Xander Bogaerts

[mvp 78]

With WMB hitting so well and Mike Napoli injured, why not let XB take some groundballs at 1B? I wouldn't want to disrupt WMB's current mojo.

 

They already slid WMB over to 2nd this trip. I think they are more worried about Xander being comfortable at this point.

[VA Sox Fan]

wrong thread-edit Edited August 26, 2013 by VA Sox Fan

[a700hitter]

The kid has a nice swing.

[SoxFanForsyth]

This kid, man. This kid is going to be special. Really, really special.

[a700hitter]

He looked pretty smooth in the field too. He'd have to get very large for me to want to pull him off SS. In the meantime, his plate discipline and plate coverage looks much better than Middlebrooks. I'd play him over Middlebrooks.

[Behindenemylines]

The kid has a nice swing.

 

The kid doesn't look lost with the bat and had some nice swings last night including two hits. He made all of the plays at SS and looks like he belongs. Being the Sunday night ESPN game you know all eyes in baseball were on him and he performed like he belongs.

[sk7326]

Middlebrooks showing some competence at 2B was a nice turn - allows them to not have to keep a Holt on the roster JUST to cover for any Pedroia substitution. To be fair, Middlebrooks looks a lot more composed at the plate - he's never going to be Kevin Youkilis out there patience-wise, but he is showing an actual game plan.

 

Boegarts looks very smooth right from the outset. Approach, driving the ball the other way, all of it is very sound. Boegarts ceiling is much higher than Middlebrooks - but there are at bats around for everybody. You wonder whether a 20 year old frame like that can say "Shortstop Sized" for the foreseeable future, but until then you can see the superstardom. (and to be totally fair, if he hits his offensive ceiling and has to play 3B, that is still a very good player)

[Orange Juiced]

Middlebrooks since his recall + Bogaerts = a very nice offensive upgrade on the left side of the infield. The numbers:

 

Middlebrooks (since his return): 45 ab, 16 h, 3 2b, 2 hr, 7 rbi, .356/.444/.556/1.000

Bogaerts: 9 ab, 3 h, 1 2b, 1 rbi, .333/.333/.444/.778

 

TOTAL: 54 ab, 19 h, 4 2b, 2 hr, 8 rbi, .352/.426/.537/.963

 

That's a lot better than what the Sox were getting from the left side before August.

[sk7326]

A WMB-X-Drew rotation on the left side is an offensive plus ... defensively it's a plus when Drew is at SS, jury still a bit out on Boegarts although he has not done anything to scare me or anything.

[Behindenemylines]

Middlebrooks since his recall + Bogaerts = a very nice offensive upgrade on the left side of the infield. The numbers:

 

Middlebrooks (since his return): 45 ab, 16 h, 3 2b, 2 hr, 7 rbi, .356/.444/.556/1.000

Bogaerts: 9 ab, 3 h, 1 2b, 1 rbi, .333/.333/.444/.778

 

TOTAL: 54 ab, 19 h, 4 2b, 2 hr, 8 rbi, .352/.426/.537/.963

 

That's a lot better than what the Sox were getting from the left side before August.

 

Even when Bogaerts had some pitches in AB where he was fooled he came back and made some solid comtact. Some young players you can see they are over matched by big league pitching, and he hasn't so far. Middlebrooks has to be willing to take the walks. He still is swinging at to many pitches that are not strikes. Major league pitchers aren't stupid, if they can get someone out with out throwing strikes they will.

[Orange Juiced]

Even when Bogaerts had some pitches in AB where he was fooled he came back and made some solid comtact. Some young players you can see they are over matched by big league pitching, and he hasn't so far. Middlebrooks has to be willing to take the walks. He still is swinging at to many pitches that are not strikes. Major league pitchers aren't stupid, if they can get someone out with out throwing strikes they will.

 

Yeah at one point during a WMB at-bat last night I wondered why any RHP would throw him anything other than sliders low and away.

[sk7326]

Yeah at one point during a WMB at-bat last night I wondered why any RHP would throw him anything other than sliders low and away.

 

One of the revelations of the first wave of dorkball analysis was that the willingness to take pitches is really born, not made. Middlebrooks is always going to be a hacker to some degree. You just want to see some evidence of a game plan, foul off some tough stuff, look for "his pitches" at least early in the count. He looks a lot more comfortable than he did in his previous tour - he's never going to be a 50 walk sort.

[Orange Juiced]

One of the revelations of the first wave of dorkball analysis was that the willingness to take pitches is really born, not made. Middlebrooks is always going to be a hacker to some degree. You just want to see some evidence of a game plan, foul off some tough stuff, look for "his pitches" at least early in the count. He looks a lot more comfortable than he did in his previous tour - he's never going to be a 50 walk sort.

 

I'll be perfectly happy if WMB ends up being a guy who gets about 35 walks a season, hits about .285 with about 30 hr, and drives in 85+ runs a year, all while playing above-average defense. That's a very, very valuable guy, and I think those numbers are entirely possible with him. One of the keys is, as you pointed out, spoiling those tough pitches instead of swinging at and missing them.

[User Name]

One of the revelations of the first wave of dorkball analysis was that the willingness to take pitches is really born, not made. Middlebrooks is always going to be a hacker to some degree. You just want to see some evidence of a game plan, foul off some tough stuff, look for "his pitches" at least early in the count. He looks a lot more comfortable than he did in his previous tour - he's never going to be a 50 walk sort.

 

What is "dorkball"? And why does the word sound so stupid?

[Behindenemylines]

Lineup posted for Wednesday against the O's. Bogaerts is getting the start at 3B. I think he is going to get at least one start at SS and one at 3B a week if he shows that he can hit ML pitching. It gives both Drew and WMB rest and doesn't put to much pressure on the kid.

[sk7326]

What is "dorkball"? And why does the word sound so stupid?

 

lol, nerdball, moneyball, pick a snarky term for analytics - which I love clearly. Term of endearment.

[Behindenemylines]

The kid hitting one over the bullpen for his first career homerun was nuts. He also had a bare handed play on Cano that would have made Iggy proud. I know its a small sample, but this kid plays like he belongs.