Red Sox To Sign J.D. Martinez

[S5Dewey]

I don’t think anyone is complaining that JD get an occasional start in the OF. The worry is having him play OF full time where he will get exposed. He hits just fine as a DH.....

 

IMO he's made significant improvement in his defense since ST, to the point where I'm reasonably comfortable with him in the OF. My issue right now is that I don't understand why he's playing RF in Fenway. Other teams, sure, but in Fenway? -for the reasons Hitch explained (above).

[mvp 78]

IMO he's made significant improvement in his defense since ST, to the point where I'm reasonably comfortable with him in the OF. My issue right now is that I don't understand why he's playing RF in Fenway. Other teams, sure, but in Fenway? -for the reasons Hitch explained (above).

 

Because Beni can only play LF. That's how bad Beni is in CF, they'd rather have JD in RF than Beni in CF.

[Dojji]

It's like Ortiz at first base. He can do it, he can even be adequate for it on a good day, but you don't want him doing it every day.

 

I would honestly rather play Benintendi in right field. As a former centerfielder I'd expect him to figure it out, and he has the speed to close on the ball if he has a bad initial read, Martinez... kind of doesn't.

[mvp 78]

It's like Ortiz at first base. He can do it, he can even be adequate for it on a good day, but you don't want him doing it every day.

 

I would honestly rather play Benintendi in right field. As a former centerfielder I'd expect him to figure it out, and he has the speed to close on the ball if he has a bad initial read, Martinez... kind of doesn't.

 

Maybe. The weird part is that Beni's ARM is better than JD's. If Beni's throwing is better, why not put him over in RF? IDK.

[Dojji]

I think they're worried about bad reads from a guy who's used to seeing the game from one side of the field -- but if that's the case, then JD is vulnerable to that too, since he's played mostly in LF when he's taken the outfield for us.

 

The best possible starting outfield for us right now at the moment, is probably Martinez-Benintendi-Betts. No doubt in my mind Beni can play CF, he did it all through the minors, the only reason he's not doing it in the majors is because Betts and JBJ are better at it, but if Betts is in right field and JBJ is resting I have total confidence in Beni.

 

That, and it actually puts more people (2) in their usual positions than a Beni-Betts-Martinez outfield (1)

Edited July 10, 2018 by Dojji

[mvp 78]

I think they're worried about bad reads from a guy who's used to seeing the game from one side of the field -- but if that's the case, then JD is vulnerable to that too, since he's played mostly in LF when he's taken the outfield for us.

 

The best possible starting outfield for us right now at the moment, is probably Martinez-Benintendi-Betts. No doubt in my mind Beni can play CF, he did it all through the minors, the only reason he's not doing it in the majors is because Betts and JBJ are better at it, but if Betts is in right field and JBJ is resting I have total confidence in Beni.

 

That, and it actually puts more people (2) in their usual positions than a Beni-Betts-Martinez outfield (1)

 

Career games

RF - 449

LF - 309

 

I don't think reads off the bat will be the underlying issue (aside from general mediocre defensive play).

[cp176]

That covers 95% of the forum members. Can you be more specific?

 

No I can't!!! If I could I wouldn't because I would be afraid of leaving out some particularly disagreeable peckerhead. i don't want anybody's feelings being hurt.

[Spudboy]

i have no problem with JD in the OF. I just don’t want him to get worn down as his bat is just too important.

 

Yup. That and increased exposure to injury.

 

I think he is an acceptable corner outfielder.

[a700hitter]

Yup. That and increased exposure to injury.

 

I think he is an acceptable corner outfielder.

i didn’t use the word injury, because I don’t even want to think about it. He is indispensable to this team.

[cp176]

IMO he's made significant improvement in his defense since ST, to the point where I'm reasonably comfortable with him in the OF. My issue right now is that I don't understand why he's playing RF in Fenway. Other teams, sure, but in Fenway? -for the reasons Hitch explained (above).

 

To find the answer as to why JD was in right last night, I think you would have to go directly to the highly rated and appreciated metric folks working for the Sox. That is where Cora got his information (according to him) with respect to putting his best outfield in place with JBJ on the bench.

[cp176]

I don’t think anyone is complaining that JD get an occasional start in the OF. The worry is having him play OF full time where he will get exposed. He hits just fine as a DH.....

 

I don't think that anyone is advocating for him playing anywhere in the outfield full time.

[Spudboy]

No I can't!!! If I could I wouldn't because I would be afraid of leaving out some particularly disagreeable peckerhead. i don't want anybody's feelings being hurt.

 

lol

[Slasher9]

I don't think that anyone is advocating for him playing anywhere in the outfield full time.

 

So it sounds like we are all in agreement. A talksox first?

[S5Dewey]

Maybe. The weird part is that Beni's ARM is better than JD's. If Beni's throwing is better, why not put him over in RF? IDK.

 

..which puts JDM in LF. Now you're coming around to my way of thinking!

[cp176]

So it sounds like we are all in agreement. A talksox first?

 

Stop it Slasher - Impossible

 

What is possible though is that no matter how much bitching and arguing we do, we all I think can agree that this particular group no matter how or who is responsible for assembling them has been an absolute pleasure to watch and follow. What a summer!!!

[jacksonianmarch]

If the Sox got .500 the rest of the way, they’ll win 98 games. That’s crazy

[Dojji]

Manny Reamirez was a career right fielder before coming to Boston.

 

Left field is just where you put your weakest outfield defender in this stadium. Quite frankly Benintendi is somewhat wasted here in left during home games.

[Station 13]

If the Sox got .500 the rest of the way, they’ll win 98 games. That’s crazy

 

and if Bucks' O's wins all their games left, they win 96 total.

[S5Dewey]

If the Sox got .500 the rest of the way, they’ll win 98 games. That’s crazy

 

And if the Sox only go .500 the rest of the way many of us are going to be very disappointed.

[Bellhorn04]

Left field is just where you put your weakest outfield defender in this stadium. Quite frankly Benintendi is somewhat wasted here in left during home games.

 

With JBJ in CF and Mookie in RF...

 

You make it sound like a bad thing.

[Kimmi]

To find the answer as to why JD was in right last night, I think you would have to go directly to the highly rated and appreciated metric folks working for the Sox. That is where Cora got his information (according to him) with respect to putting his best outfield in place with JBJ on the bench.

 

And the highly rated and appreciated metric folks would be right.

 

But much to your dismay, putting JD in RF has nothing to do with him actually be a good defensive right fielder. It has to do with JD being slightly less bad in RF than he is in LF, and with Beni being way better in LF than he is in CF.

[Kimmi]

If the Sox got .500 the rest of the way, they’ll win 98 games. That’s crazy

 

You're scared, aren't you?

 

You should be!

[a700hitter]

And the highly rated and appreciated metric folks would be right.

 

But much to your dismay, putting JD in RF has nothing to do with him actually be a good defensive right fielder. It has to do with JD being slightly less bad in RF than he is in LF, and with Beni being way better in LF than he is in CF.

I don't think that would dismay cp176, since he never said that. He said:

 

So let's see - JD Martinez in right field tonight in Fenway Park. According to Cora, who we all love and respect, this one was run through their analytics department and with JBJ being rested this was the best outfield lineup to go with.

[mvp 78]

And the highly rated and appreciated metric folks would be right.

 

But much to your dismay, putting JD in RF has nothing to do with him actually be a good defensive right fielder. It has to do with JD being slightly less bad in RF than he is in LF, and with Beni being way better in LF than he is in CF.

 

Huh? JD's numbers are better in LF than RF.

[Kimmi]

I don't think that would dismay cp176, since he never said that. He said:

 

Way to cherry pick just part of his post.

 

Here is the complete post:

 

So let's see - JD Martinez in right field tonight in Fenway Park. According to Cora, who we all love and respect, this one was run through their analytics department and with JBJ being rested this was the best outfield lineup to go with. Imagine that - Let me ask this question - to those of you who still think that JD is just awful in the outfield, do you not like our analytical guys? He ain't the best be he ain't bad either. I think that some of the comments come from those who just want to be disagreeable and cannot deal with maybe being wrong on occasion.

 

Very snarky "I told you so" type post. Unfortunately for him, he didn't tell me anything.

[Kimmi]

Huh? JD's numbers are better in LF than RF.

 

2018 Defensive stats for JD:

 

LF: DRS = -4, UZR/150 = -16.8

 

RF: DRS = -2, UZR/150 = -9.9

[mvp 78]

2018 Defensive stats for JD:

 

LF: DRS = -4, UZR/150 = -16.8

 

RF: DRS = -2, UZR/150 = -9.9

 

SSS alert. His career LF numbers are better than his career RF numbers.

[mvp 78]

Very snarky "I told you so" type post.

 

That's every post around here.

[a700hitter]

Way to cherry pick just part of his post.

 

Here is the complete post:

Originally Posted by cp176

So let's see - JD Martinez in right field tonight in Fenway Park. According to Cora, who we all love and respect, this one was run through their analytics department and with JBJ being rested this was the best outfield lineup to go with. Imagine that - Let me ask this question - to those of you who still think that JD is just awful in the outfield, do you not like our analytical guys? He ain't the best be he ain't bad either. I think that some of the comments come from those who just want to be disagreeable and cannot deal with maybe being wrong on occasion

 

 

Very snarky "I told you so" type post. Unfortunately for him, he didn't tell me anything.

I thought your post was snarky and inaccurate which is why I pointed out the inaccuracy. I let you slide for the snark. And there is nowhere in that post where he says that JD is a good RFer. That's why I left out the language. Not to cherry pick. it was extraneous to his point which was that the analytics showed the OF alignment with JD in RF was the best. Edited July 10, 2018 by a700hitter

[Bellhorn04]

Fenway's LF is notorious for producing strange UZR numbers, isn't it?