Shortstop Possibilities?

[MongoLikeSox]

So, now - what to do at SS now that our anchor is gone? Several options I've seen discussed. In true Bloom fashion, the move will come along as one that will weaken another position. It might also include a questionable element, such as someone who has not played SS since Little League, but performed well during the now illegal defensive shifts when fielding the spot.

Options
Kike Hernandez - Can he start 145 games and do well at SS? What about CF? This move would weaken CF and give us average SS at best. Look for it to happen, right?
Trevor Story - I know this is not the most commonly shared opinion, but I think Trevor Story at 2B is a massive advantage over most competition when combining defensive and offensive production. His arm at SS puts him into the iffy category. So, we'd weaken one position to stop-gap solve another? A typical Bloom move. Perhaps he does intend on putting Enmanual Valdez in at 2b to sell the unpopular Vasquez trade.
Jose Iglesias - This is my favorite option. He's a proven professional that can hit a little bit. He'd be good for .260-ish, which is not bad in today's game. He's got very little power, though, and might not look great with some modern range stats as he ages. Still, he's solid and is low cost in both money and zero trade cost being a FA. He also allows zero disruption to CF and 2B as Kike and Story get to stay put. He's a ball player and Cora likes him. All this adds up to Bloom not doing this. Not his style. Bloom does not understand the value of a ball player.
Elvis Andrus - He's a Free Agent, but I'm not suere how/why. He passed the vesting option criteria. Odd. Anyhow. he's got a little more power that Iglesias. He did not hit for average well in Oakland. I do not recall his defensive prowess from his Ranger days and more recent stint with Oakland. This option might be more expensive than Iglesias. Again, straight up FA (no prospects lost)
Farm System Options - (Rafaela, Hamilton, Fitzgerald) Nothing's ready.
Trade Options - I've seen two names mentioned. Wendle from Miami, previous platoon 3b of the Rays is the scarier one. Adames of the Brewers, but I read the Brewers are not even considering the notion. Anything trade is scary right now because of who we have running the show.

I think after writing everything out, I like the least disruptive option(s) of Iglesias or Andrus. Leave existing strengths alone. BUT, I'm not as smart as Bloom.

[Sea Dog 23]

Ironically a good SS for Baltimore could very well be Jeter Downs, courtesy of the Sox.  I know he didn’t hit for crap in Boston, but he could find himself for a decent B.A. like Beni did with the Royals. Downs was picked near the top off waivers.

[longgame]

I was thinking more along the lines of Kike at 2B and Story at SS which gives them an opportunity - or would if they had acted sooner, to add a bat and a legit CF.  I’m not sure what options outside the organization are right now, but they could fill some needs if the play it right.  Iglesias is an interesting option with some upside, but they really need to find a way to get some power into that lineup.  Going with Valdez almost seems like another white flag of surrender.

[Sea Dog 23]

From the list Mongo posted, I’m thinking Bloom follows the Trevor Story model â€" wait until the market has almost dried up and owners have shot their wad, and a bargain is left.  I’m thinking Andrus fits that Billy Beane template. 

Bloom is almost as devoid of rational thought, that he would soon trade Devers (unsignable in the Henry vs Boras market) for a 3B/OF and a pitcher.  Surely not!

[MongoLikeSox]

Welp, that went to pot.

I'm all for not making this worse and hitting the trade button on anyone that has not played in the big leagues yet. This is no time to sell the youngsters. Bite the bullet, over-pay both Iglesias and Andrus and run with those two and Arroyo. If Miami wants to take a flier on Dalbec/Duran for their guy, fine. Otherwise, they can keep their SS.

BTW, anyone wondering on David Hamilton, he barely squeaked out a 250-ish average with a late season spurt. I didn't see enough of him to say anything different, but this is what SoxProspects say about the speedster's defense. "Field: Poor footwork and range and does not look comfortable at shortstop. Has a tendency to rush plays and has trouble fielding the ball on the run. At second base, is a bit robotic and only shows average hands. Footwork is sloppy there as well and it is unclear if he can stick there long-term. Speed and athleticism might be best suited for center field, where he has played a couple times in 2022. Potential below-average defender."  Nice trade, Chaim!

edit: One other thing to point out in all of this. When is the earliest we can ship a player to the 60-day IL? This could cause yet another DFA unless we can convince someone to take a MILB contract and an invite to Spring Training. You'd think doing that has limitations or everyone would be doing it for their January team shopping. 

[Sea Dog 23]

Mongo, the Dodgers traded with Marlins for Miguel Rojas today.

Also on the MLBTR podcast, they think Sox sign Elvis Andrus at SS.  He is a Boras client and may ask for 2-3 years.  Expected to make $6.1 m AAV.

[MongoLikeSox]

That looks like a decent trade for both teams, but especially for the Marlins. The prospect (Jacob Amaya) is supposed to be ready this year and is said to be a plus defender. Per the MLB scouting bio on their site, anyhow. He had only one glitch year offensively due to being homer pull-happy in 2021, but back to normal last year.

This is the type of trade one would have expected Boston to pull off last August' trade deadline if they were going to be serious about getting something in return for pending free agents.

[longgame]

I'm guessing the plan is to wait until there are no other SS's left and then lowball Andrus? 

[Sea Dog 23]

The Sox may have addressed the INF depth issue, trading P Josh Taylor to KC for Adalberto Mondesi.  But yet another player coming off two major injurries in 2022.  The trade could be cancelled if Taylor’s medical shows his chronic shoulder problems.

The Boston Red Sox acquired shortstop Adalberto Mondesi from the Kansas City Royals for left-handed reliever Josh Taylor on Tuesday, providing middle-infield depth to buttress losses this winter to free agency and injury.

The Red Sox also will be receiving a player to be named or cash considerations as part of the deal.

The 27-year-old Mondesi, whose star-level tools made him a top prospect but whose inability to stay healthy has limited him to 358 games in seven seasons, is recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee and a shoulder injury same year.

Mondesi has fanned in 30.2% of his plate appearances against just a 4.4% walk rate, and he’s a career .244/.280/.408 hitter in the big leagues. That includes a rough .140/.204/.140 showing in 2022, though that came in a tiny sample of just 54 plate appearances.

[elktonnick]

Bloom loves to troll for players who have come out of the used damaged and repair bin. 

[MongoLikeSox]

A couple of days to chew on this trade has me a little less down on it than I was. I think it's taking this avenue when others supposedly existed with far less disruption and without giving up a player with value. Also, Mondesi has his own little $3M price tag and will be a FA after this season. If you were GM and had a SS hole to fill, $3M for a "toolsy" injury history type or $6-8M for a good veteran defender who can at least hit a little bit and stays healthy?

We'd spend far more than that difference replacing Taylor on the open market.   

On the trade itself, I hate to give up Taylor unless there was zero confidence with the back injury he had last season. A good lefty for 3 more years for one year of an injury riddled SS. Taylor did have a rough Pandemic season, but pitched 52 games after being called up in 2019 and 61 games in 2021 while posting a 3.40 ERA after that horrible start he had.

This just has being too creative written all over it. It could work, sure. But what do we get over a cheap FA option, even if it did work out?

edit: I just read on another thread that this injury-prone athlete won't even be ready for ST? We're taking over rehab on his ACL. Another little point I had forgotten was to add in his 34% K-rate for some more absolutely useless ABs. Why??????  The solution was so simple and stable. This guy will have to tap the fountain of glory years he never had to have enough impact to justify this. He has not played a full season yet. His high water mark is 110 games combined MLB and AAA in 2017.

Bloom might be so desperate that he needs one of these wild hair brained trades to work out in order to save his job. 

[Sea Dog 23]

Mongo, I see that another thing Bloom saw as a shining light in the dumpster, Mondesi is a switch hitter. As bad as his bat is, he doe hit slightly better as a righty. 

Some rumblings today is Harrison would be a fallback to Mondesi, if he looks to be behind schedule in rehab.  Braves’ Acuna had an ACL and it slowed him down defensively and running the bases.  His bat was much the same, but he is a gifted hitter.

[MongoLikeSox]

Yeah, the Sox just love a switch hitter.

This is going to be one of those years where no one iteration of the lineup is used 5 times or more all year. Player collision scares galore. We're going to be holding our breathe on pop ups all year.

At least they have not brought in Santana yet. 

[elktonnick]

A couple of days to chew on this trade has me a little less down on it than I was. I think it's taking this avenue when others supposedly existed with far less disruption and without giving up a player with value. Also, Mondesi has his own little $3M price tag and will be a FA after this season. If you were GM and had a SS hole to fill, $3M for a "toolsy" injury history type or $6-8M for a good veteran defender who can at least hit a little bit and stays healthy?

We'd spend far more than that difference replacing Taylor on the open market.   

On the trade itself, I hate to give up Taylor unless there was zero confidence with the back injury he had last season. A good lefty for 3 more years for one year of an injury riddled SS. Taylor did have a rough Pandemic season, but pitched 52 games after being called up in 2019 and 61 games in 2021 while posting a 3.40 ERA after that horrible start he had.

This just has being too creative written all over it. It could work, sure. But what do we get over a cheap FA option, even if it did work out?

edit: I just read on another thread that this injury-prone athlete won't even be ready for ST? We're taking over rehab on his ACL. Another little point I had forgotten was to add in his 34% K-rate for some more absolutely useless ABs. Why??????  The solution was so simple and stable. This guy will have to tap the fountain of glory years he never had to have enough impact to justify this. He has not played a full season yet. His high water mark is 110 games combined MLB and AAA in 2017.

Bloom might be so desperate that he needs one of these wild hair brained trades to work out in order to save his job.

I see no way Bloom can survive unless there is a 1967 type miracle season.  Henry was humiliated in public twice.  I don't think one forgets that.  Some one has to be the fall guy even if it is largely Henry's fault.
Moreover Bloom has won no friends among the media and judging by past leaks coming out the FO there are a lot of lower level insiders who are scratching their collective heads over some of his moves.
Finally there seems no one able to clearly articulate what Bloom's plan is. I sense there are a whole lot of folks on Jersey St.thinking WTF is next.

[MongoLikeSox]

Well, some SS news. Seems Iglesias went to the Marlins on a Minor League deal last week. We got Chang on an MLB deal a few weeks ago. The Sox did not want Iglesias, or visa versa? Chang did just win some honors in the WBC, but that's 16 ABs against who knows what for pitching. Word Cora said was Stronger. His team got eliminated, so we'll see him soon.

Mind you, he was nothing for us and was the last stop on a 4-team journey last season. So of course we sign him to a MLB spot. Duh!!!!