What will D-Dom do before the trade deadline?

Hm, whaddayall think?

  • Stand Pat 1. Go through the season with the roster as it is today until rosters expand

    Votes: 9 4.4%
  • Stand Pat 2. Release Pablo, Peralta and bring up Devers before expansion

    Votes: 55 27.0%
  • Stand Pat 3. BROCK HOLT!!!! to the rescue

    Votes: 18 8.8%
  • Trade for a 3rd baseman

    Votes: 55 27.0%
  • Trade for bullpen help

    Votes: 65 31.9%
  • Trade for starting pitching....EdRod isn't coming back this season....

    Votes: 2 1.0%

  • Total voters
    204

turnthe2

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FWIW, seeing lots of chatter on Twitter implying a deal for Todd Frazier in the works, possibly close. Haven't come across any reliable sources yet.
 

grimshaw

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I know the Yankees were interested in him earlier, but maybe the Sox could make a run at Justin Bour. He may be pricier since he's cost controlled but the Marlins are in a long rebuild. It's not just 3b that needs help. Moreland is clearly less than 100% and they can really improve quite a lot at 1b. It's even more important with catcher also so weak and Hanley having his issues.

Other options are Duda, Jose Abreu and Yonder Alonso, hell even Matt Adams. All of those guys are having better seasons than anyone on the Sox and lapping our 1b production. Adams would take a bucket of balls. Duda and Abreu would be more than Frazier since they could have qualifying offers attached but nothing too prohibitive. Bour could be semi long term and they have nothing c.

Moreland - wRC+ 105 (30th)
Adams -wRC+125
Abreu- wRC+126
Duda - wRC+ 130
Bour - wRC+ 135
Alonso - wRC+ 147

I'm sure 3b will be dealt with, but I would look at 1b as well since the upgrade could be just as or even more impactful. I'm not buying Travis yet.

Unless the plan is Frazier sliding over to 1b either for lefties or if/when Devers gets promoted.
 
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Papisgod

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Adams would take more than just a bucket of balls right now since the braves moved Freddie Freeman to third for him.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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I know the Yankees were interested in him earlier, but maybe the Sox could make a run at Justin Bour. He may be pricier since he's cost controlled but the Marlins are in a long rebuild. It's not just 3b that needs help. Moreland is clearly less than 100% and they can really improve quite a lot at 1b. It's even more important with catcher also so weak and Hanley having his issues.
Hanley has an .800 OPS (108 OPS+) for the season and is slashing .345/.387/.621 since returning from that HBP on his knee (June 29, 62 PA). Not sure what "issues" he's having, but he's been relatively hot for the last three weeks.
 

grimshaw

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Hanley has an .800 OPS (108 OPS+) for the season and is slashing .345/.387/.621 since returning from that HBP on his knee (June 29, 62 PA). Not sure what "issues" he's having, but he's been relatively hot for the last three weeks.
The "issues" are referring to his shoulders in combination with him hitting well below his career average. If you're satisfied with him having a hot streak to get his OPS up to .800 then fine. I'm not.
 
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Cesar Crespo

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The "issues" are referring to his shoulders and him hitting well below his career average. If you're satisfied with him having a hot streak to get his OPS up to .800 then fine. I'm not.
Except he did the same exact thing last year and that tear lasted until the end of the season. On June 11th last year, his OPS was .710. He went to finish the year hitting .298/.379/.594 in the last last 369 PA. Calling it a hot streak is stupid and unfair to Hanley and his career since his best months have always been July, August and September.

April OPS .833
May .814
June .837
July .867
August .889
September/Oct .934.

Yeah, lets replace the guy and all his "issues." It's not a hot streak, the last few months were a cold streak.

edit: Not to mention the guy playing 1st base has sucked since April 17th. Moreland is hitting .232/.324/.402 in his last 293 PA and .165/.240/282 in his last 96.
 
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grimshaw

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Yeah, lets replace the guy and all his "issues." It's not a hot streak, the last few months were a cold streak.

edit: Not to mention the guy playing 1st base has sucked since April 17th. Moreland is hitting .232/.324/.402 in his last 293 PA and .165/.240/282 in his last 96.
A hot streak is when you slug .621 when your career slugging is .493.

His past second halves have zero to do with this second half when we have no idea how his shoulders are going to hold up.

And where am I saying replace him? I'm saying replace the first baseman.
 
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Buzzkill Pauley

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Britton is likely untouchable. If Duquette were to move him, it would likely be outside of the division and the asking price would be astronomical.
I think the Sox might have the pieces on the farm to pick up both Juan Nicasio from the Pirates as well as "All-Star" Pat Neshek.

Nicasio's on his last year before free agency, and is pricey for a set-up man for Pittsburgh, so he should come relatively cheap. And he's had almost as good a season as Neshek.

In fact, if I were going to be able to get only one, I'd probably go with Nicasio.
 

Byrdbrain

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I want the Sox to go see what the price is for Zach Britton after these bullpen injuries. That's where the priority lies for me ahead of 3B.
Yeah that isn't happening.
Rosenthal did just post on his Facebook page(the only place he can write now) that the Orioles are willing to trade just about anybody but Machado and Jones. I just don't see the Sox paying the price the Orioles would want for Britton.

Edit: The prorated portion of Britton's salary would also put the Sox over the cap (I know it isn't a cap but whatever it is).
 

johnnywayback

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Have to think Orioles are looking for, and will get, a prospect as good as or better than Jay Groome for Britton.
 

MikeM

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Without being able to dig up the exact math, I'm guessing that adding Robertson to the in-on-Frazier mix would leave us flirting pretty heavily with a LT cap hit. Although I guess maybe DD takes the sacrificial bite there, because we really are kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to what we have to offer (beyond cash relief) as far as expendable assets go.

I mean it's not like Groome and/or Chavis realistically offer much in terms of headlining a higher end trade, which probably leaves DD seeing a fairly stupid amount of reach'y requests on Devers any time he's trying to shoot high here.
 

streeter88

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For a while I was in the stand pat and bring up Devers eventually camp, but I am very worried that the offense has not returned from the ASB, and that we are going to look back on this series (especially if MFYs win both today) as a turning point for the worse.

I think we need to add a middle of the order bat quickly, so now I hope they get the deal done for Frazier.

Edited grammar.
 
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Buzzkill Pauley

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For a while I was in the stand pat and bring up Devers eventually camp, but I am very worried that the offense has not returned from the ASB, and that we are going to look back on this series (especially if MFYs win both today) as a turning point for the worse.

I think we need to add a middle of the order bat quickly, so now I hope they get the deal done for Frazier.

Edited grammar.
Todd Frazier has a career .318 OBP and OPS+ of 111.

Todd Frazier will be woefully miscast as a middle of the order bat. Farrell needs to plop Pedroia back at leadoff, and shift Mookie back to 3rd. There's your middle of the order bat.

I like the possibility of picking up Lowrie much, much more. And I don't like that possibility very much, objectively speaking. Somewhat higher on my list of preferences would be Dombrowski getting Baseball Ops to develop a functional time machine so that he can not trade Travis Shaw.
 

Byrdbrain

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I would really hate to give up much for Frazier, but they need offensive help
Frazier by himself won't cost much at all, I'm concerned that if they add Robertson to the deal then the prospect cost might be too much.

I was thinking earlier that they couldn't fit both of them under the luxury tax threshold but it actually does seem like they could just squeeze them in. It also gets a bit easier to fit them in every day they wait as the prorated salaries will keep decreasing.
 

streeter88

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Todd Frazier has a career .318 OBP and OPS+ of 111.

Todd Frazier will be woefully miscast as a middle of the order bat. Farrell needs to plop Pedroia back at leadoff, and shift Mookie back to 3rd. There's your middle of the order bat.

I like the possibility of picking up Lowrie much, much more. And I don't like that possibility very much, objectively speaking. Somewhat higher on my list of preferences would be Dombrowski getting Baseball Ops to develop a functional time machine so that he can not trade Travis Shaw.
Time machine idea has legs, DDski should get on that.

Lowrie at career OPS+ of 100, and OPS of .601 last 28 days vs .916 for Frazier. Why is Lowrie better?

And worth noting that Devers had himself a fine first day in AAA today...
 

Byrdbrain

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Time machine idea has legs, DDski should get on that.

Lowrie at career OPS+ of 100, and OPS of .601 last 28 days vs .916 for Frazier. Why is Lowrie better?

And worth noting that Devers had himself a fine first day in AAA today...
Picking nits he had a fine first day in AAA yesterday, his 2nd day in AAA today wasn't nearly as good as he went 0 for 4.
 

Buzzkill Pauley

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Time machine idea has legs, DDski should get on that.

Lowrie at career OPS+ of 100, and OPS of .601 last 28 days vs .916 for Frazier. Why is Lowrie better?
I didn't say I like the Lowrie idea very much, either.

Lowrie does have a higher OBP in the home field environment of a pitcher's park. And might cost less, given his lack of HRD bling and significant injury history.

I'm fine with all that.
 

Oppo

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Missed the source and think it was speculation but they were discussing Frazier and Robertson to Boston on MLBN.
 

JohntheBaptist

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I didn't say I like the Lowrie idea very much, either.

Lowrie does have a higher OBP in the home field environment of a pitcher's park. And might cost less, given his lack of HRD bling and significant injury history.

I'm fine with all that.
Frazier has better numbers on the road, better numbers in the last few weeks, much better track record of health, and will cost almost nothing. Great call on his Home Run Derby title from two years ago though, you're right that's bound to drive up the price.
 

SouthernBoSox

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Frazier has better numbers on the road, better numbers in the last few weeks, much better track record of health, and will cost almost nothing. Great call on his Home Run Derby title from two years ago though, you're right that's bound to drive up the price.
He's also a pull fly ball hitter and the Red Sox have a home heavy schedule.

I honestly can't think of a reason to prefer Lowrie. The team needs SLG and someone who can stay on the field.
 

MikeM

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Todd Frazier has a career .318 OBP and OPS+ of 111.

Todd Frazier will be woefully miscast as a middle of the order bat.
Yeah, no doubt he's probably not going to be some savior.

Frazier finished last year at .225/.302/.464, has hit for under .200 in every month so far outside his surge in June, and isn't really solving the current middle of the order problem. Or more specifically, the fact that we have a $200m team that sees Xander/Moreland's bats anchoring it's lineup. Neither of which he'll be getting a nod over. Point blank and recognizing Xander for what he probably is outside of some hot stretches...that just really stinks atm.

Moving Betts back to #3 obviously helps some there (in a robbing Peter to pay Paul way), but I disagree that Lowrie really helps more then Frazier though. In fact I'd probably put the Lin/Marrero combo production down as a push against the likelihood that Lowrie manages to stay healthy the rest of the year while factoring in the routine change of a positional switch.
 

Al Zarilla

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Todd Frazier has a career .318 OBP and OPS+ of 111.

Todd Frazier will be woefully miscast as a middle of the order bat. Farrell needs to plop Pedroia back at leadoff, and shift Mookie back to 3rd. There's your middle of the order bat.

I like the possibility of picking up Lowrie much, much more. And I don't like that possibility very much, objectively speaking. Somewhat higher on my list of preferences would be Dombrowski getting Baseball Ops to develop a functional time machine so that he can not trade Travis Shaw.
Lowrie hasn't played 3B since 2015 (Astros) and has mediocre range wherever he plays. He's mostly a second baseman now, but if a guy has played a significant number games at third (has), he can go back there, I guess. He could sub for Pedey at second, if necessary. I like his hitting. His numbers with RISP, a big hot button right now for us, are good over the last 3 years. A's started to move veterans already: Doolittle and Madson to the Cubs.
 

Papelbon's Poutine

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I didn't say I like the Lowrie idea very much, either.

Lowrie does have a higher OBP in the home field environment of a pitcher's park. And might cost less, given his lack of HRD bling and significant injury history.

I'm fine with all that.
They're 5th in the majors in OBP. They're 21st in SLG. They need power.

I'll look for the link, but I read an interesting article last night that posited that the Giants model that won 3/5 WS titles - high OBP, low SLG, good defense - no longer works in today's game, that it's the equivalent of trying to compete in the NBA without having 3pt shooting or wings. It was a tad clunky but it's accurate.

All that aside, I'm not sure why one would be content with adding Lowrie, when it's almost definite he will get hurt. If you're going to make an acquisition, I think staying on the field would be high on the list and Lowrie is approaching his third highest GP total in a ten year career while we're barely into the second half.
 

soxfan121

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Ken Rosenthal just wrote that Oriole's are selling and listening on Britton, ODay.
Not being an Orioles fan, I didn't realize just how much pitching they have given away over the past four deadlines: Jake Arrieta, Eduardo Rodriguez, Zach Davies, and Ariel Miranda shipped out for a couple months of Scott Feldman, a couple months of Andrew Miller, Steve Clevenger, Gerardo Parra, and Wade Miley.

Good ol' Duke.
 

Papelbon's Poutine

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Yes... But the difference is this will be within the division which means the cost will be 2X as much
Meh. DD hasn't really operated that way over his time with the Sox or Orioles. He gave the Yankees Mike Stanley during a pennant drive for Tony Armas (who obviously turned into Pedro, but wasn't a huge overpay), he's made deals in division for reasonable returns for the most part. People forget that Jake Arrieta and ERod weren't Jake Arrieta and ERod when he moved them. Perhaps he should look at his coaching staff.

Britton won't be cheap, but it'll be because he's a premium reliever with another year of control in arbitration. That should be tempered a bit since he will have a high price tag dollar wise next year, but I find it difficult to believe DD will be looking for twice as much from a division rival and risk getting nothing. He has a rebuild ahead of him and if anything, the last thing he worries about is perception by media.
 

Byrdbrain

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Yeah he won't ask for more because it is in the division, he'll ask everyone for an outrageous deal.
He'll start with Devers plus which obviously won't fly. He might come down to Chavis, Groome and a lottery ticket.
 

BigChara33

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Todd Frazier's OBP makes up for his terrible BA. I don't know how much he really improves us but it's sure as hell better than watching us get shut out with AAA players in our lineup.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Meh. DD hasn't really operated that way over his time with the Sox or Orioles. He gave the Yankees Mike Stanley during a pennant drive for Tony Armas (who obviously turned into Pedro, but wasn't a huge overpay), he's made deals in division for reasonable returns for the most part. People forget that Jake Arrieta and ERod weren't Jake Arrieta and ERod when he moved them. Perhaps he should look at his coaching staff.

Britton won't be cheap, but it'll be because he's a premium reliever with another year of control in arbitration. That should be tempered a bit since he will have a high price tag dollar wise next year, but I find it difficult to believe DD will be looking for twice as much from a division rival and risk getting nothing. He has a rebuild ahead of him and if anything, the last thing he worries about is perception by media.
Are you really citing 20+ year old trades as evidence of what Duquette will do now? (oh, BTW, typing DD is confusing when the Red Sox GM has the same initials)

Even citing decades old transactions, when has Duquette traded someone of Britton's pedigree at all, let alone in-division? Britton will fetch a king's ransom on par with what the Yankees got for Chapman and Miller last summer, and that's without considering the in-division tax. Britton to the Red Sox is a pipedream within a pipedream given what the Sox have for trade chips.
 

Papelbon's Poutine

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Are you really citing 20+ year old trades as evidence of what Duquette will do now? (oh, BTW, typing DD is confusing when the Red Sox GM has the same initials)

Even citing decades old transactions, when has Duquette traded someone of Britton's pedigree at all, let alone in-division? Britton will fetch a king's ransom on par with what the Yankees got for Chapman and Miller last summer, and that's without considering the in-division tax. Britton to the Red Sox is a pipedream within a pipedream given what the Sox have for trade chips.
Apologies for DD confusion.

I never proposed that Britton to Sox was anything other than a pipe dream, as I don't see them spending the prospect capital and I think it's overkill. That being said, I don't think they'd have to pay 2x as much as was suggested. The 'in division' tax is bullshit in my opinion and I see no evidence that Dan Duquette has ever required it, but I could be mistaken. I just don't believe he operates that way and see no evidence when he ever has.

Either way, they're not trading for him because he's going to cost a lot, in prospects and money because he's a really effing good player. Division or not, that price tag will be high. It's most certainly a pipe dream, but it's also not one I concocted.
 

Boggs26

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Todd Frazier's OBP makes up for his terrible BA. I don't know how much he really improves us but it's sure as hell better than watching us get shut out with AAA players in our lineup.
His OBP is only better than 3 guys on the 25 man. How does that make up for anything?

Frazier is at .330
That's better than Leon (.284), Marrero (.268), Vazquez (.300)

His OPS+ would make him better than 7 of the 13 hitters currently in the 25 so if he replaced one of the guys below him he's be exactly in the middle of the 13 hoes on the roster. I just don't see him as enough of an upgrade to give up anything for.
 

P'tucket rhymes with...

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Frazier has better numbers on the road, better numbers in the last few weeks, much better track record of health, and will cost almost nothing. Great call on his Home Run Derby title from two years ago though, you're right that's bound to drive up the price.
If Dombrowski does anything but laugh and hang up if Hahn suggests that Home Run Derby results have some trade value, he should be shot and fired, in that order.
 

P'tucket rhymes with...

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Oh he doesn't have to suggest anything, the HRD title will hang over every word of negotiation like a cloud.
No; no, it will not. And if you think it will, a guy named Trump has an online university degree he'd like to sell you.

If something like the outcome of a contest in which the participants choose their pitchers and pitch locations counted for anything, we could have cleaned out someone's farm system for Wily Mo Pena.
 

JohntheBaptist

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No; no, it will not. And if you think it will, a guy named Trump has an online university degree he'd like to sell you.

If something like the outcome of a contest in which the participants choose their pitchers and pitch locations counted for anything, we could have cleaned out someone's farm system for Wily Mo Pena.
Wily Mo Pena got the Reds Bronson Arroyo, who is still in MLB today. They don't just hand out HRD titles, P'tucket.

If someone wants to give me a degree I'll take it.
 

Savin Hillbilly

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His OPS+ would make him better than 7 of the 13 hitters currently in the 25 so if he replaced one of the guys below him he's be exactly in the middle of the 13 hoes on the roster. I just don't see him as enough of an upgrade to give up anything for.
This is silly. The question isn't "where would Frazier rank, as a hitter, among the 13 hitters already on the roster?" The question is "how much more would he contribute than the guy(s) currently playing his position?" That's what "upgrade" means. Of course he's not a good enough player that the Sox should give up a great deal of value for two months of his services, so if the White Sox insist on a great deal of value, the deal shouldn't and hopefully won't happen. But that doesn't mean he wouldn't make the team better.
 

gedman211

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Chris Young has a .577 ops vs lefties. Total waste of space. This is a spot that needs an upgrade. Brentz or Castillo might be worth a look- although Castillo would be a major tax hit.. Adding Melky to the potential Frazier deal could work also.
 
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Boggs26

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This is silly. The question isn't "where would Frazier rank, as a hitter, among the 13 hitters already on the roster?" The question is "how much more would he contribute than the guy(s) currently playing his position?" That's what "upgrade" means. Of course he's not a good enough player that the Sox should give up a great deal of value for two months of his services, so if the White Sox insist on a great deal of value, the deal shouldn't and hopefully won't happen. But that doesn't mean he wouldn't make the team better.
That's a fair assessment on that part of my post. I should have just left it with my rebuttal of the quoted post about how Frazier's OBP makes up for his BA.