Will is back

[BigPapi]

I hope this report to be true, but if it is, will is starting for us tonight at 3rd.

 

http://www.overthemonster.com/2013/8/10/4609176/red-sox-to-call-up-will-middlebrooks

[BornToRun]

He's hitting 9th tonight. I seem to recall WMB having a 2 HR performance in his very first game against the Royals last year.

 

Edit: Didn't RSFFL have dibs on the next gamethread?

[SoxFanForsyth]

I hope this report to be true, but if it is, will is starting for us tonight at 3rd.

 

http://www.overthemonster.com/2013/8/10/4609176/red-sox-to-call-up-will-middlebrooks

 

I know a lot of us, including me, wanted to see Bogaerts, but if Middlebrooks can come up and be the 2012 version of himself, that would be huge for this team now and in the future, because the left side would be set for years

[Jasonbay44]

Good to see him back, I wanted to see Boegarts more, but WMB is still an upgrade over Holt/Snyder

[SoxFanForsyth]

He's hitting 9th tonight. I seem to recall WMB having a 2 HR performance in his very first game against the Royals last year.

 

Edit: Didn't RSFFL have dibs on the next gamethread?

 

Yup. Hooked one around the RF foul pole and then smoked one that hit the LF foul pole.

 

And I don't think this is the GT, I just think the thread was started in the wrong place?

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

He's hitting 9th tonight. I seem to recall WMB having a 2 HR performance in his very first game against the Royals last year.

 

Edit: Didn't RSFFL have dibs on the next gamethread?

 

Will make shortly. Make sure you watch tonights game, trust me.

[sk7326]

I think Boegarts made it a hard decision. But this is the safer option - and certainly still an upgrade over Snyder's corpse.

[rjortiz]

Wrong person to call up.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Wrong person to call up.

 

Doesn't matter, either option was better than what we have now. It had to be done.

[BornToRun]

Pretty much.

[jung]

I thought it would be Will. To be honest this is only opinion, but I think it is the right choice for right now.

 

Will is better defensively for one thing at least at 3rd. For another and this is more along the lines of the future of the infield...XB is going to be a Red Sox infielder, likely SS and likely either the end of this year or beginning of the next. He will surely be here in some capacity as part of the call ups. But WMB's future here is really a question mark. The only way they will know if he can hit ML pitching is to expose him again to ML pitching. To be honest I actually think at least right now, WMB likely has more of a chance of succeeding against ML pitching than XB.

[rjortiz]

Middlebrooks is going to go 1/61 with 0 BB's and 64 K's.

[sk7326]

Difference between the two is - well WMB is a proven okay defender there. They both have power, and both hit for roughly the same batting average. There is a good chance WMB will hit better here than Boegarts would have. But Boegarts would have still been plenty competitive in terms of actually not making outs ... basically a .270/.300 sort of slash line vs a .240/.330 sort of one. I hope the tour in the minors helped Middlebrooks - but pitch recognition is usually born, not made. Guys allergic to walk, very rarely shake that allergy. But there is no reason he can't be a league average 3B. I would have chosen Boegarts, but I get it - and I don't think this is a final verdict on the matter.

 

Remember, Boegarts can be on the playoff roster - no matter when he comes up (due to the Hanrahan, Bailey, Miller and Kalish injuries). So the pressure to bring him in August was never really there.

[BSN07]

It came down to WMB hitting well over his last 8-10 games and already having experience and Bogaerts not being ready defensively according to the entire coaching staff at AAA. They also mentioned he's had some base running issues. As much as I'm looking forward to seeing Bogaerts, I'm completely fine with bringing up WMB before him. Now he gets another couple weeks at 3B and most likely will be up in September anyways.

[a700hitter]

I am glad that they made a move. If Wil bombs out, Bogaerts will get his chance. Hopefully, he can reestablish himself. Last night was a good start-- two hits and no k's.

[Palodios]

The key number for WMB is .906. That's his OPS against lefthanded pitchers in 2012. If he sniffs that again, this team's WS chances get much better.

[sk7326]

The key number for WMB is .906. That's his OPS against lefthanded pitchers in 2012. If he sniffs that again, this team's WS chances get much better.

 

I'd look away from the OPS for Will - he'll hit the ball hard. But if we can get an OBP at something acceptable, .320-.330 or so (league average, slightly above). Preferably with a decent number of unintentional walks to go with it.

 

Boegarts is still very much an option here - I doubt this is the final verdict, Farrell said as much yesterday.

[jung]

In truth, as a Sox fan you gotta' want it to be the final verdict because if it is, it means Will is hitting again. As I said earlier XB is the SS of the future here. That is written in stone. Will's future is much less certain. I am totally good with XB not coming up until the call ups as that will mean Will is hitting again.

[marklmw]

Wrong person to call up.

 

Could not agree more. They should have called up Bogaerts ... if he did not perform as expected there would be no shame in sending him back down for more seasoning and call WM up.

[Thunder]

Keep in mind the looming September 1 call ups. Xander could get called up then, and this could really be a trial period for Will to determine if he has a future with this team. If he stays, Xander can play SS with no conflict with Iglesias being gone. If he does not, Xander can play third. The Sox have plenty other prospects at SS, but they might have to wait awhile.

[SCM33]

Keep in mind the looming September 1 call ups. Xander could get called up then, and this could really be a trial period for Will to determine if he has a future with this team. If he stays, Xander can play SS with no conflict with Iglesias being gone. If he does not, Xander can play third. The Sox have plenty other prospects at SS, but they might have to wait awhile.

 

If Napoli continues to suck, I'd like to see more of Carp or Middlebrooks at 1B. Drew is still a valuable asset at SS. Bring Bogaerts up to play 3B with WMB and Carp at 1B.

[BSN07]

Could not agree more. They should have called up Bogaerts ... if he did not perform as expected there would be no shame in sending him back down for more seasoning and call WM up.

 

You just don't understand professional baseball.

 

Choices for 3B 3 weeks before rosters expand,

 

Player A: MLB experience, good defensively, hitting well in the minors, player you hope is 3B of the future

 

Player B: No MLB experience, 20 years old(best prospect in the system), changing positions, entire AAA staff telling you he's not ready defensively to play 3B at ML level and has issues running the bases.

 

Take away the names and look at the scenarios and it's pretty obvious what the choice is. The only reason to pick Bogaerts is because it Bogaerts and he's the next big thing coming up. It's just not the smart baseball move. I'm as excited as anyone to see Bogaerts, but I can wait 3 weeks and see if WMB can turn it around.

[seabeachfred]

You just don't understand professional baseball.

 

Choices for 3B 3 weeks before rosters expand,

 

Player A: MLB experience, good defensively, hitting well in the minors, player you hope is 3B of the future

 

Player B: No MLB experience, 20 years old(best prospect in the system), changing positions, entire AAA staff telling you he's not ready defensively to play 3B at ML level and has issues running the bases.

 

Take away the names and look at the scenarios and it's pretty obvious what the choice is. The only reason to pick Bogaerts is because it Bogaerts and he's the next big thing coming up. It's just not the smart baseball move. I'm as excited as anyone to see Bogaerts, but I can wait 3 weeks and see if WMB can turn it around.

 

One thing he and all of us understand is that we could no longer go with a tandem of Snyder and Holt at third base. They didn't field all that well and they hit like s***. I can't swear that Middlebrooks is going to tear it up but he has to be a helluva lot better bet for us than those two other duds were.

[jung]

I am a little surprised that WMB seems to be back to that weak assed side arm throw of his. Many third baseman throw side arm. Few of them throw side arm all the time and few of them have such a weak assed side arm throw. WMB's is flat terrible. He was throwing much better when he started this year. Not sure why he is back to where he was in that regard. Really did surprise me to see him throwing this way again.

[sk7326]

You just don't understand professional baseball.

 

Choices for 3B 3 weeks before rosters expand,

 

Player A: MLB experience, good defensively, hitting well in the minors, player you hope is 3B of the future

 

Player B: No MLB experience, 20 years old(best prospect in the system), changing positions, entire AAA staff telling you he's not ready defensively to play 3B at ML level and has issues running the bases.

 

Take away the names and look at the scenarios and it's pretty obvious what the choice is. The only reason to pick Bogaerts is because it Bogaerts and he's the next big thing coming up. It's just not the smart baseball move. I'm as excited as anyone to see Bogaerts, but I can wait 3 weeks and see if WMB can turn it around.

 

It was a little more complicated that - Baltimore offered a datapoint from experience, and the 20 year old was outhitting the incumbent. That said, WMB was the safe move here - and we DO have to figure out if he can square up major league pitching consistently and whether he knows what a "ball" is. There is some dual purpose - and if WMB is still the same modest ceiling guy he had shown earlier, they can make the Boegarts move sooner. I think there is a 90-100% chance Boegarts will be on the roster when the postseason starts - just curious how he will get there.

[Behindenemylines]

WMB has looked better at the plate in the first couple of games back. If he gives you solid D, .250 BA ,and a threat of power the rest of the season then the Sox upgraded from the Snyder/Holt platoon that was starting to struggle.