Red Sox Sign 3B, 2B, SS, Isiah Kiner-Falefa

[mvp 78]

8 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Brez pulled the fire alarm yesterday when he signed IKF.

If you have an agreement in place, you don't sign IKF. 😎

[notin]

40 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

You're thinking of Ethan Hawke? 

The skateboarder?

[Old Red]

2 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

If you have an agreement in place, you don't sign IKF. 😎

I agree.

[moonslav59]

9 minutes ago, Old Red said:

No he actually signed IKF. Assuming must be you new hang up word flavor of the week.

So, you're not assuming Brez is done?

[moonslav59]

5 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

If you have an agreement in place, you don't sign IKF. 😎

He would be an expensive utility guy, but when you have Mayer and Story inches from an IL stint, he's nice insurance.

[mvp 78]

17 minutes ago, notin said:

The skateboarder?

That's Steve Caballero. 

[moonslav59]

Sad, but looks true: MLBTR writes:

Boston is seemingly taking a volume approach to second base... 

[mvp 78]

13 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

He would be an expensive utility guy, but when you have Mayer and Story inches from an IL stint, he's nice insurance.

Maybe:

Story came in with a known injury that was bound to take him out and eventually did lead to TJS. 

The other two IL stints were due to a fractured hand by being hit by a pitch and dislocating his shoulder awkwardly diving for a ball. 

If we squint, we could say that it was just a case of bad luck and expected TJS that was widely known at the time of signing. 

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, moonslav59 said:

Sad, but looks true: MLBTR writes:

Boston is seemingly taking a volume approach to second base... 

4 years running. 

[moonslav59]

15 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

4 years running. 

5 years ago, we had no 2Bman start more than 43 games at 2B. 6 guys had 9+ GS.

6 years ago was the covid shortened season, and 5 guys started at 2B. Peraza had 24 of 60 GS's.

In 2019, Holt started 60 of 162, Chavis 40, Marco 29 and Nunez 21 (4 others started 16)

In 2018, we traded for Kinsler, Nunez started 70 games, Holt 49 & Kinsler 37

2017 was the last time someone started over 81 games at 2B. That's a pretty low bar, too. (Pedey started 97.)

It's basically been 2B by committee since Pedey in 2017. This is year 9.

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Can you blame them?   He was so good in Training Day

Freaking Denzel is one of the finest actors of his era.  And they gave him an Oscar for one of the worst movies ever made.

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

Adding Paredes, Hoerner or Shaw brings us to the plus side- like a B+ to B.

Don't you need to know what we're trading away before you grade the quiz?

[moonslav59]

Just now, JoeBrady said:

Don't you need to know what we're trading away before you grade the quiz?

Yes. I have said, if it's Abreu, it's "sideways."

If we trade from pitching depth (or Bello) I'll make the grade a plus (above C+)

[drewski6]

11 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

I know KMarte is "off the table," but is Rooker really on it?

The best bat "available" might be Paredes.

He'd allow Mayer to play 2B or platoon it with Romy and I K F/Mayer to back up SS, too.

Yes Im aware and Notin has mentioned this before....They have to want to trade Rooker and its very very very likely they do not.  I just assume that because hes a 31 yr old DH , making 12-18m/yr (based on incentives) that Oak would flip him.  But I honestly think it would be hard to pry him loose because he's a legit very very very good hitter and people like him.

[drewski6]

Rooker is a player I like who I can make sense with logic why he could be available but I havent heard like rumors of oak shopping him, and ill stop bringing him up because paredes is (or at least has been) part of actual conversations so theres actual smoke there and not forum speculation.

I dont like when people were like did you hear the new rumor and its some fan talking about why he would try to get player x and im like thats not like "a rumor" we need to differentiate between fan saying "how about this guy?" (in this case, me with Rooker) vs like something on mlbtraderumors from a real insider "Sox and houston have discussed Paredes". I dont mind fan trades at all or bringing it up (exactly like Im doing with Rooker) just saying its worth pointing out that some fan saying "I like this trade" is much different than like Peter G reporting the GMs and player X is at the center of conversations.

So ill stop going back to Rooker.  Its just a guy I like who I can make a case for being moved (31 yr DH in Oakland making 12m + incentives)

[JoeBrady]

12 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

It's basically been 2B by committee since Pedey in 2017. This is year 9.

Lots of teams have rotating holes.  The LAD spend a gazillion $$$ and really only have 5 regular l/t guys on the field.  The NYMs have like 4 guys locked into positions.  I think this happens to everyone.

[drewski6]

2 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Yeah, good deal in a vacuum, but we live in a world where people make duck boat jokes about MiLB signings. 🫠

those jokes dont bother me.  

[mvp 78]

18 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

5 years ago, we had no 2Bman start more than 43 games at 2B. 6 guys had 9+ GS.

6 years ago was the covid shortened season, and 5 guys started at 2B. Peraza had 24 of 60 GS's.

In 2019, Holt started 60 of 162, Chavis 40, Marco 29 and Nunez 21 (4 others started 16)

In 2018, we traded for Kinsler, Nunez started 70 games, Holt 49 & Kinsler 37

2017 was the last time someone started over 81 games at 2B. That's a pretty low bar, too. (Pedey started 97.)

It's basically been 2B by committee since Pedey in 2017. This is year 9.

'22 was the only year that it was settled.

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

Lots of teams have rotating holes.  The LAD spend a gazillion $$$ and really only have 5 regular l/t guys on the field.  The NYMs have like 4 guys locked into positions.  I think this happens to everyone.

Aside from 2b in LA and LF in NY, where are the issues? 

[drewski6]

2 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

That's what I said yesterday, he's fine as an EXPENSIVE backup. He's a good defender that can play 2b/SS/3b which nobody else on the 40 man can do reliably. They have Story, Mayer and a big question mark at 2b. Signing IKF is fine as insurance. If he's starting 100+ games and that was the plan? Yuck! 

Right now, the move pushes Hamilton to AAA and has IKF platooning with Romy. Ok? I'd rather bring in Paredes and push Eaton to AAA as well. That would have Romy and IKF as the bench guys.

Im not sure Hamilton is pushed off (yet), if IKF is the backup.  But maybe if Romy grabs the everyday job

[moonslav59]

3 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

'22 was the only year that it was settled.

I forgot Story played over 81 games that year- my bad.

He was to be the FT 2Bman, if he didn't get hurt, so yes it was not a planned 2B by committee season. Some other seasons, I think we went in with management thinking we had someone they wanted to play FT, but they failed or got hurt and we ended up with a mix. (Like Nunez in 2019. maybe even Arauz, Arroyo and Campbell.

[moonslav59]

Just now, drewski6 said:

Im not sure Hamilton is pushed off (yet), if IKF is the backup.  But maybe if Romy grabs the everyday job

I'd rather have Romy FT at 2B than platooning with DHam.

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, moonslav59 said:

I'd rather have Romy FT at 2B than platooning with DHam.

Maybe? 

As a PH in '25: 16 PA, 732 OPS, 4 H, 1 2b

[moonslav59]

5 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Maybe? 

As a PH in '25: 16 PA, 732 OPS, 4 H, 1 2b

It's not about Romy as a PH'er, to me, it's about DHam getting any ABs, even vs RHPs.

vs RHPs

Romy .718 in '25 (.616 career)

DHam .618 in '25 (.642 career)

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Aside from 2b in LA and LF in NY, where are the issues? 

LAD has had 4 LFs in four years, and the NYMs haven't settled on a 3B or CF for the same period.

[notin]

2 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

That's Steve Caballero. 

Isn’t he the Yankees utility infielder?

[drewski6]

2 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Sad, but looks true: MLBTR writes:

Boston is seemingly taking a volume approach to second base... 

Who needs 1 good ballplayer when you can have 6 mediocre ones

[drewski6]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

5 years ago, we had no 2Bman start more than 43 games at 2B. 6 guys had 9+ GS.

6 years ago was the covid shortened season, and 5 guys started at 2B. Peraza had 24 of 60 GS's.

In 2019, Holt started 60 of 162, Chavis 40, Marco 29 and Nunez 21 (4 others started 16)

In 2018, we traded for Kinsler, Nunez started 70 games, Holt 49 & Kinsler 37

2017 was the last time someone started over 81 games at 2B. That's a pretty low bar, too. (Pedey started 97.)

It's basically been 2B by committee since Pedey in 2017. This is year 9.

4+ years running then

[drewski6]

1 hour ago, JoeBrady said:

Lots of teams have rotating holes.  The LAD spend a gazillion $$$ and really only have 5 regular l/t guys on the field.  The NYMs have like 4 guys locked into positions.  I think this happens to everyone.

And when you have elite players, you have that luxury.

[drewski6]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

I forgot Story played over 81 games that year- my bad.

He was to be the FT 2Bman, if he didn't get hurt, so yes it was not a planned 2B by committee season. Some other seasons, I think we went in with management thinking we had someone they wanted to play FT, but they failed or got hurt and we ended up with a mix. (Like Nunez in 2019. maybe even Arauz, Arroyo and Campbell.

So 4, not 4+