tray

Collins was given a chance last season after four years in the minors and hit .186 while looking silly at times defensively. Fvk him if he wants a roster spot.

That is a good suggestion. I had a more draconian solution that involved having the umpire give a warning to a catcher that is flagrantly pulling pitches into the strike zone or otherwise trying to obscure the umpire from calling balls and strikes. After a second infraction the batter would be awarded first base with the at-bat registered as an intentional walk. As it stands, there has been so much talk about "framing" pitches, that the umpire union is already pouring over video and scouting catchers who are the best at this tactic. After all "framing" is a euphemism for cheating. Collins is not a good catcher. He lacks the speed, reflexes and athleticism that a guy like Fisk had or even what McCann has. He would be gone if he had an ounce of trade value. Instead, the Sox will probably trade McCann, which may prove to be mistake.

It's impossible to completely address batting splits by just starting a RH outfielder (when there is a LH pitcher and vice versa) . You don't have enough bench options to keep flipping RH - LH batters every time a pitching change is made. and it is not ideal to have a cold hitter coming off the bench.

I guess you didn't read the entire article. ? Oh, he is both the former and the latter among other attributes mentioned in the article.

Projecting Collins as a DH is a real stretch. I am even beginning to wonder about Vaughn. An article considering his pros and cons prior to last years Draft is here.

Trade Collins and Fulmer for a bucket of balls.

More powerful than steaming locomotive, faster than a speeding bullet on the bases, slower than cold molasses behind the plate, it's a bird, it's a plane, no it's Zac(k) Collins. Your Superman.

in Charlotte.

" Collins’s patience in working counts has also translated to high strikeout totals in his professional career: in 1365 minor league plate appearances, Collins has produced a 29% strikeout rate. His struggles making contact have also produced low batting averages, though Collins’s skillset is such that he can be productive without hitting for a high average. Scouts are also skeptical his defense behind the plate, with MLB Pipeline suggesting that Collins “lacks soft hands and is a shaky receiver.” https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/zack-collins

And he hit a dollar 86 in the majors.

Zack hit .232 and .235 at A and AA ball. He walked a lot though so good OPS but that may not get him anything but strike outs looking in the majors. And, " the longstanding questions about Zack Collins’ defense behind the plate aren’t any closer to being answered. " Trade him for a relief pitcher so Zack gets his chance somewhere else.

No they don't. The Sox don't owe him anything. The Sox already gave Collins 5 years in the Minors to prove something. He not only proved he could not hit, but in the process he continued to raise questions about his defense. The Sox then started giving him some starts at first base, in case he started figuring things out at the plate. I don't get why a few posters here keep kissing his @ass. If you really want to see Zack get a chance in the majors then hope that he gets traded to a team that can use him as a back-up catcher. The Sox roster will be too important in 2020 to give up a spot for a 3rd string catcher, back-up DH and bench warmer.

Boston will do what it has to to sign Mookie. He is a generational talent that Boston will not let go. He should not even be in the conversation.

Doesn't need huge gap range at the Rate, especially with the Panther in CF.

Mazara OUTFIELD Fielding percentage 4 seasons = .989 Castallanos OUTFIELD fielding percentage 4 seasons = .990 Don't mix in Castellanos defensive infield stats. Also, Castellanos got better as he learned to play outfield and when he played in a smaller park. Ask any Cub fan. Most want him back badly. Meanwhile, Nick would be an incredible get for Hahn.

Ray, You are getting ridiculous on this.

Mazara would only be a platoon in RF whether or not the Sox sign Castellanos. Look at his splits.

Mazara could worse in RF than Castellanos. He is a pretty big dude that can pack on some bulk as he ages.

Absolutely right.

Castellanos is better than many OF we have sent out there, like Palks, Tank, etc.. He certainly can be a serviceable outfielder for seven innings. In the 8th, after our 2020 version of the SS Hitmen pound out a few home runs and take the lead, you put Leury or Engle out there as a defensive move. Perhaps in the 8th you can have Leury, Engle and Robert in the outfield for Defense. So, given that strategy, the arguments about defense vs offense are not all they are cracked up to be. Jack some HRs, take the lead, throw in some replacements for Defense in late innings, and close the thing out.

I think Collins is hot garbage based on what he did in the minors for 4 years (large sample size) and what I saw of him last season (small sample size). IMO, Sox should look for a catcher in the first round of the 2020 Draft and send Collins to the minors to start the season (or trade him). Back on topic, a one year / 8 Mil. deal for EE seems to make a lot of sense, especially if Vaughn pans out as a DH/1B.

McCann/Grandal is the ideal RH/LH platoon. at catcher. Collins deserves a chance to be a back-up catcher....on another team. No room for minor league talent like Collins on the 2020 roster.

I'd accept substandard D with Castellanos. It is easy to put a guy like Engle or even Leury in RF in the last two innings in a close game where the Sox are defending a lead.

1.Grandal and McCann make for one of the top L/R catching platoons in the major. The move was made for several reasons including the fact that the Sox realized the Collins could not fill the back-up catcher role. As far as the Sox not being certain how to quantify pitch framing, no team should be because the umpire association has been studying tapes and noting which catchers are getting away with stealing strikes. They don't want to be replaced with a camera. 2. Abreu is not only a "slightly above average 1B/DH". He has value to the team beyond hos stats and may have already caused Moncada to start talking about staying in Chicago long terms. Abreu's numbers might even be better with the new Sox line-up, especially if Madrigal proves to be a better on-base guy and there are thunderous bats following Jose. 3. You are actually complaining about Dallas Keuchel because his extrapolated fWar is 2.6. You actually don't know what Covey, Fulmer, Despaigne, etc gave us last season? He was not signed to be our Ace and his contract was nothing like Stras or Cole. 4. Gio G is 34 years old. SFW? He was signed as a back of rotation starter or possibly as a long reliever if Rodon comes back and a few other guys step up, including Cease, Kopech, ReyLo and Steiver. But go ahead keep b1tching. 5. a reclamation project in RF who has failed for four seasons? He started as a 20 year old and won't be 25 until the end of April 2020 so that may not be a bad guy to try to reclaim. His rakes RH pitching which will be helpful as a DH and platoon RF. Maybe the Sox sign Castellanos or another RH bat and the Mazara deal makes even more sense. I will bet that the off-season moves that Rick, Kenny and Jerry have made will have the Sox in contention for the play-offs in 2020...and they may not be done yet.

Totally agree with that strategy. You have to believe that the Sox anticipate who they need to sign long term - Moncada, Robert and possibly o a few others. The Sox are not just being cheapskates by not blowing their budget on FA contracts this off-season. Given that, if they stand pat as far as mega million dollar FA acquisitions I would be quite happy with Grandal, Mazara and Gio Gonzales, plus re-upping Abreu. Meanwhile, dumpster dive for a few inning-eating pitchers and wait until Spring Training,,,, unless of course some team makes Rick & Kenny an offer they simply can't refuse. Patience is sometimes rewarded in these circumstances.