5/9 vs. The Oakland Athletics

[SinceYaz]

Maybe the boo birds were being goofy ... It was a laugher after all. A beer or two too many, feeling goofy because they knew we scored enough runs that even Clay couldn't mess it up. Ironic boos because it was JBJ and it wouldn't matter ....

 

I know I'm reaching ...

[Bellhorn04]

Yes, hopefully they were joke boos. Like the fake cheers players get sometimes when they finally do something right.

[Slasher9]

Yes, hopefully they were joke boos. Like the fake cheers players get sometimes when they finally do something right.

 

to this point. he had a flyball hit to him the next inning and the crowd gave him the bronx cheer. pretty classless if you ask me.....

[Slasher9]

If they were serious boos at JBJ for a very insignificant error, all I can say is: It's still better for us to have a wacko sitting somewhere in the stands than an empty seat. Some other teams only have a few baseball nerds who attend, and the embarrassing empty void. They'd love some wackos to fill those seats and make their fanbase better.

 

JBJ had an amazing game, and is probably the best #9 hitter in MLB right now. I am really warming up to him. I used to not be a big JBJ fan, since he stuck out swinging at everything without putting much effort into strategy or plate discipline. But today, he had one really good take on a curveball that started in the zone and ended up a ball just off the zone down & in. I think it was with two strikes, and the old JBJ would have swung and missed at that 95% of the time. That said it all to me. I think his current hot streak has gone on long enough such that he'll develop muscle memory from it, and increase his minimum skill level & development.

 

I get why JBJ is the #9 hitter instead of #7 or #8 - because they want a fast runner to lead off before the leadoff guy, instead of having a slow running catcher blockade the bases. But would it make sense to temporarily switch JBJ to leadoff and move Betts to #9? I'm torn, because logically it makes sense considering the hot streak, but it may cause a slight chemistry harming rift, if Betts feels like he's being punished for nothing. But having JBJ as a leadoff hitter while he's still hot is hard to resist.

 

he's been batting 8th the past few games. i'm happy as long as he is in the lineup.....

[S5Dewey]

Keep in mind that if you talk to anyone on the old BDC board you'll find that JBJ most likely doesn't have a bigger fan than I am. Unless maybe it's Slash. We've been saying that he will hit and even if he doesn't hit it's worth having him there just for his defense.

 

Now... putting JBJ's error in the context of the game the error was inconsequential and it looked like it would be right from the beginning. I don't believe it was the fact that he made an error as much as it was the type of play he failed to make that raised the ire of the fans. It was a routine fly ball that he let clank off his glove. An error that was caused by lack of basic fundamentals that even a Little Leaguer shouldn't make.

 

I've heard some rumblings from friends (not on the boards) for some time about how casually he plays fly balls off to one side of his body and this time it caught up with him. I think everyone is pleased that the time it caught up with him was a time when it didn't matter in the outcome of the game. I wouldn't be surprised if someone (Butterfield?) had a little chat with him after the game about the fundamentals of catching fly balls.

 

Whether the booing was malicious or was intended as a reminder that there's a better way to handle fly balls was in the eyes of the boo-er, but IMHO having a great stretch or game at the plate doesn't excuse a lack of fundamentals. A player simply has to make the routine plays regardless of the game situations.

[TheBabeStrikesBack]

Happy birthday!

[Maxbialystock]

I was never that big of a JBJ fan because I liked Mookie better. On the other hand, I thought bringing him up last August, which finally worked, was a reasonable move. To me he is just a little too cavalier in the outfield and is the diametric opposite of both Betts and Bogaerts, both of whom feel the need to improve and to keep focusing on fundamentals. JBJ also has a terrific arm, but one that isn't always accurate,which tells me that needs some work. So does the way he plays the wall in left center and fly balls into that deep CF corner, the triangle. But my impression is that he thinks he doesn't need to improve in the field at all, that he's God's gift to centerfield.

 

All that said, I'm really glad we have him both in the field and at bat. Zowie. The Yankees taking him off our hands is still years away.

[devildavid]

JBJ is a great outfielder, maybe the best I have ever seen in a Red Sox uniform. He may be a bit cocky at times, because he is so good. It's nothing a few choice words from the coaching staff can't correct. Or even a few foolish errors can't correct as well. I'm sure he takes great pride in his fielding and doesn't ever want to embarrass himself.