Has Swihart Staked A Claim on LF?

[Youk Of The Nation]

The reason this thread was back three pages was because of the sheer number of threads started in the last month and a half. Normally threads that haven't been used in a few weeks are still on the front page, because the discussions are generally confined to a few active threads. Now we have threads started by people who have only been here a few weeks that are already bumped back to page 3. This is why I keep merging them. If I didn't, we'd get to the point where people are trying to have discussions in active threads that aren't even on the front page because they're being pushed down so quickly.

 

Now, onto the topic at hand. I don't think Swihart has staked a claim on anything. He's only been playing LF for what, a week? Not even? He's filling in for someone because they don't have a better option to use right now. If David Ortiz gets the flu and has to sit for three days, and Hanley takes over as the DH and does well, we wouldn't ask if he'd staked a claim as the new DH. Swihart is basically doing the same thing. He's filling in while Holt is recovering from a concussion. Think of him like a drink coaster folded up under a wobbly chair leg. It works fine for the night, but in the morning you aren't going to make it permanent, you're going to throw it away and sand down the other chair legs until it doesn't wobble anymore.

[mvp 78]

4 games.

[bosoxmal]

I'm hoping for a JBJ-type miracle. Swihart's Walk to K ratio was horrid last year. Looking at stats was not even necessary. In just a few games he seems to be much more selective. I have long thought that Holt is terrific in the role he has played. He seems to go great guns after being on the bench a little while. I think Swihart deserves at least a two to three week shot. facing lefties. The way guys go down daily for short periods of time will keep Holt busy enough. Betts, JBJ, Vazquez and Shaw are the only "regulars" not hopping around for one reason or another. And it's a long, long season.

[Dojji]

Concussions are bad news and it can be really really hard to tell whether someone has actually recovered. I do not want Holt out there while suffering with literal brain damage. I think Swihart will get his time. If the team's smart it will be very slow and careful about easing Holt back into his job.

[illinoisredsox]

Concussions are bad news and it can be really really hard to tell whether someone has actually recovered. I do not want Holt out there while suffering with literal brain damage. I think Swihart will get his time. If the team's smart it will be very slow and careful about easing Holt back into his job.

 

Yep. In 2013, David Ross sat a week on the concussion DL then came back. About a month later, he went back on the concussion DL and was there for a couple months.

 

Now, catching and the IF/OF are 2 different animals, but the team has to keep Holt out until he is properly healed. I think I read that this is his second time with one, so extra precaution is in order.

[bosoxmal]

Why was this thrown in with the Castillo thread. Considering how the situation has changed I think it should stand on its own. I see no reason bring Castillo into the conversation. He's in Pawtucket hitting about .250!

[Kimmi]

VA for mod.

 

VA for President. Best poster on this board, IMO.

 

She tells it like it is, short and simple.

[Kimmi]

Concussions are bad news and it can be really really hard to tell whether someone has actually recovered. I do not want Holt out there while suffering with literal brain damage. I think Swihart will get his time. If the team's smart it will be very slow and careful about easing Holt back into his job.

 

Farrell stated today that it would be "a while" before we see Holt again.

[robert vonhalle]

Swihart should keep playing at AAA in the current alignment - he needs reps behind the plate. He has shown signs of being a good defender, but he needs time - catcher is the slowest developing position of them all. It's a good path to the bigs due to low supply, but it has the oldest average rookie age.

 

Young is what he is - he is not hitting, but he is not hurting anybody either.

 

The kids will be in Portland soon enough. They are not old for the level - so relax.

agree,swihart should be catching in AAA

[bosoxmal]

Many "similar" threads go back too far. They're out of date!

[a700hitter]

We're losing control to these interlopers!! We need to take our forum back and make TalkSox great again!! Our collctive OCD cannot stand clutter and disorganization.

[southpaw777]

Swihart is back up out of necessity again. We need a LHH to replace Holt. His value has not gone down. If anything its gone up with his bat looking good. Hes still got work to do defensively as a catcher, but the Sox needs come first. He will get more reps, whether in Boston, Pawtucket or in another organization. His value is just fine.

[Maxbialystock]

I love these threads precisely because of their borderline irrelevance. Why? Because neither player--Swihart or Castillo-- is that important given what else is going on with this team. Indeed, so far the best LF by far this year is Young, a solid all-around player who played in 140 games for the Yankees last year and who has a $13M contract with the Sox for 2 years. Castillo can't hit and makes too many errors in the field. The tattoo on his arm, "made in Cuba," ain't going to be enough.

 

I like the idea of Swihart--best young catcher in years, could even out do Yaz in LF, etc--far more than the reality, which is that he has yet to show he can hit MLB pitching or that he isn't a disaster behind the plate. Claiming he is a lock in LF is just another pipedream.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Maxbialystock

[Bellhorn04]

I love these threads precisely because of their borderline irrelevance. Why? Because neither player is that important give when else is going on with this team. Indeed, so far the best LF by far this year is Young, a solid all-around player who played in 140 games for the Yankees last year and who has a $13M contract with the Sox for 2 years.

 

I like the idea of Swihart--best young catcher in years, could even out do Yaz in LF, etc--far more than the reality, which is that he has yet to show he can hit MLB pitching or that he isn't a disaster behind the plate. Claiming he is a lock in LF is just another pipedream.

 

Yes, especially when he might be out for the season.

[Spudboy]

I love these threads precisely because of their borderline irrelevance. Why? Because neither player--Swihart or Castillo-- is that important given what else is going on with this team. Indeed, so far the best LF by far this year is Young, a solid all-around player who played in 140 games for the Yankees last year and who has a $13M contract with the Sox for 2 years. Castillo can't hit and makes too many errors in the field. The tattoo on his arm, "made in Cuba," ain't going to be enough.

 

I like the idea of Swihart--best young catcher in years, could even out do Yaz in LF, etc--far more than the reality, which is that he has yet to show he can hit MLB pitching or that he isn't a disaster behind the plate. Claiming he is a lock in LF is just another pipedream.

 

 

wut

 

 

Year Age Tm Lg G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB Pos Awards

2015 23 BOS AL 84 309 288 47 79 17 1 5 31 4 2 18 77 .274 .319 .392 .712 90 113 8 1 2 0 0 2

 

 

After a slow start when he was called up do to necessity and had play very few games in AAA.

 

Yeah. After 300 PA one can conclude that he claerly can not hit MLB pitching.

[Maxbialystock]

wut

 

 

Year Age Tm Lg G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB Pos Awards

2015 23 BOS AL 84 309 288 47 79 17 1 5 31 4 2 18 77 .274 .319 .392 .712 90 113 8 1 2 0 0 2

 

 

After a slow start when he was called up do to necessity and had play very few games in AAA.

 

Yeah. After 300 PA one can conclude that he claerly can not hit MLB pitching.

 

Good points. I should have said Swihart's hitting is good enough for a catcher, but not for the Sox LF slot. And his play behind the plate is what keeps him from being a viable MLB catcher.

[Bellhorn04]

Good points. I should have said Swihart's hitting is good enough for a catcher, but not for the Sox LF slot. And his play behind the plate is what keeps him from being a viable MLB catcher.

 

Just another rush to judgment.

[Maxbialystock]

Just another rush to judgment.

 

Actually, I just think Swihart is over-rated. Last year I was very pro-Swihart because of his age and inexperience, so I was stunned that, with all that 2015 experience plus spring training, plus apparently being handed the starting catcher job, the Sox manager and FO apparently decided very quickly Swihart was a detriment behind the plate. So much so they sent him to Pawtucket and told him to acquire outfield skills. Once you convert to LF, my opinion, then you need to be a pretty good hitter, and I'm not so sure Swihart is.

 

All the Swihart fans, of which there are many, I'm sure, need to acknowledge that he probably isn't that great young catching prospect we all thought he was. I think it's true that he became a catcher after he entered the Sox farm system. Before that he was an infielder/outfielder, which means the catching thing was an experiment, which the FO appears to have decided to abandon.

 

When Holt was hurt, I thought giving Swihart a shot was a good idea, better than Castillo. But right now I'm thinking Swihart on the DL ain't a big loss because the Sox have other decent options for LF-- Young, Castillo, and Holt. Swihart won't be missed.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Maxbialystock

[Spudboy]

I'm one of those Swihart fans.

 

Not because I have a man crush on him or because he was a 1st round pick in probably he best draft class the Sox have had in a long time.

 

No. I just see a tremendous athlete with a passion for the game and a big brain. I guy that plays hard and plays well the vast majority of the time. A few past balls and a dropped foul pop and suddenly he is no longer a viable MLB catching prospect in the minds of many fans. Trade him!!!!!

 

I also like Vasquez a lot for obvious reasons.

 

To say that Swihart won't be missed is inaccurate. Anytime the Sox lose a player with that kind of athleticism it will be noticed and missed. The kid is another game changer like the Killer Bs.

 

I'd much rather have him in left that either Castillo or even Young.

[Maxbialystock]

I'm one of those Swihart fans.

 

Not because I have a man crush on him or because he was a 1st round pick in probably he best draft class the Sox have had in a long time.

 

No. I just see a tremendous athlete with a passion for the game and a big brain. I guy that plays hard and plays well the vast majority of the time. A few past balls and a dropped foul pop and suddenly he is no longer a viable MLB catching prospect in the minds of many fans. Trade him!!!!!

 

I also like Vasquez a lot for obvious reasons.

 

To say that Swihart won't be missed is inaccurate. Anytime the Sox lose a player with that kind of athleticism it will be noticed and missed. The kid is another game changer like the Killer Bs.

 

I'd much rather have him in left that either Castillo or even Young.

 

That's a pretty good defense of Swihart. I think he actually misplayed two popups, but the real point is that management bailed out on him as a catcher, probably because Vazquez was healthy and their first choice all along.

 

Long term, I prefer him in LF over Castillo and Young as well. But this year I don't think his injury hurts the team much. Young and Holt can fill in nicely as they were before Swihart was brought back up. Castillo, I fear, was a mistake.

[S5Dewey]

I'm one of those Swihart fans.

 

Not because I have a man crush on him or because he was a 1st round pick in probably he best draft class the Sox have had in a long time.

 

No. I just see a tremendous athlete with a passion for the game and a big brain. I guy that plays hard and plays well the vast majority of the time. A few past balls and a dropped foul pop and suddenly he is no longer a viable MLB catching prospect in the minds of many fans. Trade him!!!!!

 

I also like Vasquez a lot for obvious reasons.

 

To say that Swihart won't be missed is inaccurate. Anytime the Sox lose a player with that kind of athleticism it will be noticed and missed. The kid is another game changer like the Killer Bs.

 

I'd much rather have him in left that either Castillo or even Young.

 

I agree with everything you said here even though I've been a Vazquez fan ever since I first saw that 1.8 second 'pop time'. As my friends will tell you I put a huge amount of emphasis on defense.

 

However, Swihart had the misfortune to be drafted as a catcher by the same team Vaz is on, there's only room on the team for one of them, and Swihart is too good at catching to be a back-up.

 

Prospects can be used for a couple of purposes. They can be used to fill available spots on the parent team or they can be traded for other players to fill spots on the parent team. Swihart's best use for the Red Sox is as trade bait.

[Maxbialystock]

espn has an article (5 things about the Sox in San Francisco) that argues what others here have already said, that Swihart's injury hurts because he is a key prospect for trading to get some starting pitching help.

[a700hitter]

espn has an article (5 things about the Sox in San Francisco) that argues what others here have already said, that Swihart's injury hurts because he is a key prospect for trading to get some starting pitching help.

He could have been a key component of a significant deal. This injury hurts more than just our every day lineup.