Dalbec's continued hitting surge is now starting to be a bit of good problem (during a terrible time) for the Red Sox. He's been, arguably, the team's best hitter for the last five weeks ...And starting to hit righties some, too. His pitch selection/plate discipline is clearly improved, perhaps the Scwarber influence (see, the shit works) ....Not sure I want his bat out of the line up, and sure was sad to see him taken out in the game 9/6 against TB, knowing his spot may full well come around again with the game on the line (and indeed it did).
But if you start playing him more, who sits?
Can't be Scwarber, he's the other best hitter during the last stretch. But if you don't want Schwarb in the outfield he bumps JD.
Could sit JD ... and with his recent struggles, and poor defense, maybe JD should sit some, as sacrilegious as that is to suggest. Then again, he hasn't been hapless, just not vintage JD. And you know it's still possible he could go on a tear any moment.
You could play JD or Schwarb in the outfield, but we know that degrades the D ... and if you do play them in the outfield who do you sit? Maybe Verdugo against lefties ....
Could sit Renfroe some, but his bat has been on fire, too, and his D is too important.
Perhaps, then, a rotation between Dalbec, JD, and Verdugo. It would be a demotion for JD, but maybe it's necessary?
Astonishing that it's come to this given how utterly overmatched Dalbec seemed for so long.
Anyway, let's hope this keeps being a good problem.
But if you start playing him more, who sits?
Can't be Scwarber, he's the other best hitter during the last stretch. But if you don't want Schwarb in the outfield he bumps JD.
Could sit JD ... and with his recent struggles, and poor defense, maybe JD should sit some, as sacrilegious as that is to suggest. Then again, he hasn't been hapless, just not vintage JD. And you know it's still possible he could go on a tear any moment.
You could play JD or Schwarb in the outfield, but we know that degrades the D ... and if you do play them in the outfield who do you sit? Maybe Verdugo against lefties ....
Could sit Renfroe some, but his bat has been on fire, too, and his D is too important.
Perhaps, then, a rotation between Dalbec, JD, and Verdugo. It would be a demotion for JD, but maybe it's necessary?
Astonishing that it's come to this given how utterly overmatched Dalbec seemed for so long.
Anyway, let's hope this keeps being a good problem.