It was mentioned when Pillar’s first name came up.He also (and I cannot believe this hasn't been mentioned yet) got suspended by the Blue Jays for a few games for calling an opposing pitcher a "f*gg*t" after the pitcher quick pitched him and struck him out.
The Sox are just loading up on questionable character guys this offseason, between Pillar and Verdugo. I guess they figure that's the new market inefficiency.
As a player, Pillar reminds me of Jay Payton. Faded starting outfielder with possible attitudinal issues deployed as a part-time lefty masher. Of course, Jay Payton never used a homophobic slur on the field — though to be fair he did make considerable efforts to apologize.
Numbers against LHP are decent, but his walk rate and OBP are microscopic. Has the reputation of an excellent defensive player but he’s been roughly average the last three years. He’s probably undervalued, but he also, see above, seems like a hard guy to root for.
I mean, who can consider such a thing given the news that they are apparently not going to retire Brock Holt's number?I will be interested to read what posters think about the Kevin Pillar rumor. He would seem to be a good fit for next year if healthy.
There's 50+ posts about him in this very thread, starting around 5:00 pm last night.I will be interested to read what posters think about the Kevin Pillar rumor. He would seem to be a good fit for next year if healthy.
He will be interested to read themThere's 50+ posts about him in this very thread, starting around 5:00 pm last night.
View: https://twitter.com/alexspeier/status/1227599492465201153?s=20
Is this really a big deal or folks just looking for a story? Does Downs have a legit chance of making the big league roster?
Also, he's got Cora's number...and Brock's number is gone. Who gets the #50?
I see it as them showing Downs how highly they think of him, but would seem to send kind of a weird message to the other minor leagueres.
Would be nice if Pillar gets #15 which would help people easily modify and put their old Millar shirts back in rotation.
Pedroia's likely played his last game but he's still 15.
To be fair, Pillar seems to have owned his failure and tried to learn better. The contrition here isn't perfect but seems genuine. It would be nice to root only for athletes who wouldn't talk that way in the first place, but this seems like the next best thing:He also (and I cannot believe this hasn't been mentioned yet) got suspended by the Blue Jays for a few games for calling an opposing pitcher a "f*gg*t" after the pitcher quick pitched him and struck him out.
The Sox are just loading up on questionable character guys this offseason, between Pillar and Verdugo. I guess they figure that's the new market inefficiency.
[youtube]]View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7SWtrUySYo&feature=emb_logo[/youtube]
I think it's folks looking for a story. Though it is suggestive that they think he's going to be in the bigs sooner rather than latter, I don't think it means he's expected to break camp on the big league roster. The guy hasn't been above AA yet and it's not as though they don't have four other guys on the 40-man to play his position (five if we count Pedroia).View: https://twitter.com/alexspeier/status/1227599492465201153?s=20
Is this really a big deal or folks just looking for a story? Does Downs have a legit chance of making the big league roster?
Also, he's got Cora's number...and Brock's number is gone. Who gets the #50?
Is there a limit to how much I can bet on the “over” with regards to that Oakland prediction?PECOTA, post-Mookie, has the Sox at 84.5 wins, right in the WC hunt with TB (87.3), Cleveland (86.1), Chicago (82.5), LAA (86.8), and Oak (84.6).
NYY at 99.0, Houston at 98.3, and Min at 93.4. LAD at 102.5, no one else in NL over 87.8.
Are you referring to Pillar? Do you have a source for that 9.7 million number? I've seen nothing in terms of what Pillar is likely to cost, but I would guess that it won't be close to 9.7M unless it's a multi-year offer. He's a free agent still on the market as camps are starting to open...he's not going to get the same or more than he got last year ($5.8M).Ok, can someone explain to me why we are signing a 4th outfielder who had one of the the lowest OBP over the past few season for 9.7 million in arbitration? I dont want to beat a dead horse, but Holt is a better player.
They're not going to pay him $9.7M. Since the Giants non-tendered him, he's a free agent. He and the Sox can agree on whatever price they want. I'm guessing it'll be in the range of $4-5M.Ok, can someone explain to me why we are signing a 4th outfielder who had one of the the lowest OBP over the past few season for 9.7 million in arbitration? I dont want to beat a dead horse, but Holt is a better player.
I'd hammer the over all day long. This team probably wins 86 or 87. People are understating how ridiculously bad the bottom of the AL is. That Tampa over/under would be obscene too. Someone keep an eye out so we can all get rich.PECOTA, post-Mookie, has the Sox at 84.5 wins, right in the WC hunt with TB (87.3), Cleveland (86.1), Chicago (82.5), LAA (86.8), and Oak (84.6).
NYY at 99.0, Houston at 98.3, and Min at 93.4. LAD at 102.5, no one else in NL over 87.8.
Or even less, Jarrod Dyson signed for 1/$2M today.They're not going to pay him $9.7M. Since the Giants non-tendered him, he's a free agent. He and the Sox can agree on whatever price they want. I'm guessing it'll be in the range of $4-5M.
Me, too. I thought he could play second base until Downs is ready.I guess today was the final nail in the coffin regarding BROCKHOLTS tenure in Boston. Ill miss him.
There’s a reasonable chance Peraza rebounds to a 2-3 win player — basically Marco Scutaro with more speed and fewer walks. He’s young, cheap and controllable enough to give him a few months to see if he can run away with it.Me, too. I thought he could play second base until Downs is ready.
He’s a cash-strapped, 3rd place team’s Manuel MargotAgreed, no fan of Pillar. He's a Rays type of player though.
they did that last year with him, so, maybe PECOTA knows somethingPECOTA, post-Mookie, has the Sox at 84.5 wins, right in the WC hunt with TB (87.3), Cleveland (86.1), Chicago (82.5), LAA (86.8), and Oak (84.6).
NYY at 99.0, Houston at 98.3, and Min at 93.4. LAD at 102.5, no one else in NL over 87.8.
And Maybin just signed for $1.5M + $1.3M in incentives.Or even less, Jarrod Dyson signed for 1/$2M today.
Water under the bridge, as he's going back to the Mariners for $2M + $1M incentives, per MLBTR. I think for the Sox in their current situation he would have been a very smart gamble at that price. But c'est la guerre.No, I would have preferred they spend the money on Taijuan Walker.
I'm thinking it takes a year off in the hopes that Mookie returns next season. Whether or not that actually happens is covered in a bunch of other threads.Who gets the #50?
Bullpen and lineup are top-10 and competitive. The issue is the starting pitching may be anywhere from top 5 to bottom 5. There's just a lot of variance in predicting how Sale and Eovaldi will perform.The Sox are unknown. Last year they were favored but underperformed, 2018 they were wild cards going in but just couldn't stop winning.
The lineup is great, the pitching has a couple of guys who if they perform, will keep this team in ballgames. Bullpen is a crapshoot. I would be just as surprised by 80 wins as I would be with 95. I really have no idea what to expect.
I'm thinking even if he doesn't return that #50 is never going to be worn again by anyone else. Another 3 or 4 seasons of elite production and he's a HOF candidate. Hopefully back here next season.I'm thinking it takes a year off in the hopes that Mookie returns next season. Whether or not that actually happens is covered in a bunch of other threads.
For sure. Neither would surprise me at this pointBullpen and lineup are top-10 and competitive. The issue is the starting pitching may be anywhere from top 5 to bottom 5. There's just a lot of variance in predicting how Sale and Eovaldi will perform.
That's an utterly preposterous hyperbole.I'm thinking even if he doesn't return that #50 is never going to be worn again by anyone else.
If Mookie Betts becomes a Hall of Famer then why would the Sox ever reissue #50? No exaggeration there.That's an utterly preposterous hyperbole.
(And yes, I'm assuming you just mean for the Red Sox - the statement still stands)
Even if we go the route of "potential HOF" that might eventually have his number retired by the team, they still tend to re-issue until the player reaches the hall, or after. #26 and 27 were re-issued within a couple years of Boggs and Fisk leaving and were worn by a variety of players right up until they decided to retire them. The guy that's been evoked more often than any other in the whole trading Betts saga, Fred Lynn, had his number re-issued the following season and it continues to be used today (by the current CF).#50 is an unusual number, so it might naturally go unused/unrequested. But it won’t ultimately be because the team thought Mookie might make the HOF in 15+ years. As JimD said, they’ve given out other good player’s numbers, even all-time Sox numbers like Evans’s #24.
Pittsburgh gave out #24 the next season after Bonds left (and he’d won 2 MVPs with them). You move on.
Clemens he probably won't. But he has more or less surpassed Wakefield and Tek on the field. Even though he's been here 5 years, the MVP makes his career more comparable to the beginning of Pedroias career in terms of impact.Even if we go the route of "potential HOF" that might eventually have his number retired by the team, they still tend to re-issue until the player reaches the hall, or after. #26 and 27 were re-issued within a couple years of Boggs and Fisk leaving and were worn by a variety of players right up until they decided to retire them. The guy that's been evoked more often than any other in the whole trading Betts saga, Fred Lynn, had his number re-issued the following season and it continues to be used today (by the current CF).
There are only three numbers unofficially retired by the team right now...21, 33, 49. As great as Betts was for his 5+ years with the team, I'm not sure he rises to the level of those three.
Wakefield and Tek were with the club for 2-3X longer than Betts, and remain with the team in different capacities. Their numbers haven't been re-issued because they've really never left. Kinda the same way Jim Rice's number was never re-issued because he remained involved with the team even in retirement. It isn't just about career accomplishments, it's about service to the organization. For that reason, I expect #50 will be treated in the same manner as 19, 24, 25, 26, 27, etc have been.Clemens he probably won't. But he has more or less surpassed Wakefield and Tek on the field. Even though he's been here 5 years, the MVP makes his career more comparable to the beginning of Pedroias career in terms of impact.
Not so unusual these days., 28 players wore the number last season. I'm not familiar with all of the players on this list of those who wore #50 last year, but guess most were either pitchers or first year player. B-Ref has a list of numbers worn (by number) for each season. What don't they have?#50 is an unusual number, so it might naturally go unused/unrequested. But it won’t ultimately be because the team thought Mookie might make the HOF in 15+ years. As JimD said, they’ve given out other good player’s numbers, even all-time Sox numbers like Evans’s #24.
Pittsburgh gave out #24 the next season after Bonds left (and he’d won 2 MVPs with them). You move on.
Because if he becomes a HOF'er he'll likely have ended up playing elsewhere for longer than he played in Boston, and I don't know if those 6 awesome years will be enough.If Mookie Betts becomes a Hall of Famer then why would the Sox ever reissue #50? No exaggeration there.
How quickly we forget # 5.Wakefield and Tek were with the club for 2-3X longer than Betts, and remain with the team in different capacities. Their numbers haven't been re-issued because they've really never left. Kinda the same way Jim Rice's number was never re-issued because he remained involved with the team even in retirement. It isn't just about career accomplishments, it's about service to the organization. For that reason, I expect #50 will be treated in the same manner as 19, 24, 25, 26, 27, etc have been.
Yep Nick Punto was also traded to the Dodgers in spectacular manner and now Tzu-Wei Lin wears his number.How quickly we forget # 5.