Hello Matthew, this is my first comment, and first of all I want to thank you for your baseball acumen, but above all for your entertaining language and sense of humor: reading your articles is really a pleasure for me and you make me (don't take this the wrong way!) laugh a lot with your comparisons and allegories! That said, the problem is that Cora this year is very stubborn with the leadoff spot and absolutely doesn't want a good hitter there, instead he envisions it as the place where nurse players with holes and weak points...but it is not! Put there Arroyo, at least
Hi Ambroeus! Thanks for the comment and thanks for reading! I appreciate your kind words. It means a lot to me when people enjoy the site. Many thanks for saying so!
As for Cora, I think he's just very set in his ways, and sadly those ways currently include the four best hitters batting 2-through-5 in the lineup, which of course leaves the first spot open. I'm hopeful they can make an addition at the deadline or do something that lengthens the lineup, because this is self-defeating and, in all seriousness, getting quite silly.
I know, but we don't understand why not move the Four batting 1-through-4, then Renfroe Dalbec Vazquez Kike Arroyo. Someone suggested X in the 1-spot, as it appears that Verdugo doesn't like to leadoff. Let's pray for Duran or at least another chance to Cordero or Chavis settled
With the way Franchy is hitting in AAA, he's earned another shot. I'm surprised they haven't recalled him to take Santana's spot yet. Too many holes in the lineup right now.
Agreed about the lineup. The ball is flying in Worcester now, and because it's a new park it's hard to know how much is Franchy and how much is the park (or, alternatively, how much is Duran and how much is the park). Also, and I hate to make the case for Santana here, but he can actually play defense where as Franchy isn't playing center.
It depends on who they replace those guys with, agreed. Just dropping them doesn't make the roster better, but they have better options, or as I said in the article, options that have a chance to be better, and that's better than what they have right now.
I am actually okay with them giving Santana a little more time, considering the pre-season injury, but I am done with Gonzalez. I'd love to see Duran up, put him in left every day. I don't like how much Cordero strikes out, and Duran has done a pretty good job of limiting the K's at AAA. Kike becomes the fourth outfielder, 2B, or the emergency SS (how much worse could he be than Gonzalez... He wasn't awful in LA in 20ish games a couple of years ago).
Agree on Santana; disagree on Marwin. Santana needs to be DFA’ed and replaced by either Duran or Cordero.
My attitude with top prospects like Duran generally goes like this: Don’t call them up unless you’re prepared to KEEP them up.
But you made a really good point on your most recent podcast.
If they recall Duran now — and he sure seems ready — it gives you 4-5 weeks to determine if you need to deal for an OF at the deadline.
As for Marwin, his defense, versatility and his 2017 World Series experience provide value to a team with designs on the post-season.
But he’s playing way too much. Recall Duran, put him in CF and the leadoff spot, have Kike and Arroyo share 2b and let ‘er roll!
Put it this way: I'm fine having Marwin on the team with one caveat, that he never play.
Hello Matthew, this is my first comment, and first of all I want to thank you for your baseball acumen, but above all for your entertaining language and sense of humor: reading your articles is really a pleasure for me and you make me (don't take this the wrong way!) laugh a lot with your comparisons and allegories! That said, the problem is that Cora this year is very stubborn with the leadoff spot and absolutely doesn't want a good hitter there, instead he envisions it as the place where nurse players with holes and weak points...but it is not! Put there Arroyo, at least
Hi Ambroeus! Thanks for the comment and thanks for reading! I appreciate your kind words. It means a lot to me when people enjoy the site. Many thanks for saying so!
As for Cora, I think he's just very set in his ways, and sadly those ways currently include the four best hitters batting 2-through-5 in the lineup, which of course leaves the first spot open. I'm hopeful they can make an addition at the deadline or do something that lengthens the lineup, because this is self-defeating and, in all seriousness, getting quite silly.
I know, but we don't understand why not move the Four batting 1-through-4, then Renfroe Dalbec Vazquez Kike Arroyo. Someone suggested X in the 1-spot, as it appears that Verdugo doesn't like to leadoff. Let's pray for Duran or at least another chance to Cordero or Chavis settled
With the way Franchy is hitting in AAA, he's earned another shot. I'm surprised they haven't recalled him to take Santana's spot yet. Too many holes in the lineup right now.
Agreed about the lineup. The ball is flying in Worcester now, and because it's a new park it's hard to know how much is Franchy and how much is the park (or, alternatively, how much is Duran and how much is the park). Also, and I hate to make the case for Santana here, but he can actually play defense where as Franchy isn't playing center.
Thanks for reading, Pete!
Not that it'll help the Sox do the right thing, but I agree 100%.
It depends on who they replace those guys with, agreed. Just dropping them doesn't make the roster better, but they have better options, or as I said in the article, options that have a chance to be better, and that's better than what they have right now.
I am actually okay with them giving Santana a little more time, considering the pre-season injury, but I am done with Gonzalez. I'd love to see Duran up, put him in left every day. I don't like how much Cordero strikes out, and Duran has done a pretty good job of limiting the K's at AAA. Kike becomes the fourth outfielder, 2B, or the emergency SS (how much worse could he be than Gonzalez... He wasn't awful in LA in 20ish games a couple of years ago).