So how about Daniel Nava?

[Dojji]

Nice to see the kid back on form this year. He's a late bloomer, got to the pro game pretty old (25) so it took him awhile to figure out, but this guy's an ideal Fenway hitter because the man is a doubles machine. Not a lot of HR power, but he sprays to all fields from both sides and can hit some screaming line drives. Quick hands at the plate allows him to get around on a mistake pretty easily and parts of his hitting style remind me of a switch hitting Pedroia

 

Not that I'm going to get too far ahead of myself. I still see the same thing I ever saw in Nava. A kid who can start for a week if needed, or come off the bench if you need an all purpose situational contact hitter. He's a better backup in that respect than DMac and always has been. But it's one thing for me to keep saying that, it's pretty danged nice to see him come up and show that ability.

[jung]

When Nava slips he must fall off a cliff edge to be playing behind d-mac because d-mac is just steadily and consistently bad.

[mvp 78]

A 5th outfielder at best.

[Palodios]

He's been good the last few games. We should definitely call him up once every two years so he can be heroic for those few games, and then send him back down. It'll work wonders I bet.

[a700hitter]

When Nava slips he must fall off a cliff edge to be playing behind d-mac because d-mac is just steadily and consistently bad.

I don't think we will see DMac back at Fenway this season if ever, but he can do one thing that Nava cannot. He can occasionally pop the ball out of the park. The lillipution Nava is devoid of Home Run power. Nava is not a late bloomer. He is a career bush leaguer. The fact that he is in the Red Sox starting lineup is a sad statement on the state of the 2012 team. Let's hope he stays hot for a few weeks and buys us some time before he goes back to palooka ville.

[Bellhorn04]

I don't think we will see DMac back at Fenway this season if ever' date=' but he can do one thing that Nava cannot. He can occasionally pop the ball out of the park. The lillipution Nava is devoid of Home Run power. Nava is not a late bloomer. He is a career bush leaguer. The fact that he is in the Red Sox starting lineup is a sad statement on the state of the 2012 team. Let's hope he stays hot for a few weeks and buys us some time before he goes back to palooka ville.[/quote']

 

You are a man without mercy. :lol:

[Elktonnick]

I don't think we will see DMac back at Fenway this season if ever' date=' but he can do one thing that Nava cannot. He can occasionally pop the ball out of the park. The lillipution Nava is devoid of Home Run power. Nava is not a late bloomer. He is a career bush leaguer. The fact that he is in the Red Sox starting lineup is a sad statement on the state of the 2012 team. Let's hope he stays hot for a few weeks and buys us some time before he goes back to palooka ville.[/quote']

 

Nava is a classic over achiever. He is not blessed with a great deal of talent but he does play his heart out. Given the entitlement mentality of the vets on this team, Nava is good to have around to remind these smug old hands that there are alternatives.

[SoxFanForsyth]

I don't think we will see DMac back at Fenway this season if ever' date=' but he can do one thing that Nava cannot. He can occasionally pop the ball out of the park. The lillipution Nava is devoid of Home Run power. Nava is not a late bloomer. He is a career bush leaguer. The fact that he is in the Red Sox starting lineup is a sad statement on the state of the 2012 team. Let's hope he stays hot for a few weeks and buys us some time before he goes back to palooka ville.[/quote']

 

It's true he doesn't show much pop, but he will get on base at a solid clip (.351 obp in his 2010 stint) so he is a decent 4th OF. I'd rather have Nava over Byrd who can't play D, hit for power, or get on base. The OF as is right now is likely the best we will have until Ells or Craw get back.

[a700hitter]

You are a man without mercy. :lol:

Teams cannot be run on sentiment. Nava is a sentimental favorite, but he falls way short of what is required to be a major league OFer. He has had a couple of cups of coffee in the majors and one incredible memory.

[SoxFanForsyth]

And FWIW, Nava has a career .384 OBP in 64 MLB games. That's a solid line.

[Bellhorn04]

And FWIW' date=' Nava has a career .384 OBP in 64 MLB games. That's a solid line.[/quote']

 

Right you are. He also has 30 RBI in 171 AB, which is very respectable.

[NativeBostonian]

Better then McTurd.

[a700hitter]

And FWIW' date=' Nava has a career .384 OBP in 64 MLB games. That's a solid line.[/quote']He'll be back beating the bushes before the end of the season, and if we are lucky, we will never again see him play for the Sox. You should realize that he comes to Fenway only when the team is in total distress. He has done a good job while he was here, and so did Morgan Burkhart several years ago. Like Burkhart, Nava will have a very abbreviated major league career. In 5 years, you are more likely to see him pumping gas for a living than playing baseball.

[seabeachfred]

He'll be back beating the bushes before the end of the season' date=' and if we are lucky, we will never again see him play for the Sox. You should realize that he comes to Fenway only when the team is in total distress. He has done a good job while he was here, and so did Morgan Burkhart several years ago. Like Burkhart, Nava will have a very abbreviated major league career. In 5 years, you are more likely to see him pumping gas for a living than playing baseball.[/quote']

 

Wow 700---you're not exactly the president of Nava's Marching and Chowder Society. Let me just say that he is an over-achiever, and though he is by no means a long range answer he is certainly preferable to McDogshit in the outfield. At least he can hit halfway decently and he seems to have brought some badly needed energy to the team, and for my money we should milk it until his talent level just levels off. Isn't he also a switch hitter as well? That makes him more valuable right there alone. I thought Byrd might be a help to us but it looks like his one twenty average f or the Cubs was no mirage, and his fielding has been pathetic. That's one guy who may be through save for as a pinch hitter occasionally.

[Brennan]

Hey hey Freddie!

[a700hitter]

Wow 700---you're not exactly the president of Nava's Marching and Chowder Society. Let me just say that he is an over-achiever' date=' and though he is by no means a long range answer he is certainly preferable to McDogshit in the outfield. At least he can hit halfway decently and he seems to have brought some badly needed energy to the team, and for my money we should milk it until his talent level just levels off. Isn't he also a switch hitter as well? That makes him more valuable right there alone. I thought Byrd might be a help to us but it looks like his one twenty average f or the Cubs was no mirage, and his fielding has been pathetic. That's one guy who may be through save for as a pinch hitter occasionally.[/quote']I admire the kid's fight and hard work to stick with the game and earn his opportunities. He is a success story, and an inspiration. He's just not a major league OFer. He is useful when he is in hot streak, and I am impressed at how much he has improved his fielding, which is now about average. I guess I have been venting my spleen on the kid for 2 reasons. The first reason is that he is not Bobby Abreu, who could've been give a free trial with the Red Sox, but Cherries either passed on him or didn't know he was available for the price of the prorated minimum salary. Abreu would have been nice to plug in for a couple of months. I don't think Nava has a good 2 months in him. The second reason is that it drives me crazy that people think he is a viable major league OFer. He isn't. He's a fill in for emergency situations, not an every day major leaguer.

[TutGadol]

A 5th outfielder at best.

 

We have 2 starting outfielders injured. so yeah, A 5th outfielder is kind of the default for this time.

[seabeachfred]

Hey hey Freddie!

 

Hey old buddy, I was told you were now a regular here. We miss you over at the other place and I notice you have your sword out for Killboi. I don't see what his problem is since he never posts on SH any more but confines himself to that new bumbling board. Well it's good to see you here. I was posting regularly on this board until I took a month off because I didn't want to explode at some fellow posters and get myself suspended or banned. We were really sucking when I left on April 12th. We still are not doing much better but, who knows, we may actually start playing consistent ball.....maybe!!!!

 

Let's face it, though. Our starting pitching has been horse s*** since Day One and most of the fault lies with the so-called "Pig Three" who have pitched like a trio of porkers. Anyway, looking forward to communicating with you. Besides, you owe me a phone call.:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[jacksonianmarch]

Are you f***ing kidding me with this thread? He's had 10 at bats. A couple yrs ago, he hit a granny in his first game. He dominated for about 3 weeks then sucked hard from there on out. They DFAd him because he sucked so bad and found a way to come to the bigs after the entire OF was on the DL. He comes back up, pitchers havent learned him and he is hitting again. Once pitchers see him again, he will get dominated. He is a AAAA player at best and a minor league flop at worst. He's not a good enough hitter to crack a starting lineup and he doesnt play good enough D to be a 4th OFer. He's crap

[ORS]

Paging the Dojji....

[jacksonianmarch]

I am pretty sure he is occupied right now. He's giving a handy behind the sox dugout to Nava prior to his next AB. Nothing turns him on like career minor leaguers with no big league long term future

[Bellhorn04]

Keep sucking like this, Nava.

[Dojji]

Paging the Dojji....

 

Sorry. I was behind the wheel all day getting little bro back to college.

 

BTW who's calling Nava a starting player? I'm calling him a good backup, which with his demonstrated contact/line drive ability, he could easily be one.

 

I want to know when bench players stopped mattering in this town. And when having a guy who could switch hit and make good contact off the bench stopped being a good thing.

 

Oh and a700 -- that homer he just hit was for you so wear it proudly.

[jacksonianmarch]

He doesnt hit enough to be a 4th OFer and he doesnt play good enough D to be a 4th OFer. Your 4th OFer must be able to play CF adequately. Nava can barely play LF adequately

[Dojji]

Have you seen the offensive numbers most 4th OF's are good for? If he's anywhere near adequate defensively, his 09 line is fine for a 4th. To say nothing of it he can improve on it.

[a700hitter]

Sorry. I was behind the wheel all day getting little bro back to college.

 

BTW who's calling Nava a starting player? I'm calling him a good backup, which with his demonstrated contact/line drive ability, he could easily be one.

 

I want to know when bench players stopped mattering in this town. And when having a guy who could switch hit and make good contact off the bench stopped being a good thing.

 

Oh and a700 -- that homer he just hit was for you so wear it proudly.

I'm happy for the kid. Another nice memory for him to look back on as he is pumping gas in a couple of years.

[Dojji]

I think we can do better for him than that. Especially since our planned starting outfield is full of platoon hitters. If our 4 OF's are Crawford, Ells, Ross and Sweeney, there should be some room for a switch hitter to spell a lot of those guys, if he can hit. And I think since we have a rare chance to really get the kid some playing time, finding out if he can hit doesn't hurt anything.

[redsoxbeatz]

How many ABs does he have? Too soon to judge if he is "for real"

[Dojji]

Tell all the people that are so bloviatingly convinced he isn't then.

[Celticdonnelly]

Jacksonianmarch is an angry man!