Sox looking for a new DH?
by Randy Booth on May 19, 2009 12:09 PM EDT
in News
36 comments
Newsflash: David Ortiz hasn't been very good this season. ESPN's Buster Olney thinks the Sox could make a trade for a new designated hitter if Ortiz continues to falter:
The Red Sox are not looking for a hitter yet, but at some point, Boston is going to need some offensive production from David Ortiz. The Red Sox could live with him if he were hitting .250 or .260 with some power, but so far, he's been nothing short of awful. Boston ranks dead last in OPS among designated hitters in the majors, and of course, Boston is the only team that has not gotten a single home run from the DH spot.
[...]
Ortiz will be back in the lineup today, when the Red Sox begin a series against the Blue Jays, and we don't yet know if Terry Francona is going to place him in a lower spot in the lineup. If Ortiz doesn't start hitting soon, the Red Sox will need to look for an alternative, using their surplus of pitching to try to make a deal for some talented young hitter, like a Matt LaPorta of the Indians.
Matt LaPorta, huh? You mean, the guy the Red Sox drafted in 2006 but couldn't sign? Yeah, that guy. While it still hurts to think we couldn't sign this guy three years ago, I don't think he's our designated hitter answer right now. If he replaced Ortiz, I don't think he'd put up much better numbers this year.
It still amazes me that the Red Sox continue to win games when their No. 3 hitter and DH is batting .208 with zero home runs. I guess we have to thank Kevin Youkilis, Jason Bay and J.D. Drew for that (Drew has the third-best OPS on the team, folks).
Poll question: should the Red Sox made a trade at some point before the deadline for a new designated hitter?
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Why Trade?
There are many internal or external options that seem much cheaper and just as effective. Internally there is Chris Carter, Zach Daeges, and Jeff Bailey.
There are also some decent free agents that still haven’t gotten signed just for there lack of defense that could be snagged.
Even if we do trade, which is still a viable option, we shouldn’t trade for a young hitter. This trade would stink of desperation and any team we would trade with would ask for our whole farm system. We need to trade for an older soon to be free agent that can be productive for the rest of the year. We could then address the long term during the offseason.
by drabidea on May 19, 2009 12:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Zach Daeges as the Red Sox full-time DH? Really?
by Randy Booth on May 19, 2009 1:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Zach Daeges is pushing it I know
but I am sure he can put up a better line then .208/.318/.300
by drabidea on May 19, 2009 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’m up for it. I’ve got a good eye and I know I can at least foul a few off…
by Randy Booth on May 19, 2009 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
With Randy DHing, and Allen starting tomorrow
and ltrain2 probably angling to general manage, I’ll be more humble and fill in for John Henry. He could probably use some time away from his millions…
"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.
by 0157H7 on May 19, 2009 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'll be a "front office advisor"
Like one of those former players who get a title but don’t actually do anything. That would be me.
by BTLove on May 19, 2009 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
"decent free agents that still haven’t gotten signed"
I’m drawing a blank.
Manny ain't the only bad man.
by tommy.otm on May 19, 2009 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Tribe
are not going to trade LaPorta. No way. Olney is not the most reliable source, unless it is Yankees news.
by Buzzy on May 19, 2009 12:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
The last thing the Tribe are going to do is trade away a young, cheap, club controlled player away. It has been rumored that the Sox are looking to obtain Victor Martinez. This makes more sense for the Tribe as well as the Sox. LaPorta has talent, but will he be able to produce this year? Martinez gives the Sox an elite switch hitter that can DH as well as spell Varitek and Youkilis from time to time. The problem is, whom do the Sox have to give up to obtain Martinez?
"Man, you are one pathetic loser. No offense." - Lloyd Christmas
by Lloyd Christmas on May 19, 2009 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Huh? Martinez is their starting catcher, why would that make sense for either team? He’s mashing the ball and they still have a club option on him for 2010, why would they want to get rid of him? And he would cost way too much because he can play catcher, and with an elite hitting catcher rare we would have to over pay for him for being a catcher…and then play him at DH? Why would that make sense for us either?
by Realistic on May 19, 2009 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree. But he’s not much of a catcher anymore. He has as many starts at 1B as catcher this year.
by BTLove on May 19, 2009 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't think making a deal is the solution
Look, the Red Sox are 4th in the league in runs scored with 208. There’s no problem with our offense that requires trading away our stud pitching prospects. The solution is to shift Ortiz down in the order (7th or so) and see if he can work his issues out over the course of the season.
There’s been a lot of talk about Ortiz’ “bad” year in 2008, but he hit .264/.369/.507 last year, good for an .877 OPS. While not vintage Big Papi, that’s still pretty damn good. Especially considering the Sox’ overall success scoring runs they need to give Ortiz some latitude to fix his issues.
Trading to replace Ortiz would also send the wrong message to the players. It says “you better produce now and keep producing, or you’re gone.” Guys may start pressing more at the plate, causing even more trouble. Remember how our patience with PedROYa paid off?
For the sake of comparison, here’s how the Red Sox competition shakes out in terms of runs scored:
Jays 234 runs (first)
Rays 221 runs (second)
Red Sox 208 runs (fourth)
Yankees 205 runs (fifth)
What needs improvement is our starting pitching (13th) and defense (12th). Our starting pitching should turn around, but our defense is highly suspect at SS and we have limited range in the corner outfield spots.
"You know you're having a bad day when the fifth inning rolls around and they drag the warning track." - Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles pitcher, 1992.
by SoxDevil on May 19, 2009 1:11 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Seeing 4/5 AL East teams all in the top 5 of runs scored is SCARY.
by Randy Booth on May 19, 2009 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
Our defense is much worse in my opinion. We are 4th worst in the Majors in UZR (-12) and 8th worst in errors (26). Our pitchers are the 8th worst in the majors by ERA (4.77) however if you look at our team FIP or fielder independent pitching we are only the 14th worst (4.56). This to me says if we atleast had an average defense we would have an average pitching staff. Our defense is really killing us.
by drabidea on May 19, 2009 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Mostly
we really need Youk and Lowrie back.
by drabidea on May 19, 2009 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Agree
also Lowell has been really bad (in UZR/150) compared to previous years.
by Buzzy on May 19, 2009 2:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hip Surgery??
maybe he hasn’t fully healed and will get better as the year goes on? I am being optimistic obviously
by drabidea on May 19, 2009 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's early
But, based on UZR/150, Nick Green has been good at SS and Bailey good at 1B. Drew has been bad in RF. But he has been better than Bay or Baldelli, who have been awful.
I’m not sure that you can predict trends using UZR. Drew has been a good RF over his career. Bay is a below average LF.
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.
by Drugs Delaney on May 19, 2009 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Lowell
has played more games than Green by a factor of 2. It also looks like he is having a hard time in the field, so I do think this is real. Also, Green is career + in UZR/150 at SS. I don’t know why he is, but he is….
by Buzzy on May 19, 2009 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He has great range
He gets to alot of balls he shouldn’t he just makes alot of errors too.
by drabidea on May 19, 2009 3:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You know who that sounds like?
[Brace yourself, NG…]
Julio Lugo.
"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.
by 0157H7 on May 19, 2009 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I know that’s how the UZR is calculated. My surprise is that is does not jibe with my eyes (excluding the errors). But I am sure I really have not watched enough to really know. Funny that his career UZR at 3rd is so bad, while at SS it is good. He has played so little that I am not sure what it all means..
by Buzzy on May 19, 2009 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Trade for a SS
Hardy has not being very good so far this season, would the Brewers trade him? We don’t need to trade for a DH, we have 3 other bigger holes in the line-up. I still wouldn’t make a trade, but just wondering…
"Hey we got a lot in common here... I'm gonna rape you"
by MerryGoByeBye on May 19, 2009 2:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I disagree
Lowrie will be back. Getting Hardy would put 3 SS on the roster, which would create a logjam. It’s not worth parting with out depth for one month of Hardy (Lowrie is due at the ASB).
Right now, DH is the biggest hole on the Sox. If Papi wakes up, fine. Otherwise, the Sox need a bat. They have two SS—Lowrie and Lugo—and two others: Green and Velazquez. The SS situation might not be optimal right now. But it is much better than the DH situation: Papi, Baldelli, ?
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.
by Drugs Delaney on May 19, 2009 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Brewers just lost Weeks for the season.
They won’t part with their other MIF. That would just be stupid.
The phrase; Time heals all wounds, comes to mind. Lets hope it is true.
Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.
by sox-inda-south on May 19, 2009 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's moments like this I wish the Sox FO would have just signed Dunn...
Missed opportunities.
I didn't like the old one very much. I didn't see the ball there very well. - Julio Lugo on the old Yankees Stadium.
by Charged on May 19, 2009 10:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
That would further force the issue with Papi.
I would rather a few hiccups along the way to have a resurgent Big Papi in the 2nd half than have both Papi and Dunn competing for ABs. That’s not how you build a cohesive team environment. Real baseball doesn’t work quite like a fantasy squad. That’s rather trite to say, but true nevertheless.
"You know you're having a bad day when the fifth inning rolls around and they drag the warning track." - Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles pitcher, 1992.
by SoxDevil on May 19, 2009 11:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
+1
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.
by Drugs Delaney on May 20, 2009 10:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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