I really hope things work out for Moncada. If he shows signs of living up to just some of his potential, wherever he plays I don't think he will be platooning with anybody. By wherever he plays I not only mean what position. Hope he winds up playing for us but you never know.
ok - this has taken a while for me but I have to say he is now my favorite Red Sox of all time. 121 RBI's ties the "Captain's" feat of 1967. An amazing accomplishment in itself but to just keep on going as he has is remarkable. I will always remember him for being exactly who and what he is - not necessarily a celebrity - a ballplayer who cares for others and who treats people with the respect that he gets treated with. Because he doesn't want to be, his attributes make him bigger than the game of baseball. Now, once again I say, that Yaz's year in 1967 stands alone, but this guy's career and sincere sense of community means a great deal. Here's to him I say!!! A true first ballot HOFamer if there ever has been one.
Couldn't agree more with you and as has already been stated I also think that it works both ways. What I love about this big man the most is his commitment and I believe genuine warmth for the Red Sox fan base. In a day and age where negativity seems to rule, you have this gentle big man who plays a game for a living and gives so much back at the same time. My guess is that he stays with the club in some capacity in the future and continues to give to his adopted community.
I have liked Hernandez a great deal for a couple of years now. I like him a lot more at either second or short than I do at third. I agree though that if was between Hill and Hernandez there would be no question in my mind that I wold go with Hernandez. I'm really tired of watching Hill. Honestly though I would stick Shaw over there and leave him alone. I like his power potential at third. That being said, I think that Hernandez is a starting second baseman/shortstop in waiting for somebody just probably not for Boston. As much as I am curious about Moncada, I would not put him over there just yet. These are critical games and I don't think that it would be fair to him. The last thing that he needs is any fan backlash due to expectations that he just isn't ready to meet. Give him time or trade him.
wait wait wait - One of the things I am saying is do not trade Bradley for anybody. We have Price and Porcello - not a bad start. Personally I still count benintendi and moncada as prospects. I would trade either or both a long time before i would trade any of the 3 I previously mentioned. If someone was willing to give up a top quality young ace for prospects plus second tier players, i could live with that if the return was great enough. i'm beating the tired old drum here and I realize I might be on a bit of an island but if they replaced Papi's bat with top quality and did nothing else I would be ok with it. i truly believe that having the big bat in the middle of our lineup makes them all better hitters.
I don't think that any of us want to give up on this guy. It just remains something that no one has said anything about at all. Unless he is hurting, you have to wonder why he hasn't even appeared since the call up. I might be going out on a limb but I still see him as the next best option after Leon.
I pretty much agree with you and I can't imagine that they think he is the 4th best offensive option among what they currently have. That is a tough one. It makes me think that there is something else going on. I would not be one bit surprised to see him traded this winter.
i must have dreamed it. With all this talk about how John Henry should be spending his money in addition to how much he has to spend coming from sources that really don't know what he might do, i might have just gotten confused.
Watching E-Rod pitch last night was very impressive. This is a very young ml pitcher with an upper body that looks constructed for the long haul. He may always be a powerful pitcher that people expect more from but over the years he could be very a very successful mid to upper rotation kind of guy. Any talk of trading him in any package would be much more silly than trading Espinoza for Pomeranz. E-Rod's time is now.
Another potential scenario is that they just don't think that he is as good as once thought. Unless he is hurt, which doesn't appear to be the case, it kind of looks like he is the last guy on the depth chart. i have to really wonder what that says about his future in Boston. He isn't serving as a backups backups backup to All-Stars.