2017 Spring Training Thread - Everything Sox ST

[mvp 78]

DD is saying that Price will probably not be ready before May. Good news for Slasher.

 

Fake news. The team is actually not even talking about a timetable. I think there is a better chance of him starting on the 60 DL than pitching before May.

 

http://www.csnne.com/boston-red-sox/recuperating-boston-red-sox-ace-david-price-probably-out-until-least-may

 

No timetable has been offered by the team on Price, but the longer he's off the mound, the more time to build up is needed. He was hurt Feb. 28.

 

Per Farrell: "Still strengthening phase," manager John Farrell told reporters in Florida on Monday. "He still does some light throwing just to keep his arm moving. I know there’s going to be a recheck (on Tuesday with head team orthopedist Dr. Peter Asnis). So based on that, on how he feels, what the next phase will become and when that initiates more throwing with some intensity, I don’t have that start date. I don't want to say he gets full clearance to begin a mound progression at that point. It’s more about just evaluating his strength, where he is now compared to where it was when he came into camp, where it was at the time of the incident. I know it’s not a clear cut answer for you, but that’s what I have right now."

[a700hitter]

Fake news. The team is actually not even talking about a timetable. I think there is a better chance of him starting on the 60 DL than pitching before May.

 

http://www.csnne.com/boston-red-sox/recuperating-boston-red-sox-ace-david-price-probably-out-until-least-may

 

No timetable has been offered by the team on Price, but the longer he's off the mound, the more time to build up is needed. He was hurt Feb. 28.

 

Per Farrell: "Still strengthening phase," manager John Farrell told reporters in Florida on Monday. "He still does some light throwing just to keep his arm moving. I know there’s going to be a recheck (on Tuesday with head team orthopedist Dr. Peter Asnis). So based on that, on how he feels, what the next phase will become and when that initiates more throwing with some intensity, I don’t have that start date. I don't want to say he gets full clearance to begin a mound progression at that point. It’s more about just evaluating his strength, where he is now compared to where it was when he came into camp, where it was at the time of the incident. I know it’s not a clear cut answer for you, but that’s what I have right now."

This is going slower than I had expected.

[User Name]

This is why you make signings like Kendrick. Catch lightning in a bottle, hope you can get a nice run for a short time then discard.

 

Aka the Aaron Small effect.

[Spudboy]

Me too, as well as HanRam, but Pablo much more so.

 

I wonder how signing just hanRam to play 3B would have worked out.

 

I felt exactly as you did Moon. I would have been okay with just Hanley at 3rd.

[Spudboy]

I saw the logic in going for offense that year and thinking the pitchers available in the following year's FA market were much better, but I still think our biggest need was SP'ing. I know Scherzer cost a ton, but he was a better option that HanRam & Pablo combined.... maybe Scherzer & Valbuena would have worked better.

 

Signing both was a clear mistake at the outset. HanRam seemed like a good contract based on projections. Pablo was just plain gross overpay for a declining talent. I'm not sure we could have afforded Scherzer and HanRam.

 

I don't understand how any objective observer could conclude anything else.

 

The Sox botched this one big time. Sign a guy to double his current salary after 3 years of offensive decline???????

 

Dumb.

[Fisk]

Fake news. The team is actually not even talking about a timetable. I think there is a better chance of him starting on the 60 DL than pitching before May.

 

http://www.csnne.com/boston-red-sox/recuperating-boston-red-sox-ace-david-price-probably-out-until-least-may

 

No timetable has been offered by the team on Price, but the longer he's off the mound, the more time to build up is needed. He was hurt Feb. 28.

 

Per Farrell: "Still strengthening phase," manager John Farrell told reporters in Florida on Monday. "He still does some light throwing just to keep his arm moving. I know there’s going to be a recheck (on Tuesday with head team orthopedist Dr. Peter Asnis). So based on that, on how he feels, what the next phase will become and when that initiates more throwing with some intensity, I don’t have that start date. I don't want to say he gets full clearance to begin a mound progression at that point. It’s more about just evaluating his strength, where he is now compared to where it was when he came into camp, where it was at the time of the incident. I know it’s not a clear cut answer for you, but that’s what I have right now."

 

We will know more tonight. If Sox doctors say he's fine to start throwing with more intensity, we are looking at late April early May.

[S5Dewey]

I understood the desire to get under the LT limit when the trade was made but the Buchholz (is this right? one would think I could spell his name by now. Ugh) trade is looking worse all the time.

[Fisk]

Sale has struck out 7 of the 9 batters he's faced against the Yankees. Going to be fun to watch him this year.

[jad]

Maybe I missed it. But isn't anyone concerned about JBJ's hitting (or lack of it) in ST? Can't remember for sure, but didn't he light it up last spring?

[Nick]

I understood the desire to get under the LT limit when the trade was made but the Buchholz (is this right? one would think I could spell his name by now. Ugh) trade is looking worse all the time.

 

Nope I'm glad he's gone and I don't have to think about him.....have you see him pitch this spring? Typical Clay......I rather watch Kendrick pitch and get knocked around than go through Buchholz debacle.

Edited March 22, 2017 by Nick

[moonslav59]

Sale has struck out 7 of the 9 batters he's faced against the Yankees. Going to be fun to watch him this year.

 

He da man!

[moonslav59]

Maybe I missed it. But isn't anyone concerned about JBJ's hitting (or lack of it) in ST? Can't remember for sure, but didn't he light it up last spring?

 

He hit over .900 in 2015 and 2016 ST'ings.

[jad]

He hit over .900 in 2015 and 2016 ST'ings.

 

That's what I remember. Are you saying not to worry about his dismal performance this spring?

[moonslav59]

That's what I remember. Are you saying not to worry about his dismal performance this spring?

 

I'm not worried. So far, JBJ has been extremely streaky over his short and interrupted ML career.

 

I'd rather have him hot, when it counts.

[Spudboy]

I'm not worried. So far, JBJ has been extremely streaky over his short and interrupted ML career.

 

I'd rather have him hot, when it counts.

 

Still at some point we should want to see better consistency at the plate from Bradley. He is smart and physically gifted. I see no reason why he should not become better more of the time at the plate. When will this happen?

 

So yeah, I'm a little concerned. Especially with a rookie playing left field.

 

Don't get me wrong. I expect both players to have good years. However, the possibility exists that both may have rough periods that coincide.

 

That would suck big time.

[sk7326]

With all of this evidence - it is safe to say for me that Bradley is just going to be one of those Mike Napoli sort of three outcome (well, not that sort of power, but the general vibe) hitters.

 

There will be about 2 months where he'll be an MVP, and long dry spells where he walks enough to not kill you. The total package will be worth it - but consistency ain't happening.

[Spudboy]

With all of this evidence - it is safe to say for me that Bradley is just going to be one of those Mike Napoli sort of three outcome (well, not that sort of power, but the general vibe) hitters.

 

There will be about 2 months where he'll be an MVP, and long dry spells where he walks enough to not kill you. The total package will be worth it - but consistency ain't happening.

 

Yikes! I hope that is not the case but from what we have seen so far it is a strong possibility.

 

I guess that means Bradley will never be clutch!

[sk7326]

Yikes! I hope that is not the case but from what we have seen so far it is a strong possibility.

 

I guess that means Bradley will never be clutch!

 

Like Napoli in 2013 - can Bradley get on base enough during the meh periods to allow the rest of his game to show? I think that's possible. (he won't walk as much - but as a good CF, he offers more to the party outside of offense than Naps ever could)

[jad]

I'm not worried. So far, JBJ has been extremely streaky over his short and interrupted ML career.

 

I'd rather have him hot, when it counts.

 

Except that there's no "law of averages" that requires such a hot streak as he had last year, nor does one waste hits by getting them in spring training. You can't keep throwing a .170 hitter out there assuming that there is an MVP-like month in the near future.

[oldtimer]

Except that there's no "law of averages" that requires such a hot streak as he had last year, nor does one waste hits by getting them in spring training. You can't keep throwing a .170 hitter out there assuming that there is an MVP-like month in the near future.

 

Other than him saying he was going to try harder to be more consistent, he added nothing about what trying harder meant. My view is that he needs to realize what works and what doesn't. He is surrounded to coaches and advanced technology to zero in on what works best for him. My hope is that he alters his approach if needs be to be the hitter the hot stretches show that he could be. The rest of his game is excellent.

[User Name]

JBJ is a strange case. From what I've seen and read (Apply salt liberally) he has a high-maintenance swing that easily gets loopy leading to his pitch selection suffering as well once he's pressing. Lots of possibilities for improvement if that's the case.

[jacksonianmarch]

JBJ is worth above replacement level based on defense alone.

[User Name]

Good point as well. You'll get the offensive peaks and valleys but he can go get it. Also, he's a good baserunner, which improves the overall package.

[Bellhorn04]

JBJ is a strange case. From what I've seen and read (Apply salt liberally) he has a high-maintenance swing that easily gets loopy leading to his pitch selection suffering as well once he's pressing.

 

Sounds like a good description to me.

[oldtimer]

JBJ is a strange case. From what I've seen and read (Apply salt liberally) he has a high-maintenance swing that easily gets loopy leading to his pitch selection suffering as well once he's pressing. Lots of possibilities for improvement if that's the case.

 

So why not make the effort to get away from the high maintenance swing mechanics. The time to do that was the off season. When he talked of trying harder, there was no mention of altering the swing.

[moonslav59]

Except that there's no "law of averages" that requires such a hot streak as he had last year, nor does one waste hits by getting them in spring training. You can't keep throwing a .170 hitter out there assuming that there is an MVP-like month in the near future.

 

Personally, I don't think he will remain a streaky hitter. He may still have some hot streaks, but I think we'll see more consistency when he's not hot.

 

I don't see why we can't expect at least the same overall numbers since August 2015 to now. Over .800 and GG like defense in CF. If he has a full season of .700 here and there, I'll still take it.

 

[moonslav59]

So why not make the effort to get away from the high maintenance swing mechanics. The time to do that was the off season. When he talked of trying harder, there was no mention of altering the swing.

 

He made adjustments in 2015. Maybe he doesn't need to make more alterations, he just has to get more comfortable with the ones he made back then.

[Nick]

E Rod threw 85 pitches in a minor league game yesterday and declared ready to go.

 

Last year on June 27th making his 6th start, he fell apart. In 2 2/3 innings, he allowed 11 hits and 9 runs. He was sent down to the minors. He's way ahead of where he was last year.

 

Here's hoping he stays healthy all year.

Edited March 23, 2017 by Nick

[User Name]

So why not make the effort to get away from the high maintenance swing mechanics. The time to do that was the off season. When he talked of trying harder, there was no mention of altering the swing.

 

Mechanical changes aren't as easy as making a sandwich. Changes to movements ingrained in muscle memory are not easy.

[oldtimer]

Mechanical changes aren't as easy as making a sandwich. Changes to movements ingrained in muscle memory are not easy.

That's why they should be done in the off season.