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Post by moonstone2 on May 30, 2014 6:35:58 GMT -5
I would like to see Vazquez start at catcher tonight if Lavarnway has to be DLed.
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Post by sibbysisti on May 30, 2014 7:13:43 GMT -5
I would like to see Vazquez start at catcher tonight if Lavarnway has to be DLed. Can't see it. Sox have Pierczynski and Ross at catcher. Lavarnway has been at 1B since his call-up.
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Post by moonstone2 on May 30, 2014 7:45:28 GMT -5
Lefty going tonight and they can send him out tommorrow when DeLaRosa comes up. Facing a team that likes to run.
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Jun 11, 2014 22:52:39 GMT -5
Two somewhat equal catchers to start the year. Which one is the better prospect ?
Matt Kardos ? ?@mattkardos 54m Tony Franklin says that Gary Sanchez was scratched for disciplinary reasons
Jason Parks @professorparks · 11h I'm going to fight for Blake Swihart to be in the top 25 prospects in MiLB; 80-grade makeup; premium position; dual-threat bat. #RedSox
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Post by iakovos11 on Jun 12, 2014 6:16:39 GMT -5
Swihart needs to walk a bit more to be ranked that high, I think. His numbers are nice, but jaw-dropping. He's not Reddick or WMB with the K's, so that's definitely a plus, but I think he'll need a bit more patience to reach his ceiling.
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Post by ctfisher on Jun 12, 2014 8:43:04 GMT -5
The Sox might do well to extend Pierczinski for one more year to mentor Vasquez. What's he gonna teach him, how to GIDP? If any mentoring is needed I'd prefer David Ross. Sign him as a catching coach if he doesn't want to play anymore. They also still have Varitek signed on as a special assistant to the GM. Can't imagine anyone being more helpful in the transition than tek, and that's probably what he's still around for, cause we've heard plenty about Pedro, who has the same job title, going around the minors mentoring the pitchers
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ericmvan
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Post by ericmvan on Jun 15, 2014 11:27:47 GMT -5
From Friday's BA Hot Sheet chat:
Tyler (Nj): Best C in the minors n y ? J.J. Cooper: Hedges or Swihart. I’ve been asking guys lately if it may be Swihart, and you can get some good arguments between scouts on that question.
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ericmvan
Veteran
Supposed to be working on something more important
Posts: 8,933
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Post by ericmvan on Jun 21, 2014 7:12:07 GMT -5
BA's Hot Sheet, in the Team Photo:
And from the chat:
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Jun 22, 2014 23:56:09 GMT -5
WOW tweet that I hadn't realized...
Josh Norris ?@jnorris427 4h Blake Swihart doesn't have a passed ball this year. Damn. #RedSox
Also this, hohummm
Kevin Thomas @clearthebases So another stealing attempt against @blakeswihart_1 Out by a foot. Swihart has now thrown out 23-of-43 (.535 percentage)
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Post by mredsox89 on Jun 23, 2014 0:04:29 GMT -5
Swihart has put up some crazy numbers, both offensively and defensively. He's really jumping up the overall prospect lists, and I'm looking forward to seeing the major publications' mid-season lists
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Jun 23, 2014 0:24:28 GMT -5
Currently: .292/.333/.489/.823 with 9HRs and 4SBs and rising...
Keep the context and statistical noise in mind but Vazquez had 12 passed balls last year, 6 with Steven Wright on the mound.
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Post by jrffam05 on Aug 6, 2014 10:45:15 GMT -5
I have no doubt that Vazquez will be more valuable than McCann from now till the end of McCann's contract, and that is without factoring in how much they will be paid. Getting to watch this kid play he is already one of my favorite players out there.
I'm already trying to imagine situations after 2015 where Swihart is playing in the infield and getting some reps at C while Vazquez holds the starting role, with an 1B who can catch in emergencies, although that isn't working in my head (yet).
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Post by jclmontana on Aug 6, 2014 11:46:37 GMT -5
I have no doubt that Vazquez will be more valuable than McCann from now till the end of McCann's contract, and that is without factoring in how much they will be paid. Getting to watch this kid play he is already one of my favorite players out there. I'm already trying to imagine situations after 2015 where Swihart is playing in the infield and getting some reps at C while Vazquez holds the starting role, with an 1B who can catch in emergencies, although that isn't working in my head (yet). If Swihart and Vasquez keep on their same trajectories (well-above average two-way player, or elite defensive/solid offensive profiles at catcher) one or the other would have to be elite at a different position in order to justify keeping both. I don't think that is going to play out that way. If both are at least above average at catcher, it would be a waste of resources to keep both players. One or the other will be flipped, presumably for another elite or nearly elite player at a different position of need. In the scenario where both are very good to great (and healthy, an important caveat), a GM would have to be incompetent to keep both.
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Post by widewordofsport on Aug 6, 2014 11:58:29 GMT -5
Disagree. Ortiz (and the full time DH) are out the door. If there is evidence that catching less means less wear and tear, and better batting performance, having them split time and give Swihart Abs at Dh makes more sense. Unless an elite defensive backup is waiting, having two min salary guys at Catcher is a plus, not stupidity.
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Post by widewordofsport on Aug 6, 2014 12:00:14 GMT -5
Two 3.5 win C are worth more than a 5 win and a replacement level, esp at cheap salaries. If the Twins had Vazquez and Joe Mauer, wouldnt they have been better off keeping CV and forcing Mauer to stay healthy and limit accumulative wear and tear.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Aug 6, 2014 12:46:07 GMT -5
Disagree. Ortiz (and the full time DH) are out the door. If there is evidence that catching less means less wear and tear, and better batting performance, having them split time and give Swihart Abs at Dh makes more sense. Unless an elite defensive backup is waiting, having two min salary guys at Catcher is a plus, not stupidity. That's what's being done around the AL, but I still have trouble believing that there aren't going to be defensively challenged guys who can rake and won't be needed for lineups, especially in the age of reduced offense. If the Red Sox are in that spot and looking at the relative lack of power they have in their farm system and in Boston, it's hard to imagine that they aren't going to be looking for a guy who can rake, and to be honest, I'm not convinced that Ortiz will be out the door by 2016. It's certainly possible his BA could slip to .220, etc, but it's certainly not inconceivable that Ortiz will still be bopping 30 homers and that the Sox will desperately need his offense or somebody else to replace his offense, possibly from that spot, so it's hard for me to see where Swihart would get all these extra ABs at 1b/dh, but I won't say it's impossible.
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Post by widewordofsport on Aug 6, 2014 14:34:48 GMT -5
Lets put it this way, I love both those catchers, and it would take a lot for me to give up that tandem, especially if it lengthens both careers. I dont think the value of a defensive catcher is understood well enough to get return on Vazquez, so I wouldnt get rid of him till arb2 or so, and then only if Swihart is showing he's a Sox lifer.
The CV discussion here is suggesting that based on reasonable expectations for WAR as a pitch framer/def catcher who isnt terrible at the plate, means that he's more valuable (contract, control) than Giancarlo, but no way Miami would consider it 1-for-1. I just dont see value in it. And if Lavarnway/Butler lasted on the 40 man this long, I expect the Red Sox hoard catchers the way I would.
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Post by jrffam05 on Aug 6, 2014 15:34:42 GMT -5
Swihart is no slouch with the glove. I haven't seen much of him but from what I have seen I came away very impressed. I'm happy to say I was very wrong about him (from 2 years ago) and he is developing into the player they project him to. I would say that both these guys project as first division starters based just on their defense, assuming they are not the absolute worst hitter at the position. I can't think of an example where a team had two catchers who would be considered 1st division starters (but I am sure there are some).
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Post by jclmontana on Aug 6, 2014 17:36:52 GMT -5
snip The CV discussion here is suggesting that based on reasonable expectations for WAR as a pitch framer/def catcher who isnt terrible at the plate, means that he's more valuable (contract, control) than Giancarlo, but no way Miami would consider it 1-for-1. I just dont see value in it. And if Lavarnway/Butler lasted on the 40 man this long, I expect the Red Sox hoard catchers the way I would. If Lavarnway was worth anything as trade bait, he would be gone. And it is fair to question whether he should even be considered as a catcher and not a 1b/DH/break-glass-in-case-of-emergency catcher. The point about getting value on the trade market is a good one. However, it does seem as if pitch-framing and defense are starting to be more and more recognized as valuable. I get that there is a risk in sending away the "wrong" catcher in a trade, and ending up with the less valuable player, but that risk is inherent in any trade. The downside risk of not trading one of them sooner rather than later is also real. One could flame out, get hurt, or simply not be as good as we think they are. There is some legitimacy in the concept of selling high (don't we wish they had sold high on Buchholz!) and, this isn't video game baseball. If we do get a legitimately elite player through trade, we will have to give up legitimate prospects. The fact that we might be able to trade a redundant star prospect for an actual star or another star prospect at a different position is a real bonus and, to me, seems like an obvious option. Look, I really like both Vasquez and Swihart as players, and they both seem like good dudes, which is important to me as a fan, as is the fact that they are home grown. But having two near-elite catchers (assuming they both get there--a big assumption--and that they have actual trade value) at the expense of bringing in another near-elite player at a different position is too much of an opportunity cost to justify.
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Post by grandsalami on Aug 8, 2014 16:51:29 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats ?@redsoxstats 2h Triple-take remark in @matteddyba's chat: "Some scouts see Swihart more as a bat-oriented backup C type" 1st time seeing anything like that
?!?!?!?!
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Post by godot on Aug 8, 2014 16:56:40 GMT -5
Never seen Swihart hit, but although not a "natural hitter", Vasquez seems to know what he is doing. His power is suspect but really not enough abats to make a definitive judgement. Very subjective, but world of difference between Vasquez at the plate compared to Jr. and Xander. He seems to have a clue.
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Post by Gwell55 on Aug 8, 2014 17:08:14 GMT -5
I will say it if no one else is willing to admit what they should be thinking.
Vazquez's comparison sure looks to be David Ross as a great backup who's defense is very good and his batting is enough to keep him in the show for a long time.
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Post by azblue on Aug 8, 2014 22:28:50 GMT -5
I have never read an article in which a major league team stated that it had two many high quality catchers.
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Post by grandsalami on Aug 8, 2014 23:53:35 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats ?@redsoxstats 2h Triple-take remark in @matteddyba's chat: "Some scouts see Swihart more as a bat-oriented backup C type" 1st time seeing anything like that ?!?!?!?! Did something change that caused people to think this?
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Post by Oregon Norm on Aug 9, 2014 0:34:25 GMT -5
I think they're both starting catchers. It's a good problem to have, but at some point it will be just that, a problem. Decisions will have to be made... At some point.
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