So you would move the MLB leader in 3B f-war to DH while he is still capable of playing the field because you don't like Yoshida as a DH, or because we have a better 3B you would rather have play there? Because I think there are non-Yoshida or Devers solutions to the DH issue.
Yes long term. There could be other DH solutions but the clock is ticking on Yoshida.
Ok. I'll bite. Who becomes the new 3B? You're betting Romy Gonzalez is going to be a better hitter and healthier as a 3B than Yoshida will be as a DH? Or are you counting on promoting some prospect you think will definitely be better? Or will there be a trade for a freely available 3B? Wouldn't it be a lot easier to find a DH and let the all star 3B continue to be a 3B until he has to move off the position?
+1 to this. I watch the games as well. advanced D metrics are fine but don’t tell the whole story. Devers has been above average this year on D, and crushing the ball now that his shoulder is healthy. In addition, when Rafaela is at SS, there is a chemistry that you see there between the two, communicating and making it work. Just watch the fucking games and you’ll see it for christ‘s sake. If you move him to DH at 27 yrs old, he may become disinterested and disengaged. Advanced metrics should be one part of the game, not the end all be all.
Good. Clearly the shoulder isn't causing him too much trouble with the way he's been hitting of late, but if it provides a convenient excuse for him to get four days off, I'll take it.
He's a long term investment and getting him off the field will protect and extend the investment. You're going to find a premier DH at his level? Story could go to 3B when Mayer is ready. Or perhaps get a 3B by trade. Looking back Pedroia was a long term investment that was partially lost because he stayed on the field, but right now would you take a healthy Pedroia over Yoshida at DH?
Pedroia at age 40? Give me Yoshida, thanks. (and I loved Pedey)
You want Dalbec taking the Yoshida at bats? Because that’s what happens if/when you move Devers to DH and Yoshida to another team.
The injury that was the beginning of the end for Dustin was Manny Machado's dirty slide. A player is meaningfully injured by a dirty play pretty rarely. It would be one thing if Pedroia's injuries were from repeated diving or something, but I think this is more fairly characterized as a freak accident than a legitimate risk that we should account for in deploying the team. Nomar was a long term investment that was partially lost because he was HBP; it doesn't follow that we should be pinch hitting for Raffy to avoid that risk.
Let me clarify a healthy Pedroia before his injury not at age 40 lol. There is always the risk of injury that can end a career. I'd prefer to improve the defense at 3B and minimize the risk of losing a great hitter.
Today, isn’t there just one red seat only out there, Ted’s seat, about 500 feet from home plate? So, what red seat did Raffy break?
Raffy's home run wasn't into the bleachers. It was into the section of the grandstand that hooks around Pesky's Pole. Unlike the bleacher seats (which are all green except for Ted's seat), the seats in the grandstand are all red.
The box seats in those sections are red, there are blue grandstand seats behind them.
Yeah, I see all of that now in the videos of Raffy’s destructive homer LOL. Haven’t been to Fenway in so long, and my Oakland venue for Sox games is going away. Gonna be mostly TV for me.
| - |
Soft% |
Medium% |
Hard% |
| March/April |
12.7% |
47.3% |
40.0% |
| May |
16.2% |
45.9% |
37.8% |
| June |
13.7% |
42.5% |
43.8% |
| July |
13.0% |
36.2% |
50.7% |
| August |
21.7% |
34.8% |
43.5% |
| September |
25.8% |
54.8% |
19.4% |
Totally agree with this, if in fact playing through injury is the cause of his slumps. Cuz when he slumps, he slumps bad. I mean, he really looks lost at the plate. When he comes up, I almost assume a strikeout these days (though that could be said about a lot of the Sox hitters, I suppose - a cascade of Ks).
The radio guys have been talking about him having a shoulder (or shoulders) issue for weeks.
Not doubting he is hurt, was trying to say something nice as those plays were impressive (and a bit unexpected, heh).
Rafi giveth and taketh away, that's for sure. He'll make a great play or two, and also make a terrible throw on a routine play that only yields an out because Rizzo is running down the line.
Really it was more because Rizzo was NOT running down the line, IMHO
Raffy's defense was quite good in 2022. It looked like he'd turned a page...and then 2023 came along. Still, as long as he keeps on working hard, there's no reason he should decline, until his body starts betraying him.
His D might be trending Wade Boggs-like which would be great (bad to good including 2 Silver Gloves for Boggs)
I seriously can't tell if you are joking.
Maybe there's no reason he should decline because for 3 of the last 4 seasons he was the worst at his position so there's nowhere further down to go.
