Travis Shaw

[mvp 78]

What should Shaw's spot be at the start of the season?

 

"@peteabe - Travis Shaw has played 24 innings defensively, 19 of them at 3B."

 

I like that he's getting a lot oftime at 3b, where he hasn't played fulltime since college. I think he's a solid backup 1b/3b and should get significant playing time as one of those guys should falter early on this year.

[Dojji]

I think Shaw is the leverage the team has on Pablo and Hanley, the guy who could outplay them and win their jobs. And I think they're playing him at third to send a message to Pablo in particular that he's going to have to earn his place. If Pablo starts slow, I doubt they'll hesitate to throw Shaw into the fire at third base, and ditto for Hanley at first. Of the three, Shaw had the best hitting record last year and I want to see him playing any time it made sense.

 

I think there's a 0% chance that Shaw does not break camp with the team as it stands right now, he'd have to get hurt to not be on the 25 man, especially after his performance last year. I'm actually excited about the kid and want to see what he'll do with extended playing time. He has looked good.

 

There's a possibility in my mind that Shaw is our 3B this August, and Sam Travis is our 1B. if dire predictions about the toxicity of our two troubled veterans bear out, and the team is otherwise competitive and has a chance at the playoffs if they can put those guys behind them, I honestly believe they will move on from both.

Edited March 13, 2016 by Dojji

[User Name]

That's much more likely next year, because in reality, the Red Sox aren't going to sit $40 million in payroll unless they are both playing below replacement level, and both Travis and Shaw are playing at a very above average level. Next year, with DH opening up, that's an entirely different story.

[Dojji]

I think the possibility that at least one of Sandoval and Hanley failing to redeem their value is significant, and one of the advantage of having money is being able to eat a contract in order to sit a bad player. if Shaw is outperforming one of Hanley or Pablo, I think he'll play -- maybe not all the time, but certainly he'd hit against a lot of RHP.

[User Name]

You said it yourself: One, not both, with Pablo being the most likely of the two. The one aspect we're overlooking is health, and Hanley isn't exactly Ripken out there.

[Dojji]

Well of course he can only replace one, he's only one guy. But the question is, what happens if Sam Travis knocks the doors down?

[mvp 78]

You said it yourself: One, not both, with Pablo being the most likely of the two. The one aspect we're overlooking is health, and Hanley isn't exactly Ripken out there.

 

Could see either needing a long dl stay this year.

[Kimmi]

The Sox are going to start giving Shaw playing time in LF, so he could be insurance for Castillo as well as Pablo and Hanley. If all 3 players are playing adequately, Shaw would still get ample at bats in a super sub role.

[mvp 78]

Yup, Holt had little trouble finding ABs last year. I think this lineup could be a little more versatile and allow for good matchups at the end of games.

[Kimmi]

I think Shaw is the leverage the team has on Pablo and Hanley, the guy who could outplay them and win their jobs. And I think they're playing him at third to send a message to Pablo in particular that he's going to have to earn his place. If Pablo starts slow, I doubt they'll hesitate to throw Shaw into the fire at third base, and ditto for Hanley at first. Of the three, Shaw had the best hitting record last year and I want to see him playing any time it made sense.

 

I think there's a 0% chance that Shaw does not break camp with the team as it stands right now, he'd have to get hurt to not be on the 25 man, especially after his performance last year. I'm actually excited about the kid and want to see what he'll do with extended playing time. He has looked good.

 

There's a possibility in my mind that Shaw is our 3B this August, and Sam Travis is our 1B. if dire predictions about the toxicity of our two troubled veterans bear out, and the team is otherwise competitive and has a chance at the playoffs if they can put those guys behind them, I honestly believe they will move on from both.

 

No need to send a message to Pablo, IMO. I would guess that both he and Hanley have been told in no uncertain terms that if they don't produce, they will not get the playing time. Dombrowski will give them a fair chance to prove that they deserve to keep their starting roles, but I don't think he's going to mess around with keeping them in the line up if they don't deserve to be there.

 

I agree, there is 0% chance that Shaw is not on the Opening Day roster.

[Youk Of The Nation]

No need to send a message to Pablo, IMO. I would guess that both he and Hanley have been told in no uncertain terms that if they don't produce, they will not get the playing time. Dombrowski will give them a fair chance to prove that they deserve to keep their starting roles, but I don't think he's going to mess around with keeping them in the line up if they don't deserve to be there.

 

I agree, there is 0% chance that Shaw is not on the Opening Day roster.

 

I agree as well, it's a Shaw thing.

[Kimmi]

I agree as well, it's a Shaw thing.

 

LOL Nice.

 

That one took me a minute....

[Dojji]

I agree as well, it's a Shaw thing.

 

[SCM33]

Shaw needs to learn how to play LF as quickly as possible.

 

Still scratch my head that Hanley couldn't figure it out when you look at the players theyve rolled out there over the years........

 

Jose Canseco who was essentially done as an OF.

Reggie Jefferson who was a career 1B/DH.

Wil Cordero who was a failed 2B.

Kevin Youkilis....

Brian Daubach....

Kevin Millar....

Eric Hinske...

Carlos Pena...

 

....all of them made appearances in LF.

 

I think Shaw can figure it out...

[mvp 78]

Youk was as bad as Hanley if not worse.

[sk7326]

Shaw needs to learn how to play LF as quickly as possible.

 

Still scratch my head that Hanley couldn't figure it out when you look at the players theyve rolled out there over the years........

 

Jose Canseco who was essentially done as an OF.

Reggie Jefferson who was a career 1B/DH.

Wil Cordero who was a failed 2B.

Kevin Youkilis....

Brian Daubach....

Kevin Millar....

Eric Hinske...

Carlos Pena...

 

....all of them made appearances in LF.

 

I think Shaw can figure it out...

 

Or the Rangers signing Ian Desmond - and DOING THE VERY SAME THING

 

What happened to Ramirez was a legitimate freaky outlier. Shaw will have a chance and clearly Sandoval looks more likely to get voted off the island than Ramirez.

[Dojji]

Sandoval is the island

[a700hitter]

Or the Rangers signing Ian Desmond - and DOING THE VERY SAME THING

 

What happened to Ramirez was a legitimate freaky outlier. Shaw will have a chance and clearly Sandoval looks more likely to get voted off the island than Ramirez.

I don't think signing Desmond for 1 year for $8 million is DOING THE VERY SAME THING as signing Hanley for 5 years $90 million. No one has ever signed a long term FA contract with a player to change that player's position from IF to OF. No one.

[sk7326]

I don't think signing Desmond for 1 year for $8 million is DOING THE VERY SAME THING as signing Hanley for 5 years $90 million. No one has ever signed a long term FA contract with a player to change that player's position from IF to OF. No one.

 

(one of Alfonso Sorianio's extensions with the Cubs IIRC)

 

LF is where teams park guys who can't field and the DH spot is occupied - the history is long and vast. Hanley's inability to it is a remarkable outlier. LF is the easiest position on the field (well that or 1B, and you can argue both). For whatever reason it didn't work - on to the other easiest position.

[Bellhorn04]

(one of Alfonso Sorianio's extensions with the Cubs IIRC)

 

LF is where teams park guys who can't field and the DH spot is occupied - the history is long and vast. Hanley's inability to it is a remarkable outlier. LF is the easiest position on the field (well that or 1B, and you can argue both). For whatever reason it didn't work - on to the other easiest position.

 

Did most of Hanley's butchery occur at Fenway last year? I'm still not convinced left field at Fenway is that easy. Simply because I've seen so much butchery out there over the years, I guess.

[Dojji]

I don't think signing Desmond for 1 year for $8 million is DOING THE VERY SAME THING as signing Hanley for 5 years $90 million. No one has ever signed a long term FA contract with a player to change that player's position from IF to OF. No one.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/soriaal01.shtml

Edited March 15, 2016 by Dojji

[User Name]

I don't think signing Desmond for 1 year for $8 million is DOING THE VERY SAME THING as signing Hanley for 5 years $90 million. No one has ever signed a long term FA contract with a player to change that player's position from IF to OF. No one.

 

They signed a SS, and moved him to LF for a season, so fundamentally it is. The Sox grabbed a SS and intended to put him in LF for two, as we all know he was going to DH once Ortiz retired. Let's be reasonable.

[sk7326]

Did most of Hanley's butchery occur at Fenway last year? I'm still not convinced left field at Fenway is that easy. Simply because I've seen so much butchery out there over the years, I guess.

 

I actually agree with you - but I don't think being a "good outfielder" in a standard way matters. Carl Crawford was an excellent LF and a disaster his one season in Fenway. I just think it's enough of an outlier that simply having any sort of new guy playing the position is the challenge. It says little about the principle of moving an infielder to LF to hide his glove.

[User Name]

Also, the Marlins traded for Gary Sheffield, moved him to the OF, and then gave him a 4-year extension. It's not unheard of to move an IF to the OF to hide his glove or protect his health.

[a700hitter]

They signed a SS, and moved him to LF for a season, so fundamentally it is. The Sox grabbed a SS and intended to put him in LF for two, as we all know he was going to DH once Ortiz retired. Let's be reasonable.

Assuming that they had intended only 40% of his contract was going to be in LF at the rate of $18 million, even that has never been done. No one has signed a player for that length of time with that price tag to switch his position.

[a700hitter]

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/soriaal01.shtml

Soriano had played a full season in the OF (158 games) before the Cubs signed him as a FA.

[jung]

Good grief...this is not that complicated.

 

Hanley failed in LF because he didn't work at it and then the Sox in their wisdom told him he could just take it easy out there. Telling Hanley Ramirez that he can take it easy anywhere at any time is like inviting him to take a lounge chair out on the field with him. So the combination of Hanley not working at it at all and the Sox telling him to take it easy produced Hanley caring more about how silly he looked out there trying to make plays then with carte blanche from the Sox to feed that inclination. Did Hanley at that point decide to work at it....NOOOOOOOOO...he just let balls fall at his feet. I guess he somehow convinced himself that walking over to pick up a ball that was almost at a dead stop was less embarrassing than actually trying to make a play on it. Oh by the way he has not put much more work into 1st than he put into LF.

 

Crawford was simply ill equipped emotionally to be here. He was a card carrying basket case and he still is one. You can't play this game stiff as a board....nervous about things like "Oh my God where am I going to be in the batting order tomorrow!"

 

Still and all I have more faith now in Hanley than in I have in Panda the Inhaler able to devour half the planet for lunch and still somehow expecting to play baseball at an MLB level. He is gonna' be fun to watch come June if the Sox have not finally just given up by then.

[Hitch]

Is anyone else perversely enjoying the fury with which jung posts about Hanley and Panda? There's something deeply amusing about it.

[User Name]

No, it's as annoying as a bulging hemorrhoid while in an off-road cross-country race. I hadn't seen someone make so much s*** up in such a short period of time since Trump announced his presidential candidacy.

[Hitch]

I dunno, I kinda like it for the same reason I sometimes enjoy watching Trump. Watching crazy people go full blown batshit is highly entertaining.