Nunez would be great to keep around as a superutility guy, and as Pedroia insurance. I hope they bring him back. Seabass is right about the incentives from Nunez's PoV, but the age, career mediocrity, and injury issues may also depress his market or make the best move for him a 1 one year make good contract. Playing in Fenway may help his numbers. What other team is going to offer him a long(er) term deal at decent money with these questions hanging over him? It's not like teams were lining up for him at the deadline when he was available for not much.
Part of the anti-DP sentiment may be that playing against the Astros made Pedroia look bad; Altuve is what we were hoping (even expecting) that Pedroia would become, but DP wasn't able to stay at that level, and he probably will never get close again. I know I caught myself thinking that as I watched the games. But DP is an excellent player. Maybe he is not the leader he thinks he is, but its awfully hard for us to know that.
Part of the anti-DP sentiment may be that playing against the Astros made Pedroia look bad; Altuve is what we were hoping (even expecting) that Pedroia would become, but DP wasn't able to stay at that level, and he probably will never get close again. I know I caught myself thinking that as I watched the games. But DP is an excellent player. Maybe he is not the leader he thinks he is, but its awfully hard for us to know that.
Nunez has made $8.7M in his career, has been on four teams, is 30 years old, and is coming off his best season that ended with him being carried off the field because his knee collapsed. He's going to take the biggest, longest contract he can get, and that'll come from a team that has a starting job for him..