The Benintendi Thread

[sk7326]

Clearly after the adjustment things have gone better for Benintendi. OPS is not amazing - but this being minor league baseball, that doesn't say a hell of a lot - aside from that at a young-ish age he is hanging at the big time prospect level. Whether he is ready for the show is about more sophisticated (and some less) than that.

[Nick]

I bet Benintendi wouldn't take a third strike with bases loaded....Brock Holt, my good luck charm.

[oldtimer]

I bet Benintendi wouldn't take a third strike with bases loaded....Brock Holt, my good luck charm.

 

Hard to know what Beni would have done. Brentz struck out and Holt took a third strike and Betts got a bad call on a 2 and 0 so swung at a marginal pitch for an out. No evidence that Beni would have helped in that situation but it does point out that Fararell believed his best right handed pinch hit possibility was Brentz and that Holt was better against a lefty than Hill. Another game where we had decent starting pitching but couldn't get it done. Better luck tomorrow.

[illinoisredsox]

Hard to know what Beni would have done. Brentz struck out and Holt took a third strike and Betts got a bad call on a 2 and 0 so swung at a marginal pitch for an out. No evidence that Beni would have helped in that situation but it does point out that Fararell believed his best right handed pinch hit possibility was Brentz and that Holt was better against a lefty than Hill. Another game where we had decent starting pitching but couldn't get it done. Better luck tomorrow.

 

More a case of which bad match-up to take. If Farrell sends up Hill in that spot, the Tigers counter with a righty, proabably KRod. Or, you have Holt vs. a stuggling Tiger lefty who had allowed a run, 4 hits and thrown a lot of pitches in that inning.

 

While Holt hit over .300 against southpaws last year, he has struggled in very limited action against them this year. Hill lifetime against KRod is 2-11. Neither option was particularly appetizing.

[bosoxmal]

Brentz has one of the worst 7 to i o'clock swings I've seen. Send him back until it beomes at least an 8 t0 2 o'clock swing. I don't know how he every makes contact.

[southpaw777]

Brentz has one of the worst 7 to i o'clock swings I've seen. Send him back until it beomes at least an 8 t0 2 o'clock swing. I don't know how he every makes contact.

 

Hes a high K big power hitter. He has too many holes in his swing to be a regular. At least on this team. Now, the As may like him as a regular, or another similar team...

I only want Benni up here if hes going to play most every game. If they want a bench guy them keep what you got or bring up someone else...

[Kingface]

Hes a high K big power hitter. He has too many holes in his swing to be a regular. At least on this team. Now, the As may like him as a regular, or another similar team...

I only want Benni up here if hes going to play most every game. If they want a bench guy them keep what you got or bring up someone else...

 

^^^^^ This. The kid needs regular at bats. September call up maybe? Even then....I wouldn't be upset if he wasn't. He has a bright future so I'd see what he can do about making the team next season. I actually see him finishing in Portland.....maybe get a late promotion to Pawtucket to 'get a taste'. Then I see him in AAA to start next season that gets called up to the Sox if/when injury happens and sticking around for most of the season.

[southpaw777]

^^^^^ This. The kid needs regular at bats. September call up maybe? Even then....I wouldn't be upset if he wasn't. He has a bright future so I'd see what he can do about making the team next season. I actually see him finishing in Portland.....maybe get a late promotion to Pawtucket to 'get a taste'. Then I see him in AAA to start next season that gets called up to the Sox if/when injury happens and sticking around for most of the season.

 

Hey King!

Thats what this whole thread is about. If they got more injuries and needed the kid, Id have no issue with a call up to fill in until the regulars get back. If he was producing, then maybe keep him here. But my suggestion to bring Benni up was for a cup of coffee to fill in, get a taste, and for the FO to maybe get somewhat of a little preview. No pressure on the kid. I think his makeup can handle the pressure though.

If DD doesnt trade the kid, IMO, hes got a very bright future here in Boston.

[S5Dewey]

Hey King!

Thats what this whole thread is about. If they got more injuries and needed the kid, Id have no issue with a call up to fill in until the regulars get back. If he was producing, then maybe keep him here. But my suggestion to bring Benni up was for a cup of coffee to fill in, get a taste, and for the FO to maybe get somewhat of a little preview. No pressure on the kid. I think his makeup can handle the pressure though.

If DD doesnt trade the kid, IMO, hes got a very bright future here in Boston.

 

I see three options for this year and what happens to Beni has to depend on how the FO sees this season.

 

If we're not going to be a contender then bring him up with the idea of keeping him here. IMO it's pointless because I don't see him as being offensively ready to come up, but if the FO wants it to happen I can live with it.

 

If we are going to be a contender then leave him there. Are we so desperate for defense that we're going to bring up a player who probably can play ML defense but will have to spend the month of August transitioning from hitting AA pitching to hitting ML pitching?

 

But the absolute LAST thing to do is to bring him up now and then send him back. It's August. DO NOT waste an option year by calling him up now and then sending him back during the last two weeks of August. He may never use that 3rd option year but it would be crazy to waste it on two weeks in August with a team that (frankly) is struggling to make the playoffs and lacks the pitching depth to go deep into the playoffs. Keep that 3rd option year as insurance against further problems. And if we end up trading him that 3rd option year will also look good to any trade partner.

[southpaw777]

I see three options for this year and what happens to Beni has to depend on how the FO sees this season.

 

If we're not going to be a contender then bring him up with the idea of keeping him here. IMO it's pointless because I don't see him as being offensively ready to come up, but if the FO wants it to happen I can live with it.

 

If we are going to be a contender then leave him there. Are we so desperate for defense that we're going to bring up a player who probably can play ML defense but will have to spend the month of August transitioning from hitting AA pitching to hitting ML pitching?

 

But the absolute LAST thing to do is to bring him up now and then send him back. It's August. DO NOT waste an option year by calling him up now and then sending him back during the last two weeks of August. He may never use that 3rd option year but it would be crazy to waste it on two weeks in August with a team that (frankly) is struggling to make the playoffs and lacks the pitching depth to go deep into the playoffs. Keep that 3rd option year as insurance against further problems. And if we end up trading him that 3rd option year will also look good to any trade partner.

 

 

He may just have a short adjustment like in AA of a week if he came up. If they NEED him, which they dont right now, then who cares about an option at this point? Seriously. The whole point to this thread was to say I would bring up Benni if we had a bunch of injuries and needed a hole filled. Nothing wrong with giving him a cup of coffee.

Hes obviously not needed right now so I would expect a september call up...unless of course they trade him...

[Jasonbay44]

 

BREAKING: Andrew Benintendi is to meet the Red Sox in Seattle tomorrow, the Herald has learned.

[StephenCurry30]

Im assuming brentz will be DFA?

[a700hitter]

He's coming up tomorrow, which is faster than people had expected.

[moonslav59]

I'm glad it's happening. I assume Sox management thinks he's ML ready. I had felt he was very near ready, but it seemed like so many posters here appeared to know better.

 

My other position was that they should begin giving Moncada reps at another position sooner rather than later, since he is blocked at 2B and near ML ready with his bat. I caught a lot of grief for just asking for him to start practicing another position. Well, shortly afterwards, Sox management began doing just that.

 

Don't be surprised if Moncada gets called up in September as a PH'er, PR'er, back-up 2Bman and maybe spot DH.

 

[jacksonianmarch]

This seems like a rushed, headline grabbing decision. Hey, we didn't get Beltran, but this kid 40 games into his AA career will be called up! Sounds like a potential damaging way of dealing with a high ceiling phenom

[moonslav59]

Beni was a better fielder than Brentz day one in our system.

 

It was just about his bat and emotional readiness in my mind.

 

I said I was all for his call-up the second Sox management felt he was "ready".

 

That day appears to have arrived.

[moonslav59]

This seems like a rushed, headline grabbing decision. Hey, we didn't get Beltran, but this kid 40 games into his AA career will be called up! Sounds like a potential damaging way of dealing with a high ceiling phenom

 

I trust Sox management's judgment of his emotional make-up.

 

The kid is on a monster tear in AA. Brentz sucks. Holt is not a capable long term LF'ers.

 

Maybe need trumped actual ML readiness, but I think Beni will be fine, even if he struggles at the plate this season..

[d-money]

What does he struggle wiith?What type of pitches? How's his plate discipline?

[Redrojo]

Layne and Martinez down to AAA, via McAdam.

I'm so happy for Layne

[moonslav59]

Im assuming brentz will be DFA?

 

I had Brentz being DFA'd long ago, so no complaints on this idea, although we are still short-handed in LF until Young comes back.

 

Other options might be to ...

 

make a waiver deal with Buchholtz

 

DFA W Cuevas

 

DFA M Martinez

 

DFA W Jerez

 

DFA N Ramirez

 

[moonslav59]

What does he struggle wiith?What type of pitches? How's his plate discipline?

 

He struggles with the guilt he feels over emotionally harming the pitchers he faces.

[Jasonbay44]

Layne and Martinez down to AAA, via McAdam.

I'm so happy for Layne

 

I had forgotten about Martinez.. I'm glad he's gone as well, he looked lost in the OF and sucks at the plate.

[d-money]

He struggles with the guilt he feels over emotionally harming the pitchers he faces.

 

Good answer lol.

[Nick]

"We looked at some possible alternatives to help us in left field. We thought some of them were good choices, but we also thought the cost for some of those were quite high," president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. "Our people kept coming up and saying, 'We think he can play at the big-league level. We think he's ready.'"

 

there you have it.....straight from horses mouth.....and this is August 2nd...and this is fun.

Edited August 2, 2016 by Nick

[Nick]

"He has a quality work ethic and good makeup," Dombrowski said of Benintendi. "If he goes through an adjustment period, which could happen, we think he can handle that."

We're looking to help out the ball club win this year and every rock has been turned......there comes a point he's done all he can in AA and Dobrowski has been on record about his feelings on players jumping straight from AA to majors. Look he may struggle but I think he's here to stay.

 

Defensively, you can't ask for much better outfield with Benintendi in the lineup.

Edited August 2, 2016 by Nick

[Nick]

Sooner we have the core group together (next up is Moncada) we'll solidify the team that will make multiple runs at the title.

 

Xander, Betts, Bradley, Benintendi and perhaps Shaw. But it does mean that Swihart will either return to catching or is a major trade bait at some point. I'd like to see him return to catching, personally but I know many here prefer defensive minded catchers (and I'm ok with that)

 

We are one game down in the loss column to the Orioles. We're right in thick of things.

[Nick]

Going forward, we can carry 3 utility players. We'll have Hill, Holt and Brentz until Young returns.

[oldtimer]

"We looked at some possible alternatives to help us in left field. We thought some of them were good choices, but we also thought the cost for some of those were quite high," president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. "Our people kept coming up and saying, 'We think he can play at the big-league level. We think he's ready.'"

 

there you have it.....straight from horses mouth.....and this is August 2nd...and this is fun.

 

This team has been heavily reliant on the top of the order of late and Ortiz is not able to play every day so bringing up someone to give the team some new energy is a good idea. Is Beni ready? Time will tell, but he just may contribute and Brentz wasn't a long term answer so I like the idea. Over the years in baseball, there have been a lot of players who have been brought up at a younger age and with less experience who have prospered.Let's hope that Beni's experience is a positive one.

[Jack Flap]

I was surprised to see this happen so quickly, but if they believe he's ready, why not turn him loose?

 

Love this stat:

2B+3B this year: 43

strikeouts: 39

[mvp 78]

This seems like a rushed, headline grabbing decision. Hey, we didn't get Beltran, but this kid 40 games into his AA career will be called up! Sounds like a potential damaging way of dealing with a high ceiling phenom

 

I agree. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it works though.