Why is Machado Playing SS This Season?

[esmd]

On 2/17/2018 at 7:14 AM, Bahama O's Fan said:

A. Because we have a secret deal that if he gets to play SS and likes it he will resign with us?

B. Buck likes Beckham at 3B?

C. We are trying to increase his value to trade him at the deadline?

D. We are planning on signing another 3B?

E. Davis is moving to 3B and Trumbo or Mancini is playing 1B?

F. The players took a vote and this is what they wanted so Buck is letting them have their way?

G. Dan and Buck don't care since PA won't extend them and just doing whatever?

H. Any other ideas?

C. and H.  For H, it's because Manny would probably raise hell privately and/or publicly if they didn't, and become a malcontent and clubhouse cancer.  Which would also lower his trade value.  So, appeasement is the rule of the day (or more accurately, March through July).

/End thread

[weams]

3 hours ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

Red Sox have Devers who looks like a long term regular.  Did Manny really say he wouldn't play 3B if he was traded?

Yes. He said he is a shortstop. 

[SteveA]

13 minutes ago, weams said:

Yes. He said he is a shortstop. 

So does that eliminate trades to Atlanta (opening at 3rd, Swanson at SS) and Cleveland (Lindor at SS, they could shuffle guys to make room at 3B)?

What is Manny going to do if the Orioles and one of the Native American themed teams agree to a deal, and he shows up in Atlanta or Cleveland, and the manager says you are playing 3rd for the rest of the season?   Or will those teams somehow not even trade for him because he apparently has a shortstop-for-life tattoo on?

[TonySoprano]

23 minutes ago, weams said:

Yes. He said he is a shortstop. 

That'll hold-up until the team with the biggest free agent offer says he's their 3B.  No way he takes a lower offer to play SS.  Book it.

[Il BuonO]

7 minutes ago, SteveA said:

So does that eliminate trades to Atlanta (opening at 3rd, Swanson at SS) and Cleveland (Lindor at SS, they could shuffle guys to make room at 3B)?

What is Manny going to do if the Orioles and one of the Native American themed teams agree to a deal, and he shows up in Atlanta or Cleveland, and the manager says you are playing 3rd for the rest of the season?   Or will those teams somehow not even trade for him because he apparently has a shortstop-for-life tattoo on?

They probably won’t trade for him. I wouldn’t want to trade for someone who isn’t going to be a happy camper if he doesn’t get what he wants. 

I think the more interesting question is Machado may be shrinking his market in free agency. If the Yankees, for instance, blow him away with an offer is he going to turn it down so he can play SS somewhere else on a lesser deal?

I’m not convinced he’s matured all that much. I’d play wherever they told me even if it wasn’t my first choice. Better for all the teams interested in him to see him as a ‘team-first’ guy.

[El Gordo]

Why did J.J. Have better range than Manny. He certainly wasn't any faster. I would argue positioning, which can be acquired with experience  If Jeter had been a FA you think he'd be signed to play another position?

[foxfield]

Seems we are fretting to fret here. Manny at SS and not 3b is a couple games at best in the huge hole we have dug. As it turned out, Beckham hasn’t been healthy and we are now another third of the year in and still don’t know that he can really play SS, 3B or 2B. 

Did we bend over for Manny?  No I don’t really think so  and I am in the camp of don’t move a HOF 3B to SS.  It gives trade partners something else to consider and it gives Manny more incentive and if in any way it did help him stay, it won’t, then that’s ok too. 

I don’t care who we trade him to or where they play him  as long as they pay through the nose with good controlable players.  When the team is 20+ games out before June...I don’t think the feeling in my stomach is gonna change if Manny lands in NY.  And I gotta be honest, I’d be fascinated to see what Manny in Boston would look like for a stint.

Is that a different spin?  Yeah, for me it is.  But this season is done and all I really want to see is the team be honest.  I know longer doubt Manny gets traded, but my new fear is that it’s for 3 years of a guy who might sell tickets but in no way makes us a better team.

In the meantime I hope every day that one of Angelos people will step forward and announce a sale, or apologize to fans and announce who is accountable and what they are going to do about it.

It’s not who’s on SS...it’s who’s on first!!!

 

 

[drjohnnyfeva]

32 minutes ago, foxfield said:

Seems we are fretting to fret here. Manny at SS and not 3b is a couple games at best in the huge hole we have dug. As it turned out, Beckham hasn’t been healthy and we are now another third of the year in and still don’t know that he can really play SS, 3B or 2B. 

Did we bend over for Manny?  No I don’t really think so  and I am in the camp of don’t move a HOF 3B to SS.  It gives trade partners something else to consider and it gives Manny more incentive and if in any way it did help him stay, it won’t, then that’s ok too. 

I don’t care who we trade him to or where they play him  as long as they pay through the nose with good controlable players.  When the team is 20+ games out before June...I don’t think the feeling in my stomach is gonna change if Manny lands in NY.  And I gotta be honest, I’d be fascinated to see what Manny in Boston would look like for a stint.

Is that a different spin?  Yeah, for me it is.  But this season is done and all I really want to see is the team be honest.  I know longer doubt Manny gets traded, but my new fear is that it’s for 3 years of a guy who might sell tickets but in no way makes us a better team.

In the meantime I hope every day that one of Angelos people will step forward and announce a sale, or apologize to fans and announce who is accountable and what they are going to do about it.

It’s not who’s on SS...it’s who’s on first!!!

 

 

Excellently said.  I happen to agree completely.  What I think is a total impossibility, however, is current ownership being honest.  I also see no chance at all that they sell out of some kind of regret to fans.  These guys are lawyers and without conscience.  Don't forget that these are the same folks who raised concession and seat prices consistently despite fielding some of the worst teams in baseball thru the 2000's.  So for me, we are entering a dark time again.  Makes me sad.  It was fun to watch good baseball.

To me it seems like we are back to promoting former players the ownership liked into positions for which they are not qualified... most notably, Brady.  It's not a popularity contest, but this ownership/FO team sure makes it seem that way.  They continue to ride the disfunction train, imo.  Disfunction Junction, what's your function?  Ownership has no clue.

[atomic]

5 hours ago, elgordo said:

Why is Manny at SS?

) He wants to play there

2)He's better than ,Beckham

3) It increases his trade value

I think 2 and 3  are false.  1 is the real reason.   Reports are the Red Sox and Yankees are no longer interested in Machado as he only wants to play shortstop.  Other teams can see he is a bad shortstop. 

[weams]

3 hours ago, TonySoprano said:

That'll hold-up until the team with the biggest free agent offer says he's their 3B.  No way he takes a lower offer to play SS.  Book it.

I guess this year he gets to say though...

[Malike]

41 minutes ago, weams said:

I guess this year he gets to say though...

Until he's traded. He'll play 3B this year.

[Beef Supreme]

9 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

 

I've not seen anything that has convinced me that Machado is better.

The eye test can be funny. We can look at the same thing and find different opinions.

SABRmetrics declares Manny far above average in RF/9 and RF/G this year and last year at SS. Except for Beckham's couple of weeks in Baltimore, he has been consistently below average in his entire career in RF/9 and RF/G.

My eye test says he is, at best, Beckam is a COF.  I doubt his bat makes up for his inept infield play and I worry he won't hit enough to warrant an outfield platoon position against lefty starters.

He is a bad fielder at SS by SABR and the eye test.