Will Middlebrooks

[Palodios]

He has made adjustments, but his season line: .227 .271 .425 really looks awful.

 

Hopefully he can continue to push forward.

 

Some players transition to the majors seamlessly without having to go through big inconsistencies as they adjust to big league pitching. Unfortunately, WMB is not one of those guys-- yet, his counting stats have been impressive. I'd love to give Drew a qualifiying offer and try to rotate him with XB and WMB, but the front office may just hand Middlebrooks the starting job again.

[User Name]

While he did put up those numbers, but half of it were before the league got the scouting out on him. What have happened since? He's awful.

 

That's not how it works. Teams get detailed scouting reports on players even before they come up to MLB. What happened with most young players, is that the league discovers some sort of previously unknown weakness and starts exploiting it, but this is not WMB's case.

 

WMB's weakness to low-and-outside breaking balls appears in scouting reports from as early as 2011, and when he came up, he'd lay off the pitch a lot more than he did this year. That's on him, not a "league-catching-up" scenario, which is usually what happens to guys with sophomore slumps. They fall into bad habits, and take a long time to break away from them.

[Bellhorn04]

That's not how it works. Teams get detailed scouting reports on players even before they come up to MLB. What happened with most young players, is that the league discovers some sort of previously unknown weakness and starts exploiting it, but this is not WMB's case.

 

WMB's weakness to low-and-outside breaking balls appears in scouting reports from as early as 2011, and when he came up, he'd lay off the pitch a lot more than he did this year. That's on him, not a "league-catching-up" scenario, which is usually what happens to guys with sophomore slumps. They fall into bad habits, and take a long time to break away from them.

 

That seems like a solid explanation of it to me.

[seabeachfred]

If he's consistent around .260/.310/.450 that would be awesome down 6/7th.[/QU

 

Station, Middlebrooks will cut down is strikeouts with experience in the Bigs but he will always be a potential strikeout victim. He will also be capable of hitting between 25-35 homers and drive in between 90-110 runs. I think I would take those stats and let Pedroia, Bogey, Shane and Nava hit for the good average.

[jung]

I think WMB has had some of his best AB's since the post season started. Sure some have looked like typical worrisome WMB AB's but given how badly things had gone for the Sox hitters generally since they left Boston for Tampa you would think Will would have just been that much worse. In truth at least to me, he has had on average better AB's than one might have expected. So much so that given the circumstances, I cannot fault his post season performance to date. I know some would like to see XB inserted in the lineup almost any way possible but I just don't think Will deserves to be shown the pine for his performance so far.

[Bellhorn04]

And the pitching in the postseason is so good, in general, that if a guy has two good at-bats in one game, including outs, you almost have to be happy with that. Sometimes the pitcher just hits his spot 3-4 times in a row and the hitter has not much chance.

[SoxSport]

If he's consistent around .260/.310/.450 that would be awesome down 6/7th.[/QU

 

Station, Middlebrooks will cut down is strikeouts with experience in the Bigs but he will always be a potential strikeout victim. He will also be capable of hitting between 25-35 homers and drive in between 90-110 runs. I think I would take those stats and let Pedroia, Bogey, Shane and Nava hit for the good average.

 

I have always felt it's not how many outs you make, it's what kind of out you make. For example, a sac fly is not the same kind of out as a strikeout. Any out that moves a baserunner is a better out than one that doesn't. OBP or BA do not distinguish between kinds of outs.

 

The Yankees used to have an outfielder named Hank Bauer. He was a decorated hero of the Battle of the Bulge. He used to hit about .240 every year, but you didn't want to see him at the plate when the game was on the line. He would kill you every time.

[RedSoxNC84]

The real question is this: Does he start at 3b, and Xander takes the bench or goes to AAA while Drew starts at SS, or does WMB slide to first, XB starts at third, and Drew at SS?

[a700hitter]

I'd prefer if they kept all 3 -- Drew, Middlebrooks and Bogaerts. Drew tends to get injured and Middlebrooks has not found consistency. There should be enough playing time for all 3, and underperformance or injury by one of them would not cause much of a problem. However, I think the Sox will let Drew walk.

[SoxFanForsyth]

I'd prefer if they kept all 3 -- Drew, Middlebrooks and Bogaerts. Drew tends to get injured and Middlebrooks has not found consistency. There should be enough playing time for all 3, and underperformance or injury by one of them would not cause much of a problem. However, I think the Sox will let Drew walk.

 

No need to keep all 3, particularly with Garin Cecchini on the JBJ highway to Boston.

 

Cecchini will be starting in AAA next year and plays 3B as well. He will be able to come up by May or June and play if Middlebrooks isn't getting it done.

 

They've got some solid depth on the left side of the infield with Marrero (probably a year away), Cecchini (will be available in 2014), Bogaerts (starting SS), and Middlebrooks (starting 3B). There's no reason to give Drew a multi-year deal (probably 3/36) for insurance.

 

I'd much rather see them allocate that money to an area of bigger need (Abreu at 1b?) than to spend it on an area where we have significant depth.

[a700hitter]

No need to keep all 3, particularly with Garin Cecchini on the JBJ highway to Boston.

 

Cecchini will be starting in AAA next year and plays 3B as well. He will be able to come up by May or June and play if Middlebrooks isn't getting it done.

 

They've got some solid depth on the left side of the infield with Marrero (probably a year away), Cecchini (will be available in 2014), Bogaerts (starting SS), and Middlebrooks (starting 3B). There's no reason to give Drew a multi-year deal (probably 3/36) for insurance.

 

I'd much rather see them allocate that money to an area of bigger need (Abreu at 1b?) than to spend it on an area where we have significant depth.

All solid points. I agree.

[Dojji]

If he's consistent around .260/.310/.450 that would be awesome down 6/7th.[/QU

 

Station, Middlebrooks will cut down is strikeouts with experience in the Bigs but he will always be a potential strikeout victim. He will also be capable of hitting between 25-35 homers and drive in between 90-110 runs. I think I would take those stats and let Pedroia, Bogey, Shane and Nava hit for the good average.

 

Nava is going to have a run for his money to even be playing, between the pressure Bradley is going to put him him combined with the fact that Carp and Gomes have earned the right to come off the bench next year. If Nava had figured it out from the right side it'd be another story, but a Gomes-Carp platoon is sufficiently viable that the team may well reach the conclusion that Nava's not strictly necessary if they can re-sign Ellsbury, which I would do Nava or no Nava.

 

If they can bring Ells back something has to give, and as much as I love Nava, I have a vibe that tells me that the team is going to extend Ellsbury and look to stash Bradley in left, which means they'll be looking for an opportunity to sell high with Nava and make room for their wunderkind, relying on Gomes and Carp to create the proper depth to allow them to tolerate making that kind of move.

 

Now they could move Carp instead, but IMHO that's a bad move, Carp has upside and would be very useful to have behind either Napoli and his questionable hip if they extend him, or Abreu and his modest batspeed if they sign him, as viable fill-in depth in case something goes wrong. Nava COULD do that, but Carp is sufficiently better at it that that's not a reason to hold onto Nava.

Edited October 15, 2013 by Dojji

[Bellhorn04]

Carp over Nava? Dojji, say it isn't so!

[sk7326]

No need to keep all 3, particularly with Garin Cecchini on the JBJ highway to Boston.

 

Cecchini will be starting in AAA next year and plays 3B as well. He will be able to come up by May or June and play if Middlebrooks isn't getting it done.

 

They've got some solid depth on the left side of the infield with Marrero (probably a year away), Cecchini (will be available in 2014), Bogaerts (starting SS), and Middlebrooks (starting 3B). There's no reason to give Drew a multi-year deal (probably 3/36) for insurance.

 

I'd much rather see them allocate that money to an area of bigger need (Abreu at 1b?) than to spend it on an area where we have significant depth.

 

Some of this makes sense. You have to evaluate which prospects are GOING to be part of the big league future and who you are "hoping" will be part of the big league future. Boegarts is clearly a piece for us. Marrero, Middlebrooks are "hopes" although Middlebrooks has a significant lead with all of those big league at-bats. Merrero is not really part of the future, and Cecchini could be.

 

I agree Drew does not need to be brought back - especially since he will get some attention, he has rebuilt his career here. Does this team have a huge need? I'd actually say "not really". 1B and LF are unsexy, but what great management (Friedman, Theo/Cherington) know is that platoons can very cheaply and ably source those positions. Abreu is worth looking at, though the red flags are definitely there (scouting reports of average bat speed, already as old as Cespedes was when he got to the bigs, little history of Cuban prospects being big league ready on day 1). If you want to allocate your money for a big money 1B, you want it to go to your 2012 Adrian Gonzalez (the Red Sox signing of him was totally defensible, there was always some risk he'd slip, just not that quickly). But if we are doing a Carp-Gomes-Napoli dance to fill 1B/LF - that will not worry me one bit.

[Dojji]

Carp over Nava? Dojji, say it isn't so!

 

Facts need to be faced. if Nava was any better defensively in right field, or hitting lefthanded pitching, it might be a different story, but he's only a little more versatile than Carp, still has to be platooned with against lefthanders just like Carp does, and the question next year is about left field, which Carp and Nava play about equally well. I wouldn't want either one playing right field for an extended period, which is really the only thing Nava does that Carp doesn't. Besides, Carp has a power tool that Nava can't touch. And sure, Carp has only really come into his own this year after several years of mediocricy, but that is, of course, also true of Nava.

 

I'd predict that if Carp was given the green light and Nava shipped out, he would be able to take over the staring left fielder's job and perform equally as well as nava, with a plus for every minus -- I don't think he'd be able to get on base nearly as consistently as Nava, which is something Nava has always been able to do and is the reason he'll probably land on his feet in another organization, but I do think Carp is the only one of the two that could hit 20 HR's so there's a tradeoff involved.

[Dojji]

I agree Drew does not need to be brought back - especially since he will get some attention, he has rebuilt his career here.

 

Agreed. I would keep him if he was willing to stay in Boston, simply because we haven't had a 2 way SS who can do what Drew does in a loooooooooooong time and I see no need to rush Bogaerts into being the starting SS. But he's going to be seeing some attractive offers from other organizations and that may wind up not being a viable option.

 

Personally, as much as I don't like the notion, I see Drew in pinstripes next year, assuming Derek Jeter does the smart thing and retires. Jetes is done, spirit is willing, mind as sharp as ever, but his body just won't hold together anymore. He's going to cheat his team out of a chance to win next year if he tries to hang on and puts the team in a position where they can't upgrade at short because of that. I see him as the type that will figure that out and step aside.

 

Does this team have a huge need? I'd actually say "not really". 1B and LF are unsexy, but what great management (Friedman, Theo/Cherington) know is that platoons can very cheaply and ably source those positions. Abreu is worth looking at, though the red flags are definitely there (scouting reports of average bat speed, already as old as Cespedes was when he got to the bigs, little history of Cuban prospects being big league ready on day 1). If you want to allocate your money for a big money 1B, you want it to go to your 2012 Adrian Gonzalez (the Red Sox signing of him was totally defensible, there was always some risk he'd slip, just not that quickly). But if we are doing a Carp-Gomes-Napoli dance to fill 1B/LF - that will not worry me one bit.

 

Agreed. although I'd like to pick up an RF/1B type if possible, someone like Swisher was in his heyday, but if you don't see that guy, what we have is competitive overall.

[Palodios]

No need to keep all 3, particularly with Garin Cecchini on the JBJ highway to Boston.

 

Cecchini will be starting in AAA next year and plays 3B as well. He will be able to come up by May or June and play if Middlebrooks isn't getting it done.

 

They've got some solid depth on the left side of the infield with Marrero (probably a year away), Cecchini (will be available in 2014), Bogaerts (starting SS), and Middlebrooks (starting 3B). There's no reason to give Drew a multi-year deal (probably 3/36) for insurance.

 

I'd much rather see them allocate that money to an area of bigger need (Abreu at 1b?) than to spend it on an area where we have significant depth.

 

Give Drew a contract? Nah -- He will probably just accept the QO and we can call it a day. The reason this current season has been so good is high quality depth, and I think they should keep that mentality. At the same time, pulling in a top draft pick and draft money to play with would be very tempting to pass up.

Edited October 15, 2013 by Palodios

[marklmw]

I think WMB has had some of his best AB's since the post season started. Sure some have looked like typical worrisome WMB AB's but given how badly things had gone for the Sox hitters generally since they left Boston for Tampa you would think Will would have just been that much worse. In truth at least to me, he has had on average better AB's than one might have expected. So much so that given the circumstances, I cannot fault his post season performance to date. I know some would like to see XB inserted in the lineup almost any way possible but I just don't think Will deserves to be shown the pine for his performance so far.

 

Jung ... I think that you have a love hate relationship with Middlebrooks. One day you defend him the next day you rightfully observe that he cannot layoff breaking balls off the plate. Here is a great article: http://bleacherreport.com/tb/dbwNR?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=boston-red-sox

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Great article? From bleacher report? They make ESPN look like The New Yorker.

[sk7326]

Jung ... I think that you have a love hate relationship with Middlebrooks. One day you defend him the next day you rightfully observe that he cannot layoff breaking balls off the plate. Here is a great article: http://bleacherreport.com/tb/dbwNR?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=boston-red-sox

 

of course he's UNHAPPY. He's a competitor - who wants to be benched? This is a non-story.

[Bellhorn04]

great article? From bleacher report? They make espn look like the new yorker.

 

lol

[marklmw]

lol

 

Take your lol and shove it up your ass. Jung for a long time was saying that Middlebrooks is chasing breaking balls off the plate ... low and outside ... Farrell confirmed this in this particular article.

[marklmw]

Give Drew a contract? Nah -- He will probably just accept the QO and we can call it a day. The reason this current season has been so good is high quality depth, and I think they should keep that mentality. At the same time, pulling in a top draft pick and draft money to play with would be very tempting to pass up.

IMO the Sox will not make a QO to Drew ... they are not going to fork over $14M for a back-up should Drew accept it. Also the Sox will not be doing Drew any favors by offering a QO as it will make him less attractive to sign. Are there many teams that will want to pay drew 39m / 3 type of money and give up a top draft pick?

[marklmw]

Great article? From bleacher report? They make ESPN look like The New Yorker.

 

The reporter got an interview with Farrell to discuss Middlebrooks ... when is the last time you spoke with the Sox manager?

[marklmw]

 

I have always felt it's not how many outs you make, it's what kind of out you make. For example, a sac fly is not the same kind of out as a strikeout. Any out that moves a baserunner is a better out than one that doesn't. OBP or BA do not distinguish between kinds of outs.

 

The Yankees used to have an outfielder named Hank Bauer. He was a decorated hero of the Battle of the Bulge. He used to hit about .240 every year, but you didn't want to see him at the plate when the game was on the line. He would kill you every time.

 

You mention that OBP and BA does not distinguish between 2 types of outs ... between a sac fly and K but you are wrong about that. A sac fly is not counted as an AB so it does not go against a players BA or OBP

[redsoxrules]

XB will be playing at 3rd again tonight.

[marklmw]

XB will be playing at 3rd again tonight.

 

He should be.

[Bellhorn04]

Take your lol and shove it up your ass. Jung for a long time was saying that Middlebrooks is chasing breaking balls off the plate ... low and outside ... Farrell confirmed this in this particular article.

 

Jesus, calm down. I just thought it was a funny line by J.E.

[Dojji]

IMO the Sox will not make a QO to Drew ... they are not going to fork over $14M for a back-up should Drew accept it. Also the Sox will not be doing Drew any favors by offering a QO as it will make him less attractive to sign. Are there many teams that will want to pay drew 39m / 3 type of money and give up a top draft pick?

 

That would be incredibly stupid. Drew will not accept the QO. He's the BPA at a premium position, NWIH he won't get a multi year deal somewhere. I think the Yankees will be hiring, I know other franchises will be. A good defensive shortstop that can OPS nearly 800 can make bank no problem.

 

If he accepts the QO you work him and Bogaerts and Middlebrooks around each other and have the best left-side infield in the league. Drew is no iron-man and Middlebrooks is a work in progress so don't tell me Bogaerts wouldn't get plenty of playing time.

Edited October 19, 2013 by Dojji

[SoxSport]

Boras will look for multi years for Drew, and they won't go for that. They have too much young depth on the left side.

I doubt they are completely sold on Middlebrooks at 3B. He has to hit better and more consistently. He may be a bigger question than Bogaerts.