Sox Sign Chris Young

[mvp 78]

Multi-year deal per the guy with the crazy bowties.

 

Get hype!

[jacksonianmarch]

This is interesting for sure. I loved Young and thought he was a great fit for our mostly left handed hitting outfield. He's not really a CFer anymore, so maybe he's a platoon mate with Bradley and covers RF against lefties?

[mvp 78]

This is interesting for sure. I loved Young and thought he was a great fit for our mostly left handed hitting outfield. He's not really a CFer anymore, so maybe he's a platoon mate with Bradley and covers RF against lefties?

 

Yeah, that's how I see it too.

[User Name]

Good signing if you ask me. Remember Gabe Kapler? It sure was nice having a dependable 4th OF who could fake it in all three OF positions and mash lefties.

[Palodios]

Seems like a good pickup. Hopefully no more than 2/12M, and hope he takes a long shower first.

[sk7326]

Excellent signing. I wanted this in 2014 when we were banking on Nava and Carp to not turn into pumpkins. He's not amazing but a strong right handed caddy for Bradley and capable of a bit more.

[Dojji]

For a second there I thought they'd signed this guy

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/youngch03.shtml

 

Wouldn't have been the worst idea really.

[GomesBeard]

Definitely fills a need for a RH 4th outfielder. Good deal. Also, he crushed Sox pitching so nice to get him on our side....

[Youk Of The Nation]

The only thing I know about this guy is that for the D-backs in 07 or 08, he had one of the worst RBI-to-HR ratios ever. Not his fault, though, if people aren't getting on base ahead of him. Just an interesting bit of trivia. Anyways, this is a signing that neither wows nor disappoints me. I'll reserve judgement on this one until a couple months into the season.

[Kimmi]

We don't know the terms of the contract yet, but assuming that it is a reasonable one, I really like this deal.

 

Dombrowski stated a few months back that his goals for the offseason were to get an impact closer, a right handed hitting 4th outfielder, and a #1 pitcher. He has not messed around in accomplishing the first two.

 

Good job Dombrowski.

[User Name]

For a second there I thought they'd signed this guy

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/youngch03.shtml

 

Wouldn't have been the worst idea really.

 

Actually, Young at Fenway is a very bad idea. A 57.9 career FB% screams cornucopia of XBH.

[Spudboy]

To me a 4th outfielder is sort of like like relief pitching. It can be hit or miss. They are 4th because they may not be good enough to be 1-3.

 

I'll take Youk's stance here. I'm not exited nor am I disappointed and I'll decide what I think in late May or so.

[Spudboy]

Actually, Young at Fenway is a very bad idea. A 57.9 career FB% screams cornucopia of XBH.

 

And we already have enough mediocre SP.

 

Nope.

[a700hitter]

Two of our starting three outfielders are RH. Did we need a RH platoon pickup?

[Spudboy]

Two of our starting three outfielders are RH. Did we need a RH platoon pickup?

 

And Holt is a lefty so maybe that was the thinking.

 

Meh.

[a700hitter]

And Holt is a lefty so maybe that was the thinking.

 

Meh.

OMG! Stop abusing the FO. LOL!

[jacksonianmarch]

You have to use him right. For some reason, Girardi kept throwing him out there against righties. The guy had a .182/.246/.339 split vs righties yet he batted 165 times vs righties. He literally needs to be replaced when a righty comes in. His K rate goes up 9% and his OPS drops 400 points when going from a lefty to a righty. If Farrell doesn't get enamored with his pull swing and try to fit him in vs righties, he will be a great signing. If Farrell puts him in at all vs righties, then he will be a waste

[mvp 78]

Two of our starting three outfielders are RH. Did we need a RH platoon pickup?

 

Platoon with JBJ. Backup for our Cuban import in case he falls apart.

[jacksonianmarch]

Don't consider him a "backup". That's the problem Girardi got into. He is not a backup. He's a starting OF vs lefties. Otherwise, he's a bench warmer. His splits v righties are so bad that you'd be MUCH better off throwing Holt in the OF than playing Young. Young should only face righties in blowouts as he is an auto out vs them

[Palodios]

Telling players that they are platoon players seems to be a lot like insulting their mothers. Chris Young probably came to Boston because he was promised more playing time. Hopefully he handles reality well.

[Palodios]

The details in -- 2/13M. Expensive for a 4th OF, but seems reasonable given the modern FA market.

 

It seems like we're always saying the same thing every year-- We need more pitching.

[Spudboy]

So two years at $6.5 mil per year is now reasonable for a platoon hitting , part-time player.

 

Oh joy.

[Palodios]

So two years at $6.5 mil per year is now reasonable for a platoon hitting , part-time player.

 

Oh joy.

 

The Red Sox spent 2/12 on Gomes, and he could barely play defense. Like it or not, its around the going rate for decent free agents.

[SoxnCycles]

The Red Sox spent 2/12 on Gomes, and he could barely play defense. Like it or not, its around the going rate for decent free agents.

 

Yeah, but Gomes could drop-kick a beer like nobody's business!

[Kimmi]

The details in -- 2/13M. Expensive for a 4th OF, but seems reasonable given the modern FA market.

 

A bit expensive, but reasonable, as you said. With JBJ and Castillo still largely unproven, the Sox needed a good 4th outfielder as insurance.

[Behindenemylines]

Two of our starting three outfielders are RH. Did we need a RH platoon pickup?

 

The back up OFs on the rooster are Holt, and Shaw has played some LF. They are both lefties, thus the need for a righty hitting OF. Good power and still plays a decent corner OF.

[InfernoOrangeSS]

I'm going to take a wait-and-see approach. Don't hate the signing. I just don't have any passion one way or the other. (Though he's a platoon player, so no reason to be passionate about it.)

I hope he pays off for us.

[GomesBeard]

The Red Sox spent 2/12 on Gomes, and he could barely play defense. Like it or not, its around the going rate for decent free agents.

 

Hey, now.....

[cp176]

Johnny was at least a million dollar man based on the simple fact that he was who he is for us. His attitude - his approach to the game- his qualities a s a teammate! Never had to worry about Johnny. Contrary to what some think, guys like Johnny have a way of coming up big in the tough situations.

[sk7326]

A bit expensive, but reasonable, as you said. With JBJ and Castillo still largely unproven, the Sox needed a good 4th outfielder as insurance.

 

Between JBJ, some Papi off days and Castillo's unproven-ness there should be enough for 300 PAs for a guy who smokes lefthanders. This also puts working out Betts in the infield into play - to possibly play some 3B so they can get Young's bat in and sit Sandoval.