WS Road Games--who makes room for JDM?

[Emp9]

We all know what "power hitting baseball" means in today's context. It means HR's. The Sox have hit all of 9 HR's over 9 games and held their opponents to 10 HR's over those same 9 games including the HR Happy Yankees. Those are not HR stats that blow anybodies dress up. Conversely, the Sox have 79 hits to their opponents 65 and 18 doubles to their opponents 12. Opponents have tallied 40 Walks to the Sox 38. Walks are the only other offensive category besides HR's opponents have to show for their efforts. Oh by the way, runs.......56 for the Sox, 35 for the post season opponents.

 

No matter what blather MLB tries to sell, including its juiced baseball, if fence crashing, wall bashing, parking lot threatening HR's is all your offense can muster you will lose in the post season because good pitching does not just beat good hitting. It pulverizes fence crashing one dimensional baseball. No matter how much MLB tries to bend this game to its wishes and promote HR's as "critical" to outcomes the game is simply designed not to allow that to happen.

 

And...thus it should be because no matter how much silly nonsense they throw at this "power" addiction they have decided is the future of MLB, no matter how many rules they change and how much they encourage the Overload, no matter how many HR Derby's they hold, they simply cannot change what sits right at the core of the game. Everything in baseball starts with a pitch thrown by a Pitcher who is part of a Battery that has a plan that they know and that the Batter does not know and can only guess at. All their silly Machiavellian efforts do is weaken the game's most attractive element, its multi-demensionality. As HR totals and K totals rise all it brings to my mind is a game that will ultimately bore us to tears!!!

 

I like this post. And it’s why the Red Sox have been so good, they’re not one dimensional.

[mediasrojas]

Would not shock me if Cora puts Mookie at 2nd though. Saw him play in the Minors, he's Damn good 2nd Baseman. Real good. He'll have no problem there, like riding a bike. Only reason he's not at 2nd was Pedey was here. They moved him to get him in Line-up. Nobody thought he would be a Gold Glove RF too. That's how talented he is. CF too.

 

And he's a helluva bowler too. 6 tool player in case he needs to roll one over to first like Julian Tavarez.

[mvp 78]

Having Betts at 2b so that Machado can dirty slide into him seems like a great idea.

[Bellhorn04]

Having Betts at 2b so that Machado can dirty slide into him seems like a great idea.

 

Yeah, sad as it is, Machado is a great reason not to do it.

[Maxbialystock]

Further data worth considering.

 

Individual Sox DWAR's this season:

 

Betts 1.8

Leon .9

Bradley .4

Vazquez .2

Kinsler .2

A million guys, mostly pitchers 0

Holt -.1

Pearce -.4

Swihart -.4

Moreland -.5

Benintendi -.6

Devers -.9

Bogaerts -1.0

JD Martinez -1.4

Nunez -1.5

 

Individual Sox OWAR's this season:

 

Betts 8.7

JDM 6.8

Bogaerts 5.6

Benintendi 4.0

JBJ 2.0

Holt 1.6

Pearce 2.4 (I doubled his 1.2, which he earned in 50 games)

Devers 1.2

Moreland .8

Nunez .6

Swihart 0

Kinsler -.1

Vazquez -.4

Leon -.9

 

Overall WAR

 

Betts 10.9

JDM 6.4

Beni 3.9

Bogie 3.8

JBJ 2.1

Holt 1.3

Moreland .9

Pearce .6 (.3 doubled)

Kinsler .1

Devers 0

Swihart -.3

Leon -.5

Vazquez -.8

Nunez -1.1

 

 

The overall WAR's are the most suggestive. Of the top 5, 4 are outfielders, which argues for moving Mookie to 2B. But the WAR's also suggest maybe Holt should be at 3B instead of Devers. Also, the strong need for 3 catchers to make it easier to pinch hit for Vazuez/Leon.

[moonslav59]

But the WAR's also suggest maybe Holt should be at 3B instead of Devers.

 

Holt's career UZR/150 at 3B is pretty bad (-9.7). Devers is a little better at -7.2.

 

I can see, if a lefty is pitching, since Holt actually hits lefties slightly better than righties, but I'd start Devers every game in the WS.

[oldtimer]

Further data worth considering.

 

Individual Sox DWAR's this season:

 

Betts 1.8

Leon .9

Bradley .4

Vazquez .2

Kinsler .2

A million guys, mostly pitchers 0

Holt -.1

Pearce -.4

Swihart -.4

Moreland -.5

Benintendi -.6

Devers -.9

Bogaerts -1.0

JD Martinez -1.4

Nunez -1.5

 

Individual Sox OWAR's this season:

 

Betts 8.7

JDM 6.8

Bogaerts 5.6

Benintendi 4.0

JBJ 2.0

Holt 1.6

Pearce 2.4 (I doubled his 1.2, which he earned in 50 games)

Devers 1.2

Moreland .8

Nunez .6

Swihart 0

Kinsler -.1

Vazquez -.4

Leon -.9

 

Overall WAR

 

Betts 10.9

JDM 6.4

Beni 3.9

Bogie 3.8

JBJ 2.1

Holt 1.3

Moreland .9

Pearce .6 (.3 doubled)

Kinsler .1

Devers 0

Swihart -.3

Leon -.5

Vazquez -.8

Nunez -1.1

 

 

The overall WAR's are the most suggestive. Of the top 5, 4 are outfielders, which argues for moving Mookie to 2B. But the WAR's also suggest maybe Holt should be at 3B instead of Devers. Also, the strong need for 3 catchers to make it easier to pinch hit for Vazuez/Leon.

 

These numbers are based on season long statistics. Performance does change over an entire season due to many reasons. One could argue that Devers performance is on the upswing whereas Kinslers is on the downturn. Good reason to use a holistic approach to determine lineups.

[jung]

If Cora ever thought seriously about Mookie at 2nd, he had a zillion opportunities to put him there during the season and actually get him in game MLB experience again or I should qualify that as the most in game MLB experience at 2nd of his career. Cora didn't do that which leads me to believe he will not test the fates now. I would also suggest and have suggested that if he did put Mookie there now, it would be under conditions of extreme duress in the WS, as in lost both games here and maybe even the 1st game in LA. Its a panic move and Cora has resisted panic in this post season. In fact, he has been a rock as to his lineups and his team has been a rock on the field. The Sox force other teams to panic moves or to change aspects of their game that they probably should not try to change.

[Slasher9]

dWar can suck a D

[notin]

Did you happen to see the interview the day after he kicked Aguilar in the ankle? He was asked specifically about the incident and he shrugged it off and said he'd do anything he could to help his team win.

 

What better way to help his team win than to put Mookie out of commission? He's already done it to Pedey, Hell, this would be a two-fer for him!

 

You trust him a lot more than I do.

 

I don’t trust him. I just hoped his greed exceeded his *******ry...

[dgalehouse]

Cora will make his lineup decision based on what he thinks gives the team the best chance to win. No panic moves. I doubt that concern about Machado will enter into it at all.

[notin]

And he's a helluva bowler too. 6 tool player in case he needs to roll one over to first like Julian Tavarez.

 

Or John Burkett, who was an outstanding bowler, probably a better bowler than pitcher. At one point, I remember reading he had 17 sanctioned perfect games (as a bowler, not a pitcher), and that was 15 years ago so he has probably added to that total since...

[SoxnCycles]

Cora will make his lineup decision based on what he thinks gives the team the best chance to win. No panic moves. I doubt that concern about Machado will enter into it at all.

 

Cora can put Betts in the bullpen and it will probably work to the Sox advantage.

However he works JD into the lineup is ok with me.

[notin]

I would imagine of the Sox are up 2 games to zero, he wuld just bench Bradley. But if this series is 1-1, he might get creative in LA, especially if the Sox drop game 3...

[OH FOY]

I reset my thinking, if we go up 2-0, I think we go same ole, same ole, and Cora elects for Defense. JBJ sits 2, and Benni 1. If we were down 2, he would go Offense with Mookie at 2nd. Split he goes Defense too. Mookie in Outfield. JBJ wont be missing much time if we get leads, and especially big leads.

You can debate it anyway we want but JD plays, and somebody we like sits.

Good point after game 3, that's where you rethink things.

Edited October 24, 2018 by OH FOY!

[moonslav59]

I don't think the game win totals will make any difference in Cora's everyday player choices- only the pitchers.

 

He's going to go with the hitters/fielders he thinks gives us the best chance at winning that game.

[notin]

I don't think the game win totals will make any difference in Cora's everyday player choices- only the pitchers.

 

He's going to go with the hitters/fielders he thinks gives us the best chance at winning that game.

 

Certainly possible. But I think as long as the series is in his favor, he's going to do what has worked all year...

[jung]

Certainly possible. But I think as long as the series is in his favor, he's going to do what has worked all year...

 

I do expect Cora to use the double switch to his advantage which should drive the NL donkeys and their double switch nonsense nuts in the face of what is really happening in the NL.

 

So I would not be surprised to see Mookie come into the infield from CF a middle inning or two and moved back out to RF with JBJ going to CF and JD going to the bench late in LA. But I think that is about as creative as Cora will get with his lineups especially if he is up 2-0 in games or even 1-1 in games. Beuhler going in game 3 probably means Holt plays 2nd to start game 3 with Kinsler eventually in at 2nd late for Defense.

 

Won't that drive the LA fans nuts if it happens that way? Roberts is switching guys in from the 2nd inning on or at least he has in NL parks in those series, gets out-double switched by Cora in the WS.

[notin]

I do expect Cora to use the double switch to his advantage which should drive the NL donkeys and their double switch nonsense nuts in the face of what is really happening in the NL.

 

So I would not be surprised to see Mookie come into the infield from CF a middle inning or two and moved back out to RF with JBJ going to CF and JD going to the bench late in LA. But I think that is about as creative as Cora will get with his lineups especially if he is up 2-0 in games or even 1-1 in games. Beuhler going in game 3 probably means Holt plays 2nd to start game 3 with Kinsler eventually in at 2nd late for Defense.

 

Won't that drive the LA fans nuts if it happens that way? Roberts is switching guys in from the 2nd inning on or at least he has in NL parks in those series, gets out-double switched by Cora in the WS.

 

That seems like a lot of potential overmanaging for no real reason, depending on the situation.

[jung]

That seems like a lot of potential overmanaging for no real reason, depending on the situation.

 

The reason will be getting as much out of JD's bat as they can without exposing him defensively with a slim lead late in a game in LA. We don't know what kind of shape that ankle is in either. That is all of two double switches during pitching changes.

 

My God, Roberts is double switching himself senseless in NL parks. It would surely not be that.

[Maxbialystock]

Well, here we are. 2 days before Cora has to decide who plays and who sits in game 3 of the WS and game 1 in LA.

 

And it's a tough decision because he must play his best hitter in the OF and the OF already has 3 very good ones who are also key parts of the lineup. I think Beni or JBJ sits and not Kinsler because Mookie is so great in the outfield.

[moonslav59]

Certainly possible. But I think as long as the series is in his favor, he's going to do what has worked all year...

 

When were playing in NL parks earlier this year, JBJ was not coming off a 9 RBI stretch like he is now.

 

Beni & JBJ have been big parts of our line-up, and JBJ has been a much better hitter since the middle of May.

 

If Kinsler didn't look totally lost at the plate, I might think otherwise.

[dgalehouse]

It goes without saying that you play to win every night. To me , the most obvious move is to put Martinez in right, Mookie in center , and sit JBJ. With a late lead , JBJ goes to center , Mookie to right , and J.D. comes out. But I trust Cora's judgement on this. He has managed brilliantly so far.

[mvp 78]

When were playing in NL parks earlier this year, JBJ was not coming off a 9 RBI stretch like he is now.

 

Beni & JBJ have been big parts of our line-up, and JBJ has been a much better hitter since the middle of May.

 

If Kinsler didn't look totally lost at the plate, I might think otherwise.

 

RBI's are a worthwhile stat now?

 

He is only hitting .161 this postseason. It's not like he's turned into Jimmie Foxx.

 

Right now, it seems like his ALCS MVP award is attributable more towards baseball being lol random than him just mashing the ball right now.

[Bellhorn04]

RBI's are a worthwhile stat now?

 

He is only hitting .161 this postseason. It's not like he's turned into Jimmie Foxx.

 

Right now, it seems like his ALCS MVP award is attributable more towards baseball being lol random than him just mashing the ball right now.

 

RBI and BA are both the wrong stats. Right?

 

He's hitting 161/333/419 for a 753 OPS.

 

His BABip is 143.

[mvp 78]

RBI and BA are both the wrong stats. Right?

 

He's hitting 161/333/419 for a 753 OPS.

 

His BABip is 143.

 

That was kind of my point in posting his batting average. I wanted moon to just come up with a better argument for keeping him in the lineup.

[Kimmi]

But the plan was the same. J.D. in right , Mookie at second. Why was it crazy a couple of months ago , but a good idea now ? Especially since we now have a very good second baseman .

 

Personally, I would not do it unless we get to that 'dire' stage. So no, I don't really think it's much better of an idea now than it was a couple of months ago. I just said that if it came to it, I think Mookie would be ready, and that you sometimes have to do things in the postseason that you wouldn't do in the regular season.

 

If, by chance, we lose the next 3 games, then it might be a good idea to start Mookie at 2B.

[Kimmi]

Okay. I'm just having a problem with the logic here. I have no problem being for or against the idea. But be consistent. What I'm getting is that when dustcover suggested it a couple of months ago , it was shot down as crazy. A terrible idea. ( By the way , a possible injury wasn't much mentioned as a reason) Now it's like ; " here's a better idea, let's wait until the World Series and then we'll try it. " It seems that once Cora said he was considering the move , people changed their minds.

 

What might be a crazy idea in the regular season can be a good idea in the postseason. The postseason is a completely different animal.

 

For instance, having Eovaldi and Porcello regularly pitch the 8th inning of regular season games would probably be shot down as crazy. Having them do it in the postseason is not the least bit crazy.

 

It's not a matter of people changing their minds or being inconsistent. It's a matter of it being two entirely different situations.

[Kimmi]

Well, here we are. 2 days before Cora has to decide who plays and who sits in game 3 of the WS and game 1 in LA.

 

And it's a tough decision because he must play his best hitter in the OF and the OF already has 3 very good ones who are also key parts of the lineup. I think Beni or JBJ sits and not Kinsler because Mookie is so great in the outfield.

 

My guess, along with most people's, is still that Jackie sits 2 games and Beni sits one.

[dgalehouse]

What might be a crazy idea in the regular season can be a good idea in the postseason. The postseason is a completely different animal.

 

For instance, having Eovaldi and Porcello regularly pitch the 8th inning of regular season games would probably be shot down as crazy. Having them do it in the postseason is not the least bit crazy.

 

It's not a matter of people changing their minds or being inconsistent. It's a matter of it being two entirely different situations.

 

Using starting pitchers in the bullpen is fairly common in the postseason. Putting your gold glove outfielder at second base is very different. It is a very bold and unconventional move. If it was crazy before, I don't see why it is a good idea now. Of course , it could work. So , whatever.