2024 Red Sox Defense

[notin]

What ever the solution I expected it to be a cheap one, and so far the solution is calling up the Ham Man, and Romy.

 

I'd say those qualify as cheap solutions.

 

Most teams try internal option first. They're the easier ones to undo if the situation changes or something doesn't work out.

 

No one seems wild abut Hamilton, but so far, he really has not had much of a shot. His career consists of 98 innings in the field and 44 plate appearances. Scouting reports are not kind to his defense, but the Sox stayed with a few games of the wild card last year with Kike Hernandez completely butchering the position. Hamilton won't get a Gold Glove vote, but can he at least outplay Kike? And he's only in a part time role for now, probably at least until the sox know how long Story will be out. Even if that takes two weeks, will 8-12 games of Hamilton at SS completely derail this team this year?

 

I expect once they know what is going on with Story, this situation changes. Either with a new SS coming in, a movement of Rafaela to SS, or they try Vaughn Grissom there for a while. The last one is the most likely, since they need a place for him to play, he has played several full (minor league) seasons in that role, and he can hit, which Cora seems to prefer over defense-oriented players...

[moonslav59]

This team had a f***ton of holes. He's done a decent job filling them. Bell just said that he had more confidence that Breslow can figure this out than Bloom and I agree.

 

I think Grissom might have been viewed as SS depth, before he got hurt..

 

With the limited winter spending budget Brez had, it's no wonder he didn't go all out for a 3rd string SS.

 

While thinking we could have had better than Reyes and DHam makes sense, too. There is only so much a GM can do to plan for injuries and injuries to your #2 guy at any given position.

 

The plan last year failed, but nobody expected Kike to be that bad on D, and Mondesi to take the whole year off. Bloom did have a plan B and C, but they just failed. Reyes was an afterthought (Remember, Cora was fully confident in Kike at SS. He even kept him there after he said he was not going to be the SS, anymore.

 

I think Brez is waiting to find out how long Story will be out, before making any move. He may end up not making any, even if Story misses 3-5 months. A lot might depend on how they view Grissom as a FT SS..

[Hugh2]

I'd prefer Rafaela stick in CF too, but they don't have another decent SS to plug in defensively.

 

Me too, but if Story is out for the year I'm fine with Rafaela on a 75/25 CF/SS split until Mayer is ready.

 

It's not really any different than what he did in the minors except he'd predominately be playing SS over CF opposed to CF over SS.

 

Soxprospects talked about this being their best option and Romey Gonzalez being the better bench choice. Seems like they've already done the later, I don't know when we see Rafaela at SS, they might only have him play there 1-2 times a week and roll with Pablo but I suspect in some capacity we see him there more.

 

If Story is out for the year, I rental may be looked at.

[Hugh2]

See my other post on Sox Prospects take on Rafaela. He's much, much better in CF than at SS. Plus don't forget what happened when Kike was moved to SS. We absolutely, positively know Rafaela can plays centerfield because we've freaking seen him do it.

 

And, by the way, what is your definition of someone in the minors who is ready? If you are talking about a bat, it's always a gamble because MLB pitching is so, so tough. But, if its a glove and an arm, what's great in Worcester or even Portland is probably going to be pretty good in Boston.

 

Assuming Hamilton is temporary, keep him around until Mayer has some games and shows the good defense ("very fluid actions, soft hands, solid footwork, plenty of range, confident defender, plus defender at SS"), then give him a shot.

 

I know he's better in CF, but I don't know how someone can be "much much better" than a position they're already plus at.

[notin]

Mayer has played one game so far for Portland. 1 for 4 with a double. Played 9 innings in the field, and had 3 chances with 3 assists.

 

No idea how far he is away from MLB, how healthy he is, or what the Sox think of his status...

[vegasbob]

What is the typical ratio of balls hit to the SS range of coverage vs difficult balls hit to CF'er. Something tells me the team and pitchers are better served with the best player available at SS, not CF.

 

If the pitchers were any good, and ours are, they would not allow balls hit into the triangle during this homestand, while Rafaela gets 4 or 5 assists at SS .

[mvp 78]

He's played 149 innings at SS across two seasons. Hard to maintain league average production when you're on the bench or in the minors.

 

I would like a more recent scouting report on him, but so far this is what prospectslive.com said about hm in 2021.

 

"Field: Good instincts. Shows strong footwork at SS. Moves well to his right and can make the difficult backhand. Covers an above-average amount of ground when moving to his left. Very fluid in his actions. Can make some difficult plays. Grade: 55

 

Arm: Plus arm strength with strong carry across the diamond. Can make the throw from deep in the hole. Throws from several arm angles depending on how quickly he needs to get the ball out. Quick transfers. Throws were on target in looks. Arm plays on the left side of the infield. Grade: 60

 

Overall: Soto stands out more for his floor than his ceiling. He's an advanced defender with enough speed to become something more than an org piece. His bat significantly lags behind, and he likely won't get the shot to start without maxing out his raw tools. He looks to be more of a utility/backup type, and he'll need to hit some to get there."

 

 

Source: https://www.prospectslive.com/scoutingreports/livan-soto

 

Certainly a lot could change in 3 years, but if he has maintained or improved on that, he is a better option than Hamilton. Certainly not a permanent solution, but a good option for a stopgap...

 

At the end of 2021, FanGraphs didn't even have him listed in the top 41 in LAA prospects.

 

Soto has been DFA'd three times since February.

 

There has to be a better option than that.

[mvp 78]

Mayer has played one game so far for Portland. 1 for 4 with a double. Played 9 innings in the field, and had 3 chances with 3 assists.

 

No idea how far he is away from MLB, how healthy he is, or what the Sox think of his status...

 

12 months away at least.

[moonslav59]

What is the typical ratio of balls hit to the SS range of coverage vs difficult balls hit to CF'er. Something tells me the team and pitchers are better served with the best player available at SS, not CF.

 

If the pitchers were any good, and ours are, they would not allow balls hit into the triangle during this homestand, while Rafaela gets 4 or 5 assists at SS .

 

In terms of plays made:

 

League stats:

 

CF Put out: 11,900-11.950 per yar (90 Fielding Errors, so about 12,00 plays- not counting balls that fell for its.

 

SS18,000-18,500 plays made (POs and Assists) and about 250 Fielding errors for about 21,000-22,000 plays.

[notin]

What is the typical ratio of balls hit to the SS range of coverage vs difficult balls hit to CF'er. Something tells me the team and pitchers are better served with the best player available at SS, not CF.

 

If the pitchers were any good, and ours are, they would not allow balls hit into the triangle during this homestand, while Rafaela gets 4 or 5 assists at SS .

 

Last year, the league leaders in CF had 373 (Doyle) and 370 (Roberts) putouts.

 

The league leaders at SS had 396 (Lindor) and 362 (Pena) assists.

 

Yearly, they appear to run slightly higher at SS over CF, but not by much. The two positions appear to be roughly equal in defensive activity, with maybe SS have a slight edge...

[Bellhorn04]

Last year, the league leaders in CF had 373 (Doyle) and 370 (Roberts) putouts.

 

The league leaders at SS had 396 (Lindor) and 362 (Pena) assists.

 

Yearly, they appear to run slightly higher at SS over CF, but not by much. The two positions appear to be roughly equal in defensive activity, with maybe SS have a slight edge...

 

But the kinds of plays that have to be made are very different.

[Dipre]

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning before the Red Sox home opener, manager Alex Cora said there is “concern” regarding the “bone structure” of Trevor Story’s shoulder (per Alex Speier of The Boston Globe). Story landed awkwardly on his shoulder during last Friday’s game against the Angels and wound up on the 10-day injured list the next day with what the team called a “left shoulder dislocation.” The shortstop will meet with noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache for a second opinion, with shoulder surgery a possibility (per Speier).

 

According to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic, Cora plans to run with a pair of platoons in the middle infield going forward. The lefty-batting David Hamilton and righty-batting Romy Gonzalez will split time at shortstop, while the lefty-batting Pablo Reyes and righty-batting Enmanuel Valdez share duties at second base. Center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela is another option for either position. While Rafaela already looks like a Gold Glove-caliber defender in center, the Red Sox have significantly more outfield depth than infield depth right now. Jarren Duran can slide over to center field, while Tyler O’Neill and Wilyer Abreu cover the corners.

 

Finally, Cora also mentioned that Vaughn Grissom will take reps at shortstop during his upcoming rehab assignment (per Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe). The plan is still for Grissom to primarily play second base (per McCaffrey), but he has plenty of minor league experience at short, and the Red Sox could be all hands on deck if their veteran shortstop goes under the knife.

 

Story knew right away he had a “significant injury” (per Christopher Smith of MassLive) but, as of the weekend, had not yet given up hope that he would return in 2024. Unfortunately, the second opinion he receives from Dr. ElAttrache could mark the end of his season. Brewers outfielder Garrett Mitchell needed surgery after a similar injury last April and returned for just the final four games of the year.

 

Yeah no more Story this season. In spite of everything else, I feel sad for the guy. He put in the work, and it was a freak injury.

[mvp 78]

Yeah no more Story this season. In spite of everything else, I feel sad for the guy. He put in the work, and it was a freak injury.

 

f***ing hell...

[Maxbialystock]

12 months away at least.

 

Probably. He's at AA Portland and has said out loud he needs to be there.

[Maxbialystock]

One more time. This team is 7-3 after a West Coast trip--contrasted with 3-8 after the loaded and very expensive 2019 Heels started with West Coast trip--for one reason only.

 

The pitching has been great, period.

 

The hitting has been middling--ranked 15th in team OPS. In 4 of the 10 games, the Sox were held to 1 or fewer runs in regulation.

 

I hasten to add that Story's OPS is .617. Last year for the Sox it was .566. In 2022 it was .737. So allow me to say that it is doubtful the Sox are going to miss Story's bat.

 

No question his defense will be missed. However, his great glove/arm could not prevent the grim reality that 9 of the 22 runs scored against the Sox were unearned--thanks to egregious errors by Rafaela, Abreu, Valdez, Devers, Casas, et al.

 

Therefore to me it makes sense that Cora would want to go righty/lefty at SS and at 2B. It's already worked well at catcher.

 

Because pitching is the only thing this team does well, it makes more sense to improve the hitting than the defense.

Edited April 9, 2024 by Maxbialystock

[mvp 78]

One more time. This team is 7-3 after a West Coast trip--contrasted with 3-8 after the loaded and very expensive 2019 Heels started with West Coast trip--for one reason only.

 

The pitching has been great, period.

 

The hitting has been middling--ranked 15th in team OPS. In 4 of the 10 games, the Sox were held to 1 or fewer runs in regulation.

 

I hasten to add that Story's OPS is .617. Last year for the Sox it was .566. In 2022 it was .737. So allow me to say that it is doubtful the Sox are going to miss Story's bat.

 

No question his defense will be missed. However, his great glove/arm could not prevent the grim reality that 9 of the 22 runs scored against the Sox were unearned--thanks to egregious errors by Rafaela, Abreu, Valdez, Devers, Casas, et al.

 

Therefore to me it makes sense that Cora would want to go righty/lefty at SS and at 2B. It's already worked well at catcher.

 

Because pitching is the only thing this team does well, it makes more sense to improve the hitting than the defense.

 

6 of the 9 unearned runs occurred after Story's injury.

[moonslav59]

Isn't one of the unearned runs the ghost runner scoring in SEA without any errors being made?

[mvp 78]

Isn't one of the unearned runs the ghost runner scoring in SEA without any errors being made?

 

Story should have tried harder to hold that ghost runner back though!

[Bellhorn04]

Isn't one of the unearned runs the ghost runner scoring in SEA without any errors being made?

 

They just lump those in with all the other unearned runs? How stupid.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Story should have tried harder to hold that ghost runner back though!

 

He did, but it looked like Mondesi, and went right through his arms. All that was left was green ectoplasm.

[sk7326]

See my other post on Sox Prospects take on Rafaela. He's much, much better in CF than at SS. Plus don't forget what happened when Kike was moved to SS. We absolutely, positively know Rafaela can plays centerfield because we've freaking seen him do it.

 

And, by the way, what is your definition of someone in the minors who is ready? If you are talking about a bat, it's always a gamble because MLB pitching is so, so tough. But, if its a glove and an arm, what's great in Worcester or even Portland is probably going to be pretty good in Boston.

 

Assuming Hamilton is temporary, keep him around until Mayer has some games and shows the good defense ("very fluid actions, soft hands, solid footwork, plenty of range, confident defender, plus defender at SS"), then give him a shot.

 

Kike was also 31 years old, and managed to also be bad in CF and 2B in Boston and LA. His defensive contribution early in LA in CF is bad ... he might just simply be a guy who has to be on a corner now.

 

Rafaela at SS is not an ideal option, but asking this of a 23 year old plus athlete who has experience doing it is an entirely different deal.

[notin]

Story should have tried harder to hold that ghost runner back though!

 

But the problem is, according to most psychics, ghosts haunt a place because they have some unfulfilled mission. A ghost runners mission is to score. How do you stop that?

 

The Sox need opposing ghost runners that have missions of running into an out…

[notin]

Kike was also 31 years old, and managed to also be bad in CF and 2B in Boston and LA. His defensive contribution early in LA in CF is bad ... he might just simply be a guy who has to be on a corner now.

 

Rafaela at SS is not an ideal option, but asking this of a 23 year old plus athlete who has experience doing it is an entirely different deal.

 

Kike was bad in CF in Boston?

[moonslav59]

Kike was bad in CF in Boston?

 

He also had a plus UZR/150 and DRS with LAD in CF.

[notin]

He also had a plus UZR/150 and DRS with LAD in CF.

 

He’s a lousy shortstop and not much of a hitter. But that man can play center field. And was somehow omitted from the “best Red Sox defensive center fielder” debate last week. He probably isn’t the best one, but he absolutely deserved a mention…

[sk7326]

Kike was bad in CF in Boston?

 

in 2023 when he did play cf ... in LA his numbers were bad up the middle also ... 2021 he was terrific

[Tedballgame]

Duran just dropped third out of the inning. Hope it doesn't hurt.

[Maxbialystock]

6 of the 9 unearned runs occurred after Story's injury.

 

And none of the 9 unearned runs were the result of an error or misplay by the Sox SS, whether Story, Reyes, or Hammond. In the first LA game, the one in which Story was injured, the two key errors were the dropped pop fly by Rafaela (Mr. Casual), and the dropped throw to 2b by Valdez. Make those two catches and the grandslam never happens. But in fact it did for 4 unearned runs. If Story had stayed in the game, he could not have prevented those two terrible errors or the 4 unearned runs.

[Maxbialystock]

Isn't one of the unearned runs the ghost runner scoring in SEA without any errors being made?

 

Could be.

[Maxbialystock]

They just lump those in with all the other unearned runs? How stupid.

 

I should take umbrage with that remark, but in fact I forgot about the ghost runner who scored.