The annual Jackie Bradley Jr thread (2019 Edition)

[a700hitter]

We already saw Wily Mo play RF at Fenway, so the sequel of Chavis playing RF at Fenway may not be so bad.

I think Wily Mo came up as a CFer for the Reds.

[moonslav59]

So bench Betts?

 

If your plan was to move Betts to CF and Chavis in RF, is that really better than having Benintendi in CF and Betts in RF?

 

I'd rather have Chavis in LF, Beni in CF and Betts staying put in RF.

 

Just tell Chavis he will be DFA'd if he collides with the wall.

[mvp 78]

So bench Betts?

 

If your plan was to move Betts to CF and Chavis in RF, is that really better than having Benintendi in CF and Betts in RF?

 

It wasn't MY plan. It was what Slasher suggested.

[mvp 78]

I think Wily Mo came up as a CFer for the Reds.

 

That makes sense then. If he struggled with the ball in RF it was just because it was a different angle off the bat!

[mvp 78]

I'd rather have Chavis in LF, Beni in CF and Betts staying put in RF.

 

Just tell Chavis he will be DFA'd if he collides with the wall.

 

I'd rather have Chavis DH. He doesn't play OF for me.

[moonslav59]

I'd rather have Chavis DH. He doesn't play OF for me.

 

JD is probably a slightly better OF defensively, but risking an injury tips the balance, for me.

[sk7326]

I'd rather have Chavis DH. He doesn't play OF for me.

 

With both Martinez and Chavis in the lineup, someone has to portray a potted plan out there ... probably it is some sort of DH/1B/LF combination, alternating with Pearce when appropriate.

[mvp 78]

With both Martinez and Chavis in the lineup, someone has to portray a potted plan out there ... probably it is some sort of DH/1B/LF combination, alternating with Pearce when appropriate.

 

I'd rather Martinez be given a glove than Chavis. Too much can go wrong with Chavis out there.

[mvp 78]

JD is probably a slightly better OF defensively, but risking an injury tips the balance, for me.

 

If you're worried about an injury risk, why not DH Betts then?

[moonslav59]

If you're worried about an injury risk, why not DH Betts then?

 

Betts is an elite athlete. JD looks like a deer in the headlights out in the OF. Plus, Fenway's RF is spacious. There are no nooks and crannies to mess you up or a big wall to crash into.

 

We need JD 100% healthy.

 

It's not a clear choice, and I'm not super scared of an injury, but I think the injury risk tips the balance slightly in Chavis in the OF's favor.

 

JD already will play the OF enough due to games in NL parks.

[Slasher9]

If you're worried about an injury risk, why not DH Betts then?

 

dWAR!

[mvp 78]

Betts is an elite athlete. JD looks like a deer in the headlights out in the OF. Plus, Fenway's RF is spacious. There are no nooks and crannies to mess you up or a big wall to crash into.

 

We need JD 100% healthy.

 

It's not a clear choice, and I'm not super scared of an injury, but I think the injury risk tips the balance slightly in Chavis in the OF's favor.

 

JD already will play the OF enough due to games in NL parks.

 

I know that JD can play LF competently. Chavis probably can't. I go with JD every day.

[jung]

If Beni is a lousy CFer, why does he play CF over Mookie when JBJ sits?

 

Because JD is a worse choice for RF in Fenway than Beni is as a CFer there. You really don't want to see JD in Fenway RF. So you put JD in LF, move Beni to CF and keep Mookie in RF. Too much ground to cover and the optical illusion created by the wall bowing out in RF. It both creates all that acreage out there and the RFer expects that the distance from Home Plate is increasing as he moves from RF to RCer field when in fact just the opposite is happening. That is why so many RFer's in Fenway bash into the wall with their shoulders or can sometimes go ass over tea kettle out of the park entirely ala' Torii Hunter. Plus plays moving toward RF foul ground in Fenway are hideous for the RFer. They have disaster written all over them unless the fielder is extremely agile.

 

LF in Fenway is dangerous as well. But it is by far the most manageable of the three OF positions though none of them are actually easy and all of them are physically dangerous as hell.

 

Mookie has played CF for the Sox and has done some this year. He is best used there away from Fenway though he does have a tendency to play too deep in CF.

Edited May 10, 2019 by jung

[Maxbialystock]

I'd rather have Chavis in LF, Beni in CF and Betts staying put in RF.

 

Just tell Chavis he will be DFA'd if he collides with the wall.

 

I think the tendency for all new leftfielders at Fenway is to treat the wall as the edge of the earth or an electric fence of something. Without exception, none of them will go near it.

 

If it's necessary to give Pedey another shot, I agree LF is the spot for Chavis and CF for Beni.

[Bellhorn04]

I think the tendency for all new leftfielders at Fenway is to treat the wall as the edge of the earth or an electric fence of something. Without exception, none of them will go near it.

 

That's well put, especially 'electric fence'.

[Maxbialystock]

I'd rather have Chavis DH. He doesn't play OF for me.

 

This is not an irrational thought. I personally think any competent infielder should be able to play the OF, but we've already seen at least one humoungous failure. I don't think that would happen to Chavis, but it could. JDM can play LF in the tradition of other so-so fielding leftfielders for the Sox like #9.

[cp176]

How many wins did the Sox have last year? Did that not exceed anyone's expectations?

 

lol - You think that I wasn't impressed with the win total? Regardless, I still expected them to win. I'm very happy for Cora but for me it certainly doesn't make him a better manager than Dick Williams was in '67. I do like the concept of using wins and championships to determine who your best players and managers are though of course - It clearly confirms what I have always known that Bill Russell continues to be the greatest bb player of all time and Red of course the greatest coach.

[mvp 78]

This is not an irrational thought. I personally think any competent infielder should be able to play the OF, but we've already seen at least one humoungous failure. I don't think that would happen to Chavis, but it could. JDM can play LF in the tradition of other so-so fielding leftfielders for the Sox like #9.

 

That’s all I’m saying. JD likes playing OF too.

[cp176]

This could be the night to get Jackie going!!!

[a700hitter]

That makes sense then. If he struggled with the ball in RF it was just because it was a different angle off the bat!

He was the biggest CFer that I have ever seen.

[OH FOY]

I like what Cora is doing by trying Chavis in the Outfielder. I think its not about trying to replace JBJ, but light a fire under his ass, in his at bats.

Listen, not looking to turn it around and become Trout, but might make JBJ just get quality at bats. That's all we need we from JBJ, Quality. Less on the K's, work the Pitchers, just solid contact, and do what we need him to do the most, keep the line moving, to get to the better hitters.

Been watching baseball since Mays, I cannot remember a CF playing a full season, as a Starter hitting under .200. Never mind under .150. Only one I could remember, was Paul Blair. You use these kind of players as Defensive replacements late in the game, where you need to save runs. Not at beginning, where you need to score runs.

Competition forces people to make adjustments. If Travis Shaw can play 2nd base, I see no reason why Chavis cannot be giving a chance in LF.

Edited May 11, 2019 by OH FOY!

[devildavid]

Have patience with Jackie.

[illinoisredsox]

I like what Cora is doing by trying Chavis in the Outfielder. I think its not about trying to replace JBJ, but light a fire under his ass, in his at bats.

Listen, not looking to turn it around and become Trout, but might make JBJ just get quality at bats. That's all we need we from JBJ, Quality. Less on the K's, work the Pitchers, just solid contact, and do what we need him to do the most, keep the line moving, to get to the better hitters.

Been watching baseball since Mays, I cannot remember a CF playing a full season, as a Starter hitting under .200. Never mind under .150. Only one I could remember, was Paul Blair. You use these kind of players as Defensive replacements late in the game, where you need to save runs. Not at beginning, where you need to score runs.

Competition forces people to make adjustments. If Travis Shaw can play 2nd base, I see no reason why Chavis cannot be giving a chance in LF.

 

I do remember George Scott hitting something like .175 one year; I want to say it was 1968.

[Bellhorn04]

I do remember George Scott hitting something like .175 one year; I want to say it was 1968.

 

Yes, in 1968 Boomer put up 171/236/237 for an 2019 JBJ'esque OPS of 473.

 

It was the Year of the Pitcher, of course.

[illinoisredsox]

I

Yes, in 1968 Boomer put up 171/236/237 for an 2019 JBJ'esque OPS of 473.

 

It was the Year of the Pitcher, of course.

 

Thanks, knew it was something like that.

 

For the youngsters, examples from the Year of the Pitcher:

 

Yaz won the AL batting title with a .301 average. The second place guy hit .290.

 

Denny McLain won 31 games for the Tigers.

 

Bob Gibson went 22-9 with a 1.12 ERA for the Cardinals. I’ve still never figured out how he lost 9 games that year.

 

The All-Star game was 1-0on an unearned run.

 

They lowered the mound from 15 inches to inches after that season and offense went up quite a bit in 1969.

[redsoxrules]

Have patience with Jackie.

 

How much more patience do we need? It's been about 7 years already.

 

The thing with Bradley if he continues to hit like this he will be useless in a few years as his speed will decline and with that his defense will take a hit too

[DontCallMeUncleRico]

Have patience with Jackie.

 

Why?

[Jasonbay44]

How much more patience do we need? It's been about 7 years already.

 

The thing with Bradley if he continues to hit like this he will be useless in a few years as his speed will decline and with that his defense will take a hit too

JBJ has not been this bad for 7 years. Some of these comments are incredibly stupid.

[DontCallMeUncleRico]

JBJ has not been this bad for 7 years. Some of these comments are incredibly stupid.

 

JBJ family and friends posting on here.

[Jasonbay44]

You guys are right. JBJ hits .140 every year with a negative WAR. He’s been doing it for 7 years!