Red Sox injury updates

[Yaz Sideburn]

The muscles in the hand are very amenable to repair.

 

yup, those are the exact same words the doctor said in the article...

[a700hitter]

Youk is done for the season, and with him goes any hope for the Sox this season.

 

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2010/08/youkilis_out_fo.html

[Spudboy]

I'm not surprised that Youk is done.

 

That's it folks.

[BSN07]

Wow that's a big blow.

[Palodios]

News just coming in from Fenway Park that Kevin Youkilis' season will come to an end after undergoing thumb surgery tomorrow in Cleveland.[/Quote]

 

*Insert Cleveland joke here*

 

 

We've been saying its over all year, and they're still treading water. They have 10 more games against the Yankees, and six more against the Rays. Hell, this season has been so enjoyable that it doesn't matter to me if they make it or not, but after what this team has gone through, I'd like to see them go out fighting.

[Dojji]

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

[Dojji]

I'm going to phrase this as politely as I can.

 

*WHY* is Eric Patterson in Boston instead of Daniel Nava? We have Hall who can back up Lowrie at second, and you might as well give Nava experience and see what you have. He's going to be here next year, he may well be in Boston, and with Youks out this is now a lost year so get him the most experience you can.

[Palodios]

I'm going to phrase this as politely as I can.

 

*WHY* is Eric Patterson in Boston instead of Daniel Nava? We have Hall who can back up Lowrie at second, and you might as well give Nava experience and see what you have. He's going to be here next year, he may well be in Boston, and with Youks out this is now a lost year so get him the most experience you can.

 

Dojji, you're the resident minor league expert, right? Do you think Nava has the necessary skills for first base? If we're throwing Ortiz/Lowell out there, I figure its worth a shot.

[Dojji]

ORS and Example may object strenuously to referring to me as the minor league expect.

 

I think he could learn first base. He's not unathletic. The issue there is that he isn't exactly tall, is he? Not really a prototypical 1B in other words. But if you allowed for a few growing pains as he learned a new position, yeah, Nava could learn first base, I'm sure.

 

EDIT: He's 5'10" so taller than I remembered. But there's a lot of finer points to playing 1B that he'd struggle with and if we tried it we should probably count ourselves grateful this is not a bunting league

[Will617]

He doesn't have power. People at 1B are usually the second-worst defenders, after the DH; to get the least defensive value, you should at least stick a big bat there that can't really defend.

Nava can play at a more defensively strenuous position, and should play there.

[WhiskeyBreath]

Id rather see them sign a guy like Delgado before they played Nava at first.

[Spudboy]

If they had traded for Wigginton when Pedroia went down (as I had suggested) they would have had more production at 2nd base and a replacement for Youk (that can run!) now.

[Dojji]

Nava has his share of power. He's not a good slugger, but he's a solid gap to gap guy. He's not going to hit like a prototypical 1B but then we don't really have too many of those on hand anyway.

 

Not gonna put up a big fight that Nava should be our 1B since I don't honestly believe it myself, but Nava's still an underrated hitter around these parts.

[Dojji]

Id rather see them sign a guy like Delgado before they played Nava at first.

 

Delgado would be an interesting gambit. Frankly it'd be almost guaranteed not to work, but our options are so limited that shooting for the moon actually makes sense anyway.

[Spudboy]

Nava has his share of power. He's not a good slugger' date=' but he's a solid gap to gap guy. He's not going to hit like a prototypical 1B but then we don't really have [i']too[/i] many of those on hand anyway.

 

Not gonna put up a big fight that Nava should be our 1B since I don't honestly believe it myself, but Nava's still an underrated hitter around these parts.

 

I'm not so sure that he is underrated, so much that he remains somewhat unproven at this level.

[WhiskeyBreath]

Might as well sign Delgado so we can have both a RHH and a LHH first baseman with bad hips.

[Palodios]

If Nava can play 1st, he should play where they need him. It makes more sense for him to be up here than hitting .350 in Pawtucket.

[Keeper]

Youk is done for the season, and with him goes any hope for the Sox this season.

 

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2010/08/youkilis_out_fo.html

 

Devastating. At least they have Lars waiting in the wings... oh wait, he stinks. I'd sign Delgado. They have nothing to lose at this point.

[Palodios]

ORS and Example may object strenuously to referring to me as the minor league expect.

 

Even so, it seems like you invest a lot more into appreciating prospects. Everyone sort of has their players that they like and don't like, but it seems like whenever a guy comes up from Pawtucket, its one of the guys you like.

[Yaz Sideburn]

it sucks, he's been the best player on the team for years

[Dojji]

Even so' date=' it seems like you invest a lot more into appreciating prospects. Everyone sort of has their players that they like and don't like, but it seems like whenever a guy comes up from Pawtucket, its one of the guys you like.[/quote']

 

Nothing special about that, it's just that I pay attention to the minors.

[Spudboy]

Speaking of the minors, Iglaisias (sp) has been playing at Lowell.

[Yaz Sideburn]

Speaking of the minors' date=' Iglaisias (sp) has been playing at Lowell.[/quote']

 

good catch, i was wondering when he'd come back

[Will617]

Speaking of the minors' date=' Iglaisias (sp) has been playing at Lowell.[/quote']

 

Scutaro's contract expires after next year, and he has a $1.5M option after that (I don't know if it's club or team option though). That seems to be right about when Iglesias is ready to come up, if he can continue hitting like he is. Only thing is, his walks rate hasn't been great; if he could draw more walks, he'd be terrific.

[Dojji]

Iglesias isn't the only one in position to take advantage of Scutaro's expiring contract. Jed Lowrie still has potential, and if he has a healthy year next year he ought to be in the mix. Let's not forget that Lowrie was once considered to have as much potential as Dustin Pedroia, and he played well at SS when he was healthy enough to get out there. If he can stay on the field he could still have a chance at a John Valentin type career. And Yamaico Navarro is underrated. If he keeps demonstrating the gap power he flashed in Portland and develops some consistency with it he could make something of himself as well.

 

It's nice to have options.

[Yaz Sideburn]

Scutaro's contract expires after next year' date=' and he has a $1.5M option after that (I don't know if it's club or team option though). That seems to be right about when Iglesias is ready to come up, if he can continue hitting like he is. Only thing is, his walks rate hasn't been great; if he could draw more walks, he'd be terrific.[/quote']

 

he has a $6 million team option and a $3 million player option. so if iglesias isn't ready to come up after next year, the team could exercise their option. $6 million is plenty reasonable for scutaro

[WhiskeyBreath]

Lowrie is a utility player for this franchise, nothing more.

[Dojji]

I'm sorry, but there's no way you can say that with the kind of confidence you're implying. For all his health issues (the last one being completely unrelated to the original wrist injury, mind, unless wrist injuries transmit mono) the kid's only 26, he's still got plenty of time to make a positive impression. The health problems need to end of course but don't write the kid off just because he hit a long spell of bad luck.

 

I mean how many of us when we saw Youkilis debuting for the first time in his career as a starting player at age 27 dismissed him as an average 1B and spent their days pining for Teixeira? Older college bats, especially those with known offensive upside, should not be written off just because they hit their mid 20's and are not starters yet. It's a good way to let gems slide through your fingers.

[Palodios]

Well, the problem with Lowrie is that last time he was healthy and performing was 26 months ago. They've projected that he has the talent to do a lot of good things, but 2011 is going to be a test for him. He will be the backup infielder for the team, and he has the versatility to do that well.

 

As we learned from this season, sometimes backup players get a lot more playing time than anyone expected. And until Lowrie has a full consistent season, he's going to serve the utility role.

[Dojji]

I shouldn't have to lecture you about the difference between serving in a role and being defined by it. So I won't insult your intelligence by assuming you don't know the difference.

 

Lowrie will play backup infield next year. That does not mean that he is no more than a utility man. It simply means that that's his best role next year, much like Youkilis best served the team as a backup 3B in 2004 and 2005 at a similar age. (OK OK, the team should have moved him to first in 2005 instead of screwing around with Millar and Petagine and Olderdude and who knows who, but still)