Drek717 said:
Probably because it's the right conclusion.
Let's review:
Will Middlebrooks:
1. Played some 2B and 1B last year.
2. Was benched in favor of X for the tail end of the playoffs, at which point X acquitted himself rather well at the hot corner, while WMB continued to be the only backup infielder on the roster (i.e. the backup 2B/3B at that time already).
3. Jenny Dell reports that Will Middlebrooks has been working out at 2B this off-season. Shortly after she was reassigned because she's currently dating one Mr. Will Middlebrooks. I wonder who her source might have been.
So how is this an outlandish idea? I'd say pretty much all signs point to it not only being a possibility, but to it happening as we speak.
Why WMB needs to expand his positional versatility to include 2B:
1. If Drew comes back he's playing SS and Bogaerts will see a bunch of starts at 3B. WMB will need to make up for the reduced 3B time by relieving Pedroia, Ortiz, and Napoli.
2. Whether or not Drew comes back WMB learning to play 2B shifts the first 2B/3B depth move should Pedroia or WMB miss serious time from Herrara/Holt to Cecchini. A pretty non-trivial upgrade.
I'd argue that #2 is at least as important as #1, and #2 is already a contingency the Sox have control over. Bringing Drew back is a luxury that a wealthy team can afford should Drew choose a higher salary and familiar setting over the other 1-2 year deals he'll likely have available from other clubs. The Sox can afford to splash the pot on a short deal to get that luxury and insulate themselves from failure/injury at all four infield positions, should Drew choose to take that deal.
You're not even addressing the right conclusion.
The conclusion you're supposed to be addressing is the one that results in Stephen Drew being the starting shortstop. You cannot address that one by saying maybe Middlebrooks could play second. Even the stupid teams aren't going to move Middlebrooks to a utility guy at this point in his career unless they think long term the team is better with Drew at short, Bogaerts at third, and Middlebrooks at utility. That is a decision largely driven by Bogaerts (because he's the highest ceiling player among them) and Drew (because he plays Bogaert's position.)
Here's a given. If you want to have young, cost controlled players on your roster, at some point you have to take a young, cost controlled player, and give him a position.
If you had a recipe for when a team with the expectations Red Sox fans have could hand a position to a young player and ride out the bumps even if it costs them a ticket to the post season, wouldn't that be a season after the team just won the world series, reinvigorating the fan base with an unanticipated success?
So, please, if you're going to make an argument for Drew being the starting shortstop in 2014, you have to address the following points.
1) If you're not handing the postion to Bogaerts now, when are you doing so, and why is that a better time than now? You answer should address the issue from the team aspect (see above) and the player aspect.
2) If the discussion of the above includes moving Bogaerts to third, you're going to have to address why you think the team is going to move him when everything they say about him indicates that the's a shortstop at least for the next several years.
3) You're going to have to address why, when the weakness in the Sox system is power bats, you're going to take the young, cost controlled guy who has the most power and move him to a utility position before giving him every possible chance to be an every day player.
4) You're going to have to address why, if Drew is the better long term option, the biggest offer we've heard about is two years at unspecified dollars.
And you're going to have to do this because here's the bottom line that none of you seem to be addressing. XANDER BOGAERTS IS THE SHORTSTOP OF THE FUCKING FUTURE. HIS UPSIDE IS THAT OF THE BEST PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE and while he isn't terribly likely to reach that upside, he is terribly likely to be an outstanding offensive player at the position at which it is the hardest to find offense. And, mind you, all of the scouts are saying that his defense is good enough to play the position.
If Xander Bogaerts isn't the Red Sox starting shortstop this season, there's going to have to be a very good reason, and Stephen Drew isn't it.
Rudy Pemberton said:
That assumes that someone is willing to assume all of Dempster's contract, which seems highly unlikely.
He's due to be paid thirteen million t be a near average pitcher. Finding someone who is willing to assume that contract doesn't seem all that unlikely. I rather suspect, though, that the Sox would rather send a little money the other way and get some actual talent back, even if it's just a lottery ticket.