Sox ready to promote Mayer?

Sea Dog 23 · June 03, 2024, 02:59:57 PM

Quite a few moves this week from Worcester to Boston. They involved two second basemen (Westbrook and Alvarez) and Dalbec, a 3B and 1B. I'm just spit balling that Sox could be clearing room to promote the god-child Marcelo Mayer (.295, .837 OPS) to AAA. I would add Kyle Teel (.307, .908 OPS) to that also, but the Sox already have three or more catchers already at AAA. One of those serves as the DH. Sox would likely trade or DFA a couple of those assets. So Teel would be maybe a Aug-Sept move to AAA.

A lot of folks I've read think Roman Anthony is just too young to move this year. He'll likely remain in Portland, his average has cooled off a bit from his 2023 numbers. With Mayer and Teel, those are Prospects 1,2, and 3.

The big squeeze this off season, Breslpw will be mulling over about 60 players he will have to add to the 40 man roster, or have to put as risk on the Rule 5 pool for other clubs. Names like pitcher Richard Fitts (prospect 6) a part of the Verdugo trade, Nick Yorke, Blaze Jordan, Nate Hickey and a lot of other pitchers. I can guess if Dombroski was still calling the shots, he would be trading Prospects 25-50 for a couple major league ready players at the trade deadline or in post-season.

Sea Dog 23 · June 05, 2024, 05:17:50 PM

The speculation now is Mayer getting the jump to AAA end of June. We shall see. This week Nick Yorke got his promotion to Worcester. The 2020 first round draftee is .251/.361 OPS, 7% BB, 18% K rate. His power rating is down from 2023, but he fills the bill for a RH hitting INF, which the WooSox are missing from promotions to Boston last week. His infield mate in AA is Mayer, so one source thinks the Sox will keep Yorke and Mayer together at 2nd and SS.

The Sox also promoted OF Matthew Lugo to Worcester over the weekend, .315/1.068 OPS at Portland. Lugo is more known to be the nephew of Carlos Beltran. His bat was obviously ahead of AS pitching.

longgame · June 06, 2024, 09:03:11 AM

Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on June 05, 2024, 05:17:50 PMThe speculation now is Mayer getting the jump to AAA end of June. We shall see. This week Nick Yorke got his promotion to Worcester. The 2020 first round draftee is .251/.361 OPS, 7% BB, 18% K rate. His power rating is down from 2023, but he fills the bill for a RH hitting INF, which the WooSox are missing from promotions to Boston last week. His infield mate in AA is Mayer, so one source thinks the Sox will keep Yorke and Mayer together at 2nd and SS.

The Sox also promoted OF Matthew Lugo to Worcester over the weekend, .315/1.068 OPS at Portland. Lugo is more known to be the nephew of Carlos Beltran. His bat was obviously ahead of AS pitching.

Saw a little of the WooSox game last night. Lugo had a HR, Yorke had a hit and SB. There isn't a lot of talent at AAA but they've got studs working through the system.

MongoLikeSox · June 26, 2024, 07:44:01 AM

I think the time to AAA is coming sooner than later for Mayer. He's pretty much playing with his food at this point. Teel's been hot for an extended period, too. For me, I wanted to see Mayer have the type of season he's having before getting promoted. Now it's just a matter of timing, and it better happen before he EALLY starts trying to press the issue and mess up his swing.

The top Portland prospect pool became a much stronger group this year just by virtue of these kids settling in and getting into some really strong seasons. Add Jordan's hitting prowess and low 11% K-rate, Lugo regaining form, Yorke earning his promotion and getting replace by Kristian Campbell's hitting .420 in his first 3 weeks. This group is doing very well without even considering the "Big 3".

SeaBeachFred · June 26, 2024, 03:58:21 PM

Quote from: longgame on June 06, 2024, 09:03:11 AM
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on June 05, 2024, 05:17:50 PMThe speculation now is Mayer getting the jump to AAA end of June. We shall see. This week Nick Yorke got his promotion to Worcester. The 2020 first round draftee is .251/.361 OPS, 7% BB, 18% K rate. His power rating is down from 2023, but he fills the bill for a RH hitting INF, which the WooSox are missing from promotions to Boston last week. His infield mate in AA is Mayer, so one source thinks the Sox will keep Yorke and Mayer together at 2nd and SS.

The Sox also promoted OF Matthew Lugo to Worcester over the weekend, .315/1.068 OPS at Portland. Lugo is more known to be the nephew of Carlos Beltran. His bat was obviously ahead of AS pitching.

Saw a little of the WooSox game last night. Lugo had a HR, Yorke had a hit and SB. There isn't a lot of talent at AAA but they've got studs working through the system.

Keeping Mayer and Yorke together has been to me a hard and fast demand if the team is going to start putting together this new "next great Red Sox team" that some front office flunkies have been muttering about for the past two plus seasons. Rafaela is a sieve at shortstop and needs to be put in the outfield when Mayer and Yorke finally get where they belong. As for Bello, what the hell has happened to that young man? He seems to be nothing less than a advertisement of what not to do on the mound. Here's hoping that last night was not a harbinger to a late June slump and that we get back to doing what has impressed me no end the past few weeks.......winning key series and an occasional sweep of another team that helps get our blood going again.

MongoLikeSox · June 27, 2024, 07:23:16 AM

(Hey there, Fred!)

I'm not worried about Bello yet. Yet. Clemens and Maddox are amongst the great all time pitchers who scuffled early on. Him and Rafaela need a big dose of maturity growth, though maybe in different ways. It's kind of like what Duran had to go through, but perhaps minus the personal mental health issues Duran spoke of. I think they'll both settle down. It's growth and will come, and hopefully in quicker fashion that what Duran went through.

I'm getting really sick of watching Valdez play 2B. He can make a good play here and there, but holy smokes, is he ever iffy. I cringe every single time a ball goes anywhere near him. I'm fine waiting for Yorke for next season, but we have two guys in the wing that can handle 2B, SS and 3B. Demote Valdez, waive Westbrook or someone and promote one of the kids and get him prepped for the Brock Holt role. (Probably thinking Sogard over Meidroth ATM.)

longgame · June 27, 2024, 07:27:01 AM

I'm guessing they look for a middle infielder at the trade deadline and a RH power bat who will fit best at DH. None of the young guys should be up this year as they don't want to take up a spot on the 40 man yet.

MongoLikeSox · July 07, 2024, 10:08:49 AM

Quote from: longgame on June 27, 2024, 07:27:01 AMI'm guessing they look for a middle infielder at the trade deadline and a RH power bat who will fit best at DH. None of the young guys should be up this year as they don't want to take up a spot on the 40 man yet.

This team is as fun to watch as the 2021 team. That said, this is starting to have 2022 AND 2023 written all over it. The pitching staff is pitching like it's running on fumes and the current defense ain't helping one bit. The All Star break cannot get here soon enough.

The biggest similarity is the moderate success of the patchwork active roster. Last season it was the 3 man rotation and a 10 man bullpen that strung together enough decent games to get themselves well into July before running out of fumes. The year before was an aged starting rotation and some over-used BP guys that needed to take July off to heal some wounds.

My point is that this is not a team to build on for this season. There are some serious holes that are going to bare their teeth and bite at some point sooner than later. Baseball has a way of doing exploiting big weaknesses over the course of a season. Overcoming these weaknesses by winning miraculous games twice a week is not a good recipe for success.

Going forward from right now, I would like to see a decisive growth path instead of the debacles of the two previous trade deadlines. We don't have what we had the last two deadlines, but we still have 2-4 good pieces. To get what we might need to make a serious run, we would give up a few names from our near MLB ready talent pool that we do not want to give up just yet.

MongoLikeSox · July 12, 2024, 08:56:06 AM

Back to the original topic on the Sox potentially promoting Mayer, I was watching some of the AA Portland game in Hartford. Their announcers said that according to rumor, the Red Sox big-3 were going to go to the Futures Game, but will be promoted to Worcester when they get back.

Imagine that Worcester team and the big load of position player prospects

C - Teel (Hickey has been struggling all year)
1B - Kavadas (Has Kyle Schwarber's game)
2B - Yorke
SS - Mayer
3B - Meidroth
LF - Lugo
CF - Anthony
RF - Sogard
DH - Valdez

That won't all go down like that, of course. At least not for long with the trade deadline coming. I'm not sure how ready Anthony is for his AAA promotion, but I do look at him through a different set of glasses given his potential.

Sea Dog 23 · July 13, 2024, 02:27:36 PM

Mongo, another high riser is Kristian Campbell. Now the #5 prospect. A 2B/CF, and could be blocked. Since he arrived at AA he has been hitting .400+.

I think Campbell will be traded this month in a deal for a pitcher. It's time to use some of the prospect capital we now have.

MongoLikeSox · July 15, 2024, 10:58:26 AM

Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on July 13, 2024, 02:27:36 PMMongo, another high riser is Kristian Campbell. Now the #5 prospect. A 2B/CF, and could be blocked. Since he arrived at AA he has been hitting .400+.

I think Campbell will be traded this month in a deal for a pitcher. It's time to use some of the prospect capital we now have.

Nobody hits .407 for 6 weeks after a promotion. Not in this day and age. And with power, too. It's been a solid onslaught. Incredible. He's gonna have his head taken off. Have you seen any of his hitting footage? He does not shy away from diving into the ball.

I did see him in one game try to make a miraculous throw. Might be the worst throw I've ever seen from a 2B'man, and that includes Knoblauch.

I agree that there will at least be one move as a result of Campbell's existence. It might be Nick Yorke that moves, though. That would open up a spot in Worcester. I think Campbell has been playing some SS, too, but I think that's limited due to injury to Paulino and Mayer going to the Futures Game.

MongoLikeSox · July 20, 2024, 09:22:25 AM

OK, so I am quite surprised by the standstill in the Minors ATM. So much for the typical June-ish promotions, and so much for the post AS break promotions.

There is a bottleneck in the middle infield, especially 2B in Worcester ATM. Grissom starts his rehab assignment. Valdez got sent down because ha can't field. That's also York's primary spot and is probably Meidroth's destiny, but he's a natural SS.

Meanwhile, we can only hope that Mayer doesn't start pressing. He did have a huge game last night.

longgame · July 21, 2024, 02:25:59 PM

I know they're reluctant to move anyone on to the 40 man for flexibility purposes.

SeaBeachFred · July 21, 2024, 04:12:49 PM

If Mayer is promoted, he must be put in the lineup and kept there come what may. It would mean probably mean that a couple of Cora's pet favorites would have to be benched or sent down. Mayer, Yorke, Teel, Anthony, Meidroth,(sic) etc are keys to our next solid team.....IF WE CAN GET SOME PI TCHERS DEVELOPED FOR A CHANGE AND NOT HAVE TO DEPEND ON GUYS LIKED BELLO IS BOTH PEDDLING FRONTWARD AND BACKWARD. This Dodger debacle this weekend showed me that we are not going anywhere this season and may be headed for another car wreck because some of our guys cannot hit when it counts, can't field worth a damn, and are vastly overrated by Cora and his buddies in the front office.