Red Sox Spring Training 2023

[mvp 78]

Duvall gives me more concern than Turner…

 

He's a good replacement for Renfroe, especially if he were in RF instead of CF.

 

C McGuire

1B Casas

2B Arroyo

SS Story

3B Devers

RF Duvall

CF Hernandez

LF Yoshida

DH Turner

[mvp 78]

@IanMBrowne

Sale finished strong. His last two innings were scoreless. He threw 70 pitches in five innings. One more start in Spring Training.

[sk7326]

@IanMBrowne

Sale finished strong. His last two innings were scoreless. He threw 70 pitches in five innings. One more start in Spring Training.

 

Any start where Chris Sale is not struck by lightning or hit by a Mack truck - or abducted by aliens is a good sign.

[Bellhorn04]

Any start where Chris Sale is not struck by lightning or hit by a Mack truck - or abducted by aliens is a good sign.

 

That's a bingo.

[mvp 78]

70 pitches? Check!

5 innings? Check!!!

 

Sounds like a good ST start to me!

[notin]

He's a good replacement for Renfroe, especially if he were in RF instead of CF.

 

C McGuire

1B Casas

2B Arroyo

SS Story

3B Devers

RF Duvall

CF Hernandez

LF Yoshida

DH Turner

 

What did Alex Verdugo ever do to you?

[Maxbialystock]

Any start where Chris Sale is not struck by lightning or hit by a Mack truck - or abducted by aliens is a good sign.

 

A lot of truth in that. I spoke too soon.

[jad]

Finally had a chance to watch Yoshida. Holy crap that guy takes a rip!

[moonslav59]

I'm thinking Cora might go with...

 

1. L Yoshida LF

2. R Kike SS

3. L Devers

4. R Duvall CF

5. L Casas 1B

6. R Turner DH

7. L Verdugo RF

8. R Arroyo 2B

9. L McGuire C

[Old Red]

I'm thinking Cora might go with...

 

1. L Yoshida LF

2. R Kike SS

3. L Devers

4. R Duvall CF

5. L Casas 1B

6. R Turner DH

7. L Verdugo RF

8. R Arroyo 2B

9. L McGuire C

 

Cora said a week, or so ago that Yoshida would not be batting leadoff, and probably 4th.

[mvp 78]

What did Alex Verdugo ever do to you?

 

He's just not as good as Duvall IMO. Duvall is a better defender and has higher upside offensively.

[mvp 78]

Cora said a week, or so ago that Yoshida would not be batting leadoff, and probably 4th.

 

Many posters have pointed that out already. moonsLav just doesn't pay attention.

[Old Red]

He's just not as good as Duvall IMO. Duvall is a better defender and has higher upside offensively.

 

Agree with this, but if Story doesn’t get hurt I don’t think Duvall gets signed unless the plan was to move Kike to the IF anyway.

[moonslav59]

Many posters have pointed that out already. moonsLav just doesn't pay attention.

 

I was on vacation and missed that.

 

No mention on talk radio.

[notin]

He's just not as good as Duvall IMO. Duvall is a better defender and has higher upside offensively.

 

You’re citing the potential offensive upside of a 34yo who’s never had a .300 OBP in a season where he’s had more than 130 plate appearances?

 

Duvall is a good defender on the corners, but the only reason he isn’t considered another Three True Outcome hitter is that he’s not very good at walking.

 

I think Verdugo is the upside play here…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

You’re citing the potential offensive upside of a 34yo who’s never had a .300 OBP in a season where he’s had more than 130 plate appearances?

 

Duvall is a good defender on the corners, but the only reason he isn’t considered another Three True Outcome hitter is that he’s not very good at walking.

 

I think Verdugo is the upside play here…

 

Absolutely. I'll take a .280 hitter who is 8 years younger over an all-or-nothing slugger any day.

 

I'm just hoping Team Mexico replacing Verdugo with Duran in RF in late innings of WBC games was just to utilize Jarren's speed as a pinch-runner, and not as a defensive replacement... otherwise what does Benji Gil know that Alex Cora doesn't?

[moonslav59]

Absolutely. I'll take a .280 hitter who is 8 years younger over an all-or-nothing slugger any day.

 

 

How about a platoon?

 

Also,...

 

When Yoshida or Kike (assuming CF) need a rest, both can play.

 

When Turner needs a rest, Yoshida to DH, and both can play.

 

When Devers needs a rest, Turner to 3B, Yoshida to DH, and both can play.

 

Maybe we can keep both playing enough to keep them sharp and happy.

 

(This assumes a healthy Story at SS and a healthy and productive Arroyo at 2B- maybe too much to hope for.)

[Bellhorn04]

I'm just hoping Team Mexico replacing Verdugo with Duran in RF in late innings of WBC games was just to utilize Jarren's speed as a pinch-runner, and not as a defensive replacement... otherwise what does Benji Gil know that Alex Cora doesn't?

 

I guess the answer would depend on whether Duran pinch-ran for him each time?

 

And of course maybe Benji knows LESS about Duran's defense than Alex does.

 

All kinds of fun riddles.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

How about a platoon?

 

Also,...

 

When Yoshida or Kike (assuming CF) need a rest, both can play.

 

When Turner needs a rest, Yoshida to DH, and both can play.

 

When Devers needs a rest, Turner to 3B, Yoshida to DH, and both can play.

 

Maybe we can keep both playing enough to keep them sharp and happy.

 

(This assumes a healthy Story at SS and a healthy and productive Arroyo at 2B- maybe too much to hope for.)

 

Story ain't happening at short this year -- not coming back wearing a Tommy John brace and having to make competitive throws constantly from the most important regular position on the diamond.

 

The key to respectability may depend more on a comeback by Mondesi, so Kike can play center. We both know this team won't improve with an atrocious defense. They can shoehorn this guy and that guy out of position and tout their pasts all they want, but nothing will risk stability and NESN viewers more than crappy D.

[moonslav59]

Story ain't happening at short this year -- not coming back wearing a Tommy John brace and having to make competitive throws constantly from the most important regular position on the diamond.

 

The key to respectability may depend more on a comeback by Mondesi, so Kike can play center. We both know this team won't improve with an atrocious defense. They can shoehorn this guy and that guy out of position and tout their pasts all they want, but nothing will risk stability and NESN viewers more than crappy D.

 

Good point on Mondesi.

 

Mondesi is a plus on D at SS (over Bogey), and a full season of Kike in CF would boost our OF D from what it looks like, now.

 

BTW, our OF D was not that great, last year, as JBJ & Kike were not around, all year.

 

OF innings

1306 Verdugo

696 JBJ

669 Kike

463 Duran

419 Pham

302 Ref

213 Cordero

108 Arroyo

65 Almonte

51 Davis

 

1364 Kike + JBJ

1496 Duran, Pham, Ref, Cordero & Arroyo

1306 Verdugo

[moonslav59]

Story ain't happening at short this year -- not coming back wearing a Tommy John brace and having to make competitive throws constantly from the most important regular position on the diamond.

 

The key to respectability may depend more on a comeback by Mondesi, so Kike can play center. We both know this team won't improve with an atrocious defense. They can shoehorn this guy and that guy out of position and tout their pasts all they want, but nothing will risk stability and NESN viewers more than crappy D.

 

Mondesi at SS and Story at 2B with Kike in CF would be a major improvement to our overall D.

[mvp 78]

Agree with this, but if Story doesn’t get hurt I don’t think Duvall gets signed unless the plan was to move Kike to the IF anyway.

 

Sure, but that's not where we're at right now. If Story comes back healthy this year, it's another weapon to add to the offense.

 

I was hoping that Rafaela would be able to adjust his offensive game to fast track to BOS, but his approach in ST has mirrored what he did in 2022. He's going to have a great glove, but the questions on his bat remain. It's just a bad approach.

[mvp 78]

I was on vacation and missed that.

 

No mention on talk radio.

 

Per Lou Merloni, they don't like to talk about the Sox on sports radio unless they are just slagging on them. Sports radio only wants to talk about the Patriots and maybe Bruins and Celtics. Nobody on air at either radio station has any interest or in a legitimate conversation about baseball or the Red Sox.

[mvp 78]

You’re citing the potential offensive upside of a 34yo who’s never had a .300 OBP in a season where he’s had more than 130 plate appearances?

 

Duvall is a good defender on the corners, but the only reason he isn’t considered another Three True Outcome hitter is that he’s not very good at walking.

 

I think Verdugo is the upside play here…

 

I've seen Duvall's upside over a full season in 2021. Verdugo's upside?

 

Since 2019, Duvall has more RBI than Verdugo in 600 fewer PA's.

 

Maybe Verdugo gets a boost without the shift? We'll see.

[mvp 78]

Mondesi at SS and Story at 2B with Kike in CF would be a major improvement to our overall D.

 

I'd take any journeyman SS that can field the position, Kiké at CF and Story at 2B. That would be the ideal defense, especially with Story coming off surgery.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Per Lou Merloni, they don't like to talk about the Sox on sports radio unless they are just slagging on them. Sports radio only wants to talk about the Patriots and maybe Bruins and Celtics. Nobody on air at either radio station has any interest or in a legitimate conversation about baseball or the Red Sox.

 

It's been that way for a long time. Those young enough to have the energy to call radio or TV talkshows are mostly football fans.

 

The 2018 Red Sox were 50 games over .500 and that summer all those shows cared about was the NFL and Patriots training camp. I may be old, but those are two things I wouldn't waste one second of my summers on.

[Bellhorn04]

I've seen Duvall's upside over a full season in 2021. Verdugo's upside?

 

Since 2019, Duvall has more RBI than Verdugo in 600 fewer PA's.

 

Maybe Verdugo gets a boost without the shift? We'll see.

 

RBI? What about OPS+ etc.

[mvp 78]

RBI? What about OPS+ etc.

 

That and wRC+ would have hurt my argument so I didn't use them. Duh!

[Old Red]

I'd take any journeyman SS that can field the position, Kiké at CF and Story at 2B. That would be the ideal defense, especially with Story coming off surgery.

 

I don’t think Bloom is as concerned about D as what it is on here. It appeared that way last year when Bloom brought JBJ back, but when it didn’t work out, and the Red Sox need a CF/RF Bloom went out, and got a LF, and moved Dugy to RF, which certainly isn’t his best OF position, and especially at Fenway.

[mvp 78]

I don’t think Bloom is as concerned about D as what it is on here. It appeared that way last year when Bloom brought JBJ back, but when it didn’t work out, and the Red Sox need a CF/RF Bloom went out, and got a LF, and moved Dugy to RF, which certainly isn’t his best OF position, and especially at Fenway.

 

I think they had thrown the season out the window when they moved Verdugo. They originally signed Yoshida thinking that Kiké/Rafaela could make up for the deficiencies in LF and RF. Turning his back on defense would be a weird move for sure. I don't want the BOS front office to punt RF defense while they are still playing 81 in Fenway.