S5Dewey

I never have disputed the value of stats. It's just that some people overrate their value. There's plenty of room for both stats and 'the eye test' in evaluating a player. Someone mentioned recently that JBJ has a defensive WAR this year of negative 0.2. That means that according to WAR he's defensively worse than a replacement player - not the average player.. but a replacement player. Essentially a AAAA guy. Now, I'm not saying that this is a reason to ignore all of WAR - it's not. But it is reason to recognize that there can be some significant problems with WAR and especially defensive WAR. That is, unless you truly believe that JBJ is worse defensively than Bryce Brentz.

I will give your opinion all the weight I think it deserves.

IMO there's no doubt about either one of those statements.

Wrong again. I long ago came to the realization that there's room for both the eye test and stats. I just think over reliance on stats is the lazy man's way of looking at baseball.

Meh. You can "tag" me as anything you want. I won't lose any sleep over it. Honest. Just know that it may not be true.

Hahahaha, And it's not my fault that you're so intent on being a _______ that you jump to bad conclusions.

Right you gentlemen are! I'm going to use the defense that I'm getting older and my memory gets more befuddled all the time. You'll buy that... won't you?

Nope. Paul O'Neil. My bad.

Wasn't it Blair who had his moment of fame on Seinfeld by hitting a HR for a kid?

Ahhh.. but when someone says it here they DO have to be able to prove it because someone is bound to step in and name three or four players who might be able to make the play - or even a better one - in an attempt to discredit the OP. Quick story for you, which you may already know. Earl Weaver was known to be able to quote the entire MLB rule book and quote it chapter and verse. When asked why he bothered to do it he said it was because, "Being right isn't everything. Being able to PROVE IT is".

You may (or may not) have noticed that I'm trying to get away from saying that "nobody else makes that play" and it's because you're right. The only way anyone could say that would be if we could exactly duplicate the same play for two players - they both start in exactly the same place, leaning the same way, they both have the corner outfielders in their same spots (so there is no communication problems between them) etc. Actually saying "nobody" is fairly ridiculous because it makes what one player does into an exclusive property, saying that nobody else in the world can do it. There are hundreds of minor league players in the US and it's not outside the realm of possibility that ONE of them has the defensive skills to play like JBJ, Kiermier, or your current man-crush of Laureano - but can't hit a lick. And that doesn't even begin to talk about the players in Japan or the Dominican Republic. What I will say is that I see JBJ making plays that I believe many/most OF'ers don't make, Mullins not getting to the ball in Fenway being a prime example. Now, can I PROVE that JBJ would have made that play that Mullins didn't make and probably cost the O's the game? Nope, just as nobody else can prove that he wouldn't have, because, again, to PROVE it we'd have to be able to duplicate the play for JBJ. Edit: However, I do reserve the right to use hypebole in my exuberance from time to time and say, "Wow, NOBODY makes that play!!", knowing full well that somebody, someplace might be able to replicate it.

No, actually it was Mullins for the Orioles who didn't make that catch I was referring to. It was on April 12 in CF of Fenway. I don't know how you dragged Keirmeir into this conversation but once again you're the one who's wrong. But that's not unusual.

Either Lin or Chavis is a reasonable short-term solution. It depends on whether Cora wants to favor offense or defense at 2B while Pedey is out.

Well, we couldn't have been any worse off! However, just as it's a questionable conclusion to say that had we not started JBJ would would have gotten swept, it's also a questionable conclusion to imply that "a few more hits" and less defense by another CF'er would have made the difference in the games.

That may be, but what are the chances of landing one of those guys to replace JBJ? Because we are talking about trading him. Here's what I like about JBJ: In all my years of watching baseball I've never seen a CF'er - or anyone else for that matter - who can do what JBJ does. On what is a routine play for him he turns his back on the ball, runs to 'the spot', and waits for the ball to come down. What that tells me is that he could have run further if he'd had to in order to make the play. When I see other outfielders make outstanding plays I see them running flat-out to get to 'the spot' and catching the ball on the run. When I see JBJ tracking a ball and running flat-out to get to it I know that this is going to be a great catch... one that most of those other guys wouldn't have made.

He may or may not be, I don't know because I haven't seen Kiermaier play enough to make a decision. What I am confident of is that JBJ's stellar defense all year more than offsets his offensive deficiencies during his slumps. Which has nothing to do with Keirmaier.

Then let's release JBJ and get Keirmaier. Wait... K's not available. So what's your point?

Also don't forget that we saw a CF with sub-JBJ abilities not get to a ball in CF that JBJ would have gotten to every time.... and it cost them the game.

Hahahahaha. This may be the best example of the inaccuracy of WAR I've ever read. But hey, believe it if you want.

Four words: SOLID UP THE MIDDLE.

Where's our old pal Jax now? He's usually here to tell us how "fragile" the Sox are and how the team's chances are diminishing after every injury. Maybe we should send a contingency over to a Yankees board looking for him.

Hey...and ME! Jezz... I don't post much and suddenly i'm a forgotten man!

Isn't it amazing how a person's perspective changes, depending on what they want to hear? LOL

I've seen Chavis hit in person and the ball jumps off his bat. I'm not going to speculate on how much of that is the result of PED's remaining in his system but right now he's the real deal offensively. If he can maintain this for the remainder of the season AND become solid with the glove he has a future in MLB.

I get it. It's because people undervalue outstanding defense. Chicks aren't the only ones who dig the long ball. Or offense.