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5GoldGlovesOF,75

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Everything posted by 5GoldGlovesOF,75

  1. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    They're all better than meteorologists -- none of them even study meteors.
  2. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    The BOX? That stupid outline that is the exact same size whether the batter is Altuve or Judge? The square that doesn't align with the exact same angle of every centerfield camera at every single ballpark, just to confuse and frustrate viewers beholden to this age of misinformation? The box that is only 2-dimensional and doesn't reflect the depth of a pitch when it actually crosses the plate and/or lands in a catcher's mitt? How would anyone ever watch baseball again without it? Consider this: has anyone, at any time in their lives, ever witnessed a spectator at a live ballgame at any level holding a cutout cardboard rectangle in front of their eyes so they could replicate the living room experience?
  3. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    The box score shows a familiar name relieved Fogell and chased home all his inherited baserunners, And I thought we chased Anderson out of Boston last year.
  4. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    Boston would not either (not if I'm CBO). Acquiring a good pitcher in his 30s who is owed around $100 million would only be worth it to the Sox if they were a true contender for the World Series, and that is highly unlikely for a club with no reliable bullpen and question marks at every infield position (the only sure thing is Bregman somewhere). Rafaela is a not a refined veteran like Castillo, but even if he doesn't maximize his five-tool potential could still give Boston around 3 WAR per year for the next eight seasons (Ceddanne had 2.8 WAR in '24 and... never walked!). Would Castillo contribute commensurate value?
  5. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    I'm watching them all on defense. Hamilton missed a line drive, and Saturday had a perfect peg by Narvaez squirt out of his glove on the tag. Sogard made miscues at 3B and 2B. Anthony half dove for a liner that clanked off the heal of his glove, then heaved a lollipop to second. Rafaela threw a laser to nail a runner at the plate. But we should especially keep an eye on Story. If he's going to run the ball halfway to first because he can't make a strong throw from shortstop, we have problems. Shortstop's pretty important.
  6. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    After watching Story shuffle-shuffle-shuffle and then bounce an easy throw that Casas couldn't scoop today, I have to wonder if Trevor's arm will be even be able to handle an entire season (if nothing else breaks down and puts him on the IL). I'm not saying Story is already injured or even sore, but maybe the internal brace just doesn't give him the arm strength he once had before elbow issues. We know he's a fitness fiend, so maybe he's just taking it easy because it's Spring Training... ... we also know Mayer has the young supple tissue and power to just plant his back leg and fire a strike to Casas.
  7. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    I have said many times Rafaela is unlikely to be traded because of his contract -- including the post you skimmed over. Unlike all the Sox' other hot prospects, Ceddanne is no longer making minimum wage AND he is locked up longterm... so if he turns out to be a bust, the new team's budget is cracked. Big risk. The only mistake I made is when I typed a Skenes type, I didn't uppercase TYPE, nor elaborate that I meant any other guy with a 60s Western movie mustache dating a gymnast (or even a circus acrobat). A Skenes type could also include Paul's uncle -- his mother's older brother -- still pitching in his late-40s... only underhand 3 to 12-foot arcs in slow-pitch softball. Uncle Fester only has about a decade left of effectiveness, so Rafaela might make a good centerpiece in a trade. If not, at least he could hold up candles on both sides of a centerpiece.
  8. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    The guy I was thinking of is Tony Phillips, who played all over the diamond for a career bWAR of 50.9. Listed as a second baseman because that's the position he played the most, Phillips also led the AL in range factor as a left fielder one year, and as a third baseman in another. Never an All-Star, yet in his seven-year peak (1990-96) averaged 5.3 WAR over 162 games. Baseball Reference's scale considers 5+ WAR as "All-Star Quality." In 18 seasons, Phillips had a career Slugging % of .389, identical to Rafaela's. But Phillips, who averaged 97 runs scored, walked to first on BB about as frequently as Ceddanne walked back to the dugout after whiffing in '24...
  9. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    And now the dumb Dodgers have a second starting five that is as good as most rotations in the bigs: Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Gavin Stone, Bobby Miller, Landon Knack. Here's LA's other rotation: Ohtani, Snell, Yamamoto, Glasnow, Sasaki. Damn, forgot Kershaw. At least in the playoffs only one guy can throw at a time when Soto is up.
  10. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    The only scenario is if he's starting. Mayer won't be called up to sit on the bench. He needs to play regularly somewhere for an entire season.
  11. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    Current Red Sox management is all about versatility, and Rafaela is unique in that regard. Besides the fact that Ceddanne is signed through 2032, I just don't see current management trading a guy who can provide elite defense at the two key non-battery positions on the field: centerfield and shortstop. Yes, I saw him make Es at both, but he also made plays that no one else besides maybe Jackie Bradley and Trevor Story could make. If Rafaela is a centerpiece in a deal for a Skenes type, ok -- but Boston won't ever give him away just to make room on the roster for another prospect. The Sox might make room on the bench for him, though...
  12. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    I'd be ok with the challenge system if they compromise and get rid of the constant check-the-check appeals. Just entirely get rid of the totally subjective concept of asking another ump 90 feet away from the batter whether he "went around" -- which, in my lifetime has evolved from a batter actually "breaking his wrists" (turning his top hand over) to a guy flinching the barrel of his bat about an inch off his shoulder.
  13. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    At Worcester last year, I saw two times when called strike challenges were made -- one by Grissom, one by Yorke -- with each overturned in the batter's favor. In both instances, a count of 1 and 2 reversed to a count of 2 and 1. Everybody should be able to see the dramatic differences in those at bats... On the next pitch, both batters singled.
  14. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    Big Gameday! Crochet pitching, Bregman playing -- hope winters eternal!
  15. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    Narvaez doubled and gunned down two runners stealing (Hamilton dropped the ball on the first tag).
  16. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    Ceddanne drew a base on balls. He's walked in every game he's played in 2025. Coulda had another one, but had to go and swing, and homer.
  17. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    When Arenado looked more likely to be this offseason's infielder/righty bat addition, I said the key reason for the acquisition was to signal the shift in the Sox' defensive structure -- going forward. As in: even if Arenado was cooked, he would ignite the transition of Devers to DH. And that would make it easier for all to accept a young, unproven prospect like Mayer or Campbell inheriting the hot corner. The same holds true if Bregman plays third this season, has a monster year and opts out. There's no going back.
  18. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    In the large sample size of a seven-inning game vs. amateurs, it was good to see at bats by The Password, also known as Justin Sin Garcia (as pronounced by TC and Merloni on NESN). Garcia is a strong right-handed hitter who led the org in minor league home runs last season. Already on the 40-man at 22, maybe he'll soon be part of the outfield core (look how fast Campbell and Anthony moved up in one year). Maybe this is a reason why Breslow hasn't invested in adding a righty swinger. Garcia looks a little like Manny, but reportedly is good enough to play all three outfield positions... (must be really quick).
  19. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    For years I read any Red Sox article I could find online. NESN.com was always a go-to site -- now it's all crap, loaded with dozens of daily clicks, most that say nothing new, promoted as 1 to 3 minute "reads." What... if... I... read... slower? Avoid at all costs.
  20. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    I just don't see it on a roster loaded with good young outfielders. When Anthony is here, he may be platooned while he adjusts -- probably with Refsnyder briefly.
  21. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    snoozeweak.dumbass/how-yankee-fan-writer-afraid-of-'25Boston-can-spew-idiocy-online
  22. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    I covered this in my entire first paragraph, but didn't use OPS because it's obvious the difference there is that Rafaela didn't walk. But when he swung the bat, only one Red Sox player drove in more runs (the happy-go-skillful longest tenured face of the franchise). And whether anyone thinks that is total luck or not, the fact is that Ceddanne Rafaela had more RBIs in his rookie season than Reggie Smith, Ellis Burks, Jacoby Ellsbury and Jackie Bradley. But not Fred Lynn! (all I'm really saying is that Abreu is not that good, either)
  23. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    They might not be similar lately, but comparable in value to a line-up. Devers hits the ball harder, but Bregman makes more contact. The last four full seasons, Raffy's Hard Hit % is over 50% and his Exit Velo is over 90%. Alex is around 40% and just below 90%. In K-rates, Bregman's are all less than 14% (career is 13.4%), while Devers is around 20% (career 21.2%). And then there is Line Drive %. Raffy: 23.9, 26.4, 20.6, 25 (career 23.9).... AB: 23.1, 24.5, 25, 24.2 (career 25.9).
  24. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    I don't see platooning, unless it's with a young prospect who starts to struggle (like Anthony or Mayer vs. tough lefties). There seems to be a perception that Abreu was a better hitter than Rafaela last year, because the latter never walked. But Abreu actually had a worse K-rate 28% (vs. 26.4% for Rafela) in 124 less Plate Appearances. Even if Abreu was a slightly better At Batter, little separated the two as Hitters. Here are batting averages for a few categories: vs. RHP: Ceddanne .259, Wilyer .266 vs. LHP: Ceddanne .211, Wilyer .180 2nd Half: Ceddanne .250, Wilyer .240 2 outs, RISP: Ceddanne .250, Wilyer .304 Late and close: Ceddanne .318, Wilyer .143 Excluding All-Stars Duran and Devers, the pair were the Sox two most valuable regulars by WAR: Abreu 3.4, Rafaela 2.8. Boston needs them both on the field.
  25. 5GoldGlovesOF,75
    Sox could easily blow a 4-0 lead if Garcia, Sims and Joely are in relief. But they could still win, 5-4, in extras because in the playoffs, there is no ghost...
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