Rafael Devers struggles/triumphs and the future

[Emp9]

He'd be the youngest position player in Salem right now.

 

Is that right? Damn. Kinda puts things in perspective. I’m not really worried about him. Winning makes his (or any other player’s) struggles easier to forgive. Our season started with XB’s hot hitting, to Hanley’s, to Betts’, to Moreland, to JD’s, to Beni’s etc. Just how it is it seems.

[sk7326]

Yeah, he really is a kid.

 

The question is does he need a "mental health break" in Pawtucket. I tend to think no - he just needs to hit another few doubles like yesterday and things will iron themselves out.

[moonslav59]

Devers is still a bit raw.

 

He's a natural hitter who has been wildly successful at every level- levels where he was 2-4 years younger than everyone else.

 

I'm not worried about his bat. He may have some long struggles as he figures out how to adjust, but he's going to be a great hitter. I'm think Vladamir Guerrero great (someday).

 

His defense has been helped by his plus range and athleticism, so I hope he keeps a hold on his weight. I still see him as a first baseman long term, but he's got a couple years to prove himself at 3B.

 

[a700hitter]

Yeah, he really is a kid.

He is, and we are all following his development. Pointing out the areas where he needs improvement isn’t complaining about him. It’s just evaluating his strengths and weaknesses. He is a bad defensive player right now. He has a strong arm. He can make very good plays on balls right at him or to his left. He needs improvement charging slow hit ground balls— very slow reaction time. And I am yet to see a good play on a ball down the line. I have seen more than a couple of olay plays on balls down the line.

[Kimmi]

I think it is the best choice as we really don't have solid options. I don't consider either Holt or Nunez as everyday players there. If Devers doesn't respond by the AS break, then maybe he could be sent down to get his hitting back, but maybe it will come for him before that is necessary.

 

As long as the team is winning, the Sox can afford to keep Devers in the line up to try to 'figure it out'.

[oldtimer]

Devers is still a bit raw.

 

He's a natural hitter who has been wildly successful at every level- levels where he was 2-4 years younger than everyone else.

 

I'm not worried about his bat. He may have some long struggles as he figures out how to adjust, but he's going to be a great hitter. I'm think Vladamir Guerrero great (someday).

 

His defense has been helped by his plus range and athleticism, so I hope he keeps a hold on his weight. I still see him as a first baseman long term, but he's got a couple years to prove himself at 3B.

 

 

I don't see where you get the basis for saying he will be a great hitter. Right now he swings for the fences on every cut. He doesn't seem to know the strike zone and if anything is regressing. Tonight after he fouled off a few he took a fastball well into the strike zone. Maybe he will be a decent hitter some day but also he may not.

[harmony]

He'd be the youngest position player in Salem right now.

To be precise, Rafael Devers would be the youngest hitter on the Salem roster this year:

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/r...gi?id=2f397929

 

... although Salem has pitchers who are younger.

[moonslav59]

I don't see where you get the basis for saying he will be a great hitter. Right now he swings for the fences on every cut. He doesn't seem to know the strike zone and if anything is regressing. Tonight after he fouled off a few he took a fastball well into the strike zone. Maybe he will be a decent hitter some day but also he may not.

 

Just my opinion. I could end up being wrong. It wouldn't be the first time.

 

I don't go by short sample sizes, sohim looking bad recently doesn't worry me too much. He's just a kid. He's 21 and has a career .752 OPS in about 450 PAs.

 

I'm sticking with my projection of greatness, but that doesn't mean this year.

[moonslav59]

To be precise, Rafael Devers would be the youngest hitter on the Salem roster this year...

 

Yes, singla A ball, and people are upset he's not great every month.

[Spudboy]

To be precise, Rafael Devers would be the youngest hitter on the Salem roster this year:

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/r...gi?id=2f397929

 

... although Salem has pitchers who are younger.

 

Gee thanks once again for spending your valuable time researching this vital information and proving someone wrong.

 

Well done.

[harmony]

Gee thanks once again for spending your valuable time researching this vital information and proving someone wrong.

 

Well done.

You're welcome.

 

I welcome corrections to my negligent but infrequent errors.

[a700hitter]

Gee thanks once again for spending your valuable time researching this vital information and proving someone wrong.

 

Well done.

One of the signs of advanced trolling ability is to post something that is imprecise in an immaterial was to see who researches it. It always brings a smile to my face. LOL!

[SoxnCycles]

You're welcome.

 

I welcome corrections to my negligent but infrequent errors.

 

 

LOL That's pretty funny.

[Hugh2]

Ugh, I'm pretty sure a "position player" is referring to one who plays on the field excluding the pitcher so it effectively is one who would hit.

 

Troll he may be, but normally Harmonys posts (or at least what I remember from the boston.com days) were witty and informative, this is just arguing semantics for the sake of arguing semantics.

[harmony]

Ugh, I'm pretty sure a "position player" is referring to one who plays on the field excluding the pitcher so it effectively is one who would hit.

 

Troll he may be, but normally Harmonys posts (or at least what I remember from the boston.com days) were witty and informative, this is just arguing semantics for the sake of arguing semantics.

Thank you for correcting my negligent error. Earlier in the thread I corrected a post that said Rafael Devers was the youngest player at Salem.

 

https://www.talksox.com/forum/threads/18688-Devers-struggles/page9

 

I mistakenly thought the error had been repeated. Mea culpa.

[Maxbialystock]

I don't see where you get the basis for saying he will be a great hitter. Right now he swings for the fences on every cut. He doesn't seem to know the strike zone and if anything is regressing. Tonight after he fouled off a few he took a fastball well into the strike zone. Maybe he will be a decent hitter some day but also he may not.

 

Ahem. You do know, I hope, that the FO and the manager and a plethora of coaches agree with moonslav's assessment. Right now he does indeed look awful, especially last night on the 97 mph K with the bases loaded, but his track record, including at Boston last year, says he is the real deal. He's just, in moonslav's words, raw.

[Slasher9]

Ahem. You do know, I hope, that the FO and the manager and a plethora of coaches agree with moonslav's assessment. Right now he does indeed look awful, especially last night on the 97 mph K with the bases loaded, but his track record, including at Boston last year, says he is the real deal. He's just, in moonslav's words, raw.

I blame Cora

[FredLynn]

I blame Cora

 

I blame Cherington. I have no idea why....he just seems like a convenient target.

[mvp 78]

Ugh, I'm pretty sure a "position player" is referring to one who plays on the field excluding the pitcher so it effectively is one who would hit.

 

Yup.

[vegasbob]

I blame Cherington. I have no idea why....he just seems like a convenient target.

 

Ben C's mistakes under the tutelage and supervision of Larry L. will continue until Castillo, HanRam and the Panda cash their last checks.

[oldtimer]

Ben C's mistakes under the tutelage and supervision of Larry L. will continue until Castillo, HanRam and the Panda cash their last checks.

 

The contract for Castillo was poorly thought out. Some foresight here would have anticipated the situation where he didn't work out as well as they apparently expected. With the luxury tax limits it has would up costing the Sox his salary while burying him in the minor leagues for the whole of his useful baseball life. Bad for the Sox and bad for him. Blame goes to the people who set up that contract.

 

Panda has one more year of salary on the books plus another $5 million the following year which doesn't apply against the luxury tax limit and Rameriz is gone after this year. When you look at the value we got versus the cost to the team, they rank up there with the worst I can imagine.

[Natick to NC]

Devers is my favorite player not for the player he is now but the player He is becoming .....he shocks me every night ...sometimes in a bad way but mostly in a holy s*** he's incredible way .Swihart I believe can also be special but I'm On an island of 1 on that ...kid can run and with more at bats he looks to be getting confident ...I just want Swihart to get at bats lots of them ....he looked very good catching the kid last night . Edited June 8, 2018 by Natick to NC

[Spudboy]

Devers is my favorite player not for the player he is now but the player He is becoming .....he shocks me every night ...sometimes in a bad way but mostly in a holy s*** he's incredible way .Swihart I believe can also be special but I'm alone on that .

 

No you aren't.

[moonslav59]

The contract for Castillo was poorly thought out. Some foresight here would have anticipated the situation where he didn't work out as well as they apparently expected. With the luxury tax limits it has would up costing the Sox his salary while burying him in the minor leagues for the whole of his useful baseball life. Bad for the Sox and bad for him. Blame goes to the people who set up that contract.

 

Panda has one more year of salary on the books plus another $5 million the following year which doesn't apply against the luxury tax limit and Rameriz is gone after this year. When you look at the value we got versus the cost to the team, they rank up there with the worst I can imagine.

 

That was a horrible signing period.

 

The Crawford and Renteria signings were horrid as well.

 

Lugo, Offerman, Masterson...

[Dojji]

Every team has its share of bad signings

[moonslav59]

Every team has its share of bad signings

 

...and teams that sign more free agents have more bad ones (and okay ones and good ones).

[oldtimer]

Every team has its share of bad signings

 

While it is a truism it doesn't excuse stupidity. Yes, some decisions get derailed by injuries or the like and one can excuse that type of bad signing. I am bothered by the ones where the baseball executives haven't thought through the process fully. They haven't identfied the goals for making moves and identify any pitfalls associated with them. You can see that from the messes they have gotten into. Many decisions look like they were generated by a committee and not by a clear thinking baseball man. Many Lucchino was on the committee.

 

I think DD has done well so far with the exception of the Price contract, which I find absurd.

[Sox75]

No you aren't.

 

Can somebody please give me ANY SPECIFIC Minor League stat that portends the slightest possibility of Swi becoming "special?" Or.... Even remotely good as a MLB player?

[devildavid]

That was a horrible signing period.

 

The Crawford and Renteria signings were horrid as well.

 

Lugo, Offerman, Masterson...

 

I don't think the Renteria signing was all that terrible. I don't think he got a fair shake in Boston. He had a tough year fielding but pretty much had a typical season hitting. He was actually a good player who got off to a rough start in a tough town and was treated horribly by the fans. His career shows him to be a durable, reliable performer.

[moonslav59]

I don't think the Renteria signing was all that terrible. I don't think he got a fair shake in Boston. He had a tough year fielding but pretty much had a typical season hitting. He was actually a good player who got off to a rough start in a tough town and was treated horribly by the fans. His career shows him to be a durable, reliable performer.

 

We paid Renteria $40M for 1 year.

 

It was worse than Horrid.