Spring training

[mvp 78]

This isn't going to help Pablo's case to be the starter. He dove once and came up lame.

 

I was told there would be more cushion for the pushin? Did the cushion not help in this case?

 

Jacko, thoughts?

[mvp 78]

That GM's overemphasis this nonsense is part of the problem, not suggestive of its value. Its relevance is determined by how many idiots you can get to believe in it..... has nothing to do with its value.

 

I believe this was originally written to be a haiku.

[jacksonianmarch]

Who would have thought that Fatso Pandoval would have a back issue. He looks pregnant, and pregnant women always have back problems

[jung]

One place you can see the overemphasis on this Sabregoo is in how well pitchers field their positions now. Pitchers just pitch now. God help you if you expect more than that from them. Hitting...always a weak spot. But the numbers of them now that can't field their positions is alarming. Have you ever in you life seen more pitchers that are just helpless if the ball is hit their way? They can't catch it, they can't throw it to a base ala' Lester. Something that was at best difficult is now for many of them a role of the dice.

 

Much like the way hitters approach their business, they simply practice and are trained up on the things the matrices say are the most important and everything else just slides.

 

JBJ is a great defender. But who taught him how to bunt...nobody apparently. So you have a defensive wizard....mostly by natural talent that at least somebody must have spotted and helped develop to a high level who has a hard time hitting........ and nobody taught him to bunt! And don't tell me that that kid was such a lock for a ML power hitter that they just said "oh who cares". There are no 14-15-16 or even 17 year old kid with a lock on ML power hitter or ML hitter for that matter.

Edited March 24, 2016 by jung

[mvp 78]

Who would have thought that Fatso Pandoval would have a back issue. He looks pregnant, and pregnant women always have back problems

 

Maybe he just needs someone to rub his swollen feet? That will make it all better, right?

[User Name]

One place you can see the overemphasis on this Sabregoo is in how well pitchers field their positions now. Pitchers just pitch now. God help you if you expect more than that from them. Hitting...always a weak spot. But the numbers of them now that can't field their positions is alarming. Have you ever in you life seen more pitchers that are just helpless if the ball is hit their way? They can't catch it, they can't throw it to a base ala' Lester. Something that was at best difficult is now for many of them a role of the dice.

 

Much like the way hitters approach their business, they simply practice and are trained up on the things the matrices say are the most important and everything else just slides.

 

JBJ is a great defender. But who taught him how to bunt...nobody apparently. So you have a defensive wizard....mostly by natural talent that at least somebody must have spotted and helped develop to a high level who has a hard time hitting........ and nobody taught him to bunt! And don't tell me that that kid was such a lock for a ML power hitter that they just said "oh who cares". There are no 14-15-16 or even 17 year old kid with a lock on ML power hitter or ML hitter for that matter.

 

I will add this post to the definition of "nonsense" in dictionary.com. What are you even talking about?

[Dojji]

I was wondering that myself. Pitchers have been failing to field their positions longer than most of us have been alive. Every other fielder has priority on a popup over the pitcher.

 

Pitchers are on the field to pitch, full stop, especially in the American League. They don't get the reps at their position that position players get, none of them do, none of them can, so of course they'll be worse fielders on average than position players, just like they're worse hitters -- because they need to focus almost exclusively on practicing their pitching.

 

if you can get a pitcher that's also a great fielder or a decent hitter, that will increase his value somewhat, and that will I believe show up in WAR and other sabermetric numbers, but a pitcher getting gold at fielding is nowhere near as valuable as as being a better pitcher would be.

[Dojji]

You know, that injury to Pablo may actually be good news for David Murphy. It depends on whether Pablo has to go on the DL. If he does, a spot opens on the 25 man and we can load up a bit of redundancy in the outfield as insurance against Rusney spitting the bit.

 

It's only one possibility of something to do with that spot, and there may not even be a spot, but it's a thought.

[Kimmi]

The thing about Vasquez throwing back to him faster than he threw it?

 

What I am interested in is Vasquez or Hannigan just makes Porcello more comfortable. I know one of poor performance games pitched this year was caught by Swihart, and I think they all have been until this one. (How could you check on that?).

 

If I remember correctly last year they started having Hannigan catch Porcello once they both were back, and Porcello's better 2nd half happened.

 

I don't think it's a coincidence that our pitching improved when Hanigan returned.

 

I think people too often underestimate the importance of the pitcher/catcher dynamic.

[Kimmi]

Throwing for a catcher is "just gravy" because nobody knows how to run bases anymore. Nobody knows how to steal, how to take extra bases, how to bunt...all of that has gone by the boards in this insane, steadfast adherence to the sabremetrics mantra.....nothing but hitting matters. The foolishness in this is that they have all been hoodwinked. Nobody even teaches these skills any longer. We glorify via their salary a putz like Pablo who produced the laughable base running numbers that Pete Abraham put out the other day. Clearly the whole scale of players rated as base runners has gone in the tank with the bottom represented by a guy that can't run at all. That the mighty sabremetricans have not been able to develop tools that allow them to quantify and qualify things like defense and base running or batsmanship has led them to a very political decision or at the least a business decision. If we can't quantify or qualify it.....it must not matter!

 

So things that make baseball a great game and clearly as conceived, the most eclectic game we have simply get swept under the carpet by a belief in geeks that act like computers. Whatever made us believe these people understood this game? How many championships has it earned them out there in Oakland?

 

It is this insane insistence on and adherence to the principles of a stilted rating system, Sabremetrics, that guided Joe Madden to its baseball response....the exaggerated shift.....which is now slowly but surely being adopted across baseball. We can beat on Madden for his odd take on a manager's interaction with players all we want....that a manager of a team devoted to pitching and run prevention, that could not afford to compete for MLB's greatest hitters thought his way through the Sabresludge to a tool designed to counter it is as close to sheer genius that we will ever see come out of a manager's place in the dugout.

 

How are you going to quote bad baserunning numbers from Abraham, which are sabremetrically generated, then turn right around and say that sabermetricians can't quantify baserunning?

 

Seriously Jung, you are so wrong on the topic of sabermetrics in so many ways. I don't even know where to start.

[Kimmi]

This isn't going to help Pablo's case to be the starter. He dove once and came up lame.

 

Unfortunately, this injury very likely means that Shaw will be our starting 3B. This is not a knock on Shaw. I've been very impressed with him in his limited major league play. Having Shaw as a bench player just makes so much more sense than having Pablo as a bench player.

[Kimmi]

You know, that injury to Pablo may actually be good news for David Murphy. It depends on whether Pablo has to go on the DL. If he does, a spot opens on the 25 man and we can load up a bit of redundancy in the outfield as insurance against Rusney spitting the bit.

 

It's only one possibility of something to do with that spot, and there may not even be a spot, but it's a thought.

 

David Murphy was about to be a victim of the dreaded roster crunch. He and the Red Sox might benefit from allowing Murphy to stick around a little longer, if Pablo does indeed end up on the DL.

[jacksonianmarch]

The pitcher/catcher dynamic is absolutely key. As a former pitcher, the quality of your backstop not only determines your performance, but also your strategy. And in the bigs, you don't have the whole just throw it by em and you'll be fine level of competition. I will tell you that lazy, uninterested catchers brought down my performance and the intense, game managers who challenged me on the hill every start pushed me to be better. Sometimes it's more about confidence and experience than raw skill. Hence why a lot of star pitchers had a caddy catcher. They noticed that that one guy had a special trait that brought out the best in them.

[Spudboy]

For some reason the Boston media is talking about Murphey and Young forming a platoon in LF while Castillo is sent down to Pawtucket.

[Kimmi]

The pitcher/catcher dynamic is absolutely key. As a former pitcher, the quality of your backstop not only determines your performance, but also your strategy. And in the bigs, you don't have the whole just throw it by em and you'll be fine level of competition. I will tell you that lazy, uninterested catchers brought down my performance and the intense, game managers who challenged me on the hill every start pushed me to be better. Sometimes it's more about confidence and experience than raw skill. Hence why a lot of star pitchers had a caddy catcher. They noticed that that one guy had a special trait that brought out the best in them.

 

Good post Jacko. I agree completely.

[Kimmi]

For some reason the Boston media is talking about Murphey and Young forming a platoon in LF while Castillo is sent down to Pawtucket.

 

This is interesting, and something I had not heard.

[Spudboy]

Of course the Boston media is also suggesting a trade of Castillo to Cleveland.

[a700hitter]

Of course the Boston media is also suggesting a trade of Castillo to Cleveland.

In return for ...?

[jacksonianmarch]

A river of fire

[Spudboy]

In return for ...?

 

"A back end rotation arm or a position player that projects to be MLB average". Prospects.

 

None of the Tribe top prospects are on the table.

[mvp 78]

"A back end rotation arm or a position player that projects to be MLB average". Prospects.

 

None of the Tribe top prospects are on the table.

 

If the Sox don't eat any cash, I'm ok with it.

[jung]

Of course the Boston media is also suggesting a trade of Castillo to Cleveland.

 

I heard that also. Who would want him and why? He can't hit breaking pitches and is really not that much of a fielder. He is a cannon arm and not much else.

[SoxHop]

If the Sox don't eat any cash, I'm ok with it.

 

Why? You don't see any potential from him?

 

I think we are loaded with back end arms and don't need an average position player.

[Dojji]

For some reason the Boston media is talking about Murphey and Young forming a platoon in LF while Castillo is sent down to Pawtucket.

 

Warped minds think alike I guess. I had a similar thought, although without sending Castillo down.

[Dojji]

Why? You don't see any potential from him?

 

I think we are loaded with back end arms and don't need an average position player.

 

I'd be good with an average third baseman. Shaw hype notwithstanding, we don't really have one right now, not until we know how Shaw will field.

[SoxHop]

I'd be good with an average third baseman. Shaw hype notwithstanding, we don't really have one right now, not until we know how Shaw will field.

 

Yea, I can see it. I think Pablo and Shaw and Holt can hold down third to be about average, maybe we could get an upgrade there.

 

I guess at this point if I hear trade with anything we have that has promise. I want to throw in Owens or Johnson or whatever and get that number 2 pitcher we could use.

 

Easier said than done I know.

[cp176]

If the Sox don't eat any cash, I'm ok with it.

 

think we would have to add prospects and to eat a bunch of cash to get something worth very much for Castillo.

[mvp 78]

think we would have to add prospects and to eat a bunch of cash to get something worth very much for Castillo.

 

Depends on your definition of "very much." A number 5-6 starter or quality bullpen arm should be an even trade.

[jung]

Depends on your definition of "very much." A number 5-6 starter or quality bullpen arm should be an even trade.

 

For a guy making $11m a year that at 29 can't get his bat within a foot of a breaking ball???? Pipe dream. The only reason he is not already on his way to a glowing career suspended from the side of buildings, soap bucket in hand is because the Sox are paying him.

[mvp 78]

For a guy making $11m a year that at 29 can't get his bat within a foot of a breaking ball???? Pipe dream. The only reason he is not already on his way to a glowing career suspended from the side of buildings, soap bucket in hand is because the Sox are paying him.

 

My guess is that since Cleveland asked about him specifically, that they have a much higher opinion of Castillo than you do. However, I'm sure you're much better at talent evaluation than anyone in the Cleveland organization who gets paid to do that for a living.