OnlyBucs

765051465040330 wrote: With only a single catcher on the roster, I am sure Ben Cherington has spoken to an agent or another GM about acquiring someone. My guess by the time the Winter Meetings end next Thursday there will be another catcher on the 40 man roster.
Even if you don't like everything that's happening (though I think most people do), it's certainly not a dull off-season!


This could be Colin Moran's chance.  He might have average speed for a catcher.
I kind of wonder if Moran will be traded. He had a decent offensive season, but his mobility on defense is poor, and he does not possess much speed.

My guess is that we trade Marte to the Mets to get their top catching prospect Alvarez along with LHP Peterson

One advantage of hiring a GM from outside the organization is that he has no ties to previous bad trades. For example, NH needed to give Moran, Musgrove, Feliz, Martin and Archer enough chances to make the Cole and Meadows/Glasnow deals look less bad if not decent. But BC doesn't have that issue. The guy who made those deals ultimately was fired--presumably in part for those very deals--and BC can do as he wants with those players. If he sees it best to part with some of them, he can do so without any blowback about what a mistake those deals were. He had nothing to do with them. I think Moran had a longer leash with NH than he does with BC.

I also wouldn't mind at all if BC moved Polanco, who was billed as an impact player under NH but proved to be a below average ball player. Frazier could go back to the OF, Newman could go to 2B and Tucker could play SS. If they're rebuilding, why not?

5F727F6E69786F2F2C1D0 wrote: I also wouldn't mind at all if BC moved Polanco, who was billed as an impact player under NH but proved to be a below average ball player. Frazier could go back to the OF, Newman could go to 2B and Tucker could play SS. If they're rebuilding, why not?


I hear ya Bobster. If BC does move Polanco and others who have been underachievers we need to hope that he is able to assemble a player acquisition staff that can find diamonds in the rough prospects or current MLB guys who can become a part of future winners in the Burgh.

6A4B436A41492E0 wrote: I also wouldn't mind at all if BC moved Polanco, who was billed as an impact player under NH but proved to be a below average ball player. Frazier could go back to the OF, Newman could go to 2B and Tucker could play SS. If they're rebuilding, why not?


I hear ya Bobster.  If BC does move Polanco and others who have been underachievers we need to hope that he is able to assemble a player acquisition staff that can find diamonds in the rough prospects or current MLB guys who can become a part of future winners in the Burgh.
Exactly, Possum. The stated goal of the now defunct BMTIB was to build from within but they too often either failed at drafting, or acquiring good prospects or developing those they had. We look at what a good acquisition Reynolds was but it's a shame such examples are so rare. And they don't even have to find diamonds in the rough if they just adequately develop the prospects who are expected to excel like Cole and Glasnow.

517C71606776612122130 wrote: I also wouldn't mind at all if BC moved Polanco, who was billed as an impact player under NH but proved to be a below average ball player. Frazier could go back to the OF, Newman could go to 2B and Tucker could play SS. If they're rebuilding, why not?


Given the uncertain state of his shoulder, I'm not sure how much the Bucs would get for Polanco.



It's really too bad that he never really developed into what we thought he could be. I remember a couple of throws to home that he made in his early seasons that were spectacular.

03242F0C410 wrote: I also wouldn't mind at all if BC moved Polanco, who was billed as an impact player under NH but proved to be a below average ball player. Frazier could go back to the OF, Newman could go to 2B and Tucker could play SS. If they're rebuilding, why not?


Given the uncertain state of his shoulder, I'm not sure how much the Bucs would get for Polanco.



It's really too bad that he never really developed into what we thought he could be. I remember a couple of throws to home that he made in his early seasons that were spectacular.
Yes, his trade value has to be low. But so is his value as a player. So I would move on from him. His best asset was his arm. He was otherwise weak in the outfield, a poor base runner, and a consistent .250ish hitter who could provide 20-25 HRs if he stayed healthy. That type of hitter fits in well on a team with a good offense that doesn't rely too much on him. Bt the Pirates needed him to be an impact hitter, which he hasn't been.

I'm still a Polanco supporter. He had a demonstrably good (but overlooked) season before he got hurt in 2018. I don't know if the injury took that away forever, but I would not ship him away for nothing either.

675559594D7F5C55585D5255340 wrote: I'm still a Polanco supporter.  He had a demonstrably good (but overlooked) season before he got hurt in 2018.  I don't know if the injury took that away forever, but I would not ship him away for nothing either. 


Tough call. Polanco is all airport. He certainly looks the part off the plane. To me, he has been a fragile enigma. Not sure he is a long term solution when healthy. Very streaky and suspect defensively. His fragility has killed his value. Do you keep paying him and hope he returns, or move on at low value just to erase his contract? He has zero value on the trade front as far as obtaining something good or decent.