nomar
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Post by nomar on May 4, 2016 21:45:59 GMT -5
I should buy a ticket and flight down there. I'm sure he'll get promoted as soon as I land.
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Post by kyla13 on May 4, 2016 21:55:24 GMT -5
Salem starts a roadtrip tomorrow, why would Benintendi be on it? I've got nothing... but wait! Maybe because Salem is 18-8 and Portland is the exact opposite at 8-18? Culture of winning, baby.
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ericmvan
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Supposed to be working on something more important
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Post by ericmvan on May 4, 2016 22:46:06 GMT -5
Playing Swihart in LF is a short sighted move by the Red Sox and only stunting his growth as a catcher. He got sent down because of his defense and by learning a new position it doesn't afford him the chance to do improve there. Seems like a very dumb move by the FO. The PawSox have played 16 games since he was sent down, and he's caught 9, played LF 4 times, and DHed 3 times. I would have liked to have seen him catch 11 or even 12 of those games ... but they are so thin organizationally in LF versus RHP that I understand the rationale. I don't think that catching 20% less often is going to do irreparable harm to his defensive progress ... but it certainly doesn't help. I think we'd all be happy if they added a bench bat like Jay Bruce and returned Swihart to catching full time.
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Post by philsbosoxfan on May 4, 2016 22:46:15 GMT -5
Moncada now has 29 runs scored in 24 games played. For perspective, last year's runs leader was Josh Donaldson with 122 runs in 158 games. 3/4 4R 2 2B, BB, SB Doubon between 3/4 BB Benintendi 2/4 3B, SF 2 RBI That trio has 21 runs scored since the start of yesterday. Dusting off an old formula... run production per game (R+RBI-HR)/GP Moncada 1.65 Dubon 1.29 Benintendi 1.83 For reference, last year's MLB leader was MVP Josh Donaldson at 1.29. As a unit, that's holy cr*p territory run production.
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ericmvan
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Post by ericmvan on May 4, 2016 22:58:09 GMT -5
David Cameron of Fangraphs said he thinks Swihart's Red Sox career is over... I find that a bit premature to speculate, but I do think the idea of Blake headlining a trade in the future is realistic. If they actually want to trade him though, doesn't playing him in LF so often lessen his trade value? A weird situation by all angles. My concern is that Swihart's trade value is no longer high enough to be the "headliner" in a trade package. One year ago, yes...but I don't think so anymore. I think the fact that the Red Sox are already experimenting with Swihart in LF shows how little faith they have in him ever being an above-average defensive catcher. If Dombrowski and company still believed in Swihart's defensive abilities, why isn't he behind the plate every day? He needs to start raking at the plate in AAA, and his trade value will be close to what it was a year ago. Catching more will also help. I don't think his playing LF has anything to do with a lack of confidence in his catching skills. It has everything to do with the starting MLB LFer being a super-utility guy with a .380-ish SA the last two years. If Holt gets hurt, there is no one in the organization who looks to be much above replacement level versus RHP out there. Rusney would give you 1.0 or 1.5 WAR of defense but it increasingly looks like he'd give -0.5 or more back offensively. There's a reason why they're also trying Marco Hernandez out there. All the more reason to trade for at least Jay Bruce. In fact, every day since Sandoval's surgery that goes by without such a deal suggests to me that DDo may be working on something better than Bruce. And of course, fast-tracking Benintendi has to be part of that equation. I'm with those who think he gets a travel day tomorrow and joins the SeaDogs in Reading on Friday.
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Post by larrycook on May 4, 2016 23:38:58 GMT -5
Thoughts on Devers' struggles this season? His K and BB rates look healthy. BABIP is hilariously low, weighed down by a huge Pop%. Not worried at this point... Just curious to see if anybody has any comments. looks like he is not picking up the spin of the ball which is giving him fits.
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Post by fenwaythehardway on May 5, 2016 8:16:45 GMT -5
I'm rapidly becoming a Devers skeptic. I know he's young, but regardless so, I have a really low tolerance for bat-only prospects who don't put up outstanding numbers. Actually he is putting up outstanding numbers right now, but outstanding in the wrong direction...
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Post by sox fan in nc on May 5, 2016 8:23:18 GMT -5
I should buy a ticket and flight down there. I'm sure he'll get promoted as soon as I land. Was going to the game tonight (Winston-Salem) but they may get rained out. They are calling for rain all day. Would've been nice to see Ball as well.
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Post by brianthetaoist on May 5, 2016 8:27:56 GMT -5
I'm rapidly becoming a Devers skeptic. I know he's young, but regardless so, I have a really low tolerance for bat-only prospects who don't put up outstanding numbers. Actually he is putting up outstanding numbers right now, but outstanding in the wrong direction... He's not Moncada or Benintendi, but he's more athletic than people generally think. I think he'll easily stick at third base. He's not some lumbering first base-only type. And I wouldn't be too concerned with his hitting at this point. He's really, really young, and I don't just mean physically; I was struck by how much of a kid he seemed. So he gets in some bad habits trying to pull everything. He'll be in Salem all year, and that's a good thing. Sox should take their time with him.
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Post by jchang on May 5, 2016 8:55:49 GMT -5
a lot of people wrote off travis shaw when he had a rough go in Portland. The twins gave up on a bat-only prospect sometime back. He's making contact, so no need to send him back to A-ball. I would let Devers have all the time he needs to sort things out. But more likely he'll get hot this summer, and we will be screaming for him to be in Portland.
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Post by jchang on May 5, 2016 8:58:23 GMT -5
I should buy a ticket and flight down there. I'm sure he'll get promoted as soon as I land. I'm planning on a road-trip in a couple of weeks, but holding off until I figure which direction to go, Portland/EL or Salem/CL
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Post by sox fan in nc on May 5, 2016 9:23:39 GMT -5
I should buy a ticket and flight down there. I'm sure he'll get promoted as soon as I land. I'm planning on a road-trip in a couple of weeks, but holding off until I figure which direction to go, Portland/EL or Salem/CL Or Rhode Island.
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Post by gregblossersbelly on May 5, 2016 9:55:32 GMT -5
My concern is that Swihart's trade value is no longer high enough to be the "headliner" in a trade package. One year ago, yes...but I don't think so anymore. I think the fact that the Red Sox are already experimenting with Swihart in LF shows how little faith they have in him ever being an above-average defensive catcher. If Dombrowski and company still believed in Swihart's defensive abilities, why isn't he behind the plate every day? He needs to start raking at the plate in AAA, and his trade value will be close to what it was a year ago. Catching more will also help. I don't think his playing LF has anything to do with a lack of confidence in his catching skills. It has everything to do with the starting MLB LFer being a super-utility guy with a .380-ish SA the last two years. If Holt gets hurt, there is no one in the organization who looks to be much above replacement level versus RHP out there. Rusney would give you 1.0 or 1.5 WAR of defense but it increasingly looks like he'd give -0.5 or more back offensively. There's a reason why they're also trying Marco Hernandez out there. All the more reason to trade for at least Jay Bruce. In fact, every day since Sandoval's surgery that goes by without such a deal suggests to me that DDo may be working on something better than Bruce. And of course, fast-tracking Benintendi has to be part of that equation. I'm with those who think he gets a travel day tomorrow and joins the SeaDogs in Reading on Friday. Getting a LH bat to platoon with Young helps in 2 other ways IMO too. It allows you to use Holt in a utility role. Which he is best suited for. And, Holt in that way allows you to carry 13 pitchers. Kelly to the pen when he comes back. Bench consists of; Holt, Young and Hanigan.
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Post by iakovos11 on May 5, 2016 10:40:12 GMT -5
He needs to start raking at the plate in AAA, and his trade value will be close to what it was a year ago. Catching more will also help. I don't think his playing LF has anything to do with a lack of confidence in his catching skills. It has everything to do with the starting MLB LFer being a super-utility guy with a .380-ish SA the last two years. If Holt gets hurt, there is no one in the organization who looks to be much above replacement level versus RHP out there. Rusney would give you 1.0 or 1.5 WAR of defense but it increasingly looks like he'd give -0.5 or more back offensively. There's a reason why they're also trying Marco Hernandez out there. All the more reason to trade for at least Jay Bruce. In fact, every day since Sandoval's surgery that goes by without such a deal suggests to me that DDo may be working on something better than Bruce. And of course, fast-tracking Benintendi has to be part of that equation. I'm with those who think he gets a travel day tomorrow and joins the SeaDogs in Reading on Friday. Getting a LH bat to platoon with Young helps in 2 other ways IMO too. It allows you to use Holt in a utility role. Which he is best suited for. And, Holt in that way allows you to carry 13 pitchers. Kelly to the pen when he comes back. Bench consists of; Holt, Young and Hanigan. If only we had someone like a Ryan Kalish
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radiohix
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'At the end of the day, we bang. We bang. We're going to swing.' Alex Verdugo
Posts: 6,274
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Post by radiohix on May 5, 2016 10:45:16 GMT -5
Getting a LH bat to platoon with Young helps in 2 other ways IMO too. It allows you to use Holt in a utility role. Which he is best suited for. And, Holt in that way allows you to carry 13 pitchers. Kelly to the pen when he comes back. Bench consists of; Holt, Young and Hanigan. If only we had someone like a Ryan Kalish Oh boy! I would love love to get him back!
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Post by sox fan in nc on May 5, 2016 10:48:00 GMT -5
Was reading Jay Bruce is a below average RF. Would that translate to an ok LF? He's probably never played the Wall. Definitely hitting RHP this year. Also what would you give, a maybe Wendell Rijo type? Does Cincy pay any of his contract (about 13 mil left on his deal)? I'm still sick about the other Ryan we lost a few years ago.
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ericmvan
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Post by ericmvan on May 5, 2016 12:14:33 GMT -5
Was reading Jay Bruce is a below average RF. Would that translate to an ok LF? He's probably never played the Wall. Definitely hitting RHP this year. Also what would you give, a maybe Wendell Rijo type? Does Cincy pay any of his contract (about 13 mil left on his deal)? I'm still sick about the other Ryan we lost a few years ago. I haven't run the numbers on him yet, but, yeah, Bruce should be roughly average in LF, and probably better than Young. When Castillo was supposed to be the starter, Holt vs RHP and Young vs LHP was the two-headed fourth outfielder. Now that Holt is the starter, you need another LHB who can play LF. It's as simple as that. And Sandoval missing the season erases the option of Shaw being that guy via Sandoval playing 3B, which is certainly something they were thinking of. In the short term, they can call up Marco Hernandez and have either him or Shaw play LF if Holt is out and they're facing a RHP. But that's completely a stopgap.
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