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Cesar Hernandez is getting on base for the Sox


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35 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

It has more to do with the base itself being considered the keystone base, so the position just adopted the same name.

Correct. I found this.

 

The term Short Stop had been in use since the earliest days of baseball, so the 2nd Baseman's position became known as the Keystone, and the pair together became known as the Keystone Combination

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54 minutes ago, MnSoxFan said:

Correct. I found this.

 

The term Short Stop had been in use since the earliest days of baseball, so the 2nd Baseman's position became known as the Keystone, and the pair together became known as the Keystone Combination

It's because the 2B position for a diamond or arch shape it the keystone that holds up the arch. In an arch such as the opening of a tunnel the middle stone at the peak absorbs all the force from the balance of the two sides. Take it out and the arch collapses.

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I was happy when the trade happened mainly because it would limit Leury's presence.  Although Leury still plays too much, he's not playing at 2B.  Now, I'm very happy about the trade because Cesar is a huge upgrade defensively and has so far shown to be a dramatic upgrade offensively.

He's fit in so well, I don't even think about anyone else playing 2B each day other than him.

When he was traded, there was a lot of talk about where he would hit.  Most, if I recall, believed he should be near the bottom to help rid of the essentially dead 1/3 of the lineup.  There were comments that it would be "so TLR" to have him bat 2nd.  I think what we're seeing is that he can bat anywhere and improve the lineup.  He's been getting on base a lot, and that helps when he's in the 2 spot...unless the #3 hitter rolls lazily into double play after double play.  He can hit and has nice power, which helps when he's in the bottom third.

Regardless, Cesar is the type of player the Sox needed down the stretch.  And having him controlled through next year is a nice bonus.

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36 minutes ago, hogan873 said:

I was happy when the trade happened mainly because it would limit Leury's presence.  Although Leury still plays too much, he's not playing at 2B.  Now, I'm very happy about the trade because Cesar is a huge upgrade defensively and has so far shown to be a dramatic upgrade offensively.

He's fit in so well, I don't even think about anyone else playing 2B each day other than him.

When he was traded, there was a lot of talk about where he would hit.  Most, if I recall, believed he should be near the bottom to help rid of the essentially dead 1/3 of the lineup.  There were comments that it would be "so TLR" to have him bat 2nd.  I think what we're seeing is that he can bat anywhere and improve the lineup.  He's been getting on base a lot, and that helps when he's in the 2 spot...unless the #3 hitter rolls lazily into double play after double play.  He can hit and has nice power, which helps when he's in the bottom third.

Regardless, Cesar is the type of player the Sox needed down the stretch.  And having him controlled through next year is a nice bonus.

It will be interesting to see where he slots when Grandal is back. If the “normal” lineup is out there, and Hernandez was put in the 2 slot, someone else would have to drop? Abreu and Eloy seem acceptable at 3-4, presumably some version of Grandal and Vaughn will fit into the 5-6 spots, that leaves Moncada and Robert dropping into the 7-8 slots? Or if the manager needs to move Goodwin up higher to supply the fire and passion, do those guys hit 9th? I dunno. Maybe they play backups so often that it won’t matter.

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Hernandez has had a good start here, and I expect him to play well, but with the talent here, I expect him to be in the bottom third of the order.

Now that everyone has returned, I would the Sox to have a primary standard lineup, and not fret about this or that platoon matchup EVERY. SINGLE. GAME., but it makes too much sense to expect this to happen.

(OPS Career Platoon Splits RHP/LHP)

  1. SS T. Anderson (.721/.851)
  2. 3B Y. Moncada (.807/.708) #
  3. 1B J. Abreu (.846/.922)
  4. DH E. Jimenez (.897/.756)
  5. C Y. Grandal (.794/.799) #
  6. LF A. Vaughn (.679/1.048)
  7. CF L. Robert (.722/.901)
  8. 2B C. Hernandez (.737/.737) #
  9. RF A. Engel (.617/.690) - Playing way above these numbers the past two seasons

For backup catcher games, backup catcher bats 8th, Vaughn, Robert and Hernandez move up one, Engel stays at the bottom for a second speedy sparkplug before the top of the order.

Not saying they need to grind these guys out everyday over the next seven weeks, just that they should have a set lineup for the playoffs, and not fret platoons or anything else Shelly Duncan puts in front of La Russa. These guys are talented enough to play every game, this lineup is the best defensively, and there is no reason to worry about squeezing in someone for some theoretical platoon advantage.

 

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