Boston Red Sox: Signing Mitch Moreland was the smart move
By Rick McNair
The Boston Red Sox went cheap on signing Mitch Moreland, but some other first base options were too expensive or too awful to contemplate.
Hindsight does provide a window of opportunity to examine what you did or did not do. In baseball, that hindsight is usually measured in years and not a month or so. That, however, will not limit me to expressing cheer that the Boston Red Sox avoided signing Chris Carter in favor of Mitch Moreland.
Carter was sent back to the kid’s table by the Milwaukee Brewers, who just didn’t bother to offer him a contract, despite leading the National League in home runs with 41. Carter also drove in 94 runs so on the outside, this looks like a bonehead move by the Brewers and opportunity for others.
The availability of Carter caught the attention of some in the Boston area as a viable replacement for David Ortiz. I had a certain trepidation, like going in for a root canal or a visit to the IRS office for a review. There must have been another option? I completely overlooked Moreland, but the Red Sox did not.
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Carter is a strikeout machine – simple as that. Even in this era of baseball where some degree of legitimacy is present to justify strikeout totals, Carter is in a world of his own. Carter led the league with 206 and led in K%, which stood at an astronomical 32%. That is Carter’s baseball history – a free swinger extraordinaire.
Carter will hit bombs when he hits them. Majestic and towering beauties or captivating line drives that accelerate out of the yard. Carter is a newer version of a player who had a very similar career – Dave Kingman. How bad was it? Kingman hit 35 out and never played again. No one wanted him.
The Red Sox went for Moreland and it was the smart move. Moreland simply is a more responsible hitter and then toss in superior glove work. You do not have the glamor of prodigious home runs, but you do not have the breezes from far too many swings that hit only air. Moreland also has a somewhat refined ability to whiff with a 23.5 K/% in 2016, but far more acceptable than Carter.
Moreland also had some punch last season with 22 home runs and 60 RBI, so he did produce runs. Was it a down season? The Red Sox are pinning some hopes that it was just that. If you look at career slash lines Carter and Moreland are somewhat similar. Moreland has a career slash of .254/.315/.438 and Carter218/.314/.463. WAR is not impressive for either is 2016 with Carter ar 0.9 and Moreland 0.4.
The dividing line is defensive. Carter is capable of performing in the outfield as Hanley Ramirez did for Boston in left field. At first base, another name from the past rises – Dick Stuart. Does the nickname Dr. Strangeglove give an insight? Moreland in the outfield is not much of an improvement over Carter, but then there is first base.
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Moreland is a very capable defensive first baseman and reigning Gold Glove winner at the position. Moreland checked in with the leading UZR/150 (9.2) among American League first basemen. Ramirez was -4.7. Moreland was also second in defensive runs saved with seven. Collecting balls outside the zone (OOZ) Moreland was second with 26. Pitchers love that.
The Red Sox are planning a policy change at designated hitter – it will now be one by committee. The assumption is the time at DH may be the domain of Ramirez and Moreland, but Moreland’s superior defensive capabilities may have him stationed in the field more frequently.
Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, Mark Trumbo and even Mike Napoli are not coming to Boston. The team is limiting fiscal exposure and decided to go bargain hunting. Moreland is just that compared to what an extensive multi-year contract would cost versus the one and out of Moreland.
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The key from my view is the defensive upgrade – an upgrade that would not be there with Carter at first. I will, however, miss the occasional moon shots.
Sources: Fangraphs