Spring training

[mvp 78]

Castillo booted yet another ball last night, a single into a double. This will be his 3rd taste of major league tour, I f***ing hope he isn't caught off guard like he was the previous times. 29 and should be his peak years, not development and trial. There's zero excuses for it anymore.

 

I believe Chris Young was brought in to do more than just platoon with JBJ. He's the fail safe for Castillo. I agree that at this point we can no longer say "he's been out of baseball for too long and is just getting his legs under him." It's time to take the training wheels off.

 

I don't believe it will work out for Castillo here. Maybe he's moved midseason? Idk. I hope he proves me wrong though.

[Station 13]

As for E-Rod replacement, I think Wright gets the nod. Elias might be a reliever instead. Having a knuckleballer in relief is as they say pouring gasoline to fuel a fire.

[Station 13]

I believe Chris Young was brought in to do more than just platoon with JBJ. He's the fail safe for Castillo. I agree that at this point we can no longer say "he's been out of baseball for too long and is just getting his legs under him." It's time to take the training wheels off.

 

I don't believe it will work out for Castillo here. Maybe he's moved midseason? Idk. I hope he proves me wrong though.

 

You might be right, Castillo struggles vs RHP. His split is nearly .300OPS difference

 

While in small sample, JBJ did a lot better vs LHP.

 

I think Castillo could learn and turn into a slightly above average player. He just has to stop with his gaf, misreading a flyball, fielding a ball hit at him, forgetting how many outs are there, and base running mistakes. Being an average hitter is just fine, but not with those peripherals. They're correctable.

[Spudboy]

Castillo booted yet another ball last night, a single into a double. This will be his 3rd taste of major league tour, I f***ing hope he isn't caught off guard like he was the previous times. 29 and should be his peak years, not development and trial. There's zero excuses for it anymore.

 

I've been biting my lip about this guy so far.

 

I'm liking the Young acquisition better and better.

[Spudboy]

LOL!!!!

 

http://www.csnne.com/boston-red-sox/report-pablo-sandoval-slams-bat-and-rants-at-reporter

[a700hitter]

LOL!!!!

 

http://www.csnne.com/boston-red-sox/report-pablo-sandoval-slams-bat-and-rants-at-reporter

The reporter should have told him to stop making errors and then he will not have to report them.

[Kimmi]

LOL!!!!

 

http://www.csnne.com/boston-red-sox/report-pablo-sandoval-slams-bat-and-rants-at-reporter

 

This really should have been a non-issue that we, as fans, should never even have heard about. Players taking issue with something a reporter has printed happens regularly. If it weren't Pablo, it probably wouldn't have been reported.

 

Unfortunately, since Pablo played so poorly last season, everything that he does is going to be magnified tenfold.

[a700hitter]

This really should have been a non-issue that we, as fans, should never even have heard about. Players taking issue with something a reporter has printed happens regularly. If it weren't Pablo, it probably wouldn't have been reported.

 

Unfortunately, since Pablo played so poorly last season, everything that he does is going to be magnified tenfold.

I am just surprised that players still read the sports pages. What could a writer tell them that they don't already know about. Most players are smart enough to let it roll of their back. Pablo is being overly sensitive. I don't know of anything very critical written about his fielding recently.

[jung]

I finally have it figured out and boy do i feel like an idiot.

 

JBJ's splits RH v LH pitcher.

 

Watch JBJ against a LH pitcher...he takes as balanced and measured a swing as he can take. Fights to keep his shoulder from opening....take a decent cut..gets a hit. Watch him against RH pitchers....foot in the bucket...bailing out...flailing away helplessly...with a bad case of homer syndrome. Watch him and see if you don't agree.

[Elktonnick]

This really should have been a non-issue that we, as fans, should never even have heard about. Players taking issue with something a reporter has printed happens regularly. If it weren't Pablo, it probably wouldn't have been reported.

 

Unfortunately, since Pablo played so poorly last season, everything that he does is going to be magnified tenfold.

 

Pablo is the one who makes it an issue. His quoted statements have only served to alert the media and anger the fans. I am down here at FT Myers. His play in the field in all the games that I've seen to date has been strikingly bad. He literally has not made a clean play on any ball he has handled in the several games that I have attended to date. I am going tomorrow and we'll see how he does then.

 

The point is that Sandoval should expect to be questioned about his defense. He was only the worst defensive 3rd baseman in baseball last year and his performance to date suggests no improvement. Sandoval has to accept some responsibility for his play. His attitude suggests that he hasn't. If he doesn't turn it around both on the field and with the media I can see an already irritated fan base driving him out of Boston they way it did Renteria and Crawford. I am sure Dombrowski sees that as well.

[Elktonnick]

I finally have it figured out and boy do i feel like an idiot.

 

JBJ's splits RH v LH pitcher.

 

Watch JBJ against a LH pitcher...he takes as balanced and measured a swing as he can take. Fights to keep his shoulder from opening....take a decent cut..gets a hit. Watch him against RH pitchers....foot in the bucket...bailing out...flailing away helplessly...with a bad case of homer syndrome. Watch him and see if you don't agree.

 

Good catch! I've got to start looking for that if he plays tomorrow afternoon.

[Kimmi]

I am just surprised that players still read the sports pages. What could a writer tell them that they don't already know about. Most players are smart enough to let it roll of their back. Pablo is being overly sensitive. I don't know of anything very critical written about his fielding recently.

 

If I were Pablo, I certainly would not be reading the sports pages. Everything being printed/reported about him right now is harsh. Pablo probably is being overly sensitive. The reporter that Pablo was upset with did not write anything that wasn't true.

 

That said, one of the other beat writers said that it really was not a big deal, and that players getting upset with or confronting reporters happens periodically. The incidents usually go unreported. Regardless of how overly sensitive Pablo is or isn't, the point is that yesterday's incident shouldn't have made the headlines. It only did because Pablo is everyone's favorite whipping boy right now.

[Kimmi]

Pablo is the one who makes it an issue. His quoted statements have only served to alert the media and anger the fans. I am down here at FT Myers. His play in the field in all the games that I've seen to date has been strikingly bad. He literally has not made a clean play on any ball he has handled in the several games that I have attended to date. I am going tomorrow and we'll see how he does then.

 

The point is that Sandoval should expect to be questioned about his defense. He was only the worst defensive 3rd baseman in baseball last year and his performance to date suggests no improvement. Sandoval has to accept some responsibility for his play. His attitude suggests that he hasn't. If he doesn't turn it around both on the field and with the media I can see an already irritated fan base driving him out of Boston they way it did Renteria and Crawford. I am sure Dombrowski sees that as well.

 

I agree that criticism of Pablo's defense from last year is fair game. He has not gotten off to the best of starts this preseason, which only makes matters worse. But as I've said many times, I think the great majority of people, fans and media, have already made up their minds about him and have written him off before giving him a fair chance to make amends for last season. The constant scrutiny can't be helping any.

 

I'm not sure that Pablo's attitude suggests that he hasn't accepted responsibility. From what I've heard, he has been working hard with Butterfield every morning before team workouts. Butterfield's reports about Pablo's effort and attitude suggest he really is trying.

[a700hitter]

Pablo is the one who makes it an issue. His quoted statements have only served to alert the media and anger the fans. I am down here at FT Myers. His play in the field in all the games that I've seen to date has been strikingly bad. He literally has not made a clean play on any ball he has handled in the several games that I have attended to date. I am going tomorrow and we'll see how he does then.

 

The point is that Sandoval should expect to be questioned about his defense. He was only the worst defensive 3rd baseman in baseball last year and his performance to date suggests no improvement. Sandoval has to accept some responsibility for his play. His attitude suggests that he hasn't. If he doesn't turn it around both on the field and with the media I can see an already irritated fan base driving him out of Boston they way it did Renteria and Crawford. I am sure Dombrowski sees that as well.

How long have you been there? If I had known you were there, I would have arranged to stop by and say hello. I agree about Pablo. He has looked awful in the field. The balls that he has fielded cleanly he has thrown poorly. Did you see Travis's 2 HRs today. This guy's bat will work its way to the bigs very soon. IMO, Pablo is not needed on this team. He is holding back better players. DD needs to cut bait with him.

[Elktonnick]

How long have you been there? If I had known you were there, I would have arranged to stop by and say hello. I agree about Pablo. He has looked awful in the field. The balls that he has fielded cleanly he has thrown poorly. Did you see Travis's 2 HRs today. This guy's bat will work its way to the bigs very soon. IMO, Pablo is not needed on this team. He is holding back better players. DD needs to cut bait with him.

 

We have been in Florida since Feb 24 visiting family up in the Panhandle. We rent a place down here for the month of March. We'll be here next year as well. (You have to rent a house a year in advance to get anything good.) We didn't see today's game which I thought was a split squad game. But we will be there tomorrow. I agree with everything you said re Sandoval. I think he looks fatter and slower then he did last spring.

[Elktonnick]

I agree that criticism of Pablo's defense from last year is fair game. He has not gotten off to the best of starts this preseason, which only makes matters worse. But as I've said many times, I think the great majority of people, fans and media, have already made up their minds about him and have written him off before giving him a fair chance to make amends for last season. The constant scrutiny can't be helping any.

 

I'm not sure that Pablo's attitude suggests that he hasn't accepted responsibility. From what I've heard, he has been working hard with Butterfield every morning before team workouts. Butterfield's reports about Pablo's effort and attitude suggest he really is trying.

 

 

From what I've seen unless he loses 40 lbs it won't matter how much he works with Butterfield. He is simply too slow getting to the ball. I think he has lost a step or two from last year. He came to camp out of shape and it shows. He needs to accept responsibility for that and from what I've seen and read he hasn't

[a700hitter]

We have been in Florida since Feb 24 visiting family up in the Panhandle. We rent a place down here for the month of March. We'll be here next year as well. (You have to rent a house a year in advance to get anything good.) We didn't see today's game which I thought was a split squad game. But we will be there tomorrow. I agree with everything you said re Sandoval. I think he looks fatter and slower then he did last spring.

Are you staying in Fort Myers or Fort Myers Beach? I stay on the beach, but in March, the traffic on that island is a beach. We have learned to stay on the southern tip of the island to avoid the really bad traffic.

[Elktonnick]

Are you staying in Fort Myers or Fort Myers Beach? I stay on the beach, but in March, the traffic on that island is a beach. We have learned to stay on the southern tip of the island to avoid the really bad traffic.

Last year and next year Ft Myers. This year Cape Coral. We do a lot of traveling, golf and fishing while we are here. Ft Myers Beach traffic is too much to handle.

[a700hitter]

We have been in Florida since Feb 24 visiting family up in the Panhandle. We rent a place down here for the month of March. We'll be here next year as well. (You have to rent a house a year in advance to get anything good.) We didn't see today's game which I thought was a split squad game. But we will be there tomorrow. I agree with everything you said re Sandoval. I think he looks fatter and slower then he did last spring.

If you want to do some fine dining, it is worth the trip into Naples. Fifth Ave is full of great restaurants. Also in the Mercato shopping center in Naples there are a lot of great place to eat. Edited March 18, 2016 by a700hitter

[a700hitter]

Last year and next year Ft Myers. This year Cape Coral. We do a lot of traveling, golf and fishing while we are here. Ft Myers Beach traffic is too much to handle.

Have you tried Two Meatballs in the Kitchen near the JetBlue Park. Last year, they scaled back the menu, but it was still very good.

[Elktonnick]

Have you tried Two Meatballs in the Kitchen near the JetBlue Park. Last year, they scaled back the menu, but it was still very good.

Did Ft Myers and Naples dining last year, some great restaurants. Our rule when we are here is that the restaurant must be on the water except when we eat at the ballpark. Love Pincher's which may not be great dining but they have great fresh grouper, snapper and crabs.

[Spudboy]

Last year and next year Ft Myers. This year Cape Coral. We do a lot of traveling, golf and fishing while we are here. Ft Myers Beach traffic is too much to handle.

 

Say hi to Gator!!!!

 

 

Does his amusement center still exist?

[cp176]

A lot of talk about spring training not being particularly meaningful in many cases and I get that but to some it still is. I have been very impressed as I am sure everyone else has with some of these guys that no one has expected a whole lot from. great springs so far - Shaw, Travis, Barnes, Hernandez.

Ramirez so far is making a case for being able to get it done.

 

I get that it is early but after Price with Rodriguez down that starting rotation looks very shaky. That said, Kelly is making a strong case to hold a spot.

 

Although the w's and l's really aren't very significant, many of these guys are using this spring to prove that they can either still play at or actually belong at the major league level.

[jung]

Even more so than the last time we had this discussion, it looks like Wright will get the slot in the rotation until Eddie comes back. Surely it can't be Owens. As of last discussion, he was a Control Pitcher with no control, bordering now on Control Pitcher that can't find the plate.

 

I don't view Wright getting the early spot as a bad thing at all. Throwing a knuckler at somebody early in the season does have its advantages.

[a700hitter]

Oh goodie goodie!! We will get the pleasure of being tortured by again watching a knuckleballer take the hill every 5th day.

[mvp 78]

Oh goodie goodie!! We will get the pleasure of being tortured by again watching a knuckleballer take the hill every 5th day.

 

Roenis Elias throws a knuckler???

[jung]

Oh goodie goodie!! We will get the pleasure of being tortured by again watching a knuckleballer take the hill every 5th day.

 

Well I probably should have said that my preference by leaps and bounds would be to have Eddie out there. But I know they have to be careful with this injury...it is sort of why telling us that they were going to reevaluate 72 hours later was typical mumbo jumbo. 72 hours was not going to tell them anything given what they knew. You cannot mess with this and any discomfort at all along the way should be considered a setback and adjudged accordingly.

 

But since it can't be Eddie for now.....I will take the guy for 2-3 starts that will likely be even more confounding to hitters this early in a season than he would be normally. Wright could skate by 2-3 starts and just look like a world beater this early in a season though we might know otherwise. How happy would we be if they were all wins?

[a700hitter]

We need another starter. Our depth is just not that good.

[Dojji]

it's a lot easier to say "we need a starter" than it is to pick up a #3 or better starter without getting bent over at this point in the season. Let the depth play out, it might surprise you.

[a700hitter]

it's a lot easier to say "we need a starter" than it is to pick up a #3 or better starter without getting bent over at this point in the season. Let the depth play out, it might surprise you.

I have had all the surprises that I can stand in the last 2 seasons when the last GM told us that he liked our pitching. i just want some competitive baseball through the end of August. The 2016 staff will be better than last season, but I don't get the point of adding Price at $217 million to have a mediocre staff.