Swihart traded to Dbacks

Mueller's Twin Grannies

critical thinker
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Dec 19, 2009
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It's certainly true that the roster doesn't make a lot of sense. Things I would have done before this move:
  • Returned Pedroia to the IL. He needs to post an .800 OPS in a meaningful Pawtucket rehab stint before I want him back with the club. Having him rehab as the major league team's DH is a luxury we simply cannot afford.
  • DFA'd Núñez. He's doing exactly nothing well.
  • Promoted Lin. We need someone who can play 2B/3B/CF on the roster.
  • Acquired a minor league OF with options. Like... anyone with any kind of upside whatsoever. A classic 4th OF.
  • Stopped playing JDM in the OF, where he's been awful. I know small sample defensive stats aren't worth anything, but... his are real gross, and correspond with the visual impression. Except in emergencies, he shouldn't be out there.
  • After all that, think about the catchers.
I don't think he has options, but didn't they sign Gorkys Hernandez to be the 4th/5th OF to stash down in AAA?
 

joe dokes

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McAdam's take is up at BSJ: A snippet:
And given Jackie Bradley Jr’s all-too-familiar early-season struggles at the plate, the Red Sox again find themselves with a black hole in the bottom of the third lineup — the very same issue they experienced in the first half of last season.
And look how badly that turned out!
 

E5 Yaz

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I'm not sold on Sandy that he is the game changer. If so, why was HE released and NO ONE picked him up? Ultimately he is gonna have to hit and the moment Chris Sale goes South, do we blame Sandy? I find it real hard to believe that the lack of Sale's success is "the catcher". So swapping out one shitty player for another.
You don't understand. The earth revolves around Sandy Leon
 

budcrew08

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Showing my age here, but the Sox are doing this on a night Sale is pitching against the Yankees. Very reminiscent of the Sox re-acquring Mirabelli from SD in a "panic" trade and rushing to get him to the park in time to catch Wake against...the Yankees.

Both trades very early in the season as well.
Didn’t they close the road and give Mirabelli a police escort?
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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You can't just send a guy who just completed a rehab assignment back to the IL like that.

(edit - re: Pedroia)
Why not? If he's hurt, he's hurt. Doesn't matter if he's a day off the IL or six years off the IL, there are no rules preventing Pedroia from going back on the IL.

Unless you're suggesting he can't just go straight to Pawtucket on a rehab assignment, and that's true. Typically if one were to reset one's rehab assignment, it requires shutting down for a week. Similarly, I think Pedroia would have to go on the IL and be idle for 7 days before he can start a rehab assignment. But there's nothing stopping the Sox from doing just that with him...assuming he's hurt.
 

moondog80

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"The organization insisted throughout spring training that it had full confidence in Swihart as a major league catcher, but today’s move belies that faith."

What does McAdam expect them to say? "We think Swihart probably sucks but all of our other options do as well so we may as well give him one last chance?"

Though I don't mind dumping Swihart, that doesn't mean I think Leon or Vazquez are any good. Given the limited resources they had this offseason, my preference would have been to spend the Eovaldi money on one of Grandal/Ramos, bullpen help, and a cheap 5th starter.
 

canderson

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Last year everything went right. Cora's every move played out perfectly.

So far this year, nothing has. This team has sucked in every facet. This move screams of desperation.

I'm very curious to watch how the team and Cora forge this season and all its strife.
 

PudgeFIST

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Aug 19, 2016
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While this isn't the worst move this team has ever done, this is just dumb with a capital "B".

"Hey, lets KEEP Blake, but never really give him a chance to play!!!!"
"Wow, he's not improving or breaking out....I wonder why????"
"Oh, yeah, you actually have to give guys playing time for that to work out well......ooooops"

Most managers have favorites, I guess Blake never got in good
enough with Cora.

Doesn't this imply that the fault of the pitching staff sucking is the catchers?
So thereto and heretofor, Vazqwezz must suck too, no?
He was catching the "good pitchers", who aren't good pitchers, wasn't he?
 

nattysez

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‘(Swihart) really, for his own development, needs to go out and play.’
Is this a joke? He's on the team and guys are hurt -- why is he not playing every day if DD thinks he needs to play more?
 

dhappy42

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Oct 27, 2013
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If this has been mentioned, I missed it: Red Sox select C Sandy Leon and RHP Erasmo Ramirez from Pawtucket...

Is the bullpen so thin that the team couldn’t carry three catchers for a week... until someone inevitably hits the IL, making the Swihart DFA not necessary? Or at least not immediately necessary?

When Holt comes back, who goes? Nunes?
 

LesterFan

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Bizarre that the Red Sox held onto Swihart all of last season despite his trade request and even went as far as carrying 3 catchers to keep him on board to only DFA him less than 3 weeks and 29 plate appearances in. Total desperation move. The team will say it isn't, but If they were 11-6 and not 6-11 this move doesn't happen. Disappointing because there's no question Swihart has much higher upside than Leon and Vazquez.
 

joe dokes

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Last year everything went right. Cora's every move played out perfectly.

So far this year, nothing has. This team has sucked in every facet. This move screams of desperation.

I'm very curious to watch how the team and Cora forge this season and all its strife.

The bullpen, which everyone thought would suck, has been good enough, especially at the back end, where everyone thought they needed a 'proven closer.'
 

charlieoscar

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Sep 28, 2014
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It has been a long time since he's displayed major league skills.
Swihart never got much opportunity to catch at the major league level. He was brought up at age 23 when Vazquez was injured at caught 688.0 innings.Since then, he has caught 52.0, 12.0 (moved to LF and injured after Vazquez came back), 154.0, 54.0 innings. He did catch in the minors but he bounced back and forth and basically became a utility player, C/1B,2B,3B,LF,DH. In 2016 when Vazquez took over catching again, he batted .227/.277/.308/.585, which wasn't exactly great. The other thing that kept Swihart down was that Leon hit .310/.369/.476/.845 in 2016 (the two years before that Leon batted .156, .184 and the two years after, he hit .225,.177.

At one point Swihart had a lot of value as a trade option; however, now that he has been designated for assignment, he was immediately removed from the team's 40- and 25-man rosters and he must be traded, released, or irrevocable outright waivers within seven days. The Red Sox could re-sign him as a free agent if he is released.
 

CoffeeNerdness

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Why not? If he's hurt, he's hurt. Doesn't matter if he's a day off the IL or six years off the IL, there are no rules preventing Pedroia from going back on the IL
Did I miss an injury? My bad if I did. However, if the suggestion is all of a sudden the Sox are going to say "jk we think you need more time on the shelf + more rehab' I don't buy that they could pull that off for a second. We're talking about the guy who famously took grounders on his knees because he's such a "gamer" and who has the full backing of a very powerful union. Unless there's a new injury or Pedroia retires they cast their die by rehabbing him and activating him. Personally, I think the guy is cooked and I hope he rides off into the sunset.
 

joe dokes

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"Desperation" and "panic" is not "changing backup catchers."

"Desperation" and "panic" could be releasing a guy who started 44 of the first 50 games.
 

InsideTheParker

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What part of good defensively is Christian Vazquez?
Throwing guys out? (this year) I don't think he's wonderful, but he seems better at that than Swihart.
Even though I suggested when the Sox were back in Oakland that the starters might be missing Sandy, I am astonished by this move. And, even though I'm a Sandy fan, I'm ambivalent. Let's hope it works out.
 

patinorange

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I can understand giving up on Swihart. I don't understand replacing him with Sandy Leon. Sandy Leon is not a good player. And Vaz is the most overrated defensive catcher in baseball. Very strange.
 

mauidano

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As opposed to Leon, who is 30 and can't hit.
And cleared waivers three weeks ago.
My point of view exactly. Too much stock is put into a pitchers success on the catcher. You still have to make pitches. Wonder if Sale had any input?
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Did I miss an injury? My bad if I did. However, if the suggestion is all of a sudden the Sox are going to say "jk we think you need more time on the shelf + more rehab' I don't buy that they could pull that off for a second. We're talking about the guy who famously took grounders on his knees because he's such a "gamer" and who has the full backing of a very powerful union. Unless there's a new injury or Pedroia retires they cast their die by rehabbing him and activating him. Personally, I think the guy is cooked and I hope he rides off into the sunset.
I'm saying that it's been three straight days since he played the field. Yesterday I understand because of the weather, but why is he not playing tonight? Lefty on the mound, so it's not a match up thing. My concern is that his knee is still not up to the rigors of playing every day or even every other day. And if it's a matter of a roster crunch, perhaps putting him on the IL for 10 days, especially if during those 10 days he would only play 4 times, might have been a better alternative to cutting Swihart loose entirely.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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When Holt comes back, who goes? Nunes?
Since they're rolling with 13 pitchers at the moment, I assume Holt comes back and Ramirez or whomever his replacement might be in the meantime is the player who goes to make room.

Or Pedroia back to the IL if he's going to be an every three to four day player.
 

irinmike

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The Sox stuck with Swihart after his injury and he was given plenty of chances to make a name for himself. as a hitter, as his catching has always sucked. He did not, and right now the Sox need a defensive catcher because Vasquez is not exactly a gold glove catcher himself. Leon is no long term answer that is for sure, but this staff needs someone that can handle the pitchers. Leon was easy to bring back up and obviously the Sox could not get a bag of balls for Swihart.
 

uncannymanny

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If they were 11-6 and not 6-11 this move doesn't happen.
Well, of course. The GM and manager met about just that fact and decided this was the course they were going to take for now. I think the whole thing is kind of dumb, but you don’t have conversations like this because things are going well.
 

Sampo Gida

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I like the move if it helps Sale. Confidence is a big thing for a pitcher and Sale likes pitching to Leon. I thought the pitch calling was a bit too predictable. Hitters were sitting on off speed in a number of AB.

92 isn't great but pitchers can still win with it. Hopefully Leon helps that happen.

As for Swihart I wish him the best , assuming he ends up elsewhere. Not a given IMO.
 

rhswanzey

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Is the bullpen so thin that the team couldn’t carry three catchers for a week...
This team has three quality starts in 17 tries. Even if you take out the two Velazquez bullpen games, 20% is awful.

When Holt comes back, who goes? Nunes?
Nunez is tied for 6th in pitcher WAR with Marcus Walden (at 0.0). We can't gut the bullpen depth by losing Eduardo.
 

rhswanzey

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Swihart was 6th on the team in OPS+ (86).

Seeing as the reigning MVP is under 100, our starting CF is at exactly zero, and most of the bench is negative, that's more an indictment of the team's start as small sample theater than a ringing endorsement of Swihart (see above comment that Nunez is T-6th in pitcher WAR).
 

joe dokes

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Since they're rolling with 13 pitchers at the moment, I assume Holt comes back and Ramirez or whomever his replacement might be in the meantime is the player who goes to make room.

Or Pedroia back to the IL if he's going to be an every three to four day player.
Right. I think the 13 pitchers thing was in part due to the 11 straight games to start, but turned into a different sort of need. I assume management prefers 12 for the longer haul.
 

Cesar Crespo

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Is this a joke? He's on the team and guys are hurt -- why is he not playing every day if DD thinks he needs to play more?
because there are better options on the Sox. He hasn't earned playing time. He should be playing every day... in AAA or on some awful team. He's not good.
 

nattysez

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because there are better options on the Sox. He hasn't earned playing time. He should be playing every day... in AAA or on some awful team. He's not good.
Christian Vazquez is worse than Swihart in every offensive and defensive statistic.
 

TheoShmeo

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I’m relaxed about this one. The Sox coaches and baseball ops people likely came to the conclusion that Swihart was simply not showing enough behind and at the plate to continue keeping a catcher who several of their struggling pitchers love throwing to off the team.

The timing is odd and there’s a whiff of panic but I’m content to defer to those closer to the situation.
 

OCST

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The move, qua move, I can't complain about. Swihart is not going to make this team a better team. We would not be looking at Swihart as a good addition to the Red Sox if he were playing elsewhere and putting up those numbers.

The lack of a better replacement than Leon makes the timing puzzling.

The inability to discern any plan for Swihart's use or development over the past few years is frustrating, although that's all a sunk cost on 4/16/19.

The whiff of dysfunction and panic while the team struggles is upsetting.
 

Van Everyman

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I see this less as a panic move than as an acknowledgement that the team was wrong to think they could get away with having Swihart on the major league roster catching every fifth day. It was always a gamble but when the pitching was terrible out of the gate and Vazquez was no different than the head case he was throughout most of 2018 (he was secretly very good in 2017 and famously the only player on the team who had improved over the previous year).

That said, I think Leon may surprise people a bit, which is odd to say for a guy who we've seen a lot of over the last several years. He had a really good May (948 OPS) and June (748 OPS) last season until Vaz got hurt -- and then he sank like a stone once he had to play every day. Plus, the staff obviously loves him.
 

Yelling At Clouds

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Theo's last first rounder with the Sox.
Technically, that's Jackie Bradley Jr.

Generally, I agree that the way Swihart's career has been handled has seemed odd on the surface - it seemed like someone, somewhere within the organization just decided they didn't like him and that was that. But at the same time, I do think the fact that he's an ex-first rounder is driving some of the reactions here. If he were some dude they'd picked up off waivers from Cincinnati, nobody would be that broken up about it.
 
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