southpaw777

I have my opinion and im sticking with it...being a pitching coach and a manager are totally different. I think hes been put in some tough situations this year, but I also think hes put his team in some tough situations. More than Id like to see my manager do. No, I dont think hes has done a good job managing his pitching staff, especially the bullpen. ive never complained about a manager as much as i have with farrell, and I usually don't really complain much at all when it comes to managers. It is what it is...i dont blame him for everything, but when he makes some obvious bonehead moves ill say what I think. We will have to agree to disagree on this matter. I dont want him here next year no matter what.

Oh ok...i must have misunderstood...I still disagree about your suggestion sitting vs the LHP for 3-5 games in a row. I think is a mistake. I dont mind him hitting LHP since hes done a good job at it. Even if Benni goes through the learning curve and some adjustments they should just keep rolling him out there and let him work through things and not panic like they did with Bogey when they picked Drew up for the second time.

I tend to not believe much of what Farrell says...sounds like front office speak everytime a mic is put in front of him. IMHO, he doesnt have very good instincs for whats going on during a game. Most managers will make a couple head-scratching moves during a year, but Farrell has turned it into an artform in Boston. Some moves are completely undefendable. He has been able to be a great director of scouting in the past and has proved to be a solid pitching coach. as far as a Manager? I just dont care for his "style" of Managing here in Boston anymore.

Your love for platoons is out of hand:p:cool: Benni should be the FT Lfer...maybe Young can spell them ONCE IN A WHILE, but there should be no platoons in the OF moving forward now that we have the killer B's out there. Young is signed for one more year. He can help PH and PR or maybe give someone a rest. Thats it.

Hey Slash! I didnt hear anything about it...he would have just gave some FO double talk like he does. No excuse when you had at least three other arms and even let Ross start the 8th, but no way on Gods green earth do you hand the ball to Taz in that situation...

I remember mentioning that maybe a move to the pen will help Buch...not over thinking things mostly, which is what I think gets him in trouble...hes pitching from the stretch now and looks like hes in a good mental state from how hes been talking. Even mentioned how the pen has made him prepare, think, and work differently... Hey, hes looked good since being inserted back into the rotation...SSs of course, but still...he looks better.

Using Taz in that situation after how awful he has been is just unforgivable...THEN you put in a pitch-to-contact guy with bases full of runners? Seriously, it doesnt take much to know that either Zig starts the inning or maybe Barnes..or maybe Hambree who just came up and throws 98 too.... I swear I have no friggin idea what this ass clown is thinking when he makes the boatload of head-scratching moves hes made the last few years....

LOVE this idea!!!

Yeah, Id lighten up on benni's D ...it take a few times in front of the monster to get used to it. Also the trajectory of the ball is different in the corners...to say hes worse than holt or brentz is a bit premature

Hanley is fine at 1b. Your idea to platoon him isnt warranted IMHO. his numbers have gone down starting in 2015 due to his shoulder injury. Hes a career 839OPS vs rHP. If you go look at his splits you will see he was just fine up until the shoulder injury last year. I think you are looking to deep into those numbers.

Seriously? Hanley is a middle of the order bat. I dont care if hes in the low 700OPS vs RHP. Your not going to flip flop the lineup like that constantly... nowhere below 5 and probably not below 4 next year. Hes a potential 30HR bat that has had solid all around numbers his whole career, minus his injured year last year. Hes not a bottom of the order bat.

Maybe Hanley between 3-5 and start Moncada out lower, but yeah, that looks about right.

Pablo needs to prove hes healthy and be productive in ST so we can move him. As long as Gms see he can field, throw, hit and isnt a fat tub of goo, Im sure there will be interest somewhere to work something out and move his fat ass out of Boston. Moncada is officially now a 3b, as they made that move yesterday. He will get reps there the rest of the year and in Winter ball. I wouldnt bet on him starting in Boston to begin 2017...but I will say he could very well be our FT 3b before the year is out. I like Hanley at 1b FT, even for next year. His head stays in the game, he actually likes he position and is really good. Shaw is looking more like a bench player for the corners or the OF if absolutely needed. Swihart needs to start in AAA as the FT catcher with Vaz and Leon in Boston. His value is behind the plate. DD will be busy as we could start seeing a logjam of sorts at certain positions... Catcher - leon, Holiday, Vaz, Swihart, (Romanski) 3b Pablo, Shaw, Moncada, (Devers) 1b Hanley, Travis, Shaw Pedey 2b Bogey SS Mookie RF Hanley 1b JBJ CF Leon/Vaz C Benni LF Pablo 3b (until further notice) Im betting this is what they are seeing as of right now for our starters in 2017 We also have a few utility types with Holt, Hill, Hernandez and Young... Havent looked at the rule 5 guys yet, but I know a couple kids need to be protected, so that adds to the list. There should be a decent amount of movement this winter.

Pedey seems to be doing great in the leadoff spot, but if for some reason something happens i think Benni would make an ideal leadoff hitter. Not right now, but just someone to think about in the future...makes great contact, solid OBP, has speed and is a smart base runner...

Han Ram is the 1b in my eyes. Hes done a great job overall defensively for being brand new there. The bat has been down this year and last year he was hurt so you cant go there. No need to move him, or platoon him. There may be competition at 1b or there may not be...the job its Henley's to lose. To me , hes earned that job. Not worried about his bat. Getting over a shoulder injury and working at a brand new position can do that.

No, its just that they cant be relied on because the nature of the pitch...now with Wright it may be a bit different since he cam throw a FB in the 80s along with a nice curve to compliment the KB. But overall they are not consistent year to year, game to game or even pitch to pitch. How do you fully rely on a pitch that even the pitcher doesnt know where its going when it leavs his hand? Wright is having a great year, but to expect that every year from him is not realistic.

Pretty simple...There wasnt a guarenteed spot in the rotation for him like there was in Oakland. If your an MLB veteran pitcher your probably going to take the guarenteed spot on the MLB team.

My guess is, if he is going back behind the plate, he will be in AAA getting his legs back and continuing his development defensively There in 2017. Especially if Vaz and Leon are doing well. It looked as if Blake was going through a bit of a adjustment with the bat with MLB pitching, but I think he will be ok there. He had work to do on defense before he was forced into the MLB lineup due to a rash of catching injuries.. after having surgery, then recovery time, getting back into baseball and catching shape might take a little bit. Theyre not going to thrust him right in as the starter next year. His value isnt great right now, so a trade would be selling low on him. He needs to prove to Gms that he can be at least a decent defensive catcher, which hes not rght now. Theres no OF spot as it stands right now, so the Sox best bet is to get him up to speed defensively so his value goes back up. At least then you have more choices. Who knows, Maybe theres a GM that still values him highly and is willing to take the chance on him being a decent backstop with a good stick. Enough to give up some good pitching. As they always say, things will work themselves out...

I agree, thats why i said when both are at their best. i do think Vaz is better on D, but Its not by much. Certainly not enough to have Him start over Leon right now... If Sandy keeps up a steady pace hitting, and his D is already very solid, then someone may go. If Vaz ends up all glove and no bat then he will be Leons BU. We'll have to wait and see how the rest of the season plays out. also depends how Swiharts injury heals. Hes going to still get reps as a catcher when hes ready.

Yeah, Im not saying that Leon couldnt be the man in boston. Vaz needs to hit more. No arguing that.

Like I said, all the coaches, scouts, and red sox talent evaluators that ive read said he was ready...of course we here on a chat board dont know everything. I never claim to. My opinions are based on what ive read, have seen for myself, and/or seen on video. Everything pointed to a quick rise through the system. Seems the Sox staff, as well as outside baseball people who made these claims when he was drafted were right. Im sure he would be in AAA if the injury bug and underperformance didnt hit, but that doesnt mean he isnt ready for the challenge Maybe he will stumble a little, but who cares. Most prospects do at one time or another. Its how they work through and handle it. By all accounts this kids is ready to be challenged at the MLB level.

Maybe, but Vaz has started hitting in AAA. I think Vaz is better defensively than Leon when both are at their best. Leons bat seems to be for real so far. It will certainly be interesting to see what they do moving forward, especially how they feel about Vaz. They are very high on him.

ALL the scouts and coaches told DD that this kid was ready, both mentally and physically for the show. Some of you act as if EVERY kid takes, or should take the same path to the majors. Reeks of desperation is such a comical opinion in this situation. If you watched this kid play or followed him you wouldnt be questioning this move. He was just different from a lot of the players you watch. He had that "It". Hes a ballplayer. I dont hype many prospects, but when they signed this kid I thought it wouldnt be very long before he was here. Im not surprised hes here and is looking pretty good so far. Like he belongs here.

Maybe you read my post wrong, but ive been supporting the move the whole time, as well as Benintendi himself. My post was me complaining about Farrell and his not playing Benni everyday....

No surprise that after a year his offense needs to catch back up, and it will as it was starting to before his TJS...Leon is hitting good and is a great defensive catcher who is out of options...Giving Vaz the bulk of the load in AAA is most definitely the right move...he will be up in sept and probably be back up in 2017...