The Yolmer-Moncada Predicament

[bighurt574]

This Yolmer guy is way better than Carlos....

[Lip Man 1]

Predicament?!?!?

 

Yolmer Sanchez is a career .234 MLB hitter in over 700 AB's. He's had a nice start to the season.

 

Yolmer Sanchez has NO baring on what the plan is with the #1 prospect in baseball. NONE.

 

Agree. Sanchez is a utility player...at best. There is no chance, I think, for any issues with Moncada.

 

[witesoxfan]

The Henry Cotto-Ken Griffey Jr Predicament

 

Henry has shown to be an above average fielder and his bat has been awesome this year. How does this impact what we do with Ken Griffey Jr? If Henry keeps it up, how can they move him?

 

Maybe this will help shed some light on this situation?! : )

 

Oh great f***ing hustle, this is amazing.

[Lip Man 1]

Also, after Frazier is dealt.

 

The way Frazier is playing he may be very hard to deal.

[Buehrlesque]

While I agree it's premature to pencil Yolmer in as an everyday 2B, or to say his presence has much effect on Moncada, I would quickly and happily move Moncada to CF to make room for Yolmer if need be. Moncada will be up for his bat — IMO there's not reason to shoehorn him to 2B where he'll never be elite defensively when he could play CF, where he has a chance to be. I would hate to lose Yolmer's glove (or anyone's for that matter) just because we thought Moncada has to play 2B in the majors, when his bat will play anywhere and his speed + arm would transfer well (maybe even better) to the OF.

Edited May 17, 2017 by Buehrlesque

[Jake]

Some folks are being deliberately obtuse. You're not going to prioritize Yolmer over Moncada, but as part of the rebuilding process you do want to give young players a chance to figure things out. Having a guy like Yolmer turn into an starter-caliber player is the kind of thing that is supposed to happen in a rebuild. So the predicament is not whether you hamstring Moncada's development for the sake of Yolmer, but how you find something approaching full time ABs for Yolmer on the team once you have Moncada up and still have Frazier on the team (and Davidson still deserving of some ABs).

 

For now, it's safe to say that Yolmer has earned a chance to take Saladino's ABs away, but it's not like there's an obvious way for either one to get many ABs once Moncada arrives. I'm interested to see how Renteria deals with it when the time comes. If we slow-play Moncada's call up into July, though, it's obviously possible that Yolmer will have cooled off so much that we don't see the need to get him more than 2 or 3 games a week by then.

[ChiSox59]

While I agree it's premature to pencil Yolmer in as an everyday 2B, or to say his presence has much effect on Moncada, I would quickly and happily move Moncada to CF to make room for Yolmer if need be. Moncada will be up for his bat — IMO there's not reason to shoehorn him to 2B where he'll never be elite defensively when he could play CF, where he has a chance to be. I would hate to lose Yolmer's glove (or anyone's for that matter) just because we thought Moncada has to play 2B in the majors, when his bat will play anywhere and his speed + arm would transfer well (maybe even better) to the OF.

 

 

This too. I think Moncada will be given every chance to stick at 2B, but I wouldn't be totally floored if he ended up in CF by 2019. I don't think Yolmer or Saladino (and I like them both) will be the ones to push Moncada off 2B though. I think it will be Moncada being less than ML average at 2B, a need in CF, and perhaps someone else playing 2B by that time.

[harfman77]

Yolmer was always a promising prospect who was young at every level and always took a while to adjust offensively. I have held out hope that he was going to be able to hit at the major league level with more consistent at bats, and he is starting to produce. What Yolmer does is keep from having to pull Moncada up early and gives the Sox another potential trade chip towards the deadline if he can maintain consistent production.

 

I think Sanchez can be an above average everyday MLB 2B.

[GreenSox]

While I agree it's premature to pencil Yolmer in as an everyday 2B, or to say his presence has much effect on Moncada, I would quickly and happily move Moncada to CF to make room for Yolmer if need be. Moncada will be up for his bat — IMO there's not reason to shoehorn him to 2B where he'll never be elite defensively when he could play CF, where he has a chance to be. I would hate to lose Yolmer's glove (or anyone's for that matter) just because we thought Moncada has to play 2B in the majors, when his bat will play anywhere and his speed + arm would transfer well (maybe even better) to the OF.

If that's true, why isn't Moncada playing CF right now? The Sox have zilch in CF on the radar (unless they are thinking Tilson, and that requires some major Ouiji board work). It's a lot easier to find a 2B than a CF.

[Buehrlesque]

If that's true, why isn't Moncada playing CF right now? The Sox have zilch in CF on the radar (unless they are thinking Tilson, and that requires some major Ouiji board work). It's a lot easier to find a 2B than a CF.

For the two reasons you said, I think he should be playing CF now/in the near future. I would guess the reason he isn't currently is that he expressed a personal desire to remain at 2B, and the Sox are honoring his request. Considering his and the team's timetables, there was no hurry to move him off the position anyway.

[FT35]

Another important thought to keep in mind is that the whole reason Yolmer is rostered is to hold things down at 2B until Moncada is ready. The fact that he is enjoying the success that he is is a bonus. Yolmer kept the Sox from going out and finding a Jimmy Rollins-type vet to fill that spot. That in itself is a big plus. Now we're learning that he has value that we can either re-purpose or move to someone else for a piece. Another big plus. Kudos to him for the strides he's made. Let's keep it going!

[soxforlife05]

Or.....branding young players as failures, utility players or AAAA players because they don't find success right away at the highest level is silly? Yes it is a hot streak or maybe it's a breakout .

 

I understand the need to analyze or tap the scout in all of us but it isn't very astute to say what you see is what you got forever.

 

Exhibit A: 2016 Tyler Saladino vs 2017 Tyler Saladino

[chitownsportsfan]

Yolmer was always a promising prospect who was young at every level and always took a while to adjust offensively. I have held out hope that he was going to be able to hit at the major league level with more consistent at bats, and he is starting to produce. What Yolmer does is keep from having to pull Moncada up early and gives the Sox another potential trade chip towards the deadline if he can maintain consistent production.

 

I think Sanchez can be an above average everyday MLB 2B.

 

He's always been almost criminally under rated IMO. Some of his slash lines in the minors indicated a guy that would perhaps hit for some decent contact and pop, especially given that he's usually been 2-3 years younger on average than his league. And his glove has always played just a matter if he'll hit enough to be a regular or just a utility guy.

 

Give him another 400 PA this year, see what happens. His swing from the left this year is looking much improved especially.

Edited May 17, 2017 by chitownsportsfan

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

Exhibit A: 2016 Tyler Saladino vs 2017 Tyler Saladino

About a 4 year difference in their ages. So Tyler doesn't fit into the youngster category.

[turnin' two]

 

Sanchez is younger now than Saladino was when he made his debut.

 

[Eminor3rd]

I've always liked ol' Carlos Sanchez, but he ain't stopping Moncada from doing ANYTHING.

[SCCWS]

I've always liked ol' Carlos Sanchez, but he ain't stopping Moncada from doing ANYTHING.

 

That is obvious. But it may create different possibilities for the Sox if Yolmer continues to hit the ball.

 

[ron883]

Yoan needs to be moved to center or corner OF if yolmer keeps it up. No question about it.

[tray]

I don't understand why Moncada is not at least exploring the possibility of playing Center Field or third base.

[BamaDoc]

I wonder how Yolmer would look in center or perhaps he could succeed in a super utility role like a Zobrist. He could even give you some games on the right side of infield. I understand small sample sizes but what kind of odds could you have gotten on a double trifecta of Leury, Avisail, and Yolmer playing regularly all with OBPs over .800 and Frazier, Cabrera, Anderson all barely above .600?

 

 

edit for spelling

Edited May 18, 2017 by BamaDoc

[bmags]

I wonder how Yolmer would look in center or perhaps he could succeed in a super utility role like a Zobrist. He could even give you some games on the right side of infield. I understand small sample sizes but what kind of odds could you have gotten on a double trifecta of Leury, Avisail, and Yolmer playing regularly all with OBPs over .800 and Frazier, Cabrera, Anderson all barely above .600?

 

 

edit for spelling

 

He just doesn't have the arm for other positions.

[Y2Jimmy0]

Sanchez has been solid. It's only 90 plate appearances though. 127 wRC+, .359 wOBA, .406 BABIP. We need to see more but either way, nothing he does has any influence on any decision to make with Yoan Moncada

[SCCWS]

I don't understand why Moncada is not at least exploring the possibility of playing Center Field or third base.

 

His cup of tea in Boston at 3rd did not go well. I think 2nd gets him to majors quicker

 

[Panerista]

I don't understand why Moncada is not at least exploring the possibility of playing Center Field or third base.

I feel like wherever Moncada is best is where he winds up. There's no reason to force him into a position on a bad baseball team.

[tray]

I feel like wherever Moncada is best is where he winds up. There's no reason to force him into a position on a bad baseball team.

 

No one is forcing him to do anything.

He is substandard defensively at second...no where near as good as Sanchez or Saladino. Scouts have suggested that his skills might be better suited to CF. A few of us fans would like to see him simply try CF because we see what the scouts have noticed. Moncada has the speed and arm to play CF while his defense at second has been lacking. Another way to put it is this - Moncada's quickness, speed and arm strength, would be maximized as a CFer.