2014 Spring Training Game Thread

[Carter]

Watching the Sox/Phillies game on MLBTV....Anyone around here today? (1-0 Phils in the 1st)

[Wasatch]

I'm also watching the game.

[Carter]

I'm also watching the game.

Pretty much of a yawn so far...a question: Is Rasmus signed yet? What's going on with him?

[Wasatch]

I have no idea, not really much on keeping up with prospects.

[mvp 78]

Badenhop is looking pretty s***** today.

[mvp 78]

Is Capuano only working out of the pen in ST?

[Spudboy]

I have the Sox / Rays game on the tv in the other room.

 

Every time I hear the crack of the bat on a ball I quickly turn to see what happened.

 

It's odd to know that I am so conditioned about these things.

 

47 years as a Sox fan. I think that I am an addict or close to it.

[seabeachfred]

I have the Sox / Rays game on the tv in the other room.

 

Every time I hear the crack of the bat on a ball I quickly turn to see what happened.

 

It's odd to know that I am so conditioned about these things.

 

47 years as a Sox fan. I think that I am an addict or close to it.

 

When your out of the room and Webster or Delarosa, those two Dodger duds we got in that momentous trade in 2012, are on the mound you will hear a lot of deep cracks of the bat on the ball and it bodes ill will for our side. I don't know what is keeping Cherington from punching their tickets to Pawtucket, Portland, Zanzibar or Timbuctu. They have no business wearing a Red Sox uniform unless it is to throw batting practice----something they both seem to do very well in games, something they most likely picked up from the Bums.

[Spudboy]

Oddly, Webster looked okay.

 

Price was at or near mid-season form. That guy is soooooooooooooo good.

 

The game was awful. Very sloppy play bay the "team" the Sox threw out there. Ugh.

[Wasatch]

Cards at Red Sox today on ESPN. Lackey looked pretty good in the first, Sizemore made a very nice catch, but hit the wall pretty good.

[Wasatch]

Sizemore makes another great diving catch in center. Red Sox up 9-5 bottom of the 7th coming up. Edited March 17, 2014 by Wasatch

[Wasatch]

Koji comes in top of the 8th, f***er still putting them out 1-2-3.

[Wasatch]

Taz comes in the top of the 9th, 1-2-3 Red Sox win 10-5.

[Station 13]

It's impressive Koji sets up hitters the way he does. Also impressive is how he misses bats with a 88 fastball. I hope he could pitch like this for a few more years.

[seabeachfred]

The Red Sox penchant for bringing in veterans to "push" young players is having a deleterious effect on Jackie Bradley no matter what the Red Sox or Bradley says. I was not in favor of signing Grady Sizemore, not because he couldn't be a solid player for us because I always loved the guy when he played for the Guardians and hoped we could have traded for him instead of Coco Crisp. However, we see that Grady looks like he might be the story of the year, albeit if he can stay healthy. He sure looked like an All Star today and has had a good ST. The Red Sox are finding themselves in a dilemma now because if Sizemore wins the job Jackie most likely goes to Pawtucket "for more damn seasoning" which has become a euphemism in Red Sox lexicon for regression and eventual decay a la Anderson and Kalish. Now we had better not bring in anyone to "Push" Bogaerts. Let him play and leave him the hell alone.

[Palodios]

The Red Sox penchant for bringing in veterans to "push" young players is having a deleterious effect on Jackie Bradley no matter what the Red Sox or Bradley says. I was not in favor of signing Grady Sizemore, not because he couldn't be a solid player for us because I always loved the guy when he played for the Guardians and hoped we could have traded for him instead of Coco Crisp. However, we see that Grady looks like he might be the story of the year, albeit if he can stay healthy. He sure looked like an All Star today and has had a good ST. The Red Sox are finding themselves in a dilemma now because if Sizemore wins the job Jackie most likely goes to Pawtucket "for more damn seasoning" which has become a euphemism in Red Sox lexicon for regression and eventual decay a la Anderson and Kalish. Now we had better not bring in anyone to "Push" Bogaerts. Let him play and leave him the hell alone.

 

Grady Sizemore is a 7 WAR player when healthy. Bradley is an unproven rookie that might be worth 5 WAR. If they're both producing, Gomes/Nava are going to be the ones sitting on the bench not Sizemore/Bradley.

 

As far as your examples...

Lars Anderson was a .720 hitter in AA and AAA. He never developed the power he needed to make the big leagues.

Kalish had opportunity after opportunity after opportunity. He got an early cup of coffee in 2010, was optioned in April 2011, and immediately broke his ribs ending his season, and pretty much his career. Two weeks in AAA did not end his career -- his fragility ended his career. Crawford, Cameron and Drew were walking wounded that year, and had he lasted another few days he probably could have stayed on the roster the rest of the year.

[reYoukilis]

The chances that Cher and Farr were going to let Bradley fly solo with no back up plan was small anyway so hes just got to win it. Not necessarily in ST but eventually. It may be bad luck for Bradley but I dont think it was a bad move to get Sizemore. Luckily time's on Bradley's and ours side with him.

[NativeBostonian]

I don’t know about you guys. But, I’m not seeing anything that would justify giving J.B.J. the starting job. Right now, these are his numbers: .182 (BA), .270 (OBP), .303 (SLG), .573 (OPS). Grady Sizemore is having the better spring. Here are his numbers: .381(BA), .409 (OBP), .429 (SLG), .838 (OPS).

 

How can you not give Grady a shot after what he’s been doing so far? He has been producing numbers that he hasn’t done since he was a Cleveland Indian.

Edited March 18, 2014 by NativeBostonian

[seabeachfred]

Grady Sizemore is a 7 WAR player when healthy. Bradley is an unproven rookie that might be worth 5 WAR. If they're both producing, Gomes/Nava are going to be the ones sitting on the bench not Sizemore/Bradley.

 

As far as your examples...

Lars Anderson was a .720 hitter in AA and AAA. He never developed the power he needed to make the big leagues.

Kalish had opportunity after opportunity after opportunity. He got an early cup of coffee in 2010, was optioned in April 2011, and immediately broke his ribs ending his season, and pretty much his career. Two weeks in AAA did not end his career -- his fragility ended his career. Crawford, Cameron and Drew were walking wounded that year, and had he lasted another few days he probably could have stayed on the roster the rest of the year.

 

Can't agree with you on this one Pal. No way the Red Sox break up that platoon of Gomes and Nava which worked so well last season. Jonny is a gamer and gives us power from the right side and we know he is tough in the clutch. Also, no way you bench a guy who hit 303 last season and showed decent power as well. No, IMHO, either Jackie or Grady wins CF and the other one is sent down or something. Of course, with Victorino and his back that could wind up as a parachute for Sizemore but from what we're seeing, at least up to now, Grady seems to be winning that job. That was what I was worried about concerning Drew.....that we might sign him and then it would complicate matters on the left side of our infield. When the kids are ready they need to play and with the new deal in CF that part of it might get thrown out the window. We'll see on that but I would advise Jackie to start hitting pretty quickly.

[NativeBostonian]

Can't agree with you on this one Pal. No way the Red Sox break up that platoon of Gomes and Nava which worked so well last season. Jonny is a gamer and gives us power from the right side and we know he is tough in the clutch. Also, no way you bench a guy who hit 303 last season and showed decent power as well. No, IMHO, either Jackie or Grady wins CF and the other one is sent down or something. Of course, with Victorino and his back that could wind up as a parachute for Sizemore but from what we're seeing, at least up to now, Grady seems to be winning that job. That was what I was worried about concerning Drew.....that we might sign him and then it would complicate matters on the left side of our infield. When the kids are ready they need to play and with the new deal in CF that part of it might get thrown out the window. We'll see on that but I would advise Jackie to start hitting pretty quickly.

What are you seeing that is indicating that Jackie is ready for The Show? He had a good ST, last season. Then when given a shot, he quickly showed us he wasn't quite ready. This spring, he still isn't showing us he's there yet. His numbers aren't justify his trip to the starting line-up.

Edited March 18, 2014 by NativeBostonian

[Wasatch]

Red Sox at the SKANKS we are playing like s*** today so far.

[Station 13]

f*** off Doubront.

[BornToRun]

Why do I get the feeling that this spring training game will be the highlight of the 2014 Yankees season?

[Palodios]

Ellsbury not playing because of calf soreness. Hahahaa

[Thunder]

Ellsbury not playing because of calf soreness. Hahahaa

 

This is the year he's due to be injured.

[seabeachfred]

What are you seeing that is indicating that Jackie is ready for The Show? He had a good ST, last season. Then when given a shot, he quickly showed us he wasn't quite ready. This spring, he still isn't showing us he's there yet. His numbers aren't justify his trip to the starting line-up.

 

Just an educated guess Native Bostonian but to me it is possible that having Sizemore around might be spooking Jackie Bradley and he is now pressing. That is not a certainty but it is a possibility and right now you may be right that he isn't quite ready to step in. However, if he is sent down and Grady has a solid season we sign him up for three more years and Jackie could become history since he does not have the power and overall batting ability to play a corner position according to the so-called experts. Well, we'll see.

[Wasatch]

Grady is proving himself in ST, Bradley is not. End of story, the better man for the position.

[VA Sox Fan]

Grady is proving himself in ST, Bradley is not. End of story, the better man for the position.

 

Yep! Nava worked his ass off and made the team last season. Bradley will need to do the same. No excuses.

[reYoukilis]

Ditto. He doesnt have to do as well as Sizemore but he needs to do better. A little silver lining is that what little hitting hes doing seem to be doubles because hes tied with the lead. What happened to the high OBP though? Instead hes leading the team in SO's. I wonder if Farrell is asking JBJ to concentrate on hitting and not BB's. Maybe hes got the job and is working on his weaknesses. Doubtful but just a passing thought.

[reYoukilis]

Got this from Mass Live that might hint at my notion may have some truth.

 

"I thought Jackie’s at-bats were very good today," Farrell said afterward. "He stayed on some fastballs away from (Price). He laid off some tough pitches in, even after he gets hit. And he went first move. We’ve been encouraging him to be a little bit more aggressive and that’s part of the learning curve right now for him.”