Red Sox Acquire Joey Gathright

[Gosawks]

The Red Sox have acquired speedy outfielder Joey Gathright from the Orioles, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com. Baltimore with receive either a player to be named later or cash considerations in the deal. He will head to Triple-A Pawtucket initially.

 

Gathright got into 20 games with the Cubs earlier this year, but he has spent the majority of the season with Baltimore's Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk. He's a career .262-.327-.303 hitter in the big leagues.

 

Hmmm...this could spell the end of Rocco's time in Boston. Gathright has speed, that's for sure. He'll be a great option to pinch run in the late innings.

[Dipre]

The Red Sox have acquired speedy outfielder Joey Gathright from the Orioles, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com. Baltimore with receive either a player to be named later or cash considerations in the deal. He will head to Triple-A Pawtucket initially.

 

Gathright got into 20 games with the Cubs earlier this year, but he has spent the majority of the season with Baltimore's Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk. He's a career .262-.327-.303 hitter in the big leagues.

 

Hmmm...this could spell the end of Rocco's time in Boston. Gathright has speed, that's for sure. He'll be a great option to pinch run in the late innings.

 

What in heaven's name are you talking about?

[Spudboy]

The Red Sox have acquired speedy outfielder Joey Gathright from the Orioles, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com. Baltimore with receive either a player to be named later or cash considerations in the deal. He will head to Triple-A Pawtucket initially.

 

Gathright got into 20 games with the Cubs earlier this year, but he has spent the majority of the season with Baltimore's Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk. He's a career .262-.327-.303 hitter in the big leagues.

Hmmm...this could spell the end of Rocco's time in Boston. Gathright has speed, that's for sure. He'll be a great option to pinch run in the late innings.

 

Ummm....No.

 

Gathright has world class speed but little else. He is a 1 tool player. He was quite promising when he came up with Tampa but never learned how to hit or get on base is any way.

He has never stolen more than 22 bases in any season because of this.

 

And no one keeps a guy on the team for pinch running purposes anymore. The Finley experiment crashed and burned.

[a700hitter]

Gathright was acquired because they need another OFer. Baldelli can't go every day if one of the starters goes down for a while. Gathright is a good fielding OFer and has exceptional base running speed (if he can manage to get on base).

[Cocos Disciples]

Will he be on the 40 man roster?

[a700hitter]

Will he be on the 40 man roster?

Doesn't he have to be if he is playing for the Sox?

[Cocos Disciples]

Yes, but he's going to Pawtucket. I do assume, however, that he will be added to the 40 man and called up when the rosters expand.

[lesterkett]

If nothing else he could "jump" start the Sox!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cySfw8f0beg

[Gosawks]

Ummm....No.

 

Gathright has world class speed but little else. He is a 1 tool player. He was quite promising when he came up with Tampa but never learned how to hit or get on base is any way.

He has never stolen more than 22 bases in any season because of this.

 

And no one keeps a guy on the team for pinch running purposes anymore. The Finley experiment crashed and burned.

 

What was Dave Roberts have for then? He certainly wasn't an on base machine and what other tool did he have other then his speed and defense? There basically the same players and serve the same purpose. Defensive replacement and pinch runner and insurance if someoen gets hurt. Baldelli can't play everyday because of his medical condition and this would be an option if someone were to go down with an injury.

[Spudboy]

What was Dave Roberts have for then? He certainly wasn't an on base machine and what other tool did he have other then his speed and defense? There basically the same players and serve the same purpose. Defensive replacement and pinch runner and insurance if someoen gets hurt. Baldelli can't play everyday because of his medical condition and this would be an option if someone were to go down with an injury.

 

A lucid, well thought out rebuttal.

 

Your post made it sound like Rocco would be replaced by Gathright.

 

I like both players. Christ, I remember when they were teammates. He does bring athleticism

and that is always good. I just don't think that it is a big move or upgrade. OK?

[RWTP24]

I see him being more of a PR at the end of games. Baldelli is a way better OF.

[Christian Snyder]

Does anyone know what player(s) the Sox traded to get him or how much Money the Sox spent to get him?:dunno: The only thing he'll be useful for is being a PR.

[Dojji]

I think you guys are selling Gathright short. It's not like he never hit at any level. It hasn't translated to the big leagues, but he did have good plate discipline in the minors. He's only 27, so it isn't like there's no upside here. Granted it's a long shot, but it's a long shot that will keep him in someone's uniform for a few more years at least.

 

I think Gathright's biggest problem is that he just doesn't even have show me power. Even a light hitting speedster needs to be able to rap a ball into the gaps on a semi consistent basis to be effective. Gathright doesn't even have that and his AVG shows it

[SoxSport]

Joey is probably the best outfielder in Pawtucket right now, from what I've seen. All their prospects seem to be below AAA. Good insurance if something happens to Ellsbury.

[jsc1973]

I don't know what to think of Gathright, to be honest. He's always hit in the minors, but never follows through in the majors, and God knows he had chances in K.C.

 

He has speed to burn, but his stealing technique is poor. He ran wild on minor league catchers, not so much in the bigs.

 

I suspect the Red Sox see a lot of Otis Nixon in this guy. Nixon never did anything in the majors until he got to an organization that believed in him and gave him a chance to do something other than pinch-run for the lumbering catcher or first baseman. It's easy for me to envision Gathright doing what Nixon did.

[SCM33]

I don't know what to think of Gathright, to be honest. He's always hit in the minors, but never follows through in the majors, and God knows he had chances in K.C.

 

He has speed to burn, but his stealing technique is poor. He ran wild on minor league catchers, not so much in the bigs.

 

I suspect the Red Sox see a lot of Otis Nixon in this guy. Nixon never did anything in the majors until he got to an organization that believed in him and gave him a chance to do something other than pinch-run for the lumbering catcher or first baseman. It's easy for me to envision Gathright doing what Nixon did.

 

Good comparison, but I doubt Gathright ever gets a chance to do what Nixon did. The game has changed so much since Nixons career. There are not that many of those types in the league anymore who play everyday. Pierre comes to mind as a small ball speedster but even he has had to fight critics, plus hes head and heels better than Nixon and Gathright as he finds ways of getting on base and using his god given speed. I dont think Gathright will ever find a role much more than PR.

[example1]

Good comparison' date=' but I doubt Gathright ever gets a chance to do what Nixon did. The game has changed so much since Nixons career. There are not that many of those types in the league anymore who play everyday. Pierre comes to mind as a small ball speedster but even he has had to fight critics, plus hes head and heels better than Nixon and Gathright as he finds ways of getting on base and using his god given speed. I dont think Gathright will ever find a role much more than PR.[/quote']

 

Pretty much agree with you here.

 

Gathright is in the Nook Logan mold. Juan Pierre is insulted, insulted that his name has been tarnished by being compared to Joey Gathright. Juan Pierre probably prefers being compared to Willie McGee.

 

Long story short, Gathright is insurance on the insurance and he can pinch run potentially in the playoffs.

[jsc1973]

Good comparison' date=' but I doubt Gathright ever gets a chance to do what Nixon did. The game has changed so much since Nixons career. There are not that many of those types in the league anymore who play everyday. Pierre comes to mind as a small ball speedster but even he has had to fight critics, plus hes head and heels better than Nixon and Gathright as he finds ways of getting on base and using his god given speed. I dont think Gathright will ever find a role much more than PR.[/quote']

 

I agree with you there. It's a lot harder for a player like this to establish themselves today. In 1991, Nixon could hit .290 and steal a ton of bases and that was enough. Today, you can't be that kind of player and really help a team unless you hit .320. Heck, even Ichiro has his critics, and he's a lifetime .330 hitter with 8-15 dingers a year.

 

Scott Podsednik is another player in this mold who's managed to have a career, but in my opinion, he's played a lot more in the majors than his skills have justified. I'd have him for a fourth outfielder, but the White Sox have been plain crazy to play him so much.

[SCM33]

I agree with you there. It's a lot harder for a player like this to establish themselves today. In 1991, Nixon could hit .290 and steal a ton of bases and that was enough. Today, you can't be that kind of player and really help a team unless you hit .320. Heck, even Ichiro has his critics, and he's a lifetime .330 hitter with 8-15 dingers a year.

 

Scott Podsednik is another player in this mold who's managed to have a career, but in my opinion, he's played a lot more in the majors than his skills have justified. I'd have him for a fourth outfielder, but the White Sox have been plain crazy to play him so much.

 

Ichiro has zero critics. Hes a first ballot HOF. Who knows what he would have done if he played his whole career in the US. Pete Rose would prob be #2 all time in hits if Ichiro played his whole career here. If Ichiro wanted to sacrifice his own style of play, he prob could have hit 20 HR a year, not to mention if he played in the 80's, hed average 80-90 SBs a year with his OB skills. He is also prob one of the all time best fielding outfielders who could average 25+ OF assists if runners werent terrified of his cannon. Ichiro, had he played his whole career in the US, would be one of the games best players ever. Had he played in the earlier decades, he would have been the last hitter to bat .400. Ichiro is a baseball machine who I wish played on this side of the US so I could see how great he was. He will collect his 2000th hit in under 10 seasons, good lord.

 

With Posednick, I see your comparison.

[Dipre]

Ichiro has zero critics. Hes a first ballot HOF. Who knows what he would have done if he played his whole career in the US. Pete Rose would prob be #2 all time in hits if Ichiro played his whole career here. If Ichiro wanted to sacrifice his own style of play, he prob could have hit 20 HR a year, not to mention if he played in the 80's, hed average 80-90 SBs a year with his OB skills. He is also prob one of the all time best fielding outfielders who could average 25+ OF assists if runners werent terrified of his cannon. Ichiro, had he played his whole career in the US, would be one of the games best players ever. Had he played in the earlier decades, he would have been the last hitter to bat .400. Ichiro is a baseball machine who I wish played on this side of the US so I could see how great he was. He will collect his 2000th hit in under 10 seasons, good lord.

 

With Posednick, I see your comparison.

 

I think what he meant is that some "Moneyball" people say Ichiro is overrated because his OB skills depend solely on his BA.

 

No one here is criticizing him, but it has been said.

[Dojji]

I do think that with the right hitting coach, Gathright can still figure it out. All he really needs to do is hit the ball on a line a bit more often and get it into the outfield. He needs to retool his swing almost completely though, and probably do it in very limited chances. That makes the chances he actually pulls it off pretty infinitesimal. Still worth a look on a no-downside pickup.

 

Some old-tymey coach did this kid a huge injustice by giving him Lou Brown advice. Infielders have gotten much better over the last few decades. You can't just hit it on the ground and leg it out no matter how fast you are.

[Dipre]

I do think that with the right hitting coach' date=' Gathright can still make it.[/quote']

 

0 power.

 

None.

[Dojji]

Granted, but he does still have half decent bat speed and he could manufacture some power with his legs if he could learn to hit the ball on a line and find gaps with it.

 

I'm not saying the guy doesn't need to try a radically different approach to be effective, but he still has the raw tools to be a successful major leaguer.

[Gosawks]

A lucid, well thought out rebuttal.

 

Your post made it sound like Rocco would be replaced by Gathright.

 

I like both players. Christ, I remember when they were teammates. He does bring athleticism

and that is always good. I just don't think that it is a big move or upgrade. OK?

 

Me either but I do think he could make a contribution in the later innings with his speed on the basepaths. I certainly dont want to see Clay Buchholz pinch running again and this will preclude any of that.

[CrespoBlows]

I think what he meant is that some "Moneyball" people say Ichiro is overrated because his OB skills depend solely on his BA.

 

No one here is criticizing him, but it has been said.

 

I think he was getting the majority of criticism when he was OPS'ing below .800, but he still was a fantastic player because of his defense.

[Dipre]

I think he was getting the majority of criticism when he was OPS'ing below .800' date=' but he still was a fantastic player because of his defense.[/quote']

 

The huge knock was that he was a COF with no power.

 

This tells you that, even though they are widely applied, positional standards are pretty much useless when assembling a ballclub.

 

Just look at Chone Figgins.

[Dojji]

The difference is that the Angels have actually done something meaningful with Figgins as pretty much their everyday 3B. The Mariners haven't done much in the Ichiro era.

[Dipre]

The difference is that the Angels have actually done something meaningful with Figgins as pretty much their everyday 3B. The Mariners haven't done much in the Ichiro era.

 

Could you take it anymore out of context?

 

I'm talking about a player being highly productive even though he has a different skillset than that usually expected from the position he plays in.

[Dojji]

But when you start talking about how a roster is constructed, you do have to bring up where the team went with that construction.

[Dipre]

*Head explodes*