TearsIn04
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Everybody knows Nelson de la Rosa, but who is Karim Garcia?
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Post by TearsIn04 on Sept 27, 2014 20:47:25 GMT -5
“@jmastrodonato: Rusney Castillo has two HRs at his home park and still no souvenirs. Guy who caught first one was offered Ortiz autog. for it, but declined.” What an a$$ Wow. That's awful. Getting off topic here, but I've always thought that if I caught a HR ball that the Red Sox wanted back, I would drive a hard bargain. I collect autographs and I would request quite a few. It would cost the Red Sox absolutely nothing to have 10 guys sign pictures for me. This is a team that sells game-used bases at the souvenir shop across the street for $300. I think a Fenway brick is $75 and all the sweatshop-made apparel is ridiculously over-priced. I don't want to hear a $1.5 billion corporation crapping on a working-class fan for being greedy just because I won't give up something of value on their command.
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Sept 27, 2014 21:09:32 GMT -5
During their game Broadcast, Morosi/Smoltz comped him to Ron Gant, that works for me.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Sept 27, 2014 21:29:10 GMT -5
Small sample size but Castillo has been more impressive than I thought he would. I think a younger version of Shane Victorino is a good expectation of what he can become.
I certainly like the idea of Betts and Castillo in the same outfield.
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Post by klostrophobic on Sept 27, 2014 22:24:21 GMT -5
Castillo has 1.1 more fWAR than Jeter the last two seasons.
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ericmvan
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Post by ericmvan on Sept 28, 2014 2:30:45 GMT -5
Tiny sample sizes like 36 PA in 9 G don't mean that much, but good ones are always better than small ones.
I guess you can live with .333 / .389 / .545 (163 wRC+) with a pace for 50 SB, 0 CS per 150 games, and an aggregate +45 defense in CF. That's somewhat better than sucking.
Of course, all that will change quite noticeably after tomorrow.
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Post by thelavarnwayguy on Sept 28, 2014 4:55:28 GMT -5
Is Castillo better than Cespedes? Their numbers in Cuba didn't indicate so but he looks better now consideting his body changes and early results after not having played for so long.
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Post by brianthetaoist on Sept 28, 2014 7:34:14 GMT -5
I can certainly see why the Sox signed him and why they think his floor is of an average major league player ... he's a legit centerfielder with a good arm, he's got speed on the bases (which doesn't seem to play up home-to-first, though), and he's demonstrated in-game power. That's four tools right there. Of course the one everything rests on - hitting - is still very much up in the air, so there is still a very wide range of potential outcomes with him.
I've actually not been all that impressed by his base stealing, even though he's been successful. He seems to have top-end speed, but his home-to-first and base stealing haven't been eye-popping to me. Could just need to get adjusted to MLB on the base stealing front, though.
But his potential certainly changes the complexion of the team's risks going forward, he was a big signing for them.
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Post by sarasoxer on Sept 28, 2014 8:19:48 GMT -5
I can certainly see why the Sox signed him and why they think his floor is of an average major league player ... he's a legit centerfielder with a good arm, he's got speed on the bases (which doesn't seem to play up home-to-first, though), and he's demonstrated in-game power. That's four tools right there. Of course the one everything rests on - hitting - is still very much up in the air, so there is still a very wide range of potential outcomes with him. I've actually not been all that impressed by his base stealing, even though he's been successful. He seems to have top-end speed, but his home-to-first and base stealing haven't been eye-popping to me. Could just need to get adjusted to MLB on the base stealing front, though. But his potential certainly changes the complexion of the team's risks going forward, he was a big signing for them. One thing that I have liked over the past 3 games is his willingness and ability to go to all fields. For me a line drive hit to the opposite field is as pretty as it gets. I agree that he does not appear as 'functionally fast' as I would have expected based on reports. His arm seems better than advertised and he has a very confident look in the outfield...almost Cano-like. Whatever he is or becomes, it will be better than what we had. I'll take .265 with 15 hrs. and 25 steals, and be quite thankful.
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Post by redsox1534 on Sept 28, 2014 9:14:05 GMT -5
Cant say I have seen anuff to be impressed but I can say I like what I have seen.
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Post by moonstone2 on Sept 28, 2014 9:49:33 GMT -5
I was at the game Thursday night for Rusney's first home run. Here's what I noticed.
Loves to go after the first or second pitch. I don't think he had an ab the whole night that lasted longer than two pitches.
Plus power speed and arm. He nearly hit a second home run over the monstah. Motored around the bases very quickly afer his double. In the first inning on a single to cf threw a strike that kept the runner from advancing. Also made a couple of good catches going back on balls over his head.
I like the comp of a Rajai Davis type that will hit 20-25 home runs. He's not going to be walking a lot but he won't swing and miss a lot either.
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Post by Oregon Norm on Sept 28, 2014 10:06:37 GMT -5
Thanks for the comments. Its hard to get an idea of a player's speed on the bases from TV because of camera movement, and lack of visual context with close-ups.
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Post by jmei on Sept 28, 2014 10:08:53 GMT -5
The lack of home-to-first speed seems to be mostly that he has a big follow-through and doesn't get out of the box well. The basestealing speed is that he doesn't get good reads of pitchers or great jumps. I think he can learn to be a better baserunner, but it might take a year or two.
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Post by bluechip on Sept 28, 2014 10:12:53 GMT -5
The lack of home-to-first speed seems to be mostly that he has a big follow-through and doesn't get out of the box well. The basestealing speed is that he doesn't get good reads of pitchers or great jumps. I think he can learn to be a better baserunner, but it might take a year or two. He has been out of organized baseball for a while, so one might suppose that he might be rusty on reading pitchers and getting jumps.
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Post by sarasoxer on Sept 28, 2014 10:16:34 GMT -5
The lack of home-to-first speed seems to be mostly that he has a big follow-through and doesn't get out of the box well. The basestealing speed is that he doesn't get good reads of pitchers or great jumps. I think he can learn to be a better baserunner, but it might take a year or two. He has been out of organized baseball for a while, so one might suppose that he might be rusty on reading pitchers and getting jumps. Or maybe he has never had to refine his base-stealing given the level of play in Cuba or the emphasis that is placed on that facet. Going first to third or scoring from second he does look fast tho.
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Post by jmei on Sept 28, 2014 10:26:05 GMT -5
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Post by brianthetaoist on Sept 28, 2014 10:46:46 GMT -5
He has been out of organized baseball for a while, so one might suppose that he might be rusty on reading pitchers and getting jumps. Or maybe he has never had to refine his base-stealing given the level of play in Cuba or the emphasis that is placed on that facet. Going first to third or scoring from second he does look fast tho. He does look very fast in that area ... I think the jury will be out on his base stealing for quite some time. He may be rusty, he may not have developed these skills in Cuba ... and some fast guys just are never very good base stealers for a variety of reasons. It'll take a while to figure that out. But his baserunning/speed is going to play up as a plus even if he isn't a top-end base stealer with his taking the extra base often.
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Post by okin15 on Sept 28, 2014 15:37:34 GMT -5
Defensively as well, he has legs, but I didn't like the jumps he got on 2 balls hit to the OF on Wednesday (was sitting in CF front row). He made it pretty hard on himself, but his closing speed got him there.
Checcini looked awful at 3B that game (he made the one error, but also was slow to his left, and positioned himself well off the bag causing himself to miss a griner down the line.)
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Post by soxfanatic on Sept 29, 2014 15:10:02 GMT -5
Castillo posted a 0.8 WAR this season, so over a full season he's clearly a 13 WAR player
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Post by pedroelgrande on Sept 29, 2014 15:49:16 GMT -5
Its wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy SSS but one would rather he did what he did to head to an offseason with confidence. A top of the line-up with Castillo and Betts at the top could be very exciting.
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ericmvan
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Post by ericmvan on Sept 29, 2014 16:12:04 GMT -5
Castillo posted a 0.8 WAR this season, so over a full season he's clearly a 13 WAR playerLet's not get carried away -- his bWAR and WARP were both only 0.6. Combining the metrics (weighting BP's at 1/2 because the fielding component is not zone-based) and projecting to 150 games, that's only 10.2 WAR. Seriously, that little sample increases the odds that he's the 3.5 or 4.0 WAR player we're hoping for. Of course, this guy was an 8.8 WAR/150 player, at the same age, in a slightly larger sample, and had negative career WAR thereafter.
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Post by soxfanatic on Sept 29, 2014 16:13:16 GMT -5
Castillo posted a 0.8 WAR this season, so over a full season he's clearly a 13 WAR playerLet's not get carried away -- his bWAR and WARP were both only 0.6. Combining the metrics (weighting BP's at 1/2 because the fielding component is not zone-based) and projecting to 150 games, that's only 10.2 WAR. Seriously, that little sample increases the odds that he's the 3.5 or 4.0 WAR player we're hoping for. Of course, this guy was an 8.8 WAR/150 player, at the same age, in a slightly larger sample, and had negative career WAR thereafter. nvm
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nomar
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Post by nomar on Oct 10, 2014 6:17:04 GMT -5
Has anybody seen any attempt at 2015 projections for Rusney? I know it's nearly impossible to do, but it would be interesting to see.
His performance was great, but projections before his debut weren't that optimistic. Keith Law noted he doesn't use his lower body as much as you'd like to see in his swing. He seemed like a very dynamic player. Let's hope that spark turns into a flame for the future rather than a flash in the pan. If he's anything near what he looked like he could be a very good player and an absolute bargain for 6 years.
Hard to envision him not being worth his contract. 1 WAR is valued at about 6M now, and he contributes enough defensively an has the speed to at the very least be average on the basepaths even with bumps in decision making. His offense would have to be 2014 Bradley bad to not be worth his deal, and I just don't see that being the case.
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Post by jdb on Oct 14, 2014 8:52:57 GMT -5
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Post by Chris Hatfield on Oct 14, 2014 9:48:47 GMT -5
Those reads in center field will translate well when they move him to third base
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