Sox had just a 2 man bench last night, right? Catcher and Young?
He'd want double knuckles and extra mayo on that sandwich.He'd do better with a knuckle sandwich.
And Farrell was aware of that?Yeah. 1 extra pitcher and Pedroia unavailable.
The overall point is probably the same, but Farrell's been platooning Sandoval pretty much full time. I guess the fact that he wouldn't make an exception even here is noteworthy, but his "feelings" towards Sandoval seem pretty evident. He starts against RHPs and comes out after 6 if the game is remotely close and the Sox have a living breathing replacement.Farrell's move last night struck me as a plea to DD to get rid of Pablo and bring up someone, either Marrero or Devers, who hit another HR last night. To not allow Sandoval to hit right-handed, knowing it would mean having Vazquez play 3B, had to be JF sending a signal that he's done with Pablo.
Not sure what your point is. Is it PH for Sandoval, or not changing the roster?And Farrell was aware of that?
Tactically. the move is absolutely defensible.Not sure what your point is. Is it PH for Sandoval, or not changing the roster?
Down by 2, lefty on the mound, Sandoval with an almost zero chance of doing anything at the bat; Young with (historically, anyway) significantly more than zero chance; then take your chances at 3B.
Oh sure, the roster was a problem. I thought thee was a suggestion that that was on the manager.Tactically. the move is absolutely defensible.
And yet, it's absolutely terrible strategic roster management not to have dropped a pitcher to AAA - even if the only optionable bullpen arms are Matt Barnes and Joe Kelly - in order to have a defensively useful bench heading into the KC series.
The fact that didn't happen after Pedroia was coughing up blood, leaving only Young and Leon as fallback options, was idiotic.
Looks idiotic, but the non-idiots running this team decided it was worth the risk given the other options (or lack thereof). There isn't a middle infielder available on the 40-man, and the pen is getting stretched. I would have brought up Marrero when Johnson was sent to the DL, but when that move wasn't made, I think staying pat yesterday was a reasonable decision.Tactically. the move is absolutely defensible.
And yet, it's absolutely terrible strategic roster management not to have dropped a pitcher to AAA - even if the only optionable bullpen arms are Matt Barnes and Joe Kelly - in order to have a defensively useful bench heading into the KC series.
The fact that didn't happen after Pedroia was coughing up blood, leaving only Young and Leon as fallback options, was idiotic.
He can tweet porn while sitting on the toilet. Is that what it was? Is that even a baseball act though?There are literally no baseball acts he can perform adequately.
If he does it during a game, that means he's not playing. And for Pablo, not playing is the closest thing to a baseball act he's got left.He can tweet porn while sitting on the toilet. Is that what it was? Is that even a baseball act though?
To be clear, I'm not saying there weren't other reasonable options, I just don't think standing pat yesterday was idiotic.Brock Holt isn't on the 60 day DL yet even though he's already been on the 10 day for close to 60 days, so the 40 man spot isn't a problem. Mike Miller probably makes the most sense for now, in case something happens to another MI.
Yeah, with Velazquez starting and how many innings the bullpen's had to pitch recently, I thought it was a tough call.To be clear, I'm not saying there weren't other reasonable options, I just don't think standing pat yesterday was idiotic.
Per Baseball Reference, Dominguez is the primary 3B at 50 games played. Jantzen White is second with 13 games. Then Sandoval (6), Holt (3), and Rutledge (2), with Ryan Court having made one appearance there. That's all that have played.Just did a quick scan of the Pawsox roster and there are 5 (FIVE!) players listed as third basemen. Ryan Court, Matt Dominguez, Heiker Meneses (7-day DL), Steve Selsky and Jantzen White. Seems excessive, and they all appear to be AAA fodder. Can anybody following them closely chime in on how many of these guys are actually getting playing time at 3B?
If they were to do something like this, I would prefer them calling up Devers from Portland. If only for a week before sending him to Pawtucket, where he should rightfully be.Dominguez and Witte are the main 3B on the team and neither are doing anything worth giving them an opportunity.
Selsky is an OF who played a little 1B and 3B in the spring but he shouldn't even be listed.
Court has looks to be a utility guy who has actually hit OK but I don't know how much 3B he has played.
Meneses, as you stated is on the DL but he is a utility guy.
I see RedHawks essentially covered this but I wrote it so here it is.
No sense in starting his service time clock and burning an option year if it's a temporary call-up. No way do they call up Devers before mid-August unless they intend to keep him up.If they were to do something like this, I would prefer them calling up Devers from Portland. If only for a week before sending him to Pawtucket, where he should rightfully be.
End well? It didn't even start well.The fangraphs article was pretty damning. Pablo, it's time to go.
I still remember the advice from some of our resident Giants fans (during the "Oh cool, we're getting Panda" times) that this would not end well.
Left handed third baseman?How would Moreland look at 3rd?
But seriously....
No, but really seriously.... I've been against calling Devers up in '17 in general but recently his hot streak (as the weather is heating up coincidentally) has me rethinking it. They really should get this kid to Pawtucket and if he can show little to no drop in production through July and half of August and they're still in the thick of the race, I'm all for it now.
But seriously.... Moreland at 3rd?
I agree ..I think Panda will never take the field again for the Sox. They were forced to play a catcher at 3B last night due to his ineptness. Today he is on the DL with an 'ear infection'? That's all you need to know.I think that might be the last we see of Panda. And I can't imagine they go with Marrero and Rutledge the rest of the way. Probably a trade coming but I really hope they don't give up too much just to save an option year.
Sandoval's 692 OPS vs RHP this year is better than only a handful of 3Bmen. One is Josh Rutledge. Another is Trevor Plouffe, who has a carer 691 vs RHPs. I suppose he can field better than Sandoval.A change of scenery and cash only Plouffe flyer was probably there for weeks with a simple phone call before that TB grab. Hope that doesn't come back to haunt us.
Yeah, the ability to actually field the position with some everyday confidence does indeed come in handy at times.Sandoval's 692 OPS vs RHP this year is better than only a handful of 3Bmen. One is Josh Rutledge. Another is Trevor Plouffe, who has a carer 691 vs RHPs. I suppose he can field better than Sandoval.
I was probably a bit too snarky there, but Plouffe has been declining since 2014. Like you said, a free flier isn't likely to be a bad thing. It was pretty much 50/50 as to who would suck less, and the coin seems to have landed on its edge.Yeah, the ability to actually field the position with some everyday confidence does indeed come in handy at times.
Plus your flyer there is only banking that Plouffe manages to hit at his decent career averages while here, which you don't have to dig all the way back to 2014 in order to find.
I'd honestly put the odds on Plouffe being better then Panda here at a heck of a lot better then 50/50, with the added upside potential that Plouffe actually had a chance at being a plus value guy. Again, especially considering that you have to dig pretty far back in time to find the last time Pablo took the field as a decent baseball player.I was probably a bit too snarky there, but Plouffe has been declining since 2014. Like you said, a free flier isn't likely to be a bad thing. It was pretty much 50/50 as to who would suck less, and the coin seems to have landed on its edge.
Perhaps they stuck the fork in Pablo's ear.ESPN Boston's Scott Lauber is reporting that it's an ear infection that's sending Pablo to the DL. Makes sense, as ear infections are well-known byproducts of the Hellenic Flu.
As noted above and for cash considerations that Cots has listed as a little over $1m, with the A's picking up the rest.Trevor Plouffe was traded to Tampa Bay three days ago
https://www.draysbay.com/2017/6/19/15830326/tampa-bay-rays-acquire-trevor-plouffe-designate-michael-martinez-for-assignment
Sorry, didn't see it. Thought folks were still discussing getting him from OakAs noted above and for cash considerations that Cots has listed as a little over $1m, with the A's picking up the rest.
I've followed Witte a little bit since he was drafted, though haven't really kept up this season. He's been solid, if unspectacular, throughout his minor league career. He's a 27yo corner IFer (apparently also seeing time at 2B this year, and I believe he played a bit of SS at TCU) with a .765 career OPS across all levels. He's played slightly older than age-appropriate, since he was a redshirt college guy. A couple injuries have limited his playing time - 85 and 111 G the last two years. Very little HR power for a corner IFer, but decent contact and plate discipline skills. Hitting LHP has been the strong side of his split in the past, but he has a .364(!) OPS against them this year. Current AAA line is .232/.350/.329. He's an adequate fielder at 3B with a good arm. That said, I'd much rather see him at 3B than Pablo at this point. Assuming his performance against LHP turns around, I don't think an OBP-heavy .700-ish OPS is unrealistic. And he can run around the bases and field a ground ball. I think he's another name to mix in with Marrero and Rutledge - a useful piece with options, especially in the event of an injury.Dominguez and Witte are the main 3B on the team and neither are doing anything worth giving them an opportunity.
Selsky is an OF who played a little 1B and 3B in the spring but he shouldn't even be listed.
Court has looks to be a utility guy who has actually hit OK but I don't know how much 3B he has played.
Meneses, as you stated is on the DL but he is a utility guy.
I see RedHawks essentially covered this but I wrote it so here it is.
Sure it is, because at this point defense is the greater consideration.I'm on the Devers needs to be in Pawtucket sooner rather than later train. He's the solution we want, but having him clubbing at AA for another two months isn't going to get any closer to figuring out if he can be the solution this year.
Should Devers need a nickname, jackal, snow leopard, or yellow throated marten might be appropriate.What the Sox can't do is set him on a pedestal as the anti-Panda messiah. He should be a great long-term solution, but the emphasis has to be on the long term.
Oh, we're cutting the cord. The 10 day DL gives the FO a chance to see if anyone anywhere would want him and how much freight we'd have to pay. He'll get a rehab stint to show he's "healthy".An ear infection huh? Our inability to cut the cord on a sunk cost of that magnitude continues I guess.