chitownsportsfan

Sorry to keep spamming the game thread but just a couple other quick notes: Avi's first time up I yelled "hey Avi keep it up buddy you're making a believer out of us Sox fans" and he looked at me and gave a little nod. Avi's a cool guy he acknowledged me in the spring as well. He looks so slim this year and the fans around me on his triple were chattering about how fast he is. Sanchez made an incredible ranging play up the middle look easy. Compared to RV, Renteria is very chatty, both with the fans and the players. Not sure if it's better or worse just different. On the ball Covey took off his body (leg?) he was laughing with Herm as they entered the dugout. The bat that went into the stands probably would have been stopped by the new netting a bunch of clubs have installed. Safeco hasn't put up the netting and I don't mind. The fan that got the bat looked pretty happy. There were a lot of hard hit rockets into the stands last night, hooking line drives. Safeco actually got pretty loud on the walkoff, not sure what they announced as attendance but there looked to be about 10-15k in the stadium. The micro beer stand at our section had no line the entire night.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ May 19, 2017 -> 11:57 AM) That's awesome but doesn't seem to matter when they have retractable roof haha Safeco is notorious for keeping the roof open whenever they can so in April and May during night games they keep it open even when it's damp and in the 40s. I've been to some miserable games in early spring where you are chilled to the bone by the marine layer. It's been a really cold spring here, I think everybody, including the players, is glad it's finally warming up.

God damn I had a f***ing blast last night even though the Sox lost. Amazing seats, probably the best I've ever had, beating the 3rd row behind Sox dugout last year at Safeco. These were right behind home row 9, season ticket holder since 1977 hooked my buddy up, just paid for beer. The Davidson HR looked like a towering pop fly that somehow carried out. A lot of loud outs last night, Melky especially was a victim of some bad luck. Looked like the ump realized he had a couple AAAA guys on the hill and expanded the strikezone for both guys. Was it that way on pitch trax? Weather tonight and tmr should be just about perfect, it's warming up into the 70s with sun.

Keep this man away from thumb wars.

Sweet I got free tickets tonight section 132 row 9. I'll probably be on TV in some shots I guess from looking at the Safeco app. I'll be with my buddy he scored the tix from some corporate account, Amazon I think. Should be an alright night for baseball it will be cool but no rain forecast. Temps probably will be around 60 at game time and into the low 50s by the late innings.

Moncada going on 7 day DL with "sore left thumb". MRI and X-Ray showed no significant damage. Hope he can get back ASAP and it's not something that lingers.

QUOTE (hi8is @ May 17, 2017 -> 05:34 PM) Moncada out again tonight, anyone know why? no word but must be some minor injury as he was working out before the game yesterday.

The last two nights, with late night, late inning losses would be really disheartening if it wasn't a rebuilding year. I enjoyed watching the comeback last night but man I'd have been pissed if TA didn't make that play in a serious year. It looked like he was there he just thought Melky was going to run him over or something. Didn't look like Melky was even close.

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ May 17, 2017 -> 01:17 PM) Yolmer was always a promising prospect who was young at every level and always took a while to adjust offensively. I have held out hope that he was going to be able to hit at the major league level with more consistent at bats, and he is starting to produce. What Yolmer does is keep from having to pull Moncada up early and gives the Sox another potential trade chip towards the deadline if he can maintain consistent production. I think Sanchez can be an above average everyday MLB 2B. He's always been almost criminally under rated IMO. Some of his slash lines in the minors indicated a guy that would perhaps hit for some decent contact and pop, especially given that he's usually been 2-3 years younger on average than his league. And his glove has always played just a matter if he'll hit enough to be a regular or just a utility guy. Give him another 400 PA this year, see what happens. His swing from the left this year is looking much improved especially.

Great content, thanks. I thought Tyler was going to have a nice year and prove he's a possible starter on the next good Sox team but it hasn't gone that way for him. He's not making good contact and this is evidenced by his lowered xOBA and his K% spike. I dunno, with players like Tyler it's always a case of just hitting enough to make the defense worthwhile. Yosmer is in the same boat. Just hit 260/310/400 and you are a decent starter. But if you hit 230/280/330 you're a 25th man. One thing that's nice is that everybody is going to have plenty of chances to prove themselves with big sample sizes this year and next.

Few tidbits: 1) in 187 games, Saladino has now been worth roughly 10 runs above average with the glove. He's probably not a starter but he's certainly a useful player and could be trade bait, especially if he starts hitting. One worrisome thing is that his BABIP isn't the issue, it's roughly at his career norms. He's just not making good contact. His K% is higher than Avi's. 2) Sanchez is rocking a .397 BABIP which isn't going to last but unlike most players he's a guy that has benefited from more ground balls. He's hitting more on the ground hard this year and has found some holes. Like Leury he's found a way to cut his K% significantly, down to 19.7% which does give some hope he's figured something out. 3) Todd hasn't let his problems at the plate affect him defensively, where once again he's rocking an above average glove at 3B. Todd isn't a 4 WAR true talent player but he still is about a 2 WAR player, someone, maybe the Red Sox, could use him as we get into summer. All in all after almost 25% of the year there's certainly enough bright spots to where you can squint and see a really good 2019 team if the Sox can make some moves to bolster the OF and the SP prospects mature. I didn't mention Narveaz in the tidbits but he is a very unique player and could be a great backup C or even part time starter on that team. He is a poor man's John Jaso perhaps. he is rocking a .35 ISO but somehow is also rocking a 17.1% walk rate and despite a .228 BA a wRC+ of 84 because of all those walks.

sanchez has some soft hands.

Frazier and Davidson just brutal.

Jose in a full stretch gives himself an in between hop. How is this man a pro 1B? Seriously.

the umps f***ing suck all around apparently. Jesus.

wow todd got a break there, wtf is this ump looking at that was right in the zone, not even close to a ball.

good job avi.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 12, 2017 -> 07:44 PM) Moncada gets on base a lot In his prime I can see 180-200 hit, .380 OBP seasons on the regular.

Benetti is such a cornball.

are you f***ing kidding me? That was a f***ing bomb. Jesus.

Is Migo on the s***ter or what?

QUOTE (Scoots @ May 12, 2017 -> 06:27 PM) I saw a story on it, it was his close friend. Shot near Alabama State. ugh. rough start to the year for TA in more ways than one. Didn't someone else close to him die during spring training?

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ May 12, 2017 -> 03:23 PM) That site is well worth the subscription. Yep, it's by far the best coverage in the city.

QUOTE (ptatc @ May 12, 2017 -> 01:51 PM) Well we know Giolito is so it's not out of the question. I know this was a joke but I REALLY don't like that drill so i had to comment on it. any particular reason you don't like it?

Todd has a long, upright swing that obviously generates a lot of bat speed but that also leaves him highly vulnerable middle in fast and out and away slow. At this point in his career he will probably have to adjust if he wants to keep being a regular. He'd probably be well served to just concede the inside strike, sorta like Konerko did at the end, and look middle out only. Looking at some of his swings in Cinci it appears he's more upright and stiff now. I wonder if his back issues have led him to try and make some changes.