David Hamilton Optioned To Worcester In Anticipation Of Alex Bregman Returning From Injury

Mayer should still get everyday ABs. No need to platoon him. FT 2B.

Romy-Toro platoon at 1B.

Ref-Yoshida platoon at DH.

The tough question is OF:

Duran LF

Rafaela CF

Abreu RF v R

Anthony RF v L and maybe some CF vs R and LF v L & R, some DH. Just not enough ABs for him.

We should make a trade, this weekend.

5 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Mayer should still get everyday ABs. No need to platoon him. FT 2B.

Romy-Toro platoon at 1B.

Ref-Yoshida platoon at DH.

The tough question is OF:

Duran LF

Rafaela CF

Abreu RF v R

Anthony RF v L and maybe some CF vs R and LF v L & R, some DH. Just not enough ABs for him.

We should make a trade, this weekend.

 

I agree entirely with respect to Mayer.  I’m flummoxed how it could have even been a discussion point about which of these two guys was going to be optioned back to Worcester.  Mayer should start play and stay.  

7 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

The tough question is OF:

Duran LF

Rafaela CF

Abreu RF v R

Anthony RF v L and maybe some CF vs R and LF v L & R, some DH. Just not enough ABs for him.

We should make a trade, this weekend.

There's no question regarding Anthony; he'll play every day.

The real question since last winter (at least on this board): if the Red Sox trade an outfielder, will it be Duran or Abreu?

All three have their share of strikeouts with K-rates over 23%, but while Anthony adjusts to big league pitchers and umpires (egomaniacs who need to show rookies who's in charge), he doesn't chase. Duran can't lay off high fastballs, while Abreu flails at lefty sliders.

But all have talents that can help a team win, and I wouldn't trade any of them now unless it's for equivalent talent that fills other holes for a postseason drive this year.

3 hours ago, cp176 said:

I agree entirely with respect to Mayer.  I’m flummoxed how it could have even been a discussion point about which of these two guys was going to be optioned back to Worcester.  Mayer should start play and stay.  

I think the only way Mayer would be optioned is if Romy became the everyday 2b, which makes some sense while he’s hot but certainly not long term.  Hamilton is the smart move.

I agree in letting Mayer play every day and keeping the platoons at 1b and RF…

6 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

It feels right now like Romy is too hot to bench and that plus Yoshida and Breg returning, Toro is about to get squeezed.

Toro might get squeezed, but no one coming back has played 1b…

4 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

No, anything but squeezing out Toro!

He's been so good for the past month!

Hey I’ve been advocating (somewhat) for 4’3” Andrew Vaughn.

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/andrew-vaughn-683734?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb

9 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Well, right now his problem is Romy (vs righties). Also, its not like Devers is the only guy who can be told to work on 1b.

Duran should have been already IMO.  He’s a lousy outfielder and a former infielder.  
 

13 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Why not Yoshida then? Why not Duran?

Yoshida at 1b?

He’s like 5’1”!

I actually did advocate for Duran.  But for a while it looked like 4’2” Andrew Vaughn was an easy and possibly undervalued trade target from a tanking team.  But he has since moved on to a team that felt similarly.

I think by the end of the month the Sox will trade Duran and acquire a full time starting 1b. And these will probably be two separate moves…

11 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Mayer should still get everyday ABs. No need to platoon him. FT 2B.

Romy-Toro platoon at 1B.

Ref-Yoshida platoon at DH.

The tough question is OF:

Duran LF

Rafaela CF

Abreu RF v R

Anthony RF v L and maybe some CF vs R and LF v L & R, some DH. Just not enough ABs for him.

We should make a trade, this weekend.

 

Pretty much what you've said all along.  I say trade Duran, not Abreu, but am happy to let Breslow figure it out.  Abreu is 3 yrs younger, a better outfielder, and a better hitter.  Duran's speed and daring make him more fun to watch.  

To date the Sox have surprisingly (to me) hit lefties better than righties, OPS .797 vs. .748.  But they have 2323 AB's vs righties and just 964 vs lefties.  

All 4 Rays starters this week are righties and the Sox individual OPS's vs righties are:  Yoshida 2.333, Bregman .915, Duran .849, Abreu .849, Anthony .831, Toro .816, Mayer .770, Rafaela .761, Narvaez .748, Gonzalez .713, Story .681, Refsnyder .650, Wong .334.  

We know Rafaela is an everyday player, so it's interesting that Duran, Abreu, and Anthony have very similar OPS's vs righties.  Yoshida's one game OPS makes it even trickier.  

Last night the Sox 4 hits were:  1 by Anthony, 1 by Mayer, and 2 by Rafaela.  

1 hour ago, Soxlover said:

Romy should platoon 1B as Toro should not play v L..

I’m 100% for Mayer FT at 2B. Romy could rest Mayer a game or two vs L. It’s Anthony’s playing time that is  complicated.

I think both Cora and Breslow want Anthony to play every day.  If Ref/Yoshida own DH and Rafaela owns CF, that means Duran or Abreu drops out.   In just 28 games Anthony's WAR is already +1.1.  

24 minutes ago, notin said:

Yoshida at 1b?

He’s like 5’1”!

I actually did advocate for Duran.  But for a while it looked like 4’2” Andrew Vaughn was an easy and possibly undervalued trade target from a tanking team.  But he has since moved on to a team that felt similarly.

I think by the end of the month the Sox will trade Duran and acquire a full time starting 1b. And these will probably be two separate moves…

I see absolutely no need for a full time 1b when the biggest need is pitching.  Toro/Gonzalez have been a godsend replacing Casas, who stunk for 29 games.  

For that matter, I'm also against dumping Wong.  His hitting stinks, but his defense is good, he knows this pitching staff, and he only plays in 1/3 of the games.  

37 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

I see absolutely no need for a full time 1b when the biggest need is pitching.  Toro/Gonzalez have been a godsend replacing Casas, who stunk for 29 games.  

For that matter, I'm also against dumping Wong.  His hitting stinks, but his defense is good, he knows this pitching staff, and he only plays in 1/3 of the games.  

Toro has not been a godsend of late, and his history and BABIP strongly suggest he will not be one again anytime soon.  Romy is insanely hot right now, but again, reality will set in.  I’d think a 1b is likely.

Im not sure why “pitching is the biggest need” matters.  It’s not like MLB only allows teams to make a limited number of deadline trades.  And any prospect dealt for a rental 1b probably wouldn’t bring back a pitcher anyone wanted anyway.  It feels more like a way to deflect unwanted conversations…

3 hours ago, notin said:

Toro has not been a godsend of late, and his history and BABIP strongly suggest he will not be one again anytime soon.  Romy is insanely hot right now, but again, reality will set in.  I’d think a 1b is likely.

Im not sure why “pitching is the biggest need” matters.  It’s not like MLB only allows teams to make a limited number of deadline trades.  And any prospect dealt for a rental 1b probably wouldn’t bring back a pitcher anyone wanted anyway.  It feels more like a way to deflect unwanted conversations…

The Sox have been hitting well with Gonzalez/Toro at 1b and without Bregman or Devers.  

The Giants, meanwhile, have taken on Devers big salary so far have very little to show for it.

The Sox have 13 lineup players and all are contributing--even Wong with his lousy hitting but good defense and knowledge of the pitching staff.

The Sox have 13 pitchers, and at least 5 are not contributing.  

There has been no talk of Duran at 1B, and as far as I know, no practice there.

If he could just play one notch above Casas' D at 1B and near what Toro is giving us, it would solve a major roster/line-up issue and keep our line up strong and deep.

It makes too much sense to happen. (It took us 5 years to force the issue on Devers, then we botched it.)

1. Duran 1B v R/ LF v L

2. Bregman 3B

3. Abreu v R (RF)/Romy v L (1B)

4. Story SS

5. Anthony LF v R/RF v L

6. Narvaez C

7. Yoshida v L (DH)/ Refsnyder v L (DH)

8. Mayer 2B

9. Rafaela CF

8 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

There has been no talk of Duran at 1B, and as far as I know, no practice there.

If he could just play one notch above Casas' D at 1B and near what Toro is giving us, it would solve a major roster/line-up issue and keep our line up strong and deep.

It makes too much sense to happen. (It took us 5 years to force the issue on Devers, then we botched it.)

1. Duran 1B v R/ LF v L

2. Bregman 3B

3. Abreu v R (RF)/Romy v L (1B)

4. Story SS

5. Anthony LF v R/RF v L

6. Narvaez C

7. Yoshida v L (DH)/ Refsnyder v L (DH)

8. Mayer 2B

9. Rafaela CF

The talk of Duran to 1b, while a good idea, appears to have originated on this board.  I don’t think the Sox have any such intentions…

26 minutes ago, notin said:

The talk of Duran to 1b, while a good idea, appears to have originated on this board.  I don’t think the Sox have any such intentions…

I agree. They'd have tried it, by now, if they had any hopes he could fill the 1B role while loosening up the OF logjam with one move.