Spitball

Actually, LaRoche has been very consistent through the years. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/larocad01.shtml He has stayed pretty close to his career slashline (.268/.338/.482) for nine years. I find it interesting that Napoli has had only one season in which he has played more than 114 games. In 2010, he played 140 games and had a slashline (.238/.316./468) that was well below his career numbers. That year he played 70 games at first and 66 as catcher with a few PH and DH appearances.

Look again. This shows he is clearly not a pull hitter in his home park.

Dead pull? http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/adam-laroche/hitchart/154555?q=adam-laroche

Selected and isolated examples of individual performances are not necessarily definitive proof of an argument. I will give you that Fenway Park benefits right handed hitters. For example, in 2012, right handed hitters in Fenway out performed right handed hitters in other parks in BA, OBP, SLG, OPS, and BiP. However, as far as homeruns by right handers go, Fenway Park trailed homerun rates per at bat in Toronto, Texas, Baltimore, Chicago (WS), and Arizona. I will give you that one year is a selected and does not prove a point, but as former GM Theo Epstein said, “We like Fenway for left handed, opposite-field hitters more than we do for right handed pull hitters because it rewards good habits for the lefties—letting the ball travel, staying inside the ball, etc. For righties, Fenway can get you into bad habits—leaking, getting around the ball—that are tough to shake." For the team as a whole, left-handed batters have dominated team history at Fenway Park. With a minimum of 1,000 at-bats at Fenway Park, 11 of the top 15 (and five of the top six) home batting averages in team history have been produced by left handed batters. Lefty batters Wade Boggs (.369), Ted Williams (.356), Carl Yastrzemski (.306) and even Troy O’Leary (.304) have hit better at Fenway. Fenway is a great park for righties, but other factors are more important in determining potential players.

Those are interesting statistics, but they are a bit misleading. Some of the guys you listed had careers that featured serious power numbers but were coming off poor seasons for one reason or another. Tony Perez had a Hall of Fame career hitting fourth for the Big Red Machine. He once had 40 homers in a season. Also, he hit only 9 his second year in Boston. I'm sure the decline was due to age but then his 30 homer season was probably a fluke at his advanced age.. Don Baylor averaged 24 homers a year for 19 years. Nick Esasky never had 500 plate appearances until he came to Boston. For the Sox, he had 633 when he hit 30. He twice hit more than 20 in about 400 plate appearances prior to coming to Boston. He was never truly a regular until his first year in Boston. Kevin Millar's situation is simular to Esasky. Millar had a 20 homer season, but he never had 600 plate appearances until he came to Boston. Beltre and Lowell had 8 homer seasons in unusually poor seasons for them. Beltre hit for power before and since. Lowell had five consecutive seasons before his poor power season when he averaged about 25 homers per year. Bill Hall once hit 30 homers in a season. Cody Ross had a few 20 homer seasons while playing in that large Miami stadium. I believe Fenway favors right handed bats, but some of the greatest have been left handed. Since 1983 and the luxory suites, I believe the power numbers are down since then.

I am not saying he is a great choice at first base. I am saying he has decent minor league numbers and probably wouldn't be significantly less productive than Napoli. Btw, his .987 fielding average at first for seven minor league seasons and time at third base would indicate he isn't a terrible fielding first baseman.

With Chapman moving to Cincinnati's rotation next season, Mike Leake is a similar but better pitcher.

I disagree. Gomez has been a pretty good minor league hitter with a clue how to work a count in his favor. Minor league averages are a strong indicator of major league success, and Gomez has decent numbers. His minor league slash line is .281/.334/.484. and is strong enough to conclude he can fill first base about as well as Napoli. For me, Napoli puts up very good catcher offensive numbers but not particularly strong first base numbers. Gomez might be a drop...but certainly not a significant drop.

Ah, jeez! I did not see this had been already been speculated on.

It sounds like Mark Melancon may be headed to the Pirates in the deal.

Honestly, I am not a Pirate fan, but I root for teams who have struggled. Pittsburgh, Kansas City, and Cincinnati were great franchises in the 1970s and 1980s. I believe it is good for baseball to see them make positive moves to return to contention. Btw, Walt Jocketty in Cincy has done a great job with that franchise since being fired by the Cardinals.

I doubt Salty is involved. I also highly doubt the Pirates will move Garrett Jones. He is still cheap and won't be a FA until 2016.

NM

Oops! I see 700 has already posted this on another thread.

He walked a horrifying 5.4/9 last year, but he has had a history of control problems. It seems every time he strikes out better than 10 per nine innings his walk rate goes way up.

It would appear to be an odd signing with Upton, Parra, Kubel, and Adam Eaton already there. I'd love to see the Red Sox get Kubel to platoon with Gomes.

First, I am not a Cub fan. During their brief return to almost respectability, I found their fan base in central Arkansas to be very obnoxious. I respect your opinions, so I'd love to know how you feel Scott Baker and Scott Feldman are "big time" additions.

I don't particularly like Napoli's bat as a first baseman, but it plays well as a catcher. I'd trade Saltamalacchia for pitching depth and acquire LaRoche.

The Sox could not continue to contend if they continued to gamble on Epstein's/ownerships' ridiculously irresponsible spending on free agents. Also, the trading of prospects made it impossible to build a roster of young affordable players to combine with high priced veterans.

This is excerpted from "Future Shock: Dylan Bundy and Future No. 1 Starters" by Kevin Goldstein If we use Goldstein's standards and accept the theory that there are probably ten number ones, then Greinke is in the mix at the bottom of the top ten. I count only nine definite number ones. Is Greinke even in the running for a number one? Clearly number ones: Verlander Hernandez Sabathia Kershaw Halliday Lee Cain Price Weaver Nearly number ones: Hamels Gonzalez Strasburg Shields Dickey Cueto Greinke

You are right. Epstein tried to do improve the team, but he made some foolish moves. I would rather have Rizzo and Kelly than the trade with the Dodgers. I'd rather have Rizzo than Napoli. I'd rather have Kelly than Dempster. The Sox need to embrace a new philosophy on building a winning team. I must admit I loved the Gonzalez trade at the time. I loved the Crawford signing. I loved the Lackey signing. In fact, I was ecstatic with each move. However, I was wrong.

Well, maybe I was too hard on Jacko, but I was not being too poeitic. I usually enjoy his contributions.

I don't think Cabrera is the answer at shortstop. If the D-backs prefered Didi Gregarius (see scouting reports) to Cabrera (who they could have aquired in Choo trade), then I do not think the Red sox want him.

I agree. The Sox threw a bunch of money at Crawford and Lackey while trading top prospects to the Padres for Gonzalez (plus signing him for lots of money). It did not work. The Phillies, Angels, and Marlins also spent lots of money on star players only to see them disappoint and miss the playoffs. The A's, Reds, Giants, and Cardinals avoided the big spending and made the post season.