2011 Position Prospect Watch

[Station 13]

Hence why I am unsure he is the sox future at SS. He's never been considered a hitter of any sorts. He's a defense first player at an important IF position' date=' but with no bat to speak of, he'll quickly become a liability in your lineup when facing the AL East[/quote']

 

Theo said every guy need to hit. We can't go with a .220 hitting RF, we're not going with that at SS.

 

Iglesias should've started at AA, where he hit .295 last year. Demote him back to Portland and at this time, Navarro and Lowrie are SS for 2012.

[Station 13]

Lavarnway with a 2 HR game. His bat is real, but he may be block here.

 

Middlebrooks is having a nice year. If his bat is Mike Lowell's level he could play here.

 

Brentz is smoking hot again after suffering an injured wrist.

[ORS]

Lavarnway is continuing the superman act. He went 2-4 hitting his 22nd of the year, 8th in AAA, last night, pushing his line in AAA up to .355/.420/.664.

 

Chiang went 3-5 hitting 2 dingers for Portland (nos. 15 & 16), pushing his season line up to .323/.370/.643. What a breakout year for him. He'll need to keep doing this to get serious attention, since he's been a mid-700 OPS guy prior to this year, but he's starting to turn heads.

[Palodios]

At what point do we take a look at Lavarnway, and decide that he is ready for the big leagues? Kalish had an OPS of .832 after 37 games before being called up. Lavarnway has an OPS of 1.084 over 28 games.

 

Based on his minor league career, we're very easily looking at a guy who could bat to .280/.350/.500/.850.

[ORS]

I think it's a certainty that he'll be up in September.

[ORS]

Lavarnway - 7/16

 

4-4, 2B, HR, BB

 

Dude is raking.

[jacksonianmarch]

His bat has emerged. Not sure if the sox can keep him down much longer, he's literally tearing the cover off the ball. If he comes up in September and shows what he can do in a limited cameo, then the sox might flirt with the idea of letting Papi walk. If they dont, I think he's trade fodder

[Dojji]

The thing that's most intriguing about Lavarnway is that he bats righthanded.

 

Isn't one of our biggest franchise needs at the moment a righthanded bat off the bench?

[ORS]

3-3, 2B, HR (AAA #10), BB....

 

through 7

[AtWork]

Chiang is up to .329/.386/.646 with 16 home runs, 32 doubles and 68 RBI in 76 games at AA. Still very raw defensively though and I'm not sure he'll ever improve.

[ORS]

Lavarnway is making a mockery of the IL.

 

2-3, 2B, HR (AAA #11)....through 7 tonight.

[Station 13]

Chiang is up to .329/.386/.646 with 16 home runs' date=' 32 doubles and 68 RBI in 76 games at AA. Still very raw defensively though and I'm not sure he'll ever improve.[/quote']

 

He was an IF but Middlebrooks took his spot at 3B.

[example1]

Lavarnway is making a mockery of the IL.

 

2-3, 2B, HR (AAA #11)....through 7 tonight.

 

WTF do we make of this guy?

 

I recognize that he is supposed to be a pretty bad fielder (and he MUST be a bad fielder given how few people are saying he can hang at 1B ). That said:

 

1) Why have they not moved him to another position? They haven't tried him for a single game at 1B.

 

2) Where the hell does this guy fit? Will he be a viable home-grown RH DH option?

 

3) What interest will there be in him on other teams?

 

His numbers certainly speak for themselves. A team without a good DH could benefit from a player like him, and who wouldn't want a potential catcher. At the same time, he might just be limited by the depth the Sox have and the existence of David Ortiz at DH.

[Palodios]

1) Why have they not moved him to another position? They haven't tried him for a single game at 1B.

 

Lavarnway has substantially more trade value at that position. If some team believes they can work with him as a catcher, he'll probably have the offense to be a yearly all-star at that position. Plus, if they're including him in trade offers, he's bound to be a great counter to Montero, who the Yankees seem to want to include in any deal they've tried to make this season.

[ORS]

He's got a .998 OPS on the season between AA/AAA, with the higher split in AAA.

 

I don't know where he fits, but they need to find a way if he's this kind of hitter. My guess, he's a future DH/Backup C.

[Dojji]

Yankees do seem to want to be well rid of Montero for some reason. I suspect that's why other teams are shying away. We've all seen this song and dance before. When it comes to Yankee prospects, trust but verify.

[jacksonianmarch]

They dont want "to be rid of Montero." Where are you hearing that? Cashman has essentially said that he, Banuelos, Betances and Romine arent available. Thing is, the only time you hear the Yanks in talks, it is about a guy who should command Montero as the headliner. We arent talking about Montero for Dempster, we're hearing Montero for Ubaldo

[Palodios]

Every big trade rumor involving the Yankees has him in it. He was headlining the Haren deal, and the potential Cliff Lee deal. They've declared him untouchable, yet are willing to trade him for whatever elite player becomes available.

[Dojji]

Pretty much. For a team that values this kid, they're sure in a hurry to move him.

 

He's not a bad prospect, but he's an overhyped one.

[jacksonianmarch]

Every big trade rumor involving the Yankees has him in it. He was headlining the Haren deal' date=' and the potential Cliff Lee deal. They've declared him untouchable, yet are willing to trade him for whatever elite player becomes available.[/quote']

 

Note the term, elite. And Montero was never in the Haren conversation. If you are going to get an elite player, you have to give up elite talent. And I am not sure how much, outside of the Lee deal, he's actually being floated.

[AtWork]

Iglesias went 2-for-3 in his return from concussion and Lavarnway hit his 26 home run of the season tonight.

[Station 13]

lavarnway got robbed of a HR last night, no matter he just hit another tonight, with a 2B and BB mix in.

[Dojji]

Lavarnway closing on on 1.200 OPS.

 

I've run out of adjectives.

[Palodios]

Are there any precedents of a guy hitting the ball like this in AAA?

 

Fun fact: Lavarnway has a .548 OBP against lefties this season.

[Dojji]

Gotta be some way to call this guy up and get him at bats. Can we play him in left field and just deal with the lack of range?

[BornToRun]

Would it be feasible to let Ortiz walk and try this kid at DH? Salty's looking like he has the catcher's spot nailed down and maybe we could use the salary relief. I'm not suggesting that, I'm merely asking if that would be an avenue that the FO would consider traveling down.

[Dojji]

Heck, let both Ortiz and Tek walk and save yourself a roster spot. Lavs plays DH and backup catcher.

 

Small markets would do it. I'm not sure the Sox will.

 

Would Javy Lopez be a place to start comping Lavarnway, or is that giving Lav's defense too much credit?

[Station 13]

Lars if anything is building up his trade value nicely.

[Palodios]

Lavarnway with another two home run night on Monday. The Sox need to find a spot for this kid!

[AtWork]

It took Ryan Lavarnway little time to make an impression when he reached Triple-A. He moved up to Pawtucket in mid-June. About a month later, by the time that Baseball America was conducting its annual tools survey at every minor league level, evaluators declared the 23-year-old catcher the Best Power Prospect in the International League. Of course, with 15 homers in his first 49 games in Pawtucket it would be difficult to argue the choice.

 

That means he was ranked a better power prospect than that much more hyped catcher at the same level.