Lillian

OK, so then do I understand that you would be comfortable with having Collins be the primary receiver, in the event of an injury to Grandal? And, if so, then who would be his tandem partner? Regarding your second question; Hopefully, we will have a better idea of Collins capabilities by 2021, whether he plays full time at Charlotte, or in a very limited role on the Sox. I just don't like the idea of risking giving him responsibilities, which are beyond his capabilities. If he were a really good defensive catcher, given the strength of our offense, it would be plausible to just carry his bat, even if his hitting were disappointing. However, I'm not comfortable with the idea of trusting his ability to be an every day catcher. Catchers get hurt. It's a position which subjects players to a lot of punishment. It's so easy to take a foul tip off a finger and be lost for months. It seems like a wonderful situation to have two good defensive catchers, sharing the duties. That, to me, is a higher priority. Nevertheless, I respect and appreciate your point of view.

I understand your point, however remember that catching is a 2 man position, even with the best receiver. No one catches every game. Your back up catcher is not merely there for insurance. He is going to get approximately 1/3 of the games, and is therefore almost like a starter.

It's a matter of priorities. Which do you regard as more important; finding playing time for Collins, in order to evaluate his, as yet undetermined capabilities, or making sure that there is a proven, capable catcher to handle the 2020 pitching staff? If you want to prioritize the former, then give him more playing time, even if it means McCann has to spend more time on the bench. His salary is not inhibiting any other moves. I'd prefer to put the best team possible on the field this year and finally begin to compete. Two rookies; Robert and Madrigal are enough question marks to have among the position players.

If McCann is traded and Grandal is injured, who becomes the full time catcher? Do you really believe that Collins, who is defensively challenged and unproven as a Major League hitter, is a viable choice to assume the responsibilities of an every day catcher? Is there anyone else in the organization who is a capable enough receiver, to be given that responsibility? Zavala, Mercedes, Gonzales? What is the urgency to trade McCann and his reasonable salary? He will be a free agent, and likely gone, after this season. If Collins is ready then, to be Grandal's tandem partner, he could be given the opportunity in 2021, but it's premature to do so now and not necessary.

I was hopeful that this separate topic would avoid the issue of whether, or not, the Sox should be thinking about a platoon for Mazara. That has been discussed, ad nauseam, elsewhere. I would really appreciate some astute analysis of this topic. Thanks. Carry on.

I've been doing some research on Mazara's thumb injury. Mazara sprained the thumb diving for a fly ball in the outfield in a game against the Orioles, just before the 2018 All-Star break. He started the second half on the disabled list and wasn't activated until Aug. 16. The injury lingered and was reaggravated, as recently as late last season. It seems to have affected him during most of the last season and a half. Mazara said the best thing he can do is stay under control at the plate. If he does that and doesn't over swing, it keeps him from irritating the thumb. I noticed that he actually made some significant strides, in his power numbers, versus LH pitching, during the 2018 and 2019 seasons, despite the thumb injury. In his first two seasons, he only hit 2 homers, in a total of 234 at bats. Over the last 2 seasons, he hit 13 homers, in just over 300 at bats. Last year, he also had 10 doubles, in just 179 at bats, versus lefties. His numbers versus RH pitching, were actually worse during his last 2 years, than they were during in first 2 seasons. I'm wondering how the sprained thumb might have affected him more against RH pitching, than against lefties. It may be linked to his admission that he felt better when "staying under control". That is something that is more of a focal point, when facing pitchers, from the same side. A hitter has to discipline himself not to bail on breaking pitches, which initially are directed at the hitter, before breaking away from him. It is more critical to remain under control in that situation, which could explain why he improved versus lefties, but was more significantly affected by the injury, against RH pitching. Perhaps he often failed to stay under control, to the same degree, against RH pitching, because as a left handed hitter, he had a tendency to stride earlier, and open up, to the pull side, in anticipation of the pitch. I wanted to open a discussion on this topic, without lots of irrelevant comments, regarding the trade, or the need for a Mazara platoon partner. Does anyone have any other possible explanations, regarding the injury and Mazara's relative performance, year to year, against RH and LH pitching?

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone. I hope that you are all pleased with what "SHAHNTA" has brought us. Good Night.

I'm satisfied that the Sox have acquired two left handed power hitters, in Grandal (Switch hitter) and Mazara. That need has been fulfilled by Hahn, who apparently shared my desire to attain better balance in the lineup. Catching is about defense first. I haven't advocated trading Collins and I'm hopeful that he will develop into a serviceable receiver and good OBP, power bat. However, as I've said repeatedly, he is not ready to be the every day catcher, if Grandal should get hurt. The Sox should feel very comfortable knowing that they have such good catching depth. Contrary to what some may think, I'm not excessively partial to left handed hitters. What I have been concerned about, for so long, is the lack of balance. Without this season's acquisitions, the Sox would have had 1 run producing, left handed hitter, in Moncada. That is not an ideal situation. As I've stated, I wouldn't want an all left handed hitting lineup, any more than I would be satisfied with an all right handed hitting lineup. Balance is the ideal, for which a team should strive.

OK, fine. Then find a defensive catcher and sign him to a Minor League contract, if necessary, before trading away McCann. Last year, we had two qualified Major League catchers, in McCann and Castillo. I would like at least that kind of depth, for this coming season. It can't be emphasized enough that, unlike other positions, catching already begins as a tandem unit. It's not the same as other positions, where there is a regular and then a backup, in case of injury. You start with 2 catchers, sharing the work load. I simply don't think that it's prudent to start with a tandem of Grandal and Collins. It would be fine, if Grandal doesn't get hurt. However, if he misses any significant time, you are then relying on an unproven, defensively challenged catcher, and no good defensive tandem partner. In other words, not one single qualified, proven defensive back stop. I'm sorry, but that just won't fly, in my humble opinion. Would you really want to have to rely upon Collins and Zavala as your catchers, if Grandal went on the DL?

Is there anyone in the Sox organization, who would be capable of providing adequate defense, if McCann is traded and then Grandal were injured? Neither Zavala, nor Mercedes are considered good defensive catchers. Think of it like this; If McCann were traded, then Grandal were injured, our catching tandem would be Collins and Zavala. Yikes!! No thanks.

I understand the concern about finding sufficient playing time for Collins. It's a valid point, because they will need to get him at least enough playing time to better evaluate him, going forward. It will be a challenge, unless either Grandal or McCann gets injured. However, there ought to be a way to work him into the mix, if they try. I think his catching is more important than his hitting, as he will not have a position unless he can catch, with Vaughn and Abreu sharing first base and DH, perhaps as early as 2021. With the offense that the Sox are assembling, there may be some games, in which he could get some playing time, when the Sox blow out the opposition.

Hopefully, by 2021 the Sox will have a better idea whether, or not, Collins is ready. At this point, they almost certainly do not know that. It also won't hurt to have him be mentored by both Grandal and McCann.

If Collins were a very good defensive catcher, he would be fine, as the back up, even if his bat is unproven. However, it just doesn't make sense to risk making him the primary catcher, if Grandal gets hurt. Perhaps if the Sox had another catcher in the system who was a very good defender, but they don't. Remember, catching is a defense first position, especially with 4 very young starters, out 6.

I have been stressing this point, but apparently some people don't care to factor in the potential injury factor. If Grandal were to miss substantial time, we would be stuck with a defensively challenged young catcher, who has yet to establish himself as a Major League hitter. That is not a prudent approach. McCann provides reasonable insurance, with his contract.

Maybin is actually a better hitter vs. RHP, than he is vs. LHP. He wouldn't work as a platoon partner for Mazara. I'd rather have Engel than Maybin. Pillar is an interesting possibility. Is his arm good enough for RF?

Oh, I see. Of course, that must be it. Thank you.

Excuse me, but what exactly is "dumb" about this post? I'm sorry, I must be missing something. Perhaps you were being just being sarcastic.

Very well said, and hard to refute. For those concerned about our best young prospects, consider that, in 2021, Vaughn could very well be the first baseman, Collins could be Grandal's back up catcher and one of Adolfo or Basabe could be sharing time in RF, with Mazara. Moreover, Mazara is only controllable for 2 years, and therefore may not even be in the mix, going forward. I'm hoping that he becomes a beast, but then the front office will be faced with the dilemma of whether, or not to sign him as a free agent. Bringing in E. E., for one year, seems like a very prudent move, at this juncture. If we're lucky, Vaughn, Adolfo, or Basabe and Collins all become part of the core, and afford the front office the financial flexibility to extend Giolito, Moncada, Robert and anyone else, whom they're concerned about ultimately losing to free agency, in their prime. It's interesting to note how some people seem to have no respect for the job that Hahn and the front office are doing. For my part, I'm quite satisfied with the overall rebuild, and am grateful that some of those, who consider Hahn an "idiot," are not running the front office. Perhaps we should try to better understand the rational behind these moves, before rejecting them, as "cheap, idiotic or desperate".

You said that you weren't sold on that order. I'm not either. I don't like putting 2 of the 3 LH hitters together, in the bottom 3RD of the lineup. It bunches too many of the RH, middle of the order bats together. Placing last year's batting champ, who is also probably the team's most accomplished base stealer, 9TH doesn't seem optimal. It is also a little premature to put both rookies at the very top of the order. I agree that they may ultimately be well suited for those spots in the lineup, but not in their Major League debuts. All that aside, the thought of potentially having an entire lineup full of legitimate hitters is exciting.

Finally, a rational post. Thank you. Regarding Collins, I contend that there is still room for him, if he can become a serviceable catcher. I doubt that McCann comes back for the 2021 season, when he reaches free agency. If he has another decent year, given his work ethic and ability to help pitchers, I would think he would rather sign somewhere to be the regular catcher, rather than Grandal's back up guy.

Regarding my power projections, FanGraphs is pretty close to my numbers, although most of them do not project full 162 game seasons, for the respective players. Perhaps the most significant mitigating factor would be a possible return to the use of the former ball. However, that hasn't been announced yet, has it?

Your point is well taken, however considering how much time he missed last year, it seems reasonable to me. Stone has consistently insisted that he will ultimately achieve that kind of power production. At the rate he hit homers last year, he would have hit 23, in a full 162 games.

Which specific projection do you think is overly optimistic, or unrealistic? I'm sincerely interested to know where I might be kidding myself.

I disagree. The young players, such as Anderson, Moncada and Eloy, were on pace to produce those kinds of numbers, last season. Each of them missed at least one month, but would have reached those numbers, if they had been healthy. Abreu actually hit 34 homers, if you count the one that they took away from him, because he passed T. A. on the base paths. Encarnacion missed almost the entire last 2 months and still hit 34. Mazara hit 19, but also missed 46 games (1/4 of the season). Moreover, he played with that bad thumb, for most of the first half of the year. He probably has more power than anyone on our roster. If Menechino can help him to unleash it, he could be a monster. Robert also has much more than 25 HR power, but that seems like a reasonable projection, for his rookie year. Granadal hit 28, but I only projected him to hit 25. I don't think that these are merely "best case numbers," although of course, they would be predicated on being able to stay on the field, for the entire year.

I posted my preferred lineup, with E. E. at DH, in another thread. Here it is with realistic projected home run totals, for 2020: Realistic HOME RUN production, with EE at DH (It could be even better, but this is conservative): SS Anderson 25 3B Moncada 30 LF Eloy 40 DH Encarnacion 40 C Grandal 25 McCann 10 1B Abreu 30 RF Mazara 25 CF Robert 25 2B Madrigal 5 TAKE THAT TWINKIES!!!!!! You know how I love having 3 dangerous left handed hitters, in the mix. That's precisely what I have been advocating, for the last several years.