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Post by rjp313jr on Mar 30, 2014 11:51:23 GMT -5
It's not surprising really, it's a reminder that these organizations aren't as "advanced" as we like to believe and that there's a ton of room for improvement. You would think, they'd implement something though if this truly has a positive effect. At some point over this off season in some thread, I brought up that I felt teams should be investing into studies that tine players ability to process information and reaction times. There hasn't been a lot written about this, probably because teams want to keep it somewhat quiet until it becomes standard. However, it does appear the Sox are partaking in neuroscience on some level. If you Google it nothing really comes up, but this article about Mookie Betts does talk about it a little bit. My guess is this is only a fraction of what a team like The Red Sox are doing. fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/2014/03/22/saturday-notes-the-neuro-science-of-building-a-world-series-winner-mookie-betts-and-a-strong-starting-rotation/It brings up an interesting point about big market vs small market. Future big market advantage may really lie with their off field R&D abilities even more than with payroll.
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Post by semperfisox on Mar 30, 2014 11:56:07 GMT -5
I have to admit, for someone who wasn't very high on Middlebrooks, I'm kind of giddy at the idea of him cutting down on the strikeouts and becoming a .270/.320/.470-type hitter. Agree. The good thing is come Monday we get to see how it starts to play out. Can't wait. I'd sign up for 2012 WMBs in a heartbeat. the kid has serious power too. Just plate discipline has always been an issue.
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Post by rjp313jr on Mar 30, 2014 11:56:37 GMT -5
One thing to keep in mind with the contact story is he didn't come to spring training with them and he was on fire from the start. Not trying to say its BS, I'm as cautiously excited as anyone, but need to temper the effect they may have.
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jimoh
Veteran
Posts: 3,984
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Post by jimoh on Mar 30, 2014 11:57:28 GMT -5
I'd like to second the comment made a few pages ago about Jim Rice's eyes. He actually wore glasses off the field in his 30s but could not get comfortable either with glasses or contacts on the field, because he "sweated too much," which made me crazy. Couldn't they have given a million dollars to someone at MIT to design a better sweatband for his hat? When he had his last good year in 86 I almost thought he was seeing the ball late, but cutting down his swing a little and using those great reflexes and bat speed and strong arms. With glasses or contacts he might have been a clear-cut HOFer instead of a borderline guy.
Great news if true about Middlebrooks. If plate discipline = attitude + ability, and you can improve both the things, it could be a very interesting year.
(But of course if he starts of 0-12 that will be disappointing, but not dispositive.)
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Post by moonstone2 on Mar 30, 2014 11:57:32 GMT -5
Not for nothing but I think he should have sucked it up and gone to AAA. Given that he was released and not traded, there may not be much interest in giving him a major league job.
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Post by jimed14 on Mar 30, 2014 12:28:04 GMT -5
I have to admit, for someone who wasn't very high on Middlebrooks, I'm kind of giddy at the idea of him cutting down on the strikeouts and becoming a .270/.320/.470-type hitter. I feel the same way. I excited to see what he is capable of. Is anyone else surprised that players' vision isn't tested more often? It seems like such a critical thing would be constantly checked since even slight degradation can make such a big difference in player performance. I know my vision started to erode in my mid to late 20s. Jim Rice's last good season was when he was 33 because his vision went downhill quick and he refused to wear glasses. I have no idea when my eyes went, but I think it was helped by staring at a computer screen for 10 hours a day for 20+ years. I did stop wearing glasses though because I noticed my vision got worse much faster when wearing them.
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Post by rjp313jr on Mar 30, 2014 12:28:51 GMT -5
Not for nothing but I think he should have sucked it up and gone to AAA. Given that he was released and not traded, there may not be much interest in giving him a major league job. Why should he go to AAA? He sat out all last year already. Is in his late 30s and has made a lot of money? Just because we'd like him in AAA for depth doesn't mean he should go live the AAA life style at his age and probable net worth.
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Post by Oregon Norm on Mar 30, 2014 12:51:15 GMT -5
Another story from Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal that gives more detail about the deterioration of his eyesight. When he was younger, it was closer to that typical for baseball players at 20-15. An exam this spring showed that had changed. The story also gives the details for his use of contacts after that exam. He tried them, put them aside, and put them on again on the advice of the Sox: I remember jmei mentioning that he was convinced Middlebrooks had trouble picking up the spin on pitches. Good call, it seems. I think I'll reserve judgement also but, yeah, if he can hit .270-280 he'll be a force given how often the contact produces power.
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Mar 30, 2014 12:57:11 GMT -5
Not for nothing but I think he should have sucked it up and gone to AAA. Given that he was released and not traded, there may not be much interest in giving him a major league job. Why should he go to AAA? He sat out all last year already. Is in his late 30s and has made a lot of money? Just because we'd like him in AAA for depth doesn't mean he should go live the AAA life style at his age and probable net worth. Based on several tweets by Edes when he was cut, it was exactly that. There was also a tweet quote where he said he would ask his agent to try to find a major league job. I'm pretty sure the way that article should have reported it is "Cordero asked for and was granted his release." Otherwise he couldn't have signed elsewhere.
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Post by ikonos on Mar 30, 2014 13:22:54 GMT -5
Jim Rice's last good season was when he was 33 because his vision went downhill quick and he refused to wear glasses. I have no idea when my eyes went, but I think it was helped by staring at a computer screen for 10 hours a day for 20+ years. I did stop wearing glasses though because I noticed my vision got worse much faster when wearing them.Depends on what your original prescription is. If you are near sighted to start with, after you hit 40, the lens in the eye stops focusing and develops "+" prescription, and you can see computer or up close better with out glasses. If you compensate for it with correct prescription, you will have better overall vision with glasses.
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Mar 30, 2014 13:26:06 GMT -5
Maureen Mullen ?@maureenamullen 2m Buchholz on Greenwell: I threw eveyrhting I had at him; he had a pretty good approach at everything; good, savvy baseball player.
Interesting (and could explain the uptick in strikeouts): Matt Eddy ?@matteddyba 17m Average FB velocity for starting pitchers climbed from 89.7 to 91.3 mph in past decade, per BIS data at @fangraphs pic.twitter.com/sVWlR4yUWp
Matt Eddy ?@matteddyba 15m Relievers show similar gain in FB velocity since 2004, going from 90.8 to 92.5 mph, per BIS data at @fangraphs pic.twitter.com/cUsTYFFACl
NOTE: If you want to see the graphs of the various pitches just go to the pics that are shown. If the mods want to move it or recreate it elsewhere, feel free.
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Post by moonstone2 on Mar 30, 2014 13:28:35 GMT -5
Not for nothing but I think he should have sucked it up and gone to AAA. Given that he was released and not traded, there may not be much interest in giving him a major league job. Why should he go to AAA? He sat out all last year already. Is in his late 30s and has made a lot of money? Just because we'd like him in AAA for depth doesn't mean he should go live the AAA life style at his age and probable net worth. Because he'd be far more likely to appear again in the majors if he went to AAA and pitched well. That was the goal after all, otherwise why bother going to camp at all? There are many many former major league players far richer than Cordero who have chosen to play Indy ball. A situation where there was far less of a chance of playing again in the majors. If he's truly serious about playing again. He'll pitch in the minors.
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Post by jimed14 on Mar 30, 2014 14:31:17 GMT -5
Less than 24 hours to go! Start the game thread!
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Post by ray88h66 on Mar 30, 2014 14:58:04 GMT -5
Less than 24 hours to go! Start the game thread! I'm thrilled that this time of year still gets me excited after more than 50 years following the game. I hope I die before that feeling goes. Play ball.
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Post by ikonos on Mar 30, 2014 15:03:27 GMT -5
Why should he go to AAA? He sat out all last year already. Is in his late 30s and has made a lot of money? Just because we'd like him in AAA for depth doesn't mean he should go live the AAA life style at his age and probable net worth. Because he'd be far more likely to appear again in the majors if he went to AAA and pitched well. That was the goal after all, otherwise why bother going to camp at all? There are many many former major league players far richer than Cordero who have chosen to play Indy ball. A situation where there was far less of a chance of playing again in the majors. If he's truly serious about playing again. He'll pitch in the minors. Each player will have their own motivation. Some do it for the love of the game, some do it for action, some might still love the game but under certain circumstances. May be Cordero falls under the last case. Just because of that he is no worse than some other player.
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Post by thelavarnwayguy on Mar 30, 2014 15:12:04 GMT -5
I'm not buying the whole "Middlebrooks has contacts now so that's why he is hitting". Not saying it's impossible but he hit just fine his rookie year, which was only 2 years ago. It is much more likely he is just healthy and stronger. That's why I'm picking him to put up great numbers this year.
I recognize the value of eyesight in a hitter. Guys like Youk had 20/11 vision, guys like Manny also. Off the charts acuity (whatever it was it was great and in that range reportedly). I've always been surprised that guys with glasses can hit well at all but it happens sometimes. I think they should even consider measured vision to be one of the primary "make up" attributes they draft for in hitters. But I'm not buying it with Middlebrook's recent upsurge. It's just SSS, spring training fastballs and if anything it primarily indicates he is just healthier now.
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Post by jimed14 on Mar 30, 2014 15:53:50 GMT -5
Less than 24 hours to go! Start the game thread! I'm thrilled that this time of year still gets me excited after more than 50 years following the game. I hope I die before that feeling goes. Play ball. Same here! I'm a little more than 10 years behind you.
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Post by fenwaythehardway on Mar 30, 2014 15:56:05 GMT -5
Why should he go to AAA? He sat out all last year already. Is in his late 30s and has made a lot of money? Just because we'd like him in AAA for depth doesn't mean he should go live the AAA life style at his age and probable net worth. Because he'd be far more likely to appear again in the majors if he went to AAA and pitched well. That was the goal after all, otherwise why bother going to camp at all?There are many many former major league players far richer than Cordero who have chosen to play Indy ball. A situation where there was far less of a chance of playing again in the majors. If he's truly serious about playing again. He'll pitch in the minors. Yeah you're clearly in a position to judge Cordero's decisions here. Who even cares?
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Post by jimed14 on Mar 30, 2014 16:00:18 GMT -5
Cordero was overrated by the people looking at spring training stats IMO. He looked about as good as Matt Albers to me. Badenhop looked way better without the stats for example. Same with Workman.
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Post by soxfanatic on Mar 30, 2014 16:12:30 GMT -5
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Post by moonstone2 on Mar 30, 2014 18:53:12 GMT -5
Because he'd be far more likely to appear again in the majors if he went to AAA and pitched well. That was the goal after all, otherwise why bother going to camp at all?There are many many former major league players far richer than Cordero who have chosen to play Indy ball. A situation where there was far less of a chance of playing again in the majors. If he's truly serious about playing again. He'll pitch in the minors. Yeah you're clearly in a position to judge Cordero's decisions here. Who even cares? Who cares? I do. Which is why I posted. These are public figures and I have every right to question their decisions. If you don't like that STFU. It should have been clear to him when he signed that he wasn't going to make the team. He clearly isn't that serious about resuming his career. If he was he'd go to AAA and wait for his shot.
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ejenson
Rookie
Voice of the Drive
Posts: 63
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Post by ejenson on Mar 30, 2014 18:59:09 GMT -5
any word on minor league rosters on who's going where?
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Post by Oregon Norm on Mar 30, 2014 19:20:43 GMT -5
any word on minor league rosters on who's going where? Should be very soon since the schedule has the International League starting Thursday. You can look here for the rosters from this site. Those should be quite close to the final ones. Add: One possible change on the horizon depends on the health of Victorino. I have a feeling that while it's not severe it may be chronic, the same situation he had last year. Could be it's fine with a few days rest. If he does have to go on the disabled list, the likliest call-up would be Bradley, with Corey Brown taking his place in centerfield.
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Post by amfox1 on Mar 30, 2014 20:17:15 GMT -5
any word on minor league rosters on who's going where? Some of it is trickling out (not all are confirmed): Pawtucket - 40 man players not on 25-man roster (including Britton, Ranaudo, Butler, Hassan, Snyder) Portland - Robby Scott Salem - Ryan Dent, David Chester, Matt Gedman, Jantzen Witte, Kevin Heller, Corey Littrell I believe all rosters will be formally announced tomorrow (Monday).
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Post by bsout2 on Mar 30, 2014 22:19:37 GMT -5
Will Middlebrooks could hit 275/330/480 or be sent down by May and either way I would not be surprised.
Grady Sizemore could play at an a All-Star level for 110 regular season games and the playoffs or have his career be over by May and either way I would not be surprised. That sums up my view on the season, Red Sox could easily be the best team in the league again or finish 4th in the AL East.
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