Red Sox Offseason - Sum-up and opinions

[jsinger121]

eckstein is an overachiever. to me hes not an allstar even though he played in the allstar game. he was only there because the st. louis fans voted him on. otherwise he does not make it. pedroia would have easily been called up last season when khorn was sucking wind and would have replaced him had he not gotten hit on the wrist with a pitch in pawtucket. before you comment on pedroia make sure you see him play a game first.

[TheRivernator]

eckstein is an overachiever. to me hes not an allstar even though he played in the allstar game. he was only there because the st. louis fans voted him on. otherwise he does not make it. pedroia would have easily been called up last season when khorn was sucking wind and would have replaced him had he not gotten hit on the wrist with a pitch in pawtucket. before you comment on pedroia make sure you see him play a game first.

 

I'm not praising him or putting him down. Just reading scouting reports on him that say there are questions about his position in the future due to his size and arm strength. I am advocating that he be compared to AGon, a solid defensive SS in his own right, in ST to see if he can handle it at the MLB level. But lets not overhype the kid just yet, there is still a huge jump in his way in being able to go from AAA to the MLB...

[jsinger121]

and lets not hype up cano as a future star when he is far from it. until he gets onbase at a better clip he won't be a star.

[KeepTheFaith1229]

eckstein is an overachiever. to me hes not an allstar even though he played in the allstar game. he was only there because the st. louis fans voted him on. otherwise he does not make it. pedroia would have easily been called up last season when khorn was sucking wind and would have replaced him had he not gotten hit on the wrist with a pitch in pawtucket. before you comment on pedroia make sure you see him play a game first.

 

I love David Eckstein. NEVER say he did not deserve to be at the All Star game because he has earned everything throughout his life from a disease in his family to his size. I'm sure all his life he's been told he's too small, arm's too weak, he'll never amount to anything.

 

This guy defines the word "heart."

[jsinger121]

he may have heart but i want alot more than just heart on the field. i want alot more talent when i want someone to play one of the most important positions on the field. eckstein has been serviceable. he really should play second base instead.

[KeepTheFaith1229]

he may have heart but i want alot more than just heart on the field. i want alot more talent when i want someone to play one of the most important positions on the field. eckstein has been serviceable. he really should play second base instead.

 

Eckstein is more than just heart. Eckstein is a solid leadoff hitter with pop in his bat and a good glove in the field.

[TheRivernator]

and lets not hype up cano as a future star when he is far from it. until he gets onbase at a better clip he won't be a star.

 

where did cano come into this discussion? That is another thread bro. Also, Cano at least proved that he could handle the bigs, where Pedroia has not yet....

[jsinger121]

i would not be shocked to see a sophmore slump from cano. his ops is hardly impressive in the majors and it flat out sucked in the minors.

[Plumpamania]

i would not be shocked to see a sophmore slump from cano. his ops is hardly impressive in the majors and it flat out sucked in the minors.

 

 

My thoughts exactly. He was never impressive in the minors, and his OB sucked pretty much all throughout anything he's done.

[RedSoxRooter]

His numbers last year were exaggerated because of the lineup around him. I'd expect the same this year. He's a light hitting backup at best.

[TheRivernator]

His numbers last year were exaggerated because of the lineup around him. I'd expect the same this year. He's a light hitting backup at best.

 

he's a light hitting backup? You are a moron...

[ORS]

he's a light hitting backup? You are a moron...

And you are some genious for calling him "elite"?

[TheRivernator]

And you are some genious for calling him "elite"?

 

Basically going by numbers is what I should have said. .297 16HR and 64RBI in 3/4 of a season at 2b is stellar for that position.

 

Then again, just looked at his stats and he is about top 40%, which isnt spectacular. For his age though, one would have to think that he will get better....

[RedSoxRooter]

It was 14 HRs, I think. Alex Cora could hit 14 hrs as a lefty in Yankee stadium in that lineup. Cano strikes no fear in anyone.

[TheRivernator]

It was 14 HRs, I think. Alex Cora could hit 14 hrs as a lefty in Yankee stadium in that lineup. Cano strikes no fear in anyone.

 

He strikes fear in Wakefield

[RedSoxRooter]

Basically going by numbers.

 

Where did you get these "numbers" anyway. He didn't play "3/4" of the season. More like 5/6 of the season. He had 522 AB and played 132 games.

 

And if the one pitcher you think he owns is a knuckleball pitcher, congrats!

[TheRivernator]

Where did you get these "numbers" anyway. He didn't play "3/4" of the season. More like 5/6 of the season. He had 522 AB and played 132 games.

 

And if the one pitcher you think he owns is a knuckleball pitcher, congrats!

 

He's a yankee he must suck!!!!! I'd rather have Mark Loretta and his sub .700 OPS!!! Wahoooooooooooooo. Your rose colored glasses are making you sound like an idiott....

[KeepTheFaith1229]

He's a yankee he must suck!!!!! I'd rather have Mark Loretta and his sub .700 OPS!!! Wahoooooooooooooo. Your rose colored glasses are making you sound like an idiott....

 

Stop acting like everyone is a homer except for you when you practically define the word homer.

 

Nobody said Cano sucks, and Loretta will definitely not have a sub .700 OPS.

[jsinger121]

he is over .700 for his career and he is not a homerun hitter so his ops won't be as high as some but his career BA is .301 and i will take all the doubles that he brings.

[TheRivernator]

Stop acting like everyone is a homer except for you when you practically define the word homer.

 

Nobody said Cano sucks, and Loretta will definitely not have a sub .700 OPS.

 

someone said that he would be a light hitting backup infielder. Nothin like the completely unrealistic homer....

[TheRivernator]

he is over .700 for his career and he is not a homerun hitter so his ops won't be as high as some but his career BA is .301 and i will take all the doubles that he brings.

 

he is also mid thirties and coming off a pretty significant injury. Injury plus age plus significant statistical dropoff makes skepticism a good policy. Would I be surprised if he comes back to some semblance of his former self, no, but would I expect it, absolutely not.....

[jsinger121]

i never seen a bigger ballwasher such as yourself.......i can't wait til cano comes back to earth because frankly i don' think that he is that good.

[ksushi]

I do, no offense or anything but I agree with you otherwise. Don't let Rivertool speak for Yankees fans, most aren't *******s and most of my yanks friends and i can have a solid debate and enjoy it rather than get pissed off and just claim that every member of the yankees is going to hit 330 and knock 40 homers.

 

Cano will be real good. His defense will suck, and he isn't the next Soriano or anything but he will be very good. I agree with you though, Rivernator

[seabeachfred]

Anyone who is dumb enough to believe that the human sieve Robinson Cano is a better ballplayer than Mark Loretta ought to have what passes for his head examined. Loretta is still young enough to have three or four more good seasons in him, is a 300 hitter, a sure fielder, and a class act. Cano is none of these things.

[Plumpamania]

Here's the thing. I've posted his minor league numbers and his MLB debut season. Never ever has he shown to have any shread of plate discipline. Without that you aren't a good hitter (for the most part). Unless he becomes Vlad Guerrero with his ability to swing away and swing for power, then he is pretty much an average ballplayer.

 

One ballplayer that comes to mind when I think of Cano is Tony Bautista. Is Bautista a great player?

[riverside sluggers]

Foxsports round-up of players on their new respected teams

 

Boston Red Sox

Coco Crisp finally inked a deal to patrol the center field space formally occupied by Johnny Damon. Crisp appears on the verge of a breakout campaign, not that his accomplishments in '05 were smallish by any means. But, look for some of those 42 doubles he clubbed last year to clear the short porch in right at Fenway. The only somewhat disconcerting stat on his sheet from '05 was that he attempted only six steals after the break. Boston isn't historically a running team, so you may see his SB total stay in the 15-20 range. And that's just fine if 10 more balls find the seats. He's going in the fifth or sixth round of early drafts.

 

Josh Beckett got dealt from the Marlins after starting a career-high 29 games and winning 15 games. Fantasy owners are hoping that he'll be able to notch his first season of 30-plus starts with the Red Sox in '06, putting those injury-plagued seasons further in the rearview mirror. However, past soreness in his shoulder and missed starts should push him down an extra round or two in your draft, as cautious owners will look elsewhere. The run support he received in Florida will no doubt be matched by the middle of the Red Sox lineup, and he's got the goods to reach toward the 18-20 win total.

 

Alex Gonzalez won't be confused with Nomar Garciaparra in his prime, but he has shown to posses some pop in the past. The Red Sox are banking that he can put the elbow woes that caused a power outage of 2005 behind him, and get back to driving the ball as he did in '03 and '04 (41 homers over two years with 156 RBI). He's not one to get on base (.291 lifetime OBP) and he doesn't swipe bases, so he'll come at a great discount. Gonzalez fits nicely in the later rounds if you miss out on the top shortstops early, particularly batting in the Red Sox lineup.

 

Mark Loretta missed about one-third of the season, but dropped off tremendously from his brilliance in '03 and '04. He hit only three home runs in 105 games, and watched his average drop 55 points from his '04 dominance. Loretta will look to regain his doubles stroke from '04 (47) and slap balls off the Green Monster. His drop-off in performance may scare owners off in drafts this spring, as some believe he's reverted to his pre-2003 efforts. Facing AL pitching and getting out of PETCO can only prove to be a positive. Go bargain hunting.

 

Mike Lowell would like nothing better than to forget last year's disastrous season. He'd become one of the benchmarks at third base, a safe pick among an ever-changing rotation of players. Lowell had averaged 22 HRs and 86 RBI in the previous six years, and only turns 32 later this month. Forget about the fact that he hovered around the Mendoza Line for much of the first half, this guy is a prime contender for comeback player honors. You don't suddenly forget how to hit at 31. This isn't Mackey Sasser or Chuck Knoblauch tossing to first. He'll get back on track this year.

[He Hate Me]

Anyone who is dumb enough to believe that the human sieve Robinson Cano is a better ballplayer than Mark Loretta ought to have what passes for his head examined. Loretta is still young enough to have three or four more good seasons in him, is a 300 hitter, a sure fielder, and a class act. Cano is none of these things.

 

interesting analysis.

[Americal Man]

Going to be fun watching coco fit in. might even see some hit-and-run plays if loretta can handle the bat after his injury. Then come the maulers. gonna be a great year to be a red sox fan.....

[Americal Man]

cano will be pitched to differently this year now that there is a sample of what he swings at and how he reacts in different situations. they always find a weakness.

[He Hate Me]

cano will be pitched to differently this year now that there is a sample of what he swings at and how he reacts in different situations. they always find a weakness.

 

he batted .381 with a 1.040 OPS in September after putting up a ghastly .207 BA and .513 OPS in August. I'd say he was able to make some adjustments.