harmony

With Thursday's blowout, the Red Sox evened their Spring Training run differential: http://www.espn.com/mlb/standings/_/sort/pointdifferential/seasontype/pre I agree that Spring Training stats are pretty much meaningless.

The Red Sox split a four-game series with the Seattle Mariners in August 2016 despite being outscored 11-10: http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SEA/2016-schedule-scores.shtml

Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi tops SB Nation's list of 2017 American League Rookie of Year contenders: http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2017/3/2/14772526/al-rookie-of-the-year-contenders-benintendi-giolito-judge-cotton-mlb

I hope David Price regains full health soon but today's news is concerning. FanGraphs columnist Craig Edwards looks at the potential impact if Price misses the season: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/if-the-red-sox-lose-david-price/#more-246708

Small sample size. Another rookie corner outfielder, Seattle's Mitch Haniger, posted an identical 0.6 fWAR in an identical 34 games last year but FanGraphs Depth Charts projects Haniger with a 2017 WAR of only 1.2 in 490 plate appearances as a right fielder (and 1.2 WAR in 525 plate appearances overall).

Lefthanders Eduardo Rodriguez and Fernando Abad are on WBC rosters as well, according to the Boston Globe: https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/redsox/2017/02/27/wbc-presents-classic-conundrum/DzYZUaMDjoPqfWfd0uibuI/story.html

Even with his defensive shortcomings, Kyle Schwarber is projected with a 2017 WAR of 2.2 in 504 plate appearances as a left fielder (and 2.5 WAR in 544 plate appearances overall), according to FanGraphs Depth Charts: http://www.fangraphs.com/depthcharts.aspx?position=ALL&teamid=17#LF Andrew Benintendi is projected with a 2017 WAR of 1.7 in 525 plate appearances as a left fielder (and 1.9 WAR in 560 plate appearances overall): http://www.fangraphs.com/depthcharts.aspx?position=ALL&teamid=3#LF Steamer and ZiPS project Schwarber with 2017 WAR of 2.7 and 1.5 while projecting Benintendi at 1.4 and 2.1: http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=16478&position=C/OF http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=17901&position=OF Steamer600, which assumes 600 plate appearances for each player, projects Schwarber and Benintendi with 2017 WAR of 3.1 and 1.6, respectively. http://www.fangraphs.com/projections.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&type=steamer600&team=17&lg=all&players= http://www.fangraphs.com/projections.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&type=steamer600&team=3&lg=all&players= When Benintendi was taken with the seventh pick of the June 2015 draft he was four months younger than Schwarber was when the latter was taken with the fourth pick of the June 2014 draft.

I would note that I provided Bill James' optimistic projections for Blake Swihart after I acknowledged that I was surprised by the pessimistic projections from FanGraphs Depth Charts, Steamer and ZiPS.

Thank you for the feedback. I will keep the comments in mind if I post again.

I don't know for sure but I suspect the Cubans don't make their own HDTVs. If the Cubans don't make their own HDTVs, they're in good company: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/2014/10/22/americans-make-tvs/17680951/ http://www.politifact.com/virginia/statements/2016/mar/14/donald-trump/donald-trump-says-us-doesnt-make-tvs-anymore/

http://www.martinoticias.com/a/cuba-television-digital-fallas/125978.html

Blake Swihart's bat would be ready for left field if FanGraphs Depth Charts, Steamer and ZiPS projected Swihart with Kyle Schwarber's projected 2017 wRC+ of 123, 124 and 121. http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=16478&position=C/OF Instead, FanGraphs Depth Charts, Steamer and ZiPS project Swihart with 2017 wRC+ of 82, 87 and 77. http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=13176&position=C

Kyle Schwarber, who is nearly a year younger than Blake Swihart, could still develop as a catcher but probably won't get the chance because his bat is currently ready to play other positions. Swihart could develop as a catcher but his bat probably is not ready to play at other positions.

I entered this discussion about Blake Swihart because I was surprised by his bearish projections from FanGraphs Depth Charts, Steamer and especially ZiPS. I provide projections from all sources I can find. Objectivity is a heavy cross to bear.

I hope Petco Park drains before the World Baseball Classic moves to San Diego on March 14: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C5t90vjVAAI4IO-.jpg:large My wife and daughter were in San Diego today for my daughter's recruiting trip but they did not mention the weather. Their return flight has been delayed by 30 minutes so I'll have late-night pickup duties at the airport.

The hometown crowd also includes Red Sox consultant Bill James and his optimistic 2017 projections for Blake Swihart: http://www.masslive.com/redsox/index.ssf/2016/11/boston_red_sox_2017_projection.html The projected on-base percentage is surprising in light of Swihart's .328 career mark buoyed by a likely unsustainable BABIP of .357.

Major League Baseball reportedly is a strong advocate of the World Baseball Classic. The owners and the players union worked out the details in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Baseball America reports: http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/2017-world-baseball-classic-notebook/#17wVzYa4ScT8P2xx.99 http://nesn.com/2016/11/mlb-mlbpa-new-cba-agreement-winter-meetings-2016/ http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/morosi-2017-world-baseball-classic-could-be-barometer-of-mlb-labor-relations-030514 The owners and players are holding up their respective ends of the agreement. My union negotiates with management for days off; the players union has negotiated with management for job-related outside activity.

Have any players violated "contracted obligations" by playing in the World Baseball Classic? Would a team violate "contracted obligations" by forbidding a player's participation in the World Baseball Classic? I suspect the aggrieved party would enforce the contract if a violation arose. The Seattle Mariners know the risk of WBC participation but have given their blessing this year to Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz, Edwin Diaz, Yovani Gallardo, Tyler O'Neill, Sam Gaviglio, Pat Venditte, Sebastian Valle, Emilio Pagan and possibly Drew Smyly.

I read that: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/travis-sawchik-fangraphs-chat-6/ The career trajectory of Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud, who is three years older than Blake Swihart, might provide an interesting comp: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/02/make-or-break-year-travis-darnaud.html#comments https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/02/make-or-break-year-travis-darnaud.html#comments ... or not. Like Swihart, d'Arnaud peaked at No. 17 in Baseball America preseason prospect rankings.

In an unattributed direct quote, Peter Gammons reported that "Several teams tried to get in on Swihart, but Dave refused to talk about him." http://www.gammonsdaily.com/peter-gammons-primary-storylines-from-the-winter-meetings/ I rather doubt that Blake Swihart is untouchable. I suspect other teams, looking to buy low, were not willing to offer up talent that would further trade talks.

Some Blake Swihart swings are better than others: http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/blake-swihart-hits-first-mlb-home-run-for-red-sox-video-060415 http://m.mlb.com/tor/video/topic/8877962/v772074283/torbos-swihart-loses-bat-on-a-nasty-knuckleball

I understand that Blake Swihart made his MLB debut after only 38 games at Triple A but I would note that Swihart made his MLB debut at age 23 years, 29 days, a more advanced age than the debut ages of four of the six catchers in the 2016 All Star game (and older than the debut ages of Gary Sanchez, Mike Zunino, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Yadier Molina, Joe Mauer, Brian McCann and Kyle Schwarber).

Drawing upon his 383 MLB plate appearances and 1,466 minor league plate appearances, FanGraphs Depth Charts, Steamer and ZiPS project Blake Swihart with 2017 OPS of .693, .710 and .676, respectively, despite solid BABIP of .321, .321 and .320: http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=13176&position=C

Putting business ahead of country? The use of the word "trump" got me thinking.

In 383 MLB plate appearances, Blake Swihart has a career OPS of .714 with a likely unsustainable BABIP of .357. http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=13176&position=C