2024 Red Sox Defense

[Hugh2]

It might just be for one game/

 

There's no reason why he can't start a couple games a week. Hamilton can't be a MLB starting short stop. Grissom is not a SS, Reyes may be your best option defensively (not named Rafaela) and he can't hit.

[notin]

Finally, only took them a whole week to do the sensible thing.

 

Last year it took them longer to move Kike off shortstop. They put him in CF, and let him play there for a week and he played very well.. But then Chang got hurt and Kike went right back to SS, continued to botch plays and was just left there with no end in sight. And he stayed there until Chang came back and then finally got traded...

[notin]

There's no reason why he can't start a couple games a week. Hamilton can't be a MLB starting short stop. Grissom is not a SS, Reyes may be your best option defensively (not named Rafaela) and he can't hit.

 

There is a decent chance we see whether or not Grissom can be a stopgap shortstop...

[Hugh2]

Last year it took them longer to move Kike off shortstop. They put him in CF, and let him play there for a week and he played very well.. But then Chang got hurt and Kike went right back to SS, continued to botch plays and was just left there with no end in sight. And he stayed there until Chang came back and then finally got traded...

 

Honestly, Kike would be less disasterous at SS than Hamilton.

[Hugh2]

There is a decent chance we see whether or not Grissom can be a stopgap shortstop...

 

I would normally disagree but given this teams affinity to not care up SS defense I have to agree with you.

[notin]

Honestly, Kike would be less disasterous at SS than Hamilton.

 

I have my doubts there. But certainly Hamilton isn’t an improvement…

[Maxbialystock]

Finally, only took them a whole week to do the sensible thing.

 

And it really worked well. Sox lost today, 6-0, not because the defense stunk, but because Cleveland simply outpitched the Sox. To be more precise, their bullpen outpitched ours.

 

And shortstops were completely irrelevant.

[moonslav59]

Before today, our defense ranked 28th in OAA at -7. (The Mets are -8, and MIA is -13.) Last year, we were 30th and way behind the next couple team. Last year, we were worse than #28 and #26, combined!

 

It's hardly a ringing endorsement to say, we are not quite as bad as last year, but last year was mostly about Kike, and we don't have a Kike to bench and replace, like last year.

 

OAA by position:

 

1B: last year we were 29th at -10 (just 1 from worst)

This year they have us +1, so maybe my eyes deceive me.

 

2B:

Last year, just like 1B, just 1 out from being worst in MLB (-13 to -14.)

This year, we look to the great unknown in Grissom, but we are already at -1.

 

SS:

Last year, Story saved us from finishing wort, after that horrific start by Kike & Co. We still finished 7th from last at -3.

This year, we are already at -4, but actually ahead of where we were last April 15th.

 

3B:

Somehow Devers & Co. finished just 3rd from worst in '23 at -12.

We are second to worst, so far at -3, which is on pace for -30.

 

LF:

Yoshida & Co. placed 7th from worst, but Yoshi is no longer in the LF mix.

Predictably, we look better, this year. We are at zero T9th best)

 

CF:

Duran, Duvall & Associates finished 8th from last in '23 at -10.

It was thought by some that Rafaela might bring us to a big plus in '24, and so far, we are tied for 8th at zero, despite his 3 errors. He must have saved a lot of outs to offset that. (I still have hopes for CF.)

 

RF:

Last year, we were -1 and near the middle of the pack.

This year, we are at -1 with O'Neal & Co in right.

 

Fangraphs has the team ranked 27th, so far in '24.

DRS has us 24th at -5.

 

Not the improvement I had hoped for, but the Story injury busted up that dream.

[Randy Red Sox]

Last year it took them longer to move Kike off shortstop. They put him in CF, and let him play there for a week and he played very well.. But then Chang got hurt and Kike went right back to SS, continued to botch plays and was just left there with no end in sight. And he stayed there until Chang came back and then finally got traded...

 

is Chang still available?

[moonslav59]

is Chang still available?

 

There should 10 Chang types out there, at any given moment.

 

For some reason, we hardly ever have defensive whizes on our bench. It's not a cost thing.

 

[mvp 78]

is Chang still available?

 

Injured, AAA for the Rays

[mvp 78]

There should 10 Chang types out there, at any given moment.

 

For some reason, we hardly ever have defensive whizes on our bench. It's not a cost thing.

 

 

Sox could aquire a Chang-type for peanuts if they wanted.

[notin]

Sox could aquire a Chang-type for peanuts if they wanted.

 

How about … Pelvis Mandrus?

 

I don’t want to have to keep saying his name…

[notin]

There should 10 Chang types out there, at any given moment.

 

For some reason, we hardly ever have defensive whizes on our bench. It's not a cost thing.

 

 

I think it’s a Cora thing. I think he values offense more than defense…

[moonslav59]

Sox could aquire a Chang-type for peanuts if they wanted.

 

Exactly.

 

Now, how can they get to wanting to?

[mvp 78]

How about … Pelvis Mandrus?

 

I don’t want to have to keep saying his name…

 

His defense is not an upgrade though. -16 DRS the past 3 years. If he's not hitting, what's the point in bringing him in? He may be less valuable than Reyes because of his lack of utility.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

And it really worked well. Sox lost today, 6-0, not because the defense stunk, but because Cleveland simply outpitched the Sox. To be more precise, their bullpen outpitched ours.

 

And shortstops were completely irrelevant.

 

I watched the game, and there were three plays where Hamilton (twice) and Valdez couldn't catch throws. They maybe weren't going to nail runners, but if they at least stop the freaking ball, then runners don't move up another base... from where they all scored. One was a bounced throw from Abreu for the only official error, but the Red Sox looked like crap at the end with Hamilton at SS after Ceddanne had to move to OF because of the most egregious E -- when the third baseman head-butted the left fielder on a pop-up, instead of backing off. The outfielder coming in always has the right to call off the back-pedaling infielder.

[notin]

His defense is not an upgrade though. -16 DRS the past 3 years. If he's not hitting, what's the point in bringing him in? He may be less valuable than Reyes because of his lack of utility.

 

I'm willing to bet a full season of Hamilton won't get you anywhere near -16 DRS...

[Maxbialystock]

I watched the game, and there were three plays where Hamilton (twice) and Valdez couldn't catch throws. They maybe weren't going to nail runners, but if they at least stop the freaking ball, then runners don't move up another base... from where they all scored. One was a bounced throw from Abreu for the only official error, but the Red Sox looked like crap at the end with Hamilton at SS after Ceddanne had to move to OF because of the most egregious E -- when the third baseman head-butted the left fielder on a pop-up, instead of backing off. The outfielder coming in always has the right to call off the back-pedaling infielder.

 

Wonderful, even graphic descriptions--and also irrelevant when the Sox lose 6-0. The Sox lineup couldn't hit spit and the bullpen collapsed after Crawford pitched 5.2 scoreless innings.

 

As for the collision between O'Neill and Devers, it was a freak accident--head to head. Devers, I hasten to add, made a clean catch of the ball before colliding with O'Neill, so I'm not as sure as you that he was at fault. I mean, the rest of your diatribe was directed against players who didn't catch the ball, but here you want to throw Devers in jail when he did catch it.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

here you want to throw Devers in jail when he did catch it.

 

Who said anything about jail? Can't the Red Sox afford one of those steel shark cages to put around Raffy? It would also keep him from cutting in front of shortstops and deflecting grounders.

 

The least they could do is fit him for a PitchCom speaker (but call it DCom), so he can clearly hear outfielders call him off on pop-ups -- like they have with other infielders since forever. We wouldn't want our irrelevant defense to turn a still-winnable 2-0 game into a 6-0 route.

[notin]

Who said anything about jail? Can't the Red Sox afford one of those steel shark cages to put around Raffy? It would also keep him from cutting in front of shortstops and deflecting grounders.

 

The least they could do is fit him for a PitchCom speaker (but call it DCom), so he can clearly hear outfielders call him off on pop-ups -- like they have with other infielders since forever. We wouldn't want our irrelevant defense to turn a still-winnable 2-0 game into a 6-0 route.

 

Just put an electric dog fence around 3B and put the sensor in his glove so if he stray too far and becomes a danger to others, he receives a warning shock...

[Maxbialystock]

Just put an electric dog fence around 3B and put the sensor in his glove so if he stray too far and becomes a danger to others, he receives a warning shock...

 

Literally comparing a player to a dog is very insulting--which he does not deserve.

[notin]

Literally comparing a player to a dog is very insulting--which he does not deserve.

 

I didn’t compare him to a dog. I just suggested dog safety technology be used to rain him in. You’ll note the sensor was placed in a glove, not a collar.

 

Which brings to an interesting point - had I suggested a Running Man collar, in reference to the Arnold Schwarzeggar/Richard Dawson movie, would that have been acceptable? No dog references, but the same technology caused human heads to explode upon crossing a barrier.

 

Yet because I mentioned a favorite animal, somehow the gentle warming shock is a cruel reference, while the exploding human head is still ok?

 

I mean, the Running Man did take place in a jail, just like you mentioned…

[mvp 78]

I didn’t compare him to a dog. I just suggested dog safety technology be used to rain him in. You’ll note the sensor was placed in a glove, not a collar.

 

Which brings to an interesting point - had I suggested a Running Man collar, in reference to the Arnold Schwarzeggar/Richard Dawson movie, would that have been acceptable? No dog references, but the same technology caused human heads to explode upon crossing a barrier.

 

Yet because I mentioned a favorite animal, somehow the gentle warming shock is a cruel reference, while the exploding human head is still ok?

 

I mean, the Running Man did take place in a jail, just like you mentioned…

 

"Rain him in."

 

You should have received a similar shock after typing that.

[Maxbialystock]

I didn’t compare him to a dog. I just suggested dog safety technology be used to rain him in. You’ll note the sensor was placed in a glove, not a collar.

 

Which brings to an interesting point - had I suggested a Running Man collar, in reference to the Arnold Schwarzeggar/Richard Dawson movie, would that have been acceptable? No dog references, but the same technology caused human heads to explode upon crossing a barrier.

 

Yet because I mentioned a favorite animal, somehow the gentle warming shock is a cruel reference, while the exploding human head is still ok?

 

I mean, the Running Man did take place in a jail, just like you mentioned…

 

You said to put "an electric dog fence around him." That's insulting and dehumanizing.

[Bellhorn04]

You said to put "an electric dog fence around him." That's insulting and dehumanizing.

 

And all in jest.

 

We have a lot of jesters here, myself included.

[jad]

And all in jest.

 

We have a lot of jesters here, myself included.

 

Wait. That's deeply hurtful to those here of deep seriousness. I am profoundly offended.

[notin]

"Rain him in."

 

You should have received a similar shock after typing that.

 

1. I did. I blame a faulty keyboard.

 

2. The proper spelling should have been “rein”, which means “a guiding influence” and is not solely used on animals…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Only love can bring the rain.

 

That falls like tears from on high.

[Bellhorn04]

Only love can bring the rain.

 

That falls like tears from on high.

 

Reign O'Er Me.