I even went and added a few more like style reactions from the old days.

5 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

I even went and added a few more like style reactions from the old days.

I'm sure the "lol" one will be a nice sub for those confused emoji freaks. 

12 minutes ago, SoxAce said:

I'm sure the "lol" one will be a nice sub for those confused emoji freaks. 

We'll see. If it doesn't work,  I will turn it off.

1 hour ago, southsider2k5 said:

We'll see. If it doesn't work,  I will turn it off.

Nice strategy to get to 400, lol...

 

 

 

 

7 hours ago, SoxAce said:

I'm sure the "lol" one will be a nice sub for those confused emoji freaks. 

Unfortunately it's not the same. Now people will think I'm laughing with them instead of at them

1 minute ago, Goober said:

Unfortunately it's not the same. Now people will think I'm laughing with them instead of at them

You can make it the same and not hurt anyone’s feelings

10 hours ago, SoxAce said:

I'm sure the "lol" one will be a nice sub for those confused emoji freaks. 

Meh, it's a plus 1

2 hours ago, Goober said:

Unfortunately it's not the same. Now people will think I'm laughing with them instead of at them

Yeah, but it's a plus one, so your trolling is actually helping people.  Good on the admins/mods

America...where nobody can ever be happy without their participation trophies, lol.

In that case, Fathom should get some type of lifetime meritorious service award for most gamethread posts in SoxTalk history.

Maybe Honorary Mod for one whole week, and free In-N-Out Burger for at least a year, sponsored by Alex and Ursula Snelius.

 

PS:  Maybe the Top Ten Leaderboard should be able to give away points to new posters they feel are deserving of special recognition...?

Edited August 6, 20187 yr by caulfield12

7 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

America...where nobody can ever be happy without their participation trophies, lol.

In that case, Fathom should get some type of lifetime meritorious service award for most gamethread posts in SoxTalk history.

Maybe Honorary Mod for one whole week, and free In-N-Out Burger for at least a year, sponsored by Alex and Ursula Snelius.

Okay, i want a downvote

Good lord

This thread got straight up derailed! 

Moncada received permission to leave Cuba in June of 2014 to pursue MLB, but wasn't signed by the Red Sox until March 2015, and didn't make his professional debut until May 18, 2015. Can we assume that between June of 2014 and May 18 2015 Moncada didn't play any baseball? 

Edited August 6, 20187 yr by Greg Hibbard

28 minutes ago, Greg Hibbard said:

Moncada received permission to leave Cuba in June of 2014 to pursue MLB, but wasn't signed by the Red Sox until March 2015, and didn't make his professional debut until May 18, 2015. Can we assume that between June of 2014 and May 18 2015 Moncada didn't play any baseball? 

As I understand it, these guys usually go pretty far underground until they can establish residency in a place like the Dominican Republic.  They definitely aren't playing organized ball, and are probably just reduced to quietly working out on their own, if anything.  But yes, the safest assumption is that he didn't play at all during that time.

I think that'

6 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

As I understand it, these guys usually go pretty far underground until they can establish residency in a place like the Dominican Republic.  They definitely aren't playing organized ball, and are probably just reduced to quietly working out on their own, if anything.  But yes, the safest assumption is that he didn't play at all during that time. 

That's what I thought, thanks. I think this particular point is an extremely crucial one when we compare Yoan Moncada as a 23-year-old to any other 23-year-old (like Robin Ventura), or any other person with similar service time who didn't have the same circumstances. Developmentally, Yoan had to essentially take an entire year off of baseball at a crucial time - when he was 19.  Add to that that he bounced around between two different minor league and major league systems (not that unusual for a prospect, but it adds more to the plate), and I think it's worth some consideration that he might need one more year than expected to develop his major league tools.

Edited August 6, 20187 yr by Greg Hibbard

36 minutes ago, Greg Hibbard said:

Moncada received permission to leave Cuba in June of 2014 to pursue MLB, but wasn't signed by the Red Sox until March 2015, and didn't make his professional debut until May 18, 2015. Can we assume that between June of 2014 and May 18 2015 Moncada didn't play any baseball? 

He probably played catch with his Dad a few times. 

Just now, Greg Hibbard said:

I think that'

That's what I thought, thanks. I think this particular pioint is an extremely crucial one when we compare Yoan Moncada as a 23-year-old to any other 23-year-old (like Robin Ventura), or any other person with similar service time who didn't have the same circumstances. Developmentally, Yoan had to essentially take an entire year off of baseball at a crucial time - when he was 19.  Add to that that he bounced around between two different minor league and major league systems (not that unusual for a prospect, but it adds more to the plate).

And add to that the Cuban leagues are basically worthless when it comes to teaching.  We saw how fundamentally bad that Abreu, Viciedo, and Alexei were when they got here.  Moncada has his own bad habits and things to learn.

1 hour ago, southsider2k5 said:

And add to that the Cuban leagues are basically worthless when it comes to teaching.  We saw how fundamentally bad that Abreu, Viciedo, and Alexei were when they got here.  Moncada has his own bad habits and things to learn.

Alexei was a mess in the field when he first came up, but the tools were glaring. He turned into a damn fine SS. I wonder how old he really was. It seemed like he just fell off a cliff at some point. 

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- If not for Yoan Moncada's father, the White Sox switch-hitting second baseman of the future and No. 2 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com solely would be hitting from his natural right side.

"He was the one who insisted I needed to prove I could hit with both hands," said Moncada through interpreter Billy Russo, adding that he started to switch-hit at 10 years of age. "And I did it."

When Moncada hits from the right side, he said that swing is more technical. His left-handed swing is more natural and loose. His splits in 2016 show a .167 hitter from the right side with two homers at Double-A Portland in the Red Sox system and a .305 hitter with nine homers from the left side.

But in 2015, Moncada hit .310 with six homers from the right side and .262 with two homers from the left.

"As a switch-hitter, you are never going to feel comfortable at the same moment hitting lefty or righty," Moncada said. "Some time you feel better as a left-hander or sometimes you feel better as a righty.

"It depends on the moment. It's very difficult to find a specific moment where you can feel good in both hands."

 

Edited August 6, 20187 yr by caulfield12

1 hour ago, TaylorStSox said:

Alexei was a mess in the field when he first came up, but the tools were glaring. He turned into a damn fine SS. I wonder how old he really was. It seemed like he just fell off a cliff at some point. 

I remember his footwork was terrible, especially on the double play.  He would also blow the routine plays on a regular basis, and then follow it up with something spectacular that no human should have made.

Moncada is in a free fall. wRC+ of 93. OPS barely above 700.

People honestly think this kid is improving and having a good year? 

Edited August 7, 20187 yr by footlongcomiskeydog

1 hour ago, footlongcomiskeydog said:

Moncada is in a free fall. wRC+ of 93. OPS barely above 700.

People honestly think this kid is improving and having a good year? 

You just have to hope the investment in all of the reps at the Major League level, as ugly as they’ve been since he was called up last season, will have a huge payoff once it all “clicks” with him.  It’s admittedly an “if” versus a “when” scenario at the moment, but hopefully that massive potential will, in fact, finally translate into all that we are hoping for.  

18 minutes ago, Fan O'Faust said:

You just have to hope the investment in all of the reps at the Major League level, as ugly as they’ve been since he was called up last season, will have a huge payoff once it all “clicks” with him.  It’s admittedly an “if” versus a “when” scenario at the moment, but hopefully that massive potential will, in fact, finally translate into all that we are hoping for.  

I was operating more on "when" he puts it all together, but with the fact that Moncada is regressing as the season goes on, 'if" is becoming more and more of a possibility for me. The question now is whether his career goes the way of Baez or Buxton. 

Edited August 7, 20187 yr by Jack Parkman

We all see the "loud tools," & we all look hopefully toward Moncada becoming what his tools say he should be.

OTOH, I keep going back to wondering exactly why he "had to" be called up last July. Last year, we all had to read how "Moncada has nothing left to learn in AAA."

This year, we have to wonder if he can hit RH, if he'll ever get his K rate down, if he'll ever take a more aggressive approach early in counts, if he'll ever learn to protect in 2-strike counts, if he'll ever learn consistency in his approach to fielding, among other issues.

I said then, & I still say now that Moncada had a lot more than "nothing left to learn." Him failing to become an absolute STUD would hurt this rebuild significantly.

I just want to know what the fuck Steverson is doing with this kid.  When Moncada goes bad, he looks completely lost & hopeless.  FFS, no one should strike out looking four times in one game.  Adjustments should be made in terms of approach.  So that means either Steverson isn’t coaching in real time or Moncada isn’t listening.  To me, that’s the most frustrating part.