I'm actually quite fond of Kasper and Brenly, but i'll admit that their banter can get a bit old. Still, i wish i could watch the game... gameday's doing a good job of keeping me in the loop though

I LOVE Wilson Betemit. LOVE. I have a feeling a lot of people are going to dislike him which is a damn shame.

 

I think the only time people are really going to dislike him is when he bats right-handed.

 

Left-handed? Very likable.

 

 

I LOVE Wilson Betemit. LOVE. I have a feeling a lot of people are going to dislike him which is a damn shame.

 

I agree with you, man. I've been a fan of Betemit since the season he was traded from the Braves to the Dodgers. He was a sleeper that helped my fantasy baseball team in one of my 20-team leagues that season.

Home-Run!!! Wilson Betemit! You can put it on the boaaaaaaard!

 

A power-hitting reserve off the bench, exactly what we need on this team. Thank god Betemit's bat won't be pathetic like Mackowiak's or Cintron's.

Yeah, the one thing Rob Mackowiak did while he was here was hit, especially in 2006 when he put up a .350/.458/.500/.958 line as a pinch hitter. He should have started in LF and led off in '06. I still don't understand why Rob Mackowiak's time with the Sox was viewed as such a failure, if Ozzie hadn't asked him to do something which he's incapable perhaps things would have been different.

Van Benschoten seems like he might be a good bullpen arm. I think Coop can work wonders with him. His delivery seems very smooth.

I agree with you, man. I've been a fan of Betemit since the season he was traded from the Braves to the Dodgers. He was a sleeper that helped my fantasy baseball team in one of my 20-team leagues that season.

 

I know it was spring training and super super early, but the dude looked brutal on Sunday trying to field the ball. Please tell me this guy is a better fielder than that....

Notorious J. V. B. lookin decent so far.

I think the only time people are really going to dislike him is when he bats right-handed.

 

Left-handed? Very likable.

Hopefully Ozzie uses him as a semi-platoon with Fields, that's a deadly combination right there. If any more than 25% of his ABs this year are against lefties then Ozzie is doing something wrong.

Yeah, the one thing Rob Mackowiak did while he was here was hit, especially in 2006 when he put up a .350/.458/.500/.958 line as a pinch hitter. He should have started in LF and led off in '06. I still don't understand why Rob Mackowiak's time with the Sox was viewed as such a failure, if Ozzie hadn't asked him to do something which he's incapable perhaps things would have been different.

 

Really? Wow, then I must've seen most of the games where he struck out and hit into an out. He just never stood out for me. Cintron was worst than him, though.

Van Benschoten seems like he might be a good bullpen arm. I think Coop can work wonders with him. His delivery seems very smooth.

 

If Coop fixes this guy, then he is truly a genius. It would appear that he needs to get more efficient with his pitches. That was hit pretty hard there. What is this guy's top speed?

I know it was spring training and super super early, but the dude looked brutal on Sunday trying to field the ball. Please tell me this guy is a better fielder than that....

He's been a steady yet unspectacular defender at 4 infield positions for his whole career, I'm not about to throw 4 years of a player's history out the window because he has a bad game.

I know it was spring training and super super early, but the dude looked brutal on Sunday trying to field the ball. Please tell me this guy is a better fielder than that....

 

To be fair, Betemit is more of a 3rd baseman and 1st baseman. Shortstop is probably his worst position, and I feel bad he got those errors the other day, because I think he was trying too hard to impress Ozzie by trying to prove he can play a position he's not to good at.

Really? Wow, then I must've seen most of the games where he struck out and hit into an out. He just never stood out for me. Cintron was worst than him, though.

Cintron was an unmitigated failure. Mackowiak on the other hand hit .285/.360/.411/.770 in 492 AB with the Sox, if we could get that out of our leadoff hitter this season we'd be in terrific shape.

Not a lot of movement on that pitch.

Poor JVB was doing so well too....

Poor JVB was doing so well too....

 

He kept the ball down pretty well. Control wasn't great. But... it was just his first outing of the year.

Agree with Kalapse. When used properly, Mackowiak was great at what he did.

Not a lot of movement on that pitch.

 

Hmmmmm, I remember reading somewhere that Van Benschoten used to be a good batter, once hitting 35 home runs in his senior year of college, I think.

 

...I wonder if we can "Rick Ankiel" him. hmmm

Hmmmmm, I remember reading somewhere that Van Benschoten used to be a good batter, once hitting 35 home runs in his senior year of college, I think.

 

...I wonder if we can "Rick Ankiel" him. hmmm

Join the club. We've speculated about this, and while we agree it's a possibilty it seems more likley that KW made this signing with a "Coop can Fix him' mentality.

any reason nix was pulled after just 1 AB? nice to see getz getting the hit

Agree with Kalapse. When used properly, Mackowiak was great at what he did.

I remember feeling so bad for Mack back in '06 when Ozzie was forcing him to play CF. They'd interview him after the game and he'd come right out and say that he's incapable of playing centerfield but he'll continue to do what the manager asks of him. Mack was in an impossible position and it tarnished his reputation as a ballplayer in this city. He was actually a very good corner outfielder, he just couldn't handle center.

That is what Getz can do for you. Could he lead off over Owens? Couldn't he have a higher OBP and OPS than Owens?

any reason nix was pulled after just 1 AB? nice to see getz getting the hit

I suspect Ozzie's seen all he needs to see from the kid for now. (which is a positive thing for Jayson), and the ball is now in Getz's court.

Join the club. We've speculated about this, and while we agree it's a possibilty it seems more likley that KW made this signing with a "Coop can Fix him' mentality.

I believe JVB stated this offseason that he doesn't want to go back to hitting, he sees himself as a pitcher.

With normal positioning, Owens is 0-3 today. Both his hits have landed where a normal OF would be playing.