Sandy Leon

[Spudboy]

Nick is right.

 

Moving X to 3rd f***ed him up so badly that he became a choker.

[Jasonbay44]

Yes, I'm the only person on this planet that thought the move hurt Xander. I'll pat myself on the back for original thought.....I just made up the article.

 

Yeah its hurt him horribly. Stupid Farrell ruining young players!!

[moonslav59]

That is true enough, but I am willing to bet that if the Sox had won 5 out of the first 6 games rather than 3 of 6, Swihart would not have been sent down so quickly.

 

I see it this way: either the Sox viewed those 6 games as about 1/50th of the equation and it got tot he tipping point where they felt Vazquez offered a better chance to win now and going forward, or they knew all along Vaz was their guy as soon as he was healthy enough to play. I tihnk it was much more the latter than the former, but maybe it was a little of both.

 

 

Vazquez certainly could have used more time in AAA after not playing for a year.

 

They must have felt he was ready.

[moonslav59]

Nick is right.

 

Moving X to 3rd f***ed him up so badly that he became a choker.

 

...wouldn't you think if the moves was what f***ed him up, we'd have seen the worst of it after he was thrust into action at 3B in crunch time after just 10 games in the minors at 3B.

 

I thought he did very well at 3B at the end of 2013, so much so that I thought it was going to be his final landing spot.

[Jack Flap]

They didn't trade him because of Vazquez's health. Once Vazquez was healthy, they handed the keys over and moved Blake to LF.

 

And I realize this...I've just always felt that if the Sox didn't think Swihart was going to stick as a catcher, he should be traded. Swihart's trade value when he was the top catching prospect in the game > his value to us as a LF/3B/whatever, and it wouldn't have been terribly hard to pick up a stopgap catcher until Vazquez was ready, or just roll with the guys we had in the system.

 

I haven't given up on Swihart and think it would be premature to do so...but I hope we won't come to regret not trading one of our most valuable and obvious chips when its value was at its zenith.

[moonslav59]

And I realize this...I've just always felt that if the Sox didn't think Swihart was going to stick as a catcher, he should be traded. Swihart's trade value when he was the top catching prospect in the game > his value to us as a LF/3B/whatever, and it wouldn't have been terribly hard to pick up a stopgap catcher until Vazquez was ready, or just roll with the guys we had in the system.

 

I haven't given up on Swihart and think it would be premature to do so...but I hope we won't come to regret not trading one of our most valuable and obvious chips when its value was at its zenith.

 

I don't think Swihart's value has declined, except to teams than need him healthy right now.

 

I think Swihart will be traded, if not at the deadline, then next winter as part of a package to land us a solid SP'er.

 

The state of catching at the big league level is so poor right now-offensively and defensively that many teams will pay through the nose for his services. We should not hand him away. He has great value today.

 

The median team catcher OPS is .687, but 7 teams are below .611, including several contenders like LAD, NYM, TOR & CLE.

[southpaw777]

Vazquez will be back.

 

IMO, he was sent down mostly because he had options and the other two didn't. Vaz is a defensive wizard, but his defensive wizardry has been off some this year, for whatever reason. Leon is not defensive slouch. Neither is Hanigan.

 

Vaz has been off a little this year due to TJS and not playing for a year. I think he was brought back a little too soon, but sometimes bad play or injuries will cause a team to make those moves. Swihart was brought up a year too early, but we really had no other options. Same with Betts...sometimes it works out for the best and sometimes its very obvious that they may need more time to develop.

I think Vaz getting regular Abs and time behind the plate in AAA will get his timing and arm strength back, as well as his throwing accuracy. It will also allow him to get his timing back at the plate.

[User Name]

Nick is right.

 

Moving X to 3rd f***ed him up so badly that he became a choker.

 

Dat fred reference.

[User Name]

Yes, I'm the only person on this planet that thought the move hurt Xander. I'll pat myself on the back for original thought.....I just made up the article.

 

You are spouting nonsense. One article isn't the be-all and end-all of baseball analysis.

[mvp 78]

Dat fred reference.

 

Dank reference.

[bosoxmal]

This thread was started almost a month ago. Does anyone really think anybody will replace Leon as the starting catcher any time soon? This guy's hitting ability, from both sides of the plate get more obvious every day. He's similar to what we thought Panda was going to be. Kudos to whoever brought him into the fold! (And to JF for recognizing what he had.)

[a700hitter]

This thread was started almost a month ago. Does anyone really think anybody will replace Leon as the starting catcher any time soon? This guy's hitting ability, from both sides of the plate get more obvious every day. He's similar to what we thought Panda was going to be. Kudos to whoever brought him into the fold! (And to JF for recognizing what he had.)

Thank goodness they stuck with the hot hand. Leon may finally have figured out how to hit MLB pitching.

[Eddy Ballgame]

Thank goodness they stuck with the hot hand. Leon may finally have figured out how to hit MLB pitching.

 

It's possible. 27 isn't considered old for a catcher to "figure it out." It's pretty safe to say that he'll be the starting catcher for the rest of the season at least, barring injury.

[Kimmi]

This thread was started almost a month ago. Does anyone really think anybody will replace Leon as the starting catcher any time soon? This guy's hitting ability, from both sides of the plate get more obvious every day. He's similar to what we thought Panda was going to be. Kudos to whoever brought him into the fold! (And to JF for recognizing what he had.)

 

Ben says You're welcome!

[Kimmi]

Raise your hand if you foresaw Leon being our starting catcher by July!

[Slasher9]

i didnt even think he would be on the team.

[a700hitter]

Raise your hand if you foresaw Leon being our starting catcher by July!

I am pretty sure that I made that prediction fairly early on if not during ST.

[Jasonbay44]

I honestly forgot we even had Leon in the organization. I remember him being DFA last year and assumed he was gone lol.

[Dojji]

Ben says You're welcome!

 

Yep. Leon was brought into the fold to help replace Vazquez post-injury, to prevent us from having to call up Swihart -- only for Hanigan to get hurt too forcing us to bring up Swihart anyway.

 

Best part? We got Leon for cold hard cash. He didn't cost us any talent at all.

[Emp9]

I agree with this. He should be starting the vast majority of games until he turns back into a Mendoza pumpkin.

 

Mendoza Pumpkin Lol!!!

 

I'm stealing that

 

If Hannigan or Leon helped us get a TOTR SP I'd trade them in a heartbeat. Do we sell high on Leon or is he just the Man that we keep? ... Is my question

[cp176]

Mendoza Pumpkin Lol!!!

 

I'm stealing that

 

If Hannigan or Leon helped us get a TOTR SP I'd trade them in a heartbeat. Do we sell high on Leon or is he just the Man that we keep? ... Is my question

 

Leon was a good get from the beginning . A pretty good catcher who just couldn't hit. Now he can hit. He is still a young man. Vazquez could eventually wind up being the right guy but at the moment he isn't and it isn't even close. It is possible that Leon could be our catcher going forward. Vazquez would bring us just as much I think in a trade!

[Emp9]

Leon was a good get from the beginning . A pretty good catcher who just couldn't hit. Now he can hit. He is still a young man. Vazquez could eventually wind up being the right guy but at the moment he isn't and it isn't even close. It is possible that Leon could be our catcher going forward. Vazquez would bring us just as much I think in a trade!

 

I agree. I never squawked at Leon & always liked him to be our #2 Catcher after trading Hanigan & one of Swihart/Vazquez. But you have to admit, No one ever saw THIS coming out of Leon and it's a beautiful problem(?) to have.

[Dojji]

I think we could very well have a twosome of Leon and Vazquez nexty year. But I don't think for one second that Leon is really a 1.200 OPS hitter.

[Nick]

As long as Hanigan doesn't come back I'm good....type of player John Farrell loves...Layne too.

[cp176]

I agree. I never squawked at Leon & always liked him to be our #2 Catcher after trading Hanigan & one of Swihart/Vazquez. But you have to admit, No one ever saw THIS coming out of Leon and it's a beautiful problem(?) to have.

 

From the standpoint of just being a defensive catcher, i have liked him since we got him. Vazquez's upside may be higher but right now i'm going with leon as the better receiver. his hitting has been other worldly. Will it continue - probably not but who knows. Enjoy what he is doing. Leon is young- Vazquez is young - good problem to have.

[Thunder]

I'm falling in love with El Leonesa, as I call him. He's getting more and more playing time, and continues to hit, while Hanigan is below the Mendoza line.. I think he's legit, and could play a key role in the postseason as the glue that holds the rotation together defensively, as well as providing a spark with the bat that we haven't seen from a catcher since Tek.

[Bellhorn04]

As long as Hanigan doesn't come back I'm good....type of player John Farrell loves...Layne too.

 

What does that mean.

[Spudboy]

What does that mean.

 

Yeah. What does that mean?

[Kimmi]

I am pretty sure that I made that prediction fairly early on if not during ST.

 

Yes, I remember how much you loved Leon when Ben signed him.

[Kimmi]

Yep. Leon was brought into the fold to help replace Vazquez post-injury, to prevent us from having to call up Swihart -- only for Hanigan to get hurt too forcing us to bring up Swihart anyway.

 

Best part? We got Leon for cold hard cash. He didn't cost us any talent at all.

 

I never thought that Leon would amount to much offensively, but I was somewhat comforted by his acquisition after the Vazquez injury.