When Victorino and Middlebrooks come back...

[Thunder]

Okay, I've compiled a list of the most likely scenarios for when this happens. Farrell has a big decision coming.

 

Victorino:

1. Nava becomes starting LF, Victorino goes to RF. Gomes is a backup, Carp is a utility reserve, JBJ goes back to Pawtucket unless Ells is still out.

 

This is the only logical explanation in my mind because Nava can play either corner OF position. Since he's been so hot, Farrell can have them both in the lineup on a regular basis and then occasionally give one of them a day off to work Gomes and Carp into the lineup.

 

Middlebrooks:

Either way, I think Ciriaco will get sent down, but I think a reliever might go too.

1. WMB starts at third, Iggy and Drew share playing time at short, with Iggy playing third every week or so to give Middlebrooks a day off. Ciriaco is sent down.

2. Middlebrooks starts at third, Drew stays at short, Iggy is a backup for either, and Ciriaco goes down.

3. Iggy takes SS, WMB at 3rd, Drew is a backup for Iggy, and Iggy is a backup for Middlebrooks. Ciriaco still goes down, because there will be no room for him.

 

Thoughts?

[User Name]

Nava won't be the starter, he'll be platooned like at the beginning of the season. It's pretty self-explanatory.

 

Otherwise, Ciriaco and Bradley go down, Iglesias becomes a super-sub that gets plenty of AB's.

[Thunder]

Nava won't be the starter, he'll be platooned like at the beginning of the season. It's pretty self-explanatory.

 

Otherwise, Ciriaco and Bradley go down, Iglesias becomes a super-sub that gets plenty of AB's.

 

With the inability of Gomes to hit LHP, I'm not sure what he's good for right now.

[User Name]

With the inability of Gomes to hit LHP, I'm not sure what he's good for right now.

 

Let's be a little realistic here:

 

Gomes has 1,191 plate appearance of .882 OPS against lefties. This season, he has 71 plate appearances of .692 OPS against lefties.

 

Are you going to sit there with a straight face and tell me i should conclude that the 71 PA's aren't just a bad streak when i have an enormous sample of previous success by Gomes against LHP?

[Thunder]

Let's be a little realistic here:

 

Gomes has 1,191 plate appearance of .882 OPS against lefties. This season, he has 71 plate appearances of .692 OPS against lefties.

 

Are you going to sit there with a straight face and tell me i should conclude that the 71 PA's aren't just a bad streak when i have an enormous sample of previous success by Gomes against LHP?

 

I go with the stats from this year because those are the easiest to predict from. He's struggled, that's all I'm saying. He walks, so that's why his OPS is so high. Have you seen his AVG recently?

[rjortiz]

What User Name? said. Gomes isn't going lose his spot over 73 AB's with his track record.

[User Name]

I go with the stats from this year because those are the easiest to predict from. He's struggled, that's all I'm saying. He walks, so that's why his OPS is so high. Have you seen his AVG recently?

 

Batting average is next to useless. And using a small sample instead of the larger one to attempt predicting future production is basically doing things backwards.

 

By your logic, Iglesias is going to hit .400 this year. Which is more likely, Gomes starts hitting LHP, or Iglesias regresses offensively?

 

Gomes has a .200 (!) BABIP and keeps hitting warning track shots to the deepest parts of ballparks. Both will correct themselves.

[mvp 78]

Nava won't be the starter, he'll be platooned like at the beginning of the season. It's pretty self-explanatory.

 

Otherwise, Ciriaco and Bradley go down, Iglesias becomes a super-sub that gets plenty of AB's.

 

Any other answer would probably be wrong.

[Palodios]

Gomes has a .200 (!) BABIP and keeps hitting warning track shots to the deepest parts of ballparks. Both will correct themselves.

 

I mentioned similar arguments in another thread, but another thing to note is that he's faced a pile of very tough lefties. In 70ish AB, he's faced Sabathia 2x, Cliff Lee, Pettite, Holland, Price, Chen, Moore. The guy is 32 years old, healthy, and he's played in pitcher's parks most of his career. At some point his hits will land, and he'll be back to crushing lefties.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Lets just be happy that the team is 12 games over .500 and first in the AL East when Gomes has struggled. He's going to turn it around and he's going to start crushing lefties. He's made a career out of it.

 

In terms of Iglesias, he needs to, at the very least, platoon with Drew. Drew is hitting .143 with a .504 OPS vs LHP, and has K'd 19 times in 49 AB (a tick under 40%). And to be honest, Drew is hitting just .213/.316/.373. Is that really a line from a one year guy that is going to keep you from developing a defensive wizard who is crushing right now??

 

I say start Iggy everyday. His K rate is not awful but his BB rate is horrifying. He's going it regress, that much is imminent, but even with his regression, he can still make productive outs, learn pitch recognition at the big league level, play 3-4 days a week and save more runs than Drew creates

[SoxSport]

Drew has yet to get back to his pre-injury form, and he's not a $10 mil player until he does. Iggy is really making his case, and gets FO attention--they have $10 mil invested in him over 4 yrs. I don't know if this kid has suddenly become a hitter, but he seems to have plenty of confidence and motivation. If he can hit .250, he should be the regular SS. He can certainly hit the longball, as he showed last night.

 

Right now, they are in a pickle--with Iggy's situation, and also Bradley/Nava in the OF. Iggy needs PT when Middlebrooks comes back. That means SS/utility. Nava looks like a fixture in LF. Bradley may well be ready, but Vic and Ells block him. They don't figure to be sellers at the trade deadline, though they could use another good starter. Bradley figures to sit in AAA until Vic or Ells next injury.

[User Name]

Lets just be happy that the team is 12 games over .500 and first in the AL East when Gomes has struggled. He's going to turn it around and he's going to start crushing lefties. He's made a career out of it.

 

In terms of Iglesias, he needs to, at the very least, platoon with Drew. Drew is hitting .143 with a .504 OPS vs LHP, and has K'd 19 times in 49 AB (a tick under 40%). And to be honest, Drew is hitting just .213/.316/.373. Is that really a line from a one year guy that is going to keep you from developing a defensive wizard who is crushing right now??

 

I say start Iggy everyday. His K rate is not awful but his BB rate is horrifying. He's going it regress, that much is imminent, but even with his regression, he can still make productive outs, learn pitch recognition at the big league level, play 3-4 days a week and save more runs than Drew creates

 

You seem to forget that Drew's actually been pretty good at preventing runs.

 

I like Iggy at the Util spot. Have him spell Pedey, Drew and WMB. He could get work in 4-5 days a week, especially if they play him at SS against lefties.

[Palodios]

Lets just be happy that the team is 12 games over .500 and first in the AL East when Gomes has struggled. He's going to turn it around and he's going to start crushing lefties. He's made a career out of it.

 

In terms of Iglesias, he needs to, at the very least, platoon with Drew. Drew is hitting .143 with a .504 OPS vs LHP, and has K'd 19 times in 49 AB (a tick under 40%). And to be honest, Drew is hitting just .213/.316/.373. Is that really a line from a one year guy that is going to keep you from developing a defensive wizard who is crushing right now??

 

I say start Iggy everyday. His K rate is not awful but his BB rate is horrifying. He's going it regress, that much is imminent, but even with his regression, he can still make productive outs, learn pitch recognition at the big league level, play 3-4 days a week and save more runs than Drew creates

 

Drew was suffering from a lack of Spring training earlier in the year. Since May, His OPS has been hovering around .800 and he's played very good defense.

 

I wish the Red Sox had given Stephen Drew more time at AAA. He came back from the DL after a concussion, wasn't ready, and sure enough, he had a .500 OPS in April. Now his stats will look ugly for the rest of the year even though he's playing like a top 10 shortstop.

[Thunder]

Drew was suffering from a lack of Spring training earlier in the year. Since May, His OPS has been hovering around .800 and he's played very good defense.

 

I wish the Red Sox had given Stephen Drew more time at AAA. He came back from the DL after a concussion, wasn't ready, and sure enough, he had a .500 OPS in April. Now his stats will look ugly for the rest of the year even though he's playing like a top 10 shortstop.

 

His defense has gone virtually unnoticed because of his poor performance at the plate. Pretty sad in my mind.

[Bellhorn04]

How's this for a stat?

 

After 58 games, Drew and Iglesias have a combined total of 1 error.

[User Name]

Aside from a slump in the beginning of May, Red Sox defense has been rock solid this season. That's part of the pitching improvement and an important reason for their success.

[a700hitter]

How's this for a stat?

 

After 58 games, Drew and Iglesias have a combined total of 1 error.

Was it Iglesias? I thought he made an error in the first week.

[a700hitter]

When do they expect Middlebrooks to come back?

[mvp 78]

Was it Iglesias? I thought he made an error in the first week.

 

No.

[SoxFanForsyth]

His defense has gone virtually unnoticed because of his poor performance at the plate. Pretty sad in my mind.

 

I don't think his defense is going unnoticed. I just think Iglesias's defense is a once in a lifetime glove.

 

I'm fine with playing Iglesias at SS vs LHP exclusively, plus Util and a couple random games to give Drew a day.

[SoxFanForsyth]

When do they expect Middlebrooks to come back?

 

6/8 (Saturday)

[iortiz]

I would let Nava play everyday for once and for all, Gomes sucks.

[User Name]

Thank God you're not the one running this ballclub.

[iortiz]

Neither u.

[a700hitter]

6/8 (Saturday)

No rehab assignment?

[a700hitter]

Thank God you're not the one running this ballclub.

More non-baseball talk. You have no self control and like a mad dog, you just can't be socialized. How about this for a suggestion? Have one post ripping all the posters that you hate. We, in turn can respond by telling you that you are a despicable jackass, and then limit your opinions to baseball and not other posters. Get all of the venom and bile out of the way once and for all.

[Bellhorn04]

Neither u.

 

No, but his opinion on Gomes is the one that is the same as the guys running the club.

[VA Sox Fan]

More non-baseball talk. You have no self control and like a mad dog, you just can't be socialized. How about this for a suggestion? Have one post ripping all the posters that you hate. We, in turn can respond by telling you that you are a despicable jackass, and then limit your opinions to baseball and not other posters. Get all of the venom and bile out of the way once and for all.

 

^ Over dramatic non-baseball talk.

 

I guess from what I've read, Victorino will be back tonight. GOOD!

[User Name]

No, but his opinion on Gomes is the one that is the same as the guys running the club.

 

Because it's the logical one. You don't assume a guy who's mashed lefties over 1,100 plate appearances to the tune of a .882 OPS sucks because he's struggled over 71 plate appearances. Especially if you know he's been the recipient of extremely bad luck.

 

Then again reaching that conclusion requires some logical thinking......

[User Name]

^ Over dramatic non-baseball talk.

 

I guess from what I've read, Victorino will be back tonight. GOOD!

 

You're rendering the ignore feature useless. I mean who wants to read his hypocritical senseless babbling?

 

Let him grumble in his rocking chair.