Chris Young thread

[Maxbialystock]

Back to Young. My guess is the Sox got him (for $13M/2years) as kind of a back-up and maybe figured he couldn't be too bad if he played 140 games for the Yankees last year. They probably figured they were solid in CF and RF barring injuries. For the remaining LF slot they had Castillo, Holt, and Young. Of those three Young is clearly the most experienced MLB outfielder, but the question was could he hit.

 

As of today, June 8, I think it is beyond question Young was a smart acquisition. His hitting, especially against righties, has been surprisingly good,--who knows, maybe Davis helped him-- and his fielding is better and certainly smarter than Castillo, Holt, or Swihart's. At his age, 32, he ain't the long-term fix, but meanwhile he's pretty useful, and all the carping critics who argued that playing Young against righty pitchers demonstrated Farrell's malfeasance and ignorance might be carping a little less these days.

[mvp 78]

Re: Billy Beane and UN?

 

Shallow men believe in luck or in circumstance. Strong men believe in cause and effect.

[User Name]

Young has hit for an OPS under .650 over his last 700 PA's against righties. Those of us who called for him not to play against righties were right. Just because a move pans out, doesn't mean it's correct. Also, he's been red-hot for a couple weeks, but what happens when he cools down? If he goes all the way down to career norms against righties (a significant possibility) you better be sure you can take as much s*** as you're dishing out.

 

The hilarious part is that I've been a staunch supporter of both Farrell and Chris Young when he signed, but don't you dare criticize anyone or anything, because there's some ******* on this website (plenty of them, without naming names) ready and willing to tell you how terrible you are at life.

[Bellhorn04]

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.

 

I have always found this to be one of the more humorous famous sayings. It sounds like he might have said it when he was plastered.

[SoxnCycles]

You got a problem with .295/.368/.577/.945 off the bench?

 

Heck no, but some here weren't willing to give him a chance.

Just me being sarcastic.

[SoxnCycles]

I have always found this to be one of the more humorous famous sayings. It sounds like he might have said it when he was plastered.

 

Probably just liked saying "hobgoblin" when he was hammered.

[mvp 78]

but don't you dare criticize anyone or anything, because there's some ******* on this website (plenty of them, without naming names) ready and willing to tell you how terrible you are at life.

 

You're welcome.

[User Name]

Obvious. I didn't wanna name names though.

[Maxbialystock]

Young has hit for an OPS under .650 over his last 700 PA's against righties. Those of us who called for him not to play against righties were right. Just because a move pans out, doesn't mean it's correct. Also, he's been red-hot for a couple weeks, but what happens when he cools down? If he goes all the way down to career norms against righties (a significant possibility) you better be sure you can take as much s*** as you're dishing out.

 

The hilarious part is that I've been a staunch supporter of both Farrell and Chris Young when he signed, but don't you dare criticize anyone or anything, because there's some ******* on this website (plenty of them, without naming names) ready and willing to tell you how terrible you are at life.

 

I'm actually not much of a Young fan, and, while I have defended Farrell, I did so on general principles. Last year I would have been fine if he had been fired.

 

My points about Young on the other thread (referendum on Farrell) were that playing him against righties was not unreasonable because the Sox hadn't faced many lefty starters and the Sox were paying the guy $13M/2 years to do something besides ride the pine. Plus he played 140 games for the Yankees last year. Plus it was April and a good time to see what he could do. Plus the Sox offense was actually doing pretty well whether or not Young got a hit. But most of all I believed that Young would not have been played if management, including both Farrell (and Lovullo) and the front office, hadn't thought it was worth trying. In retrospect, it's possible they wanted him to hit against righties just to prepare for the unlikely event, now upon us, that he might have to play against righties. Plus maybe Chili Davis was saying he could hit righties despite that horrible OPS.

 

Thus I was astounded when the few times Young played against righty pitchers were treated as prima facie evidence that Farrell really doesn't have a grasp of which players to use. Yes, yes, the story went, the team is playing well and winning, but Farrell is clueless about who to insert into the lineup when. Look at that Young guy going up against righties if you doubt his ineptitude.

 

I'm also astounded you can honestly say that, despite Young's success, Farrell was still wrong to play him. In other words, if any of us thinks Farrell shouldn't have made a move, any move, he's wrong whether or not it works out. Me, I'm the opposite. I think all moves are OK because he knows his guys and the other teams' players a whole lot better than we do.

[a700hitter]

The hilarious part is that I've been a staunch supporter of both Farrell and Chris Young when he signed, but don't you dare criticize anyone or anything, because there's some ******* on this website (plenty of them, without naming names) ready and willing to tell you how terrible you are at life.

Loser.

[User Name]

Because an erroneous decision with a correct outcome is still an erroneous decision. It's not rocket science. Young hasn't been able to hit righties consistently since 2011, and that's the reason why we were able to sign him as a part-time player. Maybe Chili fixed him, but this isn't about "maybes", this is about proven trends.

 

Again, what happens when (not if) Young starts badly struggling against righties (particularly the higher quality ones) again?

[User Name]

Loser.

 

Well I do live in a place where machete fights are still a thing, so I've got that going for me, which is nice.

[a700hitter]

Well I do live in a place where machete fights are still a thing, so I've got that going for me, which is nice.

Is it a betting sport?

[User Name]

Is it a betting sport?

 

Are you crazy? If it was, then this place would be awesome. I'm talking about machete fights in the middle of the street because one guy suspects another guy is banging a chick who's not even with him, like rly DR? Then again, there might be a market there for entrepreneurial types........

[Youk Of The Nation]

I might move there, my life here in Connecticut suffers from a serious lack of machete duels, and every time I try to start one the people at the grocery store get all prissy.

[illinoisredsox]

Because an erroneous decision with a correct outcome is still an erroneous decision. It's not rocket science. Young hasn't been able to hit righties consistently since 2011, and that's the reason why we were able to sign him as a part-time player. Maybe Chili fixed him, but this isn't about "maybes", this is about proven trends.

 

Again, what happens when (not if) Young starts badly struggling against righties (particularly the higher quality ones) again?

 

Right now, nothing, because there's not much you can do. Obviously Castillo isn't even a consideration; he's not even hitting well in Pawtucket (Last I looked he was hitting under .250 and slugging around .320). Once Holt gets back, you go back to the platoon. Until then ...

 

I found it very telling on how far Castillo has fallen in the pecking order when they used Rutledge to ph last night instead of Rusney. He is definitely deep in the doghouse.

[User Name]

Right now, nothing, because there's not much you can do. Obviously Castillo isn't even a consideration; he's not even hitting well in Pawtucket (Last I looked he was hitting under .250 and slugging around .320). Once Holt gets back, you go back to the platoon. Until then ...

 

I found it very telling on how far Castillo has fallen in the pecking order when they used Rutledge to ph last night instead of Rusney. He is definitely deep in the doghouse.

 

Excellent observation. But my point was assuming a healthy lineup by that point, and the likelihood of him sucking again and people on the site turning on him more than actual team decisions regarding the guy. But Castillo's certainly knee deep in sewer water with the org.

[User Name]

I might move there, my life here in Connecticut suffers from a serious lack of machete duels, and every time I try to start one the people at the grocery store get all prissy.

 

You do know the first thing that'll happen is me challenging you to a fistfight? (It'd be too easy with a machete.)

[a700hitter]

Are you crazy? If it was, then this place would be awesome. I'm talking about machete fights in the middle of the street because one guy suspects another guy is banging a chick who's not even with him, like rly DR? Then again, there might be a market there for entrepreneurial types........

Iortiz could adapt his sports betting algorithm and make a killing. Pardon the pun.

[mvp 78]

I might move there, my life here in Connecticut suffers from a serious lack of machete duels, and every time I try to start one the people at the grocery store get all prissy.

 

I'm floored that there aren't daily machete fights in East Hartford...

[Youk Of The Nation]

Iortiz could adapt his sports betting algorithm and make a killing. Pardon the pun.

 

"This bet is a sure thing! Gonzalez is the best righty there is!"

 

"He's a lefty."

 

"Not anymore."

[a700hitter]

"This bet is a sure thing! Gonzalez is the best righty there is!"

 

"He's a lefty."

 

"Not anymore."

There would be some great nicknames -- Stumpy, Hopalong, Three Fingers and on and on.

[devildavid]

Heck no, but some here weren't willing to give him a chance.

Just me being sarcastic.

 

Ok, cool. He is just a bench player so anything above his career norms is gravy. You always hope to get a bench guy during one of his rare good seasons. It can happen and is a good thing in a year when you make the playoffs. Plus, Young is a decent enough fielder that he won't hurt you defensively.

[illinoisredsox]

He made the play of the night last night when he slid under that tag avoiding the double play on Big Papi's chopper that tied up the game. Great base running.

[Maxbialystock]

He made the play of the night last night when he slid under that tag avoiding the double play on Big Papi's chopper that tied up the game. Great base running.

 

Really alert play and absolutely clean--he just went down and never came close to going outside the baseline. Plus he had the first rbi double. Plus that terrific catch against the wall in which he slid and did not get hurt. Plus the other goood catch after running over the pitching mound. Back in April I defended him, but only on general principles because I knew nothing about him. Right now he looks like a pretty good all around player and I frankly am surprised. When JBJ was out, I think he also played CF and made a pretty good grab in deep CF. With Castillo struggling and Swihart and Holt on the DL, Young is pretty darn handy to have around.

[User Name]

I think Young's glovework and baserunning ability are underrated, but that's just me.

[Slasher9]

he had a heckuva game last night. heckuva game.

[Youk Of The Nation]

That tag-ducking play was a thing of beauty.