Enter: Will Middlebrooks

[SoxFanForsyth]

And oh by the way, Iglesias is showing some big strides in AAA as well.

 

Hit a 2 run bomb tonight

 

He's now hitting .258 with a .320 OBP on the season. And in May, he's hitting .372 with a .925 OPS.

 

I know the overall numbers aren't exactly eye popping, but his OPS is significantly higher, especially his OBP (around 30-35 points higher), and he's not going to be a power hitter. If we can get him to hit .240 with a .300 OBP, I think they'll take that from him all day.

[seabeachfred]

Cafardo has been saying the same--more politely--in the Globe. It looks like it will come to a head at some point. Valentine is a very experienced manager, and he has been very patient so far--giving Cherington the benefit of the doubt.

 

The front office really hasn't changed. They are control freaks.

 

You can see Lucchino/Henry are at the root of the problem. They gave the front office too much power

under Epstein, and except for the money, nothing has changed. It's a dysfunctional situation.

That's why I think Valentine will be gone before the season's over

 

I went around with some on this board this winter and some on the new flunky board called STFU about Cherington , but there can be no doubt now that this guy is nothing less than a total f***ing idiot. On no other team would a young player performing well be sent down so an injury prone sacred cow can get his old job back that he never should have kept because of his inept play, not to mention that the guy is a physical wreck waiting to happen. I just wonder what this is going to do to Middlebrooks' morale and spirit to be discarded this way. Prune Face Henry and his cohorts should sell the team as soon as they can because they have undone all the good they've accomplished and turned the leadershop of this club into Clowntown.

 

Hey Prune Face, hit the f***ing road and take Lucchinoturd and Cheringpuke with you, and for God's sake let's hope the media, press, and fandom rid these bastards so unmercifully that they will sell and sneak out of town like the slimy rats they are.

[Palodios]

And oh by the way, Iglesias is showing some big strides in AAA as well.

 

Hit a 2 run bomb tonight

 

He's now hitting .258 with a .320 OBP on the season. And in May, he's hitting .372 with a .925 OPS.

 

I know the overall numbers aren't exactly eye popping, but his OPS is significantly higher, especially his OBP (around 30-35 points higher), and he's not going to be a power hitter. If we can get him to hit .240 with a .300 OBP, I think they'll take that from him all day.

 

Aviles has a .470 OPS in May, and Iglesias has a .970 OPS.

 

Huh.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Aviles has a .470 OPS in May, and Iglesias has a .970 OPS.

 

Huh.

 

Oye.

 

That's really all I can say to that. Wow.

[Palodios]

Oye.

 

That's really all I can say to that. Wow.

 

I hear you. The best I could come up with was "huh.":lol:

[SoxFanForsyth]

I swear on everything I own, if the Red Sox keep streaking, or start a new winning streak and Youkilis replaces WMB in the middle of a winning streak, I'm going to lose my s***.

[Spitball]

Well, I'm fresh off the optimism thread, so I'm feeling a bit positive. I see Middlebrooks going down and refining his skills. Youkilis comes back and gets hot knowing his replacement is waiting, gets hurt again, or gets traded to Cincinnati.

 

We will see the Youkilis of old or Middlebrooks back. If Middlebrooks stays in Boston when Youkilis returns, there is a chance that he loses his momentum while splitting time or learning to play left field. It is not like WMB is being traded or sent away forever. He will be back.

[mvp 78]

The winning streak has more to do with strong pitching against weak teams than WMB performance.

 

I hope WMB is sent down, Youk shits the bed, and the team is forced to permanently replace Youk in the lineup.

 

Maybe Ben is going to increase Youk's playing time to help his trade value? Idk.

[Dojji]

That starting pitching is helped along by defense. Middlebrooks for all his rookie foibles, is a better defensive 3B than Youk, who never brought that much range to third in the first place and lost some of it to age and 4 years as a fulltime 1B.

[mvp 78]

Range, but inaccurate arm. Right now, he's not a plus defender.

[a700hitter]

The winning streak has more to do with strong pitching against weak teams than WMB performance.

 

I hope WMB is sent down, Youk shits the bed, and the team is forced to permanently replace Youk in the lineup.

 

Maybe Ben is going to increase Youk's playing time to help his trade value? Idk.

Everything stems from the pitching, but WMB has played a role too. Are you serious that you would want Youk to s*** the bed? I am hoping that he goes back to OPSing at .900+. That would be a nice problem to have.

[mvp 78]

I'd rather him completely s*** the bed for 10 games than have him come back and produce just enough to keep the FO guessing and keep WMB in Pawtucket.

 

Personally, I want WMB to retain his starting position, and have Youk as a backup.

[a700hitter]

I'd rather him completely s*** the bed for 10 games than have him come back and produce just enough to keep the FO guessing and keep WMB in Pawtucket.

 

Personally, I want WMB to retain his starting position, and have Youk as a backup.

I'd like to have a productive Youk and WMB in the lineup. Why is it that you think they will not even try WMB in the OF? Could he be worse than our OF defense so far this season?

[mvp 78]

Moving WMB to the OF is ridiculous. He's never played there and needs more seasoning at 3b.

[a700hitter]

Moving WMB to the OF is ridiculous. He's never played there and needs more seasoning at 3b.

Players have moved positions early in their careers. It's been done plenty of times. Sometimes it is a train wreck like Daniel Murphy of the Mets, but other times it is no big deal. Rick Ankiel went from being a pitcher to playing OF. Albert Pujols played 3B and OF in his early career. I don't see what they have to lose by trying it. If the kid can cut it, we'll have both in the lineup. It's ridiculous not to try it. It's ridiculous to send him down or to root for your clean up hitter to s*** himself.

[iortiz]

Middlebrooks facing demotion

Will Middlebrooks, 3B, BOS

News: CBSSports.com baseball insider Jon Heyman reports the Red Sox plan to demote Will Middlebrooks to Triple-A Pawtucket once Kevin Youkilis (back) is ready to come off the disabled list.

 

Why does this team hate riding the hot bat? When Lowrie was tearing last year' date=' to the bench he goes, and Scutaro comes in. When Scutaro was on a tear, Aviles comes in. Lavs is sitting idly by in Pawtucket with a .370 OBP. Now Middlebrooks is being sent down? Dumb.[/quote']

 

This is why I hate our FO. This is simply unacceptable and unbelievable. If Cherington is behind this, he is an idiot. V should raise his voice for God's sake.

[iortiz]

Players have moved positions early in their careers. It's been done plenty of times. Sometimes it is a train wreck like Daniel Murphy of the Mets' date=' but other times it is no big deal. Rick Ankiel went from being a pitcher to playing OF. Albert Pujols played 3B and OF in his early career. I don't see what they have to lose by trying it. If the kid can cut it, we'll have both in the lineup. It's ridiculous not to try it. It's ridiculous to send him down or to root for your clean up hitter to s*** himself.[/quote']

 

Totally agree. As I said, since we are on experiment mode, why not try?.

[a700hitter]

Totally agree. As I said' date=' since we are on experiment mode, why not try?.[/quote']Are they afraid the kid will get hurt? It makes no sense that they don't try it. He's fast and athletic with a good arm. Guys switch positions. If the Cardinal could move around Pujols what makes it forbidden with WMB. Miggy Cabrera has been all over the diamond too. Teams have not hesitated to move him.

[mvp 78]

Players have moved positions early in their careers. It's been done plenty of times. Sometimes it is a train wreck like Daniel Murphy of the Mets' date=' but other times it is no big deal. Rick Ankiel went from being a pitcher to playing OF. Albert Pujols played 3B and OF in his early career. I don't see what they have to lose by trying it. If the kid can cut it, we'll have both in the lineup. It's ridiculous not to try it. It's ridiculous to send him down or to root for your clean up hitter to s*** himself.[/quote']

 

I never said I'd "root" for him to fail, just that it may be the only way for FO to see the error of moving WMB.

 

What does it matter though? "Realists" have already stated this team won't do s*** this year. So who cares who is at 3b?

[MANNYHOF24]

The winning streak has more to do with strong pitching against weak teams than WMB performance.

 

I hope WMB is sent down, Youk shits the bed, and the team is forced to permanently replace Youk in the lineup.

 

Maybe Ben is going to increase Youk's playing time to help his trade value? Idk.

 

Wanting Youk to suck makes ZERO sense... If anything we should want him to get hot, so we can ride his bat for the season or at least his trade value will increase, and we could get a helpful piece by trading him.

[Spitball]

Are they afraid the kid will get hurt? It makes no sense that they don't try it. He's fast and athletic with a good arm. Guys switch positions. If the Cardinal could move around Pujols what makes it forbidden with WMB. Miggy Cabrera has been all over the diamond too. Teams have not hesitated to move him.

 

Middlebrooks has never played the outfield in the minor leagues...but Pujols and Cabrera each had very limited experience there in the minor leagues. I believe they both played about three games each. However, with their clubs rushing to get their bats to the big leagues, neither turned into accomplished third basemen.

 

Ideally, I'd like to see them give Middlebrooks a shot in left but continue to work on his footwork on throws from third. I think Cincinnati might be interested in Youkilis since Rolen is possibly finished. Perhaps when Ellsbury and/or Crawford return(s), there can be a deal swung. Cincinnati appears to have a deep bullpen, but forget about Chapman. Sox will not get Chapman for Youkilis.

[mvp 78]

It's far more likely that Youk will play like garbage than put up pre 2010 numbers. I'd like Youk to be hot and produce like a cleanup hitter. I'd also like to dunk a basketball. Neither is very likely.

[ellsburyforMVP]

I know it's only been 12 gms, but in the 12 gms WMB has played the red sox have scored 60 runs ( actually 63, but he was pulled after he scored the 1st run in a gm ) in that time he has 14 RBI and scored 9 runs, that equates to WMB factoring into 38.3 % of our total offense.... With those kind of numbers, the FO has to give this kid more ab's....

[mvp 78]

I know it's only been 12 gms' date=' but in the 12 gms WMB has played the red sox have scored 60 runs ( actually 63, but he was pulled after he scored the 1st run in a gm ) in that time he has 14 RBI and scored 9 runs, that equates to WMB factoring into 38.3 % of our total offense.... With those kind of numbers, the FO has to give this kid more ab's....[/quote']

 

That's some poor analysis there. If the Sox only score 1 run off a WMB HR, does he factor as 200% of the total?

[redsoxfan3]

I know it's only been 12 gms' date=' but in the 12 gms WMB has played the red sox have scored 60 runs ( actually 63, but he was pulled after he scored the 1st run in a gm ) in that time he has 14 RBI and scored 9 runs, that equates to WMB factoring into 38.3 % of our total offense.... With those kind of numbers, the FO has to give this kid more ab's....[/quote']

 

Read mvp's post.

 

That's some poor analysis there. If the Sox only score 1 run off a WMB HR' date=' does he factor as 200% of the total?[/quote']

 

I agree. I don't think that you can add runs and RBI's together to get a percentage. If anything, you could just calculate the RBI's and say that Middlebrooks has hit home 23.3% of those runs, but to combine the two is not accurate due to the fact that you cannot count four of those runs because they are accounted for in both of the RBI's and runs.

[ellsburyforMVP]

That's some poor analysis there. If the Sox only score 1 run off a WMB HR' date=' does he factor as 200% of the total?[/quote']

 

Huh?? What's so hard to decifer? 23/60? You just gave an example of 1/1 and you somehow came up with 200%?

 

I'm not saying WMB is 38% of our total offense, but he HAS factored into 38% of our scoring? Which is more than anyone else on the team during that time

[ellsburyforMVP]

Read mvp's post.

 

 

 

I agree. I don't think that you can add runs and RBI's together to get a percentage. If anything, you could just calculate the RBI's and say that Middlebrooks has hit home 23.3% of those runs, but to combine the two is not accurate due to the fact that you cannot count four of those runs because they are accounted for in both of the RBI's and runs.

 

Ah yes, I guess the hr's would skew the #'s a bit.... Point is, he has still been the most productive hitter on the team since he's been up

[a700hitter]

I never said I'd "root" for him to fail' date=' just that it may be the only way for FO to see the error of moving WMB.[/quote']

 

Oh, I got confused by this:

 

I'd rather him completely s*** the bed for 10 games than have him come back and produce just enough to keep the FO guessing and keep WMB in Pawtucket.

 

What does it matter though? "Realists" have already stated this team won't do s*** this year. So who cares who is at 3b?

I'm glad you think labels are BS. You use them liberally anyway. You should just end each of your posts with bazinga!

 

Speaking for myself, I have never said that the team won't do s*** this year.

[Bellhorn04]

For 'runs produced', which is a stat that's used sometimes, though obviously a pretty raw one, you just add runs scored and RBI together and subtract HR's.

[mvp 78]

I'd rather have WMB than a mediocre Youk. I don't think Youk can produce as well as WMB has. If they send WMB down, it would take a dismal stretch or another injury for WMB to come up. Even if Youk comes up and produces, his value as a trading chip is less than keeping WMB at 3b and learning the trade.

 

Bazinga.