Jackie Bradley Jr 2012 in AA: .271/.373/.437 (271 PA)
Jackie Bradley Jr 2013 in AAA: .275/.375/.469 (374 PA)
Revert? Not sure that word means what you think it means in that usage. If anything he improved going up a level, which is a great sign and th opposite of what you're implying. He simply was not ready last year. 90% of the posters on here would agree he should have started in AAA. Many prospects would have not have the make up to handle a demotion as well as JBJ. Long term projections never have him at Ellsbury's ceiling. No one thinks he will be a 5 win player. I think you're making up expectations of what Red Sox fans think here.
Yes Salty had a career year in terms of WAR. Defensive metrics for catchers mean nothing at this point. We are nowhere near understanding mathematically the value of a good defensive catcher using advanced metrics. In terms of pitch framing and throwing out runners, Salty was very bad.
Conjecture. Bogaerts is the #1 or #2 rated prospect in all of MLB. He can bust but that is very unlikely. Most projectionss have him succeeding Drew's offensive projection easily and he will be average on D. The reality is he has already replaced Drew. The future 2015 and beyond upside is much, much more.
We will miss his defense no doubt. But a lot of that was playing SS. You expect a team to go into a season with Iglesias at 3rd? idk. You are pretty much doubling down your same logic for losing Stephen Drew here. Sox lost 1 shortstop from last year. Not 2.
Now, lets take a look at the sox players in 2013 who had career or resurgent offensive years.
Your franchise shortstop is 40.
Player X has bad year, player is bad. Player X has good year, player should regress. I think I'm catching onto your general drift. Nava has raked at every single level he's been at where he's had a legitimate starting job. Look at his career numbers majors and minors. Maybe he won't hit .300 but his OBP is no joke.
He probably had the best defensive year of an Sox right fielder since Dwight Evans. That's where most of the WAR came from. His offense was above average all year and he was in and out of the lineup with knicks and knacks. You can argue he wasn't even healthy for the majority of 2013.
He's K'd like that his entire career. He put up pretty much career norms across the board this year. Look at his year in 2011 and tell me 2013 is a fluke. Not sure what else to say.
LOL, again that bold statement is complete conjecture. You're right though. Out of all the guys I find it hard to believe he will have the year he did last year. I agree with you on this. However his walk rate went down and his K rate was the highest of his entire career which suggests something else entirely. Just for fun, look at Chris Davis' career numbers before 2012. Look familiar? Carp turned 27 last year. I'm not saying it's a definite, but there is a small chance they could have a young power hitting first basemen who just figured it out last year.
Of all the guys you mention you conveniently leave out the fact that Pedroia - the most important player on the Red Sox - had a pretty down year offensively. He must be just getting bad and it's a downward spiral. No way he can possibly rebound.
Dude have you looked at your 2014 New York Yankees starting infield? OMG LMFAO.
Most of your points in this again is complete conjecture. You also pretty much said the Sox staff blows the Yankees out of the water anyway. You forgot to mention the Red Sox have Webster, Barnes, Ranaudo just chilling in Pawtucket with the best of all of them Henry Owens not too much further away. Meanwhile the Yankees have ZERO depth whatsoever on the bench or in the minors so tell me when when happens if Kuroda and Ellsbury gets hurt? Yankees are GRADE-A f***ED. Meanwhile if an outfielder or starting pitcher go down for the Red Sox, they have replacements coming out of the woodworks off the bench and in Pawtucket that are quite comparable.
