Top Guns - Red Sox OF defense

ookami7m

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Tonight’s broadcast mentioned that the Sox had 8 more OF assists than any other team right before Kiké got Stassi at second.

Is this a targeted skill the Sox have identified? Mookie and JBJ made some great throws over the last few years as well.Fenway’s RF requires a better arm than most.

coming into the year only Renfroe was a guy who was known to have a cannon.
 

TonyPenaNeverJuiced

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I speak solely anecdotally but I have seemingly noticed that many of these assists have been [ducks] assisted by great positioning. J.D. last night was playing in and in a great position to throw a dart toward home. Same deal with Santana tonight - playing in. It would really seem that the competition has an outdated playbook on these dudes + their coaching.
 

phenweigh

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When Cora benched Marwin last night for allowing Iglesias to tag to second, it seemed to clearly indicate that outfield defense is a focus of the coaching staff.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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When Cora benched Marwin last night for allowing Iglesias to tag to second, it seemed to clearly indicate that outfield defense is a focus of the coaching staff.
I'm so glad to read this. I was unable to stay up to watch the game, but I caught the highlights on Quick Pitch this morning. When I saw that play, it angered me to see the way Gonzalez half-assed the catch. Obviously he wasn't going to throw out the runner at the plate, but he seemed to forget there was another runner on. Obviously Iglesias ended up being stranded there so no real harm done, but good for Cora to send a message anyway.
 

DJnVa

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Ale Xander

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When Cora benched Marwin last night for allowing Iglesias to tag to second, it seemed to clearly indicate that outfield defense is a focus of the coaching staff.
He hurt his hamstring

Edit: beaten by deejay in va
 

Merkle's Boner

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We'll probably never know the truth, which is to Cora's credit, but the timing is definitely odd. I didn't see anything where he could have hurt his hammy, unless it was as he went back for the fly ball he seemed to be lollygagging on.
 

DJnVa

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We'll probably never know the truth, which is to Cora's credit, but the timing is definitely odd. I didn't see anything where he could have hurt his hammy, unless it was as he went back for the fly ball he seemed to be lollygagging on.
I think the truth is likely what the team is saying. Because I doubt Cora would have any issue saying otherwise.
 

Al Zarilla

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I think the truth is likely what the team is saying. Because I doubt Cora would have any issue saying otherwise.
I thought you were going to say Cora wouldn't bench Marwin because they were on those Houston teams together where Marwin became a binky of Cora's. I don't know, you can still bench a binky for dumb or lazy play. Didn't watch the game but replacement Santana got a hit and an RBI!
 

Harry Hooper

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Burks doing the NESN broadcast made a couple of references to "interesting timing" of Marwin's departure from the game before the injury report was sent out.
 

RG33

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I think the truth is likely what the team is saying. Because I doubt Cora would have any issue saying otherwise.
It would make me feel better if he was benched for that because in watching it live I said out loud “what the fuck dude, get him at second before he scores next time”. It is exactly the kind of thing I feel Cora would bench someone for.
 

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It would make me feel better if he was benched for that because in watching it live I said out loud “what the fuck dude, get him at second before he scores next time”. It is exactly the kind of thing I feel Cora would bench someone for.
I can't think of another example of Cora benching someone mid-game for a fundamental fuck-up
 

richgedman'sghost

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It would make me feel better if he was benched for that because in watching it live I said out loud “what the fuck dude, get him at second before he scores next time”. It is exactly the kind of thing I feel Cora would bench someone for.
Do you have any examples of Cora ever benching someone for lazy or indifferent play? Cora is known as a player's manager and in his almost 3 years here I cannot think of one instance where Cora benched a player for laziness.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Do you have any examples of Cora ever benching someone for lazy or indifferent play? Cora is known as a player's manager and in his almost 3 years here I cannot think of one instance where Cora benched a player for laziness.
Do you have any examples of players being lazy or indifferent and therefore deserving of being benched?

Fact is we don't know how Cora might discipline his players because, as you say, he's a player's manager. He probably keeps that shit in-house. Gonzalez fucked up last night, then was removed from the game. Maybe it's a real injury, maybe it's a cover story. Could be both. Perhaps it's a credit to the "players manager" that we don't know.
 

YTF

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Tonight’s broadcast mentioned that the Sox had 8 more OF assists than any other team right before Kiké got Stassi at second.

Is this a targeted skill the Sox have identified? Mookie and JBJ made some great throws over the last few years as well.Fenway’s RF requires a better arm than most.

coming into the year only Renfroe was a guy who was known to have a cannon.
I think there is a combination of factors working here. I hope there is something to the idea that this is a targeted skill set as the root of defense is to prevent runs from scoring. It's been a joy to watching these guys making accurate, timely throws to cut down base runners, but another thing I see in play here is what seems to be an epidemic of increasingly reckless and shitty base running across the big leagues these past few years.
 

ookami7m

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I think there is a combination of factors working here. I hope there is something to the idea that this is a targeted skill set as the root of defense is to prevent runs from scoring. It's been a joy to watching these guys making accurate, timely throws to cut down base runners, but another thing I see in play here is what seems to be an epidemic of increasingly reckless and shitty base running across the big leagues these past few years.
Doesn't more aggressive baserunning fly in the face of Three True Outcomes baseball? You'd think teams would hold runners more in hopes of the 3 run HR. Especially when the Sox OF is playing Duck Hunt on easy mode out there.
 

YTF

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Doesn't more aggressive baserunning fly in the face of Three True Outcomes baseball? You'd think teams would hold runners more in hopes of the 3 run HR. Especially when the Sox OF is playing Duck Hunt on easy mode out there.
You would think, but just on this road trip we've seen some shoddy base running by opposing teams. Guys don't seem to be fully aware of what's going on when they're running the bases. Indecision, not knowing how many outs there are, ignoring base coaches, overly aggressive coaches, etc... None of this stuff is new, but it seems so much more prevalent in recent years. A break down of fundamentals. They seem to have tightened things up a little bit lately, but the Sox hit a bad stretch of base running earlier in the season. And just go back to a couple of seasons ago and it seemed Andrew Benintendi was get gunned down once or twice a week due to poor base running.
 

phenweigh

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Do you have any examples of players being lazy or indifferent and therefore deserving of being benched?

Fact is we don't know how Cora might discipline his players because, as you say, he's a player's manager. He probably keeps that shit in-house. Gonzalez fucked up last night, then was removed from the game. Maybe it's a real injury, maybe it's a cover story. Could be both. Perhaps it's a credit to the "players manager" that we don't know.
I only watched the early innings live, then speed watched the later innings via DVR the next morning, so I missed the injury report. I agree we don't and probably won't know know the reason definitely, but a mid-game benching plus not playing the next game seems like extreme punishment. So my guess is the hammy problem is real. It could also explain why he backpedaled instead of turning and setting.
 

YTF

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I only watched the early innings live, then speed watched the later innings via DVR the next morning, so I missed the injury report. I agree we don't and probably won't know know the reason definitely, but a mid-game benching plus not playing the next game seems like extreme punishment. So my guess is the hammy problem is real. It could also explain why he backpedaled instead of turning and setting.
While he's started the majority of Sox games this season, I would think that Gonzalez is still considered a to have the role of a bench player. These two things are not necessarily related.
 

terrynever

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We'll probably never know the truth, which is to Cora's credit, but the timing is definitely odd. I didn't see anything where he could have hurt his hammy, unless it was as he went back for the fly ball he seemed to be lollygagging on.
Your use of the word “lollygagging” forces me to recite this story. Billy Martin famously pulled Reggie Jackson out of right field at Fenway in June 1977 after he lollygagged a soft single. Paul Blair came out to replace him. Reggie couldn’t believe it. Then we had Billy in Reggie’s face in the dugout with Ellie Howard getting in between them before Reggie could kill his manager. Old Time baseball. No hamstrings involved.
 

bosockboy

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Your use of the word “lollygagging” forces me to recite this story. Billy Martin famously pulled Reggie Jackson out of right field at Fenway in June 1977 after he lollygagged a soft single. Paul Blair came out to replace him. Reggie couldn’t believe it. Then we had Billy in Reggie’s face in the dugout with Ellie Howard getting in between them before Reggie could kill his manager. Old Time baseball. No hamstrings involved.
Some reason I remember this as Reggie refusing to bunt. Or was that a different one?
 

joe dokes

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Your use of the word “lollygagging” forces me to recite this story. Billy Martin famously pulled Reggie Jackson out of right field at Fenway in June 1977 after he lollygagged a soft single. Paul Blair came out to replace him. Reggie couldn’t believe it. Then we had Billy in Reggie’s face in the dugout with Ellie Howard getting in between them before Reggie could kill his manager. Old Time baseball. No hamstrings involved.
Gil Hodges once did the same to Cleon Jones.
Or did he . . . . . . . . .
https://nypost.com/2019/02/23/1969-mets-hero-cleon-jones-clears-up-50-year-old-gil-hodges-mystery/
 

ehaz

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So Danny Santana got pulled with a quad injury. With Marwin also nursing a hammy, it's possible we see an IL placement and a call-up in time for Friday's series against Philly. Who's up next? I'm guessing Franchy because he might also be able to cover 1B and they might not want to call up Duran yet if it's just a short stint.
 

RIrooter09

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So Danny Santana got pulled with a quad injury. With Marwin also nursing a hammy, it's possible we see an IL placement and a call-up in time for Friday's series against Philly. Who's up next? I'm guessing Franchy because he might also be able to cover 1B and they might not want to call up Duran yet if it's just a short stint.
Or they just bring Chavis back up.
 

shaggydog2000

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So Danny Santana got pulled with a quad injury. With Marwin also nursing a hammy, it's possible we see an IL placement and a call-up in time for Friday's series against Philly. Who's up next? I'm guessing Franchy because he might also be able to cover 1B and they might not want to call up Duran yet if it's just a short stint.
I don't think Franchy has actually played there yet though.
 

Merkle's Boner

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They can activate Plawecki and see what Wong can offer as a utility guy. He’s played positions other than Catcher in the past.