Sox hitting??

[Emp9]

Sure, when in doubt, blame the manager.

 

f***in' A right. You said it brother...

[moonslav59]

...Even without Pedroia. Or Price.

 

Other teams have lots of injuries and are still doing well (Astros & Dodgers).

 

Here's what we have been missing:

 

SP2: Price

SP4: Wright

RP2: Smith

RP3: Thornburg

RP5: R Ross

2B: Pedroia

[mvp 78]

...Even without Pedroia. Or Price.

 

Other teams have lots of injuries and are still doing well (Astros & Dodgers).

 

Here's what we have been missing:

 

SP2: Price

SP4: Wright

RP2: Smith

RP3: Thornburg

RP5: R Ross

2B: Pedroia

 

Addition by subtraction when you get rid of clubhouse cancers!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kimmi]

That's the problem.

 

His defense has been fine. Not a gold glove year, but certainly above average.

[Kimmi]

Benintendi also wags his bat. I've been told it's OK as long as the bat is still and in the right position when the pitcher releases the ball or something like that.

 

A lot of players wag their bats, so it makes sense what you're saying. I've heard that it helps with timing and also that it helps some batters stay back on off speed stuff.

 

With Bogaerts and the wrist injury, I'm wondering if the timing of the bat wagging is off, or is somehow hindering him.

[mvp 78]

His defense has been fine. Not a gold glove year, but certainly above average.

 

He was brought in for his glove. A below average hitter and slightly above average glove isn't good enough for 1B here.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=3086&position=1B

 

Maybe his glove is just overrated to begin with?

[Kimmi]

He was brought in for his glove. A below average hitter and slightly above average glove isn't good enough for 1B here.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=3086&position=1B

 

Maybe his glove is just overrated to begin with?

 

I realize that. He wasn't even supposed to be a full time player.

 

I'm just saying he is not as bad defensively as some people are making him out to be.

[Spudboy]

I can't remember anyone saying Moreland is "bad" defensively.

 

He is very good and has a good arm.

 

He is just not as good as one would envision given his Gold Glove award.

[Slasher9]

i have watched just about every inning of every game this season (like most seasons and like most of you). i believe the next time i see moreland make a clean pick of a throw in the dirt will be the first time i see moreland pick a throw in the dirt. certainly this cannot be true but it is what it feels like. i see no discernible difference when hanram is in teh game.

[devildavid]

Betts leads the team in rbi's, runs, and total bases. This is unsat?

 

Those are cumulative stats that come partly from more plate appearances. He has been a good hitter but I don't think he is performing up to his potential. And yes, the same goes for Benintendi and a bit for JBJ. None have achieved a level of consistency that their talent seems to indicate. They are all still young and the league is adjusting to them as they adjust to the league. They are all good, solid, very talented baseball players who I expect to improve as their careers progress.

[devildavid]

Huuuuuge hit for Mookie last night, absolutely huuuuuuuuuuge!!! I hope it helps snap him out of his funk.

[SoxnCycles]

i have watched just about every inning of every game this season (like most seasons and like most of you). i believe the next time i see moreland make a clean pick of a throw in the dirt will be the first time i see moreland pick a throw in the dirt. certainly this cannot be true but it is what it feels like. i see no discernible difference when hanram is in teh game.

 

Define "clean".

I've see him pick some tough throws, but I couldn't tell you if they were clean, dirty or just a little smudged.

[Slasher9]

Define "clean".

I've see him pick some tough throws, but I couldn't tell you if they were clean, dirty or just a little smudged.

 

lol. i meant picked clean for outs. i know he has. but i guess i was expecting something magical from him after hearing all the love about his big D. like Xbo wouldnt even need to throw him the ball it would just appear in his glove. perhaps i expected too much based on others. to me, anyways, his defense doesnt look extraordinary. more like extra ordinary.

[SoxnCycles]

lol. i meant picked clean for outs. i know he has. but i guess i was expecting something magical from him after hearing all the love about his big D. like Xbo wouldnt even need to throw him the ball it would just appear in his glove. perhaps i expected too much based on others. to me, anyways, his defense doesnt look extraordinary. more like extra ordinary.

 

Which is why Gold Glove awards aren't all they're cracked up to be.

Moreland hasn't been bad at 1st, but it's not good enough to offset his offense (or lack thereof).

[Spudboy]

i have watched just about every inning of every game this season (like most seasons and like most of you). i believe the next time i see moreland make a clean pick of a throw in the dirt will be the first time i see moreland pick a throw in the dirt. certainly this cannot be true but it is what it feels like. i see no discernible difference when hanram is in teh game.

 

That is what I saw earlier in the season. Not so much lately.

 

He does still seem to have a weakness when stretching toward right field for throws from the opposite side.

[OH FOY]

These stats strike out to me, so far this year.

RISP .184 Underneath it has him at .280, so its basically .230.

With Runners on .210

2 outs and RISP .143

.249 in Fenway

These are killing the team.

Hanley Ramirez

I would absolutely, flip-flop him and Devers, at this point.

Edited August 20, 2017 by OH FOY!

[Bellhorn04]

These stats strike out to me, so far this year.

RISP .184

With Runners on .210

2 outs and RISP .143

These are killing the team.

Hanley Ramirez

 

He did have a clutch hit off Robertson last night that didn't pay off, unfortunately.

 

We have a number of guys who are underperforming so you can't pin it all on one guy.

[Station 13]

Hanley bats cleanup, that is a terrible cumulative bunch of numbers. Get him the hell out of cleanup.

[moonslav59]

Until Devers arrived on the scene, we really didn't have many options for clean-up and 5 slot hitters.

 

4 slot: .765

.778 HRam (259 PAs)

.721 Moreland (181)

.722 Beni (80)

1.567 Young (only 18 PAs)

 

5 slot: .702 (a horrible number for this important slot)

.771 HRam (136)

.740 Moreland (136)

.480 JBJ (68)

.569 Young (60)

.735 Beni (54)

1.018 Devers (37)

.450 Bogey (16)

1.038 Travis (13)

 

Total PAs 4 & 5: 1076

HRam + Moreland= 812 (over 75%)

 

With Betts, Pedey, Beni & Bogey and more recently Nunez batting mostly in the 1-3 slots, other options for the 4 or 5 slots were limited. I wish we had kept Betts up 4th all year, but that argument has been beaten to death already.

 

If we look at overall OPS, there's really not much difference between HRam/Moreland and other 4/5 slot options.

 

.798 Beni (has sucked vs LHPs)

.792 Betts (should bat 4th)

.784 Pedey (lowest SLG/highest OBP)

.767 HRam

.758 Moreland

.756 JBJ

.736 Bogey

.732 Young

.725 Vaz

.661 Leon

.499 Holt

 

Maybe when Pedey comes back healthy, we can see this:

 

1. Nunez v R/Bogey v L

2. Pedey

3. Beni v R/ Young v L

4. Betts

5. Devers

6. HRam

7. JBJ

8. Bogey v R/ Beni v L

9. Vaz

 

Basically, Nunez & Young platoon at DH and Bogey and beni flip positions vs RHPs or LHPs. Moreland rides the bench.

 

 

[Bellhorn04]

Until Devers arrived on the scene, we really didn't have many options for clean-up and 5 slot hitters.

 

4 slot: .765

.778 HRam (259 PAs)

.721 Moreland (181)

.722 Beni (80)

1.567 Young (only 18 PAs)

 

5 slot: .702 (a horrible number for this important slot)

.771 HRam (136)

.740 Moreland (136)

.480 JBJ (68)

.569 Young (60)

.735 Beni (54)

1.018 Devers (37)

.450 Bogey (16)

1.038 Travis (13)

 

Total PAs 4 & 5: 1076

HRam + Moreland= 812 (over 75%)

 

With Betts, Pedey, Beni & Bogey and more recently Nunez batting mostly in the 1-3 slots, other options for the 4 or 5 slots were limited. I wish we had kept Betts up 4th all year, but that argument has been beaten to death already.

 

If we look at overall OPS, there's really not much difference between HRam/Moreland and other 4/5 slot options.

 

.798 Beni (has sucked vs LHPs)

.792 Betts (should bat 4th)

.784 Pedey (lowest SLG/highest OBP)

.767 HRam

.758 Moreland

.756 JBJ

.736 Bogey

.732 Young

.725 Vaz

.661 Leon

.499 Holt

 

Maybe when Pedey comes back healthy, we can see this:

 

1. Nunez v R/Bogey v L

2. Pedey

3. Beni v R/ Young v L

4. Betts

5. Devers

6. HRam

7. JBJ

8. Bogey v R/ Beni v L

9. Vaz

 

Basically, Nunez & Young platoon at DH and Bogey and beni flip positions vs RHPs or LHPs. Moreland rides the bench.

 

 

Moreland has a .966 OPS in August. He shouldn't be riding the bench. Back to the drawing board with you.

[Nick]

Moreland has a .966 OPS in August. He shouldn't be riding the bench. Back to the drawing board with you.

 

I agree.

 

Baseball season is a marathon. You can't put the same line up day in day out. Maybe a week is not a long sample size but a month is.

 

Devers has hit well throughout his first 20 games. He should be given opportunity to drive in runs.

 

These are professional hitters. They are getting paid to hit. I'll be more than happy to tell a .200 guy "GET f***ING BETTER". It's about WINNING.

[oldtimer]

So holt will start today. Don't like the idea but they must be giving Nunez a break.

[moonslav59]

Moreland has a .966 OPS in August. He shouldn't be riding the bench. Back to the drawing board with you.

 

Small sample size. He's a .700 to .750 hitter.

 

I guess we could bench HRam, but he's actually been very consistently around .750 all year (unlike Moreland).

 

Who do you bench so Moreland can play (assuming just against RHPs)?

[Bellhorn04]

Small sample size. He's a .700 to .750 hitter.

 

I guess we could bench HRam, but he's actually been very consistently around .750 all year (unlike Moreland).

 

Who do you bench so Moreland can play (assuming just against RHPs)?

 

Personally I just let Farrell figure it out...there will be some mixing and matching obviously.

[moonslav59]

So holt will start today. Don't like the idea but they must be giving Nunez a break.

 

Yippee. Start the .499 OPS guy!

 

This will be his 6th start since August 5th. 6 out of 13 games!

 

I realize Pedey's been hurt, but this is nothing short of sick.

 

[moonslav59]

Personally I just let Farrell figure it out...there will be some mixing and matching obviously.

 

Can't even attempt a "drawing board?"

[Bellhorn04]

Yippee. Start the .499 OPS guy!

 

This will be his 6th start since August 5th. 6 out of 13 games!

 

I realize Pedey's been hurt, but this is nothing short of sick.

 

 

The only explanation I can see is that they're giving Holt a full opportunity to turn it around after being out so long. If he keeps floundering they really do have to cut him loose fairly soon.

[Bellhorn04]

Can't even attempt a "drawing board?"

 

Just not my thing.

[moonslav59]

Just not my thing.

 

Fine, but when you criticize someone for making a suggestion without providing your opinion on what is better, it kind of rings hollow.

[Bellhorn04]

Fine, but when you criticize someone for making a suggestion without providing your opinion on what is better, it kind of rings hollow.

 

You said a guy with a .966 OPS in August should be riding the bench. I thought that was wrong so I pointed it out.