Look at Ray Ray Run

Balance is everything in hitting. You may think it looked like he was off balance but the majority of time he was not. You can not hit balls with authority without balance and rhythm. As Frank aged and became less athletic, he got lower to the ground to help maintain the force and balance on his front side. He couldnt stand tall and shift on stride because he wasnt athletic enough to do that and maintain balance like when he was young. You wouldn't teach it because it's uncomfortable and unnatural to many. But to those who are good at it, it allows you to attack balls way out in front while fighting those off that get deep enough. Ichiro was also a front foot hitter - the amazing hands thing pretty obvious there too.

Frank had remarkable hands. He could fall off balance - flay as ass away from his hands - and his hands were so good they could get to the ball. He wasn't off balance often though - he was just a front foot hitter and they tend to look funny and require amazing hands.

For his career, Frank Thomas walked nearly 300 more times than be struck out. Eloy will never be Frank Thomas and that's ok.

Sox were never one player away though.

Good for Chris. Glad to see him get paid. He's earned it.

Sox fans fall in love with their shotty cult heroes. Palka is one of those. He's awful yet people here search for ways to get him at bats.

His velocity returned last spring too. Giolitos problem isnt his velocity - its that hes not very good and his pitches fool no one. Spring doesnt matter but when you can't get anyone out last year... then you look even worse in spring... it usually doesnt bode well.

You look at that lineup, and the guy you have the problem with out of everyone is Yomer? Palka is awful. Yolmer is a much better MLB regular than Palka.

They can't argue that they manipulated his service time this year given that they signed him to a MLB contract.

Eloy can't file a service time manipulation grievance any longer as he is under a MLB contract now.

The Cubs had Bryant. They weren't moving Bryant and baez off their natural positions.

Required for any contract formalization in baseball.

So in two posts I now need to take an econ course (I work in finance) and play baseball past middle school (I played in college). The internet is an amazing place. The only short stops who move to 2nd are those without the arm for third. There's a reason when most good SS's move (manny, a rod, maybe cal but his was age) they move to 3rd and not second. Also I asked you to quote a scout. Just one. You made a comment that scouts in the AL west said something so show me where. Tia.

I'm pretty well tuned into economics but thank you. I may have taken a few more econ and finance classes after high school. Just maybe though. A lot of maybes in your scenario. Semien wouldnt land a top 100 guy now. They teach your hindsight bias in high school too.

Of course it matters. Theres a massive difference between trading a guy that would go 1-1 for James shitty shields and trading a prospect that no other team would give more than 1.25 million too just 12 months earlier - also a 12 months in which he played no professional baseball.

I never said he was a hack. Hes a nice mlb player. Not having Marcus semien will have zero impact on the Sox future or rebuild and it will never cost them a playoff spot.

Ftr, I'm annoyed and frustrated but I'm here to talk about baseball and the season... not to b**** and moan all day about Jerry and Rick. That's pointless. I love the game not management.

they viewed him as a guy who wouldnt primarily catch but would catch. Maybe 60-70 games a year. Tyler flowers was said to be someone who couldn't catch either.

I liked semien. He's just not a guy to lose sleep over losing. They traded him to try and win and failed.

There are two option years at the end? Its 6 for 43 and then two options to bring it to 77. Only one free agent year though - you are correct.

Someone might want to tell Noah Syndergaard to stop throwing a sinker because apparently no one succeeds with them anymore.

Everyone seems to have scouts around baseball on speed dial at soxtalk.

Hes somewhere around 150th in baseball. He's not there as a first baseman who hits 220 I'll tell you that. So clearly some people think he can at least pass there to rank him in the top 150.

What scouts? Please just quote me one scout that has said this. Just one.

Lol well he wasnt since he was the 30th ranked international signee in his class and was not considered a serious prospect by anyone hence what he signed for. Lol at 1-1