A Realistic View at 2017 Part II

[Nick]

Why is it that we're now hearing about the thumb injury to Xander? I get it that he doesn't want to make excuses but I think it's a critical piece of information as to why he's not hitting home runs.

 

Maybe I'm just out of loop. My feeling changed 180 degrees. A hurt thumb is a major pain in the ass for hitters.

 

Also, I'm guessing Bannister is all over Pomeranz' inability to throw a cutter this year. He's only thrown it 20 times. He can't survive as a starter just with two pitches. Pom can't be stupid. At some point, he'll need to throw a third pitch to be effective. He's repeating what E Rod was doing first half of last year. You can't be a starter with just 2 pitches.

[a700hitter]

Why is it that we're now hearing about the thumb injury to Xander? I get it that he doesn't want to make excuses but I think it's a critical piece of information as to why he's not hitting home runs.

 

Maybe I'm just out of loop. My feeling changed 180 degrees. A hurt thumb is a major pain in the ass for hitters.

 

Also, I'm guessing Bannister is all over Pomeranz' inability to throw a cutter this year. He's only thrown it 20 times. He can't survive as a starter just with two pitches. Pom can't be stupid. At some point, he'll need to throw a third pitch to be effective. He's repeating what E Rod was doing first half of last year. You can't be a starter with just 2 pitches.

Why would he want to give the pitchers an advantage?

[Slasher9]

thumbs something something....

[cp176]

So what exactly did you mean by all this?

 

None of it was meant for you. I'm pretty sure that you saw my reply to your comment.

[Nick]

Why would he want to give the pitchers an advantage?

 

Okay, then why reveal it now then if it's such a big 'secret'?

Edited May 25, 2017 by Nick

[devildavid]

None of it was meant for you. I'm pretty sure that you saw my reply to your comment.

 

Whether or not it was meant for me doesn't change what you were calling for even if you didn't use certain words.

[a700hitter]

Okay, then why reveal it now then if it's such a big 'secret'?

I am not sure why or how it got revealed, but I don't see the need for disclosure. Disclosure has no upside for XB or the team.

[Slasher9]

None of it was meant for you. I'm pretty sure that you saw my reply to your comment.

 

LOL...ok.

then....since DD isn't allowed to ask you....let me ask. what did you mean by all this?

 

Quote Originally Posted by cp176 View Post

I wouldn't platoon him. it is another one of the overused concepts. Let's find out if he can hit!

 

Quote Originally Posted by moonslav59 View Post

If he plays FT, who sits?

HRam?

Moreland?

Quote Originally Posted by cp176 View Post

It really would i think depend on who is hitting. I'm not a big fan of either HR or Moreland. Since it appears that the only place for Ramirez appears to be the dh, he would not be playing everyday. The primary point that I was making is that even though platooning players based on the righty lefty concept is solid, i still think that it gets over used. i want to find out if this 23 year old can hit. I am ok with a manager actually deviating from the current gold standards.

 

Quote Originally Posted by cp176 View Post

Throwing in the towel? really - not how I see it. Maybe you don't understand me so good. I think that Sam Travis might be better than what we are yarding out there daily. So let's see, you must not be in favor of playing any of these kids right? Let's leave all of these guys down on the farm to help our minor league franchises be successful. What do you think - trade a few more of them for some seasoned veterans?

 

Quote Originally Posted by cp176 View Post

ok I will temper my enthusiasm a bit but it is a move that I see as a little confusing. I won't change my thinking with respect to using him maybe what once every three or four days with some pinch hitting jobs thrown in will show. i'm sure that he is happy to be called up. my question really is why? If he has been called up to provide us with a better source of run producers then he needs the opportunity to prove himself. Playing sporadically probably will not do it. With all of that, just for the record, I'm really not a big Hanley fan and I think that Moreland ultimately gives us some depth.

 

Quote Originally Posted by cp176 View Post

Nah - just checked out my own posts. Never said Sammy goes full time.. Never said anything about "benching" any current players. Someone seeing want they want to see I guess. Happens all the time.

[a700hitter]

Nah - just checked out my own posts. Never said Sammy goes full time.. Never said anything about "benching" any current players. Someone seeing want they want to see I guess. Happens all the time.

Yep, it does. There are so many people who know better what you meant than you do. LOL!!

[devildavid]

Nah - just checked out my own posts. Never said Sammy goes full time.. Never said anything about "benching" any current players. Someone seeing want they want to see I guess. Happens all the time.

 

So, now that Sam Travis has been brought up, how do you want him utilized?

[moonslav59]

Nice to see our 1Bmen (Moreland PH for catcher for 1 PA) go 4 for 6 last night.

 

[moonslav59]

Sox are now 13th in runs scored- just 10 runs behind being top 9, 18 runs from top 6 and 25 runs from top 4.

 

Granted, park adjustments should be applied.

[Bellhorn04]

Sox are now 13th in runs scored- just 10 runs behind being top 9, 18 runs from top 6 and 25 runs from top 4.

 

Granted, park adjustments should be applied.

 

Baseball is an amazing game.

 

In the first 30 innings of the Oakland series we scored 10 runs.

 

In the 21 innings since then we have scored 30 runs.

[moonslav59]

Sox OPS+ numbers (75+ PAs):

 

126 Bogey

126 Betts

118 Moreland

112 Vazquez

110 Beni

106 HRam

100 Pedey

100 Young

68 JBJ

 

ERA+

187 Sale

142 ERod

101 Porcello

89 Pom

 

485 Kimbrel

275 Kelly

121 Barnes

105 Hembree

[moonslav59]

Baseball is an amazing game.

 

In the first 30 innings of the Oakland series we scored 10 runs.

 

In the 21 innings since then we have scored 30 runs.

 

Just shows how short sample sizes can skew numbers and outlooks.

[Nick]

Basically we need Bradley and Panda to start hitting. That will lengthen our lineup. WHEN AND IF OUR CATCHERS BECOME OUR WORST OFFENSIVE POSITION, WE'LL BE FINE.

 

I think Panda has until the All Star break to prove if he can be a regular at 3B. We will move on after that....

[moonslav59]

Basically we need Bradley and Panda to start hitting. That will lengthen our lineup. WHEN AND IF OUR CATCHERS BECOME OUR WORST OFFENSIVE POSITION, WE'LL BE FINE.

 

I think Panda has until the All Star break to prove if he can be a regular at 3B. We will move on after that....

 

We currently have the MLB's 12th best catcher wRC+ at 94.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up between 10 and 20.

 

Last year, with Hanigan & Holaday on board, our wRC+ was 79.

 

Many assumed our catcher offense would decline as Sandy "came down to earth", but they neglected to compensate for the loss of H & H and the chance Vaz could improve on 2016.

 

[sk7326]

The Sox production at catcher is fine - and realistically the option of Swihart could open up later in the year if he has satisfied their goals defensively and Vasquez turns into a pumpkin. (which I am not predicting - but is a fair thing to be bearish on)

[Nick]

Geez....you missed my point completely. I said IF our catchers were our worst hitters then we are in good shape. I'm not comparing our catchers to other catchers.

 

Don't you have HIGHER expectation from both Bradley Jr and Panda?

[mvp 78]

If only they had an offensive catcher like Blake Swihart!!! http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=596119#/career/R/hitting/2017/ALL

[sk7326]

Geez....you missed my point completely. I said IF our catchers were our worst hitters then we are in good shape. I'm not comparing our catchers to other catchers.

 

Don't you have HIGHER expectation from both Bradley Jr and Panda?

 

Bradley - yes ... although this is the JBJ exprience. There will be a month he will turn into Mike Trout at the plate ... I am zen with this being the reality

 

Panda? Who knows - the good thing is we got zilch from 3B last year - so any improvement will be striking.

[Jasonbay44]

Bradley - yes ... although this is the JBJ exprience. There will be a month he will turn into Mike Trout at the plate ... I am zen with this being the reality

 

Panda? Who knows - the good thing is we got zilch from 3B last year - so any improvement will be striking.

Were getting even less production this year from 3B.

[Kimmi]

Sox are now 13th in runs scored- just 10 runs behind being top 9, 18 runs from top 6 and 25 runs from top 4.

 

Granted, park adjustments should be applied.

 

The Sox lead the league in runs scored in the month of May, and are 2nd to only the Rockies in all of baseball. They are scoring 5.8 runs per game this month. This month is a small sample, just as the month of April was, but I expect them to be closer to their May numbers going forward than they are to their April numbers.

[Kimmi]

Baseball is an amazing game.

 

In the first 30 innings of the Oakland series we scored 10 runs.

 

In the 21 innings since then we have scored 30 runs.

 

And we scored all those runs with hitting only one home run.

[moonslav59]

The Sox lead the league in runs scored in the month of May, and are 2nd to only the Rockies in all of baseball. They are scoring 5.8 runs per game this month. This month is a small sample, just as the month of April was, but I expect them to be closer to their May numbers going forward than they are to their April numbers.

 

I agree and said I still think we end up a top 5 scoring team with a good chance to be top 3.

[Nick]

And we scored all those runs with hitting only one home run.

 

I believe everyone has a sore thumb.....

[Nick]

Price and Pomeranz are our bigger issues.....can we just give bunch of cash to the White Sox for Q?

[a700hitter]

Price and Pomeranz are our bigger issues.....can we just give bunch of cash to the White Sox for Q?

His last outing was brutal and he is sporting a very high ERA.

[Kimmi]

I agree and said I still think we end up a top 5 scoring team with a good chance to be top 3.

 

My one remaining gang member....

[Kimmi]

I believe everyone has a sore thumb.....

 

If Bogaerts keeps hitting like he's been hitting, I'm okay with the lack of home runs.