Jonathan Herrera - Utility IF

[soxhop411]

Rob Bradford ‏@bradfo  21s
Looks like Herrera wins utility infield job. Holt packing his things
 
https://twitter.com/bradfo/status/446723631977349120

 

[absintheofmalaise]

Broke out from the ST thread. Please start new threads.

 

[Rasputin]

Why would they make this decision more than a week before they need to?

 

[Hoplite]

Why would they make this decision more than a week before they need to?

 
Because Holt can't play defense.

 

[mabrowndog]

The "packing his things" line is a little misleading. Holt is still in the organization, he's just been optioned to Pawtucket as expected.

 

[nvalvo]

Brock Holt still has an option year remaining while Herrera does not (if I'm not mistaken), so winning this job was always going to be a long shot for him.
 
He's got value as depth, but Herrera's track record suggests a better and more versatile defensive player and a quite comparable offensive profile. 

 

[AbbyNoho]

This isn't surprising, the one with the ability to play the best SS was reported to have the inside track, and that is clearly Herrera. 

 

[Savin Hillbilly]

Brock Holt still has an option year remaining while Herrera does not (if I'm not mistaken), so winning this job was always going to be a long shot for him.
 
He's got value as depth, but Herrera's track record suggests a better and more versatile defensive player and a quite comparable offensive profile. 

 
Holt still has two options remaining according to soxprospects.
 
I don't know if I agree that they're offensively comparable--Holt seems to have a better approach and more upside, despite last year's BABIP-fueled fiasco--but the difference isn't huge enough to outweigh Herrera's superiority at the one absolute necessity for this roster slot, which is adequate defense at the infield skill positions.
 
Besides, Herrera is a documented badass, while Holt looks like the dweeb that George Bailey cuts in on in the dance scene in It's a Wonderful Life. So Herrera easily wins the "bench-clearing brawl value" contest.

 

[joe dokes]

Why would they make this decision more than a week before they need to?

 
Farrell also said that Sunday would see the start of more regular lineups. So Herrera will probably get the backup IF time; Holt can get his with the minor league group. 

 

[mabrowndog]

Besides, Herrera is a documented badass, while Holt looks like the dweeb that George Bailey cuts in on in the dance scene in It's a Wonderful Life. 

 
Tremendous.

 

[Rasputin]

Besides, Herrera is a documented badass, while Holt looks like the dweeb that George Bailey cuts in on in the dance scene in It's a Wonderful Life. So Herrera easily wins the "bench-clearing brawl value" contest.

 
We don't really have a certified batshit crazy man now do we? That's kind of a shame.

 

[Rasputin]

 
Farrell also said that Sunday would see the start of more regular lineups. So Herrera will probably get the backup IF time; Holt can get his with the minor league group. 

 
I guess that makes sense.
 
I still want a crazyman though.

 

[someoneanywhere]

 
I guess that makes sense.
 
I still want a crazyman though.

Agree. But I prefer mine with options, following the Aceves principle. Too bad Holt is in fact a dweeb. If he had as many personalities as he had options -- two -- we'd have us something here.

 

[Plympton91]

Herrera was clearly better than Holt defensively the week I was there and also has more speed and more power, which means not zero. He's enough better that this isn't hard to make the decision early.

 

[Eck'sSneakyCheese]

 
We don't really have a certified batshit crazy man now do we? That's kind of a shame.

 
Jonny Gomes says hi.
 
Actually, he didn't say anything. You might already be dead.

 

[Rasputin]

 
Jonny Gomes says hi.
 
Actually, he didn't say anything. You might already be dead.

 
Jonny Gomes is a fuckin' pussycat. I'm talking Aceves, Tavares level crazy.

 

[Eck'sSneakyCheese]

 
Jonny Gomes is a fuckin' pussycat. I'm talking Aceves, Tavares level crazy.

 
I don't want to derail the thread, but we don't really need that level of crazy. I mean what good came from those too other than entertainment value? Gomes has that I'll skin you like a deer look in his eyes and he's a great teammate. The other two would cut you for giving them the wrong gum. 

 

[Hank Scorpio]

 
Besides, Herrera is a documented badass, while Holt looks like the dweeb that George Bailey cuts in on in the dance scene in It's a Wonderful Life. So Herrera easily wins the "bench-clearing brawl value" contest.

 
The guy George Bailey cut in on was Alfalfa from The Little Rascals. Players who look like former Little Rascals belong on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, not the Boston Fucking Red Sox.

 

[Savin Hillbilly]

 
The guy George Bailey cut in on was Alfalfa from The Little Rascals. Players who look like former Little Rascals belong on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, not the Boston Fucking Red Sox.

 
Awesome. I never knew this, but it only confirms the diagnosis. Holt:Alfalfa::Herrera:Butch.

 

[The Gray Eagle]

Holt looks like a starving man's Matt Damon more than a grown up Alfalfa. 
 
Like if Matt Damon had to trade away his good looks in return for the ability to be a scrub for the Red Sox.

 

[Rasputin]

Holt looks like a starving man's Matt Damon more than a grown up Alfalfa. 
 
Like if Matt Damon had to trade away his good looks in return for the ability to be a scrub for the Red Sox.

Pretty sure he would do that.

 

[Pumpsie]

Pretty easy decision.  Holt is just not a ML-caliber player. 

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Pretty easy decision.  Holt is just not a ML-caliber player. 

 
This is a tautology within itself