A Realistic View at 2021: Part III

[notin]

I brought up Kike's CF and 2B numbers when we signed him, but very few agreed he should be our FT CF'er.

 

 

That’s because some of us already knew you were a big phony

[mvp 78]

I brought up Kike's CF and 2B numbers when we signed him, but very few agreed he should be our FT CF'er.

 

You get credit for this one.

[oldtimer]

Wow, Duran at -6 in what? 200 innings?

 

How does that line up with 0 errors and 46 catches in 47 chances? I guess I don't understand the DRS calculation?

[moonslav59]

How does that line up with 0 errors and 46 catches in 47 chances? I guess I don't understand the DRS calculation?

 

Errors are not everything. Balls hit into your zone and not caught are counted against a defender.

 

I must admit -6 looks absurd.

[moonslav59]

You get credit for this one.

 

Hey, I'm like 3 for 100!

[Bellhorn04]

Bobby Freakin' Dalbec. Really has it going at the plate.

[oldtimer]

Errors are not everything. Balls hit into your zone and not caught are counted against a defender.

 

I must admit -6 looks absurd.

 

They did credit him with 46 catches of 47 chances. I'll have to look into how they do the calculation. Hate to pick on a kid unless there is something real behind it.

[Larry Cook]

Duran’s defense is miserable. He gets no jump on balls hit to the outfield. He just stands there and watches before moving.

 

I am not sure he can track balls that well.

[Maxbialystock]

Sox just took two at Tampa, no mean feat, and are now 6.5 behind the Rays, 1.5 behind the Yankees, and 2 up on the A's.

 

Sale, Whitlock, Ottavino, ERod, and Richards all pitched great. Hitting in the two wins wasn't great, but was definitely good enough even though the lineup is missing Kike, Arroyo, and now Bogaerts bats.

[moonslav59]

They did credit him with 46 catches of 47 chances. I'll have to look into how they do the calculation. Hate to pick on a kid unless there is something real behind it.

 

Who is "they?"

 

Not the DRS people.

[moonslav59]

Dalbec climbed to .764 without even hitting a dinger.

 

Bobby Dee making a statement!

[Hugh2]

Duran’s defense is miserable. He gets no jump on balls hit to the outfield. He just stands there and watches before moving.

 

I am not sure he can track balls that well.

 

Yeah, he’s not a very good defender in CF. This was the big knock on him throughout the minors coming up. Despite his elite speed, he gets no added range in the OF because he gets late reads on balls. I don’t care how great you look running full speed for a catch, if took your first step a second too late that should have been a routine play.

 

To me this makes Duran a better fit for LF, which puts more pressure on his bat.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Yeah, he’s not a very good defender in CF.

 

From what I've seen, Duran hasn't missed any catchable fly balls. I've seen Renfroe miss a few, and of course JD and Cordero, and remember a couple deep drives over Kike or Verdugo when they didn't look so good early on.

 

With apologies to Christian Vazquez -- who NESN tells us was recently voted the AL's best defensive catcher (Sal Perez, anyone?) -- the outfield has been the Red Sox' defensive strength this year. Maybe someone can explain dWAR: Duran and Renfroe are each -0.5; Hunter leads the league in both outfield assists and errors. JD is -0.7... Cordero is somehow better than all three, at -0.1 (no penalties for being way out of position?). The only positives in dWAR are Kike 1.6, and Dugo 0.2. In comparison: Bradley 1.1, Betts 0.3, and Benintendi 0.2.

[moonslav59]

From what I've seen, Duran hasn't missed any catchable fly balls. I've seen Renfroe miss a few, and of course JD and Cordero, and remember a couple deep drives over Kike or Verdugo when they didn't look so good early on.

 

With apologies to Christian Vazquez -- who NESN tells us was recently voted the AL's best defensive catcher (Sal Perez, anyone?) -- the outfield has been the Red Sox' defensive strength this year. Maybe someone can explain dWAR: Duran and Renfroe are each -0.5; Hunter leads the league in both outfield assists and errors. JD is -0.7... Cordero is somehow better than all three, at -0.1 (no penalties for being way out of position?). The only positives in dWAR are Kike 1.6, and Dugo 0.2. In comparison: Bradley 1.1, Betts 0.3, and Benintendi 0.2.

 

It's hard to see a slow initial break on a fly ball watching it on TV, so how do we know, if he could have gotten to some fly balls that fell 1-20 feet away from him?

[mvp 78]

Bobby Freakin' Dalbec. Really has it going at the plate.

 

Yup. Hope this was a turning point for his career. If he never figures it out in the field, he'll at least be able to DH and fill in at 1B/3B on an emergency basis.

[mvp 78]

Duran’s defense is miserable. He gets no jump on balls hit to the outfield. He just stands there and watches before moving.

 

I am not sure he can track balls that well.

 

He runs horrible routes. He's not a natural out there.

[mvp 78]

Yeah, he’s not a very good defender in CF. This was the big knock on him throughout the minors coming up. Despite his elite speed, he gets no added range in the OF because he gets late reads on balls. I don’t care how great you look running full speed for a catch, if took your first step a second too late that should have been a routine play.

 

To me this makes Duran a better fit for LF, which puts more pressure on his bat.

 

And if he doesn't figure it out quickly, his chance in Boston will slip away.

[mvp 78]

From what I've seen, Duran hasn't missed any catchable fly balls. I've seen Renfroe miss a few, and of course JD and Cordero, and remember a couple deep drives over Kike or Verdugo when they didn't look so good early on.

 

With apologies to Christian Vazquez -- who NESN tells us was recently voted the AL's best defensive catcher (Sal Perez, anyone?) -- the outfield has been the Red Sox' defensive strength this year. Maybe someone can explain dWAR: Duran and Renfroe are each -0.5; Hunter leads the league in both outfield assists and errors. JD is -0.7... Cordero is somehow better than all three, at -0.1 (no penalties for being way out of position?). The only positives in dWAR are Kike 1.6, and Dugo 0.2. In comparison: Bradley 1.1, Betts 0.3, and Benintendi 0.2.

 

If he gets to it, he can catch it. The problem is that he breaks very late on these fly balls so his range is limited. There was a ball hit the other night to LF/CF that I thought he'd at least have a chance on and he was about 20 ft away when it landed. It was one of those "JBJ woulda had it" moments.

[moonslav59]

If he gets to it, he can catch it. The problem is that he breaks very late on these fly balls so his range is limited. There was a ball hit the other night to LF/CF that I thought he'd at least have a chance on and he was about 20 ft away when it landed. It was one of those "JBJ woulda had it" moments.

 

JBJ was the master of quick breaks and precise routes to where the ball would end up.

 

He wasn't fast, but he glided so smoothly, he made it look easy, when it was not.

[MADSTORK]

Groome to Portland, Hey Orlando, how bout Groome to Boston

[mvp 78]

Groome to Portland, Hey Orlando, how bout Groome to Boston

 

Maybe in 2023. How would his 5.29 ERA in Greenville look against MLB hitting?

[mvp 78]

Why don dey call up dat Wu guy who just trew 5 no hit innings n Greenville? Um sure he could do da same ting here!

 

That's what you sound like.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

If he gets to it, he can catch it. The problem is that he breaks very late on these fly balls so his range is limited. There was a ball hit the other night to LF/CF that I thought he'd at least have a chance on and he was about 20 ft away when it landed. It was one of those "JBJ woulda had it" moments.

 

That's fair. But be honest, how many times have you've said "JBJ woulda had it" -- at least thought it -- on balls that also eluded Kike and Dugo? I know I've also had "Mookie would've had it in his pocket" moments on pop-ups that Renfroe and even the second basemen or first basemen couldn't get to.

[moonslav59]

Groome to Portland, Hey Orlando, how bout Groome to Boston

 

How about Espinal to Boston, you know the pitcher of the month in AAA?

 

Oh, yes, we tried that.

[mvp 78]

That's fair. But be honest, how many times have you've said "JBJ woulda had it" -- at least thought it -- on balls that also eluded Kike and Dugo? I know I've also had "Mookie would've had it in his pocket" moments on pop-ups that Renfroe and even the second basemen or first basemen couldn't get to.

 

Verdugo? A few. He's not very good either. Kiké rarely if ever. He's actually pretty good out there.

 

And yes, Renfroe's range leaves something to be desired. He's got a cannon, but he's not very athletic in RF.

[mvp 78]

How about Espinal to Boston, you know the pitcher of the month in AAA?

 

Oh, yes, we tried that.

 

Espinal went 1-2-3 in his first inning. Giving up a double to Nelson Cruz and a single to the raging hot Wander Franco isn't the end of the world. He probably deserves a longer look.

[moonslav59]

Espinal went 1-2-3 in his first inning. Giving up a double to Nelson Cruz and a single to the raging hot Wander Franco isn't the end of the world. He probably deserves a longer look.

 

Why mess with my messing with the stork?

[moonslav59]

Verdugo? A few. He's not very good either. Kiké rarely if ever. He's actually pretty good out there.

 

And yes, Renfroe's range leaves something to be desired. He's got a cannon, but he's not very athletic in RF.

 

He's ideal for Yankee stadium, where a strong arm is still important but range can be hidden.

[Maxbialystock]

And if he doesn't figure it out quickly, his chance in Boston will slip away.

 

Forget his defense. He can't hit either.

 

Duran's real problem, at least in the near term, is that Cora is knee deep in good hitting outfielders, especially now that Dalbec, the August rookie of the month thanks to a 1.200 OPS, 7 dingers, and 21 rbi's, looks like a lock at 1b.

 

Even with Kike out, Cora has much better choices than Duran: Verdugo, Renfroe, and JDM/Schwarber--or, heaven forbid, Santana.

 

When Kike returns, Duran moves to pinchrunner/batboy because he can't hit and he can't field.

[Bellhorn04]

Forget his defense. He can't hit either.

 

Duran's real problem, at least in the near term, is that Cora is knee deep in good hitting outfielders, especially now that Dalbec, the August rookie of the month thanks to a 1.200 OPS, 7 dingers, and 21 rbi's, looks like a lock at 1b.

 

Even with Kike out, Cora has much better choices than Duran: Verdugo, Renfroe, and JDM/Schwarber--or, heaven forbid, Santana.

 

When Kike returns, Duran moves to pinchrunner/batboy because he can't hit and he can't field.

 

You do realize that if the team had this little patience, we never would have seen that great August by Dalbec?