Sox hitting??

[Nick]

Betts is definitely having a bad year for him. He gets cut a lot more slack than most of our players, despite not performing up to expectations.

 

This is why you don't just give out 10 year, $300M contracts.

[moonslav59]

This is why you don't just give out 10 year, $300M contracts.

 

Yeah, $250/10 should do.

[Bellhorn04]

Release Young and bring up Brentz?

[oldtimer]

Nice. However, you have to ask why Betts, now in his 3d full year, has never been slotted 4th (to any great degree, anyway). I think it's because he has too much speed, plus batting earlier gets him more at bats. Not batting 4th in those 3 years, he has nevertheless led the team in runs scored all three years, leads the team in rbi's this year, was second in rbi's last year with 113 to Papi's 122, and was 3d in rbi's in 2015 with 77 to Bogie's 81 and papi's 108. I mean, doesn't that suggest slotting him higher has worked pretty well?

 

Throw Pedey out this year. Good slotting, but bad timing. I agree he can be slotted anywhere in the top 4 and do well.

 

No complaints about the vs. lefties lineup except for Pedey.

 

But the vs. righties lineup is the one most used and therefore the most important. I notice no HanRam even though his vs. lefty-righty splits are pretty close. More rbi's per at bat vs. lefties, but more dingers per at bat vs. righties, and about the same OPS's. His K/BB ratio, however, is much better vs. lefties. Still. If Pedey can play and play well or just hit and hit well, I might agree, but I have severe doubts about that knee.

 

Granted it's a small sample size, but the evidence for leaving Devers in the bottom 4 of the lineup is overwhelming. I don't care what he did in the minors. MLB pitchers are better and have more access to videos and analysis of hitting weaknesses. Plus I think he can do good things down there. He's had now 56 at bats batting 5th with 8 rbi's. He's had 20 at bats batting 7th with 7 rbi's. Spread that over 500 at bats and you are looking at 140 rbi's. Of course that would never happen because, if he did that well for just the first two months of a season, no manager would fail to move him up. Absent that kind of data, we have to use those 28 games, which say unequivocally that he is better further down in the order and also productive, which is really the point, isn't it?

 

If Pedey is out, HanRam is back in vs. righties. My lineup would then be--

 

Nunez

Beni

Bogey (sounds terrible, but he's done it a lot this year and his stroke seems to be returning)

Betts (you said he can do it, the only problem is putting so much base running talent in the cleanup slot)

Moreland (50 rbi's vs. righties and an OPS over .800) (plus I want 2 lefty bats in the first 5 and don't think Devers or JBJ are up to that based on their splits)

HanRam (this could be a very good fit for him--less pressure)_

Devers or JBJ

JBJ or Devers

Leon/Vazquez

 

What I like about my lineup is that it spreads the wealth through all 9 slots. No rest for opposing pitchers getting to the bottom of the order especially when all three (if Leon is catching) hit from the left side. But the top of the order ain't too shabby either. The question is the middle, the 4,5, and 6 slots. Betts should be fine. Moreland is 3d on the team in rbi's with fewer at bats than the first two, Betts and Beni. And, as I said, HanRam might benefit from dropping down and the 6th slot can be very productive.

 

Devers is a raw rookie with not enough AB's to conclude that he belongs in the bottom of the lineup. No evidence to date is overwhelming about where he should bat. He batted down in the order when he first came and killed it. Pitchers are learning how to get him out and he is trying to make adjustments. This situation happened when he was lowered in the order so may be just an artifact of being a rookie in the league. He is one of our few power hitters so I think we need to give him more time in a power slot.

[oldtimer]

I have a feeling the sox brass will address the major problem facing the sox this offseason. You are all seeing what happens when you replace a HOF level talent/production with replacement level production and don't upgrade anywhere else. Everyone suffers. I forsee a JD Martinez signing this offseason. HanRam will have to move to 1b or Martinez will move into the 1b role. That offense in that park will stretch your lineup out and take some pressure off the guys currently not producting

 

The Sox brass should look at results and the performance of players and coaches. The hitting has not been good so look to replace the hitting coach or coaches. Certain players haven't so replace the ones that we can and try to bolster what is left with new talent. The question is out on overall leadership with JF.

[mvp 78]

Release Young and bring up Brentz?

 

Think they are just going to wait until September to call him up.

[S5Dewey]

Think they are just going to wait until September to call him up.

 

It's not like September 1 is a long way into the future. It's four days away!

[Nick]

It's not like September 1 is a long way into the future. It's four days away!

 

It won't be his first rodeo in mlb. I'd expect him to step in and hit.

[moonslav59]

Release Young and bring up Brentz?

 

Young is hitting .801 in the second half.

 

We need to find new scapegoats.

[mvp 78]

Young is hitting .801 in the second half.

 

We need to find new scapegoats.

 

Hanley is my scapegoat atm. Betts is playing well, but not MVP caliber. I can't be too made about that. Hanley is barely contributing though.

[moonslav59]

Hanley is my scapegoat atm. Betts is playing well, but not MVP caliber. I can't be too made about that. Hanley is barely contributing though.

 

I don't disagree, but it is JF who keeps him batting 4th.

[mvp 78]

I don't disagree, but it is JF who keeps him batting 4th.

 

True enough!

[Bellhorn04]

Young is hitting .801 in the second half.

 

We need to find new scapegoats.

 

This is not scapegoating.

 

His second half OPS is 758 according to B-R, and that was built largely on the strength of one good game that bumped his OPS 54 points. Since then he has stunk again.

 

He has stunk most of the year. He has a minus WAR.

Edited August 28, 2017 by Bellhorn04

[oldtimer]

This is not scapegoating.

 

His second half OPS is 758 according to B-R, and that was built largely on the strength of one good game that bumped his OPS 54 points. Since then he has stunk again.

 

He has stunk most of the year. He has a minus WAR.

 

Young has been good defensively but his hitting has not been consistent of late. Brentz as a replacement hasn't been that good defensively but his minor league power numbers might translate into some much needed hitting help in the lineup.

[mvp 78]

I don't disagree, but it is JF who keeps him batting 4th.

 

Batting 7th tonight. I think Farrell is just a little slow on the uptake.

[Bellhorn04]

Batting 7th tonight. I think Farrell is just a little slow on the uptake.

 

I would call it patience, but certainly there can be a fine line there.

[moonslav59]

This is not scapegoating.

 

His second half OPS is 758 according to B-R, and that was built largely on the strength of one good game that bumped his OPS 54 points. Since then he has stunk again.

 

He has stunk most of the year. He has a minus WAR.

 

Yeah, he's at .758 now, after yesterday's game, but .758 is the 5th best 2nd half OPS among healthy Sox players.

 

I think blaming our 4th OF'er who has 5 guys better and 6 guys worse is scapegoating.

 

True, he has not been good all year, but he's hardly the guy to focus attention on, just because he's maybe the easiest to replace on the roster.

 

BTW, Young has an .817 OPS in August. 5th best out of 12 players with 35+ PAs.

Edited August 28, 2017 by moonslav59

[moonslav59]

Batting 7th tonight. I think Farrell is just a little slow on the uptake.

 

Wow!

 

I wonder if he made a mistake writing him in 7th.

 

Es un milagro!

[mvp 78]

I would call it patience, but certainly there can be a fine line there.

 

Farrellancoma

[moonslav59]

Farrellancoma

 

I'm hoping for Farewell, but I guess that would mean we'd have to lose.

 

Damn it!

 

Go SOX!

[Bellhorn04]

Yeah, he's at .758 now, after yesterday's game, but .758 is the 5th best 2nd half OPS among healthy Sox players.

 

I think blaming our 4th OF'er who has 5 guys better and 6 guys worse is scapegoating.

 

True, he has not been good all year, but he's hardly the guy to focus attention on, just because he's maybe the easiest to replace on the roster.

 

BTW, Young has an .817 OPS in August. 5th best out of 12 players with 35+ PAs.

 

I didn't say I blamed Young for our run-scoring issues. I was just ruminating about giving Brentz a try in his place.

[moonslav59]

I didn't say I blamed Young for our run-scoring issues. I was just ruminating about giving Brentz a try in his place.

 

I just don't see replacing our 4th OF'e who has been hitting better than over half the team as a worthwhile endeavor.

 

I'd like to see Brentz called up in September, but I do not think it is wise to DFA Young just to give Brentz and extra week. I doubt he even plays much when called up, unless he produces quickly and emphatically in his few chances.

[Kimmi]

Betts was leading off ahead of a prime Pedroia. Behind Pedroia was Xander who saw a TON of fastballs hitting in front of vintage Ortiz. Behind Ortiz was a resurgent Hanley. With Ortiz gone, Hanley isn't hitting with runners on as much. This means less fastballs and more problems for Hanley. Betts is hitting lower in the order and isn't seeing as much fastballs as he had been. He is a fastball killer, but as the 3 hitter, he only sees them when he's ahead in the count and he swings so much, that he doesn't work counts. Pedroia being out doesn't allow for the pesky 2 hitter with power to flow into the next part of the order. We can talk about roster construction and lineup construction until we are blue in the face, but those who think it doesn't matter and players will play are wrong. Pitchers pitch differently when a star is in the on deck circle. Pitchers pitch differently out of the stretch than they do in the windup. Pitchers pitch the stars tighter and more cautiously when they aren't adequately protected.

 

Pitchers do indeed pitch differently to a batter when he is 'protected' than when he's not. However, this does not result in any overall advantage to the 'protected' hitter.

 

As far as pitchers pitching differently from the stretch, that is true as well, but our OBP has still been solid this year, so we're still facing a lot of pitchers out of the stretch.

 

I am pretty sure that I already posted numbers that showed that Hanley is not seeing less fastballs this year than he did last year.

[Kimmi]

Exactly. I know above some of the crew are trying to spin numbers about how he is fine and he is clutch....... here are his number at this time last year:

 

2016: BA: .320, HR 29, RBI 94, OBP .359, SLG .561, OPS .920, WAR 9.5

 

Here is this year....

 

2017 BA .265, HR 18, RBI 77, OBP .341, SLG 441, OPS .782, WAR 4.9

 

Sorry.........numbers do not lie. That is a HUGE difference, he was expected to be the face of the franchise and step up.....he didn't. He is notorious to slow starts......but he never snapped out of it. Right now I lay a lot of blame on this poor offense on him, and followed by Hanley.....and after that....my golden boy and favorite on the team Bogey. They's win the division and do well.in the payoffs because they have the pitching.......but Betts will be the biggest factor down the stretch and I hope he becomes 'clutch' like many here think he is......

 

I am not going to rag on Betts too much mostly because the underperformance of our offense does not lie solely with him. Too many of our guys are either underperforming their expectations or have underperformed for a good stretch of the season. There is plenty of offensive 'blame' to go around and Betts certainly deserves his as much as some of our other favorite whipping boys.

[Kimmi]

This is why you don't just give out 10 year, $300M contracts.

 

I am with you 100% on this one.

[Kimmi]

Yeah, $250/10 should do.

 

For me, the 10 years is the bigger issue than the difference between $250 and $300 mil.

[Kimmi]

Batting 7th tonight. I think Farrell is just a little slow on the uptake.

 

Some say a little slow on the uptake, others say that he's exercising patience.

 

I have no problem with Farrell exercising patience, especially given my opinions on batting order.

[Kimmi]

I would call it patience, but certainly there can be a fine line there.

 

Ha.

[Kimmi]

Wow!

 

I wonder if he made a mistake writing him in 7th.

 

Es un milagro!

 

I'm guessing Farrell is reading Talksox and he's making his line ups to appease you.

[Bellhorn04]

I just don't see replacing our 4th OF'e who has been hitting better than over half the team as a worthwhile endeavor.

 

Young really isn't going that well. He had that one monster game on August 6 with 2 homers and a double. That will really jack your OPS when you don't play regularly.

 

In the 3 weeks since then his OPS is .492.