Future infield

[jung]

Clearly, WMB has trouble throwing that way. It does not matter who was successful throwing that way...he is not. All you had to do was watch the games last year.

 

As for why, from what I can see, it almost looks like he is throwing a bit of a sidearm screwball which is why I think the ball moves. It even dies at the end something like a screwball. While he rarely overthrows, more often coming up short, when he does overthrow his wrist and hand are a bit more behind and under the ball. While rare, his overthrow really looks awkward as he is releasing the ball. I suspect when he overthrows he has opened up to early and his arm ends up too far away from his body, almost pushing the ball toward 1st. But that throw is rare compared to the dying quail throw.

 

His underthrow is a very difficult scoop for the 1st baseman cause' the ball is not likely to bounce true very often. Hitting the ground should slow it up more than a ball thrown over the top that is short, but it will rarely bounce true.

 

So I would definitely agree that his overthrow is a matter of footwork. I can't really attribute the action he puts on his sidearm throw to footwork. Maybe his grip is doing it. I can't see his grip on that sidearm throw. I can't say that I notice anything about his grip when he does come over the top as the ball does seem to come out true when he throws that way.

 

Myself I have rarely seen guys throw sidearm from 3rd...3/4's often, but not sidearm unless charging the ball with no alternative.

[RedSoxNC84]

I think they want to see Bogaerts play 3B a few games in the WBC. It could broaden their options.

For example, Iggy could hit .400 in ST, Drew could break his other ankle and Napoli's hip could force Middlebrooks to play 1B.

 

Stranger things have happened on the Red Sox.

 

Man don't say that s***, now it's all going to happen.

[Dojji]

Please elaborate. I have witnessed a lot of third basemen. I have coached and played third base.

 

Scott Rolen was easily the best I have witnessed, and he basically threw side arm. The same could be said for Buddy Bell who was a superior thid baseman. Mike Schmidt was great defensively and threw 3/4 and side arm much of the time. The key is not the arm slot but the footwork before the throw.

 

Come to that, Youk tended to submarine a bit when he played third as well, and no one had a problem with it.

 

I think Lowrie did too. It seems to be a way to put a bit more leverage on your throw and maybe get some height on it so it gets there on the fly (bounces slow down the forward momentum).

 

Third basemen can't all be Mike Lowell. I think after him, any other 3B we had is going to look like he has a weak arm.

[Dojji]

Clearly, WMB has trouble throwing that way.

 

I wouldn't say it's that clear at all. The word "clearly" doesn't apply to a guy with that few games in the big leagues.

 

He needs to improve. That's literally all we can say at this point.

[SoxFanForsyth]

solution in search of a problem if you ask me.

 

The infield we have is not our biggest problem. Gathering talent for the outfield and rotation are where our Gm has struggled the most.

 

To be fair, by the time guys like Bogaerts and Marrero arrive to the big leagues, so will the likes of Bradley and Brentz for the OF, as well as De La Rosa, Webster, Barnes, and potentialyl Owens for the rotation.

 

It will be interesting to see how Shaw develops at 1B. I don't know if he'll develop a ton of power but he's got very good plate discipline. He could be a Youkilis type, 18-22 HR, .380+ OBP, which would be excellent.

[Dom]

There's nothing wrong with his arm. Either BA or BP ranked him the best infield arm in the Red Sox organization three or four years in a row. Again, you guys are making an issue where one doesn't exist.

[jung]

Just about all third baseman do it charging the ball...there almost isn't a choice depending on the guy's angle on the ball as he charges and the base where he is aiming to throw it. WMB makes that sidearm throw with a bit of screwball action when he's not charging the ball and throwing it that way is something I think is pretty rare for a 3rd baseman. Why would you not just step and throw it over the top? He steps, but then he uncorks that sidearm/screwball thing and it is no wonder that the ball is moving and finishes something like a screwball. That is unless he opens up too early and ends up with his arm too far away from his body, still trying to throw it sidearm. He gets the overthrow out of that.

[rhet]

How does Beltre throw the ball? A little unorthodox, but gets the job done.

[Dojji]

Right. WMB has to work on his accuracy, but that's not a problem with his mechanics per se.

[Spitball]

Right. WMB has to work on his accuracy, but that's not a problem with his mechanics per se.

 

As I and others have said before, he made 9 errors in his first 56 games but none in his last 47 games. I believe he worked through his early problems.

[mvp 78]

As I and others have said before, he made 9 errors in his first 56 games but none in his last 47 games. I believe he worked through his early problems.

 

How is that possible? He only played in 75 games. Where are those other 28 games from?

[Dojji]

I can't find a game log of his fielding. Can anyone find a source to help me confirm (or refute) Spitball's main claim, that Middlebrooks' errors all came pretty early in his time at the big league level?

[mvp 78]

Went through the box scores, he was error free for the last 17 games. SSS for sure.

[mvp 78]

And was a pinch hitter in two of those games.

[SoxSport]

I think they want to see Bogaerts play 3B a few games in the WBC. It could broaden their options.

For example, Iggy could hit .400 in ST, Drew could break his other ankle and Napoli's hip could force Middlebrooks to play 1B.

 

Stranger things have happened on the Red Sox.

 

Iggy just hit a dinger. Stranger than fiction.

 

:lol:

[Spitball]

How is that possible? He only played in 75 games. Where are those other 28 games from?

 

Oops! That was a typo. He was errorles in his last 17 games.

 

I can't find a game log of his fielding. Can anyone find a source to help me confirm (or refute) Spitball's main claim, that Middlebrooks' errors all came pretty early in his time at the big league level?

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=middlwi01&t=f&year=

 

He did make 7 errors in his first 41 and 2 more before going errorless in his last 17 games. Sorry about the carelessness, but he did show marked improvement.

[bkrull18]

Remember Julio Lugo? BUST!