Free Agency - How confident are you?

[mqr]

9 minutes ago, RTC said:

Because, when factoring defense and handedness into the equation, a team might feel a TA/Didi combination on their roster is preferred over a TA/Castellano or TA/Ozuna or TA/Leury.  It's Tim freakin' Anderson.  It's not like we're talking about moving Ozzie Smith off of SS.  There's lots of reasons that teams consider things like this.

Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy, Ketel Marte ........ other teams don't seem to be too concerned that their top players need to stay in one spot

Ketel Marte and Max Muncy came up as Utility Players. Bellinger came up playing 1B but was a natural outfielder. These are completely different situations. 

[ChiSox59]

2 minutes ago, RTC said:

Because, when factoring defense and handedness into the equation, a team might feel a TA/Didi combination on their roster is preferred over a TA/Castellano or TA/Ozuna or TA/Leury.  It's Tim freakin' Anderson.  It's not like we're talking about moving Ozzie Smith off of SS.  There's lots of reasons that teams consider things like this.

Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy, Ketel Marte ........ other teams don't seem to be too concerned that their top players need to stay in one spot

Tim Anderson is pretty good SS.  He's young and incredibility talented.  I am not moving him to a position he's never played.  Not to mention offensively he profiles pretty bleh at RF. Thankfully I HIGHLY doubt this is even remotely in the Sox thoughts.  

[RTC]

1 minute ago, ChiSox59 said:

Tim Anderson is pretty good SS.  He's young and incredibility talented.  I am not moving him to a position he's never played.  Not to mention offensively he profiles pretty bleh at RF. Thankfully I HIGHLY doubt this is even remotely in the Sox thoughts.  

I don’t really know/care what the Sox are thinking, I was just answering your question as to why a team might consider it.

[RTC]

10 minutes ago, mqr said:

Ketel Marte and Max Muncy came up as Utility Players. Bellinger came up playing 1B but was a natural outfielder. These are completely different situations. 

Then the Sox have a huge problem that other teams’ utility players are better than anyone on their roster (Moncada the possible exception)

[Jack Parkman]

I really wish Castellanos was ok being a 1B/DH because he'd be a great fit there. 

[Moan4Yoan]

1 minute ago, Jack Parkman said:

I really wish Castellanos was ok being a 1B/DH because he'd be a great fit there. 

Does he have enough pop for 1B/DH though?

[Jack Parkman]

1 minute ago, Moan4Yoan said:

Does he have enough pop for 1B/DH though?

Absolutely. He was a victim of the Tigers shitty lineup this year. He hit .290 with 27 HR in 2018. He doesn't want to play 1B though. 

Edited August 27, 2019 by Jack Parkman

[BackDoorBreach]

5 minutes ago, Jack Parkman said:

Absolutely. He was a victim of the Tigers shitty lineup this year. He hit .290 with 27 HR in 2018. He doesn't want to play 1B though. 

I thought he said he wasn't moving to another position until they extended him? Not that he didn't want to or wouldn't play 1B.

[Bob Sacamano]

1 minute ago, BackDoorBreach said:

I thought he said he wasn't moving to another position until they extended him? Not that he didn't want to or wouldn't play 1B.

Yeah this is what I remember.

[mqr]

21 minutes ago, RTC said:

Then the Sox have a huge problem that other teams’ utility players are better than anyone on their roster (Moncada the possible exception)

Players can get better. They both are obviously greater than utility players now...

My point is, those are guys who came into the league playing multiple positions. 

Edited August 27, 2019 by mqr

[Dick Allen]

3 minutes ago, mqr said:

Players can get better. They both are obviously greater than utility players now...

My point is, those are guys who came into the league playing multiple positions. 

When it was announced Moncada was moving to third, we heard time and time again on this board how awful that decision was. I'm sure if they had to, he or TA would make decent outfielders. It's not a real hard transition as long as you can run. The plus is each can also throw.

[Moan4Yoan]

4 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

When it was announced Moncada was moving to third, we heard time and time again on this board how awful that decision was. I'm sure if they had to, he or TA would make decent outfielders. It's not a real hard transition as long as you can run. The plus is each can also throw.

Exactly, these are top of the game young athletes.  Most of them have played multiple positions throughout their life.  All it takes is time and practice for most of these guys to change positions, not including a drastic change to catcher, pitcher, and to a lesser extent SS and CF.

[RTC]

15 minutes ago, mqr said:

Players can get better. They both are obviously greater than utility players now...

My point is, those are guys who came into the league playing multiple positions. 

I really don't care what the Sox do.  I've got no dog in this hunt.  I just don't think that the mere suggestion of moving a "phenomenal athlete" (as we've repeatedly been told he is) from SS to RF is as scandalous as some people on this board seem to think it is.

Edited August 27, 2019 by RTC

[ChiSox59]

4 minutes ago, Moan4Yoan said:

Exactly, these are top of the game young athletes.  Most of them have played multiple positions throughout their life.  All it takes is time and practice for most of these guys to change positions, not including a drastic change to catcher, pitcher, and to a lesser extent SS and CF.

I would bet that Anderson and Moncad ahave played VERY little outfield in their life.  They've both been infielders their entire pro career.  They were both undoubtedly the best/most talented player on every team they ever played on prior to that.  In which case they were almost always playing SS, at least 3B and SS.   

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

14 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

When it was announced Moncada was moving to third, we heard time and time again on this board how awful that decision was. I'm sure if they had to, he or TA would make decent outfielders. It's not a real hard transition as long as you can run. The plus is each can also throw.

Yoan Moncada grades out as the 6th best defensive 3rd baseman in the MLB this year. Why the heck would the White Sox move a guy who is performing that well at that position in his first big league year there? It's an absurd proposal.

[Dick Allen]

5 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Yoan Moncada grades out as the 6th best defensive 3rd baseman in the MLB this year. Why the heck would the White Sox move a guy who is performing that well at that position in his first big league year there? It's an absurd proposal.

If they signed a guy who could only play 3B or somewhere else on the infield ie. Machcado last year or Rendon this,  or if Moncada fell apart. Maybe you should read my earlier posts. The one you responded to even said "if they had to".  

I could only imagine what you would be saying right now if Moncada was moved to RF this year, played really well, and some mentioned perhaps signing an OF and moving Moncada to 3B.

Edited August 27, 2019 by Dick Allen

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

10 minutes ago, Moan4Yoan said:

Exactly, these are top of the game young athletes.  Most of them have played multiple positions throughout their life.  All it takes is time and practice for most of these guys to change positions, not including a drastic change to catcher, pitcher, and to a lesser extent SS and CF.

All it takes is time and practice. My goodness.

I played CF 99% of my life. I hated right field. Could I play it? Sure. Did I enjoy it or feel as comfortable when I did? Absolutely not.

The majority of players do not like changing positions after spending their lives and careers mastering one. There's a reason A-Rod moved to third when he signed with the Yankees and it wasn't because Jeter was a better defender. You see this all the time in baseball. Guys do not like changing from their comfort zones. It its not out if necessity for staying in the league and maximizing playing time, 99% of players would tell you they like knowing where they'll play everyday and they like knowing where they'll bat.

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

13 minutes ago, RTC said:

I really don't care what the Sox do.  I've got no dog in this hunt.  I just don't think that the mere suggestion of moving a "phenomenal athlete" (as we've repeatedly been told he is) from SS to RF is as scandalous as some people on this board seem to think it is.

Except you literally take away about 30% of his skill set and value by moving him to right field.

[Dick Allen]

2 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

All it takes is time and practice. My goodness.

I played CF 99% of my life. I hated right field. Could I play it? Sure. Did I enjoy it or feel as comfortable when I did? Absolutely not.

The majority of players do not like changing positions after spending their lives and careers mastering one. There's a reason A-Rod moved to third when he signed with the Yankees and it wasn't because Jeter was a better defender. You see this all the time in baseball. Guys do not like changing from their comfort zones. It its not out if necessity for staying in the league and maximizing playing time, 99% of players would tell you they like knowing where they'll play everyday and they like knowing where they'll bat.

That is changing. More players are playing multiple positions. More infielders are becoming outfielders....Maybe next year when rosters go to 26 that may change a bit, but the more positions you can play, doesn't really hurt your value.

Edited August 27, 2019 by Dick Allen

[Moan4Yoan]

3 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

All it takes is time and practice. My goodness.

I played CF 99% of my life. I hated right field. Could I play it? Sure. Did I enjoy it or feel as comfortable when I did? Absolutely not.

The majority of players do not like changing positions after spending their lives and careers mastering one. There's a reason A-Rod moved to third when he signed with the Yankees and it wasn't because Jeter was a better defender. You see this all the time in baseball. Guys do not like changing from their comfort zones. It its not out if necessity for staying in the league and maximizing playing time, 99% of players would tell you they like knowing where they'll play everyday and they like knowing where they'll bat.

Okay, but you proved my point with the bolded comments above.  Enjoying a position and being able to play it aren’t the same thing and players get paid to do what the team expects, including changing positions sometimes.  Machado, the $300 million dollar player changed positions.  Kris Bryant and Javier Baez have played multiple positions.  It’s not the end of the world.

Edited August 27, 2019 by Moan4Yoan

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

3 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

If they signed a guy who could only play 3B or somewhere else on the infield ie. Machcado last year or Rendon this,  or if Moncada fell apart. Maybe you should read my earlier posts. The one you responded to even said "if they had to".  

I could only imagine what you would be saying right now if Moncada was moved to RF this year, played really well, and some mentioned perhaps signing an OF and moving Moncada to 3B.

Why would you move the better defender who also happens to be a player already on the team for an outsider? 

You can only imagine what I'd say? Moncada was a bad second baseman. Moving him away from that position in hope of maximizing his defensive talents elsewhere made sense. 

Moving him from a position in which he's excelled with limited professional reps before this year is lunacy. There's always a reason to try something new when things aren't working. There's really no point in trying something new when what you're doing already has great results.

[Harold's Leg Lift]

5 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

All it takes is time and practice. My goodness.

I played CF 99% of my life. I hated right field. Could I play it? Sure. Did I enjoy it or feel as comfortable when I did? Absolutely not.

The majority of players do not like changing positions after spending their lives and careers mastering one. There's a reason A-Rod moved to third when he signed with the Yankees and it wasn't because Jeter was a better defender. You see this all the time in baseball. Guys do not like changing from their comfort zones. It its not out if necessity for staying in the league and maximizing playing time, 99% of players would tell you they like knowing where they'll play everyday and they like knowing where they'll bat.

[Dick Allen]

1 minute ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Why would you move the better defender who also happens to be a player already on the team for an outsider? 

You can only imagine what I'd say? Moncada was a bad second baseman. Moving him away from that position in hope of maximizing his defensive talents elsewhere made sense. 

Moving him from a position in which he's excelled with limited professional reps before this year is lunacy. There's always a reason to try something new when things aren't working. There's really no point in trying something new when what you're doing already has great results.

Because it's an offensive game, and Rendon and Moncada would probably be better in a line up than some RF and Moncada. They aren't signing Rendon. Moncada will be at 3b. 

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

3 minutes ago, Moan4Yoan said:

Okay, but you proved my point with the bolded comments above.  Enjoying a position and being able to play it aren’t the same thing and players get paid to do what the team expects, including changing positions sometimes.  Machado, the $300 million dollar player changed positions.  Kris Bryant and Javier Baez have played multiple positions.  It’s not the end of the world.

Machado changed positions twice for two reasons:

1. Playing time. He was "blocked" by JJ Hardy as a kid and his path to professional baseball at a young age was switching to third base.

2. He switched back to SS to maximize his worth because SS's make more money. He was bad at SS and now he's back at the position he's elite at because he got paid.

Machado is an example of what I have said are the reasons players change.

Clearly, Machado got paid and wasnt demanding he played SS anymore. Why? Because he wanted to play SS, in his head, thinking it would garner him a bigger payday.

[RTC]

3 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Machado changed positions twice for two reasons:

1. Playing time. He was "blocked" by JJ Hardy as a kid and his path to professional baseball at a young age was switching to third base.

2. He switched back to SS to maximize his worth because SS's make more money. He was bad at SS and now he's back at the position he's elite at because he got paid.

Machado is an example of what I have said are the reasons players change.

Clearly, Machado got paid and wasnt demanding he played SS anymore. Why? Because he wanted to play SS, in his head, thinking it would garner him a bigger payday.

Or maybe it's because there's a guy at SS named Tatis.