Red Sox DFA Ryan Weber and call up Michael Chavis.

Ale Xander

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Was Weber the only reasonable choice?

Was there another way to bring up Chavis?
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Was Weber the only reasonable choice?

Was there another way to bring up Chavis?
Reasonable? Probably. The alternatives would be DFAing Workman, optioning Darwinzon, Taylor, or Sawamura, or if you want to go with position players, they could have DFA'd Santana or optioned Dalbec.

Weber's not a great loss, and like Lose suggests, he'll probably clear waivers and be back in Worcester shortly.
 

Ale Xander

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Reasonable? Probably. The alternatives would be DFAing Workman, optioning Darwinzon, Taylor, or Sawamura, or if you want to go with position players, they could have DFA'd Santana or optioned Dalbec.

Weber's not a great loss, and like Lose suggests, he'll probably clear waivers and be back in Worcester shortly.
Thanks! I didn't want to make it seem like I disagreed. I have no attachment to Weber. Don't/didn't know enough about who has options left and just wanted to open up conversation if, big if, there was another choice.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Is there any possible reason to keep Weber? He's been on this team for parts of the past 3 years with a cumulative ERA of 5.54.
He's AAAA depth. With four pitchers on the 40-man roster currently on the shelf (Mata, Houck, Seabold, and Bazardo), he's useful for exactly how they used him yesterday...taking a beating to save the better pitchers for another day.
 

grimshaw

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I'm not really sure where Chavis fits right now. Arroyo has pulled away from the 2b pack and Chavis is basically Dalbec.
Maybe they just hope he gets hot and option Dalbec the next time there is a need for a pitcher.

I'd rather have seen Arauz, though he isn't hitting either but at least brings more versatility and switch hits.
 

Coachster

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I'm not really sure where Chavis fits right now. Arroyo has pulled away from the 2b pack and Chavis is basically Dalbec.
Maybe they just hope he gets hot and option Dalbec the next time there is a need for a pitcher.

I'd rather have seen Arauz, though he isn't hitting either but at least brings more versatility and switch hits.
AndI I just wrote on the gamethread, Chavis' hot streak brings his AAA average, against Ryan Weber-quality pitchers to .263.

Franchy is hitting .377.

Jack Lopez (remember Jack Lopez?) is over .300. Yairo f-ing Munoz is hitting better than Chavis and he can actually play a position in the field.

I know Chavis is on the 40. That's not enough of a reason.
 

chawson

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I'm not really sure where Chavis fits right now. Arroyo has pulled away from the 2b pack and Chavis is basically Dalbec.
Maybe they just hope he gets hot and option Dalbec the next time there is a need for a pitcher.

I'd rather have seen Arauz, though he isn't hitting either but at least brings more versatility and switch hits.
Maybe whatever he’s figured out the last five games works for a bit. I’d think it’s the last chance to showcase him as a possibly usable major leaguer (and not a project) before a trade.
 

Cesar Crespo

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AndI I just wrote on the gamethread, Chavis' hot streak brings his AAA average, against Ryan Weber-quality pitchers to .263.

Franchy is hitting .377.

Jack Lopez (remember Jack Lopez?) is over .300. Yairo f-ing Munoz is hitting better than Chavis and he can actually play a position in the field.

I know Chavis is on the 40. That's not enough of a reason.
And Duran is hitting .260. It's an 85 PA, 76 at bat sample. Every hit is worth about .013. Looking at batting average is being pretty myopic.


Last 54 PA in AAA, 4bb/9k. First 64 PA combined at AAA+MLB he walked 2 times and struck out 27.(13k in 33 MLB PA, 14k in 31 AAA PA)
 

Lose Remerswaal

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Coachster

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And Duran is hitting .260. It's an 85 PA, 76 at bat sample. Every hit is worth about .013. Looking at batting average is being pretty myopic.


Last 54 PA in AAA, 4bb/9k. First 64 PA combined at AAA+MLB he walked 2 times and struck out 27.(13k in 33 MLB PA, 14k in 31 AAA PA)
I didn't say anything about Duran.

Looking at batting averages alone could be myopic, but what other value does Chavis add? Can he play a position in the field? (I suggest you look at the 9th inning of the loss to the Angels on 5/16).

He's not a major league baseball player, and we already have too many of those guys already.
 

shaggydog2000

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He is Ryan Weber in waiting.
Weber has been starter depth for the Sox, starting in the minors and pitching out of the pen and sometimes starting in Boston. It doesn't look like Rios has started regularly since A-ball 5 years ago. Aren't Houck and Seabold both injured? I don't know who an emergency starter would be, other than a bullpen game obviously. So he's a slightly different guy and creates a bit more risk for them. Not that Weber starting for you is a great thing either.
 

Cesar Crespo

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I didn't say anything about Duran.

Looking at batting averages alone could be myopic, but what other value does Chavis add? Can he play a position in the field? (I suggest you look at the 9th inning of the loss to the Angels on 5/16).

He's not a major league baseball player, and we already have too many of those guys already.

I don't particularly care for him either but he's struck out considerably less of late and strike outs are a big part of the problem.

What value does he add? Power and he happens to plays 1b, even if he isn't very good at it. There aren't really any other options on the 40 man and Casas/Castellanos aren't ready.

And you didn't mention Duran because if you did, it makes the crying about Chavis only hitting .263 look kind of silly. Him hitting .263 in AAA isn't some great catastrophe like you are making it out to be, especially over the course of 76 at bats. It's a big nothing burger by itself. Him not walking, striking out way too much and having no real position are all far bigger problems than him hitting .263. If he has figured something out that allows him to cut out on the strike outs and walk a little more, he's a major league hitter. That's a big if. He'll probably be back in AAA before the end of June.
 

grimshaw

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Maybe whatever he’s figured out the last five games works for a bit. I’d think it’s the last chance to showcase him as a possibly usable major leaguer (and not a project) before a trade.
Where though?

These are the 2b ranked by wRC+ with at least 100 plate appearances. https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=2b&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=100&type=8&season=2021&month=0&season1=2021&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=2021-01-01&enddate=2021-12-31&sort=18,d&page=2_50

Even if he's a marginal bat upgrade over a bench guy there isn't much else he contributes. Some of those teams likely have a better shuttle guy too or a replacement coming in a year.

I would argue he is most "useful" to the Red Sox given the bar needed to clear the 1b position. He's super cheap and he's not blocking anyone this year. That's about it.
 
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billy ashley

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I tend to agree that Chavis' most value is to Boston at present time. Absent another team off-loading a cost-controlled fringe major leaguer, with upside, who could also use a change of scenery, it's hard to imagine anything of value coming back in return for Chavis. The issue isn't just his struggles with strikeouts. It's also that he doesn't have a position.

More on topic, folks ought not to be too concerned about DFA'ing Weber. This is exactly what Weber is for. He's a fungible arm that can provide mop-up innings when needed. It's a shame for him that this stay was short. If he clears waivers, great... we can use him down the road should there be room on the 40 man roster. Should he not, the team owes him a pizza for taking the bullet, yesterday.
 
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Lose Remerswaal

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Weber has been starter depth for the Sox, starting in the minors and pitching out of the pen and sometimes starting in Boston. It doesn't look like Rios has started regularly since A-ball 5 years ago. Aren't Houck and Seabold both injured? I don't know who an emergency starter would be, other than a bullpen game obviously. So he's a slightly different guy and creates a bit more risk for them. Not that Weber starting for you is a great thing either.
Maybe but he throws considerably harder than Weber.
He will still fill the same role, if needed, of eating up innings and if he blows out his arm, no one in the organization will dwell on it very long, as neither Ryan Weber, Yacksel Rios, or the next guy, is in their long term plans. But having a guy in the bullpen to do what what Weber did on Sunday is something you need now and then. Doesn’t matter if he is a lefty, a righty, a fastball guy or so,some who can’t break a pane of glass. He isn’t *That* guy. He is *a* guy.
 

Humphrey

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Plenty of other ghosts from the 2020 season (Hart, Hall, Walden) that they can bring up to take a beating or two, DFA them; and before you know it; they'll be back in Kelley Square. Now if you want them to actually get someone OUT, well, that's another story.
 

bosockboy

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He will still fill the same role, if needed, of eating up innings and if he blows out his arm, no one in the organization will dwell on it very long, as neither Ryan Weber, Yacksel Rios, or the next guy, is in their long term plans. But having a guy in the bullpen to do what what Weber did on Sunday is something you need now and then. Doesn’t matter if he is a lefty, a righty, a fastball guy or so,some who can’t break a pane of glass. He isn’t *That* guy. He is *a* guy.
Yep, particularly during a stretch where each SP isn’t going more than 4-5 innings. You need a sacrificial lamb arm to give the bullpen a day off to reset.
 

The Gray Eagle

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He will still fill the same role, if needed, of eating up innings and if he blows out his arm, no one in the organization will dwell on it very long, as neither Ryan Weber, Yacksel Rios, or the next guy, is in their long term plans. But having a guy in the bullpen to do what what Weber did on Sunday is something you need now and then. Doesn’t matter if he is a lefty, a righty, a fastball guy or so,some who can’t break a pane of glass. He isn’t *That* guy. He is *a* guy.
This is why it's surprising to me that there are basically no knuckleballers left. A guy who throws a knuckler should be able to mop up more innings than a standard pitcher, and could work multiple days in a row, or take an emergency spot start, pitch late extra innings when everyone else is unavailable, etc.
Seems like it might be a good idea to try teaching the knuckleball to some lower level minor leaguers who aren't real prospects, in case one develops into a guy who can become useful with it in a role like this.

I guess a knuckleballer's spin rate would be too low for any team to ever be interested now. :)
 

Rovin Romine

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This is why it's surprising to me that there are basically no knuckleballers left. A guy who throws a knuckler should be able to mop up more innings than a standard pitcher, and could work multiple days in a row, or take an emergency spot start, pitch late extra innings when everyone else is unavailable, etc.
Seems like it might be a good idea to try teaching the knuckleball to some lower level minor leaguers who aren't real prospects, in case one develops into a guy who can become useful with it in a role like this.

I guess a knuckleballer's spin rate would be too low for any team to ever be interested now. :)
Based on your post, I looked up Steven Wright.

Turns out he's currently in AAA with the Pirates, being used as a starter on a minor league contract. If the Sox really wanted a totally fungible innings eater, I think Wright might have been a better piece to go after. Especially since knuckleballers are sort of mini-lottery tickets.

He's 36, so arguably has no value to or future with the Pirates, who aren't competitive this year. (I assume it's a one year contract.)

Didn't pitch last year due to TJ surgery.

Team's got no problem with Cora or Chavis, so there's no genuine moral high ground issue on ownership's part.
 

YTF

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Based on your post, I looked up Steven Wright.

Turns out he's currently in AAA with the Pirates, being used as a starter on a minor league contract. If the Sox really wanted a totally fungible innings eater, I think Wright might have been a better piece to go after. Especially since knuckleballers are sort of mini-lottery tickets.

He's 36, so arguably has no value to or future with the Pirates, who aren't competitive this year. (I assume it's a one year contract.)

Didn't pitch last year due to TJ surgery.

Team's got no problem with Cora or Chavis, so there's no genuine moral high ground issue on ownership's part.
Perfect, the way this team runs into outs on the base paths his experience as a pinch runner would provide an added bonus. .
 

shaggydog2000

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Maybe he'll have slightly better luck returning to the no-DH league. No great loss--it obviously wasn't going to work out for him here.
You never know, he could be back in Boston or Worcester in a few weeks if Milwaukee tries to juggle the bottom of their roster just like the Sox did.

(You can do claimsies-backsies in Baseball like you do in football, can't you? I don't remember a rule limiting that off the top of my head.)
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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You never know, he could be back in Boston or Worcester in a few weeks if Milwaukee tries to juggle the bottom of their roster just like the Sox did.

(You can do claimsies-backsies in Baseball like you do in football, can't you? I don't remember a rule limiting that off the top of my head.)
They can claim him if he hits waivers again, but I doubt they will. The only real value Weber held for the Red Sox was as non-40-man depth.

Basically, they got out of him exactly what they had hoped, and Milwaukee prevented them from potentially getting a second bite at the apple.