Reposting from another thread.


Pete Abraham tweets that the Sox want to try Aviles in the OF, with an eye towards 2012.

He is arb eligible for the first time after this season.

Pete Abraham tweets that the Sox want to try Aviles in the OF, with an eye towards 2012.

Well, it is an even numbered year.

The Sox must really, really believe in this guy's abilty to hit .300 in the big leagues. Or they're convinced that starting McDonald against lefties in the postseason is not something they want to do.

Peaking at the Royals' page, I see that Gordon has picked it back up and raised his OPS+ to 141.

I also see that Melky, Francoeur and Butler are all slugging 458; Hosmer is at 455. You've now got your numbers for the daily lotto game.

I'm really surprised that one of Melky or Frenchy haven't been dealt yet to one of the teams who missed out on the Pence/Beltran deals. Still a lot of time before the deadline tomorrow...

I don't really get this, unless they actually can get him to play OF. Navarro seems like a 7-year-younger version of Aviles.

I don't really get this, unless they actually can get him to play OF. Navarro seems like a 7-year-younger version of Aviles.

Aviles is a useful guy. If you give him 450 AB, he can give you a ~100 OPS+ and play 2B/SS/3B competently. He's about the best BUI you're going to get, and can start for a month or two (in case of injury) and not hurt you.

Typical Theo move -- trading for the sake of trading. Royals should have given us something in addition; Navarro is 7 years younger and much cheaper -- young enough to get better. Aviles is yet another waste of space.

Aviles is the diamond in the rough Allard Baird found when David Glass ordered him to draft college seniors and offer no more than a $5000 take it or leave it bonus. This has his fingerprints all over it.

This also make the Keppnger deal look even better for the Giants. Better player IMO and they didn't have to give up as much.

I see Navarro listed as 170 - I have to say no way. He looks much bigger than that to me, which makes me think that most clubs/scouts consider him too big to be a shortstop.

I actually like this deal for both parties. Aviles is the better player right now, Navarro the better player over the next five seasons.

I don't get what was wrong with Navarro himself. Isn't he just as good right now?

Navarro can't handle a middle infield position defensively, so his value as a utility player is limited.

Same with Aviles

Sounds like neither player really commands a 25 man roster spot, though given Navarro's age maybe that can change. I suppose there's a chance Navarro's bat develops to the point where he could be a league average third baseman. I doubt the Royals were going to want to pay an arbitration level salary to a bench player like Aviles.

AG-you don't think Aviles could play second on an every day basis?

AG-you don't think Aviles could play second on an every day basis?


TZ and UZR both have Aviles as above average at SS, and slightly below at 2B (in about 1000 innings at each).

I doubt the Royals were going to want to pay an arbitration level salary to a bench player like Aviles.

This really isn't a concern because guys like Aviles get very little in arb. For example, Mike Fontenot makes $1 M a year. If you get a season or two of starting under your belt, you can get into the $2-3 M range but not as nothing more than a backup. So, sure, all else equal you'd rather have the $450 K version than the $1 M version but it's not a big deal.

Sounds like the Sox are hoping he turns into a Mark DeRosa type (at his peak) -- 2B/3B/LF/RF with a 105 OPS+ is a pretty valuable player in today's game.

Aviles is an upgrade on Navarro. Better defender, especially up the middle, and a 98 OPS+ for his career (.315/.415 or so) is just fine for a guy who plays the positions he does. As a fifth infielder, he's a nice upgrade. Navarro may well end up a 3B who doesn't hit enough to be a valuable, but maybe he's something a bit better and he's also certain to be cheaper. I think both teams get a little something here, but regardless, it's almost certainly a marginal move.

AG-you don't think Aviles could play second on an every day basis?

He could, but he would be a subpar defender. Like well below par. He wouldn't embarrass you, but he'd cost you plays here and there. For whatever reason, his numbers haven't looked bat at 2B or SS, but watching him every day he makes little mistakes all the time and his range seems pretty limited. Plus he had an arm injury in 2009 that hurt his ability to make throws a bit. I mean, look we were screaming at the Royals to start him over TP Jr. and then Getz, but we were all acknowledging there would be a significant drop-off in fielding.

Aviles is interesting at the plate because he seems like a total guess hitter. He basically guesses and swings as hard as he can and once in awhile he'll connect and put a charge in it. He also gets a lot of weird bloops because of his free swings and IIRC he has a higher BABIP because of this. But he has a lot of really awful ABs too. He's a really nice 25th man on a contender, he doesn't really have any business playing on a semi-regular basis IMO.

He's a really nice 25th man on a contender, he doesn't really have any business playing on a semi-regular basis IMO.

Well, I suppose he is going to be the 25th man on the Red Sox...

Yea, I think its a pretty good trade for both teams.

I like the trade for the Royals. Aviles has always been an overachiever for the Royals, but he's not a great fit going forward. He's 30 years old and he's got to play, but he wasn't happy with the utility role and had been passed over for any starting position.

The Royals' basic need for that roster spot is a utility guy who can handle shortstop. It's a plus if he's a bat first guy, because it offers more contrast with Escobar. Aviles would be a good fit if he wanted the job, but as is the Royals get a comparable guy who's considerably younger.