a700hitter

Soriano had played a full season in the OF (158 games) before the Cubs signed him as a FA.

Assuming that they had intended only 40% of his contract was going to be in LF at the rate of $18 million, even that has never been done. No one has signed a player for that length of time with that price tag to switch his position.

I don't think signing Desmond for 1 year for $8 million is DOING THE VERY SAME THING as signing Hanley for 5 years $90 million. No one has ever signed a long term FA contract with a player to change that player's position from IF to OF. No one.

Kelly went 4 scoreless innings, but the Pirates played their minor leaguers and scrubs. Porky also had an error.

And how many closers would reach the level of twice the value of a median closer?

If ever.

Why did you pick a measure of twice the value of a median closer? How many closers ar at that level?

Josh Johnson should be cheap, but will he ever pitch again?

What do TS members think about Lincecum? I think that he is still out there. He had 3 or 4 plus pitches before he started losing velocity. He is a guy that could still pitch well without the big heater. Kyle Lohse is still out there. And there are a few dumpster dive opportunities still out there.

If nothing else, Pablo is a fertile source of funny jokes.

Play nice.

It is not uncommon for players in Spring Training to look bad on flyballs and high pops, because most of the games are day games. In the short period that I was there, two balls dropped next to left fielders who lost sight of the balls. The balls that Hanley botched were not very high and not one that would have been lost in the sky. His reactions to those balls were late/ very late. Hopefully, it was just the sun and sky, but what I saw and the statement that I heard from Pedroia re pop flies gives me some concern. I have no bias against him. He seems to be swinging the bat very well. He is running the bases well, including stealing bases. He is in excellent shape. I am counting on him to be a big part of this team. He will not win any gold glove at 1B. I am just hoping for major league competence at the position. If I have a bias, it is that I don't think we should let Pablo continue to block 2 players (Shaw and Travis). I do not think Pablo has enough of an upside to block those guys.

Thanks Pete. I think you will like Sam Travis even more than Travis Shaw when you see him. He has more of a compact swing and puts the barrel on pitches inside and outside. And the ball jumps off his bat too. I really like him. If it were my decision, Pablo would be gone, Hanley would move to 3B and Shaw and Travis would share 1B, with Shaw spelling Hanley at 3B.

last year's PR cover story re Hanley was that he was brave for coming here to learn a new position. They are the masters of spin.

Thank you. As I said, I am hoping that Hanley's problem with pop-ups is largely attributable to playing day games, although the one that fell behind him was very easy and most of the crowd was murmuring. I was at the game with a good friend who only watches baseball when he us with me and he never played baseball beyond grade school. When the ball dropped, I said nothing. My friend commented to me that that looked like it should have been easily caught. It was alarming. Whether he didn't see the ball or whether he just decided not to chase it, either way it was concerning. I immediately looked at Pedey to see where he was and his reaction. He was just staring at Hanley.

He picked a couple of practice throws in the dirt today. I don't think he will be LF bad on throws in the dirt, but no one will be comparing him go Boomer Scott. On pop-ups he looks lost. I am just hoping that it is the sun and high sky of day games. I am betting that he will let a few foul pops drop in, and maybe even a fair pop up. Hopefully, the IF rule will be in effect.

Hopefully, Farrell doesn't stubbornly stick to what he said originally.

You will probably always miss Ami, and that has nothing to do with this discussion.

True, but if Young is going to get every AB against lefties, I can't see that happening at the start of the season without him taking most of those ABs from Bradley.

Today, he made a nice play on a line drive, but.....and this but really concerns me, he let a foul pop up fall behind first base. It was an easy play, and he barely made a move for it. By the time he reacted, it was too late, and he just stopped. Pop-ups are going to be a problem. On one of the first NESN broadcasts, the announcers said that Pedroia said that the strategy was for him to take whatever pop-ups that he could get to and not let Hanley handle popups. When I heard the story, I thought that it was a bit concerning. There was a second play that was a foul pop-up between home and first toward the dugout and about 1/3 down the line. Swihart made the catch, but Hanley did not even attempt to run down that ball. It was not a difficult catch for Swihart, but very often, maybe more often than not, the first baseman takes that ball. He did not make an attempt. He jogged in to head toward the dugout. I am concerned about him fielding pop-ups and picking throws out of the dirt. I don't think he will have trouble with ground balls. Our catchers will have a very big area to cover for pop-ups, because Pablo can't cover anything more than 2/3 to 3/4 down the line and Hanley has no idea where these balls are going to land. Our catchers will need to be catching pop-ups in fair territory possibly out as far as the mound.

This will really test the depth of the staff, and I don't think that depth is adequate.

He's not going to get any of Betts ABs, Castillo is right-handed so he will not be playing for Castillo against lefties. That leaves Bradley.

People have opinions. Sometimes players look like they are half-assing it. There's nothing wrong with saying that even though it can't be substantiated. It has been going on forever. If a player doesn't run out a ground ball, he will get booed. People don't wait to find out if he has a leg cramp.

Good point.

Lol I think the best lineup, both defensively and offensively would have Shaw at first and Hanley at third. I don't see the upside of holding Shaw back for Pablo who was never very good IMO and he is declining in every aspect of the game. Getting him was a really bad move, and letting him block more deserving players compounds the mistake. They should cut their losses with him, and move Hanley to his natural side of the infield.