Yep, I agree. That's one of the reasons I think Ozzie's a good manager. He looks at the long term and manages accordingly.

He gives players-esp. vets- plenty of time to make the changes [be they personal or professional]. If they can't, then Ozzie knows its time to go to Kenny and make a move. I look at Javy as a prime example. Swisher, too. Swisher was given plenty of rope-probably too much. Cabrera as well. I know people may disagree about his handling of Anderson, prior to this year. But anderson even agreed he made some changes to his approach to the game. This year, BA has been given every opportunity to prove he's an everyday player. I don't know if he's made the sale, at least for the sox who need a bit more from him than he's showed.

He gives players-esp. vets- plenty of time to make the changes [be they personal or professional]. If they can't, then Ozzie knows its time to go to Kenny and make a move. I look at Javy as a prime example. Swisher, too. Swisher was given plenty of rope-probably too much. Cabrera as well. I know people may disagree about his handling of Anderson, prior to this year. But anderson even agreed he made some changes to his approach to the game. This year, BA has been given every opportunity to prove he's an everyday player. I don't know if he's made the sale, at least for the sox who need a bit more from him than he's showed.

 

BA has been given the opportunity and if he doesn't step up, he'll be on the Nats or Padres or whoever.

Alexei Ramirez needs to motivate himself and get his butt kicked once in awhile by management. If the thought process, which has been expounded by some, is that you just keep moving him around to a different position what is to say he won't react the same way in CF? We need to stabalize the defensive positions and not react to a few bad plays or attitude issue. That goes for all our players too.

He'll never get back to the 20's in home runs if he keeps trying to pull everything onto the concourse. It's sickening to watch major league hitters try and pull an outside breaking ball 400+ ft only to pop it up to the 3B.

He's currently on pace to hit 20 homeruns.

He's currently on pace to hit 20 homeruns.

I'd be surprised if he reaches 20 this year unless he changes his approach. Pitchers are going to be throwing him more and more breaking balls away, and until he realizes he has to go the other way with those pitches, he won't be hitting anything out. Hopefully he realizes that what made him such a good hitter in 08 was because he didn't try and hit the home runs. Last year he saw ball and hit ball, and he went with the pitches.

I'd be surprised if he reaches 20 this year unless he changes his approach. Pitchers are going to be throwing him more and more breaking balls away, and until he realizes he has to go the other way with those pitches, he won't be hitting anything out. Hopefully he realizes that what made him such a good hitter in 08 was because he didn't try and hit the home runs. Last year he saw ball and hit ball, and he went with the pitches.

Well considering he has 6 homers this month, he's apparently made the adjustment needed to get his homerun power back.

BA has been given the opportunity and if he doesn't step up, he'll be on the Nats or Padres or whoever.

When I saw on MLB trade rumors that the Pirates and Nats were talking about a Nyjer Morgan for Lastings Milledge swap, I was thinking about Brian Anderson and McCulloch for Morgan. I know Morgan maybe isn't a starter on a playoff team. Yet he'd be a good option if Pods got hurt.

I'd love to get Morgan. He might not have the plate discipline or consistent hitting ability to play everyday, but he can play a good LF or CF, is extremely fast, and when he is hitting, he uses the whole field well.

 

In fact, he'd be our best option in CF right now anyway.

Edited June 27, 200916 yr by BearSox

I'd love to get Morgan. He might not have the plate discipline or consistent hitting ability to play everyday, but he can play a good LF or CF, is extremely fast, and when he is hitting, he uses the whole field well.

 

In fact, he'd be our best option in CF right now anyway.

The pitcher the Pirates asked for from the Nats, in addition to Milledge, Craig Stammen, seemed along the lines of McCulloch. The sox would seem to be able to strike a deal like that without much problem.

How about now?

If he's lackadaisical at SS, he'll probably screw up more in the OF. Move him back to 2B.

Edited June 27, 200916 yr by chw42

Just another personnel decision the organization screwed up this offseason.

I don't think he has the brain for SS or CF... move him back to 2nd.

Seriously...despite the hit in the 8th, Nix deserves to start at SS tomorrow after the day Alexei had in the field today. YEESH.

How about now?

 

Why, so he can misjudge fly balls and miss cut-off men? His problem isn't that he isn't good enough to play SS, its that he has the attention span of an ADHD hummingbird.

Why, so he can misjudge fly balls and miss cut-off men? His problem isn't that he isn't good enough to play SS, its that he has the attention span of an ADHD hummingbird.

 

lol...

 

In all seriousness though, there's a lot less thinking required in CF or the OF in general then there is at SS. Hell, there's a lot less thinking required at most positions than at SS.

 

In the OF, Alexei will have a lot more time to read and react, and you don't have to worry about the throws from the OF. In the OF, you're taught to get the ball back into the infield as fast as possible, and when Alexei guns it, it's usually on the money. The thing you have to worry about is if he'll get good reads and if he'll hit the cutoff when needed and/or throw to the right bases depending on the situations. Also, you still have to worry about communication between the other outfielders and the middle infielders.

 

However, I'd say Ramirez would make a better CF than SS right now.

Did Lexi play center in Cuba or somewhere? Why all the cf talk? I'd rather have him at second.

I love that single he got to left late. That was clutch. He does deserve credit for that big hit.

Why not just move Alexei to 2nd, Beckham to SS, and put Fields back in at 3b?

lol...

 

In all seriousness though, there's a lot less thinking required in CF or the OF in general then there is at SS. Hell, there's a lot less thinking required at most positions than at SS.

 

In the OF, Alexei will have a lot more time to read and react, and you don't have to worry about the throws from the OF. In the OF, you're taught to get the ball back into the infield as fast as possible, and when Alexei guns it, it's usually on the money. The thing you have to worry about is if he'll get good reads and if he'll hit the cutoff when needed and/or throw to the right bases depending on the situations. Also, you still have to worry about communication between the other outfielders and the middle infielders.

 

However, I'd say Ramirez would make a better CF than SS right now.

 

You'd change your mind quickly the first time he screwed up a read into a triple, or threw to the wrong base.

You'd change your mind quickly the first time he screwed up a read into a triple, or threw to the wrong base.

I'll take my chances. With our current CF's, you can't do much worse. His bat would easily make up for the lose in D. Also, last year he looked pretty good out there for 3 games, and I guess that was his main spot in Cuba as well.

Why not just move Alexei to 2nd, Beckham to SS, and put Fields back in at 3b?

 

This.

Why not just move Alexei to 2nd, Beckham to SS, and put Fields back in at 3b?

It's really a crap shoot, and you basically have to pick the two least objectionable players to play. We're pretty much forced to have one of Anderson/Wise and one of Getz/Fields/Nix in the lineup at all times.

Why not just move Alexei to 2nd, Beckham to SS, and put Fields back in at 3b?

 

i agree 100%

Why not just move Alexei to 2nd, Beckham to SS, and put Fields back in at 3b?

Frankly if it hadn't been for inning 9 I'd be saying we should bench both Beckham and Alexei tomorrow for their defense this game.

[Alexei's] problem isn't that he isn't good enough to play SS, its that he has the attention span of an ADHD hummingbird.

new sig quote.