A Realistic View at 2017 Part III

[a700hitter]

maybe. personal numbers he was doing fine this season. but night's like last night for a moment make me wonder if the lack of "it's them, not me" on the field helped the comeback / team unity / morale. although, the hits were probably just random.......

Pedroia is a very important piece of this team. His power is down probably because of the bad leg, but he is still a top offensive producer and he is a great fielder. Even if we could replace his bat, we can't replace his glove. We don't want too many games where Nunez and Devers are on the same infield. Nunez is not in the same league as Pedroia when it comes to fielding.

[Nick]

No matter what anyone says, I did not miss Pedroia nor Beni last night.

 

I would love to have Nunez return next year. He's built similar to JBJ, athletic, strong.

 

We can then trade for a big bat using a regular as a chip.

[Slasher9]

Pedroia is a very important piece of this team. His power is down probably because of the bad leg, but he is still a top offensive producer and he is a great fielder. Even if we could replace his bat, we can't replace his glove. We don't want too many games where Nunez and Devers are on the same infield. Nunez is not in the same league as Pedroia when it comes to fielding.

 

i'm not stating i agree or disagree with anything you say here. i can only offer that every single one of us probably felt the same about one Nomar Garciaparra in 2004.

[sk7326]

maybe. personal numbers he was doing fine this season. but night's like last night for a moment make me wonder if the lack of "it's them, not me" on the field helped the comeback / team unity / morale. although, the hits were probably just random.......

 

It's just baseball - go figure, you get a great outing from Fister and you think "we stole a game and now we have Sale" ... and then Sale and Kimbrel BOTH stink, but we win anyway. Also - rare that a game which ended with a 3 run walkoff where that homerun might have still been upstaged by that Jackson catch.

[mvp 78]

i'm not stating i agree or disagree with anything you say here. i can only offer that every single one of us probably felt the same about one Nomar Garciaparra in 2004.

 

Count me out of that list. f*** that guy.

[Bellhorn04]

No matter what anyone says, I did not miss Pedroia nor Beni last night.

 

You don't miss anybody when you score 12 runs and win. We didn't even miss Papi last night.

[mvp 78]

They need to stop running like complete idiots.

 

https://twitter.com/redsoxstats/status/892757753315414017

 

Sox are still worst at OOB (out on base). Can't stop running into outs. Lovullo's DBags are the best at not running into outs.

 

My platform on the changes that need to be made is:

be situationally aggressive

never slide headfirst into first base

if you hit the ball, your foot must always touch 1st base

[a700hitter]

i'm not stating i agree or disagree with anything you say here. i can only offer that every single one of us probably felt the same about one Nomar Garciaparra in 2004.

Nomar was a known liability in the field. Plus, we had plenty of hitters without him. Apples and oranges

[Bellhorn04]

They need to stop running like complete idiots.

 

https://twitter.com/redsoxstats/status/892757753315414017

 

Sox are still worst at OOB (out on base). Can't stop running into outs. Lovullo's DBags are the best at not running into outs.

 

My platform on the changes that need to be made is:

be situationally aggressive

never slide headfirst into first base

if you hit the ball, your foot must always touch 1st base

 

They really have to stop running into so damn many outs - it's nuts.

[moonslav59]

i'm not stating i agree or disagree with anything you say here. i can only offer that every single one of us probably felt the same about one Nomar Garciaparra in 2004.

 

Not me.

 

The day we traded Nomar I was in 7th heaven. I never fell for the hype on his plus fielding. He was a huge negative on defense.

 

I remember immediately after hearing about the trade, I told my fellow Sox fan brothers-in-law, "We just traded Nomar and are going to win the World Series!" When I told them who we traded for, "...a slick fielding SS named O Cabrera," they said in unison, "Who?"

 

The rest is history.

 

(Note: Pedey is still a great fielder. The comp is not fair.)

 

 

Edited August 2, 2017 by moonslav59

[a700hitter]

Not me.

 

The day we traded Nomar I was in 7th heaven. I never fell for the hype on his plus fielding. He was a huge negative on defense.

 

I remember immediately after hearing about the trade, I told my fellow Sox fan brothers-in-law, "We just traded Nomar and are going to win the World Series!" When I told them who we traded for, "...a slick fielding SS named O Cabrera," they said in unison, "Who?"

 

The rest is history.

 

(Note: Pedey is still a great fielder. The comp is not fair.)

 

 

His fielding had deteriorated at that point. His range was gone. His hands were never very good.

[moonslav59]

No matter what anyone says, I did not miss Pedroia nor Beni last night.

 

I would love to have Nunez return next year. He's built similar to JBJ, athletic, strong.

 

We can then trade for a big bat using a regular as a chip.

 

We're losing Moreland and Young. I doubt we trade for a regular. We will sign one and go over the luxury limit.

 

I'd like to see us sign Nunez and a big bat at 1B (HRam to DH).

[moonslav59]

His fielding had deteriorated at that point. His range was gone. His hands were never very good.

 

His whirling twirling throws from deep in the hole were a mirage (that some fell for). Other SSs made those plays look easy.

[Bellhorn04]

His whirling twirling throws from deep in the hole were a mirage (that some fell for). Other SSs made those plays look easy.

 

Jeteresque one might say.

[moonslav59]

Jeteresque one might say.

 

Don't get me started!

 

Jeter sucked on defense, but many remember that one highlight and think he was a plus defender.

[Nick]

You don't miss anybody when you score 12 runs and win. We didn't even miss Papi last night.

 

I don't miss Papi......He's retired.

[Nick]

We're losing Moreland and Young. I doubt we trade for a regular. We will sign one and go over the luxury limit.

 

I'd like to see us sign Nunez and a big bat at 1B (HRam to DH).

 

Give me a FA name.

[mvp 78]

Give me a FA name.

 

Alonso, LoMo, Santana, Hosmer, Reynolds, Duda, keep Moreland, move Frazier to 1b...

[moonslav59]

Hosmer

Alonso

Duda

Morrison

Moustakas (move Devers to 1B)

 

I'd even think about signing Cozart and moving Bogey to 1B or 3B (Devers to 1B). Or, sign an OF'er and move him to DH and have HRam play 1B FT (Bruce or several others).

 

 

[sk7326]

Hosmer

Alonso

Duda

Morrison

Moustakas (move Devers to 1B)

 

I'd even think about signing Cozart and moving Bogey to 1B or 3B (Devers to 1B). Or, sign an OF'er and move him to DH and have HRam play 1B FT (Bruce or several others).

 

 

 

Hosmer should be cheaper - has enough untapped potential. Devers by most accounts (and a few eye test games) is fine at 3B. Frazier is good as a 3 true outcomes sort.

[mvp 78]

Hosmer

Alonso

Duda

Morrison

Moustakas (move Devers to 1B)

 

I'd even think about signing Cozart and moving Bogey to 1B or 3B (Devers to 1B). Or, sign an OF'er and move him to DH and have HRam play 1B FT (Bruce or several others).

 

 

 

I too like signing 32 year old guys coming off career seasons that have a negative career offensive WAR.

[a700hitter]

His whirling twirling throws from deep in the hole were a mirage (that some fell for). Other SSs made those plays look easy.

Before he lost his range, he could go into the SS hole and throw across his body to first base while continuing toward 3B without stopping, planting or jumping. When I first saw him make that play in person, I was astonished. It didn't seem physically possible. It was not a mirage, and it was truly extraordinary. It was much better than Jeter's jump throw. The only criticism of that play by Nomar was that his throws curved and were not true resulting in some extra time getting to first base. All of his throws followed that path.

[Jack Flap]

A big blah to most of those names...maybe Hosmer if the price isn't crazy, but it probably will be.

 

I'd rather sign somebody under-the-radar hoping they're the next weird breakout candidate than overpay for a Morrison or Alonso based on their 1-year-wonder seasons. (Or just go with Travis.)

 

And Devers isn't getting moved to 1B - at least not for a long time.

[moonslav59]

Before he lost his range, he could go into the SS hole and throw across his body to first base while continuing toward 3B without stopping, planting or jumping. When I first saw him make that play in person, I was astonished. It didn't seem physically possible. It was not a mirage, and it was truly extraordinary. It was much better than Jeter's jump throw. The only criticism of that play by Nomar was that his throws curved and were not true resulting in some extra time getting to first base. All of his throws followed that path.

 

My point was, others made the same play without jumping and twirling. He made the play look like a spectacular defensive play, when really it wasn't. That's what I meant by a "mirage".

 

I was fooled at first, too.

 

He wasn't a bad fielder his first couple years, but he quickly turned average and below average. It wasn't just 2004 that was horrible. He actually had a worse UZR/150 in 2002.

 

I'm convinced OCab's D was essential to our first ring in my lifetime.

[moonslav59]

A big blah to most of those names...maybe Hosmer if the price isn't crazy, but it probably will be.

 

I'd rather sign somebody under-the-radar hoping they're the next weird breakout candidate than overpay for a Morrison or Alonso based on their 1-year-wonder seasons. (Or just go with Travis.)

 

And Devers isn't getting moved to 1B - at least not for a long time.

 

It might not be a long time, but I agree.

 

Besides, it's easier and cheaper to find a big hitter at 1B than 3B, so I'd keep Devers there until he proves he doesn't belong there.

[Kimmi]

A big blah to most of those names...maybe Hosmer if the price isn't crazy, but it probably will be.

 

I'd rather sign somebody under-the-radar hoping they're the next weird breakout candidate than overpay for a Morrison or Alonso based on their 1-year-wonder seasons. (Or just go with Travis.)

 

And Devers isn't getting moved to 1B - at least not for a long time.

 

I like this post.

[Kimmi]

They need to stop running like complete idiots.

 

https://twitter.com/redsoxstats/status/892757753315414017

 

Sox are still worst at OOB (out on base). Can't stop running into outs. Lovullo's DBags are the best at not running into outs.

 

My platform on the changes that need to be made is:

be situationally aggressive

never slide headfirst into first base

if you hit the ball, your foot must always touch 1st base

 

The Sox do have the most OOBs, but that number in and of itself can be misleading. That would be like saying Player A has 50 stolen bases, but not considering that he also got caught 50 times.

 

Look at the last column of that chart, XBT%. The Sox have the 4th best % of extra bases taken. IMO, that's a better measurement of how 'idiotic' the base running is or isn't. I've said before that they may have the most outs, but that's because they take more chances. And while more chances leads to more outs, it also leads to more successful bases taken.

 

The Sox are still at a +1.6 in UBR and +1.3 in stolen base runs, so overall, the aggressive baserunning has helped the team.

 

Yes, there are times when they make a bad base running blunder. But their success rate is better than most other teams.

[moonslav59]

The Sox do have the most OOBs, but that number in and of itself can be misleading. That would be like saying Player A has 50 stolen bases, but not considering that he also got caught 50 times.

 

Look at the last column of that chart, XBT%. The Sox have the 4th best % of extra bases taken. IMO, that's a better measurement of how 'idiotic' the base running is or isn't. I've said before that they may have the most outs, but that's because they take more chances. And while more chances leads to more outs, it also leads to more successful bases taken.

 

The Sox are still at a +1.6 in UBR and +1.3 in stolen base runs, so overall, the aggressive baserunning has helped the team.

 

Yes, there are times when they make a bad base running blunder. But their success rate is better than most other teams.

 

Well said, as always, Kimmi. The base-running outs that bug me the most are the bonehead ones that show a lack of fundamentals or lack of emphasis or focus on paying attention while on the bases (and in the field, I might add).

[a700hitter]

My point was, others made the same play without jumping and twirling. He made the play look like a spectacular defensive play, when really it wasn't. That's what I meant by a "mirage".

 

I was fooled at first, too.

 

He wasn't a bad fielder his first couple years, but he quickly turned average and below average. It wasn't just 2004 that was horrible. He actually had a worse UZR/150 in 2002.

 

I'm convinced OCab's D was essential to our first ring in my lifetime.

I don't think his play from the whole was a mirage at all. He made that play better than any one because he was able to make the throw with out stopping or planting and he got plenty on the throw. Other Shortstops, may have made that play in a more conventional manner appearing to be making it easier-- that was the mirage. Nomar made that play better than all of them in that he got the ball to first base quicker than anyone else. Other than that play, Nomars hands were never great and his throwing could be spotty, but I rank him as a better fielder than XB before his range was limited by injury/age/wear & tear.

[a700hitter]

By Evan Chronis / MLB.com | 7:26 PM ET +

BOSTON -- A bit of good news has finally come for Red Sox reliever Carson Smith, who is expected to start a Minor League rehab stint this weekend.

Smith threw 21 pitches to hitters on Wednesday, and will be checked out at Fenway on Thursday before the official decision is made if he'll begin his rehab stint.