Jose Iglesias

[SoxSport]

Iggy is playing 3B today in Pawtucket. There must be a good reason hiding somewhere. Maybe they are trying to keep his bat in the lineup. They'll screw him up yet.

[redsoxrules]

And?

 

If Iggy is on the field, he should be at SS, nowhere else. Why waste your best defensive player by putting him somewhere where he's less likely to be hit to?

 

So far this year Drew is top 3 in all of MLB as far as fielding SS so I'd keep him there.

It would not make any difference to swap Drew with Iggy.

[redsoxrules]

Iggy is playing 3B today in Pawtucket. There must be a good reason hiding somewhere. Maybe they are trying to keep his bat in the lineup. They'll screw him up yet.

 

[BSN07]

They are probably trying to make him more versatile so they can cut bait with Ciriaco

[mvp 78]

So far this year Drew is top 3 in all of MLB as far as fielding SS so I'd keep him there.

It would not make any difference to swap Drew with Iggy.

 

Top 3? Where?

 

Fielding % 5th

DWAR 12th

RF 21st!!!

[redsoxrules]

Fielding % is not the best stat to use for fielding.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=ss&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=y&type=1&season=2013&month=0&season1=2013&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0

[mvp 78]

Fielding % is not the best stat to use for fielding.

 

No s***.

[User Name]

UZR and UZR/150 are not as reliable for MIF as they are for other positions, but they are certainly more reliable than fielding % etc, and they both treat Drew pretty well, so there's something there.

[jung]

Drew makes all the plays he should make. A rare quality in this day and age. Not many fielders you can say that about. He does not provide anything in the way of plus defense but Iggy still needs to hit better for his plus defense to be a factor.

[VA Sox Fan]

Iggy is playing 3B today in Pawtucket. There must be a good reason hiding somewhere. Maybe they are trying to keep his bat in the lineup. They'll screw him up yet.

 

Wow...hadn't heard about that.

[SoxSport]

They are probably trying to make him more versatile so they can cut bait with Ciriaco

 

That's the reason I read tonite in the Globe. They are grooming him for a utility role at SS,3B and 2B. Which means he'll probably be brought up this season. I think they are trying to find a way to bring him up--he did a very good job for them starting the season--better than expected. Besides, they are paying him $2.5 million.

[jacksonianmarch]

UZR and UZR/150 are not as reliable for MIF as they are for other positions, but they are certainly more reliable than fielding % etc, and they both treat Drew pretty well, so there's something there.

 

Right, but Drew isn't there just for defense. If you are going to go just for D, you go with Iglesias. You are going with Drew because the guy could hit in his prime. The problem is, he isn't hitting for s***

[User Name]

Right, but Drew isn't there just for defense. If you are going to go just for D, you go with Iglesias. You are going with Drew because the guy could hit in his prime. The problem is, he isn't hitting for s***

 

Stephen Drew last 28 days: 288 .384 .521 .904

 

Last 7 days: .231 .412 .615 1.027

 

Riiiiight.

[Standing Room]

You're forgetting intangibles.

[Rdsxmbnt]

I think they're finally starting to realize Iglesias will never hit well enough to be an everyday player in the majors. His best chance is as a utility guy which is where I think he has value. Bogaerts is the future SS here and this should clear up the spot in AAA for him to eventually move up there this season.

 

Also I'd like to see a weaker hitting guy like C Vasquez be groomed to be an everyday catcher. His bat will never be elite but I think it will be passable, he'll be an excellent game caller and defensive player, and having one weak bat won't derail the offense.

[User Name]

Salty IS a weak bat and he also sucks defensively, so........

[Station 13]

Salty bat is not weak for a catcher. He has 25HR power and currently sports a .833 OPS. He just sucks balls at defense.

[User Name]

Yeah that .728 career OPS and .305 OBP are monster numbers. Hitting a couple bombs a year doesn't take make a s***** hitter any less s*****.

[mvp 78]

SS is the most important defensive position on the field. Iggy is a better SS than Drew by far. If they are both on the field at the same time, Iggy should be at SS.

[SoxSport]

The problem at SS is the way the FO handled it. Iggy surprised everybody with a strong start, fielding and hitting, and the team was winning. They pronounced that doesn't make any difference-- when the money comes back, we play the money. Drew comes back, Iggy goes to AAA, and Drew doesn't hit a lick for 3 weeks. Nothing like fixing what ain't broke. Iggy goes into a funk at Pawtucket, and is finally coming out of it--maybe. They should have sat Drew on the bench and made him earn his job again.

 

The FO isn't perfect at handling youngsters. And they have kept the Red Sox a mature moneyed team, despite all their talk about prospects. If there's an injury, they might get a quick look.

[SoxSport]

Salty bat is not weak for a catcher. He has 25HR power and currently sports a .833 OPS. He just sucks balls at defense.

 

They are playing a lot of guys who should be DHs. That's one of their problems.

[User Name]

The problem at SS is the way the FO handled it. Iggy surprised everybody with a strong start, fielding and hitting, and the team was winning. They pronounced that doesn't make any difference-- when the money comes back, we play the money. Drew comes back, Iggy goes to AAA, and Drew doesn't hit a lick for 3 weeks. Nothing like fixing what ain't broke. Iggy goes into a funk at Pawtucket, and is finally coming out of it--maybe. They should have sat Drew on the bench and made him earn his job again.

 

The FO isn't perfect at handling youngsters. And they have kept the Red Sox a mature moneyed team, despite all their talk about prospects. If there's an injury, they might get a quick look.

 

This is failthought on so many levels. The Red Sox haven't been winning because they haven't been hitting, and Iggy isn't hitting s*** at AAA. Stop spewing nonsense.

[Bellhorn04]

Yeah that .728 career OPS and .305 OBP are monster numbers. Hitting a couple bombs a year doesn't take make a s***** hitter any less s*****.

 

But the average catcher is even shittier.

[User Name]

But the average catcher is even shittier.

 

It actually isn't. The average catcher the last three years posted pretty much what Salty did last year in terms of OPS. But the problem is that the average catcher had a .322 OBP to Salty's .288. If you subscribe to the idea that the most important aspects of offense are getting on base and to avoid making outs, Salty is very much below-average.

[jung]

You would almost expect a catcher to be a BB, heat seeking missile or at least trying to be.....really trying to "work the walk".

 

Don't really expect Salty to pull a Kelly Shoppach and dive into advancing curve balls to get to 1st base but would like to see Salty at least try to work the walk more often. I guess we can say that at a .346 OBP so far this year, he has improved on last year's number. But historically he always seems to slip below .300 for a full season. I guess we will see.

[Bellhorn04]

It actually isn't. The average catcher the last three years posted pretty much what Salty did last year in terms of OPS. But the problem is that the average catcher had a .322 OBP to Salty's .288. If you subscribe to the idea that the most important aspects of offense are getting on base and to avoid making outs, Salty is very much below-average.

 

I don't even like arguing with you because I like your point of view and I usually agree with you.

 

Nonetheless, I prefer OPS a little bit to OBP. OPS is a crude little combination, but I do think SLG has to be given its due.

 

If we use the years 2011-2013 Salty's OPS is about .750 and the average AL catcher is just a shade over .700.

 

Obviously you're right that Salty's OBP for 2011-2012 was low even for a catcher.

 

If he could keep up his current 2013 OPS all year that'd be pretty good. Doubtful he will though.

 

Bottom line for me on Salty is that I have no big issues with his offense. It's his defence I'm concerned with.

[User Name]

I don't even like arguing with you because I like your point of view and I usually agree with you.

 

Nonetheless, I prefer OPS a little bit to OBP. OPS is a crude little combination, but I do think SLG has to be given its due.

 

If we use the years 2011-2013 Salty's OPS is about .750 and the average AL catcher is just a shade over .700.

 

Obviously you're right that Salty's OBP for 2011-2012 was low even for a catcher.

 

If he could keep up his current 2013 OPS all year that'd be pretty good. Doubtful he will though.

 

Bottom line for me on Salty is that I have no big issues with his offense. It's his defence I'm concerned with.

 

This is a very fair take, but i used MLB catchers' 2010-2012 numbers. Nevertheless, you are correct in your assertion that the main problem is his defense.

[jung]

Now that I look at it, I guess Salty's OBP for last year started low and stayed there. First half, .289.....second half fell to .286, his final OBP for the year. So at least last year, he may never have even reached .300

[redsoxrules]

Speaking of SS, I miss Scutaro

[Bellhorn04]

Speaking of SS, I miss Scutaro

 

He no longer plays SS though, and probably couldn't play SS for more than a game here or there.