The Rafael Devers Performance Thread

[YastrzemskI]

This kid is really something! The Red Sox better lock this kid up long term. I don’t even want to imagine this team without him. Hitting for power and average and he is flippin’ 22 years old!

[Kimmi]

I wouldn't go signing him to any long term deals just yet, but Devers has been a breath of fresh air this season. By all accounts, he worked extremely hard in the offseason and continues to work extremely hard, taking tutelage from the likes of Bogaerts and JD.

 

It's nice to see his hard work paying off, both offensively and defensively.

[dgalehouse]

Looking more and more like a superstar.

[Kimmi]

And since Xander doesn't have his own performance thread, a shout out to him too.

 

I have gained a lot of respect for Xander this year, for many reasons.

[notin]

No love for Vazquez with a performance thread?

[jung]

No love for Vazquez with a performance thread?

 

I think Vaz does have one someplace...full of negativity and various and sundry crap. Nobody wants to see that thread brought back to the top of the list I imagine.

[Kimmi]

No love for Vazquez with a performance thread?

 

Vaz knows I love him. He doesn't need his own thread.

[notin]

Vaz knows I love him. He doesn't need his own thread.

 

Well if you love Vazquez, maybe Slasher needs his own thread...

[moonslav59]

Doesn't Vaz have his own thread somewhere?

[Kimmi]

Well if you love Vazquez, maybe Slasher needs his own thread...

 

Ha. I'm all for giving Slasher his own thread, but he knows I love him too. There's plenty of love to go around.

[Kimmi]

Doesn't Vaz have his own thread somewhere?

 

He does, but it's not very flattering.

[southpaw777]

No love for Vazquez with a performance thread?

 

I got tons of love for my boy Vaz. Been singing his song since AA and now after the TJS and hand issue last year we are seeing the AS catcher he truly is. on BOTH sides of the game. Ill be honest, I didn't expect the bat to be this good this quick. He deserves to be in the ASG this year. No doubt

[YastrzemskI]

It’s fun to compare Bryce Harper’s stats to Rafi’s this season. Rafi’s BA is .80 higher than that of a player with a 330 million dollar contract. I do not expect much of a drop off from Devers this year. He is hitting breaking pitches, fastballs, cutters... you name it. He’s handling off speed stuff like a 10 year vet right now.

[Bellhorn04]

He's as hot as the hinges of Hades.

[YastrzemskI]

He's as hot as the hinges of Hades.

 

Any hotter and his teeth would be melting. Got on base in 4 out of 5 plate appearances last night.. including an early jack to give the SOX the lead.

The productive performance extended his hitting streak to eight games, during which he has batted .529 (18-for-34) with 11 runs batted in.

He is currently .331/.382/.554 on the season with 15 home runs, 59 RBI and 66 runs scored.

[Station 13]

Devers has more hits this year than last year already. Though he was out 1/3 of last year.

[Bellhorn04]

He's leading the AL in total bases.

[Station 13]

He's has a huge power split away vs home; 13/3 in HR.

[jung]

He's has a huge power split away vs home; 13/3 in HR.

 

I suspect that might even out some given there are number of home games left, particularly since MLB pitchers are now incapable of doing what any even middling MLB pitcher would have done with Rafi all the way up through the 1990's and even early 2,000's. They would have prevented him from setting up with his back foot almost on home plate and diving across with his front side as his first move to the ball.

 

As Pedro said years and years ago, MLB pitchers no longer have the talent or the skill set or even the understanding of pitching to pitch inside with a purpose and keep a hitter like Rafi from owning the whole plate and then some. The mean average pitcher pitching in MLB now is simply not good enough. Often they are not even AAA quality.

 

Rafi would be getting dumped on his butt at least once a game and in some cases with some pitchers more than once an AB! Want to dive across like that...fine. Maybe I will buzz you again and maybe I won't. Hitter's natural reaction to that is to resist it but you automatically flinch at stuff inside when you are getting dumped on your butt. There is no real way to avoid it and its not about courage or toughness.

Edited July 6, 2019 by jung

[moonslav59]

I think we can all agree. He's...

 

Rafael Freakin' Devers!

 

[devildavid]

This is the same Devers that was practically being written off earlier in the season. That is why patience is a key baseball virtue.

[moonslav59]

This is the same Devers that was practically being written off earlier in the season. That is why patience is a key baseball virtue.

 

Yes! Someone even said he should be sent down to AAA to work on his swing and defensive footwork. Others wanted him traded.

 

You never hear from those guys anymore, except when they say the same things about their next punching bag.

[Bellhorn04]

Yes! Someone even said he should be sent down to AAA to work on his swing and defensive footwork. Others wanted him traded.

 

You never hear from those guys anymore, except when they say the same things about their next punching bag.

 

Yeah, like Benintendi.

[moonslav59]

Yeah, like Benintendi.

 

Maybe Beni will now go on a white hot hitting streak!

[TylerD]

He's leading the AL in total bases.

 

He’s ridiculous good!! This has been an incredible year for him. If not for him and Xander the offense wouldn’t be anywhere close to what it is.

[moonslav59]

AL Leaders:

 

wRC+

184 Trout

151 Santana

148 Bregman

144 Devers

139 Voit, Vogelbach & Brantley

138 LeMahieu & Dozier

137 Bogey

135 Moncada

134 Chapman

133 JD Martinez

 

27th Betts at 121

 

Since May 1st:

187 Trout

162 Devers

160 Santana

152 Torres

151 LeMahieu

150 Bregman

148 Bogey

145 Ohtani

137 Brantley & Voit

134 JD Martinez

132 JBJ

132 Vazquez

 

Can you believe Vaz & JBJ in the top 13 in a pretty significant sample size of 2+ months!

Edited July 6, 2019 by moonslav59

[TylerD]

AL Leaders:

 

wRC+

184 Trout

151 Santana

148 Bregman

144 Devers

139 Voit, Vogelbach & Brantley

138 LeMahieu & Dozier

137 Bogey

135 Moncada

134 Chapman

133 JD Martinez

 

27th Betts at 121

 

Since May 1st:

187 Trout

162 Devers

160 Santana

152 Torres

151 LeMahieu

150 Bregman

148 Bogey

145 Ohtani

137 Brantley & Voit

134 JD Martinez

132 JBJ

132 Vazquez

 

Can you believe Vaz & JBJ in the top 13 in a pretty significant sample size of 2+ months!

Could You imagine if our other stars on the team were performing like they should. We would be competing for the division.

[moonslav59]

Could You imagine if our other stars on the team were performing like they should. We would be competing for the division.

 

Betts would make 6 in the top 14!

 

I assume you are talking mostly about our pitchers.

[Nick]

AL Leaders:

 

wRC+

184 Trout

151 Santana

148 Bregman

144 Devers

139 Voit, Vogelbach & Brantley

138 LeMahieu & Dozier

137 Bogey

135 Moncada

134 Chapman

133 JD Martinez

 

27th Betts at 121

 

Since May 1st:

187 Trout

162 Devers

160 Santana

152 Torres

151 LeMahieu

150 Bregman

148 Bogey

145 Ohtani

137 Brantley & Voit

134 JD Martinez

132 JBJ

132 Vazquez

 

Can you believe Vaz & JBJ in the top 13 in a pretty significant sample size of 2+ months!

 

And Vaz isn't even our best catcher.

[jacksonianmarch]

Devers is becoming the hitter everyone thought he would be. It was weird because he sucked in April. Then it just looked like a light came on and bang, he was dominant. He's got the kind of oppo power as a lefty that you don't see very often. You rarely see lefties drive the ball down the line in LF. You usually see oppo shots to LCF for lefties. His power is impressive and will only improve. While Beni has seemed to fade, Devers is coming out and I fully expect him to be a big pain in the ass for the next 4 seasons after this one. Instead of Betts, the sox might want to sit down with Devers and pull out an Acuna deal. Devers has one more year of pre-arb remaining then he will start to get expensive. Arbitration only takes into account the last 2 years of performance, so the first year they're gonna count is this one.