismissed.

I totally agree. Much less walking on eggshells, at minimal view.

[mvp 78]

On 8/17/2025 at 7:55 AM, Bellhorn04 said:

Since the trade:

Red Sox 31-20

Giants 18-33

SFG ERA pre-trade: 3.30

SFG ERA post-trade: 4.29

How could Rafael Devers do this? 

[Bellhorn04]

19 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

SFG ERA pre-trade: 3.30

SFG ERA post-trade: 4.29

How could Rafael Devers do this? 

You're a pretty good defense attorney.

 

[mvp 78]

5 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

You're a pretty good defense attorney.

Just wild that you're obsessed with the Giants for some reason? 

I guess they really miss Jordan Hicks! 

[Bellhorn04]

7 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Just wild that you're obsessed with the Giants for some reason? 

I guess they really miss Jordan Hicks! 

The trade was a big deal.  A lot of people were pissed about it and thought it was a big mistake.  Some thought it was going to doom our season.  I have no qualms about posting on it now and then.  That was my first post on it in August.  If that makes me obsessed, so be it.     

 

[mvp 78]

6 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

The trade was a big deal.  A lot of people were pissed about it and thought it was a big mistake.  Some thought it was going to doom our season.  I have no qualms about posting on it now and then.  That was my first post on it in August.  If that makes me obsessed, so be it.     

Seems like other people have moved on and aren't worried about the Giants? 🤔

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

13 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I guess they really miss Jordan Hicks! 

Only hitters with normal length bats, 32-34 inches or so.

The guys who clean deep swimming pools with those long-handled nets might have a better chance of making contact with Wild Bill Hicks Ox.

[Bellhorn04]

7 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Seems like other people have moved on and aren't worried about the Giants? 🤔

A lot of people still haven't moved on from Mookie Betts...or Babe Ruth.  

Are you suggesting that Red Sox fans have short memories?

We know there would be some pretty lively discussion about this if the Sox were sucking and Devers was raking.

Seems like you're shooting the messenger here.

 

 

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, Bellhorn04 said:

A lot of people still haven't moved on from Mookie Betts...or Babe Ruth.  

Are you suggesting that Red Sox fans have short memories?

We know there would be some pretty lively discussion about this if the Sox were sucking and Devers was raking.

With Mookie and Ruth, I think it was more than just the players. They were symptoms of a bigger rot. It was about ownership going in a non-competitive direction for Ruth over a few decades. They had been a storied franchise with the most WS titles of any club and then just punted every season for years. Prior to 1967, they were only respectable from 38-51. With Mookie, the ownership was coming off 4 WS titles in 16 years. Ownership had been very successful, but believed it could move the payroll in a new direction. After years of success, it was like having the rug pulled out from under you. If the Sox found immediate success, maybe it wouldn't have been so bad, but the 2020 season was delayed and terrible. Sox played well in 2021 and I believe there was less talk about Mookie. However, after all the contracts expired in '22 and the Sox didn't buy any new contracts except for Masataka Yoshida, a move generally panned across the league, many fans were rightly concerned. Seems like Mookie was the hinge point. It wasn't about Mookie per se, but about the direction ownership took the team: inexperienced CBOs, smaller payrolls, mediocre MLB seasons while the franchise waits for prospects to mature. This just isn't the Boston Red Sox of 2003-2018. Will it work? We don't know yet.