Sox Promote Arauz

[MongoLikeSox]

Kike goes ion the IL to rest a nagging hip thing. Perhaps that's the slow to the ball a couple times early 2 games ago. I hope he gets better soon. That's not what this post is about, though. This post is about his replacement. Arauz instead of a CF'er.

So how do you guys like Cora's excuse for bringing up Arauz to replace Kike? He wants to give a AAA bottom of the lineup guy hitting .185 the promotion so that he can rest his infield. That, and 3 of the next 5 pitchers we face will be lefties. I bet Duran's feeling on top of the world right now. What a slap in the face.

there could be other reasons.
1: A put up or shut up towards Arauz?
2: Maybe a showcasing?
3: Maybe that's what Kike agreed to in order to go to the IL with a good attitude? The Wally Pipp factor.
4: Maybe AC didn't want a CF controversy to divide the team.
5: Maybe Cora doesn't like Duran?

All's I know is the wring guy got called up, even considering infielders if that was a legit reasoning rather than ancillary benefit. My real question on Arauz is this. How long before we give up? His filling a roster spot is blocking some potential legitimate help. I don't even want to get into the level of disgruntlement that has to be going on, knowing there's no chance of advancement because of politics. There's another one down there in the same boat, this one from the Mookie trade and is back to normal, hitting .189. Both players were mismanaged as political aspirations prevailed and it's costing us two 40-man roster spots.

I think Fred was right the other day in the games section about Duran. There is no way you put Franchy through what they put him through and call the chances you're giving Duran legitimate. There is no credibility with the Red Sox approaches. Duran needs this next step NOW. He's not going to be perfect, but it's time. Even if that "chance" means he's being juggled for a few months. Sending Arauz up to replace Kike tells Duran that he is not even part of that consideration.

Something stinks.     

[SeaBeachFred]

Something stinks all right Mongo---and that's Cora with that stupid excuse of his, one of many he's made about personnel the past couple of seasons.  Also put Prune Face Henry in the mix too.  His love of Jackie Bradley is obvious that even sane minded fans can read through that miserable facade, having given the ok last winter to bring him back w ith the excuse we were getting two prospects, most likely neither one will get a whiff because they either aren't that good or they are already blocked by prospects who rate higher.  Duran threatens JBJ because he will hit better than him and run the bases more successfully than him because of his much better speed.  Kiki is on borrowed time because even Bloomer Boy and the Prune can't seriously consider signing him to a new contract when this season is over while young prospects are kept waiting on the farm.  Duran should be brought up NOW, put in the lineup and kept there and be misused as so many previous young players have been.  Yes, my friend Mongo, something does stink and I don't have to be the one to tell you since you smelled it before I did. Arauz can't hit worth a damn and putting him the lineup to rest a regular only means we put one more miserable bat in the lineup.

[Sea Dog 23]

Well at the end of the day,  Bloom is going to be dealt a tough hand of cards.  Three pitchers are about to go into their rehab stints - Sale, Paxson, Taylor.  That means a couple or three players on the 40-man get released.  Likely Arauz, Barnes, Brasier. 

Of course there could be a trade in the works to cleanse some of the dead wood from that group.  And no doubt there are plenty of non-producers in that group.

[elktonnick]

For some reason and against all rational thought, I fear they will keep Barnes.

[Sea Dog 23]

Another head scratcher. Refsnyder promoted, a right hand OF.  No doubt A Kike' / JBJ plug in for a RH bat in the lineup. Decision coming by June 20.  MLB says only 13 pitchers, meaning a 4 man bench.  That simply has to be Duran's spot.  But Bloom makes totally bizarre moves, so who knows.

[Sea Dog 23]

The other side of Refsnyder promoted is Arauz DFA'd.  Along with that Whitlock on the IL.  Im thinking he was hitting 150 pitches for the year.  Robles promoted, was that the matching move?

[MongoLikeSox]

Sea Dog beat me to the news.

What an interesting couple of days. The Sox cut their losses on the Arauz roster spot by DFA'ing him before yesterday's game. You really gotta feel bad for the kid. He was a once promising young player and got thrown into the frying pan way too soon. Now he's behind the 8-ball. He'll clear waivers, me thinks.

Sea Dog, do you think there's any chance MLB pushes back on that date again?

Barnes might be an easy decision. It's still early enough for him to be shut down for 60 days and make a comeback late August. Maybe take him one of those trips like Bruce Wayne took to become Bat Man.  ;D

Isn't there a waiting period for AAA coming back up? I THINK Duran might not have been eligible to come back up unless that was a direct replacement for an injured player. Arauz was Kike's replacement. I don't know if that covers pitcher/position players swaps. I could be wrong on all fronts. Refsnyder has been steady most of the season in Worcester. While I'd rather have Durna up there, this does make sense considering the lefty batting outfield we have now.

I was really hoping that an Arauz roster spot opening would have meant a chance for Fitzgerald. He dropped 30 pts on his BA since the last week in May, though. Bad timing? 

I wonder who's gonna start Sunday for Bahstan with Whitlock down?

[Sea Dog 23]

Sea Dog beat me to the news.

What an interesting couple of days. The Sox cut their losses on the Arauz roster spot by DFA'ing him before yesterday's game. You really gotta feel bad for the kid. He was a once promising young player and got thrown into the frying pan way too soon. Now he's behind the 8-ball. He'll clear waivers, me thinks.

Sea Dog, do you think there's any chance MLB pushes back on that date again?

Barnes might be an easy decision. It's still early enough for him to be shut down for 60 days and make a comeback late August. Maybe take him one of those trips like Bruce Wayne took to become Bat Man.  ;D

Isn't there a waiting period for AAA coming back up? I THINK Duran might not have been eligible to come back up unless that was a direct replacement for an injured player. Arauz was Kike's replacement. I don't know if that covers pitcher/position players swaps. I could be wrong on all fronts. Refsnyder has been steady most of the season in Worcester. While I'd rather have Durna up there, this does make sense considering the lefty batting outfield we have now.

I was really hoping that an Arauz roster spot opening would have meant a chance for Fitzgerald. He dropped 30 pts on his BA since the last week in May, though. Bad timing? 

I wonder who's gonna start Sunday for Bahstan with Whitlock down?

Mongo, are you talking about MLB pushing back the June 20 date?  I dont know.  Since the covid issues are not overbearing the last month, I think they carry on -- teams lose one pitcher if they have 14 if my math is correct.

As far as Whitlock, he was scheduled to start Sunday.  If they were in Boston, someboby gets bussed over from Worcester.  Being in Seattle, theyll make a bullpen day out of it.  Winchowski could get promoted next week, but he's a bullpen guy now, being he only has two pitches.  Maybe Seabold if hes over the yips.

[MongoLikeSox]

Seabold is fresh off the injured list, pitching 3 innings on friday. Too soon for Bello, and Wincowski pitched recently. Maybe Crawford gets a 3 inning spot start. they've been giving im 3-inning starts since he got down there. Not a lot of success, though. He's not pitched since the 5th.

[SeaBeachFred]

Seabold is fresh off the injured list, pitching 3 innings on friday. Too soon for Bello, and Wincowski pitched recently. Maybe Crawford gets a 3 inning spot start. they've been giving im 3-inning starts since he got down there. Not a lot of success, though. He's not pitched since the 5th.

After Cora used his shit for brains and once again stupidly put choker Hansel Robles in there to protect a one run lead in the ninth inning, a spot that he has failed in time and again, the die has been cast.  We will use a relief crew in today's game against Robby Ray and once again will lose a series after winning the first game , something we were very proficient  earlier in the season. 
That filthy rotten cheater still insists he is the smartest man in the room and will continue to use the putrid Robles in these situations because Cora never seems to learn from  mistakes.

He has all this information that he is provided by the geeks in the front office and by now he should have known that Robles CANNOT BE TRUSTED TO HOLD A ONE RUN LEAD IN THE NINTH INNING. This is about the fifth time he has been entrusted with this and he has failed just about every time.

[Sea Dog 23]

Since elk posed the question, I think this one is 14 blown saves, a MLB record.

I listened to a blog the other night that the Sox will likely trade prospects for a reliever in a few weeks.  Of course the asking price will drop closer to the deadline.  High on the list is a young Pirate guy, I think Bednar, with team control, has  upper 90s velocity and some nasty stuff. Has 9 saves and 0.808 WHIP.

Down the list is Robertson of the Cubs, a one season rental.  The conclusion, Bednar will costus a Casas and/or Duran. Robertson could be had for a top 25 prospect.  A Robertson trade would indicate the Sox iMO will settle for the third wildcard at the point.

[SeaBeachFred]

Since elk posed the question, I think this one is 14 blown saves, a MLB record.

I listened to a blog the other night that the Sox will likely trade prospects for a reliever in a few weeks.  Of course the asking price will drop closer to the deadline.  High on the list is a young Pirate guy, I think Bednar, with team control, has  upper 90s velocity and some nasty stuff. Has 9 saves and 0.808 WHIP.

Down the list is Robertson of the Cubs, a one season rental.  The conclusion, Bednar will costus a Casas and/or Duran. Robertson could be had for a top 25 prospect.  A Robertson trade would indicate the Sox iMO will settle for the third wildcard at the point.

Today Tanner Houck pitched a solid one-two-three ninth inning to close out the game, a game I thought we could not win going with an all relief staff.  Shows you  that you can never really get it all right, this time I was wrong on all counts.  Cutter pitched five strong innings after stinking up the place in his previous less than impressive outings and, hell, ever Brasier got a one-two-three inning, a miracle in itself.  If Casas is  that great a future star for us he MUST NOT BE TRADED, and neither should Yorke or especially Marcelo Mayer.  Those three are off limits.  Banelas, Downs and some of the others for sure we can trade.  I also think if Cora gets his head out he might find that Houck might be just the ticket we need at the end of the game.

[MongoLikeSox]

If such a trade did happen, it will hit Bloom right where it hurts. I hate to say it, but it should hit him right where it hurts. This is one that he needs to feel for a long time. The whole organization needs to feel it for a long time. Stop screwing up the bullpens. They matter. A lot.

The Red Sox analytics team needs to adjust their player value algorithms and weigh the bullpen a lot higher than they do. Especially the Closer role.

I'm OK with a rental for a couple top-10 thru 30 picks. That has to be part-A of a two part plan, though. Part-B is to sign a good one this off season. Especially if we are able to keep our infield intact on the left side. This teams does not need dismantling.