Alex Gonzalez= Great Deal

[RWTP24]

He's on a nice hot streak. Much Like Nick Green was earlier in the year. Enjoy it while it lasts but never make the mistake of depending on it indefinitely.

 

I am not going to depend on him. I know better. I was way against picking him up from the start, but he has proven me wrong thus far.

[example1]

Listen, AGon has played amazingly sense he came back to Boston. So I say we leave it at that.

 

I would bet, know one on here thought he would be hitting .300 and playing all round as good has he has. If he keeps this up, I love our chances even more.

 

The thing about A-Gon that has been impressive to me offensively is merely that he is consistently making contact. Frankly I couldn't care less about whether he hits .300 right now. He just needs to not look overwhelmed, occasionally move a runner over or get a pitcher to throw pitches, hit a sac fly or bunt if it comes down to it, etc.,. He simply needs to come through by doing the least amount possible to not completely be harmful to this team and he will be fine for them moving forward.

 

Defensively he seems to step up to make plays when he absolutely has to. I think the difference between he and Nick Green is significant defensively, as Gonzalez seems to make the more difficult and impactful plays if given a choice. Pedroia does the same thing.

 

We see a lot of Pedroia ranging toward 1B and still making the long throw back to get the lead runner--sometimes even the middle runner--at 2B. Aggressive defensive plays like this statistically increase the team's chances of winning and clearly give the pitcher more confidence while reducing the number of "stress pitches" with RISP.

 

For whatever reason, Gonzalez just plays more like a "professional" shortstop than a lot of other SS have with the Red Sox lately. To me, the shortstop needs to be the most self-assured and confident fielder in the infield. With Lowell, Pedroia and Youkilis on the infield already, that's a pretty tall order, but it is a reasonable expectation for a team with as many resources as the Sox. Gonzalez isn't that guy longterm, but he does play like that now.

 

Orlando Cabrera brought the same sense to the Sox defense in 2004 and it changed them considerably. The stats don't always back up the value of their plays, but the impact is immediately present.

[RWTP24]

The thing about A-Gon that has been impressive to me offensively is merely that he is consistently making contact. Frankly I couldn't care less about whether he hits .300 right now. He just needs to not look overwhelmed, occasionally move a runner over or get a pitcher to throw pitches, hit a sac fly or bunt if it comes down to it, etc.,. He simply needs to come through by doing the least amount possible to not completely be harmful to this team and he will be fine for them moving forward.

 

Defensively he seems to step up to make plays when he absolutely has to. I think the difference between he and Nick Green is significant defensively, as Gonzalez seems to make the more difficult and impactful plays if given a choice. Pedroia does the same thing.

 

We see a lot of Pedroia ranging toward 1B and still making the long throw back to get the lead runner--sometimes even the middle runner--at 2B. Aggressive defensive plays like this statistically increase the team's chances of winning and clearly give the pitcher more confidence while reducing the number of "stress pitches" with RISP.

 

For whatever reason, Gonzalez just plays more like a "professional" shortstop than a lot of other SS have with the Red Sox lately. To me, the shortstop needs to be the most self-assured and confident fielder in the infield. With Lowell, Pedroia and Youkilis on the infield already, that's a pretty tall order, but it is a reasonable expectation for a team with as many resources as the Sox. Gonzalez isn't that guy longterm, but he does play like that now.

 

Orlando Cabrera brought the same sense to the Sox defense in 2004 and it changed them considerably. The stats don't always back up the value of their plays, but the impact is immediately present.

 

Yes, his impact has been huge and he is not the guy for long term. If he keeps this up, I have no problem giving him a shot next year if they do not pick someone up.

[Dipre]

Defensively, watching Gonzales in the field is like poetry in motion.

[RWTP24]

Defensively' date=' watching Gonzales in the field is like poetry in motion.[/quote']

 

Wow, I have always foundered what people saw when I was playing ball. :lol:

[Dipre]

Wow' date=' I have always foundered what people saw when I was playing ball. :lol:[/quote']

 

Adam Dunn playing middle infield?

[RWTP24]

Adam Dunn playing middle infield?

 

f***! Now that would be funny.

[Dojji]

Even funnier is trying to put me at third base. I have the attention span of a gnat. I can usually just about survive first base (barely) but anywhere else on the field, I'm totally doomed.

 

At one point I was woolgathering at the hot corner and the catcher made a snap throw. I reacted just in time -- for the ball to hit me square in the middle of the forehead and ricochet into foul territory.

 

That was not my worst defensive moment.

[Cocos Disciples]

Even funnier is trying to put me at third base. I have the attention span of a gnat. I can usually just about survive first base (barely) but anywhere else on the field, I'm totally doomed.

 

At one point I was woolgathering at the hot corner and the catcher made a snap throw. I reacted just in time -- for the ball to hit me square in the middle of the forehead and ricochet into foul territory.

 

That was not my worst defensive moment.

 

lol

 

I play better 2B than Chuck Knoblauch. But not by much.

[Dipre]

lol

 

I play better 2B than Chuck Knoblauch. But not by much.

 

I was (am) so horrible at 1st, they moved me to right because our CF was really good.

[Dojji]

Haven't played anything resembling baseball in years. These day I'm what happens when a guy who's gone to seed keeps going. Stragely enough, when there's a game these days no one really thinks to call the big, heavy, slowfooted, error prone ground ball hitter.

[Dipre]

Haven't played anything resembling baseball in years. These day I'm what happens when a guy who's gone to seed keeps going. Stragely enough' date=' when there's a game these days no one really thinks to call the big, heavy, slowfooted, error prone ground ball hitter.[/quote']

 

I'm all that but i can hit it Dunn distance.

[RWTP24]

I'm all that but i can hit it Dunn distance.

 

Dipre, Slow pitch does not count.

[Dojji]

I'm a bit more of a gap hitter. I can actually sting it pretty good but I've never gotten a hang of hitting the ball up.

 

When I was actually in shape I could steal the odd base, but 100 pounds and two sprained ankles later (same ankle) if I tried that I'd hurt myself.

[Dipre]

Dipre' date=' Slow pitch does not count.[/quote']

 

I know, that's why we shouldn't count you in, right?

 

Let the big boys who've played in the fast-pitch league (me) do the talking.

 

amirite?

[RWTP24]

I know, that's why we shouldn't count you in, right?

 

Let the big boys who've played in the fast-pitch league (me) do the talking.

 

amirite?

 

Haha, you play fastpitch?? That must be funny watch, ah?

[Dipre]

Haha' date=' you play fastpitch?? That must be funny watch, ah?[/quote']

 

I think we'd gone through this before, remember?

 

I told you i played in the big bank tournaments here back in '07, and you asked me which was harder between fast-pitch and baseball.

[RWTP24]

I think we'd gone through this before, remember?

 

I told you i played in the big bank tournaments here back in '07, and you asked me which was harder between fast-pitch and baseball.

 

Haha I know we have. I was just playing a long with it.

 

So how did you do? 0-10?

[Dipre]

Haha I know we have. I was just playing a long with it.

 

So how did you do? 0-10?

 

Actually no.

 

It's basically a season.

 

3 games a week for around 5 months.

 

I had some pretty good stats:

 

.266/12/38.

 

The problem of course, i K'ed at least once a game.

 

And i'm being generous with the "at least".

[bsox0407]

Actually no.

 

It's basically a season.

 

3 games a week for around 5 months.

 

I had some pretty good stats:

 

.266/12/38.

 

The problem of course, i K'ed at least once a game.

 

And i'm being generous with the "at least".

 

the david ortiz of fast pitch softball.

[Emmz]

I was thinking more like the Adam Dunn of fast-pitch

[Dojji]

The Mike Jacobs of fast-pitch?

 

The Wily Mo Pena of fast-pitch?

 

The Phil Planteir of fast-pitch?

[Emmz]

Wily Mo Pena of fast-pitch doesn't sound half bad either

[Dipre]

The Mike Jacobs of fast-pitch?

 

The Wily Mo Pena of fast-pitch?

 

The Phil Planteir of fast-pitch?

 

Dunn or Ortiz, that's my body build.

[bsox0407]

Dunn or Ortiz' date=' that's my body build.[/quote']

 

do you have hrs than singles you could be pena. just dont break your fingers.

[Dipre]

do you have hrs than singles you could be pena. just dont break your fingers.

 

I had more XBH's than singles and more K's than singles.

 

Lulz.

[RWTP24]

Actually no.

 

It's basically a season.

 

3 games a week for around 5 months.

 

I had some pretty good stats:

 

.266/12/38.

 

The problem of course, i K'ed at least once a game.

 

And i'm being generous with the "at least".

 

Not bad.

[The_Destroyah]

in that beer league baseball me and the buddies do, Ive managed to raise my avg. from .230 something to about .260 (and I have an OBP of .350 which im kind of proud of considering my avg.)something and am starting to hit far more doubles than I used to, I can stretch most hits to the outfield into doubles so it actually helps that I can get the ball in the outfield a bit more often, I dont keep track of most of my stats but I have noticed that since I tweeked my swing(thanks to all the wonderful ppl here) I have K'd alot less often and flyed out with far less frequency although I still GIDP more than I like, I guess im like the Julio Lugo at the dish lol, but I am a pretty sharp 2B Im like the beer league Pedroia defensively, but taller lol

 

FYI I try to keep a tab on how im doing with BA and OBP but we dont actually keep stats as a group so mine may be a bit inaccurate since I keep the stats myself but I am in the ballpark, no pun intended.

[RWTP24]

in that beer league baseball me and the buddies do, Ive managed to raise my avg. from .230 something to about .260 (and I have an OBP of .350 which im kind of proud of considering my avg.)something and am starting to hit far more doubles than I used to, I can stretch most hits to the outfield into doubles so it actually helps that I can get the ball in the outfield a bit more often, I dont keep track of most of my stats but I have noticed that since I tweeked my swing(thanks to all the wonderful ppl here) I have K'd alot less often and flyed out with far less frequency although I still GIDP more than I like, I guess im like the Julio Lugo at the dish lol, but I am a pretty sharp 2B Im like the beer league Pedroia defensively, but taller lol

 

FYI I try to keep a tab on how im doing with BA and OBP but we dont actually keep stats as a group so mine may be a bit inaccurate since I keep the stats myself but I am in the ballpark, no pun intended.

 

Does that mean you went from .130 to .160? :harhar:

 

No I am just playing. Is this baseball or slow pitch?

[The_Destroyah]

Does that mean you went from .130 to .160? :harhar:

 

No I am just playing. Is this baseball or slow pitch?

 

baseball, it's funny how much better everyone has got since we started, I mean we are still a bunch of complete ametures but we are all starting to improve fairly dramatically.

Its a lot of fun, especially since I get to play my favorite position, its always nice to actually get to play the sport purely for fun, with just a hint of competition.