The Red Sox “like” free-agent shortstop Marcus Semien, though they’re not sure how much money it would take to sign him, Peter Gammons of The Athletic tweets. Semien is one of the top shortstops on the open market, but the Red Sox already have their answer there in Xander Bogaerts. They’re also set at third base with Rafael Devers. The club does have questions at second base, but Semien hasn’t lined up there since 2014 as a member of the White Sox. The 30-year-old spent the previous six seasons with the Athletics and excelled at times, especially in 2019. He has a connection to the Red Sox in former college roommate Paul Toboni, the team’s scouting director, Gammons notes.
More out of Boston:
- The Red Sox lost assistant general manager Zack Scott to the Mets, who hired him as their assistant GM and senior vice president Wednesday. The move came with a condition, though. The Mets will not be permitted to hire anyone else from the Red Sox’s front office either this offseason or next, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports. Presumably, New York’s heavy lifting in the front office is done, with Scott joining newly-hired team president Sandy Alderson and GM Jared Porter in Queens. Nevertheless, it’s interesting to see Boston guard against other potential front office departures.
- Tommy Kahnle signed with the Dodgers on a two-year deal this afternoon. The Red Sox, though, were also in on the free agent reliever, reports Robert Murray of Fansided (Twitter link). Boston made a “strong offer” to Kahnle and finished second for his services, adds Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. The right-hander was something of a unique case on the open market; having undergone Tommy John surgery this past August, Kahnle will likely miss all of the 2021 season but is an interesting upside play for the following year. If Boston’s looking for more immediate right-handed bullpen help, there’s no shortage of options available in free agency.
- The Red Sox did sign one potential bullpen piece today, bringing in Matt Andriese on a one-year deal with a 2022 club option. The veteran has been used almost exclusively as a reliever over the past two seasons, although he’ll be given an opportunity to stake a claim to a rotation job next spring, he told reporters (including Cotillo). Andriese expressed an openness to either role and noted that he expects the Red Sox front office to continue to explore starting pitching additions this offseason. The right-hander broke into the majors as a true swing piece with the Rays, starting 44 of his 72 appearances in Tampa Bay from 2015-17.
And the Bloom dumpster diving continues
I can understand someone being sceptical of Semien, because I am, but I think dumpster diving is going to far.
Pretty sure he was referring to the Andriese signing
Seimen has had 1 good season in his whole career.
In addition to his epic 2019, he also produced 4.7 WAR in 2018 and 3.5 WAR in 2016. People just love saying he had one good year and all I said was that going after Semien isn’t dumpster diving. I even mentioned my own skepticism of his ability to reproduce 2019 but the guy isn’t a dumpster dive.
I am talking about the pitcher Red Sox just signed. If Semien can come in under what Bogaerts is making then he will be signed and Bogaerts will be dealt. Then officially I will cease to be a Red Sox fan. I understand the reset of the cap in 2020 but it is obvious it is continuing in 2021 as well. Bloom has John Henry convinced he can rebuild on the cheap.
Bogaerts is NOT getting traded, they are looking to play Semien at 2B!
Randy, bogey signed a team friendly deal and has a full no trade clause protection as of last sept.
He can’t be traded unless he wants to be, and, he likes boston. Never say never but I can’t see him being traded soon.
Xman if he stays beyond his opt out which I expect he will, will become the team captain once DP retires.
Randy – after Bogaerts is traded you can change your name to:
Randy ex-Red Sox
or
Randy Yankee for Life
Bogaerts will be dealt. Then officially I will cease to be a Red Sox fan.
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I love Bogaerts, but if that is the price to get rid of you, it might be worth it.
Love the “dumpster diving” quote. Last time, that was used in conjunction with the Red Sox. They were digging through the trashbin for guys named Napoli, Victorino, Carp, Uehara and Dempster.
You remember, Victorino was ‘just riding out his career’, ‘can’t blame him for taking free money’ or everyone’s favorite comment “Dempster Diving”. 2013, I think it was, Last to First, or something. How’d that year end?
2013 was great but it wasn’t the end all be all. Peraza and Martin Perez were dumpster dives that did not work out.
There wasn’t a Peraza, Martin or Perez on 2013 team.
The 2013 Red Sox offseason was generally panned. However, you’d be hard to find an offseason where a team brought in players that gave them over 21 WAR. Especially considering the low cost with which they did it.
@pwndroia – so we’re the dozens and dozens… as in MULTIPLE dozens of junk players Bloom claimed during the season, pitchers he kept trotting out to get shelled, and then tossed back on the scrap heaps where he got them from in 2020
2013 was part skill, part good fortune and part luck. It’s why games are played instead of decided in March or April. That said, it should give fans of all teams hope.
The problem in baseball in my view is smaller market clubs like Kansas City, Milwaukee and Minnesota can achieve short term success with an occasional WS winner but simply can’t keep up long term with the bigger market clubs without a salary cap.
Boston was horrible last year and the pandemic likely saved the team from an historic embarrassment. With money however, it’s easier in baseball to reverse course than in other sports. It explains (to me at least) why they’ve won four championships since 2004 with three different GMs.
great point Looie
Peraza and Martin Perez were dumpster dives that did not work out.
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And Moreland, Pillar, Plawecki & Osich were dumpster dives that did work out.
Point?
Boston was horrible last year and the pandemic likely saved the team from an historic embarrassment.
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Maybe not. We outplayed the NYY over the final 36 games (.500). There is no way of telling what Houck & Pivetta were going to do, but I think we’d have done okay. We were 2nd in OPS in September.
They CAN achieve long term success if they CHOOSE to not cower behind the ‘small market’ excuse.
Seriously, if a professional ownership group can’t compete, they must not be very good businessman or using their financial resources properly. Their sports franchise isn’t their only source of revenue. Honestly, it’s probably only a small portion of their fortune.
I wrote a college paper on that 2013 off-season. I think the belle of the ball that year was Josh Hamilton and the paper was centered around allocating $20+ mil/year for one Josh Hamilton or 3 mid-level players. When you weigh the risk, if your $20mil one guy gets injured you’re getting no return on investment. But if one of the three get hurt you’re still seeing production from two other guys. Uehara closed out the World Series. Victorino hit a grand slam and played above average defense. Dempster was largely left off the roster. Can’t forget Napoli either who was huge. And as I recall, that Hamilton contract turned sour real quick. Depth is more important than star power. Of course, depending on the star. And also, contract prices have since inflated quite a bit so you’re unlikely to get 3 solid players at $20-$25mil anymore.
I said it before but Rosario is one of those underrated guys I think they should target. He can play different spots and offers a very solid bat.
I hope the Sox dangle Devers to get a guy like Arenado or Snell. Don’t get me wrong I love Devers and his contract but I don’t think he’s gonna be a superstar. There’s only a handful of guys I would consider moving him for and a couple of them are on the market: Arenado, Snell, maybe even Luis Castillo. If they were to move him for a starter, Turner is another one of those mid-tier guys that can fill the gap at 3B for a couple years. The Sox have about $60mil to move around too and Pedroia’s contract is off the books after next year too (albeit with deferred money). The Sox can and should get creative. I’d be open minded about moving benintendi as well. He seems disinterested at times.
First off Justin Turner is a stud. He isn’t just some mid-tier player even at age 36. He is a clubhouse leader that has been through everything in the league and has been as consistent as a player can be since coming to LA. Second I keep hearing people talk like he will actually leave the Dodgers. That just simply will not happen unless they really go out and get Lindor/Arrenado and even then I can still see him taking on the David Freese/ Chase Utley role to win another ring. I still say he is going to open the year as the Dodgers third baseman because why would you want to leave your hometown and the best team in the league. Sure maybe I’m biased but I’m just talking facts. (Mostly) lol
A leader doesn’t ignore important rules for personal gratification, unless you’re the current POTUS.
Carp was such a big part of it right?? And this is not Napoli or Uehara they are signing. The latter was very good as a set up guy in Texas before he came and Victorino was a very good player coming off an injury. Name me one guy Bloom has picked up that compares to even one of those guys.
Carp was HUGE in 2013 (.296, .362, .523, .885) in only 241 PAs. He produced nicely, everytime they needed a bat off the bench or in fill-in for a day. You’d know this “Randy Red Sox” if you were a Red Sox fan. Guessing it’s just your troll name.
Also, never said this was Napoli or Uehara signing. There’s still lots of FAs out there. This offseason is a month behind normal offseason, there’s still a lot of shopping to be done.
This is Blooms first season as GM, and NOT ONE of the top 13 free agents have signed, plus many more. Also, the point I was making (which you missed) is the 2013 signings were all surprises. We dont know whats going to happen.,
Umm… Bloom was the gm last off season too.
So, what he did before the 2020 season he has to own as well. He didn’t join the front office in march or anything here
This is the second off season looking much like the first – garbage, and wasting the prime talent years locked in on this lineup
GA can’t wait for your 1 inning as a Red Sox pitcher as you said you are better than everyone they signed last year. I hope they televise it so we can all see how great you are.
Last year he did extremely well in my view. The dear with LA was beyond realistic expectations and the team was stuck once the staff starters was decimated. This year all teams are going slow. Outside of Morton and Iglesias , who has signed or been traded of real significance?
You’d know this “Randy Red Sox” if you were a Red Sox fan. Guessing it’s just your troll name.
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I agree. He’s trying to compare the 2013 signings with the 2020 signings. Napoli, Vic, and Dempster were all multi-year deals, with a cost of ~ $40M/year. The Bloom signings were all one-year deals costing maybe $12M.
The fact that he thinks they are equivalents means he either knows nothing about BB, or nothing about the RS.
I can see it now: Chaim Bloom leads the Red Sox to a World Series championship and some Red Sox “fans” are still whining.
Red Sox win WS, I like it. Your jealousy issues don’t concern me.
dennyd: Recommend you think before insulting someone. I am not jealous. I am a Red Sox fan and I don’t get all the whining about Chaim Bloom.
Bloom has done great. I don’t understand keeping JBJ, but mostly everything else has turned out well.
I have a lot of confidence in Bloom. The two teams that just met in the WS were built using the Rays philosophy.
Sox ain’t gonna get even close to signing Semien. “Liking” a player has nothing to do with signing the player. It sounds like a kid walking with his dad in a store, pointing to a toy, and saying “I like that”. The thing he “likes” costs a lot of money, but alas when they open the box, it’s broken. Marcus Semien in a nutshell.
@Ranger29
I agree. I am not high on Semien at all. Wish the BoSox would take Stinky off our hands
@Ranger29
I agree. I am not high on Semien at all. Wish the BoSox would take Stinky off our hands
You left some facts about your “toy store”. There are only 30 kids shopping there, and one has to come away the toy. Once you limit it to the kids that can afford the toy, which the Red Sox can, your down to around 20 kids. Not so outlandish anymore is it.
And your last analogy about being “broken”. No clue. Are you saying Semien is broken, or the toy the Red Sox get is broken?
Other thing left out @Denny… When mommy (bloom) went to the toy store, she hadn’t yet realized daddy (henry) had taken away her credit card.
Down to the clearance aisle she goes!!!
GA are you sure you are not a Yankee fan. You sure sound snarky enough?
Cedar83 – Positively not a Yankee fan…
Now, it appears you’re quite taken with me, what with your apparent infatuation responding to practically every post of mine lately with something mainly off-topic.
However, and I’m quite sorry to do this to you over the holidays, but I’m not interested. Happily married to my wife for years now. You’ll just need to move on and find someone new.
GA – I hope not all people from GA are as big a arrogant a-..le as you.
As you hate on the Red Sox why not switch to the Braves.
@GASoxFan What? Every team has been cheap this winter. So the other 30 teams are in the same boat. Not one of the top 13 FAs has been signed. So who knows who’s gonna be conservative.
If your talking of 2020. THEY WERE OVER THE CAP, and had to be tightfisted. Now they can spend again.
“GASoxFans” I think theres more trolls with reference to Red Sox, or a player in their names, than there are fans.
If Semien can be a good SS, he can be an even better 2B.
But if the money was equal he’d take SS over 2B anyday. His agent is just trying to stir the market with this, nothing to see here.
Absolutely. Let’s not rule out the idea of utilizing chavis in left field more this season, opening up at bats for
Semien at second while also spelling bogaerts and perhaps devers at third.
Chavis stinks, he will be lucky to make the 40 man roster this year!
Chavis will definitely be on the 40 man roster this year if he is not traded. Whether or not he makes the opening day 26-28 man roster is a different story altogether. I believe he still has a minor league option remaining.
Chavis is why evaluating your talent is more than just using a computer. His value which can certainly rebound peaked his rookie season. Is Dalbec the real deal or another Chavis? Sometimes you make a trade and end up with Lowe and Tek for a pitcher who already had seen his best days and sometimes you give up a Jay Buhner and end up with a Ken Phelps.
His value which can certainly rebound peaked his rookie season.
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I’m not sure Chavis had a peak. He had a great 14-game streak to start his career, but I doubt other teams change their evaluation of prospects based on 14 games.
After those 14, he carried a .688 OPS, with ~ a 5/1 K/W. That doesn’t carry much weight unless you are a good up-the-middle glove. That said, I think he is one of those players that have value to us than to anyone else. I’d keep in AAA and let him re-learn the strike zone, and how to handle high-and-inside and low-and-outside.
Agreed with Randy, but at least they brought some pitching in, although not holding my breath.
Pasha holding your breath for the Brockstar
I think Semien is a good candidate for the Brewers, even with Orlando Arcia in that current position and under team control… If some other team blows DJLM away with an offer in years and dollars and the Yankees don’t want to match it,
I’d say 3 years/$49M to get him to sign with the Brewers, given their overall struggles and lack of depth.
For the Yankees I think it’d be more like 4 years/$61M, maybe. Semien would be a very well paid but still more affordable option that I could see them swooping in for if DJL jumps ship. That’s still around $7M a year savings for decently comparable power and okay defense.
His plus defense makes him even more valuable to Yankees if Torres shifts to 2B and plays average D. I like him as a fallback to DJL.
Semien-Torres is a nice idea, but why would Semien want to play in NYC, he’s a really low key guy, he might not respond well to seeing 800 different think pieces about one error he made that time. NY wins a lot, but it can be misery if you struggle. Semien has done both, so it’s really up to him, not the team.
The Mets have been pretty open about wanting to build up their analytics department, so I wonder if the Sox were worried about losing staff from there next
If the Red Sox are not sure how much it would take to sign Semien, why don’t they ask his agent?
Red Sox like Semien, huh?
My wife likes Ed down the street from us but is already happily married. Right, honey? Honey? Yikes, she’s not in bed and the window is ajar. I wonder where she went?
Please like you’re married. Jokes like yours are kryptonite to women. I’m sure you figured that out by 1968 though….now just counting the days until the end. Typical tale of the creepy dude
Best advise: see a marriage counselor.
Ignore the haters, dude. I thought it was funny.
I thought it was hilarious. The problem with this wonderful world we live in is that too many people take it too seriously.
The Sox “like Semien” but realistically have no where to play him unless he wants to play 2B. Unlikely the Sox want to give up a multi-year deal so could just be something to help drive his price up
Trade Devers for SP, then use Semien and Bogaerts for left side of infield.
Love Devers bat, hate his glove, and DH is all booked up in Boston for next two years.
People laughed at me last year when I said dalbec might be up by midseason. Saying he wasn’t ready.
He showed well after only a month or two of the alternate training site.
I think this team improves all around if you wind up with dalbec and Casas at the corners. Either Devers headlines a deal that brings back a premium young ace level SP, or, moves to DH and a jdm replacement.
Benny needs time in AAA to figure himself out. Plop jdm in the corner for now, and if he is still stinking up the batters box by midseason you stick him on the pine. Like I’ve said before, loss of real time in game video seems to have REALLY hurt him. Then again, now that his buddy is back in the replay room, maybe they figure something out again.
JD gets traded if he rebounds, and Dalbec takes over at 3B provided he does not turn into the second coming of Chavis, which moves Devers to DH, and opens up 1B for Casas when he is ready.
Casas arrival time will likely coincide with J.D. Martinez’ departing in free agency. No need to rush him. If Devers is still poor defensively and Dalbec is the player they hope he’ll be they’ll figure out how to make it work
I have Semien going to the Tigers in FA challenge, not sure why I picked that one, but feels like it makes more sense than Boston at least.
I see a path that Semien plays 3B in Boston and Devers moves to 1B. I don’t see the fit though because Devers isn’t great defensively, Semien isn’t great defensively, Bogaerts isn’t either although he’s made considerable strides and is better than average now, and it looks like Chavis will playing 2B next year who isn’t known for his defense. It’s an underrated part of the game that needs to be addressed. Go ahead, sign all these ground ball pitchers. If you don’t have any infielders that can field a grounder you’re gonna get more than a few big innings over the course of the season and it really only takes 1 to lose the game.
I would rather see if Dalbec can build on his callup from last season than spend money on Semien just to shuffle the Infield. Devers has gotten gradually better defensively, he’s never going to win a gold glove but he’s not horrible
Devers plays 3b like a born DH.
Maybe it’s just me, but why aren’t they giving Chavis the shot as everyday 2nd baseman? Comments?
I mean he hit .212 with only 8 walks last year. There was no production from the 2B position last year. Have to take last year with a grain of salt though. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Sox go in to next year with no other major additions and 2B might be another revolving door.
I don’t think he is as good as Arroyo. He’s not without talent, but his K/W ratio is awful. Same with Dalbec, but from what I saw, Dalbec’s problem is that he swings big on pitches in the strike zone.
Chavis is still swinging at pitches he has no chance of hitting.
He belongs in AAA while he figures it out. IMHO, we are better off trying to continue his development.
Obviously from the actual signings Bloom has no interest in competing this year!
I’d speculate there is less than a 5% chance of Boston bringing Semien onboard. The only way they do that is if he’s willing to sign a super cheap, one year deal ($5M or less) to play second base. Boegarts is the heart & soul of this team and he’s not moving off of SS anytime soon. Devers/Dalbec/Casas have 3B/1B locked up for the long term future. So the only IF ‘opening’ they have is at 2B for which they currently have their choice of Chavis, Arroyo or Munoz (minors) with a consensus Top 50-60 MLB prospect in Jeter Downs awaiting a call up. So unless a unique opportunity arises, there’s really little need for the team to add to their current IF mix with so many other glaring needs to fill (SP, RP, OF). While quite good, I wouldn’t consider Semien a ‘unique opportunity’ unless he’s willing to sign a very cheap, one year deal to play in Boston. I don’t see that happening.
I agree 100%. Gammons thinks Semien is a match for the RS 2B. The only problem is, Semien doesn’t play 2B.
If Semien was a 220 pound, .850 OPS plodder than outgrew SS, and you switched him to 2nd, okay. But no one is going to take a glove-first SS and move him to 2nd. What value he has is wrapped up in his ability to play SS.