The Red Sox have been getting Blake Swihart experience at first base, and he’s also been taking grounders at third base, writes Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. Boston also plans to send the 25-year-old former top prospect to winter ball this year, which will allow him to make up for some missed time (due to injuries) but could also boost his trade value by showcasing some versatility. The switch-hitting Swihart was long touted as Boston’s catcher of the future, but Christian Vazquez and Sandy Leon look locked in for the 2018 season, when Swihart will be out of minor league options. “We recognize where he’s at contractually going into next year,” manager John Farrell tells Abraham. “Trying to create some versatility on the defensive side of things is part of the overall plan.” Swihart’s surgically repaired ankle has still limited him this year, so the extra time in winter ball could prove especially important as the Sox make a determination on his future.
More from the division…
- The Yankees are turning to Jordan Montgomery with the fifth spot in their rotation this time around — not veteran trade acquisition Jaime Garcia, writes Dan Martin of the New York Post. It’s not a long-term move, per manager Joe Girardi, who notes that Garcia will be plugged back into the rotation sometime during the next turn. Nonetheless, it’s a disappointing outcome for a Yankees club that parted with a pair of minor league arms (Zack Littell and Dietrich Enns) to acquire Garcia. The veteran hasn’t lasted more than 5 1/3 innings in any of his starts for the Yankees, though, as Martin points out.
- Welington Castillo’s scorching bat is helping to keep the Orioles in the Wild Card race, and manager Buck Showalter spoke to reporters about how the backstop has met, if not exceeded expectations this past spring (via MLB.com’s Brittany Ghiroli). “He had that potential,” said Showalter. “I told you from the first day. I wasn’t that knowledgeable other than talking to people, people who I respect their opinion, watching some tape. Until you get someone, especially a catcher, he’s been so easy to work with. … He’s getting a good return for the way he’s approached this season, and so are we.” Castillo is hitting a ridiculous .376/.410/.688 with 10 homers since the All-Star break.
- Of course, Castillo could also be playing himself either out of the long-term picture for the Orioles or at least into a considerably larger contract with them. Given his recent surge at the plate, his cumulative .300/.339/.512 batting line and his career-best/league-leading 50 percent caught-stealing rate (22-for-44), I find it difficult to imagine Castillo exercising his $7MM player option for the 2018 season. Rather, it seems likely that he’ll enter free agency in search of a considerably larger payday and be able to find just that.
Remember when swihart was supposed to be a future HOFer Red Sox fans? Lol
Don’t feed the troll.
Karma is a b. Sox fans troll overrated Yankee prospects.
He was never overrated. He has been screwed over the last two years, which happens all the time in sports.
and he sucks
Not overrated. Not underrated. Just rated.
Very insightful
If he can stay healthy for could turn into a valuable player for the team. We all remember Shaw to the Milwaukee trade….. he could be a nice piece next season
Exactly. Garcia was car insurance so that you couldn’t say the Yankees didn’t try (Houston, I was looking at you until you got Verlander)…
Swihart? His bat was heralded because he was a catcher, but all the while he was a noticeably below average receiver and game caller.. Even as a Sox fan the prospect hype of years gone by was annoying, I can only imagine the outlook of opposing fans. The hype has been quieted since the Will Middlebrooks era failed to materialize.
The Red Sox have hit on plenty of prospects no team and I mean no team hits on everyone. I would say the Red Sox have done pretty well with there prospects. Swihart has been injured and I still think he will be a good player but it is becoming much more likely it will be with someone else.
Swihart became damaged goods when Farrell put him in the outfield and he messed up his ankle.
Could have sworn the Red Sox sent him down in the minors to play in the OF. If that is the case, that would be on DD. Not Farrell.
I could be wrong of course.
It’s really not fair to Swihart who never was going to be a major league catcher. Unfortunately his projected bat was so good that they had to try him as a catcher. So while others got to learn their craft in the minors, he was left trying to learn a new position in the majors and severely injured his ankle in doing so. If his ankle ever heals and he figures out “his” position, he could be a late bloomer.
What everyone seems to forget were his catching issues were with…, hold it… the knuckleballer and passed balls… Veritek had same problem… remember.. his bat is good, but it’s very hard to see him on the MLB club next year… so trade him or release him
I’m glad Castillo is having a great year. I really liked him when he was with the cubs
Roboumps means no pitch framing.
No pitch framing means more catchers who can hit and throw like Castillo who are fun to watch and less of those noodle armed guys batting .195 because they can “frame”.
Roboumps, please.
Littell looks like a stud. Why would anyone trade him for Jaime Garcia??
Agreed. All he’s done is dominate at every level he’s been at yet the Yankees and Mariners have never taken him seriously
so did enns,,how is that working out for him and the twins? minor league stats mean nothing once you get to the show.
Enns is hurt
He may be a stud in the low/mid minors but he doesn’t project to be that in the majors. That being said, I think trading for Garcia was a big mistake. In the long run both Littell and Enns should be as serviceable if not better than Garcia. In fact, Enns may have been able to fill that 5th starter role for the Yankees this year (as he was already on the 40 man roster).
The only reason I can think of that the Yankees made this trade was to clear 40 man roster space at the end of the season and the hopes that a veteran MLB pitcher could help them out. I’m no GM, but even I know that Garcia is an “iffy” 5 maybe six inning SP.
Well at least you got a starter, we got James Pazos.
I think they also made it in case another team acquired Gray
I was under the impression at the time that Garcia was a short-term solution at a point when they were legitimately fighting for first place and the rotation was having injury issues (Tanaka, CC, Pineda).
If the Yanks had fought off or caught the Sox, the move would not be seen as poorly as it is ow in hindsight. I still don’t hate the move. It was a roll of the dice that didn’t sacrifice the future but had a potential upside if all the balls landed right.
It was a gamble that didn’t pay off. No real long-term harm was done.
Koz16;
Spoken like someone that pays attention to Yankee blogs and discussions.
Their problem is 40 man roster space and at the time, acquiring Garcia was a stopgap veteran move who could contribute now based on his major league experience, while Litttel even if promoted wasn’t anybody Girardi would trust to start or relieve down the stretch; and Garcia’s a guy they also thought they wouldn’t sign as he’s a free agent at season end.
Plenty of prospects to protect and not enough room on the 40 man. A total clearing out of room for the future.
Remember when Swihart was such a great prospect the Red Sox refused to deal him for Cole Hamels?
Do tell, was it a straight up swap?
Swihart and betts
Actually it was reported that the Phillies insisted on Swihart, Betts, OR Bogaerts and the Red Sox said no to all three. The Red Sox were willing to offer a package that emphasized Major Leaguers. That was interpreted as Allen Craig and JBJ headlining the deal. Bradley look like a good field/no hit guy at the time but in retrospect he would’ve been a good return for the Phillies.
Four of the players the Phillies got for Hamels are in the Majors now, so the deal might work out as well as getting Bradley would have.
Yes except it was Betts and Swihart think that the Red Sox are ok with not pulling the trigger on that one.
A February 2015 column from the Red Sox site Over the Monster suggested that the Sox in a trade for Cole Hamels would need to add prospects to a package headlined by Blake Swihart but mentioned neither Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts nor Jackie Bradley:
overthemonster.com/2015/2/3/7972827/cole-hamels-tr…
And at the same time plenty of “insiders ” mentioned Betts, Boegy, and others. As no deal was made who knows what would have worked.
When Amaro came to the Red Sox he said the Red Sox were right in not trading Betts can only assume that is what he wanted for Hamels so they never were going to accept just Swihart it was always Betts and it was a hard pass.
Yankees made the deal because they were losing them in the rule 5 draft anyway. Though I would’ve preferred them to try and make a deal for Nunez instead. I can see why they just had the white Sox throw in Frazier in the deal for Robertson and Kahnle. They were giving up a top prospect already in that deal.
Roboumps !!!! Let’s do it !
I am tired of one bad call at any time during the game, can change the outcome. Umps miss way to many balls and strikes !
Feels like the Red Sox failed to capatilize on Swihart. Should have sold high. Wouldn’t trade him for Cole Hamels. I guess that’s why Cherington doesn’t have a job anymore.
Yup, damn those Sox for not predicting the future!
No. No one said anything about predicting the future. It should have been simple. Prospect with unknown future for solid ML pitcher with Ace potential. Hammels was a sure thing. Swihart was potential.
Once again the Phillies were never taking Swihart as the centerpiece it was always Betts or Bogey and when the Red Sox said no it was a dead deal.
2018 Red Sox: OF: Betts,Beni,JBJ; IF: Boegy,Devers, Pedey,Hanley; C: Vaz, Leon; U Holt
Unless they sign a 1B, it only leaves 3 spots for Sam Travis, Swihart, Brentz , Rusney and an additional U/ IF..
I think they made a lot of correct choices on who to keep, even with the good prospects they traded for Sale, Kimbrel and Pomerantz. Only so much room on the 25/ 40 man. rosters.
Guys I gotta think somewhere there is a package for Stanton in there… they need a stick in the middle of this order so bad
Unless they want to skip a guys turn in the rotation or someone gets hurt, there isn’t a reason to ever have Garcia start another game for the Yanks
Scary scenario: the Orioles re-sign Castillo for too much money and trade Caleb Joseph to a wiser team for too little return.
The Orioles have emphasized offense over defense for a long time, and they probably undervalue Joseph’s defense.