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2009 Boston Red Sox

Re: 2009 Boston Red Sox

Brian Gentry said:
Possibly, but if he is not by much, and like you mention there are injury issues. That makes it more boggling that the Red Sox offered him 5 years, a team that usually shies away from long-term deals.
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Well AJ Burnett has had some issues of his own, and been very inconsistent over his career.

It's not the worst deal in the world. That goes to the Cardinals giving Holliday 8 fricken years.
 
Re: 2009 Boston Red Sox

Rover said:
I'd like more production out of the outfield (particularly right field) but good luck getting rid of Drew.
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Seeing as JD Drew had the 9th highest OPS of any outfielder last season (and 3rd highest among RFs), that may prove a challenge. Especially since two of the players above him - Jason Bay and Manny Ramirez - are former Red Sox who aren't coming back.:rolleyes:
 
Re: 2009 Boston Red Sox

Rover said:
I'd like more production out of the outfield (particularly right field) but good luck getting rid of Drew.
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BCWH Superfan joe said:
Seeing as JD Drew had the 9th highest OPS of any outfielder last season (and 3rd highest among RFs), that may prove a challenge. Especially since two of the players above him - Jason Bay and Manny Ramirez - are former Red Sox who aren't coming back.:rolleyes:
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Wrecked.
 
Re: 2009 Boston Red Sox

BCWH Superfan joe said:
Seeing as JD Drew had the 9th highest OPS of any outfielder last season (and 3rd highest among RFs), that may prove a challenge. Especially since two of the players above him - Jason Bay and Manny Ramirez - are former Red Sox who aren't coming back.:rolleyes:
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This is where nerdiness diverts from normal behavior. I don't give an F what his OPS is. Here's what relevant.

In his three years in Boston, he's averaged 67 RBI's a year, 18 home runs, and a 276 batting average. Anybody who thinks that's worth the money he's making is a moron, plain and simple.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=3956
 
Re: 2009 Boston Red Sox

Latest I've heard is Ellsbury, Max Ramirez, Casey Kelly and Lowrie to SD for Gonzalez, could be done by Friday (who knows.....)
 
Re: 2009 Boston Red Sox

Bay had a really bad year batting average wise with runners in scoring position, where for his career he has been very good. He still had a good OPS because he walked a lot but he only hit .213. Since hitting with RISP is not a skill that repeats itself and varies tremendously from year to year I expect a big bounceback year in terms of RBI for JD Drew.

Of course, I don't know how many games he will play, and I wonder if would make more sense to move Drew to left and have Cameron be the right fielder.

Of course the point is moot if you guys trade Ellsbury.
 
Re: 2009 Boston Red Sox

TBA, Drew has only had three seasons out of eleven in which he has 73 or more RBI, he had 68 last year. I don't think we will see much change in the RBI department for Drew.
 
Re: 2009 Boston Red Sox

True Blue Fan said:
TBA, Drew has only had three seasons out of eleven in which he has 73 or more RBI, he had 68 last year. I don't think we will see much change in the RBI department for Drew.
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Drew is a great example of how watching the statbook instead of watching the game can lead you astray.

If he's hitting in the .270's generally, his on base percentage is due to drawing walks. That not the role he's supposed to be filling for 14M large a year. His job is to drive in runs. What good does it do for a guy who has almost as many steals (10) as caught stealing (9) in his Sox career to be sitting at first base with the likes of Gonzales and Varitek coming up after him? Answer: It does no good. He's supposed to be driving home the good hitters in front of him.

Drawing walks is great if you're a leadoff hitter, or someone with a lot of speed. Rickey Henderson to use the best example could turn a walk into a double or even a triple for you. I watched his whole career and there was no one else like him (I never saw Lou Brock play). That strategy worked for him (looking for walks) although he'd still make you pay if you grooved one - as he's the all time leader in lead off HR's.

For a slow, middle of the order hitter, its the wrong way to go. Its not what he's there to do, anymore than you'd want Ellsbury to be swinging for the fences all day. When Rice made the HOF, all the statsnerds were up in arms because he didn't fit their statistical models for entry based on OPS and other stuff. Yaz explained it perfectly when he said something like when Rice played their job was to put the ball in play and make things happen, not take pitches in hopes of drawing walks or getting caught looking at strike 3. He's 100% correct.

So, while its your God given right to treat MLB like a fantasy league, sometimes it helps to put the book down, buy a ticket to the park, and compare if your eyes are telling you the same thing that the stats are. Saying JD Drew is the 9th best offensive force out of outfielders in all of baseball makes you a laughingstock. Perhaps he's more suited to the NL game with more hit and runs, sacrafices, etc. but with 60+ RBI's a year I can't see how anybody thinks he's doing even close to what he's supposed to for this team.
 
Re: 2009 Boston Red Sox

True Blue Fan said:
TBA, Drew has only had three seasons out of eleven in which he has 73 or more RBI, he had 68 last year. I don't think we will see much change in the RBI department for Drew.
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Drew has hit for his career .280/.411/.496 with RISP. RBI are a stat created by opportunity, a counting stat. He's walking a ton. Maybe he's best served as a 2 hitter.

Last year he hit .213 with RISP. That's a pretty large divergence, right? I expect him to have 75+ RBI next year if he plays 130 games or more.

I'm willing to put a beer on it.
 
Re: 2009 Boston Red Sox

TBA don't get me wrong, I would love to see Drew have a career year and am willing to lose a beer to see it, but I am not counting on it.
 
Re: 2009 Boston Red Sox

Terrierbyassociation said:
Drew has hit for his career .280/.411/.496 with RISP. RBI are a stat created by opportunity, a counting stat. He's walking a ton. Maybe he's best served as a 2 hitter.

Last year he hit .213 with RISP. That's a pretty large divergence, right? I expect him to have 75+ RBI next year if he plays 130 games or more.

I'm willing to put a beer on it.
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A stat created by opportunity may be an excuse if you're batting 9th or leadoff. If you're batting 6th, the best hitters are up before you and are more likely to be on base. Therefore you should be driving in runs, not looking for walks.

PS - 14M bucks for 75 RBI's? Great.
 
Re: 2009 Boston Red Sox

Rover said:
A stat created by opportunity may be an excuse if you're batting 9th or leadoff. If you're batting 6th, the best hitters are up before you and are more likely to be on base. Therefore you should be driving in runs, not looking for walks.

PS - 14M bucks for 75 RBI's? Great.
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So what you really want to say is that JD Drew is overpaid, not bad. Or that he's being paid to be a run producer when he's better as the 2 hitter to get on base for others to drive in.

Got it. Why didn't you just say that?
 
Re: 2009 Boston Red Sox

You guys will like Cameron, I assure you.

Interesting thought brought up a few days ago by jen in the Brewer's offseason thread:
jen said:
Melvin says there's probably not going to be another big signing - http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/79263882.html

does that mean a trade? or just no more pitchers? and what the hell is taking Mulder so long?

article also mentions Red Sox are interested in Mike Cameron. His absence leaves an important question - will the Brewers still untuck? Will the Red Sox untuck now, and everyone will think it's cool and ESPN will talk about it like it's never been done before? :rolleyes: ;) And what new way will the Brewers find to anger the Cardinals? :D
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I figure you could probably answer "yes" to all of them, and assume that the Cardinals will be annoyed by us no matter what we do.
 
Re: 2009 Boston Red Sox

Terrierbyassociation said:
So what you really want to say is that JD Drew is overpaid, not bad. Or that he's being paid to be a run producer when he's better as the 2 hitter to get on base for others to drive in.

Got it. Why didn't you just say that?
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Him being overpaid is hopefully obvious to anybody with a college education.

As far as being a #2 hitter, maybe its better than a #6 but he's still a mediocre hitter. Again with the problem of his inability to steal bases. Even if he draws a walk, he's only going station to station. Most likely you can find someone who can bat higher than .270 also to fill that spot in the lineup. Drew would be perfect in the 'roid era batting in front of Bonds or McGwire. Otherwise, there's far better hitters to be had.

Reminds me a lot of Trot Nixon....
 
Re: 2009 Boston Red Sox

Rover said:
Drew is a great example of how watching the statbook instead of watching the game can lead you astray.

If he's hitting in the .270's generally, his on base percentage is due to drawing walks. That not the role he's supposed to be filling for 14M large a year. His job is to drive in runs. What good does it do for a guy who has almost as many steals (10) as caught stealing (9) in his Sox career to be sitting at first base with the likes of Gonzales and Varitek coming up after him? Answer: It does no good. He's supposed to be driving home the good hitters in front of him.

Drawing walks is great if you're a leadoff hitter, or someone with a lot of speed. Rickey Henderson to use the best example could turn a walk into a double or even a triple for you. ....
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even you should know that for tba and the other 'new stats' guys, steals are stupid. a runner on first should never, ever think of stealing a base. it doesn't lead to runs.;)
 
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