Who do you most want to keep after the Core 4?

[greg775]

Interesting thread. I only put Alexei. The rest of the guys are some of the dead weight on the team IMO. I could see keeping Danks as well.

[knightni]

*Kurt Suzuki - C

Jose Abreu - 1B

Gordon Beckham - 2B

Marcus Semien - SS

Connor Gillaspie - 3B

Dayan Viciedo - LF

Adam Eaton - CF

Avasail Garcia - RF

*Adam Lind - DH

 

Chris Sale - LHP

*Jake Peavy - RHP

Carlos Quintana - LHP

Hector Noesi - RHP

John Danks - LHP

 

Carlos Rodon - LHP (Closer)

 

[chitownsportsfan]

I am excited for the end of Flowers/De Aza/Viciedo.

 

So next year we have...

 

C - no one

1B - Abreu

2B - Johnson/Semien

3B - Gillaspie/Davidson

SS - Alexei

LF - no one

CF - Eaton

RF - Garcia

DH - no one

 

Hahn has to find a catcher, 1B/3B/DH, outfielder, a SP and maybe one serious bullpen piece and a couple of fliers. Either way, we have some in house talent that could factor next year (Johnson, Semien, Davidson) and some money to spend. I think we'll be in for another fun offseason.

 

I think you gotta put Sanchez on that list. He's raking in AAA, as a 22 year old that can play SS his slash line of 299/362/420 is excellent. Let him get a cup of coffee in Sep and then next year he should be the starter at SS heading into the spring IMO. GIve him two years to figure things out in MLB and see what we have. Obviously if he doesn't continue to hit you rethink it but so far so good with his season. Suprised more people haven't taken notice, guess his awful season last year, at a really, really young age for Charlotte, turned people off.

[Balta1701]

I think you gotta put Sanchez on that list. He's raking in AAA, as a 22 year old that can play SS his slash line of 299/362/420 is excellent. Let him get a cup of coffee in Sep and then next year he should be the starter at SS heading into the spring IMO. GIve him two years to figure things out in MLB and see what we have. Obviously if he doesn't continue to hit you rethink it but so far so good with his season. Suprised more people haven't taken notice, guess his awful season last year, at a really, really young age for Charlotte, turned people off.

It's really hard for me to project him as the starter, particularly at SS, when he's had so few games there.

[flavum]

It's really hard for me to project him as the starter, particularly at SS, when he's had so few games there.

 

He just looks like a 2B. He's got that build.

[Balta1701]

He just looks like a 2B. He's got that build.

Given the choice I think Micah is probably the most likely option to be a major contributor out of that slot, but it is nice to have options since it's a good chance one, if not both of them will bust.

[chitownsportsfan]

It's really hard for me to project him as the starter, particularly at SS, when he's had so few games there.

 

I agree but the scouting reports all note the ability is there to play SS, anyone got any more concrete info or stats from his time as SS this year in AAA?

[Balta1701]

I agree but the scouting reports all note the ability is there to play SS, anyone got any more concrete info or stats from his time as SS this year in AAA?

I would agree the ability is there but he basically didn't play much of the position at all until Semien was sent back down and Micah was called up. If a guy isn't being given work at the position I'm not going to express confidence in him holding it down.

[chitownsportsfan]

I would agree the ability is there but he basically didn't play much of the position at all until Semien was sent back down and Micah was called up. If a guy isn't being given work at the position I'm not going to express confidence in him holding it down.

 

Fair enough, although given the Sox' awful position player development wouldn't suprise me if they are just screwing it up.

[flavum]

It would be great if Sanchez could play 2B, Semien play SS until Anderson is ready, and Johnson CF (or LF if Eaton stays there).

 

That's a lot to hope for, but I'm so ready for new blood on offense.

[bjm676]

Who's the one person who voted for Tyler Flowers?

[Feeky Magee]

I agree but the scouting reports all note the ability is there to play SS, anyone got any more concrete info or stats from his time as SS this year in AAA?

I was listening to a Charlotte game the other night and their announcers were RAVING about him at shortstop. Said he made some spectacular plays and he'd been producing gold glove level defence all year.

[knightni]

Who's the one person who voted for Tyler Flowers?

I voted for him.

 

Until there's a better option - he's the best that they have.

[SCCWS]

I am excited for the end of Flowers/De Aza/Viciedo.

 

So next year we have...

 

C - no one

1B - Abreu

2B - Johnson/Semien

3B - Gillaspie/Davidson

SS - Alexei

LF - no one

CF - Eaton

RF - Garcia

DH - no one

 

Hahn has to find a catcher, 1B/3B/DH, outfielder, a SP and maybe one serious bullpen piece and a couple of fliers. Either way, we have some in house talent that could factor next year (Johnson, Semien, Davidson) and some money to spend. I think we'll be in for another fun offseason.

 

Before you plug in guys at the ML level, they have to produce at AAA. So far this season, Davidson really belongs at AA. He continues to hit below .200 and is striking out at Flowers/Dunn type rates. Semien hit 260 last year at AAA after getting promoted from AA. He is hitting in low 200's since he was sent down. Now obviously some of that can be attributed to being sent down but he is far from ready and unfortunately a good ST showing put him in the ML and he probably belonged in AAA all year. Johnson started slowly since being promoted but is hot right now. He is playing 2B but my guess is they will not deal Beckham during the season and force him coming up too early unless they get a great offer.

Saladino has struggle defensively but has hit pretty well. Sanchez has played the best of all of them so far but he is being bounced around the 3 infield positions.

 

[flavum]

I was listening to a Charlotte game the other night and their announcers were RAVING about him at shortstop. Said he made some spectacular plays and he'd been producing gold glove level defence all year.

 

Good to know. It would absolutely be great if the Sox found suitable trades for both Alexei and Beckham before August 1st. Get Micah and Sanchez two months of at-bats.

[JoshPR]

Newsflash, those do show up statistically.

Newsflash... DeAza still a bad ball player. Dump them both. Teams is poorly constructed

[BigHurt3515]

I was listening to a Charlotte game the other night and their announcers were RAVING about him at shortstop. Said he made some spectacular plays and he'd been producing gold glove level defence all year.

 

I thought I remember him be known for his defense before he started hitting everything a couple years ago. I really hope he sticks someone with the big club. It is fun to see a guy that has been in our minors come up and actually succeed. It has been awhile it feels like

[harfman77]

Newsflash... DeAza still a bad ball player. Dump them both. Teams is poorly constructed

 

Why? Dump them for what? So that we can have Jared Mitchell and Jordan Danks as our corner OF's? How does that make the team better?

[Eminor3rd]

I thought I remember him be known for his defense before he started hitting everything a couple years ago. I really hope he sticks someone with the big club. It is fun to see a guy that has been in our minors come up and actually succeed. It has been awhile it feels like

 

Strangely, he's still young for his level.

[JoshPR]

Why? Dump them for what? So that we can have Jared Mitchell and Jordan Danks as our corner OF's? How does that make the team better?

Free agency, you really wanna continue this? Really I mean this team is put together so bad. Hah. Has a lot of work, and quite frankly I tired of seeing the same poorly played baseball.

[TaylorStSox]

Given the choice I think Micah is probably the most likely option to be a major contributor out of that slot, but it is nice to have options since it's a good chance one, if not both of them will bust.

I'm not sure about that. Semien has shown more power, patience and is a better defender. Johnson's speed might not translate either. His unorthodox lead off might be a gimmick that doesn't fool players at upper levels.

[Balta1701]

I'm not sure about that. Semien has shown more power, patience and is a better defender. Johnson's speed might not translate either. His unorthodox lead off might be a gimmick that doesn't fool players at upper levels.

That was only out of those 2, Sanchez and Johnson. Semien, he may have shown those things but so far this year, it looks like Semien is the one who isn't translating to higher levels.

[Jake]

I went:

 

-Gillaspie

-Alexei

-Semien

-Viciedo

 

I'm much more committed to the first three than the last. That is my order of preference as well. Viciedo gets to stick around due to upside, but I wouldn't be promising him any particular amount of ABs; he can be next year's more versatile Konerko and everything else must be earned.

 

Re: middle infielders, my ranking of most likely to be a good contributor in MLB

1. Semien

2. Sanchez

3. Johnson

4. Saladino

5. Garcia

 

And I don't think it's out of the question for any of them, which is nice.

 

I'm still happy to have Davidson around and think he'll be a fixture in our order very soon. Even if he gets back to his old ~.275/.345/.475 self, he might have to learn a new position, though. He or Gillaspie. We'll want both of them on the team and playing a lot. I honestly don't have a strong impression of which is a stronger defender at 3B. They're both fringy to average to me.

[SCCWS]

Good to know. It would absolutely be great if the Sox found suitable trades for both Alexei and Beckham before August 1st. Get Micah and Sanchez two months of at-bats.

I hope they don't. Semien came up struggled and now he is struggling worse in AAA. Bringing him up in April may have resulted in a lost season. Bring up Micah and Sanchez in September so they get as much time as possible in AAA. At this point in late June, neither one is even playing the same position on a consistent basis. Both have been bounced around although the last week Johnson has been moved to 2nd. But that bumped Sanchez to 3rd and Davidson to the bench.

Edited June 24, 2014 by SCCWS

[Feeky Magee]

I hope they don't. Semien came up struggled and now he is struggling worse in AAA. Bringing him up in April may have resulted in a lost season. Bring up Micah and Sanchez in September so they get as much time as possible in AAA. At this point in late June, neither one is even playing the same position on a consistent basis. Both have been bounced around although the last week Johnson has been moved to 2nd. But that bumped Sanchez to 3rd and Davidson to the bench.

He's not really struggling at AAA, he's only hitting .208 but his BABIP is .203. He's walking as much as he's striking out and he's hitting for decent power.