26 replies to this topic

[SoxScout]

According to WEEI

Is Tek on death's doorstep or what?

Table

Pawtucket	G	PA		BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	GPA		RC	/PA		IsoP	IsoD	SecA	BABIP		BB%	K%	BB/K
Dusty Brown	14	57		.240	.328	.400	.728	.248		6.7	.12		.160	.088	.300	.297		12%	21%	.58

Edited by SoxScout, 23 April 2008 - 03:00 PM.

[berstch]

They must not want to mess with Kottaras' service time only to have him sit on the bench for a few games. Otherwise, you would think he would have gotten the call. Should we expect Kevin Cash 2.0 from Brown if he sees the field?

[DJnVa]

What's the corresponding move? Coco retroactive?

[Bowlerman9]

They must not want to mess with Kottaras' service time only to have him sit on the bench for a few games. Otherwise, you would think he would have gotten the call. Should we expect Kevin Cash 2.0 from Brown if he sees the field?

How would calling Kottaras up have any non-negligible affect on his service time?

[Bowlerman9]

What's the corresponding move? Coco retroactive?

Gotta be Pauley optioned.

[berstch]

What's the corresponding move? Coco retroactive?

Pauley optioned back to Pawtucket

[DJnVa]

Gotta be Pauley optioned.

Yeah, my bad, should have figured that out rather easily. I would guess the only way he sees the field is if Cash is PH/PR for late. Then again, could his bat be much worse that Cash's?

Edited by DJnVa, 23 April 2008 - 10:42 AM.

[TomRicardo]

What the hell did Kottaras do? Isn't Brown just Cash Redux? Why would I want Brown or Cash starting everyday over Kottaras and his superior bat? Espeically since Fenway is not Pawtucket.

[ookami7m]

They must not want to mess with Kottaras' service time only to have him sit on the bench for a few games. Otherwise, you would think he would have gotten the call. Should we expect Kevin Cash 2.0 from Brown if he sees the field?

I have to think its more to keep Kottaras playing every day rather that sitting on the end of the bench for a couple of games while Tek drinks his chicken soup. I can't see a handful of days on the roster making a serious impact into his service time, but a week off of playing could mess up his growth.

[Cumberland Blues]

This has nothing to do w/ Kottaras' service time. The back-up catcher's job is to catch. Dusty Brown's a better catcher. I think the only way we see Kottaras in Boston before September is if Tek needs a DL stint at some point and they want to try and get some offense out of the position while he's out.

[TomRicardo]

I have to think its more to keep Kottaras playing every day rather that sitting on the end of the bench for a couple of games while Tek drinks his chicken soup. I can't see a handful of days on the roster making a serious impact into his service time, but a week off of playing could mess up his growth.

Why would Kottaras sit under Cash? The idea should be to have someone so Cash doesn't have to start.

[Buzzkill Pauley]

They must not want to mess with Kottaras' service time only to have him sit on the bench for a few games. Otherwise, you would think he would have gotten the call. Should we expect Kevin Cash 2.0 from Brown if he sees the field?

Brown's the better catch-and-throw guy, and the Angels like to run -- it's a defense-based move, made to cover for a game or two.

[berstch]

How would calling Kottaras up have any non-negligible affect on his service time?

Sorry, I was trying to be sarcastic with regards to service time, but it didn't come off that way. I just don't understand why Kottaras, who is a guy that could have a future in the majors, doesn't even get a sniff when there is an opportunity for a few days. Brown has no major league future, but here he is. In fact, this seems to go against what the organization has recently done with guys like Ellsbury and Lowrie.

Edited by berstch, 23 April 2008 - 10:47 AM.

[DJnVa]

What the hell did Kottaras do? Isn't Brown just Cash Redux? Why would I want Brown or Cash starting everyday over Kottaras and his superior bat? Espeically since Fenway is not Pawtucket.

Apparently the don't want to bring up KottAras to work with the staff at this point---Cash is familar with them from last season, this spring, and the early season. Since it's only going to be a few games, the difference between the offense of KottAras and the offense of Cash/Brown isn't likely to be a big deal. The handling of the pitching staff could be.

[Soxfan in Fla]

Sorry, I was trying to be sarcastic with regards to service time, but it didn't come off that way. I just don't understand why Kottaras, who is a guy that could have a future in the majors, doesn't even get a sniff when there is an opportunity for a few days. Brown has no major league future, but here he is. In fact, this seems to go against what the organization has recently done with guys like Ellsbury and Lowrie.

Different situations completely. Ellsbury and Lowrie play at positions in which they can play multiple positions if necessary (Ellsbury the entire OF, Lowrie 2-3 IF spots) and also play positions in which the current regulars (Coco and Lugo) haven't exactly set the world on fire. The situation for both of those was also for more than a couple days. Lowrie they knew would be at least 3 weeks and that he would get some playing time for sure. Ellsbury was basically a move in Sept to see how he would do and he took off. With Kottaras its completely different. Tek is out for a couple days max with a bad case of the flu. Its not like Kottaras is going to replace Tek very soon as the starter. Odds are that Brown or Kottaras wouldn't even get an inning behind the plate in this scenario. Keep Kottaras where he will play everyday.

[ookami7m]

Why would Kottaras sit under Cash? The idea should be to have someone so Cash doesn't have to start.

Between working with new pitchers on the Sox and then having to make the adjustment to hitting big leaguers, you'd expect Kottaras to beat out Cash for 3 or 4 days?

[TomRicardo]

Between working with new pitchers on the Sox and then having to make the adjustment to hitting big leaguers, you'd expect Kottaras to beat out Cash for 3 or 4 days?

I would expect the rotted corpse of Thurmond Munson to beat out Kevin Cash. How does Cash have that much more experience withe the Red Sox pitchers? Cash, or DougieLite, has been working out his secret handshake with Wakefield all season. Both Kottaras and Cash were in Spring Training together and Kottaras caught Buchholz and Lester last year. I am not sure where the learning curve is.

[soxfan121]

The idea should be to have someone so Cash doesn't have to start.

Did Brown catch Wakefield this spring? Brown had to have caught Zink at some point in the past, right?

Cash is, as everyone should be aware, historically bad at the plate. Brown hasn't shown any particular aptitude for hitting thus far, but it's probable (given the immensity of Cash's inabilities with the bat) that Brown is a tick better, right?

[Rudy Pemberton]

It seems clear that the Red Sox are looking for defensive ability in their backup catchers, which is why they are giving the call to guys like Cash and Brown. They aren't expecting much offense. It's not as if Kottaras is a great hitter either.

[TheYellowDart5]

Christ, T-Ric, now you're just being willfully obtuse. Calling up Brown is a sign that all the Sox want in terms of a temporary backup is a catch-and-throw guy. Brown is, as of right now, a better defender than Kottaras. That's why he's up.

[CR67dream]

Thurmond Munson

Thurmond? Egads.

Dusty Brown is taking up space at the Bucket for exactly this type of situation. He's a stop-gap emergency option that has no future on the Sox major league roster beyond this type of situation. I tend to think that a promotion of Kotteras would be premature at this point, not much to be served there but certainly a risk of spilling his first cup of coffee all over himself, or at the very least depriving him of development time in Pawtucket. If a longer, sustained need for a catcher presents itself, I'm fairly certain that the FO will react accordingly, but for now, Brown makes perfect sense.

[kazuneko]

Yeah, my bad, should have figured that out rather easily. I would guess the only way he sees the field is if Cash is PH/PR for late. Then again, could his bat be much worse that Cash's?

Cash hit under .200 (with a .528 and .611 OPS) for each of his last two minor league seasons (at age 28, and 29 respectively). Nobody in the majors is as bad a hitter as Kevin Cash, and if Brown's 2007 AA OPS of .797 (at age 25) accounts for anything there is every reason to believe he has a better bat than Cash (faint praise as that is).

[ookami7m]

I would expect the rotted corpse of Thurmond Munson to beat out Kevin Cash. How does Cash have that much more experience withe the Red Sox pitchers? Cash, or DougieLite, has been working out his secret handshake with Wakefield all season. Both Kottaras and Cash were in Spring Training together and Kottaras caught Buchholz and Lester last year. I am not sure where the learning curve is.

Umm... Tom I'm not sure if you've noticed, but the Sox don't seem to be relying a whole ton on their catchers' hitting ability right now. Pretty much anything from Tek,Cash, Brown, Munson, EV or anyone else offensively seems like gravy at this point. Catch the ball, call a good game and don't hit into double plays pretty much looks like the plan this year for everyone not named Tek.

[Steve Dillard]

According to Soxprospects.com, Tek feeling better, so Craig Hansen, not Dusty Brown, gets the call.

[Kevin Youkulele]

According to Soxprospects.com, Tek feeling better, so Craig Hansen, not Dusty Brown, gets the call.

I guess they're going to wing it with only one backup INF until Lowell returns?

[trekfan55]

I guess they're going to wing it with only one backup INF until Lowell returns?

I´m also guessing Coco is better since he is the only OF on the bench right now, but hasn´t been available.

[berstch]

I´m also guessing Coco is better since he is the only OF on the bench right now, but hasn´t been available.

Tito was on with Dale and Holley this afternoon and said that Crisp will be starting tomorrow in CF with Drew getting a night off and Ellsbury playing right. He also implied that Coco was available for tonight, but that they liked the matchup tomorrow better so that is why he is starting then. I think Lowrie needs the reps, so going with him as the only utility infielder is fine for a few days because he doesn't need anyone else around that could prevent him from getting on the field. Youkilis has to have an off day coming soon you would think.