wave it fair

I wouldn't assume I was talking about anyone in particular. I wasn't. Especially since this type of conversation goes on in just about every Red Sox fourm on the web. As well as other places. I was specifically addressing the frustration you were showing on the topic. And I can't imagine that this board is the only place you've heard it. However, my apologies if anyone thought otherwise. The point I was trying to make was that outside of Ryan Howard, Albert Pujols, Mark Teixeira, Paul Konerko and Carlos Delgado... Youk is comparable in terms of "overall" production with a majority of the first baseman after that group I mentioned. Yeah, some guys are going to have more HR's and drive in more runs. But in overall production Youk brings as much to the table as most MLB first basemen. The guy is effective getting on base which means there's a great chance he's going to score with the 3 and 4 hitters in this lineup and at the very least working a pitch count. He drives in runs and 31 of those RBI's came with runners in scoring position and two outs. He hit .325 with RISP overall. Seems to me he's a guy who you can feel pretty good about in that light. That's value!!! And that value isn't always going to show up in just HR and RBI production. There's a whole lot more that can be brought to the table and it's still great production.

I can feel your frustration with this topic of discussion. It's really easy for a lot of fans to look at his power numbers and spout that tired line of how Youk doesn't put up the kind of power numbers you want from a first or third baseman. It's a lazy response from fans who hear it dribbling out of every talking head on ESPN and every hack writer who doesn't know how to read the vast majority of stats provided to them in media packs at every game. Based on his OBP (.381) and the number of pitches he sees in the average plate appearance Youk brings value to this team. Then look at the fact that in his first full season in MLB he drove in 72 runs and scored another 100. He's 27 years old and stands to build on those numbers. He certainly has a chance to hit 20 HR's and drive in 80-85. He isn't ever going to be a guy who hits 30 HR's and drives in 100 runs. But on a balanced team those numbers he put up last season are a valuable commodity. And that's not even mentioning the solid to great defense he provided at first base and that he's a bit of a sparkplug type player. However, he played on a team who's lineup wasn't real balanced. Loretta never really delivered consistently in the two hole. Then he was pushed around in the lineup and started struggling at the plate. If the off-season provides the team with a little better balance in the lineup and the team finds an everyday spot in the batting order Youk's value is maximized. It doesn't take a hard core fan to recognize that he's viewed as a viable commodity for many teams who would welcome him into a lineup. Trading him at this point is hasty and ill-timed. I'm not ready to see another solid player traded off or this team or out of the organization because he doesn't produce sexy stats. That approach cost this team in the past and I'm not ready to wait for another title because the front office thinks every 25 HR hitter in the league becomes a 35 HR hitter in Fenway.

I'm also of the opinion that the Red Sox should be willing to engage in the process of bidding for the rights to negotiate with Matsuzaka. They don't have the top revenue stream in the majors, but they rank right up there. Then keep in mind that the Sox, if they win the bidding war certainly are not in a position that requires them to break the bank. Matsuzaka would certainly want a nice deal, but it isn't going to be the richest contract in all of baseball either. He will be somewhat forced to fit into a team's payroll framework or be forced to head back to Japan and have to wait until 2008 for his next opportunity to sign with a MLB club. But I would caution anyone who feels Matsuzaka is going to toe the rubber and be dominant right out of the shoot. He'll certainly have a little advantage initially considering he's an unknown with great movement on his pitches. However, Matsuzaka is super successful to some degree by the style of play in the Japanese leagues. It's a much different style of play meaning the batters are far more aggressive trying to put a ball in play. Especially with runners on. With that in mind... Matsuzaka still has been known to throw a ton of pitches per start. In MLB it's a more patient style. Once MLB hitters get a look at him he's going to have to prove he can throw a lot of that breaking stuff for strikes. Don't get me wrong... I like what I've seen of the guy, I want the Sox to bid on his rights and would be estatic if they got him. I just view him as a guy who's going to have to adjust to a much different approch by the hitters he'll have to face in this league.