Red Sox OF

TomRicardo

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I would imagine after today the Starting OF would be:
 
Craig - JBJ - Cespedes
 
I see no reason why Cespedes can't play RF.  He has the best arm in baseball and plays a passable CF.  This isn't like sticking Gomes/Carp/Nava out there.  
 
I would imagine that would put the slowly breaking down Victorino and Nava on the bench.
 

DJnVa

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They need to get Betts back up as well (OF or super utility), the dude is still raking in AAA.
 

Snodgrass'Muff

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They should consider shutting Victorino down so he can focus on getting healthy for 2015, but they won't. I'm expecting a regular rotation of those five guys with Cespedes getting plenty of time in right and center to get him through the learning curve.
 

TomRicardo

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DrewDawg said:
They need to get Betts back up as well (OF or super utility), the dude is still raking in AAA.
 
Betts should be in AAA playing 3B, SS, and 2B as well as all the outfield positions.
 

Mighty Joe Young

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TomRicardo said:
I would imagine after today the Starting OF would be:
 
Craig - JBJ - Cespedes
 
I see no reason why Cespedes can't play RF.  He has the best arm in baseball and plays a passable CF.  This isn't like sticking Gomes/Carp/Nava out there.  
 
I would imagine that would put the slowly breaking down Victorino and Nava on the bench.
 
It also means Mike Carp is soon to be elsewhere.
 

bradmahn

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TomRicardo said:
I would imagine after today the Starting OF would be:
 
Craig - JBJ - Cespedes
 
I see no reason why Cespedes can't play RF.  He has the best arm in baseball and plays a passable CF.  This isn't like sticking Gomes/Carp/Nava out there.  
 
I would imagine that would put the slowly breaking down Victorino and Nava on the bench.
 
I don't have a problem with throwing him out there for the rest of 2014, but I don't have much faith that Cespedes can be a plus in RF. He has a troubling tendency to boot/kick around balls on the hop and doesn't take very good routes on flyballs. He could add as many extra bases defensively as he takes away with his arm.
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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DrewDawg said:
They need to get Betts back up as well (OF or super utility), the dude is still raking in AAA.
 
Its partly due to fantasy baseball reasons but I'll be very disappointed if Mookie is playing in Pawtucket, with the occasional trip north on the shuttle, until 2016.
 

alwyn96

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DrewDawg said:
They need to get Betts back up as well (OF or super utility), the dude is still raking in AAA.
 
I'd prefer they just keep him in AAA and let him get regular PA and learn the positions there. With that fragile OF, I'm sure he'd be up in no time anyway. If he Mike Trouts his way through AAA pitching and miraculously everyone is healthy, you can make a spot for him by optioning Bradley or Youkilising Cespedes. 
 
Of course, that's assuming all these guys are on the roster together in 8 months. 
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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BCsMightyJoeYoung said:
 
It also means Mike Carp is soon to be elsewhere.
 
nm, my math is terrible.  Still think they need a roster move...only 11 pitchers and too many are starters.
 

Rasputin

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I'm going to have to be convinced that Cespedes is going to be acceptable in right. It would make things easier if he could play there but, well, I'm skeptical.
 

geoduck no quahog

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I wouldn't put Betts in the outfield mix just yet. He's a 2B by trade.
 
Perhaps he competes with JBJ for CF next year, with one of them traded. It's a long time until April.
 

alwyn96

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Rasputin said:
I'm going to have to be convinced that Cespedes is going to be acceptable in right. It would make things easier if he could play there but, well, I'm skeptical.
 
Well, he's generally a good LF with an excellent arm, which hopefully should be adequate. If one finds Nava acceptable in RF, then Cespedes should be better than that. 
 

Rasputin

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alwyn96 said:
 
Well, he's generally an acceptable LF with an excellent arm, which should be adequate. If one finds Nava acceptable in RF, then Cespedes should be better than that. 
 
Are there people who find Nava acceptable in right? It's fine on an emergency basis, but anything resembling a regular basis is a bad thing.
 

Snodgrass'Muff

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Rasputin said:
 
Are there people who find Nava acceptable in right? It's fine on an emergency basis, but anything resembling a regular basis is a bad thing.
 
There isn't a big enough sample size to trust UZR on his time in center field, but he's described as passable there for the most part. If that's true, he should be at least as good in right. Victorino was described as a passable defender in center when he was signed, and he turned out to be excellent in right. I'm not predicting Cespedes will replicate Victorino's 2013 there, but I think it's certainly possible he'll be average or better out there. He's athletic enough to make up for the mistakes he's prone to, at the very least, and that arm is just insane. I'm guessing they will use him to back up center as well.
 

Drek717

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Rasputin said:
I'm going to have to be convinced that Cespedes is going to be acceptable in right. It would make things easier if he could play there but, well, I'm skeptical.
He had enough range to spend a good chunk of his first year playing CF, though not really well, and has been a positive fielder by UZR (for what that's worth) in LF for Oakland, the Colosseum is a pretty big OF to both corners.
 
With his arm and Bradley's range I think they could make a pretty good tandem covering 2/3rds of the OF, and the other 1/3rd is the least range dependent corner OF job in baseball, so an ideal place for Craig.
 
If Craig bounces back a full year removed from his lisfranc injury the OF will be pretty good even if Vic can't get healthy.  If instead Vic can be a 4th OF type who backstops Bradley never getting it going offensively there is some real production potential to be had.
 
This isn't even accounting for the fact that both Craig and Cespedes are pull power RHBs and will probably enjoy Fenway a good bit more than their current home stadiums.
 
My only real concern is Craig bouncing back.  If he does he's a huge value.  If he doesn't he's going to start looking like an albatross come 2016 when he takes another big step up in annual salary.  If I was nitpicking I'd also question just how right handed the lineup has gotten, but again, that's super nitpicky.
 

alwyn96

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Rasputin said:
 
Are there people who find Nava acceptable in right? It's fine on an emergency basis, but anything resembling a regular basis is a bad thing.
 
I think there were some on the board who thought so, but I agree you wouldn't want him there for any length of time. 
 
Cespedes hasn't played any RF in MLB so it's hard to say, but since he wasn't an abject disaster in CF, is very athletic, and has a cannon arm, it seems like he has to potential to be at least ok. 
 
EDIT: I guess basically what Snodgrass said. 
 

The Gray Eagle

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Rasputin said:
 
Are there people who find Nava acceptable in right? It's fine on an emergency basis, but anything resembling a regular basis is a bad thing.
The Boston Red Sox do. He played more games in RF last year than LF, and just as many in RF this year as LF. 
 
Fielding Bible had Nava at -3 in RF last year and +8 there this year. He is just fine out there, not that much range, but he gets to more balls than you would think.
 
Anyway, might as well play Cespedes in RF this year and see how he does, it's garbage time anyway. 
 

TomRicardo

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Rasputin said:
 
Are there people who find Nava acceptable in right? It's fine on an emergency basis, but anything resembling a regular basis is a bad thing.
 
Cespedes should be fine.  He is not Victorino or Drew but he is better than Millar or Nixon.  Average to slightly above average depending if JBJ or Victorino is in CF
 

Rasputin

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The Gray Eagle said:
The Boston Red Sox do. He played more games in RF last year than LF, and just as many in RF this year as LF. 
 
Fielding Bible had Nava at -3 in RF last year and +8 there this year. He is just fine out there, not that much range, but he gets to more balls than you would think.
 
With all the injuries in the OF this year and last, I'm not sure that says anything.
 
 
The Gray Eagle said:
Anyway, might as well play Cespedes in RF this year and see how he does, it's garbage time anyway. 
 
This is very much true.
 

alwyn96

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Rasputin said:
I'm still not convinced, but I'm getting closer.
 
I assume we'll get the opportunity to see him there pretty soon, so we can all use our lyin eyes. 
 
EDIT: Dammit. I'm slow. 
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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shepard50 said:
This all could negatively impact Brock Holt's playing time.
 
This might be sacrilegious to say about BROCKHOLT, but he's 3 for his last 32.  Might be time for his playing time to be adjusted anyway.
 

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Red(s)HawksFan said:
This might be sacrilegious to say about BROCKHOLT, but he's 3 for his last 32.  Might be time for his playing time to be adjusted anyway.
There's 22 minutes left before the trading deadline.