Red Sox Offense – Bold Moves

[Bellhorn04]

Napoli has turned it around already. In his last 12 games he's hitting 368/500/816.

[jacksonianmarch]

He's 2 for his last 10

[Bellhorn04]

He's 2 for his last 10

 

Not a very big sample. But he also has 6 walks in the last 3 games.

[Spudboy]

I like Jacko's ideas but I don't see this team making those moves. I think the org is too dedicated to Papi to declare him a platoon hitter for one.

 

For two, moving the two big FA acquisitions that way would sort of be admitting that their plan was f***ed up and a mistake.

 

Believe it or not, teams, especially the Sox, allow egos to interfere with sound reasoning.

 

At least that is what I suspect.

 

I will not be surprised if Nap is gone at the end of the year and one of the two big FA is playing 1st base next year.

 

Obviously if Papi is gone Hanley would replace him at DH.

 

Has anyone looked at Hanleys arms? They are f***ing massive. Bigger and more defined than Papi's. His whole body is way too big to be a middle infielder. No wonder he sucks at it.

[a700hitter]

Red Sox Re-Sign Jeff Bianchi

By Zach Links [May 31, 2015 at 12:11pm CDT]

 

The Red Sox have re-signed infielder Jeff Bianchi, according to Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe (on Twitter). Just yesterday, Bianchi rejected an outright assignment from Boston after clearing waivers.

 

Bianchi’s cup of coffee in the big time with Boston will last at least a little big longer this year. He’s performed well at Triple-A, amassing a .302/.373/.340 slash line in 61 plate appearances. From 2012 through 2014, Bianchi saw time in a combined 162 games for the Brewers. In that span he posted a below average batting line of .216/.251/.283.

 

To make room on the roster, left-hander Robbie Ross has been optioned to the minors.

Our season is saved. This should help our pitching more than it will help our offense.

[Bellhorn04]

Those are the kinds of transactions you didn't even know about before the internet.

[bostopz]

Looking at the individual players on this team...

 

Hanley Ramirez has a .795OPS, just a tick below his OPS from last yr. He's hit 1 less HR than he did all of last season. He's probably gonna hit a bunch more. He'll likely end up in the 25HR range this yr and should have an OPS over the .800 mark. Fangraphs has him as a slight minus when combining offense and baserunning for his position. But his defense has been abhorrent. He has a UZR/150 of -44. That's not a typo. He's a good offensive player, he's right around where fangraphs expects him to be offensively for his position, but he's a dumpster fire on a sinking ship defensively. He likely has a short rope in LF before you find a new spot for him, where I don't know

 

Pedroia has been chugging along mostly off the radar right at his career norms offensively. Almost exactly at his career average in terms of BA, OBP and SLG. On defense, he's grading out about average this yr (UZR/150 of -0.4) which is not really like Dustin. Either way, his demise was predicted far too soon.

 

I like Brock Holt. The kid makes good ABs and actually plays good D all around the diamond. He's been an excellent utility guy to this point, but because he started hot, he is starting to get over exposed. He is an option defensive in LF as Hanley sucks ass out there

 

I don't know what you can do with Napoli. The luck numbers point heavily in him turning it around. But just as soon as he gets hot, he cools off. If he starts to go into a downturn again, you might consider Hanley at 1b or Hanley at 3b with Panda moving to 1b and moving Holt to LF. Napoli isn't horrendous defensively, but he's not magnificent either. Also, Nap is smoking lefties this yr. .920OPS and a .364OBP.

 

David Ortiz has been a mystery to some as well. But looking deeper at the numbers, you see a bit of a trend here. Ortiz is absolutely getting abused vs lefties this yr. .121/.119/.172 is his slash line in 58ABs. That is not a typo. No walks, no HBP's, no HR and just 3RBI. Look at the slash vs righties. .278/.392/.500 for a .892OPS. That's more Ortiz like right there. If things continue, having Nap and Papi platoon might give you your best lineup.

 

The rest of the guys you have to deal with. Panda has ditched batting righty and has to stay in your lineup. Bogaerts is your only SS option and you kinda need to see if he puts it together. For now you have to live with Mookie and Rusney out there. And at C, you have to live with Swihart and Leon because of injury.

 

But if you moved Hanley off LF and put him at 1b or 3b (which would move Panda to 1b) and pushed Napoli to a DH platoon with Papi and moved Holt to LF (temporarily until you find a better LFer, which isn't too difficult on the market) you improve D while removing some liability offensively

 

Nice calls. Two points.

 

1--- With Hanley either LF or DH. Nothing else at least for this year. I highly doubt he can play 3b anymore (when I say anymore - I mean lf side of the infield.) . And Napoli is pretty good at 1b. I don't think Hanley can handle it. So - platoon Papi and Napoli is a possibility. Holt can play 1b or LF. IMO Papi is a better alternative at 1b than Hanley.

 

2--- The reason why I question stats so much is sometimes I think some are full of crap. I think Pedroia's defense has been super his year.

[User Name]

What you think or don't think doesn't affect what is or isn't. That said, stats like UZR have weird fluctuations on smaller samples.

[mvp 78]

Pedroia has had his worst defensive season this year imo.

[iortiz]

This team is f***ed up in every possibly way. Thank you Ben.

[cp176]

It's a complete muddlef*** and i really don't know who to blame. Summer is going to suck - i need help. when tony C. came in as a rookie we at least we had something to look forward to. If it wasn't for E-rod, i might have to take time off.

[cp176]

My team sucks - i don't get it. The cheese is sliding off my cracker.

[Northern Star]

The cheese is sliding off my cracker.

 

Is that the latest self-help book for business leaders?

[Northern Star]

This team is f***ed up in every possibly way. Thank you Ben.

 

I don't see how Ben is getting a pass in some quarters. Not gonna say everything is his fault, but this is NOT a good roster, even on paper.

[User Name]

Whoever says they expected the offense to be this bad is full of s***. It's a good roster, with an obvious hole they could have fixed. The problem is they're not doing anything right, inexplicably.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

and pushed Napoli to a DH platoon with Papi

Last time Papi was in a DH platoon (with Lowell) he started behaving like a colossal dickhead and did a number on clubhouse chemistry. Don't know if the Sox will be in a hurry to replicate that scenario.

[SoxnCycles]

Whoever says they expected the offense to be this bad is full of s***. It's a good roster, with an obvious hole they could have fixed. The problem is they're not doing anything right, inexplicably.

 

Yup, everyone knew the rotation would be a crapshoot.

Who knew they'd roll twos every time out.

 

No one complained about the offense, except the odd move of signing two 3b.

 

The defense on this road trip has been abysmal, with Sandoval's two errors yesterday being the coup de gras.

[SoxnCycles]

Last time Papi was in a DH platoon (with Lowell) he started behaving like a colossal dickhead and did a number on clubhouse chemistry. Don't know if the Sox will be in a hurry to replicate that scenario.

 

The time off may have done Ortiz some good.

He's 3-8 with 2 walks and no ks, in the last two games.

 

I don't see them resorting to a platoon any time soon.

[wyo-sox]

It's just sad and embarrassing at this point. I really want to be the patient fan who knows things will turn around, but we've had some real terrible seasons recently which makes it harder and harder to have faith. Something is going on here beyond what we can see. This is a poor organization right now. Somebody tell me I'm wrong and convince me this streak is an anomaly and soon I'll be having fun watching the Sox compete for wins again.

[iortiz]

It's just sad and embarrassing at this point. I really want to be the patient fan who knows things will turn around, but we've had some real terrible seasons recently which makes it harder and harder to have faith. Something is going on here beyond what we can see. This is a poor organization right now. Somebody tell me I'm wrong and convince me this streak is an anomaly and soon I'll be having fun watching the Sox compete for wins again.

 

I take this as an opportunity to think that JH is finally going to change the management and coaching staff in order to give us a new direction and strategy specially at assembling a pitching staff going forward.

[a700hitter]

Our most successful first rounf pick in recent history was Daniel Bard (2006). That is not a good record.

[Palodios]

Our most successful first rounf pick in recent history was Daniel Bard (2006). That is not a good record.

 

The recent drafts are stocked with first rounders who still many be successful... Swihart, Barnes, Owens, Brentz, Marrero, Ball and others. 2006-2009 were just awful draft years for the Sox.

[mvp 78]

The recent drafts are stocked with first rounders who still many be successful... Swihart, Barnes, Owens, Brentz, Marrero, Ball and others. 2006-2009 were just awful draft years for the Sox.

 

Thanks Theo!

[SoxnCycles]

Thanks Theo!

 

With their record, those years, the Sox weren't exactly picking high in the draft to begin with.

[Station 13]

What year did Rizzo got drafted? He is a force now and probably the best NL 1B.

[a700hitter]

The recent drafts are stocked with first rounders who still many be successful... Swihart, Barnes, Owens, Brentz, Marrero, Ball and others. 2006-2009 were just awful draft years for the Sox.

We will have to see how they turn out. I think it is fair to say that our farm system has been in a drought period for some time.

[Bellhorn04]

Last time Papi was in a DH platoon (with Lowell) he started behaving like a colossal dickhead and did a number on clubhouse chemistry. Don't know if the Sox will be in a hurry to replicate that scenario.

 

Ortiz was never in a DH platoon with Lowell.

[User Name]

What year did Rizzo got drafted? He is a force now and probably the best NL 1B.

 

He's good, but he's no Paul Goldschmidt.

[sk7326]

Some of the draft pick discussion can't be had honestly without pointing out that two of the first rounders landed Adrian Gonzalez, Hagadone and Brian Price landed Victor Martinez - draft picks as currency do matter too.

 

The Red Sox draft strategy has been straightforward for a number of years - college pitchers (mostly) and up the middle high schoolers - in other words, ath-a-letes. There have been a couple of prep pitchers, and Clay Buchholz (who was JC and slipped due to him stealing and fencing laptops).

 

So what you get are high probability guys largely - it is a pretty safe strategy for producing guys who can at least be projected as regulars. Given the draft position - not as easy for finding stars (but isn't that always the case).

[Palodios]

We will have to see how they turn out. I think it is fair to say that our farm system has been in a drought period for some time.

 

Agreed. I have high hopes for the current group, but so far not much luck.