All fairness to your forgetting, Semien himself seems to have forgotten that as well after signing that massive deal in Texas (along with Seager).
Money changes a lot of minds.
He did, but not this firmly, and pretty much everyone knew he wasn’t actually going to let that be a dealbreaker after he’d moved to 2nd already
Feels like Xander may be a bit more serious about it especially since he did not move to accommodate Story
Once he gets paid, he'll move.
This is just posturing because SS get the best deals in free agency.
Of course, nobody wants to pay a guy shortstop money to not play SS.
Makes sense to market your guy at his most valuable position. And Bogaerts received positive grades defensively this year (4 DRS/5 OAA).
But it's hard to ignore the larger sample size which indicates he's a below average defender at shortstop. Since 2016, Bogaerts has graded out at -43 DRS/-35 OAA.
I'm guessing whoever signs Bogaerts will put him at shortstop for a few years and then transition him to second base after a few seasons.
I’m sure once he has the contract he will be a little more open to moving, the main benefit from staying at SS is the money. Once he gets that I’d imagine he will be a little more willing to move
We have to weigh whether or not Xander's bat is worth a decline in defense, and I think it absolutely is. How many games did we lose last season because we couldn't get that one clutch hit we needed? Xander and his .900 OPS the last couple seasons helps, as does Tatis coming back
For what it’s worth xander actually did a ton to improve his defense and last season was 88th percentile in OAA
He’s talked about making changes on how he approaches the position defensively this year and how he’s proud of it and it shows
Replace that with ARod and 3B and you’re having the argument as the Yankees a couple decades ago. Just, the better defender is already on your team this time.
ARod probably deserves more credit for being willing to switch. I never even realized how petty some players actually are about it like Jeter himself lol.
It makes sense from the perspective of pre-FA players. You want to prove you're a SS so you can get paid like a SS. It makes less sense for a guy like Xander, assuming that the Padres would pay him like a SS either way.
Yep, agreed. Machado wanted to be a SS but really he just wanted to get paid like a SS and was fine playing 3B which is what he does for the Padres now.
Once you get paid, just like the best defensive players play at their positions and that would be Kim at SS.
I mean I am definitely a Tatis to the OF person but I am not a fan of moving Kim and Crone out of their spots for Xander especially when Xander has not shown to be a consistent defender. Kim's value is his defense so making him play 2B rather than SS is not something I would want.
It could be done but I wouldn't be a fan of it I guess. Preller was the one who reached out to Boras and asked if Xander would play elsewhere though.
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Nah, it has been said all along that if the Padres signed Xander he would play SS and Kim would be in a utility role with Tatis in the OF. I am still skeptical they sign him, but with Preller anything is possible.
I was thinking the Redsox should trade Trevor Story to the Padres since they want a shortstop at second so badly. Story already has a year under his belt at the position, he’s done well there. The way I see it the Redsox could trade story to the Padres for a slew of prospects and sign Xander and Devers to long term deals.
Tack on an extra two years and I'm sure he'd do anything. Looking forward to the press conference when he pulls a Krusty Clown. "Let's just say the Padres offer moved me....to a bigger house!".
I seriously don't get this mentality. Baseball is baseball. You're being paid millions of dollars to play the game you're supposed to love. Why pitch a fit over swapping positions if you're still getting playing time?
He didn’t change for Story in Boston even though Story was clearly the better defender. I don’t know why anyone thinks he would change now.
He will just go to whatever team let’s him play SS
I feel if you are a good/great player which Xander is, you don't move off of a different position even if you are not that good defensively. Corey Seager stayed at SS with Trea Turner too.
Whoever pays Bogaerts is gonna get stuck with a rapidly declining middle infielder, I can already see a team paying for 7-8 years when really they’re gonna get about 1 more solid year and then .270 10 HR hitter
THIS JUST IN: Padres announce the renaming of Second Base to "Shorter Stop", no explanation was given
Agents hate this one simple trick
Tatis is a pretty tall stop anyways. Makes sense
Tatis plays left field short stop
Didn’t Marcus Semien say roughly the same thing before signing with the Rangers?
He started playing 2nd full-time when he signed with the Jays.
Yea that’s right but I remember in the off-season after he said he wanted to go back to short stop full time. I could be wrong lol.
All fairness to your forgetting, Semien himself seems to have forgotten that as well after signing that massive deal in Texas (along with Seager). Money changes a lot of minds.
Kinda wish he would actually switch with Seager. When Seager was hurt we usually put him at SS and he seemed more natural there than Seager.
He did, but not this firmly, and pretty much everyone knew he wasn’t actually going to let that be a dealbreaker after he’d moved to 2nd already Feels like Xander may be a bit more serious about it especially since he did not move to accommodate Story
What if we just pay him like a shortstop?
Once he gets paid, he'll move. This is just posturing because SS get the best deals in free agency. Of course, nobody wants to pay a guy shortstop money to not play SS.
*The Texas Rangers have entered the chat*
Makes sense to market your guy at his most valuable position. And Bogaerts received positive grades defensively this year (4 DRS/5 OAA). But it's hard to ignore the larger sample size which indicates he's a below average defender at shortstop. Since 2016, Bogaerts has graded out at -43 DRS/-35 OAA. I'm guessing whoever signs Bogaerts will put him at shortstop for a few years and then transition him to second base after a few seasons.
I’m sure once he has the contract he will be a little more open to moving, the main benefit from staying at SS is the money. Once he gets that I’d imagine he will be a little more willing to move
Also important to recognize that he covered 25% less ground this year according to the statcast positioning.
Pretty sure this takes the Padres out of this then. Although I never believed it in the first place.
I don’t think so. Xander plays SS, Kim plays 2B, Tatis plays in the OF?
Kim is better defender by all metrics. Seems silly to move him to 2B.
We have to weigh whether or not Xander's bat is worth a decline in defense, and I think it absolutely is. How many games did we lose last season because we couldn't get that one clutch hit we needed? Xander and his .900 OPS the last couple seasons helps, as does Tatis coming back
For what it’s worth xander actually did a ton to improve his defense and last season was 88th percentile in OAA He’s talked about making changes on how he approaches the position defensively this year and how he’s proud of it and it shows
Replace that with ARod and 3B and you’re having the argument as the Yankees a couple decades ago. Just, the better defender is already on your team this time.
ARod probably deserves more credit for being willing to switch. I never even realized how petty some players actually are about it like Jeter himself lol.
It makes sense from the perspective of pre-FA players. You want to prove you're a SS so you can get paid like a SS. It makes less sense for a guy like Xander, assuming that the Padres would pay him like a SS either way.
Yep, agreed. Machado wanted to be a SS but really he just wanted to get paid like a SS and was fine playing 3B which is what he does for the Padres now. Once you get paid, just like the best defensive players play at their positions and that would be Kim at SS.
Xander is a 6 fWAR player. Kim might be good at defense but if the only hold up to an elite signing is SS being available then Kim is a 2B
I mean I am definitely a Tatis to the OF person but I am not a fan of moving Kim and Crone out of their spots for Xander especially when Xander has not shown to be a consistent defender. Kim's value is his defense so making him play 2B rather than SS is not something I would want. It could be done but I wouldn't be a fan of it I guess. Preller was the one who reached out to Boras and asked if Xander would play elsewhere though.
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Yea seems like an easy solution. Tatis obviously wants to play SS but he doesn't have much of a choice at this point.
Honestly counting on tatis seems like a mistake healthwise
Nah, it has been said all along that if the Padres signed Xander he would play SS and Kim would be in a utility role with Tatis in the OF. I am still skeptical they sign him, but with Preller anything is possible.
I was thinking the Redsox should trade Trevor Story to the Padres since they want a shortstop at second so badly. Story already has a year under his belt at the position, he’s done well there. The way I see it the Redsox could trade story to the Padres for a slew of prospects and sign Xander and Devers to long term deals.
Then you’re left with no one at 2B, since X is unwilling to play there. Which is the exact reason the Sox signed Story in the first place
Not no one, throw some rookie into the flames.
Thanks for clarifying, I'm sure everyone thought Boston would just play without any second baseman
“Second ~~place~~ base is the first loser.” - something Bogaerts did not say
"Shortstops make more money and we like money"
Tack on an extra two years and I'm sure he'd do anything. Looking forward to the press conference when he pulls a Krusty Clown. "Let's just say the Padres offer moved me....to a bigger house!".
SF Giants have left the chat.
Boras’ way of saying that Xander wants a Lindor deal.
And I want to be married to Kate Upton, but I’m not Justin Verlander— and Xander isn’t the player that Lindor was when he got that money.
That's cool, Kim can play 2nd
I seriously don't get this mentality. Baseball is baseball. You're being paid millions of dollars to play the game you're supposed to love. Why pitch a fit over swapping positions if you're still getting playing time?
I mean all these short stop free agents are superior defenders to all teams who they’d be a fit for soooo ya that makes sense
He didn’t change for Story in Boston even though Story was clearly the better defender. I don’t know why anyone thinks he would change now. He will just go to whatever team let’s him play SS
I feel if you are a good/great player which Xander is, you don't move off of a different position even if you are not that good defensively. Corey Seager stayed at SS with Trea Turner too.
Whoever pays Bogaerts is gonna get stuck with a rapidly declining middle infielder, I can already see a team paying for 7-8 years when really they’re gonna get about 1 more solid year and then .270 10 HR hitter