Dominikk85

Yeah we can't say for sure what he is but I think his power is a little limited for 1b. He did hit decently and hit some Homers too but for an everyday first baseman you want 30+ Homer pop. In 2019 (took it because it was last full season) 11 first basemen hit 30+ Homers and 20 Homers would have placed a first baseman 19th. That means if sheets is a 15-20 HR guy he is towards the bottom in power. He could add more power but he is 25 so that is not very likely. I just see him starting at first base in a good team, maybe he is a platoon DH/1b who occasionally plays left in a weak AL team. Obviously I would like to be wrong and there have been guys who added power at age 26/27 (especially if the issue was more launch angle than power) and it could happen but I think the odds are stacked against that with him. Regarding Vaughn I do think he will hit righties long term when he learns to hit the outside pitch better but I don't see it this year, it probably won't be a 400 ops, but maybe more Like 650 the rest of the way and then hopefully over 700 next season.

Sheets really never has been bad his whole milb career, but he never was really standing out either (always like a 110-120 wrc+) . The issue is that he is mostly a first baseman and from a 1b prospect you usually want to see a bit more. There certainly is some talent but there isn't really a tool that shines, you get slightly above average but not spectacular opb/plate discipline with maybe fringe average power. I do think he can be a. 340 obp guy with about 15-20 Homers but obviously at 1b that is not so spectacular. For now I take him as a Platoon Guy though, he can't be worse than leury and Vaughn against eighties and if he manages to put up a 750 ops against Rhp that would not be spectacular but an upgrade. Don't think he has a future with the Sox but hopefully he can have a hot stretch like yermin and become a nice trade chip at the deadline.

Is he legimitely good at basketball in a way that could cause a kyler murray situation?

Considering the huge number of injuries to key players the Sox did pretty well. Could have been a lot worse but I still think they need to make at least some minor moves

Or a Trabant:)

I'm sceptical about burger because of his k/bb rate but at least he has produced while leury, mendick and Mercedes are currently automatic outs and Vaughn is against rhp too. So why not give him a Chance? Sox had some success with bad k/bb guys (TA, Robert)

Burger is producing at AAA (923 ops) but I'm not sure how his 5 to 1 k/bb rate will play in the majors. 25% k rate is a bit on the high side but his 5% walk rate is especially bad, a hitter type like him should walk at least 8-9%.

I think generally it will hurt 4sfb pitchers who throw up in the zone. High spin breaking balls also affected, change ups and sinkers not so much.

Yeah I think many of them are extreme pull hitters who pull 45+%

Actually there are studies suggesting there is quite a correlation of footspeed and xwoba-woba https://fantasy.fangraphs.com/how-sprint-speed-relates-to-woba-xwoba/ It is not just infield hits but also infields playing deeper which means less grounders and low liners go through. Of course that doesn't mean a fast guy can't have a low wOBA - xwOBA but long term slow guys have the largest gap. WOBA - xwOBA since 2017, the "leaders" are almost all slow https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/statcast_search?hfPT=&hfAB=&hfGT=R|&hfPR=&hfZ=&stadium=&hfBBL=&hfNewZones=&hfPull=&hfC=&hfSea=2021|2020|2019|2018|2017|&hfSit=&player_type=batter&hfOuts=&opponent=&pitcher_throws=&batter_stands=&hfSA=&game_date_gt=&game_date_lt=&hfInfield=&team=&position=&hfOutfield=&hfRO=&home_road=&hfFlag=&hfBBT=&metric_1=&hfInn=&min_pitches=0&min_results=0&group_by=name&sort_col=wobadiff&player_event_sort=api_p_release_speed&sort_order=desc&min_pas=1000&chk_stats_wobadiff=on#results

Slow players do tend to not reach their xWOBA though Pujols has a 311 WOBA and a 330 xWOBA since 2015 (statcast start)

I actually would not be against sending him down. However right now the Of just doesn't have much depth, once Eloy is back if Vaughn is still hitting sub replacement level against righties I would probably send him down for a month letting him figure out how to hit righties there.

Vaughn is as bad as it gets against RHP but at least there is upside because he is considered one of the most talented hitting prospects. With leury, nick Williams, Hamilton etc there is just no upside, a 90 wrc+ probably is the high end and more likely 70-80. With Vaughn he could figure it out and be decent against RHP and spectacular against LHP. Also he needs at bats and is too young and talented to be a platoon, either you play him at least 5 times a week or you send him down.

Well there isn't just obp, he has a 450 SLG which would place him second on the sox in 21. Obviously he is not elite but he is a big upgrade that doesn't cost a ton

I hope it gets done. Sure Escobar is a low obp guy but so are mendick and leury, I rather have a 300 obp with a 200 ISO than a 300 obp with a 100 ISO. Depends on the price of course

I just hope the sox continue to beat up the bad teams and maybe play 400 against the good teams the next 4-5 weeks so they are still in a good position when Robert and Eloy come back.

Last 10 days mlb K rate is down 1 tick and BA up 9 points.

I would like schwarber. He can't hit lefties at all but Sox really only need him against RHP. He also probably wouldn't cost a lot if the nats are selling.

The sox are in first place despite missing half of their lineup. I doubt many teams could lose 3 of their best hitters and still be in first place.

I think the contrary is true the market is terrible for sellers and even superstar rental players don't command a lot of return. Just look at what Machado brought back. Superstar rentals go for a 45 and two 40s and lesser ones even for less.

The sox are now projected an 86 win team the rest of the way with the guys they have however with the wins they have that still comes out at 91 wins which is 6 ahead of the second place Indians. The question is if that lead is enough for you do do nothing. This could easily be enough to make the post season when you are getting Eloy and Robert back but you could also have some bad luck and win 3 games less than projected and indians win 3 more and you are second place. Could also be the other way round of course.

There is certainly a racist element in accusing flamboyant Latino players of slacking as there are many flamboyant Latino players who are working very hard (tatis Jr for example). Just because you are flamboyant and wearing chains it doesn't mean you are a slacker. However yermin does have a history and maybe he indeed is tough to coach and not really taking coaching suggestions well. Yermin needs to shrink his zone and focus on pitches towards down and in. Maybe step an inch closer to the plate to take away a bit of the outside pitch.

I think Hahn has to trade sheets this deadline, he is 25 and his value will only go down, nobody gives up anything for a 26 or 27 year old AAA player and thus Hahn should actively try to get rid of him. Same really applies to burger, I know it is a great story he is back but he is 26 and could have a career ending injury soon. Stiever also is 24 and doesn't have a high upside or a role as a starter. So that is 3 guys on the way down that he can get rid off without really hurting the system. I would keep the young pitchers, Bailey and also Rutherford as he could at least become a 4th outfielder but sheets, burger and Stiever are totally blocked and at an age where their value goes down even if they perform in the minors.

But he also never was bad except for the shortened 2020, a 105 career wrc+ is obviouisly not a star but a decent fill at 2b in which is better than what you can expect from mendick (about a 90 wrc+ or so according to projections). All depends on the price of course, all of the top5 prospects should be off limits. But if it costs like two guys in the 7-15 range why not?

Vaughn is valuable against lhp but do you want to make your top prospect a short side platoon guy (twice a week plus some pinch hits)? or let him figure out hitting righties every day in the minors?