Argenis Diaz: in Sox future at SS?

[Dojji]

Scouting report in a nutshell: 21 year old SS with a fantastic glove and a light bat. Could use to draw some walks, makes decent contact, not really much power to speak of.

He's your basic "defend a lot, hit enough not to embarrass the team" player and would probably draw some fire in Boston for the lack of hitting, but by all accounts the glove is real and is at the major league level right now. If the consensus is that with a bit of experience the hitting might come around Diaz could make something of himself.

I guarantee you every Sox fan forum in the world would spend every single offseason Diaz spent in Boston arguing between the defensive spectrum folks making points about how he made the pitching better and fans who watch baseball for the offense trying to figure out how to get a SS who can hit.

My question here is basically that: do you see Diaz playing a role in Boston's future or is the guy just not a fit in a town that demands that all of its position players swing the bat well?

[ORS]

The offense / defense argument comes down to opportunity. The slickest, rangiest fielding SS doesn't get enough balls hit his way to offset a noodle bat. The lwts run value of single is about .45 runs. The best short stops crank out 50+ VORP seasons with regularity through their prime. That means, if Mr Noodle bat is going to equate their value while hitting at a replacement level, then he's going to have to get to 100+ more balls in the field --- don't see that happening.

This team has a lot of resources, they shouldn't have to endure settling for a player with demonstrated deficiencies. If he's truly spectacular in the field, and if he can hit league average-ish, that's one thing. If he comes up with boiled Barilla in his hands, it just won't suffice.

[jacksonianmarch]

I have been having the same argument with yankee fans on pinstripes plus about Ramiro Pena. He has a plus glove and plus range but projects to hit .250-.270 with no power. Unless your rotation is 5 deep with sinkerballers, you'd be taking the hit there.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Better chance Casey Kelly will be the future SS

[jacksonianmarch]

Casey Kelly is raw. But his raw tools project to be very very solid, while Diaz' raw tools project him as a utility guy.

[Coco's Disciples]

I like Jed. He'll improve upon last year. But we'll see on Diaz.

[Gom]

Who the hell is Ramiro Pena?

[CrespoBlows]

I didn't know scaffolds was posting on the board again.

No more Alex Gonzalez's. Get a SS that can do both. Furcal, maybe?

[Dojji]

Uggh, don't get me started about Scaffolds. If I hear him get all dreamy eyed over Alex Cora ONE MORE STINKIN' TIME...

We've met in another forum. If he was ever a scout, I'm glad he's not working for the team right now. He's apparently in the "we lost because we didn't have Manny in the lineup" camp as well. Thinks that we don't have a cleanup hitter despite Youk's 29 HR's. Should come as no surprise that he also wants to sign Teixeira. What a nit.

[Boris]

casey kelly IS raw