A Realistic View at 2021: Part III

[Elktonnick]

I might feel different about Duran if he was 22. But he’s almost 25.

 

I’ve never been all that impressed. His A ball success was carried heavily by his BABIP. Now his speed can certainly raise his BABIP, but in high A ball, it was .480. FOUR EIGHTY. I really need someone to invent capital numbers so I can emphasize that better. He flopped in limited AA time and his AAA numbers appear to have been inflated by a park that made Marcus Wilson look like a slugger. And Wilson was released.

 

If Duran’s career is a 4th outfielder, nothing wrong with that. Good on him for being one of the select few capable of making an MLB roster. But if he has any appeal with GMs who (for reasons I just don’t see) value his skill set, send him off for a useful piece and fill the 4th outfielder role another way. It’s not a role that deserves any priority…

I am with you on this one . Duran is trade bait. There are better prospects over the horizon.

[notin]

I am with you on this one . Duran is trade bait. There are better prospects over the horizon.

 

And better outfielders on the roster.

 

The biggest factor in Duran’s favor is the Sox don’t have much outfield talent between MLB and A ball. They have Jeisson Rosario, who is a good hit/no hit type, and Franchy Cordero, who has power, speed, can’t field and too much swing and miss aka the exact description of Duran. But Cordero is two years older so he’s washed up, but the younger Duran apparently needs more time?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

And better outfielders on the roster.

 

The biggest factor in Duran’s favor is the Sox don’t have much outfield talent between MLB and A ball. They have Jeisson Rosario, who is a good hit/no hit type, and Franchy Cordero, who has power, speed, can’t field and too much swing and miss aka the exact description of Duran. But Cordero is two years older so he’s washed up, but the younger Duran apparently needs more time?

 

Duran has been in the big leagues about a month. It is quite possible he'll make adjustments and maybe improve -- like holding his bat higher so he could catch up to the Rays' habitual heaters that resulted in last night's game-winning hit. Cordero has had longer parts of many MLB seasons where he has proven over and over he is not a major leaguer.

[mvp 78]

I am with you on this one . Duran is trade bait. There are better prospects over the horizon.

 

The only problem is that none of those prospects on the horizon are OFers, unless you're talking about Salem and lower.

[notin]

Duran has been in the big leagues about a month. It is quite possible he'll make adjustments and maybe improve -- like holding his bat higher so he could catch up to the Rays' habitual heaters that resulted in last night's game-winning hit. Cordero has had longer parts of many MLB seasons where he has proven over and over he is not a major leaguer.

 

 

Longer parts? Cordero has 86 more PAs in the last 3 years than Duran has in the last six weeks.

[mvp 78]

And better outfielders on the roster.

 

The biggest factor in Duran’s favor is the Sox don’t have much outfield talent between MLB and A ball. They have Jeisson Rosario, who is a good hit/no hit type, and Franchy Cordero, who has power, speed, can’t field and too much swing and miss aka the exact description of Duran. But Cordero is two years older so he’s washed up, but the younger Duran apparently needs more time?

 

In terms of Duran's swing, he drastically changed his mechanics in 2020. I think he still needs to refine his approach a bit which would help tremendously.

 

Maybe Cordero can bounce back, but his issues are largely from missing so much time due to injury. He lost a lot refinement along the way. I'm unsure if he can get it back.

[Elktonnick]

The only problem is that none of those prospects on the horizon are OFers, unless you're talking about Salem and lower.

Remember Duran was signed as an infielder. He is a converted outfielder. To date his outfield play has been adequate but certainly not stellar.

[notin]

Duran does have a better last name and cool tattoos though. You could put his face on a Teen Beat magazine.

 

Or maybe give him a supporting role in an Air Bud baseball movie. Maybe one when Air Bud’s puppies are on the verge of reaching MLB - “Air Bud XXVII - Diamonds in the Ruff”

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Longer parts? Cordero has 86 more PAs in the last 3 years than Duran has in the last six weeks.

 

The point is the years; Franchy has played in the majors for the past half decade. He still can't play offense or defense good enough to stick. The guy can't be washed up if he never got dirty. Cordero is the opposite of career minor leaguers who finally make the big leagues after lifetimes in the bushes. Franchy is the anti-Crash Davis, Yermin Mercedes... Jack Lopez! When Cordero runs out of potential, someone will ultimately say, "He finally got his chance to not be in The Show."

[oldtimer]

The Sox might want to hold on to Casas. Duran really has no place. He has power, speed, no glove and too much swing and miss in his game. He strikes me as the Second Coming of Dwayne Hosey. Except that Hosey was actually a better hitter...

 

Where do you get the backup for him having no glove, hearsay? He has had 47 chances in CF and made 46 of those with 0 errors. He only played in LF once and made plays which came his way, without an error. Does that sound like no glove?

[mvp 78]

Remember Duran was signed as an infielder. He is a converted outfielder. To date his outfield play has been adequate but certainly not stellar.

 

He started playing OF in Lowell, I think. It's not like the conversion was last year.

[notin]

The point is the years; Franchy has played in the majors for the past half decade. He still can't play offense or defense good enough to stick. The guy can't be washed up if he never got dirty. Cordero is the opposite of career minor leaguers who finally make the big leagues after lifetimes in the bushes. Franchy is the anti-Crash Davis, Yermin Mercedes... Jack Lopez! When Cordero runs out of potential, someone will ultimately say, "He finally got his chance to not be in The Show."

 

He’s been injured a lot - not a good trait, but it’s not the same as simply proving he can’t play. He has had brief successes and failures. 2021 has not been his only season. It is his only one in the past 4 years with an OPS+ below 95.

 

When Cordero was 23, he had an OPS+ of 105 in 154 PA - his career high in PA. At 24, Duran has an OPS+ of 53 -roughly half - in 112 PA.

 

I think I’d like Duran better but his MiLB track record appears tainted and he’s not much of a fielder. I know he’s a converted infielder, but he’s closer to Donnie Sadler than Mookie Betts in that regard. He’s in MLB now and in a pennant race and he cannot hit or field…

[Elktonnick]

He started playing OF in Lowell, I think. It's not like the conversion was last year.

The point is that he is not an outstanding outfielder

[mvp 78]

Or maybe give him a supporting role in an Air Bud baseball movie. Maybe one when Air Bud’s puppies are on the verge of reaching MLB - “Air Bud XXVII - Diamonds in the Ruff”

 

Well, Air Bud's puppies (in cannon) were almost adult age when puppy napped (for the second time, they were originally puppy napped in World Pup) in Seventh Inning Fetch. Seeing that Buddy appeared for the Angels in the WS at the end of this movie, I think it's a stretch that the puppies would finally be making MLB after Spikes Back. It's known that each puppy was raised to be separately and each uniquely trained for a different sport. I can't imagine that they would all be trying to get to MLB. I could imagine Duran popping up as Josh and Andrea's long lost relative, but it's not something you typically see in an Air Bud joint.

[mvp 78]

The point is that he is not an outstanding outfielder

 

If he was an adequate MIF, they would have left him there.

[notin]

Well, Air Bud's puppies (in cannon) were almost adult age when puppy napped (for the second time, they were originally puppy napped in World Pup) in Seventh Inning Fetch. Seeing that Buddy appeared for the Angels in the WS at the end of this movie, I think it's a stretch that the puppies would finally be making MLB after Spikes Back. It's known that each puppy was raised to be separately and each uniquely trained for a different sport. I can't imagine that they would all be trying to get to MLB. I could imagine Duran popping up as Josh and Andrea's long lost relative, but it's not something you typically see in an Air Bud joint.

 

You know way too much about these movies. All I know is they often have bad pun names…

[Bellhorn04]

You know way too much about these movies. All I know is they often have bad pun names…

 

C'mon man, Seventh Inning Fetch is pure poetry.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

He’s in MLB now and in a pennant race and he cannot hit or field…

 

At bat, Duran has obviously been overmatched in his first month in Boston. But I've seen progress in just the past week, when he made two adjustments in his batting stance that resulted in MLB hits: one with a split grip to go the other way, and last night raising his hands to pull the game-winner.

 

As for D, I just haven't seen the part where Duran "cannot" field. In contrast, Cordero looked incompetent at times this year trying to catch fly balls or pop-ups in both the outfield and at first base.

[Elktonnick]

If he was an adequate MIF, they would have left him there.

So you agree that his defensive ability is questionable. Of all the players who have played centerfield for Boston in the last 20 years, he is certainly isn't among the better ones which is why he is trade bait. The only thing he brings to the table is speed.

[notin]

So you agree that his defensive ability is questionable. Of all the players who have played centerfield for Boston in the last 20 years, he is certainly isn't among the better ones which is why he is trade bait. The only thing he brings to the table is speed.

 

Offer him to Miami for one of their pitchers. Or Detroit.

 

Duran for Pablo Lopez or Tarik Skubal?

[notin]

C'mon man, Seventh Inning Fetch is pure poetry.

 

It’s more Ogden Nash than Robert Frost…

[mvp 78]

You know way too much about these movies. All I know is they often have bad pun names…

 

There's no rule that says a dog can't post on TalkSox.

[mvp 78]

C'mon man, Seventh Inning Fetch is pure poetry.

 

It's a top 3 Air Bud movie for sure. However, my favorite sports sequence is from the final installment of the Air Bud series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWs0iXBUkEE

[mvp 78]

At bat, Duran has obviously been overmatched in his first month in Boston. But I've seen progress in just the past week, when he made two adjustments in his batting stance that resulted in MLB hits: one with a split grip to go the other way, and last night raising his hands to pull the game-winner.

 

As for D, I just haven't seen the part where Duran "cannot" field. In contrast, Cordero looked incompetent at times this year trying to catch fly balls or pop-ups in both the outfield and at first base.

 

His route running is terrible. He makes up for it (barely) with his speed. He's not a good defender.

[mvp 78]

So you agree that his defensive ability is questionable. Of all the players who have played centerfield for Boston in the last 20 years, he is certainly isn't among the better ones which is why he is trade bait. The only thing he brings to the table is speed.

 

Yes, his defense is not adequate right now. His only tool is his speed (which I said earlier). If he's traded, I'm not either crying in my beer or dancing in the street.

[notin]

There's no rule that says a dog can't post on TalkSox.

 

And there’s you new movie “Air Bud on TalkSox: Full of Shih Tzu”

[mvp 78]

And there’s you new movie “Air Bud on TalkSox: Full of Shih Tzu”

 

Sorry, there have been no X rated Air Bud movies yet. Also, gross.

[notin]

Sorry, there have been no X rated Air Bud movies yet. Also, gross.

 

So the Shih Tzu - one of the most adorable dogs is gross and X-rated, but my joke about Barnes treating a COVID test like a steroid test and trying to beat it by stuffing his nasal cavity with someone else’s snot elicited an “I applaud the effort”?

[moonslav59]

If Duran is slated for the bench, he should be traded for someone who isn’t…

 

We do need some min wage guys on he team, and I still like Duran's upside, despite his age. He's pretty new at the OF, so cut him some slack on defense.

 

His sample size on offense is miniscule.

 

Since all of our starting OF'ers can play CF, having Duran as the 4th OF'er to play LF is not bad.

 

Now, sure, if some team sees him as a starter and offers us something as good or better at a starting position, I'm all ears.

 

Do you trade Duran for a decent RP'er with 3 years of team control?

 

[Nick]

You have to listen to people in power.

 

Bloom has said "Duran has chance to be great". Moon then always says well he says that about everyone.

 

No he doesn't.

 

That statement was made early summer. So duran has gone from "chance to be great" to being a trade bait for pedestrian reliever?

 

Isn't he ranked in top 25 in the MLB prospects list?

 

Keep Duran, keep Dalbec. Quit screwing with our #9 farm.

Edited September 2, 2021 by Nick