Red Sox 2012 Spring Training Thread.

[SoxSport]

About SS, I don't think fans realize how much ground a SS has to cover, and how defense is so important at that position. SS can be a very lonely place. I remember many moons ago I had to play SS for one game--moving over from 2B--and it felt like I was in the middle of the Sahara desert. There is so much ground to cover, and you have to handle the relays from the OF, as well. You have to have a strong arm. A top level defensive SS who can cover a lot of ground can make a huge difference in a game for pitchers.

[Spitball]

Cherington has made it clear defense is a priority. Sweeny, Punto, and Shoppach were all signed/traded for their defensive abilities. That said, I believe Iglesias will start in Pawtucket no matter what Valentine says. His bat is not ready and his FA ticker needs to be put on delay.

[jacksonianmarch]

Cherington has made it clear defense is a priority. Sweeny' date=' Punto, and Shoppach were all signed/traded for their defensive abilities. That said, I believe Iglesias will start in Pawtucket no matter what Valentine says. His bat is not ready and his FA ticker needs to be put on delay.[/quote']

 

I dont think the sox are going to care about the FA ticker for a player who cannot hit

[Spitball]

I dont think the sox are going to care about the FA ticker for a player who cannot hit

 

The "experts" were saying the same kind of things about Omar Vizquel nearly 3,000 hits ago.

[Emmz]

Jacko focuses on the bad with every person in the Red Sox organization.

[seabeachfred]

Jackson may have a good point there but, of course, he is laying it on because of his animus towards the Red Sox. Don't dismiss his take on things just for that. I became familiar with a term in the 70's called "forced feeding". It referred to rushing a player to the Bigs before he was ready because he was needed. It never seemed to work very well and now we have such a potential candidate in Iglesias. In my opinion if our team is hitting on just about all its cyliners offensively we could easily put Iggy in there just to play defense, but should three or four players have slow starts the pressure on the kid to do some hitting to help the cause could set him back with lost confidence and a feeling of failure. I just think the guy needs a solid season at Pawtucket working on all phases of his game. I think Aviles and Punto can handle things this season.

[SCM33]

Jacko focuses on the bad with every person in the Red Sox organization.

 

 

[table]Topic|Team|Content

Prospect|Yankees|The player in question is made of 150% pure awesomeness. Fear us.

Prospect|Sox|He could be good, but this is why he won't be.

Signing|Yankees|This is the missing piece. We'll win 160 games, and the umps will screw us out of 2.

Signing|Sox|Risky move, overpaid here, they'll regret this.

Injury|Yankees|They don't get hurt. Hypothetically, if they did, the recovery will be speedy with no impact to ability.

Injury|Sox|Everyone is a ticking time bomb. Once hurt, they'll never heal right.[/table]

[Emmz]

Jackson may have a good point there but' date=' of course, he is laying it on because of his animus towards the Red Sox. Don't dismiss his take on things just for that. I became familiar with a term in the 70's called "forced feeding". It referred to rushing a player to the Bigs before he was ready because he was needed. It never seemed to work very well and now we have such a potential candidate in Iglesias. In my opinion if our team is hitting on just about all its cyliners offensively we could easily put Iggy in there just to play defense, but should three or four players have slow starts the pressure on the kid to do some hitting to help the cause could set him back with lost confidence and a feeling of failure. I just think the guy needs a solid season at Pawtucket working on all phases of his game. I think Aviles and Punto can handle things this season.[/quote']

 

You HAVE to take Jacko's analysis of things with a grain of salt. That table SCM just posted is basically an exaggeration of how Jacko acts on this site. He lusts for opportunities to tell us how crappy our farm system is, and how all of the Yankees prospects are future Cy Young winners and MVPs.

 

You don't dismiss a poster because they're extremely biased, you dismiss them because of the fact that they're blowing smoke up everyone's ass every time they post. Jacko's full of crap a lot of times on prospects potential.

[a700hitter]

Oswalt Open To Playing Anywhere

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [March 8 at 2:45pm CST]

 

Roy Oswalt spent most of the offseason telling teams that he'd prefer to sign close to his Mississippi home, but the free agent right-hander will now consider other opportunities. He's telling clubs he'll play anywhere, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick (all Twitter links).

 

Oswalt said last month that he's looking at a possible midseason return and the probable timeline for a deal hasn't changed, according to Crasnick. By June Oswalt's kids will have finished school, and a potential move would be easier on his family at that point in the season. Oswalt's decision may depend on which contender needs pitching depth a few months from now, Crasnick writes.

 

Maybe he's starting to get the itch already. Wait until he is home for another few weeks.

[a700hitter]

Duquette: Damon Deal Unlikely

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [March 9 at 8:30am CST]

 

FRIDAY: Duquette told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com "maybe" when asked if Damon was a possibility. Another Orioles person said "not yet" (Twitter link).

 

THURSDAY: Orioles executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette told reporters, including Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com, that he doesn't expect to sign Johnny Damon (Twitter link). Even though the free agent continues to be linked to the Orioles, Duquette doesn't anticipate a deal.

 

"I don't think so. I already signed Johnny Damon when he was 28," Duquette said in reference to Damon's deal with the Red Sox.

 

Damon hit .261/.326/.418 with 16 homers and 29 doubles in 582 plate appearances for the Rays in 2011. He was Tampa Bay's primary DH last year, but maintains he could still play the field if necessary. Agent Scott Boras recently suggested the market for his client will pick up within a few weeks.

 

I'm sure there's a lot of clubs that are looking at youth, and by the time spring training ends they may be looking at it differently," Boras told MLBTR's Tim Dierkes last week.

Should the Sox take a flyer on him? He's still better than Sweeney is. He can still run and provide an offensive spark.

[Dojji]

If Crawford starts the season on the DL you could do a lot worse.

[Spitball]

Should the Sox take a flyer on him? He's still better than Sweeney is. He can still run and provide an offensive spark.

 

I don't think he throws well enough to play right. I am certain his arm is the main reason he doesn't play defense any more. He certainly can still run as his stolen base totals attest.

[jung]

I think Oswalt's agent is just using these non-announcement announcements in an effort to keep Oswalt in the news and relevant, at least to the degree he can. This has turned into something of a string of these things now.

 

Oswalt has talked his way into at least temporary retirement and I think someone will bring him on now when and if somebody does not pan out or breaks.

[SoxSport]

So far so good for Iglesias. Maybe the kid can even hit.

 

Somebody should give Johnny Damon a job. Hell of a ballplayer.

[seabeachfred]

You HAVE to take Jacko's analysis of things with a grain of salt. That table SCM just posted is basically an exaggeration of how Jacko acts on this site. He lusts for opportunities to tell us how crappy our farm system is, and how all of the Yankees prospects are future Cy Young winners and MVPs.

 

You don't dismiss a poster because they're extremely biased, you dismiss them because of the fact that they're blowing smoke up everyone's ass every time they post. Jacko's full of crap a lot of times on prospects potential.

 

I learned about Jacko's game as soon as I came back on this board Emmz, and I thought SCM's scouting box was a riot and said it all. To me, though, if I were to give Jacko credit it would be for Iglesias. This is just my opinion and my opinion only....I believe Iggy could do with a solid season down at Pawtucket. I don't doubt for a second is ability with the leather and only a fool would. My doubts rest with the idea that we can carry a woefully weak bat in the lineup. I don't think we can because I don't think six or seven or our players are going to be belting the ball all over the park. Last year with Crawford, Youk and Drew cured me of that. Iggy has no power, cannot steal bases, does not hit for a decent average, swings at anything and as poor plate discipline which would give him a very poor OBA. Does that sound like a bat we could carry if the rest of the team has a few holes in it?

 

I would venture to say a full year at Triple A might see some marked improvement in those deficiencies that I mentioned. Besides, Gammons says the same thing and anytime I agree with anything he says or vise versa, maybe it might time to take some heed. Let the kid develop. Hell, what is he 21? He'll have his time.

[seabeachfred]

If Crawford is out for any length of time, why not give Damon a shot back in Boston. He could play LF decently enough and certainly better than Sweeney. It might mean Ross would have to go full time in RF because Damon sure can't play the position with that rag arm of his. I never liked the idea of this Sweeney guy because he has no power and can't run. What the hell then is he good for?

[User Name]

If Crawford is out for any length of time' date=' why not give Damon a shot back in Boston. He could play LF decently enough and certainly better than Sweeney. It might mean Ross would have to go full time in RF because Damon sure can't play the position with that rag arm of his. I never liked the idea of this Sweeney guy because he has no power and can't run. [b']What the hell then is he good for?[/b]

 

The most important thing an offensive player can do: Getting on base.

[Dojji]

Which Damon can also do while adding some speed to the mix.

 

Damon had about a 110 OPS+ last year. I strongly doubt he'd be a liability.

[User Name]

I'm not arguing against bringing Damon on board. My point was (and there's no room for interpretation here) that Sweeney is not useless and can get on base at an above average clip.

[Dojji]

Can we be honest here? Ryan Sweeney is a Gabe Kapler/Mitch Maier/David Murphy type. Useful as a viable reserve but no one really wants them to start too often.

[a700hitter]

Can we be honest here? Ryan Sweeney is a Gabe Kapler/Mitch Maier/David Murphy type. Useful as a viable reserve but no one really wants them to start too often.

He's not very good.

[Dojji]

I didn't say that. It has to do with the role you use him in. If he's a starting outfielder for your team, you need a better one. As a roleplayer he's tolerable.

 

Since we're one injury away from having Che-Hsuan Lin in our outfield I really do think Damon is a very good idea.

 

Not that Lin is aweful, but he's defense-first and practically defense-only, that might not work for a Red Sox outfielder. Fantastic defender, best CF we'd have had since Coco Crisp in 07, but he won't hit more than about .240 and won't back that up with much power. Pretty sure that even if he's off a bit from where he used to be, Damon could beat that.

[Spitball]

Sweeney's OBP was 20 points higher than Damon's last year. Unless the Sox find out Crawford is out for most of the season, I say forget him. He is useless to the Red Sox. He is a DH and left field option wanting only to reach 3,000 hits.

 

Besides, he signed with the Yankees and then declined the option to return to the Red Sox in 2010. He should never ever be welcomed back.

[a700hitter]

Sweeney's OBP was 20 points higher than Damon's last year. Unless the Sox find out Crawford is out for most of the season, I say forget him. He is useless to the Red Sox. He is a DH and left field option wanting only to reach 3,000 hits.

 

Besides, he signed with the Yankees and then declined the option to return to the Red Sox in 2010. He should never ever be welcomed back.

Well he was brutalized by the fans when he left, and it really was unfair. He played extremely hard for the Sox and he was a huge part of the 2004 team. The FO made no attempt to keep him. That is not his fault.

[Emmz]

If the price is right, why not?

[Spitball]

If the price is right' date=' why not?[/quote']

 

Well, he apparently can only play left or DH. The Sox should have those positions covered for most of the season.

[Spitball]

Well he was brutalized by the fans when he left' date=' and it really was unfair. He played extremely hard for the Sox and he was a huge part of the 2004 team. The FO made no attempt to keep him. That is not his fault.[/quote']

 

The Sox offered a fair three year deal. Epstein's reignation probably played a big part in it though. And, there is that 2010 thing.

[a700hitter]

The Sox offered a fair three year deal. Epstein's reignation probably played a big part in it though. And' date=' there is that 2010 thing.[/quote']I thought the Sox offered 3yr/$30 million. That was not in the same ballpark as the Yankee offer and it didn't represent his fair market value. When he got the offer from the Yanks, he couldn't get anyone from the Red Sox FO to take his call. The only person he could reach was Tito.

[Spitball]

I thought the Sox offered 3yr/$30 million. That was not in the same ballpark as the Yankee offer and it didn't represent his fair market value. When he got the offer from the Yanks' date=' he couldn't get anyone from the Red Sox FO to take his call. The only person he could reach was Tito.[/quote']

 

Damon made the statement. "There's no way I can go play for the Yankees, but I know they're going to come after me hard. It's definitely not the most important thing to go out there for the top dollar, which the Yankees are going to offer me. It's not what I need."

 

Then, he signed with the Yankees. Huh?

 

Boras absolutely insisted the Sox offer five years (they offered three) and then Damon accepted four years from the Yankees...and then there is the 2010 deadline trade refusal. That was the final blow.

[a700hitter]

Damon made the statement. "There's no way I can go play for the Yankees, but I know they're going to come after me hard. It's definitely not the most important thing to go out there for the top dollar, which the Yankees are going to offer me. It's not what I need."

 

Then, he signed with the Yankees. Huh?

 

Boras absolutely insisted the Sox offer five years (they offered three) and then Damon accepted four years from the Yankees...and then there is the 2010 deadline trade refusal. That was the final blow.

I didn't blame him for not coming back in 2010. He owed us nothing. He got trashed and abused whenever he came back to Boston. I disagree with you. The Yankees made a take it or leave it offer. The Sox made a lowball offer and then screened their calls and refused to communicate with him. We disagree.