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Red Sox sign IF Ryan Roberts
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Post by jmei on Apr 7, 2014 9:50:36 GMT -5
BHSC ?@bhscouncil
INF Ryan Roberts has agreed to a major league deal with the Boston Red Sox.
He's a 3B/2B who opted out of his minor league deal with the Cubs at the end of Spring Training. Terms yet to be disclosed, but likely for something around the major league minimum. He'll likely play 3B close to full-time until Middlebrooks is healthy. Unlike intrepid leader Chris Hatfield (see twitter sidebar to the left), I don't necessarily think it's a sign that Middlebrooks' injury is worse than expected. Rather, it's the realization that Jonathan Herrera playing 3B full-time is a bad idea, and that even a slight improvement at the position over a short period of time is worth paying the league minimum for. Remember, on a league-minimum deal, Roberts can be DFAed with no regret once Middlebrooks is healthy.
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Post by mgoetze on Apr 7, 2014 10:12:22 GMT -5
He'll likely play 3B close to full-time until Middlebrooks is healthy. Ryan Roberts career: 111 wRC+ vs. L 82 wRC+ vs. R Looks to me like a platoon with Herrera or Holt would make more sense. |
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steveofbradenton
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Watching Spring Training, the FCL, and the Florida State League
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Post by steveofbradenton on Apr 7, 2014 10:17:37 GMT -5
Found it hard, last season in Tampa Bay, not to be mesmerized by Ryan's body art. I guess you could say he is colorful.
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Post by godot on Apr 7, 2014 10:18:54 GMT -5
Chris, you mean the Sox are not being open about the extent of Middlebooks injury. I would be shocked. But if it is two weeks, there probably will be some time on rehab. A solid two weeks or so is alot of games with a shaky third baseman. Is Holt then excess baggage. Hey, why don't we sign Drew for a few weeks and move X Man to third. He has nothing else to do, and maybe start his career as a free lance infielder. Heck, many people are now turning to self employment and consultant like gigs. Why can't this happen in baseball.
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Post by jmei on Apr 7, 2014 10:20:28 GMT -5
He'll likely play 3B close to full-time until Middlebrooks is healthy. Ryan Roberts career: 111 wRC+ vs. L 82 wRC+ vs. R Looks to me like a platoon with Herrera or Holt would make more sense. Good point. That said, Roberts is worse versus righties, but he still might be a better hitter versus righties than Herrera (career 71 wRC+ vs. R). He'll get days off versus righties, but I don't think he'll be strictly platooned, especially since he'd be the short end of the platoon. I'd expect him to get something like at least three-quarters of the playing time at 3B. ADD: they'll need a 40-man spot. Can Wright be put on the 60-man major league DL? If not, someone (probably Wright or Wilson, outside chance of Lavarnway or Butler) needs to be DFAed. |
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Post by mgoetze on Apr 7, 2014 10:32:12 GMT -5
I'm still kind of surprised they didn't just call up Brandon Snyder.
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Post by jmei on Apr 7, 2014 10:47:03 GMT -5
I'm still kind of surprised they didn't just call up Brandon Snyder. Snyder's defense at 3B is pretty bad (definitely worse than Roberts'), and he's probably not a better hitter, either. Plus, this way, they can keep Snyder in the minors in case he's needed later in the season. |
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Post by michaelgelbwasser on Apr 7, 2014 11:28:43 GMT -5
It's a solid depth move. Boston can manage at third with Herrera and Roberts for a few weeks. But I'd sign Drew and move Xander to third if Middlebooks is out until the All-Star break.
I think, too, Roberts' signing speaks volumes about how management view Holt and Snyder.
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redsox04071318champs
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Apr 7, 2014 12:36:30 GMT -5
It's a solid depth move. Boston can manage at third with Herrera and Roberts for a few weeks. But I'd sign Drew and move Xander to third if Middlebooks is out until the All-Star break. I think, too, Roberts' signing speaks volumes about how management view Holt and Snyder. It's not that simple regarding Drew. His agent wants a multi-year deal and it's not known if Drew can actually think for himself, so unless the Sox sign him to two years that's not happening. Meanwhile the Sox pray that somebody, anybody else, signs Drew so they can get the draft pick. |
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Post by michaelgelbwasser on Apr 7, 2014 13:16:01 GMT -5
It's a solid depth move. Boston can manage at third with Herrera and Roberts for a few weeks. But I'd sign Drew and move Xander to third if Middlebooks is out until the All-Star break. I think, too, Roberts' signing speaks volumes about how management view Holt and Snyder. It's not that simple regarding Drew. His agent wants a multi-year deal and it's not known if Drew can actually think for himself, so unless the Sox sign him to two years that's not happening. Meanwhile the Sox pray that somebody, anybody else, signs Drew so they can get the draft pick. I think the All-Star break is Boston's tipping point on the two-year deal. The Sox can't contend for the whole season with Herrera and Roberts at third. A two-year deal for Drew at mid-season is essentially a 1.5-year deal and upgrades the left side of the infield. And Ben can worry about who's playing where in 2015 in October. |
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Post by michaelgelbwasser on Apr 7, 2014 13:18:34 GMT -5
What's the corresponding 40 man roster move once we add Bradbury's vagrant? I read somewhere that Wright would move to the 60-day DL. |
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Post by jrffam05 on Apr 7, 2014 13:42:15 GMT -5
What's the corresponding 40 man roster move once we add Bradbury's vagrant? I read somewhere that Wright would move to the 60-day DL. Speculation from weei, that wasn't confirmed yet. |
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Post by jmei on Apr 7, 2014 13:44:12 GMT -5
Alex Speier reporting that Roberts will receive a $1m base salary.
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Post by soxfanatic on Apr 7, 2014 13:51:54 GMT -5
Deal official. Holt to Pawtucket and Wright to 60 day DL.
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Post by brianthetaoist on Apr 7, 2014 14:22:56 GMT -5
Solid move, and another benefit of Dempster's walking away from his deal ... the Sox can afford to drop $1 million on a sudden need like this.
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Post by mgoetze on Apr 7, 2014 14:29:27 GMT -5
So are we paying $1m for a 2-week contract or is there some longer term plan to have this replacement-level player in our lineup?
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Post by pedroelgrande on Apr 7, 2014 14:40:10 GMT -5
The team is being built around him now.
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Post by jmei on Apr 7, 2014 14:55:34 GMT -5
So are we paying $1m for a 2-week contract or is there some longer term plan to have this replacement-level player in our lineup? He's played 3B and 2B fairly extensively and has also gotten reps at LF and 1B. It's possible he sticks on the roster when Middlebrooks returns (with Herrera optioned down to Pawtucket), though that's unlikely since it'd leave the team without a backup SS (an argument can be made that Xander can and should start every game, but I imagine they'd like to have a backup on the roster to give him the occasional day off (it is his first full major-league season, after all) or in case of an in-game injury or a last-minute scratch). Of course, it's unclear whether Middlebrooks will be ready to come off the DL in two weeks, and another injury in the meantime would mean he sticks as well. Also, Roberts has had three above-replacement-level years in a row and is quite a bit better than your generic replacement-level guy (e.g., Brock Holt or Brandon Snyder). I'm cherry-picking a bit here by including his terrific 2011, but Roberts has been worth 2.3 fWAR/600 PAs and 2.0 bWAR/600 PAs over the past three years. Even if you just take the last two years, where he's only gotten intermittent playing time, Roberts has still been worth 1.0 fWAR/600 PAs and 1.3 bWAR/600 PAs, which is very solid if still below-average. He can field his position at an average level and is not terrible with the bat, which is a useful skill-set and why the Red Sox snapped him up so quickly and gave him a guaranteed $1m. |
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Post by mwgray13 on Apr 7, 2014 15:15:51 GMT -5
I like the move, because it helps balance the bench. I wouldn't be surprised if he saw some time in RF. If Gomes and Ross are in the line up, that leaves us with a bench like yesterday with nothing but lefties (carp, aj, Sizemore,, holt). Even though Herrera and nava are switch hitters, they are much better from the left side. It would have been nice to have pinch hit for Nava late in the game yesterday. It obvious right now we are feeling the lost of not only Middlebrooks, but Victorino too. Those two are both strong right handed hitters. I think when Middlebrooks returns we could see Herrera sent down, I believe he still has 1 option left.
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Post by mgoetze on Apr 7, 2014 15:21:41 GMT -5
Fun fact: DRS and UZR agree that 3B is Roberts' worst position. (UZR/150: LF 26.5; 2B 7.5; 3B 4.6)
While Roberts has perhaps had better production than Holt and Snyder, he is also significantly older and thus likely to be in decline.
Anyway, you do make a decent case for Roberts but you've also made the main argument against him: he has only 3 career IP at shortstop, and we need someone who can backup short. It's not like we are lacking for guys who can, at least theoretically, play LF. That's why I just can't see him on the roster beyond the return of WMB. Of course, there is the Hatfield theory of WMB injury badness. But I've not found it very convincing yet.
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Post by mgoetze on Apr 7, 2014 15:24:36 GMT -5
I like the move, because it helps balance the bench. I wouldn't be surprised if he saw some time in RF. I would. Remember those 3 IP at SS I was talking about? Well, that was in 2011. His time in RF is a year further removed (2010) and only a third of the time (1 IP). It would be pretty astonishing if he suddenly started playing RF regularly at age 33. |
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Post by soxfanatic on Apr 7, 2014 15:29:10 GMT -5
@timbritton: Farrell said Roberts will pretty much platoon with Herrera. Should start tomorrow.
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Post by moonstone2 on Apr 7, 2014 19:43:35 GMT -5
So are we paying $1m for a 2-week contract or is there some longer term plan to have this replacement-level player in our lineup? A grade 1 strain requires 2-3 weeks of rest. So figure roughly 2 weeks of rest. Another week of ramping up physical/baseball activity and another week of a rehab assignment. Strains can always take longer than expected too. So figure Middlebrooks is out at least a month. They'll deal with the roster crunch when and if it comes and Herrera does have an option. |
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Post by mwgray13 on Apr 8, 2014 7:27:31 GMT -5
I like the move, because it helps balance the bench. I wouldn't be surprised if he saw some time in RF. I would. Remember those 3 IP at SS I was talking about? Well, that was in 2011. His time in RF is a year further removed (2010) and only a third of the time (1 IP). It would be pretty astonishing if he suddenly started playing RF regularly at age 33. I know what he has done in the past, and the stats you reference are correct, the caveat though is with the exception of his time at 3b and 2B, the stats are not reliable due to sample size. His of usage will depend on how he looks out there. Additonally in the past there hasn't been much of a need to try Roberts at SS or RF, the Rays and Dbacks have had plenty of depth in recent years at those positions. If Roberts is hitting good, and once Middlebrooks returns, I think he will leap frog Herrera for middle infield depth, and provide better defensive outfield option than Carp, Gomes and probably Nava. In that scenario Herrera gets sent down. John Farrell showed last year that he isn't afraid to try things, based on that and considering that Bogeart doesn't look great at SS, how much of a drop off will it be defensively? How often will Bogearts sit if he is hitting reasonably well? With that in mind, if you only need Roberts to once every two weeks to back up 3B and SS, once a month at 2B, I think this would increase the likelihood he plays some OF to limit Sizemore's innings. Without Bradley, Sizemore, and Victorino all on the roster at the same time, it opens the door for Roberts to play RF or LF depending on the ballpark. |
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Post by jmei on Apr 8, 2014 8:31:46 GMT -5
I do think it's worthwhile to note that during his introductory press conference, Roberts mentioned that he was comfortable at any position on the diamond. I wouldn't want to see him at SS regularly, but I think it's not inconceivable that if he's hitting well, he takes some ground balls there and usurps Herrarra's backup IF job when Middlebrooks returns. I'd still handicap it as more unlikely than not, especially since he got a split salary that pays him $200K if he gets sent to Pawtucket (i.e., they contemplated the likelihood that he'd be DFAed and wouldn't be on the hook for the full $1m if he took a MiL assignment), but this front office does like its depth. |
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