Enter: Will Middlebrooks

[Gringo]

Filling in for Youk while he's out....I'll be watching intently. I hope this kid turns into a player, cuz Youk is toast.

[kapsis21]

http://snapshots.blogs.goupstate.com/files/2011/06/Middlebrooks-Will-4861-575px-w.jpg

[redsoxbeatz]

He has a lot of hype to live up too already. Hope he can handle pressure.

[kapsis21]

He has a lot of hype to live up too already. Hope he can handle pressure.

 

thats when you find out if the kid is made out of steel or not. David Freese the name gives knightmares to Texas rangers.

[BigPapiEnFuego]

Sorry to say it, but if I have seen the last of Youk I am not disappointed. Pretty excited for Middlebrooks.

[FredLynn]

Middlebrooks deserves a shot right now. He has been on a very hot streak at Pawtucket and his numbers are bound to come back to earth in the majors. I hope people have realistic expectations for this guy because he is unlikely to keep up his current pace. If he can just be better than Youkilis was and not look so very silly at the plate half the time I will be satisfied. Any more than that is gravy.

[jacksonianmarch]

Middlebrooks deserves a shot right now. He has been on a very hot streak at Pawtucket and his numbers are bound to come back to earth in the majors. I hope people have realistic expectations for this guy because he is unlikely to keep up his current pace. If he can just be better than Youkilis was and not look so very silly at the plate half the time I will be satisfied. Any more than that is gravy.

 

People need to understand that he isnt Youkilis. Far from it. He's just as powerful, but he doesnt walk a lot and K's a lot. He might tear the cover off the ball the next 2 weeks or he could K 15 times in 12 games and be back in AAA. Regardless, it doesnt matter one lick, he's a good prospect with a big league future.

[Gringo]

People need to understand that he isnt Youkilis. Far from it. He's just as powerful' date=' but he doesnt walk a lot and K's a lot. He might tear the cover off the ball the next 2 weeks or he could K 15 times in 12 games and be back in AAA. Regardless, it doesnt matter one lick, he's a good prospect with a big league future.[/quote']

 

I'm fairly new to this forum, and seeing as you have been on here since 2006, you must be a pretty good citizen on here...so with that in mind, I have to ask you, with no intention of offense, why does a Yankee fan like yourself post over 26,000 times on a Red Sox forum?

[Laser Show]

I'm fairly new to this forum' date=' and seeing as you have been on here since 2006, you must be a pretty good citizen on here...so with that in mind, I have to ask you, with no intention of offense, why does a Yankee fan like yourself post over 26,000 times on a Red Sox forum?[/quote']

 

He's a closet Sox fan and bleeds red.

[Spitball]

Middlebrooks and Patriots' quarterback Ryan Mallett are best friends. They are both from the Texarkansas area.

[jacksonianmarch]

I'm fairly new to this forum' date=' and seeing as you have been on here since 2006, you must be a pretty good citizen on here...so with that in mind, I have to ask you, with no intention of offense, why does a Yankee fan like yourself post over 26,000 times on a Red Sox forum?[/quote']

 

I post on a Yankee board, a sox board and a Yankee prospect board. I live in Mass and am surrounded by the enemy. Also, most Yankee boards are full of ballwashers or have died. I have been banned from more Yankee boards than sox boards for being realistic about our players. I find sox fans to be more realistic on the whole when it comes to the internet realm. Also, I am a baseball fan first and enjoy talking the game with people who are active

[Gringo]

:thumbsup:

[redsoxbeatz]

2-2 single double walk right? not bad.

[SoxFanForsyth]

2-2 single double walk right? not bad.

 

Don't forget his SB.

 

That was a solid game for Middlebrooks, especially against a guy in McCarthy who was clearly keeping all the other hitters off balance.

 

I was very happy with what WMB did tonight. Add on the fact that he plays very solid defense, a huge upgrade over Youk in that department, and I think this team has a lot to look forward to with this kid (not based solely on last night, to be clear).

[mvp 78]

2-2 single double walk right? not bad.

 

Don't forget his K. The single was weak, but a good showing all around.

[FredLynn]

In a year such as this one, where our chances of making a good run into the postseason are not good, it makes sense to trade Youkilis for whatever we can get for him and give Middlebrooks his ABs in the major league. I realize that our FO is not going to do this, but then again, they do a lot of stupid things.

[mvp 78]

I'd just bury him on the bench in case of injury to Papi or Adrian.

[User Name]

In a year such as this one' date=' where our chances of making a good run into the postseason are not good, it makes sense to trade Youkilis for whatever we can get for him and give Middlebrooks his ABs in the major league. I realize that our FO is not going to do this, but then again, they do a lot of stupid things.[/quote']

 

No one is more competent than a couch GM.

[Laser Show]

No one is more competent than a couch GM.

 

You've got that right!

 

Trade for Brandon League

Trade Youk

Trade Salty

WMB everyday 3B

I like what I see in Aviles, so package Iggy for pitching help.

[FredLynn]

You've got that right!

 

Trade for Brandon League

Trade Youk

Trade Salty

WMB everyday 3B

I like what I see in Aviles, so package Iggy for pitching help.

 

All of that would be smart moves by the FO. So none of it will get done.

And yes, its much easier as a couch GM. Since there is less pressure the thinking and decisions are much clearer. :harhar:

[jung]

I think the Sox will have to consider the season a failure before they make the suggested moves. Youk and Salty were in the opening day lineup. Hard to imagine a ML team of the caliber of the Sox bumping two guys outta' town that were in the opening day lineup without first concluding that the opening day lineup was a failure which is the same thing as saying the season is a failure.

 

Don't even know what the hell Remy's replacement was talkin' about last night...claiming Youk's importance to the middle of the Sox lineup cause pitchers have to pitch around him....seen many pitchers pitching around him lately? I see RH pitchers just droppin' that slider on him to dust him off. LH pitchers are still pitching around him I guess. Anyway unless Youk completely collapses I don't see that move coming and if he hits again, I don't see it happening either cause that is how the lineup was designed.

 

Salty is a catcher and as long as every ball does not go bumping past him or over him or around him and he can get the ball back to the pitcher, some team will always be available for Salty. Maybe Salty would be an OK move as he has already worked his way down to platoon catcher from every day catcher. That didn't take long now did it? We have seen everything Salty has to offer and if we can get help this year and Lavarnway will continue to improve catching up here instead of in Pawtucket the Sox should go for it.

 

Iggy might be a way easier move. As I have stated in other posts I do not believe Iggy will ever see significant time as a Red Sox SS. I did not qualify that by adding the possibility of injury but that is likely the only way Iggy sees any time as a Red Sox SS. Does not matter what Aviles is or is not doing. Maybe this stint up here gives the Sox a chance to showcase Iggy's skills if he ever gets into a game but beyond that they should trade him since they are not going to use him.....ever.

[ibot2much]

Just a passing note since you mentioned Remy's replacement. He has been out for several days now and when I googled him, several stories came up for early May several years ago when he had cancer. I thought it was odd that he went out on just about the same day then as he has this year. There have been several things mentioned including a sinus infection. Supposedly Remy tweeted that it has gone into pneumonia.

 

The TALK page of the Gliobe had a bit about his previous illnesses and mentioned that neither NESN nor Orsillo have returned their calls. Offer up a prayer to whomever you believe in that he doesn't have the dreaded C again.

[jacksonianmarch]

Just a passing note since you mentioned Remy's replacement. He has been out for several days now and when I googled him, several stories came up for early May several years ago when he had cancer. I thought it was odd that he went out on just about the same day then as he has this year. There have been several things mentioned including a sinus infection. Supposedly Remy tweeted that it has gone into pneumonia.

 

The TALK page of the Gliobe had a bit about his previous illnesses and mentioned that neither NESN nor Orsillo have returned their calls. Offer up a prayer to whomever you believe in that he doesn't have the dreaded C again.

 

It is weird that he knew 2 weeks in advance when he'd be better. Pneumonia usually either keeps you hospitalized/worsens or you get better within a few days to a week. He left a message on April 30th that he'd be back on May 15th. Makes me wonder. Regardless, we should all respect his privacy and if he has something, he'll tell us in due time

[RedSoxNC84]

It is weird that he knew 2 weeks in advance when he'd be better. Pneumonia usually either keeps you hospitalized/worsens or you get better within a few days to a week. He left a message on April 30th that he'd be back on May 15th. Makes me wonder. Regardless' date=' we should all respect his privacy and if he has something, he'll tell us in due time[/quote']

 

Sounds like he put himself on the 15 Day DL.

 

Jokes aside I hope he gets well.

[Gringo]

I think we should trade Youk while he still has some value. Trade him for pitching prospects, and move on with Middlebrooks.

[Spitball]

I think we should trade Youk while he still has some value. Trade him for pitching prospects' date=' and move on with Middlebrooks.[/quote']

 

A player on the DL and with a recent history of injuries has little value. The Sox are better served to actually hold onto him even if he is Wally Pipped in Boston.

[jung]

Won't get anything for Youk at this point. He either returns to some form of his former hitting prowess or he does not. Salty would get us something though.

 

Did you ever think you would see the day when Salty would be better trade bait than Youk!!! If my keyboard had a stuttering key I would be hitting it now just thinking about that comparison. What is the world coming to!!!

[example1]

Won't get anything for Youk at this point. He either returns to some form of his former hitting prowess or he does not. Salty would get us something though.

 

Did you ever think you would see the day when Salty would be better trade bait than Youk!!! If my keyboard had a stuttering key I would be hitting it now just thinking about that comparison. What is the world coming to!!!

 

Just out of curiosity, who do you think would trade for Salty? I don't disbelieve you, just interested where you see the potential.

[jung]

I will try to get back and roll up some names here. However if you just take a quick look at the number of active catchers still playing that were born in the early to mid 70's there are a fair number of targets right there. You have got guys somehow managing to get up and down from that crouch soon to be 40.

 

The shortage of guys that can catch at all is how guys like Rodriguez, just retired, and Posada were still catching so late in their careers...there just are not enough guys to go around.

 

If you want you kid to have a career in baseball, put him in a crouch as soon as he can walk and your part way to a ML catcher. Even though Salty is not a great catcher...heck he is not even a good catcher he can catch and there are so few guys that "can" that even Salty is a commodity that will have some attraction.

 

Plus Salty does have proven power. Believe it or not, even with his hitting deficiencies, the fact that he can knock one out now and again will not go unnoticed when and if the Sox put him on the blocks. I think teams will be willing to gamble that he is better than what they have or better than nothing when their aging catcher finally goes down for the count.

 

I think SI or maybe SI.com has a listing of players by position that also lists their dates of birth. I will likely start there and see who is on the list and then track them to their teams.

[redsoxbeatz]

If we trade Salty we're relying on Shopp to be out everyday catcher? or would we expect larvnway to share some time in that role?

 

this really is a rebuilding year. next year will be better...