Brian Anderson's last stand?

[caulfield12]

In the end, Brian Anderson, was always closer to a 640 OPS than 740 OPS that we actually needed out of him.

 

Very wrong about Gavin Floyd, although many of us here were...just not patient enough, even with Jon Danks.

 

Going back to offseason, had wanted Crisp (that would be a disaster now) and Blake or Hudson. I can't honestly say I was asking for Edwin Jackson to be acquired everyday...but that seemed another no-brainer, though, because of Cooper and Jackson's raw stuff.

 

Also feel a little vindicated that Alexei has pulled out of his slide, as usually am on Cubano's side defending Alexei, Contreras or Viciedo.

 

Of course, remember the many arguments back and forth about Taveras, and that wouldn't have turned out well for the Sox, either.

Edited July 8, 2009 by caulfield12

[MexSoxFan#1]

I'm still angry we traded Rowand to give this bum the CF job...

 

[iamshack]

I'm still angry we traded Rowand to give this bum the CF job...

 

Thome has added far more to the offense than the difference between Rowand and Anderson, IMHO. I would still make that trade again if presented with the opportunity.

[hawkubes]

We can hope that Anderson stays and Wise goes, but I kinda doubt that happens.

 

Actually, I'd be good with both of them going, and giving one of the outfielders in AAA or AA a shot instead.

 

But Wise is the worst of all options for 4th OF. As bad a hitter as BA is, Wise is worse, and is a far worse defender.

I would argue that Wise has had a very good year defensively. He's shown good range as evidenced by the play he got injured on. I really don't see what makes Anderson stand out as a better defender, they've both been pretty good throughout their careers. In addition, Anderson's terrible offensive numbers become even worse with runners on. Here's the stat that makes me want to vomit, Anderson's been up 14 times with a runner on 3rd and less than 2 out. Of those the run scored 4 times, unacceptable. Of the two, I for one would rather have Wise, but like most everyone else, I'd like to see both gone.

[witesoxfan]

I'm still angry we traded Rowand to give this bum the CF job...

 

 

Thome has added far more to the offense than the difference between Rowand and Anderson, IMHO. I would still make that trade again if presented with the opportunity.

 

Seriously, how else was Thome supposed to be acquired? If anything, people should b**** about trading Chris Young, but we've been down that path and he's pretty much the same player as Brian Anderson right now.

 

 

Anyways, Anderson should be kept over Wise, but I don't think Anderson has much of a future with the Sox at this point. I'm as big of an Anderson fan as there is, but that's the way I see it. Anderson still has value around the league, but it's very low and it's as a 4th outfielder with the potential to start at some point in the next two years.

[Lemon_44]

as sad as it is for Anderson, i think Wise adds more to the team. He is a lefty off the bench and can steal some bases. I think they are about the same defensively with Anderson having the edge while Wise is probably more of a threat to make soemthing happen at the plate. I think Anderson knows he going down when Quentin comes back. It's just something in hise demeanor lately that makes me think that. Ozzie had Wise starting over BA to start the year and BA has done nothing to wrest the job from him so i don't see how, if it comes down to those 2, that Ozzie keeps Anderson over Wise.

[witesoxfan]

as sad as it is for Anderson, i think Wise adds more to the team. He is a lefty off the bench and can steal some bases. I think they are about the same defensively with Anderson having the edge while Wise is probably more of a threat to make soemthing happen at the plate. I think Anderson knows he going down when Quentin comes back. It's just something in hise demeanor lately that makes me think that. Ozzie had Wise starting over BA to start the year and BA has done nothing to wrest the job from him so i don't see how, if it comes down to those 2, that Ozzie keeps Anderson over Wise.

 

You lost me at same defensively.

 

I honestly don't understand the idea of Anderson being sent down. If there's a lefty starting, Nix is playing at 2B which gives you Getz off the bench (he's no power hitter, but he's left handed). If a righty is starting and a lefty comes in, they assuredly aren't coming in to get Getz out alone, and even if they did, you could bring Anderson or Nix to face said lefty at that point. It's nice to have that power off the bench, but I think you go with defense, seeing as how the defense is weak as it is and Quentin's return isn't going to make it stronger.

[lostfan]

Wise is not nearly as bad defensively as we on this board felt like he was going to be but I'd still say he's about a league average defender, and having seen both of them play in person he still isn't really comparable to Anderson. Anyone saying they want him on the team over Anderson (or Getz, I don't know what he has to do with this but whatever), I'm inclined to say that's just emotions. Wise is still not a good baseball player and is still arguably worse than Anderson. You'd rather see Wise up there getting awkward strikeouts and hitting .205 and never walking than seeing Anderson hit .238, draw a few walks, and choke with runners in scoring position? What difference does it make?

Edited July 9, 2009 by lostfan

[Lemon_44]

How did Anderson get a rep for being a great defensive player? From what i've seen, he's an above average CF,not great by any means. I mean it's not like he's a young Jones, Griffey, Beltran,or Hunter out there. Maybe it's the fear of seeing Podsednik on a full time basis,or a very old Griffey last year,that has upped people's evaluation of his defense. BA is not going to hurt you but let's not make him a gold glove caliber CF either. If he was that great defensively, and taking runs away all the time,i think Ozzie and the Sox could live with his horrendous hitting.

[BigSqwert]

You have to admit he has a great first read on balls.

[Lemon_44]

You have to admit he has a great first read on balls.

 

he does, but shouldn't that be the case with most major league CF'ers outside of Fukudome?

[hawkubes]

How did Anderson get a rep for being a great defensive player? From what i've seen, he's an above average CF,not great by any means. I mean it's not like he's a young Jones, Griffey, Beltran,or Hunter out there. Maybe it's the fear of seeing Podsednik on a full time basis,or a very old Griffey last year,that has upped people's evaluation of his defense. BA is not going to hurt you but let's not make him a gold glove caliber CF either. If he was that great defensively, and taking runs away all the time,i think Ozzie and the Sox could live with his horrendous hitting.

+1

[BigSqwert]

he does, but shouldn't that be the case with most major league CF'ers outside of Fukudome?

Yes but every other guy we trotted out in CF the last 4 years has not had a good read on the ball at contact.

[hawkubes]

Here's the bottom line, I'm every bit as confident in Brian Anderson catching a routine fly ball as I am of him striking out in a big run scoring situation.

[Allsox]

Yes but every other guy we trotted out in CF the last 4 years has not had a good read on the ball at contact.

 

Everyone wants BA to make the spectacular diving catch but the reason he doesn't is because he gets that good read off the bat and therefore, runs the ball down on the fly as opposed to sprawling at the last sec.

 

Case in pt: Gm 3 in KC. That ball Guillen hit to deep center, Brian read the ball the entire way and made it look easy. Wise would have dove for the ball and maybe caught it, same with Da Fire and Da Passion, Mr Rowand. The read makes all the difference and BA does it better than anyone on this roster.

 

At the plate, oh boy. I like his batting eye this yr but he still has that big looping swing that makes him late on fastballs (Rendering a 2 - 0 count he works useless) and makes him pull breaking stuff to the SS/3B everytime. Any team that doesn't play BA to the left side of the IF should fire their scouts cuz that's all he does when he puts it in play.

 

If he can shorten the swing and push the ball the opposite way, he can be a .250 hitter with maybe a .350 OBP. But until then, all I can hope for from Brian at the plate is he works a walk or the pitcher out there has a mediocre fastball that his loop can drive.

 

And Dwayne Wise still has no business being on a major league roster, let alone ours.

Edited July 9, 2009 by Allsox

[greg775]

I think they are about the same defensively with Anderson having the edge while Wise is probably more of a threat to make soemthing happen at the plate

 

I disagree. Anderson is a better defender than Wise. How can anybody dispute that?

Don't you think we need a righthanded bat, as bad as BA's is, for the parade of lefties that face us?

Anderson has more value IMO even with his horrible hitting than the speed of Wise, who is also a bad hitter for the most part.

As a utility outfiielder, Anderson wins and I hope KW sees that.

[Greg Hibbard]

Re: Wise. He did a few clutch things last year, had some timely hits, but he is clear not a major league player. In my opinion, it is a matter of time before we acquire some journeyman outfielder capable of playing below average to average defense and capable of hitting .680+ OPS to be a 5th OF. These guys just can't be hard to find and aren't expensive, and I think Kenny will find one before the end of this month.

 

I guess when I started this thread I assumed that Wise wasn't really worth discussing, that it was a matter of time before HE GONE too. I think Anderson is, because he is performing abysmally badly now that he's gotten his "chance" and perhaps Ozzie and Kenny knew what they were doing all along, because if Anderson was worth anything, despite the way he's been handled, he'd man up and get the f***ing job done offensively right now. It would be one thing if he was contributing anything offensively, but he's getting to a point where it's just embarrassing to run him out there.

[NorthSideSox72]

Re: Wise. He did a few clutch things last year, had some timely hits, but he is clear not a major league player. In my opinion, it is a matter of time before we acquire some journeyman outfielder capable of playing below average to average defense and capable of hitting .680+ OPS to be a 5th OF. These guys just can't be hard to find and aren't expensive, and I think Kenny will find one before the end of this month.

 

I guess when I started this thread I assumed that Wise wasn't really worth discussing, that it was a matter of time before HE GONE too. I think Anderson is, because he is performing abysmally badly now that he's gotten his "chance" and perhaps Ozzie and Kenny knew what they were doing all along, because if Anderson was worth anything, despite the way he's been handled, he'd man up and get the f***ing job done offensively right now. It would be one thing if he was contributing anything offensively, but he's getting to a point where it's just embarrassing to run him out there.

I see no point in acquiring a 5th OF to put up a .680 OPS. We can get those for near-nothing from our own system.

 

[Greg Hibbard]

I see no point in acquiring a 5th OF to put up a .680 OPS. We can get those for near-nothing from our own system.

 

Ok, so if Anderson has had his chance and we can all agree he's not going to do enough, why not send him and Wise down immediately and call up your two best OF prospects despite the contractual consequences? A sunk cost is a sunk cost.

 

Is his defensive value really THAT high?

Edited July 9, 2009 by Greg Hibbard

[NorthSideSox72]

Ok, so if Anderson has had his chance and we can all agree he's not going to do enough, why not send him and Wise down immediately and call up your two best OF prospects despite the contractual consequences? A sunk cost is a sunk cost.

 

Is his defensive value really THAT high?

I guess my ideal scenario when Quentin returns is to release Wise, trade Anderson for whatever you can get (someone will acquire him for something, I'm fairly certain), and then call up a guy who can play CF (so NOT Kroeger or Restovich). The question is, do you go with someone "more ready" but lower ceiling like Cook? Who you don't care about keeping on the bench? Or do you make a splash and call up Danks2?

 

I personally would prefer Cook, but either one would be better for the big club than the current scenario.

 

[Balta1701]

I guess my ideal scenario when Quentin returns is to release Wise, trade Anderson for whatever you can get (someone will acquire him for something, I'm fairly certain), and then call up a guy who can play CF (so NOT Kroeger or Restovich). The question is, do you go with someone "more ready" but lower ceiling like Cook? Who you don't care about keeping on the bench? Or do you make a splash and call up Danks2?

 

I personally would prefer Cook, but either one would be better for the big club than the current scenario.

You absolutely do not call up D2: the Mighty Danks right now. Especially to be a bench player.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

I disagree. Anderson is a better defender than Wise. How can anybody dispute that?

Don't you think we need a righthanded bat, as bad as BA's is, for the parade of lefties that face us?

Anderson has more value IMO even with his horrible hitting than the speed of Wise, who is also a bad hitter for the most part.

As a utility outfiielder, Anderson wins and I hope KW sees that.

Agree. We've got Anderson the rest of this year and maybe next year too, until he gets too expensive via arb. The worst part about salary arbitration is that it forces you to either overpay for or lose middle or specialist relievers or positional role-players who your organization has a need for.

[Steve9347]

Until Quentin gets back, Brian Anderson is still our best option in CF, and he'd make a superb 4th OF.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

You absolutely do not call up D2: the Mighty Danks right now. Especially to be a bench player.

+1

 

Danks is a starting prospect and should see starter's time no matter what level he is at.

[caulfield12]

Ok, so if Anderson has had his chance and we can all agree he's not going to do enough, why not send him and Wise down immediately and call up your two best OF prospects despite the contractual consequences? A sunk cost is a sunk cost.

 

Is his defensive value really THAT high?

 

Because Shelby/Danks/Mitchell aren't ready and Cook or Gartrell can't play CF.

 

Restovich and Kroeger are also corner OF's.