mvp 78

@IanCundall Rocker and Leiter are the probable starters for Vandy's season opening doubleheader today, starting at 1pm.

I don't expect his #'s to be that low. That's baseline in a bad year for him. He did hit 868 from 8/9 on. That seems more likely of a scenario than his documented early season struggle.

I mentioned it offhandedly last week. It was just in reference to moon being down on him defensively. If the plan is to eventually move Devers off 3B, you could slide Devers to 3B and maybe Yorke or Downs is the future SS? Maybe they can get someone else in FA? I don't think it's anything that would happen for a few more years.

Let me try a good Yankee fan argument... Last 20 years: Red Sox 4 WS Yankees 1 WS

Ah yes, all Yankees players are special and magical. All Red Sox players are boring and common. I get it.

Well, who's to say that when he comes back from injury that his exit velo will go back up? I mean, Devers was meh in 2020, so you expect him to continue that trajectory.

Funny as with his "meh" 2020, his WRC+ would have been 16th best at 1B. Middle of the pack for sure, but that's on a "meh" year, right? His WRC+ from 2019 would have been top 6 at 1B last year.

Dalbec's exit velo is higher than Gallo's.

Judge exit velo: 92.2 (53rd in the league)

It went sideways IN 2014, when he was just 21 years old. He's 28 now and probably a lot more mature and able to a change like that. He had 50 PA's in MLB prior to the move last time. He has had 4105 PA's since then. I think he's probably a different player now.

Aaron Judge: 31.4 k% career Wily Mo Pena: 30.3 k% career

@alexspeier Bloom on extensions: Sox have discussed possibility internally and may pursue something later in the spring, but to this point, offseason focus was on building 2021 roster. Extending Devers would go a long way to restore fan confidence.

@alexspeier Red Sox announce they've added Jett Bandy to spring training camp as a non-roster invitee. Bandy spent 2020 with the team at the Alt Site. Catchers can always sneak into ST to help the pitchers. Too bad Bandy the Jett isn't a better player as he's got an all time great MLB name.

Your argument is "what about 2014?"

Franchy's problem is health. If he could stay on the field for a full season, he could be an interesting guy. Legit 30/30 guy. Wily Mo wasn't a high injury risk and was ultimately one dimensional and never really showed it on the field.

I could see Bichette leapfrogging Xander this year. Devers 19-20: 6.4 fWAR Biggio 19-20: 3.8 fWAR Vlad Jr: 0.6 career fWAR Dalbec: 0.6 career fWAR

Verdugo 27.5 ft/sec Renfroe 27.3 ft/sec JBJ 27.3 ft/sec I think Renfroe could cover RF if he had to.

I saw some video of Jaden Hill (P LSU) the other day. He has pretty good stuff. Rocker seems like an absolute stud though.

With how PR sensitive most teams are, how in the world is this guy leading anything? Weird.

Guys that are still unsigned: Matt Adams DH / 1B Jose Alvarez RP Homer Bailey SP Jorge Bonifacio LF Jackie Bradley Jr. CF Ryan Braun DH / RF Trevor Cahill RP / SP Yoenis Cespedes DH Jesse Chavez RP Shin-Soo Choo DH Tyler Clippard RP Zack Cozart 3B Daniel Descalso 2B Jarrod Dyson CF Edwin Encarnacion DH Tyler Flowers C Logan Forsythe 2B Maikel Franco 3B Todd Frazier 1B / 3B Brett Gardner CF / LF Zack Godley SP Gio Gonzalez SP Shane Greene RP Junior Guerra RP Jedd Gyorko 1B / 3B Cole Hamels SP Jeremy Jeffress RP Matt Kemp DH Ian Kennedy RP Jake Lamb 1B / 3B Mike Leake SP Nick Markakis LF / RF Cameron Maybin LF / RF Tommy Milone SP Logan Morrison DH / 1B Juan Nicasio RP Jake Odorizzi SP Brad Peacock RP Rick Porcello SP Yasiel Puig RF A.J. Ramos RP Josh Reddick RF David Robertson RP Tyson Ross SP Addison Russell 2B / SS Jeff Samardzija SP Anibal Sanchez SP Danny Santana CF / 1B Eric Sogard SS / 3B Julio Teheran SP Ryan Tepera RP Tyler Thornburg RP Edinson Volquez RP Neil Walker 2B Matt Wieters C

I know YOU don't like Vazquez, but the metrics like him. To me, Xander is decidedly average. He has poor range, but rarely makes a bad play. He's consistently mediocre. I wonder if he would actually be a plus fielder at 3B.

The only difference is versatility. Kiké can play 2B/LF/RF if the Sox have a guy that can take over in CF. JBJ is OF only. I still think JBJ is a good value at that amount and Kiké is an overpay. I like the signing of Kiké, it does seem a little high though.

It is a decent point.

We'll only be able to judge for ourselves while watching him this year.

Seems like it?