The Andrew Vaughn LF Thread

[ScootsMcGoots]

Bold prediction: some kind of crazy ass trade happens.

[hogan873]

I think we're finding out that Andrew Vaughn is a really good baseball player.  His hitting is one thing and expected.  But, he's shown to be a decent 1B and a surprisingly decent LF.  As a rookie, being thrust into a position he's never player before, he's done a really nice job.

[bmags]

If we are talking playoffs ... I'm platooning Andrew as a bat vs. LHP and putting him in RF.

To start the year, Eaton's splits vs lhp have been unbelievably bad. They will certainly improve, but I'll take the chances especially being so happy with Andrew's arm so far.

[caulfield12]

4 minutes ago, Superstar Lamar said:

Those opponents better get their drives down the line in early because once the seventh inning hits, either Vaughn or Eloy gets replaced with a gold glove level of defense in Engel.

And Hamilton...making Leury or Mendick and Lamb the ones left out.  Likely Lamb.   And honestly hard to see TLR picking Mendick over Leury.

[wegner]

Just saw that play where he threw out Goldy I think at 2B...he has a better arm than I thought.  He has made great strides in the OF...whoever has been working with him, kudos.

[bmags]

Just now, hogan873 said:

I think we're finding out that Andrew Vaughn is a really good baseball player.  His hitting is one thing and expected.  But, he's shown to be a decent 1B and a surprisingly decent LF.  As a rookie, being thrust into a position he's never player before, he's done a really nice job.

One thing I totally believe but I'm sure will never have any hard proof is that if the sox would have been in this situation in 2018 and thought "well we have Abreu long term at 1b, let's see if he can be an OF" it would have been a way slower turnaround.

I think part of it is sox have been better about developing, but there is something about having a winning team that seems to help bring out the best of everyone, helping them focus and succeed on being a baseball player rather than individual goals - and somehow making it easier to hit individual goals. 

Maybe there is another aspect. TA comes up in 2016 as its falling apart and needs to be a savior. Moncada, Jimenez, both are seen as saviors. Vaughn as a prospect was nearly highly as touted, but he just gets to come up and be a piece in the wheel.

Anyway, Considering how poorly the league is hitting and how hard a jump he had to do, him mashing LHP and struggling vs. RHP is a win, but him being a competent outfielder is unreal.

[raBBit]

I think the big thing with Vaughn is composure. He just acts like he belongs. Hasn't made any miscues that came from the jitters.

Crazy thinking about how Nick Williams had looked out there after playing the outfield (and Center specifically) throughout his career. Also Lamb has been thrown out there just like Vaughn and Vaughn has had less nerve-wracking moments in significantly more time. 

[Flash]

If Cincy loses ground I wonder if they might make Winker available? There would be strong demand but WS have some trade chips. 

[TomPickle]

4 minutes ago, Flash said:

If Cincy loses ground I wonder if they might make Winker available? There would be strong demand but WS have some trade chips. 

I love Winker and he would really help out against RHP, but he is every bit as bad in LF as Eloy. I guess if the Reds wanted Mercedes in a trade it would clear a path to playing time for Winker. Of course I have no idea where Mercedes would play on the Reds.

[raBBit]

4 minutes ago, Flash said:

If Cincy loses ground I wonder if they might make Winker available? There would be strong demand but WS have some trade chips. 

2 more years after this year and he's playing like an MVP candidate right now so he would be costly. Sox have tried to acquire him in the past. Reds kind of need to retool in my opinion after getting screwed over by the COVID season last year.

I honestly don't know if we have what it takes. Maybe Crochet, Sheets and Dalquist or something.

vs. RHP

R SS Anderson

S 3B Moncada

R DH Eloy

R 1B Abreu

L RF Winker

R CF Robert

S C Grandal

R LF Vaughn

R 2B Madirgal

vs. LHP

R SS Anderson

R DH Eloy

S 3B Moncada

R 1B Abreu

S C Grandal

R CF Robert

L RF Winker

R LF Vaughn

R 2B Madrigal

That's the best lineup in baseball.

[raBBit]

6 minutes ago, TomPickle said:

I love Winker and he would really help out against RHP, but he is every bit as bad in LF as Eloy. I guess if the Reds wanted Mercedes in a trade it would clear a path to playing time for Winker. Of course I have no idea where Mercedes would play on the Reds.

You seem to get this but Mercedes has no value to the Reds. I don't think Mercedes has any value to anyone but I know Sox fans will throw him in trade packages anyways. He's only a potential "guy" for 15 teams. Look how the market treated a DH only in Cruz. Today's environment just doesn't value Mercedes. Maybe Tampa would like him (yes I know they've given up on him before) but that's all I can see.

[zisk]

4 minutes ago, raBBit said:

You seem to get this but Mercedes has no value to the Reds. I don't think Mercedes has any value to anyone but I know Sox fans will throw him in trade packages anyways. He's only a potential "guy" for 15 teams. Look how the market treated a DH only in Cruz. Today's environment just doesn't value Mercedes. Maybe Tampa would like him (yes I know they've given up on him before) but that's all I can see.

Add Jake Burger to the DH list. The guy had 2.5 years off, never played above A ball, and is now slugging .661 in AAA Charlotte 

[bmags]

10 minutes ago, raBBit said:

You seem to get this but Mercedes has no value to the Reds. I don't think Mercedes has any value to anyone but I know Sox fans will throw him in trade packages anyways. He's only a potential "guy" for 15 teams. Look how the market treated a DH only in Cruz. Today's environment just doesn't value Mercedes. Maybe Tampa would like him (yes I know they've given up on him before) but that's all I can see.

A few weeks back Heyman or someone had a tweet on the Marlins for some reason bragging about how they tried to trade for Mercedes in this past offseason, so perhaps they believe he can survive as a position player...somewhere.

[southsider2k5]

4 minutes ago, zisk said:

Add Jake Burger to the DH list. The guy had 2.5 years off, never played above A ball, and is now slugging .661 in AAA Charlotte 

Early reports are that he is playing a decent 3B right now.

[Jack Parkman]

1 minute ago, southsider2k5 said:

Early reports are that he is playing a decent 3B right now.

Could be a nice trade chip. 

[raBBit]

1 minute ago, bmags said:

A few weeks back Heyman or someone had a tweet on the Marlins for some reason bragging about how they tried to trade for Mercedes in this past offseason, so perhaps they believe he can survive as a position player...somewhere.

Interesting I hadn't seen that.

I wonder what Miami would have had planned for him.

I watched Mercedes catch Rodon in the spring and he looked like he was catching without knowing what Rodon was throwing. Just stabbing at everything. The Sox have him listed as an infielder on mlb.com but his one appearance at 1B ended abruptly as Tony LaRussa had "bad vibes."

[Jack Parkman]

1 minute ago, raBBit said:

Interesting I hadn't seen that.

I wonder what Miami would have had planned for him.

I watched Mercedes catch Rodon in the spring and he looked like he was catching without knowing what Rodon was throwing. Just stabbing at everything. The Sox have him listed as an infielder on mlb.com but his one appearance at 1B ended abruptly as Tony LaRussa had "bad vibes."

If Miami is still interested I'd trade Mercedes for Marte in about 10 seconds. I don't think Mercedes is all that great outside of a hot April and it would be nice to cash in. 

[southsider2k5]

1 minute ago, Jack Parkman said:

If Miami is still interested I'd trade Mercedes for Marte in about 10 seconds. I don't think Mercedes is all that great outside of a hot April and it would be nice to cash in. 

So would everyone except Miami.

[Bob Sacamano]

2 minutes ago, raBBit said:

Interesting I hadn't seen that.

I wonder what Miami would have had planned for him.

I watched Mercedes catch Rodon in the spring and he looked like he was catching without knowing what Rodon was throwing. Just stabbing at everything. The Sox have him listed as an infielder on mlb.com but his one appearance at 1B ended abruptly as Tony LaRussa had "bad vibes."

If I recall, they thought he could catch. At least enough on a backup basis, maybe as a C/1B guy?

Or maybe they expect the DH to be universal after this year and thought they could survive a year with him playing a position.

[bmags]

3 minutes ago, raBBit said:

Interesting I hadn't seen that.

I wonder what Miami would have had planned for him.

I watched Mercedes catch Rodon in the spring and he looked like he was catching without knowing what Rodon was throwing. Just stabbing at everything. The Sox have him listed as an infielder on mlb.com but his one appearance at 1B ended abruptly as Tony LaRussa had "bad vibes."

https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/barry-jackson/article249320890.html

So yeah I guess catcher.

[bmags]

1 minute ago, manbearpuig said:

If I recall, they thought he could catch. At least enough on a backup basis, maybe as a C/1B guy?

Or maybe they expect the DH to be universal after this year and thought they could survive a year with him playing a position.

yeah, that is sorta how they used cervelli last year, and you are right, it very well could have been cheap insurance for a DH should it have happened.

[chitownsportsfan]

1 hour ago, raBBit said:

Interesting I hadn't seen that.

I wonder what Miami would have had planned for him.

I watched Mercedes catch Rodon in the spring and he looked like he was catching without knowing what Rodon was throwing. Just stabbing at everything. The Sox have him listed as an infielder on mlb.com but his one appearance at 1B ended abruptly as Tony LaRussa had "bad vibes."

That was an under-rated move by TLR imo.  Really went to bat for Yermin after that shitty combo play with madrigal (I blame both of them) and said he wanted to help Yermin stay positive even if it hurt the team to have to move him that day.  

[Bob Sacamano]

So when Hamilton comes back, is Vaughn being optioned the likely move? Assuming they want to have as much depth as possible so they don't DFA anyone and to give him every day at bats. Same idea as when people were saying Mendick would get optioned. 

[wegner]

6 minutes ago, manbearpuig said:

So when Hamilton comes back, is Vaughn being optioned the likely move? Assuming they want to have as much depth as possible so they don't DFA anyone and to give him every day at bats. Same idea as when people were saying Mendick would get optioned. 

I have a suspicion that Eaton might be seeing some DL time so that might be the play when Billy is back.  If that comes true, I might start my own Twitter handle...any suggestions for the name to tweet under?

[Bob Sacamano]

8 minutes ago, wegner said:

I have a suspicion that Eaton might be seeing some DL time so that might be the play when Billy is back.  If that comes true, I might start my own Twitter handle...any suggestions for the name to tweet under?

Been calling for an Eaton IL stint for at least a month now. Maybe it will finally happen.