Sox offensive predictions

[ksushi]

Huh? He was traded to Cleveland.

 

I was talking about his predictions, it has coco crisp and guillermo mota as Red Sox.

 

I definetly think .270 something for Loretta is a joke though, great average hitter and I think that the whole league change affecting how a player plays is overrated. Its used as an excuse sometimes for players who have down years, but really, I don't think its anything more than that, an excuse. For pitchers it might mean something, but I think if anything for a hitter being in an unfamiliar environment is nothing but a plus. Pitchers get used to hitters, not the other way around, but remember, pitchers get some pretty indepth scouting reports on these guys so by the time they finish reading them a guy they have never met before all of a sudden feels like their long lost brother. They probably even know if the guy has any odd birthmarks.

 

Loretta is a great average hitter, he'll probably keep being that despite a league change. Just wondering though, since I can't seem to think of any, who besides rent-a-wreck had a big down year with the bat after changing leagues? I know Sheff was fine, Nomar didn't seem to bothered, but I'm sure I'm overlooking a few guys cause its like 6 in the morning.

 

I just think its overrated, a .300 hitter is a .300 hitter. Baseball is a game of adjustments and more adjustments, if he has managed to hit .300 for his career hes pretty good at making adjustments at the plate.

[He Hate Me]

IMO, I think some of you guys are setting yourselves up to start hating Loretta the minute he goes through a period of adjustment. I'm not trying to say he's a bad player, just that your expectations of him are setting yourselves up for a "Loretta sucks" thread or some equivalent of it in April.

[seabeachfred]

I'll tell you guys this: I had better not hear of any "Loretta sucks" nonsense. The guy is a solid and classy ballplayer who knows how to play the game and be a greate teammate. He will do just fine---and after Renteria last season just about anybody would be an improvement in the middle of the Red Sox infield.

[riverside sluggers]

IMO, I think some of you guys are setting yourselves up to start hating Loretta the minute he goes through a period of adjustment. I'm not trying to say he's a bad player, just that your expectations of him are setting yourselves up for a "Loretta sucks" thread or some equivalent of it in April.

 

How is thinking he would have a batting avg around 300 set us up for to start hating him?

[He Hate Me]

How is thinking he would have a batting avg around 300 set us up for to start hating him?

 

What if he struggles? or has an injury of some sort? There werent too many people happy with manny when he had his slow start, and he's probably the best righty hitter in baseball.

[riverside sluggers]

Any player on any team can have an injury of some sort. What if Damon's shoulder acts up more?

 

You heard it here first Sox fans, stop being optimistic and admit he'll come limping out of the gate.

[He Hate Me]

Any player on any team can have an injury of some sort. What if Damon's shoulder acts up more?

 

You heard it here first Sox fans, stop being optimistic and admit he'll come limping out of the gate.

 

There's a difference between optimistic which ould be "I hope Loretta hits .300 because I think he's proven he can" and setting yourself up for a fall "I know Loretta is gonna hit .300 because he's always been a .300 hitter so he'll definetely hit .300 again"

 

And if Damon gets hurt, I won't be surprised. He's a Yankee FA, I've learned to expect injuries from our big signings.

[riverside sluggers]

Hey Im just defending my boy, he is setting up to be a improvement over rnt in the 2 hole.

 

I know this is said a lot on here. But no consideration can be tagged that he's moving to a new ballpark that heavily favors his style of stroke?

[MC Hammer]

Also add in the fact that he's hitting infront of Manny, and Papi.

[He Hate Me]

Hey Im just defending my boy, he is setting up to be a improvement over rnt in the 2 hole.

 

I know this is said a lot on here. But no consideration can be tagged that he's moving to a new ballpark that heavily favors his style of stroke?

 

Right now I think Loretta will bat aorund .290 or probably higher. MC Hammer makes a helluva point about hitting in front of Ortiz and Manny, and you're right about Fenway. I'm just saying, it's a new place for him to live, everything's new, most people have an adjustment period that they go through. I don't know if Mark is one of those people, but I would assume he would need a few weeks to get used to things before turning into the lifetime .301 hitter he is.

 

I just think that with the tone of some people, they expect Mark to hit .300 right off the bat and remain that way for every month, when he could possibly bat .175 in April and wind up hitting .450 in September to baalnce things out.

[ClayBuchholzIsDaFuture]

My Predictions

 

Crisp = .312 / 19hr / 76 rbi / 26 sb / .352 obp / .483 slg /

 

Loretta= .304 / 11hr / 87 rbi / 4 sb / .389 obp / .502 slg /

 

Manny= .329 / 42 hr / 139 rbi / 0 sb / .406 obp / .612 slg/

 

Ortiz= .308 / 44hr / 147 rbi / 0 sb / .384 obp / .596 slg /

 

Varitek= .291 / 17 hr / 81 rbi / 6 sb / .372 obp / .491 slg /

 

Trot= .301 / 24 hr / 82 rbi / 3 sb / 363 obp / .494 slg /

 

Lowell= .271 / 22 hr / 85 rbi / 5 sb / .334 obp / .419 slg /

 

Youk= .284 / 14 hr / 73 rbi / 1 sb / .387 obp / .403 slg /

 

Alex Gonzalez= .262 / 16 hr / 4 sb / .326 obp / .431 slg /

[seabeachfred]

Riverside, mark my words. You will like Loretta and think we 95% of the time we got a deal of the year in getting him. The other 5% of the time you will be cursing your fool head off as you wonder why we have a stiff catching Wakefield when we had the best reserve catcher in baseball handling his pitches. I guess you have to give up talent to get talent. I don't know when Mirabelli becomes a FA but I sure would love to see him back in Red Sox red as soon as we can make it happen.

[seabeachfred]

Yankee man, I despise Johnny Damon for what he did to Red Sox Nation, but in no way to I want any physical hurt to come to him. My wish is that he stay completely healthy and still have a crappy year as far as playing goes. I never wish anyone physical harm but having four miserable years with this new team? Well, that would be music to my ears.

[seabeachfred]

Clay, if you weren't a Red Sox nut like me I would say you are full of @#$% with those predictions, but if you turned out to be right I might just be tempted to fly cross country just to give you a big hug and the greatest dinner you ever had, wine and all. Look, if those are the stats our players get this year I can tell you we'll be in the World Series. Our pitching should be very much improved over last year, especially in the bullpen, and that is one hell of hitting machine you put up there.

[seabeachfred]

KS, hold your ground on that one because you are absolutely right. I think too many of our Red Sox buddies on this board and others have been so traumatized by Renteria's stinking performance last season that now many of us think anyone coming over from the other league is going to take eons to make the adjustment. Loretta is a completely different bird than Rent-a-Wreck. Loretta would be at home at Fenway, Harvard Yard, or the Kennedy School of Govt. He is a complete package of talent and class.

[riverside sluggers]

Riverside, mark my words. You will like Loretta and think we 95% of the time we got a deal of the year in getting him. The other 5% of the time you will be cursing your fool head off as you wonder why we have a stiff catching Wakefield when we had the best reserve catcher in baseball handling his pitches. I guess you have to give up talent to get talent. I don't know when Mirabelli becomes a FA but I sure would love to see him back in Red Sox red as soon as we can make it happen.

 

Mirabelli is a free agent after this season

[He Hate Me]

KS, hold your ground on that one because you are absolutely right. I think too many of our Red Sox buddies on this board and others have been so traumatized by Renteria's stinking performance last season that now many of us think anyone coming over from the other league is going to take eons to make the adjustment. Loretta is a completely different bird than Rent-a-Wreck. Loretta would be at home at Fenway, Harvard Yard, or the Kennedy School of Govt. He is a complete package of talent and class.

 

I submit to the jury, aka Riverside Sluggers, Exhibition #1 of my previous posts

[riverside sluggers]

Okkk but he's saying that he thinks Loretta will not struggle out of the gate, which is my belief as well. Its cool, you have your opinion, and I have mine.

 

EDIT: I will give you bragging rights if Loretta has a batting avg of below .275 in April

[ksushi]

IMO, I think some of you guys are setting yourselves up to start hating Loretta the minute he goes through a period of adjustment. I'm not trying to say he's a bad player, just that your expectations of him are setting yourselves up for a "Loretta sucks" thread or some equivalent of it in April.

 

I hope this wasn't directed at me, cause that isn't what I do. I do understand the game and the players in it. If he does through a peroid of adjustment, you won't see a Loretta sucks thread from me. Nor would you have ever seen a Renteria sucks thread from me last year, or a Millar sucks thread. Wouldn't happen.

[god is a redsox FAN]

4 posts in a row..... couldn't you have just put them as one big post??

[example1]

2006 PECOTA cards are out for this year on baseballprospectus.com

 

It's a subscription site, so I can't help you there, but BOY do they like Pedroia. I know I posted it here elsewhere, but to see his stats along side their probability data and some of his forecasts, WOW. Good for us!

[seabeachfred]

Hey R Slugger, what do you say if he both ask the Red Sox to just go for it and get Doug back where he belongs? The Padres apparently think he is still a reserve type catcher since they got Piazza and have a young catcher ready. Hell, if I were Doug I would much rather be in Boston with our maniac fans than those laid back boring fans in Dago.

[riverside sluggers]

True, I wouldnt mind hearing that the Sox end up trading Wells to San Diego, getting Mirabelli back here. But Kevin Towers is being adamant that we take on the 40 year old erratic Woody Williams. Which is a big reason I believe the talks between the two teams have died down.

[kreinbihl34]

Woody Williams would spend the year in AAA for the sox...

[Cityofchampions33]

Yeah, it's been known that they keep aksin the Sox to take on his humungo salary and basically let him rot in AAA.