2013 Spring Training

[Station 13]

They'll almost certainly take Bradley north. Along with, I suspect, Carp.

 

Bummed that Bard wasn't good enough to break camp, but hopefully he'll be back up in mid season.

 

Both Morales and Breslow both set to throw off a mound on Saturday and Monday, respectively. Big step. Mortenson obviously the first to get demoted. Wonder if they'll carry 3 lefties when both are ready? Not a bad option, especially when Breslow has success against RHH (.683 OPS against vs RHH last year, .654 for his career).

 

This team is hogging Mortensen as if he were an asset is frightening.

 

I guess one of Bailey or Hanrahan will get traded mid-season.

[jung]

Manny was not a good LF, though you posit otherwise. JBJ would be fine.

 

I did not use the term good at any point to describe Manny's play in LF. I said he turned himself into a "decent" LFer in time and that is as far as Manny ever got as a LFer.

 

You were the guy that decided to use Manny as part of the discussion. I don't know what you were doing but whatever it was, it did not make any sense.

[jung]

Seriously, they had the three of them taking IN/OF. I did not see any smily faces in that initial post but I have to ask...this isn't somebody trying to add some humor to the discussion is it?

[Thunder]

With Drew down, there's a clear path for Iggy to start on Monday.

[redsoxbeatz]

With Drew down, there's a clear path for Iggy to start on Monday.

 

I hope so! This is going to be a really interesting season for the Red Sox playoffs or not.

[BSN07]

Please provide an example for a short term guy taking a lesser paycheck to play somewhere to increase his value and gave up a substantially larger payday elsewhere.

 

Beltre turned down a 3 or 4 year deal from Oakland to sign a one year pillow deal in Boston.

[User Name]

Lower AAV

[jung]

Iggy went up tonight hackin' away at the first pitch as usual and ground out. I like his new swing but if he just learned to give himself a chance to get a walk once and awhile, his life would be a heck of a lot easier.

[BSN07]

I tuned the game in time to see Iggy get a walk I think lol

[mvp 78]

and Manny was a terrific LFer.

[mvp 78]

I did not use the term good at any point to describe Manny's play in LF. I said he turned himself into a "decent" LFer in time and that is as far as Manny ever got as a LFer. .

[jung]

and Manny was a terrific LFer.

 

Did not recognize that I had my tongue firmly lodged in cheek? I don't believe anybody would think someone would seriously suggest Manny was a terrific LFer. Don't be an ass.

 

Here was the line in its entirety.

 

 

and Manny was a terrific LFer. At least with Manny you knew EXACTLY what you were getting against ML pitching as a trade off for his fielding.

 

So what did you think...I was saying that his great fielding was the trade off for his terrible hitting?

[mvp 78]

Why do the Sox hide poor defenders in LF (Youk, Manny, Millar)?

 

Because you don't really need any experience or judgement to play LF at Fenway.

 

From now on, I'll just take all your 5,000 word posts as tongue in cheek. It's the only way they'd make sense.

[SoxSport]

no decision tonite on Bradley vs Sweeney. wow. this is a no brainer.

Cherington will not last as GM. Does not have the makeup.

[User Name]

no decision tonite on Bradley vs Sweeney. wow. this is a no brainer.

Cherington will not last as GM. Does not have the makeup.

 

[SoxSport]

Iggy went up tonight hackin' away at the first pitch as usual and ground out. I like his new swing but if he just learned to give himself a chance to get a walk once and awhile, his life would be a heck of a lot easier.

 

3 batters in a row at the bottom of the lineup made outs swinging at the first pitch. Iggy to lead off the inning. That's terrible. it's an example of these guys hitting as individuals, and not as a team. They haven't learned. It's the organization. It just plain sucks. They don't teach team play.

 

The pitching looks good, but don't get your hopes up. This still isn't a team.

[Bellhorn04]

Why do the Sox hide poor defenders in LF (Youk, Manny, Millar)?

 

Because you don't really need any experience or judgement to play LF at Fenway.

 

 

Nava had some adventures in LF last year. He's had to do some work on his fielding.

[User Name]

Yeah but Nava not only lacked experience, he also lacked athleticism, speed and quick lateral movements. The lack of those really make those adventures a lot more story-worthy than they need to be.

 

Also, how does people swinging at the first pitch in ST games equate to the Red Sox not being a "team"? That may be the stupidest thing i ever heard.

 

Most of these guys are just up there getting their hacks, and Iglesias has always been a free-swinger.

[jung]

Why do the Sox hide poor defenders in LF (Youk, Manny, Millar)?

 

Because you don't really need any experience or judgement to play LF at Fenway.

 

From now on, I'll just take all your 5,000 word posts as tongue in cheek. It's the only way they'd make sense.

 

What you don't need much of to play LF for the Red Sox is athletic ability. That has been the dif I have been discussing the entire time. Judgement particularly and then experience are far more valuable assets in Fenway's LF than athletic fielding ability. In fact that would be the main similarity between the those three LFers in your post. None of them were athletic outfielders. The dif between Manny and the other two was that at the point the Sox got him, you would accept just about anything in the field to get his bat. In fact, Manny had nothing. He had no real athletic ability in the field nor did he exhibit particularly good judgement. While people will forever chid Manny for being Manny, there was a time when Manny worked at his game and he turned himself into a LFer that at least could survive out there and that rarely embarrassed himself. When he did embarrass himself it was usually a real stinker of a play but it was not all that common cause he did work at it. UN is correct however. Manny was most comfortable in Fenway's LF where he did the bulk of his work. If he did embarrass himself in LF it was usually on the road where he had little EXPERIENCE in the foreign ballpark.

[Bellhorn04]

One kind of misplay I've seen a lot in Fenway is when guys pull up short of the wall or jump too soon, and the ball goes over their head and falls where they could have caught it if they had gone closer to the wall. Seems like it's usually an opposing fielder.

[jung]

Someone mentioned seeing Iggy on base I think and thought he might have gotten a walk that time at bat. For that poster, if you did not see the at bat I think he was on base cause he got a hit through the left side of the infield.

[Bellhorn04]

Manny had a bad night in left in Game 1 of the 2004 Series. Errors on back to back to plays in the 8th that led to 2 runs that tied the game. On one of them he did a tumble out there.

[jung]

I wonder if it really made sense for Sweeney to put the Sox backs up against the wall. Then again, maybe he just does not feel like he has a choice. Somebody will pick him up for sure if he does not make the team and he likely knows that. Given his age and tenure in baseball a ML squad somewhere has got to be better to him than a minor league assignment with the Sox.

[SoxSport]

Bradley continues to show why he's one of their best players--right now. Drives in a run with a single--against a lefty, then scores on a hit with a nice slide at home. I would put this kid in RF, move Vic to LF, and see what he does. He could be a star.

 

Iggy looks great at SS. Very fluid. Major league, if he can hit above .230. He needs to be more selective at the plate.

[SoxSport]

I wonder if it really made sense for Sweeney to put the Sox backs up against the wall. Then again, maybe he just does not feel like he has a choice. Somebody will pick him up for sure if he does not make the team and he likely knows that. Given his age and tenure in baseball a ML squad somewhere has got to be better to him than a minor league assignment with the Sox.

 

This guy has already hit his ceiling, and it's not very high. He's a backup at best. Avoid guys that Billy Beane trades.

[SoxSport]

Nava had some adventures in LF last year. He's had to do some work on his fielding.

 

Nava has a nice swing batting LHd, and is a patient hitter. That's it for him.

[jung]

If Iggy could ever gets the count to be 1-0 it would be a miracle. His home plate 0-0 is about three feet wide and extends from ankles to neck.

[VA Sox Fan]

Ryan Sweeney not picked up by Red Sox; spot cleared for Jackie Bradley

 

Posted by Peter Abraham, Globe Staff March 28, 2013 10:25 PM

 

 

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Red Sox Thursday night informed outfielder Ryan Sweeney they would not be purchasing his contract.

 

Barring some kind of surprise, it would appear that 22-year-old Jackie Bradley Jr. has made the roster and will open the season with the Sox.

 

Bradley has hit .441 in spring training with 12 RBIs and seven extra-base hits in 59 at-bats. With David Ortiz headed for the disabled list, Bradley could start in left field at Yankee Stadium on Monday afternoon with Jonny Gomes shifting to DH.

[Bellhorn04]

Bradley era is here.

[Bellhorn04]

Nava has a nice swing batting LHd, and is a patient hitter. That's it for him.

 

Of course. He's been working on becoming an adequate fielder, that's pretty much his ceiling there.