Rusney Castillo

[Spudboy]

I've been seeing stats for 2013.

 

http://obstructedview.net/commentary-and-analysis/rusney-castillo-stats-scouting-report-and-video.html

 

Maybe those stats are untrue??????????????

[Northern Star]

Here we go again - guy from another country who hasn't faced/thrown a single MLB pitch being given vast sums of money. And all I am hearing about this guy is how bad he relates to other recent Cuban players.

[Spudboy]

I find much of the information about Castillo ambiguous and even confusing.

 

He is said to be 5'9" 205 or 185. Which is it? Today I heard that he was 185 when last evaluated as a Cuban player in 2012. Now at his recent "workout" in Miami, he is a hefty 205. It has been suggested that he has gained a lot of muscle mass. How did that happen? Maybe that good living in the DR?

 

Some say that he is an excellent defensive player but with an unremarkable arm for CF. Others say that he is just average defensively with a weak arm.

 

Some say that he is a contact hitter with pop. Others say that he "projects" to have the power of Cesepedas, etc..

 

Some reports (almost all, in fact ) say that he has not played since 2012. Yet our good Pal Paladios has provided stats for 2013 and something called "2013 1/2" ( whatever that may be!! ).

 

What's the real scoop on this 27 year old prospect?

 

The proof will be in the pudding. I can't wait to see him play. I may have to wait because he must be granted a work permit before he can play and get paid. How long will that take?

Edited August 22, 2014 by Spudboy

[Northern Star]

 

The proof will be in the pudding. I can't wait to see him play. I may have to wait because he must be granted a work permit before he can play and get paid. How long will that take?

 

Seven years, hopefully.

[Gringo]

I like the move. Medium money to a player with massive upside. No good hitter on the FA market this offseason will come as cheap, so Ben dun good.

 

I'm assuming he'll bat leadoff...

 

Castillo

Pedroia

Cespedes

Ortiz

Napoli

Craig

Middlebrooks

Vazquez

Boegarts

[dupree]

I like the move. Medium money to a player with massive upside. No good hitter on the FA market this offseason will come as cheap, so Ben dun good.

 

I'm assuming he'll bat leadoff...

 

Castillo

Pedroia

Cespedes

Ortiz

Napoli

Craig

Middlebrooks

Vazquez

Boegarts

Only one left handed bat in that lineup. What is it gonna look like when they hit against a righty? Is Farrell gonna not play matchups?... I love that lineup tho... power top to bottom.

[Spudboy]

I like the move. Medium money to a player with massive upside. No good hitter on the FA market this offseason will come as cheap, so Ben dun good.

 

I'm assuming he'll bat leadoff...

 

Castillo

Pedroia

Cespedes

Ortiz

Napoli

Craig

Middlebrooks

Vazquez

Boegarts

 

That looks like a nice batting order on paper.

 

I bet 2-3 of those guys are not on the opening day roster.

[Gringo]

I don't think Middlebrooks in the answer at third. Who knows, maybe they can have Betts play third in winter ball and spring training, and trade Middlebrooks for pitching.

[a700hitter]

I like the move. Medium money to a player with massive upside. No good hitter on the FA market this offseason will come as cheap, so Ben dun good.

Unless he hits like Bradley.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

With the Sox luck, he'll suck. Hopefully we landed the right Cuban. When it came to Japanese players, we got stuck with that scrub Dice-K.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Speaking of Japanese players, Koji just blew a save.

[jad]

Middlebrooks at third? Instead of Holt? What have you seen from WMB this year to suggest he should be in the majors next year? All i see is a .180 hitter, often injured, with no power.

[Jasonbay44]

WMB has shown nothing this season that indicates he should be the starting 3B next season. He sucks

[Dojji]

Agreed. Time to make Middlebrooks earn his next callup. I see no reason to go back to WMB unless he knocks the doors off. Cecchini, and Holt between them can easily handle 3B better than WMB does until he learns to hit. Bogaerts might yet wind up there too, and the Sox go pick up a glove-first SS. XB has a ways to go defensively, if the team thinks it's go time next year, XB is not ready to be a champion caliber shortstop based on his fielding, so picking up a Johnny Noodlebat shortstop with a slick glove may be the right move. I mean if you have to have .180 in the lineup it might as well be maximizing your defense, right?

[Spudboy]

"But for all their confidence that they had scored a coup in signing Castillo, the Sox talent evaluator added a caveat: Castillo has not played in a game for nearly a year and a half. "

 

"But he hasn't played in a game since 2012. We saw him in international tournaments back then, but haven't seen him in a game since."

 

http://espn.go.com/boston/columns/mlb/story/_/id/11396178/how-rusney-castillo-joined-boston-red-sox

 

Excellent article by Edes discussing how the acquisition of Castillo came to be.

Edited August 23, 2014 by Spudboy

[jacksonianmarch]

He's a guy who is strong as hell for such a small body. They said Brett Gardner type with power, although not sure how they can rate his D as he was mostly an infielder in Cuba and is being projected as an OF with the sox

[Station 13]

Agreed. Time to make Middlebrooks earn his next callup. I see no reason to go back to WMB unless he knocks the doors off. Cecchini, and Holt between them can easily handle 3B better than WMB does until he learns to hit. Bogaerts might yet wind up there too, and the Sox go pick up a glove-first SS. XB has a ways to go defensively, if the team thinks it's go time next year, XB is not ready to be a champion caliber shortstop based on his fielding, so picking up a Johnny Noodlebat shortstop with a slick glove may be the right move. I mean if you have to have .180 in the lineup it might as well be maximizing your defense, right?

 

Let's not crown Holt to lock down 3B next year.

 

His last 133AB (since mid July)

 

.218/.286/.263

 

Seems more like a utility guy now who can play every position.

[BigPapi]

Let's not crown Holt to lock down 3B next year.

 

His last 133AB (since mid July)

 

.218/.286/.263

 

Seems more like a utility guy now who can play every position.

 

I am with you. Either trade high for him or keep him as our super utility guy. And when someone goes down from injury he can take their spot.

[Spitball]

This is an interesting video that was posted on MLB.com last week.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDyUnNg9qdI

[a700hitter]

I really don't know what to make of this move. We need pitching help like crazy, but they spend $72 million for an unknown quantity outfielder. What does this mean for Betts? I thought he would get a shot next year. Where does this leave him next season with Craig, Cespedes, and Castillo? I am assuming that Bradley is out and has blown his shot. I'd think that Middlebrooks has also blown his shot, but Betts still has to compete with Holt for 3B. Also, is XB going to be our SS going forward or will he be playing 3rd. It is really difficult at this juncture to project how the 2015 team will take shape.

[RedSoxNC84]

I really don't know what to make of this move. We need pitching help like crazy, but they spend $72 million for an unknown quantity outfielder. What does this mean for Betts? I thought he would get a shot next year. Where does this leave him next season with Craig, Cespedes, and Castillo? I am assuming that Bradley is out and has blown his shot. I'd think that Middlebrooks has also blown his shot, but Betts still has to compete with Holt for 3B. Also, is XB going to be our SS going forward or will he be playing 3rd. It is really difficult at this juncture to project how the 2015 team will take shape.

 

 

Wasn't Betts an IF for most of his career so far? Maybe he plays SS or something if XB plays 3rd?

[a700hitter]

Wasn't Betts an IF for most of his career so far? Maybe he plays SS or something if XB plays 3rd?

My recollection is that Betts never played SS in the organization.

[a700hitter]

In the Press Conference, Ben said that he is happy with the "talent that is here". Goodness, is that denial or delusion?

[a700hitter]

This guy is on the small side. We continue to acquire guys that make us look more like a gymnastic team than a baseball team.

[vjcsmoke]

If looks had anything to do with baseball ability, I'd actually be worried. Glad we didn't cut that Pedroia guy cos he didn't 'look the part'.

 

This guy is on the small side. We continue to acquire guys that make us look more like a gymnastic team than a baseball team.

 

The main thing I take out of this move is that the Red Sox scouts love Cuban defectors. And so far they have been very successful in MLB, whether it be Yasiel Puig, Jose Abreu, or our own Yoenis Cespedes. Hopefully this is more of a good thing for us.

 

Considering we only gave up $$ to acquire Castillo, I don't see much downside. As long as he plays average to above average he will have been worth his salary of ~10m per year.

[a700hitter]

If looks had anything to do with baseball ability, I'd actually be worried. Glad we didn't cut that Pedroia guy cos he didn't 'look the part'.

Did I say in my post that we shouldn't have signed him? No, I don't think I have said that in any of my posts. I just made an observation that we seem to have a lot of very small players.

[jad]

I really hope there is a sound reason for this, because it seems to defy ordinary human reason. If he 'plays average', (and even that is an 'if'), THEN he will be worth 10/year for 7 years. But why commit such a sum even to a proven 'average' player? since by definition, 'average' players will always be available for 'average' salaries? Whatever plan there is seems to be shrouded in mystery, as no two RS fans seem to agree what it is. (And 700--you're right; this is very much what Cherington said earlier this year--the roster was perfectly fine; it was just that they weren't performing up to expectations.)

[a700hitter]

I really hope there is a sound reason for this, because it seems to defy ordinary human reason. If he 'plays average', (and even that is an 'if'), THEN he will be worth 10/year for 7 years. But why commit such a sum even to a proven 'average' player? since by definition, 'average' players will always be available for 'average' salaries? Whatever plan there is seems to be shrouded in mystery, as no two RS fans seem to agree what it is. (And 700--you're right; this is very much what Cherington said earlier this year--the roster was perfectly fine; it was just that they weren't performing up to expectations.)

Ben is not one to tip his hand, and this team had so many needs that it is hard to guess at what direction he might take. The Castillo move didn't seem like an obvious move, but I guess that our OF is pretty much see for 2015. What's up next on Ben' s agenda? I have no clue.

[dupree]

Ben is not one to tip his hand, and this team had so many needs that it is hard to guess at what direction he might take. The Castillo move didn't seem like an obvious move, but I guess that our OF is pretty much see for 2015. What's up next on Ben' s agenda? I have no clue.

Probably to have Dempster come back and lead this pitching staff next year as our Ace.

[Spudboy]

"He has not played organized baseball for about 18 months, though, as he defected from Cuba and moved to Haiti."

 

"To me at this point it's not about the time missed, because even though I've missed a year and half of games,"

 

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2014/08/sox_introduce_castillo_could_be_september_addition.html

 

Well, at least he will be well rested!!!!!!!!