CaliSoxFanViaSWside

I think it's really hard to compare spin rate for previous years. MLB has messed with the baseball also in other years . If the seams are higher pitchers can get a better grip. If the seams are lower they start using more sticky stuff. Also if the ball is slightly lighter or heavier or the core is changed that affects pitchers too. Pitcher's return from injuries , change mechanics ,move from starter to reliever . One size does not fit all. The picture is to big to paint with a broad brush. Let's face it baseball always wants more offense and the latest crackdown on sticky substances and ball changes plus all the studies on moving the mound back are all designed for the benefit of the offense. Supposedly they made the ball lighter this year because of the inordinate number of HR's last year so that combined with the sticky stuff has led to offenses being down this year. It's just hard to pinpoint when and how prevalent the sticky stuff became a big thing. Did it really gain momentum last year throughout the league when everyone was smashing the ball or were the new and improve substances mostly unavailable until last year ? Some have been around a while but perhaps closely guarded secrets . Things like that don't stay secrets long and once guys started ratting it was already at epidemic proportions. So somewhere between the secret getting out and the manufacturing of the substances in abundance the ball got changed and then it became the next steroids type performance enhancing issue which the league wants to put down as fast as they can.

Not really. He's ok. It's still a long way from the TDL . I'm sure the D'backs will get other offers for him . They will wait to see who offers what.

Yea I don't want Soria or any D'backs relievers. Aim higher.

Sorry I meant LHP. I was looking up so many stats for so many players and jumping back and forth between 2 different stats websites and my post against both RHP and LHP trying not to making a mistake. I obviously didn't accomplish that. I will go over the post again and fix it. Done. Thanks for pointing it out. And trust me I agree with almost everything you said about Vaughn except for sending him down. He's just too good against LHP to send him down. I want every advantage the Sox can get against LHP too because the Sox lost a big contributor against RHP in Mercedes because he is totally unreliable now. Vaughn bat against LHP will help pick up some of that slack DHing or playing the OF vs. LHP. I took a lot of heat early in the season for saying what you are saying now. He'll also continue to get AB's against RHP on the small chance he can show some vast improvement in sporadic AB's against them. That might not be what we want but it's still going to happen.

They need help against LHP too. I wrote it all up in the Escobar thread showing the Sox leaders in Slugging percentage against both.

It's really hard to factor Hamilton into any of this. The OP wants to play Vaughn full time in LF that's the only one I have a problem with. He makes a decent point on hoping Vaughn can turn it around against RHP but he's had his chance. They need lineup improvement right now against both RHP and LHP Leury's also had a lot of playing time and Hamilton got his share too but his role if he actually has one when everyone is healthy is an a PR and defensive replacement. The 2 guys in the outfield that need the AB's the most right now are Engel and Goodwin. Engel has exhibited the needed power in his short time back but where most don't trust him is against RHP. For the first time in his life last year he hit RHP well. We have to find out if that was a one time thing due to BABIP which I'm pretty sure the OP thinks it is since I had that discussion with him at the beginning of the season. I don't think anybody has a problem with him against LHP which has always been his strong side. Maybe he found something last year he didn't have previously. If he has, he could be in the starting OF in RF or LF considering he's one of the best fielders in baseball. It's hardly worth mentioning since Engel and Goodwin have very few AB's since returning but so far both have done well. Burger hit's RHP very well but it's hard to count on him to play 2nd base because they are only in the last few days starting that experiment with him and that's the only spot theoretically open for him right now and there won't be a spot for him if the Sox get Escobar. Plus he's been out a long time and it's asking a lot of him to step in and continue to mash MLB RHP pitching like he has MiLB RHP.

I am both shocked and dismayed. I think it's the 1st time in the history of my many years on Soxtalk that someone has actually said this to me. For that you get an emoji of love !

I'm just trying to be realistic. The guys you mentioned like Castellanos, Starling Marte I assume and Santander all are difficult to attain , each one for various reasons. The most realistic would be Starling Marte. Reds arent giving up on their season yet and a guy like Castellanos is probably cost prohibitive and not a good OF, Starling Marte is a great player and a rental but still will cost more than Escobar. Santander would be costly and how likely are the Orioles to give him up ? The Sox might be able to win at the needed clip until Eloy and Robert get back but I'd like to make sure of that and make the lineup even stronger going into the playoffs with them and Escobar without decimating the few good pieces we have on the farm. I also like the insurance Escobar provides for Moncada. None of the OF'er who you brought up can do that . I'd definitely check in on Starling Marte. I want to win at a clip that will give us home field advantage through the playoffs . Being at home would be a big advantage.

The only stud the Sox could afford with the power they need is Schwarber and the Nats probably aren't ready to throw in the towel on their season yet. Schwarber is great against RHP but he's just another walk machine like Grandal against LHP and he cant replace Moncada if Moncada goes down like Escobar can, Against RHP and LHP the Sox aren't that good when it comes to power. Starting pitching is a key to every team with who knows whats happening with the sticky stuff enforcement. All the Sox can do is try to get better with power and depth and Escobar provides both against righties and lefties. If they can get Schwarber too I'd be thrilled but if it comes down to Schwarber or Escobar I'd have to go with Escobar. If we leave starting pitching out of it the Sox chances to reach and win the World Series depends a lot of Eloy and Robert returning to being themselves. I don't think they can do either without them. In the meantime improving depth and power from both sides of the plate is crucial.

I think we are . The Sox need power badly. Look at how Escobar ,who shouldn't cost all that much but probably will be a pretty popular upgrade for a lot of teams, helps the Sox versatility and slugging from both sides of the plate. See my long post above.

They need the thump everywhere in the lineup. I just broke it down by Slugging Percentage because OPS is propped up by walks in our LHH's. But when Madrigal is your top Slugging guy against LHP ,besides Vaughn who blows everyone else away vs. LHP you need help badly. Abreu was probably ahead of Madrigal when Nick got injured but he isn't anymore. Plus everyone thinks the Sox are some juggernaut against LHP but that isn't even true anymore. Escobar instantly becomes one of our best hitters from both sides of the plate despite his low OBP because he can hit HR's. Against RHP I'd put Moncada, Grandal, Escobar ABreu , and hope to get more 2 and 3 run HR's that way because of Grandal's and Moncada's ability to take a walk. Against LHP I'd have a 3 4 5 of Vaughn, Abreu and Escobar.

For those who think Escobar is meh please be advised that his 15 HR's would currently lead the team. His .743 OPS would currently be 4th on the Sox behind Moncada, Abreu and Anderson and only Moncada is barely above .800 OPS. Moncada's OPS is propped up by his walks. If Moncada get's injured Escobar can replace him at 3rd base. Escobar's Slg % is .455 which would be 1st on the Sox. Abreu 's is .448 Moncada's is .403. Mendick Slg % is .315 . Against RHP his Slg % is .431 which would put him 3d behind Abreu's .569 and Mercedes .524 but since Mercedes can't be counted on anymore might as well say Escobar would be 2nd. A few others with insignificant PA's are higher than Escobar but you get the drift. Against RHP his 10 HR's would be 1st on the Sox. Against LHP his 5 HR's would be tied with 2nd with Vaughn only behind Abreu's 6. Against LHP his Slg. % is .530 which would be 3rd on the Sox behind Vaughn and Abreu . Contrary to popular belief without Eloy, Robert and Madrigal who actually had the Highest Slg Pct against LHP on the Sox (besides Vaughn) when injured, the Sox do not kill LHP anymore. After Vaughn's outstanding .726 Slg. vs. LHP and Abreu is Mercedes and he can't be counted on anymore. After Mercedes is Grandal at .417 . After Grandal not a single regular above .358 . All of this should tell you that if you think Escobar is meh then you should think the whole lineup is meh especially against RHP and yes ,even against LHP. He is definitely better than Mendick and just about anyone on the Sox in an area where the Sox suck and that is power and slugging from both sides of the plate. When your 2 best LHH's OPS are propped up by walks putting Escobar behind our walk machines whether he hits righty or lefty Escobar is a pretty big upgrade.

When I 1st heard him, I thought Gordan sounded a lot like Darin Jackson until I listened a little more closely and heard the slight twang.

Pretty impressive stuff from Schwarber. 3 days ago Escobar was out homering him 15 to 13 . Now with the 5 in last 2 days it's 18-15 Schwarber.

Nope and the Sox aren't the only team doing it either.

I would add Lamb also has to be in the lineup because he has the same amount of HR's as Moncada in 3X less PA's plus his OBP is pretty good. I don't like using Vaughn every day because you can't count on him to turn it around vs. RHP and Leury ,as was pointed out, is hitting better and adds far more speed and defense than Vaughn. You also have Goodwin against RHP who might be a better choice than Leury if you happen to think he can keep performing against RHP like he has since being brought up in the SSS. It's outstanding so far. Vaughn is superb vs LHP so for that alone I wouldn't sent him down and while he's around I'm sure he will keep getting PT against RHP but every day, no.

You're not the boss of me !

I'd give up either of them before Ramos or Rodriquez.

No don't do that ! Your time and effort here is greatly appreciated !! Ron certainly won't be picking up the slack.

They have more than that. Teams will definitely be asking about Ramos and Rodriquez with Kanny 2 19 yr. olds with big upside and decent performances so far.

Hopefully he's fine .But even if he isn't he's got 5 weeks til the TDL and acquiring him injured with an expected prognosis of a return to health relatively soon ,he might be cheaper.

Welcome to the Jack Parkman Panic Attack Fan Club.

I don't think he or Jason is going on the road this year nor any of the crew that normally would accompany them. Sox cutting expenses.

They could because they have some good pieces there and since some of them are very young it's more about the tools than performance with them. But I guarantee Kelley, Thompson, Krogman , Horn and Dahlquist and especially Jose Rodriquez and Bryan Ramos would be very interesting to other teams. Practically anyone could be used as a throw in among the names I didn't mention.

2008 They got Ken Griffey, Jr. 1/2 hr. before the TDL. 2010 Got Edwin Jackson for Daniel Hudson and David Holmberg. 2012 They traded Eduardo Escobar and Pedro Hernandez for Francisco Liriano and he wasn't very good that season with the Twins or the Sox. Youkilis they got 6/24 . They also brought up Danks 6/7 and he pitched about as well as Liriano. Brett Myers 7/21 . He pitched decently for the Sox but fora guy who had 19 saves when acquired , he ended up with none for the Sox. So realistically if Covid is still an excuse not to spend and limiting acquisitions due to not wanting to hurt what's left of the farm system or not having the bullets needed, I'm not expecting more than 2 guys. One for the bullpen and 1 for the lineup.