Hahn's next move?

[Dick Allen]

Davidson is far from a sure thing. Josh Fields and Brent Morel were both at one time ranked higher as prospects. Time in Charlotte is a definite possibility.

Edited December 31, 2013 by Dick Allen

[oldsox]

With every day that goes by, I like the Reed/Davidson trade less and less. I want to see him play.

[hogan873]

I imagine Davidson is the starting 3rd baseman for the Sox come opening day. Unless he has a really bad spring, that is. And therefore, one of Gillaspie or Keppinger will be gone. Personally I'd rather the Sox hold on to Gillaspie. He's younger, can play just about every IF position, and he's left-handed. Trouble is, who would want Keppinger for the money he's owed?

[cabiness42]

I imagine Davidson is the starting 3rd baseman for the Sox come opening day. Unless he has a really bad spring, that is. And therefore, one of Gillaspie or Keppinger will be gone. Personally I'd rather the Sox hold on to Gillaspie. He's younger, can play just about every IF position, and he's left-handed. Trouble is, who would want Keppinger for the money he's owed?

 

Gillaspie has never played anywhere but 3B and 1B, but I'd still rather have him over Kep.

 

[hogan873]

Gillaspie has never played anywhere but 3B and 1B, but I'd still rather have him over Kep.

I thought he played 2B a few times last year. Maybe I'm mistaken. Still, I'd still prefer him over Keppinger.

 

*edit: Yes, I was mistaken.

Edited December 31, 2013 by pittshoganerkoff

[NorthSideSox72]

Davidson is far from a sure thing. Josh Fields and Brent Morel were both at one time ranked higher as prospects. Time in Charlotte is a definite possibility.

On the bolded, only half true. Brent Morel was never regarded as nearly the prospect Matt Davidson has been. Not even close. Fields was a T100 name at one time, that is true.

 

I'd be surprised if Davidson wasn't the starting 3B on the Sox on Opening Day. Only was he isn't is if the Sox are unable to move an infielder before then, AND if he looks terrible in ST. Possible sure, but not likely.

 

[Dick Allen]

On the bolded, only half true. Brent Morel was never regarded as nearly the prospect Matt Davidson has been. Not even close. Fields was a T100 name at one time, that is true.

 

I'd be surprised if Davidson wasn't the starting 3B on the Sox on Opening Day. Only was he isn't is if the Sox are unable to move an infielder before then, AND if he looks terrible in ST. Possible sure, but not likely.

Pre-2011, Morel was the BA #85 prospect. Davidson has never been that high. Fields was #95 in 2005, and #45 in 2007. Borchard was top 20 at one time. Brian Anderson was top 50. Simon Castro was top 60. Prospects are still suspects until they actually succeed.

[ptatc]

Pre-2011, Morel was the BA #85 prospect. Davidson has never been that high. Fields was #95 in 2005, and #45 in 2007. Borchard was top 20 at one time. Brian Anderson was top 50. Simon Castro was top 60. Prospects are still suspects until they actually succeed.

Yes. This is the danger with trading established MLB players for prospects. It's always a better bet to trade the prospects. However, with as bad as the offense was last year, Hahn needed to take some chances. Hopefully, the scouting is sound.

[NorthSideSox72]

Pre-2011, Morel was the BA #85 prospect. Davidson has never been that high. Fields was #95 in 2005, and #45 in 2007. Borchard was top 20 at one time. Brian Anderson was top 50. Simon Castro was top 60. Prospects are still suspects until they actually succeed.

I actually hadn't realized Morel was that high - a bit of a surprise. And while I agree with your overall point about prospects, I stand by what I said earlier - he's the starting 3B barring an unusual set of events occurring.

 

[The Ultimate Champion]

Morel was a real bright spot coming up through the system. I remember being angry when the Sox took him, there was somebody else I wanted there who went to the Royals and became a bust. Forget who that was, he was a pitcher. As a 3B Morel didn't look too impressive but the fact that he was a former C, the arm strength, the surprising SB totals, the high average with legit pop, he really looked like he could be a find. I got pretty excited about him, and I still think it was just the back that did it and ruined his career, not really anything else. It seems that in most cases, for a talented prospect to turn out, just about everything has to go right and in order. The guy has to stay healthy, advance levels when he's ready only, and then when he's MLB ready he gets the shot immediately and acquires large amounts of MLB playing time regardless of the situation, i.e, unlike with BA & Fields he doesn't get benched for Erstads or a recovering Crede, etc. It seems like with so many guys, especially position players, that if there's any hiccup in there outside of the normal struggle-adjustment-struggle cycle, the guy just falls too far behind, gets passed up, then gets stuck on a AAA roster eating up an MLB option.

[GreenSox]

Start Davidson in AAA. Let Connor and Keppinger platoon, which is not ideal, but we need to try to let Keppinger get his hitting groove back so we can dump him. Unless Connor starts hitting a lot better, he doesn't have much of a place as a back up 3B (need someone who can play middle infield on the bench), but he could still have value, so no use giving him away just yet.

I just think Hahn has pieces still to move, we have a minor league system that still needs a lot more talent to give us proper depth, but it takes time. We should be ready to roll in 2015.

[Dick Allen]

I actually hadn't realized Morel was that high - a bit of a surprise. And while I agree with your overall point about prospects, I stand by what I said earlier - he's the starting 3B barring an unusual set of events occurring.

Hahn did mention the possibility of Charlotte. I don't think the Sox would trade their cheap closer for a guy they thought needed much time in AAA, but we will see. It's all up to him.

[southsider2k5]

That could all be posturing by Hahn to not collapse the value of Connor.

[Dick Allen]

That could all be posturing by Hahn to not collapse the value of Connor.

The one thing all these young guys acquired have that they really didn't have much of before, is opportunity. They really aren't blocked by anyone. They perform, they play in the major leagues. The Sox are expecting them to be key contributors for years. It should give them some confidence. They have talent. It's a question of putting it together. Most likely not all will. Hopefully more do than do not.

[The Ultimate Champion]

Hahn did mention the possibility of Charlotte. I don't think the Sox would trade their cheap closer for a guy they thought needed much time in AAA, but we will see. It's all up to him.

They just have to make him earn it. If Davidson has an excellent Spring & looks like an MLB player then he's the starter. If not, and maybe you get an injury or some real struggles, then he's going to have to earn it again in AAA. If Hahn came right out and said he was MLB ready and would be on the Opening Day roster then anything less than a stellar ST would probably be a disappointment, and he could risk setting the kid up for failure. I assume however that he'll be given a pretty low uniform number & regardless of his ST performance he'll stick around very late in order to experience the MLB clubhouse & work with the MLB hitting coaches.

[Balta1701]

That's not fair. Conor is left handed, so a better question to ask is if Davidson can put up a .736 ops against lefties. And I think he can. Conor could be an effective bench player. I'd keep him. Cheap and controllable.

Connor would be fine on te bench if we had any open slots. We don't right now. If Davidson out produces Connor and earns the job then there is no where to put Connor except on another teams roster.

 

I think it would be quite irresponsible to have it come to that point so I think Rick absolutely must dump at least one of these bench/if/DH guys before spring training starts.

[Balta1701]

They just have to make him earn it. If Davidson has an excellent Spring & looks like an MLB player then he's the starter. If not, and maybe you get an injury or some real struggles, then he's going to have to earn it again in AAA. If Hahn came right out and said he was MLB ready and would be on the Opening Day roster then anything less than a stellar ST would probably be a disappointment, and he could risk setting the kid up for failure. I assume however that he'll be given a pretty low uniform number & regardless of his ST performance he'll stick around very late in order to experience the MLB clubhouse & work with the MLB hitting coaches.

He's already been in the big leagues, I don't think experiencing a big league clubhouse is high on his list of needs.

[Tannerfan]

Connor would be fine on te bench if we had any open slots. We don't right now. If Davidson out produces Connor and earns the job then there is no where to put Connor except on another teams roster.

 

I think it would be quite irresponsible to have it come to that point so I think Rick absolutely must dump at least one of these bench/if/DH guys before spring training starts.

 

The sad thing is the re-signing of Konerko is what's messing up the versatility of having both Conner and Keppinger on the roster.

[Dick Allen]

The sad thing is the re-signing of Konerko is what's messing up the versatility of having both Conner and Keppinger on the roster.

No room on the roster for Keppinger and Gillaspie? There goes the World Series.

[Jake]

When I say Davidson "doesn't have much left to prove in AAA," I'm saying you can't put him there and justify it as a developmental need. You can put him there because you have a "logjam" at 3B, but you'll be doing it at the expense of Davidson's development.

[Dick Allen]

When I say Davidson "doesn't have much left to prove in AAA," I'm saying you can't put him there and justify it as a developmental need. You can put him there because you have a "logjam" at 3B, but you'll be doing it at the expense of Davidson's development.

The guy had a decent year in a hitter's paradise while fanning a lot of times. There is a very real chance he isn't ready for the major leagues, at the very least, defensively. I don't know how it is at the expense of someone's development that they go play and have success in AAA vs. getting buried in the major leagues. It's not like this guy has been in AAA for several years. He's either ready or he's not. It isn't going to be a "logjam" issue. His play will determine where he plays.

[Tannerfan]

No room on the roster for Keppinger and Gillaspie? There goes the World Series.

 

Who said anything about winning the World Series?

I'm talking about having a versatile bench with players that can play multiple positions.

Not to mention a left handed bat in Gillaspie.

 

 

[witesoxfan]

With every day that goes by, I like the Reed/Davidson trade less and less. I want to see him play.

 

There are things that surprise me in life. This does not.

[Vance Law]

That's not fair. Conor is left handed, so a better question to ask is if Davidson can put up a .736 ops against lefties.

 

But the reality is 3/4 of the starters the Sox will face are right handed.

[GreatScott82]

Who said anything about winning the World Series?

I'm talking about having a versatile bench with players that can play multiple positions.

Not to mention a left handed bat in Gillaspie.

Don't count out the fact that Hahn is still trying to trade Dunn. This would make Konerko the full time DH and the team can have both Gillespie AND Keppinger on the bench. I'm assuming Davidson is your starting 3b this season.