Well, on Thanksgiving I'm thankful that I don't have to watch Soto's throws back to the pitcher any more.

Ok I'll bite, where has Robin failed with platooning in the past? Who should he have used differently?

 

I'll just throw in that as pointed out in SSS someone like Soto got only 4 pinch hitting appearances which seems odd since he was the only RH power off the bench. Plus Robin didn't play him much while he was doing well. The second half Soto was bad but the 1st half he could've been used more.

 

Also LaRoche played a lot in the 1st half even though he never really got untracked all season. Now with a club as offensively challenged as the Sox you'd think Robin would play a hot hand more even though there weren't very many hot hands to be found.

 

I know they got him for a reason and they made every possible effort to play him to get him to hit to try to get some positive return on their investment but at some point it had to stop and in my mind it wasn't early enough.

I think any negativity about this move is the result of the realization that Flowers will still have a primary role next year. Really though, everyone should have realized that months ago.

 

Avila's fine, we HAD to have a professional as our second catcher and we got one for cheap. Nobody in the org is capable.

 

Robin will be able to handle the platooning just fine. It's Flowers for Sale and lefties, Avila for everything else. It's not rocket science, don't pretend Robin can't understand it. There's no salary issue to force his hand like with LaRoche anyway.

I'll just throw in that as pointed out in SSS someone like Soto got only 4 pinch hitting appearances which seems odd since he was the only RH power off the bench. Plus Robin didn't play him much while he was doing well. The second half Soto was bad but the 1st half he could've been used more.

 

Also LaRoche played a lot in the 1st half even though he never really got untracked all season. Now with a club as offensively challenged as the Sox you'd think Robin would play a hot hand more even though there weren't very many hot hands to be found.

 

I know they got him for a reason and they made every possible effort to play him to get him to hit to try to get some positive return on their investment but at some point it had to stop and in my mind it wasn't early enough.

He's also the only catcher off the bench and taking a catcher out of the game is considerably riskier than another position.

 

Re: LaRoche, he didn't go into the tank until mid-June IIRC.

I'll just throw in that as pointed out in SSS someone like Soto got only 4 pinch hitting appearances which seems odd since he was the only RH power off the bench. Plus Robin didn't play him much while he was doing well. The second half Soto was bad but the 1st half he could've been used more.

 

Also LaRoche played a lot in the 1st half even though he never really got untracked all season. Now with a club as offensively challenged as the Sox you'd think Robin would play a hot hand more even though there weren't very many hot hands to be found.

 

I know they got him for a reason and they made every possible effort to play him to get him to hit to try to get some positive return on their investment but at some point it had to stop and in my mind it wasn't early enough.

Pinch-hitting your backup catcher is generally not a good idea. LaRoche's numbers were fine up until about mid-June, and in August when Thompson came up Robin did stop playing LaRoche a lot, I didn't really have a problem with how Robin handled him this year. Conor only had 15 PA against LHP this season so let's not pretend Robin doesn't know how to platoon someone. He also stopped playing Conor once Saladino came up, and I think he utilized Soto and Shuck well for the most part.

Edited November 27, 201510 yr by OmarComing25

Pinch-hitting your backup catcher is generally not a good idea. LaRoche's numbers were fine up until about mid-June, and in August when Thompson came up Robin did stop playing LaRoche a lot, I didn't really have a problem with how Robin handled him this year. Conor only had 15 PA against LHP this season so let's not pretend Robin doesn't know how to platoon someone. He also stopped playing Conor once Saladino came up, and I think he utilized Soto and Shuck well for the most part.

Nice post. I really think Robin upped his game a ton last year and proved he belongs as a manager, to me at least. Somebody above pinpointed theLaRoche handling perfectly. Salary. The FO demanded it.

Anything and anybody that takes playing time away from Flowers is a very good thing. If Avila is healthy he's a better defensive catcher and if he can hit above .220 he's an improvement there as well.

 

Mark

Well, on Thanksgiving I'm thankful that I don't have to watch Soto's throws back to the pitcher any more.

Well, on Thanksgiving I'm thankful that I don't have to watch Soto's throws back to the pitcher any more.

Hahahahahaha

 

I hated how he always fell forward and rubbed his hands in the dirt after he threw the ball back. It was so freaking annoying.

Just another body. But that's OK as he replaces Soto and Sox are banking on Flowers really emerging this season.

34 hits last year in 178 at bats. Boy, that is bad.

Edited November 28, 201510 yr by greg775

Just another body. But that's OK as he replaces Soto and Sox are banking on Flowers really emerging this season.

34 hits last year in 178 at bats. Boy, that is bad.

The Sox have been banking on the emergence of Flowers since the Sox parted ways with AJ and handed the full time catching duties to Flowers. Flowers wouldn't need a platoon partner if he could hit.

The Sox have been banking on the emergence of Flowers since the Sox parted ways with AJ and handed the full time catching duties to Flowers. Flowers wouldn't need a platoon partner if he could hit.

We better hope beyond hope Flowers can hit cause Avila is hopelessly bad at the plate. He draws a few walks. Big deal. He cannot hit. Arguably even worse than Tyler.

We better hope beyond hope Flowers can hit cause Avila is hopelessly bad at the plate. He draws a few walks. Big deal. He cannot hit. Arguably even worse than Tyler.

So who do you suggest the Sox should have picked up that's actually available? It's not like the league is full of catchers that can hit and play defense.

So who do you suggest the Sox should have picked up that's actually available? It's not like the league is full of catchers that can hit and play defense.

 

Agree. And honestly if this guy's healthy, I think it's a great signing at $2.5 million.

Agree. And honestly if this guy's healthy, I think it's a great signing at $2.5 million.

Even when he was really bad last year he still put up a .666 OPS against righties. The bulk average for catchers in the AL was .676. Even if he's not healthy that can still be an upgrade over Flowers out there against righties.

Even when he was really bad last year he still put up a .666 OPS against righties. The bulk average for catchers in the AL was .676. Even if he's not healthy that can still be an upgrade over Flowers out there against righties.

 

Exactly. Hard to hate on this signing. They will be an adequate platoon and for about $6.5 mill.

So who do you suggest the Sox should have picked up that's actually available? It's not like the league is full of catchers that can hit and play defense.

I have no idea. I'm not Hahn/Kenny. I'm just saying expect a lot of outs when this guy steps to the plate. I realize baseball is full of horrible hitters nowadays. Not completely hating, just saying Avila is a joke of a hitter, though I'll give him credit for drawing some walks.

New #WhiteSox catcher Alex Avila looking forward to playing Tigers and going back to Detroit. "It'll be nice to kick their ass"

https://twitter.com/scotgregor/status/671374755228811265

 

Avila on facing Sale in the past: "Even when I was playing every day, that was always my day off."

https://twitter.com/scottmerkin/status/671377246930788352

 

Avila looking forward to Spring Training already, getting to know new pitching staff

https://twitter.com/scottmerkin/status/671377434181312512

Edited November 30, 201510 yr by WhiteSoxLifer

I have no idea. I'm not Hahn/Kenny. I'm just saying expect a lot of outs when this guy steps to the plate. I realize baseball is full of horrible hitters nowadays. Not completely hating, just saying Avila is a joke of a hitter, though I'll give him credit for drawing some walks.

 

Despite Avila's down season last year he still managed a .339 OBP and .355 against RHP. His overall would have been 3rd on the Sox last year amongst qualified batters and .355 would be second. So you're assertion that we should expect a lot of outs is just false. Even when he's not hitting he still gets on base which is something this team has sorely lacked the past few years.

This is a great deal. If platooned correctly we should have a really nice duo from behind the plate. Tyler is actually really useful if used as the RH part of a platoon with his occasional power and ability to handle Sale... it's just hard when a defensive minded backup C is expected to start.