Craig Breslow hired as Head Of Baseball Operations

[Hugh2]

Do people actually think Cora isn't going to play all 26? that 3-4 guys will never play or pitch and he will overplay everyone?

 

Would any good manager do that?

 

no.

[Dipre]

Do people actually think Cora isn't going to play all 26? that 3-4 guys will never play or pitch and he will overplay everyone?

 

Would any good manager do that?

 

no.

 

Rest, matchups, injuries, etc. Otherwise it woould be a 20 man roster. 9-man lineup, 5-man rotation, 6-man bullpen.

[Old Red]

Right.

 

moon wants everything to be a little too simple - just keep playing the 'hot hands' until they cool off, and since Yoshida isn't hot, bench him or get him out of a Red Sox uniform altogether.

 

And for the Future HOF DHam.🤭🙈

[mvp 78]

I think it's pretty simple. Cora will get everyone at-bats, and the guys who keep hitting will get more of them.

 

Yoshida had a 110 OPS+ in his first MLB season, so I don't see writing him off just yet. Doesn't mean it was a good signing.

 

The most obvious odd man out right now is Grissom.

 

It seems obvious now, but they rushed him before. Hard to read the tea leaves around here.

 

With Yoshida, they've plopped him on the bench for days and days and just ignored him at times. They just may do it again. I don't think it's the smart thing to do, but they may go that route.

[Bellhorn04]

It seems obvious now, but they rushed him before. Hard to read the tea leaves around here.

 

With Yoshida, they've plopped him on the bench for days and days and just ignored him at times. They just may do it again. I don't think it's the smart thing to do, but they may go that route.

 

He's also had various health issues that may or may not have impacted the decisions.

 

In the last 9 games vs. Philly, NYY and Toronto, he was in the starting lineup 7 times.

[mvp 78]

I still have faith in Yoshida because you can't teach the type of plate discipline and swing decisions that guy can make when right. But so far he hasn't been up to snuff.

 

His swing decisions are fine, but he has a looking strike % of 33.1% which is 3rd highest on the team and only behind Reyes and Westbrook. On percentage of pitches swung at, only Westbrook is less. I think he's just too passive of a hitter. He doesn't strike out, doesn't walk, he pounds the ball into the ground, but isn't a speed guy. If he's not lifting the ball, he's kind of useless IMO.

[mvp 78]

He's also had various health issues that may or may not have impacted the decisions.

 

In the last 9 games vs. Philly, NYY and Toronto, he was in the starting lineup 7 times.

 

Maybe? We'll have to see how he's worked into the lineup going forward.

[mvp 78]

Right.

 

moon wants everything to be a little too simple - just keep playing the 'hot hands' until they cool off, and since Yoshida isn't hot, bench him or get him out of a Red Sox uniform altogether.

 

Wong should be a 162 guy. If he's not catching, he should be at DH or 2b!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[moonslav59]

I think it's pretty simple. Cora will get everyone at-bats, and the guys who keep hitting will get more of them.

 

Yoshida had a 110 OPS+ in his first MLB season, so I don't see writing him off just yet. Doesn't mean it was a good signing.

 

The most obvious odd man out right now is Grissom.

 

I am not and have never written him off or suggested we DFA him. I do not think he has earned the right to start, except maybe in a reverse spit DH role v LHPs, but only because so many other Sox batter really suck v lefties.

 

It's more about what other players have been doing vs RHPs that I am against upsetting. I'm not for changing things that are working, and working even better than fine. I've suggested the Ref success vs RHPs may end at any moment, and he has slowed a bit, but IMO, he should play everyday, unless it's a rest day or he's facing a tough RHP'er that Cora feels he might struggle against. I get the point on DHam and the smoke and mirrors argument. He's not good on defense, either, but Rafaela at SS has not been top notch, either, and keeping him in CF seems like the a very good plus. With the OF about to get squeezed by Abreu's return, I can see how it makes sense, and DHam can play at 2B with Valdez as yet another reverse split platoon role.

 

It seems rather awkward to play Rafaela out of position, so Yoshida and DHam can bat vs LHPs. As of now, I am not convinced Yoshida has earned the right to DH v RHPs over someone like Ref and maybe DHam.

 

This is not some major knock-down drag out no brainer opinion of mine. I always trust what Cora chooses and do not hold it against him, if chooses positions I don't agree with. I've seen his choices work more than many of mine might have.

 

If Brez thinks Yoshi should be on the 26, and he obviously did (does,) then I fully expect Cora to play him. That is what it is.

 

I've suggested paying a big chunk of Yoshi's contract to trade him away, but there might be zero takers on even us paying 90% of his remaining deal, so I can't blame anyone for not doing that. I just feel this team is gelling, right now, and the players all know their roles and what is expected of them. Just about everyone has been contributing, even some who were demoted for sucking out of the gate, like Valdez and DHam. A guys like Westbrook (.958 v RHPs) and Romy (pretty solid D and better O than we saw in April at middle IF) pulled their weight, when called upon. Now, we are going to tell a guy who has carried us, he will be benched or partially benched so we can play a guy who hasn't done squat since August '23. This is the same guy you have been hyper critical about for months, too.

[moonslav59]

Wong should be a 162 guy. If he's not catching, he should be at DH or 2b!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I suggested that over a month ago.

 

People write off Grissom and others for 90 PA sample sizes or less, but don't think Wong's 210 PAs of 2023 are telling enough. (The guy also has a .725 OPS in 683 career PAs, which is pretty good for a catcher and better than our DH, 1B and 2Bmen have been doing.)

[moonslav59]

Right.

 

moon wants everything to be a little too simple - just keep playing the 'hot hands' until they cool off, and since Yoshida isn't hot, bench him or get him out of a Red Sox uniform altogether.

 

Why overcomplicate things and make changes to things that are working?

 

Hell, forget the "hot hand" argument: go by 2024, or 2023 through 2024 numbers and even career splits numbers on the guys we have and show me where Yoshida has earned the right to replace someone in the line-up.

 

Sure, he should be in the line-up vs LHPs over Valdez, Abreu and maybe a couple more guys. He's got better numbers than some guys vs RHPs, and he beats Ref in career OPS vs RHPs, so in that area, one can argue he should get another shot, but to me, Ref has more than earned a FT place in the line-up, until he shows he no longer deserves it. He has got many key hits, which had been a sore spot on this team. He seems like he has played a major role in bringing up the team as a whole. Of course, sitting him a few games vs tough RHPs might not ruin all that. I get it, but I think the guy should DH vs RHPs most of the time.

 

I'm not sure why this has become a flashpoint discussion, and my stubbornness is surely part of the reason for that, but I'm a bit surprised that posters who seemed most critical of Yoshida seem to have the biggest problem with my opinion that he has not earned a slot in the line-up just yet, or that ref has not "earned" a change in his role.

 

If Cora plays Yoshida at DH, I won't be at all surprised, and I will root for him as much as for any Sox player. It would be great for him to get closer to expectations. It is entirely possible, he can do well for us. I hope it works.

Edited June 21, 2024 by moonslav59

[mvp 78]

I suggested that over a month ago.

 

I know. It's a bad idea. Catchers need rest days. Wong is more productive because he can sit on the bench.

[moonslav59]

I know. It's a bad idea. Catchers need rest days. Wong is more productive because he can sit on the bench.

 

Hard to read sarcasm in print.

 

He could catch a little less, so he could DH or maybe play 2B more.

[mvp 78]

Hard to read sarcasm in print.

 

He could catch a little less, so he could DH or maybe play 2B more.

 

The 14 exclamation points were a dead giveaway IMO.

[moonslav59]

I know. It's a bad idea. Catchers need rest days. Wong is more productive because he can sit on the bench.

 

I should have known you weren't really jacked up over that idea.

 

LOL

[Bellhorn04]

I'm not sure why this has become a flashpoint discussion, and my stubbornness is surely part of the reason for that, but I'm a bit surprised that posters who seemed most critical of Yoshida seem to have the biggest problem with my opinion that he has not earned a slot in the line-up just yet, or that ref has not "earned" a change in his role.

 

How is he supposed to "earn" it? Like I said, he had a 110 OPS+ last year in his first season. That makes him a little closer to an established MLB hitter than the other guys we're talking about. Plus he's had injury issues this year.

 

It's pretty hard to earn anything when you're not in the lineup.

 

I think Cora is a master at juggling all the lineup conundrums and giving everyone a fair shot.

 

If Yoshida doesn't start to produce, at some point he will get squeezed out. But that time isn't here yet.

[Bellhorn04]

As for the "flashpoint" thing, moon, that's basically one of the consequences of averaging 10,000 posts a year.

[mvp 78]

As for the "flashpoint" thing, moon, that's basically one of the consequences of averaging 10,000 posts a year.

 

Dude is lapping each and everyone of us every year.

[moonslav59]

How is he supposed to "earn" it?

 

He can start here and there, PH some or wait until someone doing well declines some (more.)

 

I've never said he should not play or never start.To me, it's also about benching players that are doing well more than Yoshi. (It wasn't long ago, I was trying to talk you off the ledge on Yoshi, so it's not like I'm a longtime Yoshi critic.)

[moonslav59]

As for the "flashpoint" thing, moon, that's basically one of the consequences of averaging 10,000 posts a year.

 

No doubt, my OCD kicks in, often on this site. Not making excuses, but I don't have many people around me who like to talk Sox with, so I come here and weigh in on just about anything and everything.

 

Thank you for your understanding.

 

 

[Bellhorn04]

He can start here and there, PH some or wait until someone doing well declines some (more.)

 

I've never said he should not play or never start.To me, it's also about benching players that are doing well more than Yoshi. (It wasn't long ago, I was trying to talk you off the ledge on Yoshi, so it's not like I'm a longtime Yoshi critic.)

 

You've never had to talk me off any ledges about Yoshida. It was a terrible signing, I haven't changed my position on that one iota. As I've said, he's a sunk cost.

 

Cora doesn't bench anyone, that's the point. He manages to get everyone AB's. If a guy does badly for an extended period like Cooper, he's gone.

 

You can't make out the lineup card every game based on who's been hot over the last few games, that would be nonsensical.

 

With the number of AB's Yoshida has, 2 good games and his OPS would jump 50 points or more.

[mvp 78]

You've never had to talk me off any ledges about Yoshida. It was a terrible signing, I haven't changed my position on that one iota. As I've said, he's a sunk cost.

 

Cora doesn't bench anyone, that's the point. He manages to get everyone AB's. If a guy does badly for an extended period like Cooper, he's gone.

 

You can't make out the lineup card every game based on who's been hot over the last few games, that would be nonsensical.

 

With the number of AB's Yoshida has, 2 good games and his OPS would jump 50 points or more.

 

CIN is the best MLB park for LHB to hit dingers. Maybe he can get going here?

[moonslav59]

You've never had to talk me off any ledges about Yoshida. It was a terrible signing, I haven't changed my position on that one iota. As I've said, he's a sunk cost.

 

Cora doesn't bench anyone, that's the point. He manages to get everyone AB's. If a guy does badly for an extended period like Cooper, he's gone.

 

You can't make out the lineup card every game based on who's been hot over the last few games, that would be nonsensical.

 

With the number of AB's Yoshida has, 2 good games and his OPS would jump 50 points or more.

 

My opinion is not based on Yoshida’s SSS in 2024. It’s based on others doing better and some on how Yoshida ended 2023. I think the league figured him out and he has yet to make the right adjustment.

 

I don’t think he should be the FT DH or even 75%. I think Cora will start him 60-75% or more.

[mvp 78]

Sox take two pitchers in the first 3 rounds of the draft?!?!?! That hadn't been done since 2016 when they drafted Groome.

[Maxbialystock]

I think moonslav has made a decent case for playing Yoshida less. Mostly that's because other hitters are better and could fit easily into the DH slot.

 

Nevertheless, there are several reasons to play him: 1) sunk costs; 2) he hit fine in Japan; 3) adjusting to both MLB and Boston, where everything written and spoken is opaque to him and where there are no other Japanese players on the team has to have been daunting; 4) elbow bothered him; 5) Cora has decided to play him; 6) His June 27-July 14 OPS is comfortably over .800, so maybe he is figuring things out.

[mvp 78]

Sunk cost isn't a reason to play someone.

[mvp 78]

Didn’t draft one dang SS. Only IFer was D’Angelo Ortiz!

[Hugh2]

I’ve been wrong more times than I’ve been right. But I did speculate the Sox could easily go position player in the first round and predominantly pitcher afterwards.

 

6 position players. 14 pitchers drafted.

[moonslav59]

Didn’t draft one dang SS. Only IFer was D’Angelo Ortiz!

 

Brez is breaking the mold.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Brez is breaking the mold.

 

Imagine a chief baseball officer, drafting for organizational needs!

 

... this may frustrate fans of the strategy of stockpiling high school shortstops, and trading them later for pitching (but those guys are already frustrated, since the last Sox middle infield prospect flipped for an arm may be Dubon for Thornburg, back when Dombro was clear-cutting the farmland).

 

I like Breslow better, and it's not even the dreadline yet.