turnin' two

Albert Belle Brett Myers Nick Swisher Royce Clayton Billy Koch

Yeah, why are guys that go 20/20 and play the middle infield even a concern. I mean, he is already almost 25 and a half. No room for improvement at all. What is that?? Mitch Haniger was in AAA when he was 25? Shut up!

To be a Sox fan is to experience heartbreak. It makes the joy all that much sweeter. Or something like that, right?

Hmmm, not quite sure how I fit in here...?‍♂️

Maybe. Maybe saving this money on Alonso and Encarnacion allows them to keep Kluber and keep their window open longer.

Also, it is a bit funny how this is pathetic, unprofessional and creepy, but the fact that the Cubs are in the running for Harper because of Bryant seems to run rampant.

Eh, I mean, it doesn't change your overall point, but I would say all of those guys are paid right about where they should be.

He will be the small side of he LH hitting platoon with DelMonico and Palka if Manny doesn't sign here.

Ahhh! Harper liked Nicky's tweet! I don't know what to think!

I really hope Manny isn't friends with Chris Davis.

I did, about 5 posts up from this one. ?

If Manny signs elsewhere, I wonder if the Sox just send him somewhere else. His OPS was 40 points lower than Palka's last season.

But you would assume the Sox have to pay his salary...

Gee, this is an interesting take. ?

Some guy on twitter said something!!!! Hooray!!! or Nooooooo the world is ending!!!!!

In my opinion, the Dodgers have always been kind of the ideal team for Harper. West coast, near his home, good team, huge city that offers massive stardom and endless marketing opportunities. They are the team that, from the beginning, I thought, if they get involved, it makes it difficult for everyone else. So hopefully this is wrong, but hey, if he signs with him, then just move on and double down on Manny.

What comments?

The real story here, is that McCann has worn number 34, that must be what Kopech meant on with his cryptic messages earlier in the offseason.

The only way I could see them trading Heyward to the Giants, but if Cueto or Samardizja go back the other way.

Well now, I didn't know that! If it is corn than he definitely would have worked here in Illinois! ?

Seems like a weird statement after trading Narvaez and signing Castillo a year ago. Plus, as has been discussed, there are some problems with using pitch framing as the most important factor as it seems like it is pretty volatile. I have to agree heartily with the preferring Kevan Smith though.

I'm happy with this because it rules out Grandal. He is going to get paid a lot and cost a draft pick. I don't really buy into him. This also may show that the Sox have some level of faith in Zavala and Collins in about a year.

I have to disagree here. Obviously you are looking at fangraphs, according to bbref, he has 2 seasons over 6, and another that was 5.8, all in 6 seasons before signing with the cubs. Putting up a 6 WAR season 50% of the time seems pretty consistent. Especially when you consider that his lower seasons, he had fewer ABs because of injuries. This right here highlights another problem with using WAR as a sole evaluation tool. The ways that defense are measured are flawed. There is no way around it. They are flawed. Finally, I have no idea what you are trying to say in that Heyward is a defense based Harper-lite. That doesn't seem to make any sense at all to me.

Yeah, and before his contract WAR said Jason Heyward was a 5-6 WAR player every year. It also said that before his contract JD Martinez was a 2 WAR player, or if you exclude his time with Houston, a 4 WAR player. Which would you have rather have? WAR can be wrong. It can over value defense. That is how Yolmer was a 3.5 WAR player. And how Adam Eaton was 5-6 WAR player with the Sox. WAR says Matt Chapman was the 3rd best player in baseball last year. You got him there behind Betts and Trout? By WAR, Andrelton Simmons is a 5 WAR player every year, and Charlie Blackmon is 2. Giancarlo is 4. I doubt the open market would value Simmons more than Stanton or Blackmon. Using 1 stat, even WAR as the end all be all, is not the appropriate way to evaluate a player. Heck, it has nothing to do with defense, but WAR said Chris Davis was a 4 WAR player in his time with the O's before his contract. If Manny is signed to play SS, that is a huge detriment to his value as well, as his defense is a huge part of his WAR, and he is elite at 3B, and pretty so so at SS. Again, not trying to bash Manny, and I'd be thrilled if the Sox sign him. Just saying there is a case for each player, and I think their free agencies will bear that out.

This is the most important point.