3rd Third III

[moonslav59]

Sad thing is no one paying $10M for Pablo. Just a bad signing by Cherington.

 

If Pablo has a decent year, we might get someone to pay $7-9M a year for him. He'll just have 2 years left, which is a much lower risk.

 

Look, we got the Phillies to pay Buch $13.5M/1!

 

My guess is, we try to find a spot for Panda on our 25 man roster than minimizes his faults (defense and batting vs LHPs).

 

With Moreland and Young's time up after this season, moving Panda to 1B/DH vs only RHPs would "get the most" out of a rotten situation. It's absurd to pay someone $19M a year to be a platoon DH, but if that's the best way to make it work, so be it.

 

Hopefully, Devers and/or Hernandez can play plus ball at 3B by next year. We'll also have Travis in the mix at 1B.

 

vs RHPs:

1B: Pablo (Travis)

DH: HRam (Pablo)

 

vs LHPs:

1B: Travis

DH: HRam

 

[moonslav59]

We also have to give Ben a lot of credit for the team we have now. Some good drafts and very good international signings.

 

Ben started slow in the draft and then had the TBall pick, but overall he did well:

 

2012: Marrero, Johnson, Light, Callahan...

2013: TBall, Stanki, Denny...

2014: Chavis, Kopech (CSale), Travis, Ockimey...

2015: Beni, Rei, Matheny, Lakins, Taylor

 

International signings (most traded away):

2012: Margot (Kimbrel)

2013: Basabe (Sale), Basabe (Ziegler), Guerra (Kimbrel), Rijo (A HIll), Almonte (Ziegler), V Acosta

2015: Devers, J Diaz, Y aybar

2016: Moncada (Sale), Espinoza (Pomeranz), R Castillo, R Raudes, C Acosta

[Slasher9]

if he keeps hitting Panda merchandise will be $$$....

[moonslav59]

if he keeps hitting Panda merchandise will be $$$....

 

Keeps hitting .224?

[Slasher9]

Keeps hitting .224?

no. not .224. keeps hitting as in keeps hitting like he has done the past handful of games. keeps hitting as in hitting. not as in not hitting.

but i think you knew that....

[Bellhorn04]

I think Tom Werner wanted some of that sweet, sweet panda action too.

 

Yeah, when I type Lucchino it's because I'm too lazy to type Lucchino and/or Werner.

[mvp 78]

Keeps hitting .224?

 

You think his BABIP will remain at .225 when he's a career .306 with a low of .270?

[jad]

You think his BABIP will remain at .225 when he's a career .306 with a low of .270?

 

Are you not counting his one full year with RS? (.240).

[moonslav59]

You think his BABIP will remain at .225 when he's a career .306 with a low of .270?

 

Probably not, but he probably will stop getting as many RBIs as hits as well.

[mvp 78]

Probably not, but he probably will stop getting as many RBIs as hits as well.

 

Why would he get less RBI? His lineup is more stacked in Boston than it was in San Fran. His LD% and Hard% are both up and he's hitting to all fields equally. It looks like the low batting average may be due to luck.

 

You're selling him short without looking into the numbers.

[mvp 78]

Are you not counting his one full year with RS? (.240).

 

Fangraphs has that year at .270, which I disclosed in the post. http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5409&position=3B

[jad]

Fangraphs has that year at .270, which I disclosed in the post. http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5409&position=3B

 

Oh I see what you're referring to. My bad. But I suppose the answer would be, whatever statistic we're looking at, I would expect his performance this year to be more like the worst year he had (in Boston) than the average year that included those very good years with SF. (It's obviously pointless to argue this at this point in teh season!)

[moonslav59]

Why would he get less RBI? His lineup is more stacked in Boston than it was in San Fran. His LD% and Hard% are both up and he's hitting to all fields equally. It looks like the low batting average may be due to luck.

 

You're selling him short without looking into the numbers.

 

He has 11 hits and 10 RBIs. I doubt he continues to get an RBI for every hit he gets, but I suppose it could happen.

[moonslav59]

Fangraphs has that year at .270, which I disclosed in the post. http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5409&position=3B

 

I think he meant he batted .245 in his last full season, so to say "keeps hitting like this" would mean keeps hitting poorly.

[Slasher9]

if he keeps hitting Panda merchandise will be $$$....

 

[sk7326]

All of the numbers are small samples now - really all you have is the "eye test" early, and Sandoval clearly looks like he belongs on the field at minimum

[moonslav59]

All of the numbers are small samples now - really all you have is the "eye test" early, and Sandoval clearly looks like he belongs on the field at minimum

 

I wouldn't yank him. His 10 RBIs have been big.

 

I wouldn't say it's "clear" though with 3 errors and a .224 BA.

[jad]

I wouldn't yank him. His 10 RBIs have been big.

 

I wouldn't say it's "clear" though with 3 errors and a .224 BA.

 

I don't think anyone is saying "bench him," but I would certainly rather rely on the facts of his production (which unfortunately are now ambiguous) than on "eye test" (which cannot really be argued one way or the other).

[Bellhorn04]

I wouldn't yank him. His 10 RBIs have been big.

 

I wouldn't say it's "clear" though with 3 errors and a .224 BA.

 

The errors are a big concern but I'm surprised you're making anything out of a .224 BA in such a small sample.

[moonslav59]

The errors are a big concern but I'm surprised you're making anything out of a .224 BA in such a small sample.

 

I'm not. To me, Pablo getting the FT job at 3B to start the season was "not clear", and I was responding to the "clear" adjective.

 

Since we obtained this guy, I said he was a platoon player, and nothing he has done since his signing has changed my mind- small sample size or large.

 

My main concern is with his defense, as it was back in 2015, but to keep playing while fielding poorly, you have to hit better than the norm.

 

 

The guy said, "if he keeps hitting..." and I responded to that with basically with this, "keeps hitting like what? Crapola?"

[moonslav59]

I don't think anyone is saying "bench him," but I would certainly rather rely on the facts of his production (which unfortunately are now ambiguous) than on "eye test" (which cannot really be argued one way or the other).

 

I'm saying "bench him" vs LHPs.

 

I'm saying he better start fielding better, or he may subbed for late in games and moved to DH or 1B next year.

 

I'm not happy with his defense since he came here in 2015. His bat has done nothing to mitigate his glove, but I'm happy he's been getting timely hits in big situations. I hope he keeps that up, but I'm not sure that will be enough.

 

He should not be benched vs RHPs, as of now.

[Jack Flap]

I don't think anyone is saying "bench him," but I would certainly rather rely on the facts of his production (which unfortunately are now ambiguous) than on "eye test" (which cannot really be argued one way or the other).

 

You don't need to rely on the eye test here, I don't think...there are objective reasons to believe Pablo's numbers probably should be better than they are at this point:

 

Sandoval entered Wednesday ranked 15th in the majors with an average exit velocity of 93.2 mph, higher than Nelson Cruz, Bryce Harper and Yoenis Cespedes, among others, according to MLB Statcast.

 

He’s been spraying line drives all over the field, though most of them have been landing in the gloves of opposing outfielders. He has a .176 average on balls in play, well below his career .306 average on balls in play.

 

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/red_sox/clubhouse_insider/2017/04/pablo_sandoval_red_sox_not_worried_about_his_batting

[mvp 78]

Panda is mashing the ball right now. He's just not getting the ball to drop in. If he keeps it up all year, he'll be worth the money when all is said and done.

[moonslav59]

You don't need to rely on the eye test here, I don't think...there are objective reasons to believe Pablo's numbers probably should be better than they are at this point:

 

Sandoval entered Wednesday ranked 15th in the majors with an average exit velocity of 93.2 mph, higher than Nelson Cruz, Bryce Harper and Yoenis Cespedes, among others, according to MLB Statcast.

 

He’s been spraying line drives all over the field, though most of them have been landing in the gloves of opposing outfielders. He has a .176 average on balls in play, well below his career .306 average on balls in play.

 

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/red_sox/clubhouse_insider/2017/04/pablo_sandoval_red_sox_not_worried_about_his_batting

 

Agreed, but he still sucks vs LHPs.

 

He's been horrible for the last 4-5 years vs lefties. There's no reason to think he'll get better.

[Fisk]

Farrell does not seem to enamored with his fielding and over aggressiveness with the bat. Think he's going to have a short leash with him.

[moonslav59]

Farrell does not seem to enamored with his fielding and over aggressiveness with the bat. Think he's going to have a short leash with him.

 

It's hard to yank someone who has so many important hits, but having him DH was an option when HRam was out..

[Fisk]

It's hard to yank someone who has so many important hits, but having him DH was an option when HRam was out..

 

Tell that to Farrell, he's made some comments.

[sk7326]

I wouldn't yank him. His 10 RBIs have been big.

 

I wouldn't say it's "clear" though with 3 errors and a .224 BA.

 

errors mean very little - again, tiny blip, and a .225 BABIP ain't gonna continue forever. He is hitting the ball hard. His strikeout rate is up a bit, which is worrisome ... but (on a rate basis) so are the homeruns - so that might be a conscious choice. We'll see. (it made sense for him to be a more spray - oriented hitter in the NL West)

[moonslav59]

errors mean very little - again, tiny blip, and a .225 BABIP ain't gonna continue forever. He is hitting the ball hard. His strikeout rate is up a bit, which is worrisome ... but (on a rate basis) so are the homeruns - so that might be a conscious choice. We'll see. (it made sense for him to be a more spray - oriented hitter in the NL West)

 

Yeah, he's hitting the ball hard, but what's the guarantee that continues?

 

Again, I'm not for benching Pablo.

 

I am for platooning him and getting ready for him to move to 1B/DH platoon next season.

[oldtimer]

The errors are a big concern but I'm surprised you're making anything out of a .224 BA in such a small sample.

 

Pablo has tied the major league lead for errors by a 3rd baseman with Escobar with 4 and we are only 15 games in. Add to that a limited range and his defense is an issue. The season is early of course but he is hitting 224 at this juncture. Because of his contract, I believe the Sox will stay with him well into May and hope for improvement. The team has issues with the offense so it is hard to hide a guy like Pablo, meaning we meed him to produce like a player in his prime, otherwise we should investigate good looking options.