Who's on Third? I don't know

[Byrdbrain]

I know there are many who think Farrell isn't all that bright but how stupid would he need to be to give a ringing endorsement of the guys that have played 3B?
Holt is coming back and he'll get a chance, probably in a platoon with Rutledge. Sandoval will be coming later on and he'll likely get another chance as well.

I assume Dombrowski is asking around about cheap options but even those likely won't be available until we get closer to the deadline and then teams will likely want too much for them since they know the position the Sox are in.

Devers will probably go up to AAA soon but I don't think he'll be an option this year. That could change if he is tearing up AAA and the position is still a black hole.

 

[PaulinMyrBch]

Lauber's article today mentions Moustakas and Frazier as guys on the last year of their deal who may be available. What would it take to get Frazier as a trade deadline rental?

 

[grimshaw]

3b has been a black hole since Youks final good season in 2011 which is kind of obvious. But the numbers are kind of crazy.

-The team obp from the 3b position since 2012 has been .289. Three qualified 3b over that time period have worse numbers - Ryan Flaherty, Will Middlebrooks, and . .. Matt Dominguez who we have ready to roll north any time we need him.

-OPS+ by year
2017 54
2016 78
2015 84
2014 63 - This was the year Bogaerts and Middlebrooks had ops' of .517 and .531 respectively.
2013 - 85
2012 - 84
2011 - 100.

I was going to try an do a defensive analysis, but I'll just leave it at 13 errors in 35 games and we kind of all know what that means.

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

Tim Britton‏ @TimBritton 59m59 minutes ago
Farrell on 3B: “It’s been a tough position for us. Make no mistake about it…. Opportunity is there for someone to step up.”

Tim Britton‏ @TimBritton 58m58 minutes ago
Replying to @TimBritton
More Farrell: “The group that’s here, yes, I have to have confidence in them…. Until further, this is who we have.”


Not a ringing endorsement of what we have

Do you think he should have given a ringing endorsement of what we have? This seem like a very honest and appropriate response for a huge problem area.

 

[Savin Hillbilly]

Lauber's article today mentions Moustakas and Frazier as guys on the last year of their deal who may be available. What would it take to get Frazier as a trade deadline rental?

That's one question. Two other questions are, can we afford to wait till the deadline, and if not, how much does that add to the cost?

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

That's one question. Two other questions are, can we afford to wait till the deadline, and if not, how much does that add to the cost?

I also wonder, big picture, what are they going to do with Sandoval at this point.

 

[dbn]

3b has been a black hole since Youks final good season in 2011 which is kind of obvious. But the numbers are kind of crazy.

-The team obp from the 3b position since 2012 has been .289. Three qualified 3b over that time period have worse numbers - Ryan Flaherty, Will Middlebrooks, and . .. Matt Dominguez who we have ready to roll north any time we need him.

-OPS+ by year
2017 54
2016 78
2015 84
2014 63 - This was the year Bogaerts and Middlebrooks had ops' of .517 and .531 respectively.
2013 - 85
2012 - 84
2011 - 100.

I was going to try an do a defensive analysis, but I'll just leave it at 13 errors in 35 games and we kind of all know what that means.

Wow.

Not sure where to find OPS+ by position, but I just looked at wRC+ from Fangraphs:

year    C    1B    2B    SS    3B    RF    CF    LF    DH
2017    104  119   97    115   63    142   99    118   95
2016    79   109   116   110   78    133   118   101   157
2015    73   97    103   109   71    85    119   89    121
2014    70   94    107   77    81    86    77    89    137
2013    109  131   113   106   84    125   108   121   151
2012    83   100   100   66    91    92    71    93    124
2011    95   150   131   98    107   79    150   89    151

 

[grimshaw]

Wow.

Not sure where to find OPS+ by position, but I just looked at wRC+ from Fangraphs:

If you go into batting splits from the team page on b-ref you can get to all that.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/split.cgi?t=b&team=BOS&year=2017

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

I also wonder, big picture, what are they going to do with Sandoval at this point.

He is supposed to be back in a few weeks, so my guess is "wait and see".

 

[johnnywayback]

That's one question. Two other questions are, can we afford to wait till the deadline, and if not, how much does that add to the cost?

Here are two more questions: Are we also going to need to trade for pitching, and do we have the ammo to make more than one trade?

Our farm system is *very* thin. Assuming you don't want to trade Devers (the 3B of the future) or Travis (the likely 2018 Opening Day 1B), Jay Groome is our only real blue-chip prospect. Then there's Dalbec, Ockimey, and Chavis, but they all have warts limiting their upside and none are going to make it past high-A this year. After that, it's mostly one-tool bench guys and middle relievers and who-the-hell-knows long shots -- the kind of prospects that wind up being the third piece in a deal.

I suspect we're going to *need* to make a trade for a pitcher. So I'm for suffering through Rutledge/Holt/whoever until Sandoval comes back, and then suffering through Sandoval for a little while, and then maybe even pulling the trigger on Devers too early, rather than trying to trade for Todd Frazier right now.

 

[Boggs26]

Do you think a trade for pitching will be necessary because Price isn't coming back? Or because Sale, Price, Porcello, Erod, assortment of mediocrity isn't good enough?

If the former, what kind of pitcher are you hoping to get? A true Price replacement isn't happening unless you're trading benintendi (or most of the top 5 prospects)

If the issue is the latter, I think you're nuts - a rotation of Sale, Price, Porcello, Erod, Pablo Sandoval might still be a top 3 rotation in baseball

 

[Savin Hillbilly]

Then there's Dalbec, Ockimey, and Chavis, but they all have warts limiting their upside and none are going to make it past high-A this year.

Considering that Ockimey and Chavis are already in high-A and destroying the baseball, I think this is a stretch. But I agree that neither of them is making it to the big club, which is probably more to the point.

 

[simplicio]

Ryan Philip: What’s your guess on how DD handles Devers down the stretch given their obvious need at 3b and the disaster Moncada was last year? At what point is it ok for them to throw Devers in the fire without sacrificing his development?
Keith Law: Buster said on the podcast this morning that he’s heard they might call Devers up; I said I thought that was aggressive, but that I also think Devers could handle the big jump without getting derailed. He’s a special talent at the plate.

 

[johnnywayback]

Do you think a trade for pitching will be necessary because Price isn't coming back? Or because Sale, Price, Porcello, Erod, assortment of mediocrity isn't good enough?

If the former, what kind of pitcher are you hoping to get? A true Price replacement isn't happening unless you're trading benintendi (or most of the top 5 prospects)

If the issue is the latter, I think you're nuts - a rotation of Sale, Price, Porcello, Erod, Pablo Sandoval might still be a top 3 rotation in baseball

I was thinking relief pitching, especially given that it doesn't look like Thornburg is coming back anytime soon. But I wouldn't rule out needing a depth starter, either; we're one injury away from dipping back into our throughly unsatisfying pool of #6 starter candidates, and if that injury happens between now and 7/31, I can't imagine they'll be content to run Kyle Kendrick or Brian Johnson out there every five days for the rest of the year.

Considering that Ockimey and Chavis are already in high-A and destroying the baseball, I think this is a stretch. But I agree that neither of them is making it to the big club, which is probably more to the point.

Ockimey destroyed the baseball in low-A to begin last year, too, and then fell apart. I have to think they'll give him the whole year at Salem; he doesn't turn 22 until October. Chavis, perhaps, makes it to Portland at the end of the year, especially if they call Devers up, but he came into the year with 25 (bad) at-bats above Greenville, and this is the first time he's looked anything like a hitter since he entered the system, so I'd be surprised if they rushed him. Either way, my point is that neither is a lock to be an everyday player, and neither is likely to reach the majors before 2019, so neither seems like a viable lead piece in a trade of any magnitude.

 

[dbn]

Do you think a trade for pitching will be necessary because Price isn't coming back? Or because Sale, Price, Porcello, Erod, assortment of mediocrity isn't good enough?

If the former, what kind of pitcher are you hoping to get? A true Price replacement isn't happening unless you're trading benintendi (or most of the top 5 prospects)

If the issue is the latter, I think you're nuts - a rotation of Sale, Price, Porcello, Erod, Pablo Sandoval might still be a top 3 rotation in baseball

This deserves recognition.

 

[Cesar Crespo]

I was thinking relief pitching, especially given that it doesn't look like Thornburg is coming back anytime soon. But I wouldn't rule out needing a depth starter, either; we're one injury away from dipping back into our throughly unsatisfying pool of #6 starter candidates, and if that injury happens between now and 7/31, I can't imagine they'll be content to run Kyle Kendrick or Brian Johnson out there every five days for the rest of the year.



Ockimey destroyed the baseball in low-A to begin last year, too, and then fell apart. I have to think they'll give him the whole year at Salem; he doesn't turn 22 until October. Chavis, perhaps, makes it to Portland at the end of the year, especially if they call Devers up, but he came into the year with 25 (bad) at-bats above Greenville, and this is the first time he's looked anything like a hitter since he entered the system, so I'd be surprised if they rushed him. Either way, my point is that neither is a lock to be an everyday player, and neither is likely to reach the majors before 2019, so neither seems like a viable lead piece in a trade of any magnitude.

Chavis looked good at the start last year as well but then suffered an injury and reverted back to his hacking ways. In his first 93 PA last year, he was hitting .361/.419/.578 with 6bb/11k. In his first 99 PA this year, he's at .345/.444/.690 with 13bb/21k. With Ockimey and Chavis, it's going to depend largely on how much they are striking out but if they are both putting up an OPS north of .900 in July, they'll get time in Portland.

 

[Manramsclan]

Wow.

Not sure where to find OPS+ by position, but I just looked at wRC+ from Fangraphs:

year    C    1B    2B    SS    3B    RF    CF    LF    DH
2017    104  119   97    115   63    142   99    118   95
2016    79   109   116   110   78    133   118   101   157
2015    73   97    103   109   71    85    119   89    121
2014    70   94    107   77    81    86    77    89    137
2013    109  131   113   106   84    125   108   121   151
2012    83   100   100   66    91    92    71    93    124
2011    95   150   131   98    107   79    150   89    151

Dustin Pedroia representing. He may be underrated.

Where's the Bill Mueller type the Sox need?

 

[dbn]

Dustin Pedroia representing. He may be underrated.

Where's the Bill Mueller type the Sox need?

Just looked a bit closer at those numbers. The Gomes-Victorino corner outfield of 2013 was pretty damn under-the-radar good offensively. I guess because that whole offense was pretty darn good (except... at 3B).

 

[Cesar Crespo]

Probably worth noting that Ockimey's BAbip is at .408 and Chavis is at .393. Devers is at .360.

 

[Manramsclan]

Just looked a bit closer at those numbers. The Gomes-Victorino corner outfield of 2013 was pretty damn under-the-radar good offensively. I guess because that whole offense was pretty darn good (except... at 3B).

Wow, I didn't notice that. There is of course a lower bar for those spots defensively, but that could be instructive of what might be necessary at 3B: A regular platoon, not this pupu platter of Sandoval,Rutledge,Holt.

Begs the question: What if Todd Frazier was available at a low cost? You'd think he would be at his salary level, his team's ineptitude, and the fact that he his hitting terribly at this point in the season. He looks like a regress to the mean candidate and his mean(career 110 OPS+) is better than our current 3B crop. If all it takes is money, I'd look at a player like that who has warts, but is a rental, and won't cost Chavis, Devers et al. who are a part of a future solution.

EDIT: Just saw PaulinMyBirch's post...Sorry for retreading.

 

[grimshaw]

This only tangentially fits, but apparently Marco Hernandez is tied for 7th for fastest home to first time in the majors, according to this article. http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/2017-home-to-first-times/

The full list is interesting. X and Betts were .01 seconds apart from each other last year.

 

[Byrdbrain]

BrockHolt is not walking through that door(anytime soon).
Alex Speier‏ @alexspeier
Brock Holt did indeed leave tonight's PawSox game due to a recurrence of symptoms.

 

[soxhop411]

BrockHolt is not walking through that door(anytime soon).
Alex Speier‏ @alexspeier
Brock Holt did indeed leave tonight's PawSox game due to a recurrence of symptoms.

If he continues to have recurrences I think baseball should be the least of his worries

 

[strek1]

If he continues to have recurrences I think baseball should be the least of his worries

Indeed. Wonder why these symptoms won't stop?

 

[chawson]

Begs the question: What if Todd Frazier was available at a low cost? You'd think he would be at his salary level, his team's ineptitude, and the fact that he his hitting terribly at this point in the season. He looks like a regress to the mean candidate and his mean(career 110 OPS+) is better than our current 3B crop. If all it takes is money, I'd look at a player like that who has warts, but is a rental, and won't cost Chavis, Devers et al. who are a part of a future solution.

Todd Frazier seems to be having a weird year, but it looks unlucky more than anything. His xWOBA is .367 (Machado's at .368). His walk rate's way up and strikeouts are down. Launch angles are okay. Exit velocity (86.8 mph) a little lower than peak years, but he also had the flu for two weeks. Also, this may be noise, but Frazier has hit considerably worse in Chicago — in 389 PAs at the G-Spot he's hitting .205/.286/.390 for a 78 wRC+. In 388 PAs away, he's hitting .233/.314/.501 for a 118 wRC+.

I think Frazier's fine. He'd be even better packaged with basically any motherfucker from that bullpen.

 

[PaulinMyrBch]

Wow, I didn't notice that. There is of course a lower bar for those spots defensively, but that could be instructive of what might be necessary at 3B: A regular platoon, not this pupu platter of Sandoval,Rutledge,Holt.

Begs the question: What if Todd Frazier was available at a low cost? You'd think he would be at his salary level, his team's ineptitude, and the fact that he his hitting terribly at this point in the season. He looks like a regress to the mean candidate and his mean(career 110 OPS+) is better than our current 3B crop. If all it takes is money, I'd look at a player like that who has warts, but is a rental, and won't cost Chavis, Devers et al. who are a part of a future solution.

EDIT: Just saw PaulinMyBirch's post...Sorry for retreading.

Not a problem, still hasn't been answered, so I'll do some research later and see what has gone out in packages for short term rentals on starting IF's to see if we can find a relevant comp. I was looking for the lazy way out.

 

[MikeM]

Our farm system is *very* thin. Assuming you don't want to trade Devers (the 3B of the future) or Travis (the likely 2018 Opening Day 1B), Jay Groome is our only real blue-chip prospect.

Travis is currently hitting at a 252/319/379 clip in AAA, following a 272/332/434 stint last year.

Considering the fact that the non-elite first baseman FA market has crashed to a point where a solid bat/ limited defense guy like Pedro Alvarez couldn't even land a MLB contract this past winter, I think it's a pretty big stretch atm to assume Travis as our opening day starter in 2018. Especially given the glaring hole opposite him that *hopefully* is already being filled by a rookie. I know people tend to love their homegrown talent possibility, but our FO is not that frugal.

Not that it probably adds much to the list by taking him off there of course, for basically the same reason.

(name correction edit: Thanks Bosox79. Guess I just have Shaw's name on the brain lately)

 

[Cesar Crespo]

Shaw is currently hitting at a 252/319/379 clip in AAA, following a 272/332/434 stint last year.

Considering the fact that the non-elite first baseman FA market has crashed to a point where a solid bat/ limited defense guy like Pedro Alvarez couldn't even land a MLB contract this past winter, I think it's a pretty big stretch atm to assume Travis as our opening day starter in 2018. Especially given the glaring hole opposite him that *hopefully* is already being filled by a rookie. I know people tend to love their homegrown talent possibility, but our FO is not that frugal.

Not that it probably adds much to the list by taking him off there of course, for basically the same reason.

Sam Travis, not Shaw. The only way he's an opening day starter in 2018 is if the Sox are facing a left hander and he's the weak half of a platoon at 1b.

 

[reggiecleveland]

Wow.

Not sure where to find OPS+ by position, but I just looked at wRC+ from Fangraphs:

year    C    1B    2B    SS    3B    RF    CF    LF    DH
2017    104  119   97    115   63    142   99    118   95
2016    79   109   116   110   78    133   118   101   157
2015    73   97    103   109   71    85    119   89    121
2014    70   94    107   77    81    86    77    89    137
2013    109  131   113   106   84    125   108   121   151
2012    83   100   100   66    91    92    71    93    124
2011    95   150   131   98    107   79    150   89    151

Am I right in that JBJ brought down both the rf and lf numbers in 2014?

 

[dbn]

Am I right in that JBJ brought down both the rf and lf numbers in 2014?

According to both Fan Graphs and B-Ref, he had 398 PAs as a CF (wRC+ of 48), 23 PAs as a RF (wRC+ of 24), 2 PAs as a pinch hitter (wRC+ of -100) and none as a LF, though he seems to have played some LF.

 

[sean1562]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-case-for-rafael-devers/

what does everyone think? if devers can come up in june/july and be league average at 3B, Price comes back as the pitcher he was last year and "Ed-Ro" keeps up what he has been doing, I think this summer could be a great one

 

[joe dokes]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-case-for-rafael-devers/

what does everyone think? if devers can come up in june/july and be league average at 3B, Price comes back as the pitcher he was last year and "Ed-Ro" keeps up what he has been doing, I think this summer could be a great one

I think they hope he can go the Bogaerts route. Ano other short while at Portland to see if he keeps it up; see how he does at AAA, then a shot later on if he doesn;t start striking out 30 or 40% of the time.

 

[JBJ_HOF]

Highly doubt they are going to move him along quickly. He will split this year between AA-AAA and be up at some point around now next year. Sandoval was hitting the ball hard before he got hurt with a .217 babip, I'll guess he comes back next week and 85-105 wRC+'s and all the Devers talk cools down.

 

[grimshaw]

The downside is that, a lot of us (myself included) thought that it would be very hard for Moncada not to outperform Shaw who had long since turned into a pumpkin and even below average production would make up for it. Then we saw what happened. He didn't appear ready mentally either, which was extremely understandable given his youth and the pennant race situation. Devers is still just 20, so that aspect of his development may not be there yet and could affect his production.

On the other hand, Devers has an 18% k-rate, not 30-40% like Moncada had in the minors and he's also not struggling to learn a new position. I think it's worth the risk with this team built to win now though I would wait until mid June, when they do a Philly, Houston, KC road trip.

Highly doubt they are going to move him along quickly. He will split this year between AA-AAA and be up at some point around now next year. Sandoval was hitting the ball hard before he got hurt with a .217 babip, I'll guess he comes back next week and 85-105 wRC+'s and all the Devers talk cools down.

DD has already moved Benintendi and Moncada along very quickly when there was a major hole on the roster, so I disagree that they wouldn't move aggressively with him - especially with how dominant he has been in AA. They are already pitching around him down there as Cameron noted in his article, so I'm not sure he has much more to learn at that level unless he still needs glove work. I will concede that if Sandoval is back and doesn't suck that they can and should be more patient, but I'm not holding my breath that he is any different.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

As easy as the comparison to Moncada last year is, I think Bogaerts is the cautionary tale of note. Sure, he came up in 2013 and contributed at 3B (and SS) toward the end of the season, but look at his 2014. My concern with Devers is that there is a vastly greater than 0% chance that he wouldn't represent an upgrade to Sandoval and the band of misfits holding down the spot now. And even if he did, it would be short-lived and by virtue of his success be thrust into a role he's not ready for in 2018 which might prove even more disastrous. He's young, no reason to rush him.

 

[joe dokes]

As easy as the comparison to Moncada last year is, I think Bogaerts is the cautionary tale of note. Sure, he came up in 2013 and contributed at 3B (and SS) toward the end of the season, but look at his 2014. My concern with Devers is that there is a vastly greater than 0% chance that he wouldn't represent an upgrade to Sandoval and the band of misfits holding down the spot now. And even if he did, it would be short-lived and by virtue of his success be thrust into a role he's not ready for in 2018 which might prove even more disastrous. He's young, no reason to rush him.

Given what he's done since, I don't think the 83 OPS+ that Bogaerts put up as a 21yr old SS is that much of a cautionary tale. (I'll just take the whole '14 season as a whole, even though he played about 1/3 of the season at 3B and hit considerably worse there. Impossible to separate signal from noise there.) Sometimes a year of not-stardom tells the player just what he needs to do going forward.

I absolutely agree that they need to be sure he's an upgrade to Sandoval & the Gang, though. But "no reason to rush him" sort of begs the question of whether it would be "rushing him" IF, for example, he continues to show progress, and Sandoval chugs along at an OPS+ of 70 with mediocre-at-best defense.

Regardless, this is a non-issue, IMO, until he holds his own at AAA for a time.

 

[KillerBs]

As pathetic as it is, I keep wondering about Matt Dominguez as a stop gap option for a few weeks/months until we sort out what is up with Panda and let Devers give AAA a go.

I understand Dominguez is a A-/B+ defensive 3b and, based on career numbers, he looks to project to be an approx 650 OPS MLB hitter. Maybe you get lucky and with his career on the line he out produces that. He is certainly a better hitter and defensive 3b than Marrero, who seems like a nice fellow, but may be the worst hitting position player this team has given MLB ABs to since Kevin Cash or Marc Sullivan. I take it there is an issue with the 40 man, but why are we carrying Marrero and the redundant Arnaud on the 40 man in any event?

As for the timing of the call up of Devers, certainly you have to factor in the risk that an early call up damages him longer term, but that seems virtually impossible to measure. Maybe Devers is better in 2018 for getting some time at MLB level this year, who knows? If there is scant difference between what you expect from Devers in the MLB and what you are playing at 3b there now, sure, keep Devers in the minors. Equally clear, we cant play out much more of the season with Marrero/Rutledge at 3b.

So, why not call up Dominguez now, give the job to Panda when he comes off the DL, with Dominguez in the wings when/if? Sandoval falters again this summer. In the meantime, if Sandoval and Dominguez both are stinking by August 1, and Devers is showing he can hit AAA pitching, the Sox hand the job over to him.

Remind me again why we didnt sign Plouffe in the off season? I can see giving Dombro a pass for getting burned twice on broken down set up men, but going into the season with no plausible fall back plan if Sandoval washed out seems inexcusable.

 

[grimshaw]

Plouffe was below replacement level last year, and at replacement level this year so far. 4 guys got hurt. It sucks, but what else can you do when you're bridging for a year and have no assets to give up in a trade?

As for Dominguez - I had no idea he could field, so it is strange that he never got a look over Marrero.
Pablo is starting his rehab tomorrow, so it shouldn't be too long.

 

[MikeM]

Remind me again why we didnt sign Plouffe in the off season? I can see giving Dombro a pass for getting burned twice on broken down set up men, but going into the season with no plausible fall back plan if Sandoval washed out seems inexcusable.

For the same reason you reference giving Panda yet another go, instead of simply ripping off the band-aid and being done with it already.

Looking past the mountain of dead money and letting go of the wishful thinking that comes with it is hard.

 

[luckysox]

I did not watch the last 2 games, but Marerro looked good at 3B prior to that, making a couple of ranging plays that I dare say no one else on the roster makes (at 3rd). Was he bad defensively in St. Louis the last few nights? I mean, yes, the bat is just downright awful. No argument there. I'm just wondering about this quote:

He is certainly a better hitter and defensive 3b than Marrero,

and if it's really true or not.

 

[jerry casale]

For the same reason you reference giving Panda yet another go, instead of simply ripping off the band-aid and being done with it already.

Looking past the mountain of dead money and letting go of the wishful thinking that comes with it is hard.

Very well said. Someone said earlier, "They might as well have set the money on fire".

 

[NoXInNixon]

Given what he's done since, I don't think the 83 OPS+ that Bogaerts put up as a 21yr old SS is that much of a cautionary tale. (I'll just take the whole '14 season as a whole, even though he played about 1/3 of the season at 3B and hit considerably worse there. Impossible to separate signal from noise there.) Sometimes a year of not-stardom tells the player just what he needs to do going forward.

I absolutely agree that they need to be sure he's an upgrade to Sandoval & the Gang, though. But "no reason to rush him" sort of begs the question of whether it would be "rushing him" IF, for example, he continues to show progress, and Sandoval chugs along at an OPS+ of 70 with mediocre-at-best defense.

Regardless, this is a non-issue, IMO, until he holds his own at AAA for a time.

Players make the jump from AA to the majors quite a bit these days. AAA is becoming more of a taxi squad. Devers won't need to play at AAA very much, if at all, for the Red Sox to decide he's worth a shot at 3B this season. I say the risk is worth the reward.

 

[Reggie's Racquet]

Very well said. Someone said earlier, "They might as well have set the money on fire".

At least that would have provided a temporary warm feeling.

 

[grimshaw]

FWIW - Steamer projects him for a wRC+ of 89, though Cameron believes zips would have him closer to league average. Fangraphs has his fielding tools as average to solid average with a 55 arm tool, and that was reported in 2014. He has only improved his fielding tool since then. None of these factor in any sort of major pressure he could exert on himself or losing confidence if he starts poorly which is still my only concern.

Also - given Sandoval's non-range and iffy arm since he's been here, it's another point in Devers' favor.

I did not watch the last 2 games, but Marerro looked good at 3B prior to that, making a couple of ranging plays that I dare say no one else on the roster makes (at 3rd). Was he bad defensively in St. Louis the last few nights?
and if it's really true or not.

Marrero was great last night. His glove is the one reason he's even on the 40 man. Though the versatility certainly helps. He has always rated as plus or better. No clue how the Dominguez is a better fielder comment has any merit

 

[Plympton91]

Agree about Marerro's' superior glove. They seem to have decided that if they're going to get a 600 OPS out of third base, at least put a stellar glove there.

Also regretting not signing Plouffe. Does the "replacement level" comment anove include defense? Because I doubt he's made 13 errors in 40 games with statuesque range like Pablo/Rutledge. A 680 OPS and league average defense would be quite nice right now.

 

[johnnywayback]

Agree about Marerro's' superior glove. They seem to have decided that if they're going to get a 600 OPS out of third base, at least put a stellar glove there.

Also regretting not signing Plouffe. Does the "replacement level" comment anove include defense? Because I doubt he's made 13 errors in 40 games with statuesque range like Pablo/Rutledge. A 680 OPS and league average defense would be quite nice right now.

I also wanted to sign Plouffe (whose OPS, I might add, is up to 747 after last night). And the nice thing about having him instead of Rutledge would be that he's played a little 1B and could have spelled Moreland against tough lefties in the entirely predictable event that Hanley Ramirez turned out not to be an option there. If they wind up going out and making a trade (and I think they should just call up Devers in June if Sandoval doesn't come back), I'd be looking for someone who can fit that profile (David Freese).

 

[phenweigh]

Was the demotion of Chase d’Arnaud a sign that Pablo will be back soon?

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Maybe, but it could also mean Holt, or it could just mean they needed a spot for the starting pitcher last night.

 

[phenweigh]

I understand that after the 13 inning game before the Velazquez start they didn't want to send a member of the bullpen down, but I don't see them committing to a bench with only Rutledge as a backup infielder for very long. Who else could they call up as a backup infielder if Pablo's return isn't imminent?

Edit - Forgot to add that Holt was reported to have vertigo reoccurrence so I don't think he's available.

 

[grimshaw]

Also regretting not signing Plouffe. Does the "replacement level" comment anove include defense? Because I doubt he's made 13 errors in 40 games with statuesque range like Pablo/Rutledge. A 680 OPS and league average defense would be quite nice right now.

In other words - Brock Holt who OPS'd .703 last year and is passable in the field. Basically the same production for 3 mill cheaper.

The error thing is a SSS unless you think they will make 53 errors over the course of the season.

Plouffe is an ok 3B (-8 DRS for his career at the position because he couldn't stick at SS). He's a completely average player, but only because he has had two decent seasons mixed in with 4 awful ones. They already had Holt and Sandoval and Hernandez and had to move Shaw to make room. Hernandez was a disaster and it snowballed. Josh Rutledge is Josh Rutledge. But Sandoval and Holt were option one and two and are not healthy. That's the problem.

In a vacuum - sure Plouffe is the one year stop gap, but they already had similar options and 20+ million tied up at the position. Not to mention being up against the luxury tax.