Jump to content
Red Sox and Orioles, join the conversation! ×
Talk Sox
  • Create Account
  • Red Sox News & Analysis

    Rafael Devers May Actually Play First Base, Eventually

    Rafael Devers has been moved from starting at third base to starting at designated hitter, but there could be one more position move in his future.
    Alex Mayes

    By Alex Mayes

    Image courtesy of © Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

    Red Sox Video

    Before the start of the game on Wednesday, May 7th, Alex Cora went on his weekly appearance on “WEEI Afternoons”  and was once again asked about Rafael Devers taking over first base in the wake of the injury to Triston Casas. Up to this point, Cora has remained steadfast that Devers would not play first. On Wednesday though, his tone changed. 

    Cora told WEEI, “I’m not saying we’ll never have that conversation but I think for right now, where we’re at, I like Raffy as a DH.” Then, in the pregame media session Cora was asked about those comments. He said, “I think right now the most important thing is he’s very comfortable where he’s at and we’re very comfortable with what he’s doing. His production is really good. Coming into the season, that was the red flag. Everybody was talking about is he gonna get used to it? Can he DH because he’s not playing third base? ... He doesn’t need to play third base or first base to hit … He’s hitting the ball hard. And he’s producing. So for now I keep saying, he’s my DH and I’m very happy with that.”

    These quotes are a pretty decent departure from the firm ‘no’ that he has offered to date. Cora went on to say that recent call up Abraham Toro and Romy Gonzalez offered positives to the team and that he wants to “let Raffy be Raffy.” I think, for now, that letting "Raffy be Raffy" makes sense. Devers is still learning to be a full-time DH and having him change his routine again so early in the season doesn’t seem like it would be beneficial. We already know that Devers wasn’t thrilled about the first position change, then going 0-19 to start the season, and having to reach out to guys like JD Martinez and David Ortiz to figure out how to adapt to his new, offense-only role. 

    However, there may come a time soon when Devers is needed to play first on a regular basis. There are veteran players who think he could transition to first quickly and play well, with Lou Merloni being one of the more vocal of them. There’s even precedent in the AL East for this to happen, as the Blue Jays did it with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in 2020. Now, that position change happened early in Vlad’s career, after his first rookie season, while Devers has gotten years of play time at third until this season. We know that Devers is proud of playing the field and getting him back out there on a daily basis could help fix some of his offensive woes that still plague his season to this point.

    I don’t anticipate this being a legitimate conversation until Masataka Yoshida is ready to rejoin the big league club — and that could be months away, depending on how his shoulder feels while he throws as he progresses through his rehab program and prepares to return to baseball. When Yoshida is ready, playing him at DH on a daily basis and planting Devers at first likely puts the best lineup on the field day in and day out. At the end of the day, shouldn’t that be the goal of the organization?

    573 based Talk Sox Podcast co-host and writer.

    Follow Alex Mayes on Twitter: iamalexmayes

    Follow Talk Sox For Boston Red Sox News & Analysis

     Share
     Share
    Go to articles

    Recent Red Sox Articles

    Recent Red Sox Videos

    Community Blogs

    • Missing out or a Saving Grace
    • Roger LaFrancois, .400 hitter and the last of his kind

    Forum Topics

    • Orioles (Rogers) vs Red Sox (Bello): 6/4/26, 1:35pm
    • A Realistic Look at the 2026 Red Sox: Part I

    Red Sox Top Prospects

    Marcus Phillips

    Greenville Drive - A+, RHP
    The 33rd overall pick in last year's draft started his pro career with two rough starts but then had two strong starts. He had a 12.83 ERA in 4 May starts. On Tuesday, he tossed 4 1/3 scoreless, one-hit innings. He walked two and struck out five.
    View All Top Prospects
    The Ultimate Boston Red Sox Gift Ideas Shopping Guide

    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments



    Featured Comments

    TedYazPapiMookie

    TedYazPapiMookie 31

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    36 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

    I'm not sure how many good defensive 1Bman are in the league now.

    It's interesting that I have to drop the innings played in 2015 to 160 to even get 30 players. That's less than half what many FT 1Bman have in innings, so far.

    There are 7 1Bmen who already are at -3 DRS or worse. (Casas was at -4 in just 235 innings. Like I said, low bar set.)

    16 are at zero or negative.

    Only 10 1Bman have plus OAA, which highlights how many bad ones there must be, since OAA is about what is average. 10 are above average. 4 are at average. 16 are below average.

    My point, all along has been that casas set a low bar, so even just a plain bad 1Bman might be an improvement. I happen to think Devers could become decent or even average, over time, but I don't assume he would be.

    IMO, the topic has been beaten to death 10 times over: just move Campbell to 1B, call up Mayer, and let's watch devers have a career year at the plate.

    I agree that 1B is not a strong defensive position like in the past.  I also agree that promoting both Anthony and Mayer to support the current roster makes sense because they are better than the alternatives and provide flexibility.  I think Campbell is a better defender than Mayer at 2B so I would put Mayer at 1B.   I think Anthony could move into a rotation as 4th outfielder playing RF when Abreu sits for lefties and giving both Duran and Rafaela a day off occasionally plus he could pinch hit late in the game.

    Lastly, the chances for Dever having a career are much higher as DH so amen to that suggestion because making the playoffs only happens if he does.

    TedYazPapiMookie

    TedYazPapiMookie 31

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    6 minutes ago, illinoisredsox said:

    You still trying for that diplomatic job with the State Department?

     

    Nope.  Just looking for baseball people to talk baseball with and avoiding the proud unenlightened masses that lead with insults when someone disagrees..

    illinoisredsox

    illinoisredsox 161

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    2 minutes ago, TedYazPapiMookie said:

    I agree that 1B is not a strong defensive position like in the past.  I also agree that promoting both Anthony and Mayer to support the current roster makes sense because they are better than the alternatives and provide flexibility.  I think Campbell is a better defender than Mayer at 2B so I would put Mayer at 1B.   I think Anthony could move into a rotation as 4th outfielder playing RF when Abreu sits for lefties and giving both Duran and Rafaela a day off occasionally plus he could pinch hit late in the game.

    Lastly, the chances for Dever having a career are much higher as DH so amen to that suggestion because making the playoffs only happens if he does.

    Anthony isn’t going to be brought up as a 4th outfielder; they aren’t going to start his clock for that.  He’ll be up if someone gets hurt and he’ll play almost every day.

    illinoisredsox

    illinoisredsox 161

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    Just now, TedYazPapiMookie said:

    Nope.  Just looking for baseball people to talk baseball with and avoiding the proud unenlightened masses that lead with insults when someone disagrees..

    My personal opinion is everyone here is part of the “unenlightened masses”.  None of us sees stuff day to day up close.  We just think we know what’s going on.

    TedYazPapiMookie

    TedYazPapiMookie 31

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    1 minute ago, illinoisredsox said:

    Anthony isn’t going to be brought up as a 4th outfielder; they aren’t going to start his clock for that.  He’ll be up if someone gets hurt and he’ll play almost every day.

    The concept of controlling the clock has changed with the last CBA.  I don't think we have experienced this yet but doesn't the CBA provide for a shortening of the clock if a player reaches some specific thresholds?  How does a team balance that against starting the clock too early?  Say Campbell makes ROY this year, doesn't he get rewarded with the advancement of his clock?  So, while I agree not starting the Anthony clock sooner might be a good goal does it make more sense to start it now?

    If Anthony is able to perform like Campbell at a higher level than the players at his position now. that might make for a two-man ROY race in Boston which would remove the chance that each could win in 2025 and 2026 and Boston would lose clock time for both players?

    I'm interested in what you think about that because since the new CBA I've wonder how the new benefits to players would be handled by organizations.

    moonslav59

    moonslav59 1,454

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

    1 hour ago, TedYazPapiMookie said:

    I agree that 1B is not a strong defensive position like in the past.  I also agree that promoting both Anthony and Mayer to support the current roster makes sense because they are better than the alternatives and provide flexibility.  I think Campbell is a better defender than Mayer at 2B so I would put Mayer at 1B. 

    I like Mayer at SS, Story at 2B and Campbell at 1B.

    Don't mess with Mayer.

    Story is our best defensive 2Bman.

    Campbell has yet to win any position, so it makes sense to switch him. (He's taller than Story.)

    Mayer would be my last choice for 1B, of the three. (I'd almost rather have Bregman at 1B and Mayer at 3B.... ALMOST.)

    notin

    notin 1,027

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

    10 minutes ago, TheSplinteredSplendor said:

    Sounds good but not a fan of waking up with a stray cat or iguana in my house.

    Plus, I'm an early riser anyway

    I’d welcome an iguana in my house.  And I’d name him Clancy, after the underappreciated Clancy Brown, whom I have now mentioned in multiple threads in a span of minutes…

    moonslav59

    moonslav59 1,454

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

    9 minutes ago, TheSplinteredSplendor said:

    Sounds good but not a fan of waking up with a stray cat or iguana in my house.

    Plus, I'm an early riser anyway

    With 2 dogs, we've never had a critter come in.

    We started closing it at night, and when I get up to go pee around 6 am, I open the door and go back to bed- sometimes to 11 or 12 on SAT.

    That's when the dogs wake us for feeding time is overdue.

    What kind of dog do you have?

    We have two rescue mixes. One has Blue Lacy and maybe some pitbull. The other looks like a Dalmatian-greyhound mix.

    We lost our 19 1/2 year old Shpepherd-Yello Lab mix a couple years back. Best dog ever.

    notin

    notin 1,027

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

    So Seiya Suzuki was relegated by the Cubs to the DH role when the team acquired Kyle Tucker and was openly less than thrilled by it.

    This week, Ian Happ went down.  Starting in LF tonight for the Cubs - Seiya Suzuki.  You didn’t know this because he just shut up and went out there and played …

    TheSplinteredSplendor

    TheSplinteredSplendor 62

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    5 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

    With 2 dogs, we've never had a critter come in.

    We started closing it at night, and when I get up to go pee around 6 am, I open the door and go back to bed- sometimes to 11 or 12 on SAT.

    That's when the dogs wake us for feeding time is overdue.

    What kind of dog do you have?

    We have two rescue mixes. One has Blue Lacy and maybe some pitbull. The other looks like a Dalmatian-greyhound mix.

    We lost our 19 1/2 year old Shpepherd-Yello Lab mix a couple years back. Best dog ever.

    I rescued a chihuahua/dachshund mix. First little dog I have ever owned. He's got a great personality.

    roccofinger.jpg

    TheSplinteredSplendor

    TheSplinteredSplendor 62

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    12 minutes ago, notin said:

    I’d welcome an iguana in my house.  And I’d name him Clancy, after the underappreciated Clancy Brown, whom I have now mentioned in multiple threads in a span of minutes…

    They crap everywhere, especially around the pool.

    TedYazPapiMookie

    TedYazPapiMookie 31

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    2 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

    I like Mayer at SS, Story at 2B and Campbell at 1B.

    Don't mess with Mayer.

    Story is our best defensive 2Bman.

    Campbell has yet to win any position, so it makes sense to switch him. (He's taller than Story.)

    Mayer would be my last choice for 1B, of the three. (I'd almost rather have Bregman at 1B and Mayer at 3B.... ALMOST.)

    You are an obvious Mayer fan.  I'm not.  Of all the players that you mentioned he is the weakest defender based on past performance.  That's my measuring stick for success - facts.  He's the weakest hitter among Campbell, Story, Bregman and Mayer and he's the weakest defender.  Frankly, he still has a lot more success that needs to be documented for me to believe he is as good as you think.  Maybe it will happen or maybe he'll continue to be league average like he was in the minors in all seasons except 2024. 

    I hope he proves to have the skills his hype forecast but as of yet, I have very little evidence of any success or stardom by him.  If you are a fan, then I'm sure these words will aggravate you but if you go to the baseball bible (Baseball Reference) his performance is clearly documented.  An excellent 2024 and he played well in Spring Training this year then shot off his mouth about how good he was alienating many fans like me.  As good as he was in 2024, Campbell was better.  Campbell also proved his promotion to the MLB first was justified based on performance.  Anthony is now performing at a level suitable for promotion and if Mayer can continue his recent hot streak, he might EARN a spot on the major league roster as a back-up or 1B.

    All I care about is documented performance.  Everything else is a projection based on a bias.  That does not stop me from rooting for all the Red Sox including Mayer, it just keeps things real by using only actual performance to judge players.  Are you aware Mayer's minor league defensive stats at SS are slightly better than Devers' were and nowhere near what Campbell did?  Heck, Boston traded Meidroth in the Crochet deal and his numbers in the minors were slightly better than Mayer's yet nobody knew his name other than hard core fans.  Why?  Mayer has had a spotlight on him since the 2021 draft when Bloom could have taken players like Colton Cowser, Jordan Lawler, Kumar Rocker, Brady House, Andrew Painter, WIll Bednar, Sal Frelick, Khalil Watson, Matt McLain, Gunner Hoglund, Trey Sweeney, Gavin Williams or Jackson Merrill, all of whom have done far more for their ballclub than Mayer.

    If Mayer has the talent you think he does he needs to start catching up to his draft mates in contributing to his ballclub.  As the fourth pick, his performance to date is very disappointing considering the other options that Bloom had.

    Sorry I can't agree with you on the topic of Mayer at this time.  Maybe in the future.

     

     

    moonslav59

    moonslav59 1,454

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

    8 hours ago, TedYazPapiMookie said:

    You are an obvious Mayer fan.  I'm not.  Of all the players that you mentioned he is the weakest defender based on past performance.  That's my measuring stick for success - facts.  He's the weakest hitter among Campbell, Story, Bregman and Mayer and he's the weakest defender.  Frankly, he still has a lot more success that needs to be documented for me to believe he is as good as you think.  Maybe it will happen or maybe he'll continue to be league average like he was in the minors in all seasons except 2024. 

    I hope he proves to have the skills his hype forecast but as of yet, I have very little evidence of any success or stardom by him.  If you are a fan, then I'm sure these words will aggravate you but if you go to the baseball bible (Baseball Reference) his performance is clearly documented.  An excellent 2024 and he played well in Spring Training this year then shot off his mouth about how good he was alienating many fans like me.  As good as he was in 2024, Campbell was better.  Campbell also proved his promotion to the MLB first was justified based on performance.  Anthony is now performing at a level suitable for promotion and if Mayer can continue his recent hot streak, he might EARN a spot on the major league roster as a back-up or 1B.

    All I care about is documented performance.  Everything else is a projection based on a bias.  That does not stop me from rooting for all the Red Sox including Mayer, it just keeps things real by using only actual performance to judge players.  Are you aware Mayer's minor league defensive stats at SS are slightly better than Devers' were and nowhere near what Campbell did?  Heck, Boston traded Meidroth in the Crochet deal and his numbers in the minors were slightly better than Mayer's yet nobody knew his name other than hard core fans.  Why?  Mayer has had a spotlight on him since the 2021 draft when Bloom could have taken players like Colton Cowser, Jordan Lawler, Kumar Rocker, Brady House, Andrew Painter, WIll Bednar, Sal Frelick, Khalil Watson, Matt McLain, Gunner Hoglund, Trey Sweeney, Gavin Williams or Jackson Merrill, all of whom have done far more for their ballclub than Mayer.

    If Mayer has the talent you think he does he needs to start catching up to his draft mates in contributing to his ballclub.  As the fourth pick, his performance to date is very disappointing considering the other options that Bloom had.

    Sorry I can't agree with you on the topic of Mayer at this time.  Maybe in the future.

    It looks like Story's defense has slipped, but that is a close call at SS between Mayer and Story. I happen to think Story would play 2B way better than Mayer, so that is why I chose the way I did.

    The scouting reports say Mayer has a good arm: Story no longer does. Story is likely better with the glove and range, so I can see thinking Story > Mayer at SS D. My second choice is SS Story, 2B Mayer and 1B Campbell. It's a close second.

    I don't know if Mayer (or Anthony) will dow ell or not. I do know we won't know until we find out. They are ML ready, now, and they will get a look, at some point. At some point, we should and will bite the bullet.

    Right now, we have a newly created slot in the infield. We can wait, until the ideal situationa rises for Mayer- like a middle IF injury, but will we feel any more confident then?

    Just rip the bandaid off. This team needs an infusion of something. Story and others are slumping, and Rafaela is in the midsts of a 2 season "slump," so let's give it a whirl. Just my opinion. I have no idea if it will work, but these kids are as ready as ever. Mayer is healthy and doing pretty well at AAA. It was always about his health.  Anthony has nothing more to prove at AAA.

    When you say it's gonna happen now
    Well, when exactly do you mean?
    See, I've already waited too long
    And all my hope is gone

     

    5GoldGlovesOF,75

    5GoldGlovesOF,75 689

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

    7 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

    It looks like Story's defense has slipped, but that is a close call at SS between Mayer and Story. I happen to think Story would play 2B way better than Mayer, so that is why I chose the way I did.

    The scouting reports say Mayer has a good arm: Story no longer does. Story is likely better with the glove and range, so I can see thinking Story > Mayer at SS D. My second choice is SS Story, 2B Mayer and 1B Campbell. It's a close second.

    I don't know if Mayer (or Anthony) will dow ell or not. I do know we won't know until we find out. They are ML ready, now, and they will get a look, at some point. At some point, we should and will bite the bullet.

    Right now, we have a newly created slot in the infield. We can wait, until the ideal situationa rises for Mayer- like a middle IF injury, but will we feel any more confident then?

    Just rip the bandaid off. This team needs an infusion of something. Story and others are slumping, and Rafaela is in the midsts of a 2 season "slump," so let's give it a whirl. Just my opinion. I have no idea if it will work, but these kids are as ready as ever. Mayer is healthy and doing pretty well at AAA. It was always about his health.  Anthony has nothing more to prove at AAA.

    When you say it's gonna happen now
    Well, when exactly do you mean?
    See, I've already waited too long
    And all my hope is gone

     

    Good post. I think a lot of fans are ready for a change from the weekly: good win/bad loss/good win/coughed-up, blown-save, terrible loss Red Sox.

    I was primed for big roster changes after this 12-game stretch vs. good pitching that ends today with Tarik Cy Skubal. But with an upset win, the Mediocrities can salvage a 6-6 stretch, and if they lose like they're supposed to, will only limp home at 5-7.

    I thought Thursday's off-day would be prime for the call-ups of Anthony and/or Mayer. Friday begins a long homestand, the new City Connects, and Crochet vs. Sale.

    But I read on another forum that the "safe" date to call-up Anthony and Mayer and secure an additional year of control is now mid-June. CAN THE RED SOX WAIT THAT LONG TO PUT THEIR BEST TEAM ON THE FIELD?

     

    notin

    notin 1,027

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

    14 hours ago, TedYazPapiMookie said:

    I agree that 1B is not a strong defensive position like in the past.  I also agree that promoting both Anthony and Mayer to support the current roster makes sense because they are better than the alternatives and provide flexibility.  I think Campbell is a better defender than Mayer at 2B so I would put Mayer at 1B.   I think Anthony could move into a rotation as 4th outfielder playing RF when Abreu sits for lefties and giving both Duran and Rafaela a day off occasionally plus he could pinch hit late in the game.

    Lastly, the chances for Dever having a career are much higher as DH so amen to that suggestion because making the playoffs only happens if he does.

    So you think the best defensive SS above A ball in the entire organization should be utilized at the easiest defensive position on the field?

    Bellhorn04

    Bellhorn04 744

  • Community Moderator

    • Posted

    25 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

    Just rip the bandaid off. This team needs an infusion of something. Story and others are slumping, and Rafaela is in the midsts of a 2 season "slump," so let's give it a whirl.

    Rafaela has an .850 OPS in May.  He has improved his plate approach significantly.  He has a 1.6 bWAR in 39 games this year and a 4.4 bWAR in his first 219 major league games.  Throw in the extension they gave him, and this is one of the last guys they would want to replace right now.   

    Hugh2

    Hugh2 329

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    14 hours ago, TedYazPapiMookie said:

    The concept of controlling the clock has changed with the last CBA.  I don't think we have experienced this yet but doesn't the CBA provide for a shortening of the clock if a player reaches some specific thresholds?  How does a team balance that against starting the clock too early?  Say Campbell makes ROY this year, doesn't he get rewarded with the advancement of his clock?  So, while I agree not starting the Anthony clock sooner might be a good goal does it make more sense to start it now?

    If Anthony is able to perform like Campbell at a higher level than the players at his position now. that might make for a two-man ROY race in Boston which would remove the chance that each could win in 2025 and 2026 and Boston would lose clock time for both players?

    I'm interested in what you think about that because since the new CBA I've wonder how the new benefits to players would be handled by organizations.

    If Campbell wins ROY this year the Sox do not lose a year of team control.   

    If the Sox called him up after only a few short weeks he would not have reached a full year of service time, so the Sox would of had him for this year + 6 more years of team control.  If Campbell won ROY in this scenario, the Sox would lose the current year and it would count as a full year of service time, so they'd only control him for 5 more years. 

    Campbell made the opening day roster, so he can't lose the Sox a year of service time BUT he can net them a high draft pick.  EDIT. Sox aren't gaining a year of service time, it will be the same whether or not he nets a pick. 

    If Roman Anthony came up and won ROY he could end up losing a year of control by winning ROY, and the Sox would NOT get the draft pick. 

    I think this is going to force teams to have more conviction.  If you start a guy you plan on sticking with him, and if a player doesn't begin the year at the MLB level, you're going to think long and hard about bringing him.  Whether people agree with this or not, the Sox or someone in their position may be waiting to promote someone like Anthony to ensure he doesn't win ROY. 

    Of course, we only have to go back to last year to see a team who got burned by doing exactly that.  Paul Skenes didn't start the year in the majors, but the Pirates didn't gain an extra year of control because he won ROY, but the didn't get a pick because he DIDN'T start the year in the majors. 

    New CBA could be tumultuous, MLB is the only major sport without a real salary cap and their might be a very big fight over getting one into the next CBA.  A lockout for the 2027 season seems very possible at this point. 

    Hugh2

    Hugh2 329

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    Devers to first allows you to lengthen the lineup without hurting your defense by keeping Rafaela in the field. 

    with Rafaela in CF and Devers at 1B Abreu can start 2/3 of the games in RF and 1/3 of the games at DH, Duran can play 2/3 of the games in LF and 1/3 of the games at DH.  Romany Anthony can spend 2/3 of his time playing corner outfield and 1/3 of the time playing DH. 

    I don't think the Sox will add both Mayer and Anthony at the same time this year.  As exciting as that is, Rookies are still Rookies, I wouldn't expect such a good young team to win the world series.  At some point a talented team that has a veteran presence is going to cook you in the playoffs. 

    But the experience may be great, and we are close to a point where you can probably call these guys up and not have to worry about losing the extra year of team control.  

    The problem is, even under better circumstances where Raffy and the FO don't have this chasm between them and Raffy would be eager to get back out in the field it would still be unfair to throw him out there without any reps.  If he was going to make the move at some point this season he really should be starting to take infield practice there now.  I also think you can't ask Raffy to move to 1B at this point unless you plan on permanently keeping him there.  

    So that's probably not very realistic for some time. 

    It will be interesting to see how they eventually fit these guys onto the roster. 

    mvp 78

    mvp 78 2,028

  • Community Moderator

    • Posted

    10 hours ago, notin said:

    I’d welcome an iguana in my house.  And I’d name him Clancy, after the underappreciated Clancy Brown, whom I have now mentioned in multiple threads in a span of minutes…

    If an iguana comes in my yard, it's on sight.

    The pool cage keeps everything but the really small lizards out anyway. When those guys get in, the cats get to them with the quickness. 

    The only thing I worry about is the bufo/cane toad (rhinella marina). 

    mvp 78

    mvp 78 2,028

  • Community Moderator

    • Posted

    33 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

    Good post. I think a lot of fans are ready for a change from the weekly: good win/bad loss/good win/coughed-up, blown-save, terrible loss Red Sox.

    I was primed for big roster changes after this 12-game stretch vs. good pitching that ends today with Tarik Cy Skubal. But with an upset win, the Mediocrities can salvage a 6-6 stretch, and if they lose like they're supposed to, will only limp home at 5-7.

    I thought Thursday's off-day would be prime for the call-ups of Anthony and/or Mayer. Friday begins a long homestand, the new City Connects, and Crochet vs. Sale.

    But I read on another forum that the "safe" date to call-up Anthony and Mayer and secure an additional year of control is now mid-June. CAN THE RED SOX WAIT THAT LONG TO PUT THEIR BEST TEAM ON THE FIELD?

     

    Their best team on the field would include better pitching in the late innings IMO.

    notin

    notin 1,027

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

    9 hours ago, TedYazPapiMookie said:

    You are an obvious Mayer fan.  I'm not.  Of all the players that you mentioned he is the weakest defender based on past performance.  That's my measuring stick for success - facts.  He's the weakest hitter among Campbell, Story, Bregman and Mayer and he's the weakest defender.  Frankly, he still has a lot more success that needs to be documented for me to believe he is as good as you think.  Maybe it will happen or maybe he'll continue to be league average like he was in the minors in all seasons except 2024. 

    I hope he proves to have the skills his hype forecast but as of yet, I have very little evidence of any success or stardom by him.  If you are a fan, then I'm sure these words will aggravate you but if you go to the baseball bible (Baseball Reference) his performance is clearly documented.  An excellent 2024 and he played well in Spring Training this year then shot off his mouth about how good he was alienating many fans like me.  As good as he was in 2024, Campbell was better.  Campbell also proved his promotion to the MLB first was justified based on performance.  Anthony is now performing at a level suitable for promotion and if Mayer can continue his recent hot streak, he might EARN a spot on the major league roster as a back-up or 1B.

    All I care about is documented performance.  Everything else is a projection based on a bias.  That does not stop me from rooting for all the Red Sox including Mayer, it just keeps things real by using only actual performance to judge players.  Are you aware Mayer's minor league defensive stats at SS are slightly better than Devers' were and nowhere near what Campbell did?  Heck, Boston traded Meidroth in the Crochet deal and his numbers in the minors were slightly better than Mayer's yet nobody knew his name other than hard core fans.  Why?  Mayer has had a spotlight on him since the 2021 draft when Bloom could have taken players like Colton Cowser, Jordan Lawler, Kumar Rocker, Brady House, Andrew Painter, WIll Bednar, Sal Frelick, Khalil Watson, Matt McLain, Gunner Hoglund, Trey Sweeney, Gavin Williams or Jackson Merrill, all of whom have done far more for their ballclub than Mayer.

    If Mayer has the talent you think he does he needs to start catching up to his draft mates in contributing to his ballclub.  As the fourth pick, his performance to date is very disappointing considering the other options that Bloom had.

    Sorry I can't agree with you on the topic of Mayer at this time.  Maybe in the future.

     

     

    What is it in Mayer’s past performance that lead to this conclusion?

    The scouting reports on Soxprospects says “Instinctual defender with fluid actions. Looks like he is gliding on the field. Soft hands and solid footwork. Moves well and has plenty of range for shortstop. Confident defender; will take a flashy infield.”

    Hardly the same level of criticism…

    notin

    notin 1,027

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

    3 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

    If an iguana comes in my yard, it's on sight.

    The pool cage keeps everything but the really small lizards out anyway. When those guys get in, the cats get to them with the quickness. 

    The only thing I worry about is the bufo/cane toad (rhinella marina). 

    Your backyard sounds like an episode of “Marty Stouffer’s Wild America”.

    I’m jealous…

    mvp 78

    mvp 78 2,028

  • Community Moderator

    • Posted

    2 minutes ago, notin said:

    Your backyard sounds like an episode of “Marty Stouffer’s Wild America”.

    I’m jealous…

    Well, it's FL! I've seen most every FL animal in our neighborhood/town except for bears, panthers and crocs. However, our friend saw a smaller croc one town over so they are expanding their range a little bit. 

    My son takes care of two salt water tanks, one fresh water, a back yard pond, two terrariums and has an extensive bone collection from his fort excavations and various travels in the woods. So I can't really get away from it even when the doors are closed. No lizards allowed inside though. 

    mvp 78

    mvp 78 2,028

  • Community Moderator

    • Posted

    15 minutes ago, notin said:

    What is it in Mayer’s past performance that lead to this conclusion?

    The scouting reports on Soxprospects says “Instinctual defender with fluid actions. Looks like he is gliding on the field. Soft hands and solid footwork. Moves well and has plenty of range for shortstop. Confident defender; will take a flashy infield.”

    Hardly the same level of criticism…

    Weakest defender? Mayer? Out of who? He's a much better defender than Campbell and Anthony. The only reason people see him transitioning off SS is due to his size, but they've said that about a ton of SS's who never move off position. 

    mvp 78

    mvp 78 2,028

  • Community Moderator

    • Posted

    The knocks on Mayer have been: can't stay healthy, platoon issues, struggles with offspeed pitching. 

    Some scouts have him ahead of Roman Anthony! 

    LHP 735 OPS

    Home 754 OPS (not even benefitting from WOO jet stream yet)

    Late/Close 1431 OPS 👀

    notin

    notin 1,027

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

    8 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

    Well, it's FL! I've seen most every FL animal in our neighborhood/town except for bears, panthers and crocs. However, our friend saw a smaller croc one town over so they are expanding their range a little bit. 

    My son takes care of two salt water tanks, one fresh water, a back yard pond, two terrariums and has an extensive bone collection from his fort excavations and various travels in the woods. So I can't really get away from it even when the doors are closed. No lizards allowed inside though. 

    You can always go see Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena…



    Create an account or sign in to comment

    You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

    Create an account

    Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

    Register a new account

    Sign in

    Already have an account? Sign in here.

    Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...