I root for the laundry. The people are disappointments far too often. JD being an anti-vax idiot is no surprise.
In the midst of the conversation there was a noticeable change in Servais’ tone and voice. It wavered a few times as he talked about the importance of receiving the vaccine for overall health but also how it could possibly affect the team if a player tested positive for COVID-19.
There also was more than a strong tinge of hopelessness in his voice, perhaps knowing that the Mariners likely won’t get to the 85% threshold of full vaccination of people in Tier 1 where COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines might be relaxed.
“I think the last I heard there are 10 teams that at 85%,” Servais said. “And there’s some others that are creeping closer to that.”
While the Major League Baseball Players Association is pushing for players to get vaccinated, it is hyper aware of teams trying push vaccines on players who are resistant to receiving it.
Servais has been more vocal and frank about the situation than most managers who don’t want to come close to that line. He’s stressed that it’s an individual decision for each player.
I'm reminded of what Earl Weaver (I think) said about his team when asked about (?)Jim Palmer(?) not liking him: "There's about 24 guys; 8 hate me, 8 like me, and 8 dont give a shit. The key is keeping the ones who hate me away from the ones who dont give a shit about me."JD has left plenty of bread crumbs about his views since he has joined the Red Sox. As @shaggydog2000 says, for Sox fans it is best to enjoy his skill as a baseball player and not even think about anything else.
Dude posted a Hitler meme on Instagram in support of the second amendment. This is who he is.It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s against it, but it’s not obvious that it’s himself he’s talking about. He says “it’d be nice to have [the 85%] advantages, but to each his own” or something like that. Sounds like some other Sox don’t want it and he just doesn’t wanna say something critical
JD looks terrible on the majority of outside breaking pitches from RHanders. The comparison with Schwarber and the desirability of replacement of JD by KS are very obvious.I don't think the lack of JD love is from anything personal about him. It's more that he has a shocking number of uncompetitive at bats in big situations for a guy who is generally a good hitter. This year he's put up a .738 OPS in close and late situations and .466!! when a runner's at third with less than 2 out. There's nothing more frustrating as a fan than seeing a runner at third left there by the middle of the lineup and he's been doing it more consistently than anyone.
I think this is untrue.I don't think the lack of JD love is from anything personal about him. It's more that he has a shocking number of uncompetitive at bats in big situations for a guy who is generally a good hitter. This year he's put up a .738 OPS in close and late situations and .466!! when a runner's at third with less than 2 out. There's nothing more frustrating as a fan than seeing a runner at third left there by the middle of the lineup and he's been doing it more consistently than anyone.
If this conversation angle is going to happen, someone take it to V&N. Seriously, it could be interesting. I'll make my argument there.I think this is untrue.
In fact, I can not cite examples, but plenty of people on these boards know exactly what I'm referencing.
Probably a good barometer that an athletes personal life does, in fact, play into the way hes viewed. Subconscious or not.
I think his performance the rest of the season may influence if he opts out. He has surged a bit lately, but if slumping continues and his next six weeks look like his July slump or 2020 season, he may well stick around. Not the worse thing in the world if he does, to have him around for what may be his last somewhat productive year. But if he opts out, yes, best the Red Sox move on to a guy like Schwarber ....I think it’s a no brainer that he opts out, at his age he should be looking for total contract value over AAV, and he can certainly do better than 1 year / $19m coming off a ~900 OPS season. Add in the potential of universal DH and / or a work stoppage and there’s no reason for him to opt in. Sox would be best served moving on too, IMO.
This seems like the case of Schwarber being a shiny new toy. I like him and all, and hope he sticks around, but his bat has been nowhere near JD's prime other than this season in 325 PA. He's a solidly above average player having a career year at the perfect time, and he's going to have plenty of suitors.JD looks terrible on the majority of outside breaking pitches from RHanders. The comparison with Schwarber and the desirability of replacement of JD by KS are very obvious.
If so, and he does not opt out, the Sox should hire an intern, give them a box full of banana peels, and tell them to stake out the staircases JD uses during spring training.Seems like a bit of a negative take. It was a freak injury not carelessness. Besides, he’s hitting the ball really well right now – Frank Thomas mentioned on the postgame after game 2 I think that the ankle may have actually stabilized his swing mechanics a bit.
The new CBA might alleviate your concerns. If the NL adopts the DH next season, I think chances are good that JD opts out.If so, and he does not opt out, the Sox should hire an intern, give them a box full of banana peels, and tell them to stake out the staircases JD uses during spring training.
Opt out must be done within five days of end of WS, so that is unlikely to happen this yearThe new CBA might alleviate your concerns. If the NL adopts the DH next season, I think chances are good that JD opts out.
This point gets brought up a bunch, but the current CBA expires a month after JD's opt-out has to be exercised. It seems unlikely that the new CBA will be ironed out before the old one expires, let alone a month early, so JD's not going to know with any certainty whether the DH is going to happen in the NL before he makes his decision.The new CBA might alleviate your concerns. If the NL adopts the DH next season, I think chances are good that JD opts out.
Or, even if he doesn't opt out, suddenly he has considerable positive trade value with 1/$22m remaining, if Boston decides they have too many DHs on the roster.The new CBA might alleviate your concerns. If the NL adopts the DH next season, I think chances are good that JD opts out.
I suspect this will be the more likely route. When he was signed by the Sox, wasn't there some language in the contract about potential trades- as in, he had 5 teams (or something like that) that he could be traded to and that was it?Or, even if he doesn't opt out, suddenly he has considerable positive trade value with 1/$22m remaining, if Boston decides they have too many DHs on the roster.
If only these terms were some place one could look them up at . . .I suspect this will be the more likely route. When he was signed by the Sox, wasn't there some language in the contract about potential trades- as in, he had 5 teams (or something like that) that he could be traded to and that was it?
Per Cots contracts (which we already learned had his complicated option situation subtly wrong):I suspect this will be the more likely route. When he was signed by the Sox, wasn't there some language in the contract about potential trades- as in, he had 5 teams (or something like that) that he could be traded to and that was it?
limited no-trade protection (may block deals to 3 clubs annually)
[*]
I haven't been following Story's lineup placement super closely; but if he has been in the 5-6 hole for most of the season, I think he he has had plenty of chances to drive in runs, as JD, X and Devers have been good all season. It was Story himself, as well as Kike, Verdugo, Dalbec, JBJ, etc. class that was dragging them down earlier in the year.I know many here think that RBI stars are close to meaningless, but it's incredible that Story is currently 5th in the AL given how terrible his start was and how bad some players hitting in front of him have been.
RBI mean exactly what they say they mean. How many runners a hitter drove in when he was at bat. Some players may make better use of their opportunity than others, so you can look into RBI percentage or whatever, but it's certainly not meaningless.RBI stats are indeed meaningless and have no bearing on a player's ability. It's all about the opportunities which are not distributed equally.
BRef shows Story as having a BRS (Base Runners Scored, which isn’t limited to RBIs as it includes runs that score on errors and double plays, among other things) percentage of 24.1%, which is 7.7% higher than his career average and highest on the team among starters.RBI mean exactly what they say they mean. How many runners a hitter drove in when he was at bat. Some players may make better use of their opportunity than others, so you can look into RBI percentage or whatever, but it's certainly not meaningless.
Unclear if there is such a skill or if it is measurable. Two 0.300/0.400/0.900 hitters could come up with the exact same set of RBI opportunities and end up with different RBI totals over the course of a season. But that difference is likely due to randomness and so would have no predictive ability going forward.RBI mean exactly what they say they mean. How many runners a hitter drove in when he was at bat. Some players may make better use of their opportunity than others, so you can look into RBI percentage or whatever, but it's certainly not meaningless.
Does it matter? Trevor Story is under contract for another six years, so who cares what stats have predictive ability going forward? The money is spent and he's on the team no matter what. In the real games that they have already played on the field, he's been the best player at turning baserunners into runs, which is very valuable.Unclear if there is such a skill or if it is measurable. Two 0.300/0.400/0.900 hitters could come up with the exact same set of RBI opportunities and end up with different RBI totals over the course of a season. But that difference is likely due to randomness and so would have no predictive ability going forward.
I agree this would be very hard to measure (are there players whose RISP performance is better/worse than average for a sustained period?), but its not impossible to imagine there are players whose particular abilities and/or plate approach better lend to RISP production than others.Unclear if there is such a skill or if it is measurable. Two 0.300/0.400/0.900 hitters could come up with the exact same set of RBI opportunities and end up with different RBI totals over the course of a season. But that difference is likely due to randomness and so would have no predictive ability going forward.
Is he going to be offered a QO if he's still around? Would he take it?Since this last post JD has really tanked. He’s either in his last 4 games or last 3 months with the Sox. No way if he doesn’t get traded that the Sox will bring him back.
He’s never been a fan favorite for whatever reason. He was absolutely essential in the 2018 bullet train to the WS, was still VERY good in ‘19- a regression but still easily worth his contract. Then in * he just collapsed for whatever reasons. Since then he’s been streaky and generally not worth the pay. Even in his great ‘18 and very good ‘19 though the fans never seemed to love him.
I won’t be sad to see him go (like I will if X leaves) even if he was hitting .900+ OPS.
I doubt it. I think he might if offered. I love the guy, but he’s not performing well enough to warrant extending him on anything more than a team-friendly deal as a mentor to youngsters, but only if we’re resigned to .270/20/78 type numbers.Is he going to be offered a QO if he's still around? Would he take it?
Eovaldi accepting the QO would be fantastic.Boagerts clearly isn’t going to accept a QO, but the other Sox FA seem like risks to do so - which makes trading them now appealing.
I'll disagree. I think he would be offered a QO. I don't know if he would accept. I think, however, he'll be traded by the deadline.Is he going to be offered a QO if he's still around? Would he take it?