And that's great. But where am I wrong about Yoshida's usage pattern, and the concerns that it brings up? Do you expect him to play in the OF at all going forward? And I'm not even saying he should. I'm saying that if he isn't (outside of an emergency), it brings up some tough questions that must be asked.
But he's no longer a viable OF, in the eyes of the club anyway. That's a big distinction. He's played 1 inning there, in an emergency.
Devers is going to DH over him. Refsnyder is a better fielder, so he'll play the OF over him. (Moreover, Refsnyder has been swinging a hot bat.)
I'm not suggesting they DFA him. If he's a 105+ guy, he's worth keeping around. I expect he will pay a bunch once Devers fully heals. But if he truly is a DH-only, who won't even do that sometimes vs LHP, we have to ask how much worse he can get and still keep his job. Because devoting a roster spot to a guy who can't play the field is pretty limiting. You have to hit well to overcome that.
Is it that he's no longer a viable OF or that Cora thinks there are three better options for that spot at this moment? And how long are Jarren Duran, TON, and Abreu going to stay healthy for?
Bad defense can play if you hit like prime Manny Ramirez. Bad defense doesn't play if you hit like late-career Manny Ramirez.
Defensively that’s a major downgrade. Keeping Yoshida out of the field with Abreu, Duran and O’Neill seems optimal on both sides of the ball.
And the Sox rostered JDM to the very end. Like, I have no issue with the benching in this scenario, but my main point is that Yoshida isn't unplayable in LF unless he truly is MUCH worse than most people think - some truly egregious butchers have played and will continue to play COF roles - and the Sox don't otherwise have a full-time DH.
So you'd bench either O'neill or Abreu who are both better fielders and currently hitting better than Yoshida? Refsnyder playing first is fine, but doesn't have to impact Yoshida. Yoshida is on the roster and will stay there because while he's not a great hitter, he is miles better as a hitter than the bench guys, and the front office probably feels he is just as likely or more likely to hit well for the rest of the season than a guy they could promote from AAA, sign off of the street, or find available on the trade market in April. That shouldn't be a surprise.
But that's the thing: Yoshida *is* unplayable in left. He finished 31st of 35 qualified leftfielders last season in Outs Above Average at -8; by overall Fielding Runs Value, he was in the bottom 1.3% of all players in the majors. You can be a butcher to that degree if you're putting up Kyle Schwarber/Juan Soto levels of offense to make up for it, but that's not Yoshida; every single thing he gives you with the bat is wiped out and then some by his glove. That's how he ended up a 0 fWAR player last year.
Learning and playing first base at the major league level is insanely difficult though. (Cue Ron Washington.) Remember the Kyle Schwarber experiment? There's no reason to think Yoshida, who never played even an inning at first in Japan, would do any better. It'd just be trading a problem in left field for a problem at first.
I fully agree that there's no reason to cut him in a world where the roster is fully healthy and Devers is the regular third baseman; he's probably a fine DH, albeit one with what seems to be a pretty low ceiling. But he's a horrendous fit on a roster that's suffering a lot of injuries, and while I don't expect the FO to cut him just because of that, it does highlight his severe limitations and how poor an overall fit he is. As you said, if Devers needs to be a long-term DH, whither Yoshida?
Agreed.
Or a much more expensive one. Would you take back Rendon? ~3/$105 remaining compared to Yoshida's ~4/$72.
It seemed like you had talked yourself out of the idea by the end of your second or third sentence anyway.
LOL. I was never really in. I am actually bullish on Yoshida making the needed adjustments, but he is a pretty terrible fit for the roster in its battered state and his upside isn't all that high as a good-not-great hitter with only one low-value defensive position that he plays poorly.It seemed like you had talked yourself out of the idea by the end of your second or third sentence anyway.
Oh, agreed. But there's not a lot out there at the position that might plausibly be traded. Maybe Eugenio Suaréz gets dealt if things go south in Phoenix, but I can't see them making a move early or being interested in Yoshida as part of a return if they did.
I don't think we're particularly far out on any of this to be honest. I agree he isn't in the ideal lineup construction while Devers has to be a DH (and rushing him back to the field isn't worth that risk), and you agree we have no reason to cut him presently. I think we also agree on the team as constructed today - and likely for the forseeable future - it's not a great fit. Yoshida being upset about being benched is understandable but it's likely best for the team. So I don't want to belabor much, just two things I guess.
Matt Stairs is 5'9" and played 294 games at first, Pablo Sandoval is 5'10" and played some first. While a legit substantial disadvantage, first base isn't a carnival ride.
Pablo Reyes is listed at 5' 8" and if not for the injuries that have placed Dalbec on the roster for all but about 5 games, he'd have been the only back-up 1B on the roster (heck, he played more 1B in spring training than Dalbec did). I don't think height is going to prevent the Sox from trying Masa at 1B if they think he can handle it and it's the best way to get his bat in the lineup more.
Just to echo this, here are the 3B who would be even somewhat viable trade targets making 10m+ per year
If Yoshida had magically retired before the season began, the Sox could have signed a bat-first DH type with more offensive upside than Yoshida, or a 3B to spell Devers while Devers got some DH appearances.
I guess it could be worse. Schwarber is -0.2 and has only played DH.
dWAR includes the position adjustment and fielding runs, so a DH gets negative position adjustment runs.
The prints are by Japanese artist Hasui Kawase, who blended traditional styles of ukiyo-e woodblock prints with influences from European art; he was active in the early twentieth century, when Japan was enthusiastically adopting a number of Western ideas. He’s one of my favorite artists - a Hasui calendar hangs on the wall of my office.Yoshida Twitter is kind of interesting.
A: Masataka Yoshida conspiracy theories.
B: Some kind of comic (e.g.)
C: Awesome prints:
In this case I think you have to give the nod to Cora. Yoshida was a dreadful signing given his cost and the team's needs. Bloom signed 2 expensive DH's last offseason in Turner and Yoshida.
A definite A-ha vibe to that comic. The others are beautifulThe prints are by Japanese artist Hasui Kawase, who blended traditional styles of ukiyo-e woodblock prints with influences from European art; he was active in the early twentieth century, when Japan was enthusiastically adopting a number of Western ideas. He’s one of my favorite artists - a Hasui calendar hangs on the wall of my office.
Whatever else one might say about Yoshida, one can’t deny his taste in art
Has any member of the press asked Cora about Refsnyder at 1B? He played there in ST…. Presumably for this exact situation. Cora apparently either forgot or the experience was horrifying.
They're from Hiroshi Yoshida, I believe. . .. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshi_YoshidaThe prints are by Japanese artist Hasui Kawase, who blended traditional styles of ukiyo-e woodblock prints with influences from European art; he was active in the early twentieth century, when Japan was enthusiastically adopting a number of Western ideas. He’s one of my favorite artists - a Hasui calendar hangs on the wall of my office.
Whatever else one might say about Yoshida, one can’t deny his taste in art
By gum, you are right. I stand corrected.
