Red Sox acquire Ian Kinsler

[trekfan55]

What's the alternative, though? Nunez has been a significantly worse hitter, and while reasonably competent at third, he's not exactly a Gold Glover. The Sox are threatening the all-time MLB win record with Devers having made 80% of the 3B starts, so evidently his play is survivable. Unless you think he's going to get worse over the next two months, I don't see the downside of letting him continue to learn on the job.

I was responding to a post where it was suggested that he be benched.

Didn't quote it directly but my point is that he, like many other young players, needs the reps, so if at any point it was thought to bench him (and that would maybe possibly be the case if Pedroia was manning 2B).

 

[chawson]

Donaldson seems like he could be back soon. There's about $5.6 million on his contract.

Here are the playoff contenders' wRC+ at 3B for the season (and the past month):

CLE - 176 (180)
OAK - 146 (216)
HOU - 138 (69)
COL - 135 (124)
LAD - 129 (181)
CHC - 122 (119)
NYY - 119 (149)
ATL - 113 (149)
MIL - 113 (124)
PHI - 106 (124)
SEA - 87 (62)
ARI - 86 (94)
BOS - 84 (102)

Should DD be interested? I can understand an argument that the Sox don't need to make this move, but if Donaldson's going to be flipped to a contender, the Sox have the most obvious need, especially accounting for defense. Seattle is paying big money to Kyle Seager (and he's an excellent defender), and Arizona just traded for Escobar.

If they're over the threshold anyway, I don't see why they shouldn't. Curious to see if he clears waivers.

 

[luckysox]

They are not going to bench Rafael Devers, or send him down, or do anything funky with him, in late August during a freaking historic season. He is this team's starting 3B and he has a capable back up in Nunez. Ripping the kid from the team would, at this point, absolutely mess with chemistry and it would likely piss off a bunch of the guys who are on the field with him. It is not going to happen for Josh Donaldson or Adrian Beltre or friggin' 1988 Wade Boggs. It's not happening in 2018. They signed Kinsler because there is still room and time to get every other non-pitcher reps. Holt and Nunie can move around enough to spell other guys - I'd hazard a guess that if that was not the case, we would not have Ian Kinsler on this team. This team has a thing going - you all see it and feel it. You don't mess with that thing in August when you're 10+ up.

 

[joe dokes]

They are not going to bench Rafael Devers, or send him down, or do anything funky with him, in late August during a freaking historic season. He is this team's starting 3B and he has a capable back up in Nunez. Ripping the kid from the team would, at this point, absolutely mess with chemistry and it would likely piss off a bunch of the guys who are on the field with him. It is not going to happen for Josh Donaldson or Adrian Beltre or friggin' 1988 Wade Boggs. It's not happening in 2018. They signed Kinsler because there is still room and time to get every other non-pitcher reps. Holt and Nunie can move around enough to spell other guys - I'd hazard a guess that if that was not the case, we would not have Ian Kinsler on this team. This team has a thing going - you all see it and feel it. You don't mess with that thing in August when you're 10+ up.

Yes yes and yes.
More specifically to Kinsler, I think a "benefit" from his injury is that he gives the team *another* shot in the arm. He only played 3 games, so it's like acquiring him all over again. With a 10.5 game lead and two more weeks until rosters expand, it probably helps to ward off boredom or complacency or whatever dog-day malady might set in.

 

[sean1562]

I don’t think the yanks would let him get to us anyway tbh. Bird is not good and andujar is a terrible 3b

 

[ehaz]

Rafa to the DL with a strained hamstring to make room for Kinsler per Drellich

 

[Buzzkill Pauley]

At least he gets to travel with the team and keep working with Hyers until September expands the roster.

 

[Reverend]

They are not going to bench Rafael Devers, or send him down, or do anything funky with him, in late August during a freaking historic season. He is this team's starting 3B and he has a capable back up in Nunez. Ripping the kid from the team would, at this point, absolutely mess with chemistry and it would likely piss off a bunch of the guys who are on the field with him. It is not going to happen for Josh Donaldson or Adrian Beltre or friggin' 1988 Wade Boggs. It's not happening in 2018. They signed Kinsler because there is still room and time to get every other non-pitcher reps. Holt and Nunie can move around enough to spell other guys - I'd hazard a guess that if that was not the case, we would not have Ian Kinsler on this team. This team has a thing going - you all see it and feel it. You don't mess with that thing in August when you're 10+ up.

At least he gets to travel with the team and keep working with Hyers until September expands the roster.

Cora is so clearly conscious of the chemistry issues of his day to day and across the arc--this seems like a pretty slick move.

"We can't play you right now, Rafa, but you're with us."

 

[geoduck no quahog]

I don't think it's phantom. We all saw him grab his hamstring on Wednesday.

 

[richgedman'sghost]

I must of missed that. Could you elaborate when that happened?

 

[The Raccoon]

I don't think it's phantom. We all saw him grab his hamstring on Wednesday.

If it's not a phantom injury, it's a rather fortunate / timely one (at least as far as injuries can be "fortunate"). He stays with the team, can work on some stuff and with Kinsler, X, Brock, Nunez plus Swihart (and Lin in AAA) there is still enough depth around for 2B, 3B and SS.

 

[strek1]

Hamstrings can be such a nagging thing.

 

[Don Buddin's GS]

Hamstrings can be such a nagging thing.

And hammies seem to be nagging the shit out of this particular edition of the Sox.

 

[trekfan55]

It looks like these Sox do not hesitate in using the DL for these kinds of injuries. This is counter to previous teams which either trotted out hurt players or played with a short bench. Swihart and Kinsler were DL'd at the first sign. Ditto for Betts when he did and Bogaerts. That's always a good thing, and I guess part of the purpose of the 10 day instead of 15 day DL.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

It looks like these Sox do not hesitate in using the DL for these kinds of injuries. This is counter to previous teams which either trotted out hurt players or played with a short bench. Swihart and Kinsler were DL'd at the first sign. Ditto for Betts when he did and Bogaerts. That's always a good thing, and I guess part of the purpose of the 10 day instead of 15 day DL.

I think it's also that teams can only backdate a DL stint by three days. It used to be seven days. I imagine Devers to the DL was retroactive to yesterday so he can be eligible to come back next Sunday. They'll probably hold him out until September 1 anyway, but they'll have some flexibility for those last six days of the month if someone goes down.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

I think it's also that teams can only backdate a DL stint by three days. It used to be seven days. I imagine Devers to the DL was retroactive to yesterday so he can be eligible to come back next Sunday. They'll probably hold him out until September 1 anyway, but they'll have some flexibility for those last six days of the month if someone goes down.

Yup. Retroactive to yesterday. http://m.mlb.com/bos/roster/transactions/

So, third game v. Tampa is earliest he can come back.

 

[mt8thsw9th]

Rafa to the DL with a strained hamstring to make room for Kinsler per Drellich

Dude is on the DL and active in the same day. And people want to bench him? Dynamic, this kid.

 

[Reverend]

Dude is on the DL and active in the same day. And people want to bench him? Dynamic, this kid.

Is it too late to change his silly nickname jersey to "HEISENBERG"?