raptor Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 (edited) I like what Hahn has done to date. But in my mind it is imperative that he pick up a solid fielding 3rd basement. I don't care if the guy is a .250 hitter. They have picked up enough bats so they can add a weak stick at 3rd base. They cannot go into this season with Connor at 3rd. If he is their day in day out 3rd baseman, his fielding will blow at least 8-10 games. Edited December 18, 2014 by buster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eminor3rd Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 QUOTE (buster @ Dec 18, 2014 -> 11:17 AM) I like what Hahn has done to date. But in my mind it is imperative that he pick up a solid fielding 3rd basement. I don't care if the guy is a .250 hitter. They have picked up enough bats so they can add a weak stick at 3rd base. They cannot go into this season with Connor at 3rd. If he is their day in day out 3rd baseman, his fielding will blow at least 8-10 games. Welcome to the site. I think you may be exaggerating the effect a bit, but I agree that the defense (in general) is worrisome, and Gillaspie is bad there. I would LOVE for the Sox to prioritize acquiring a right-handed bench piece that plays a good defensive third base, so that we could at least go with a frequent defensive replacement late in games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDF Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 QUOTE (buster @ Dec 18, 2014 -> 04:17 PM) I like what Hahn has done to date. But in my mind it is imperative that he pick up a solid fielding 3rd basement. I don't care if the guy is a .250 hitter. They have picked up enough bats so they can add a weak stick at 3rd base. They cannot go into this season with Connor at 3rd. If he is their day in day out 3rd baseman, his fielding will blow at least 8-10 games. welcome. at this point, the sox can live with Conor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 Welcome to SoxTalk! QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Dec 18, 2014 -> 10:58 AM) Welcome to the site. I think you may be exaggerating the effect a bit, but I agree that the defense (in general) is worrisome, and Gillaspie is bad there. I would LOVE for the Sox to prioritize acquiring a right-handed bench piece that plays a good defensive third base, so that we could at least go with a frequent defensive replacement late in games. I agree on the exaggeration, and that Gillaspie has been pretty bad over there. But want to add two things... 1. Since his major issues, in my view, are with footwork... I think there is a decent chance he can improve. 2. I'd like to suggest a player already in the system - Tyler Saladino. He has played all the infield positions and is good enough arm and glove-wise to play them all competently, he's a RHB who tore up LHP last year in Charlotte, he's cheap and versatile. He's also got a little speed, and he's a guy Ventura said he really liked a couple years ago. Assuming he's healthy for ST, which supposedly he will be, he's a decent option to be Gillaspie's foil vs LHP and a general utility guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Allen Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 18, 2014 -> 11:02 AM) Welcome to SoxTalk! I agree on the exaggeration, and that Gillaspie has been pretty bad over there. But want to add two things... 1. Since his major issues, in my view, are with footwork... I think there is a decent chance he can improve. 2. I'd like to suggest a player already in the system - Tyler Saladino. He has played all the infield positions and is good enough arm and glove-wise to play them all competently, he's a RHB who tore up LHP last year in Charlotte, he's cheap and versatile. He's also got a little speed, and he's a guy Ventura said he really liked a couple years ago. Assuming he's healthy for ST, which supposedly he will be, he's a decent option to be Gillaspie's foil vs LHP and a general utility guy. Conor's throwing will always be an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Dye Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 CG is one of my favorite guys on the team. That said, he is a prime candidate for being someone who gets blamed and targeted hard by fans if his season or our season go south early Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 QUOTE (Jose Paniagua @ Dec 18, 2014 -> 11:09 AM) CG is one of my favorite guys on the team. That said, he is a prime candidate for being someone who gets blamed and targeted hard by fans if his season or our season go south early With the improvements made around Gillaspie, it isn't a big leap to think he will be the next whipping boy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDF Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 i have been wondering about Chris Johnson from Atl. the braves are looking to move him. i wonder what the cost would be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Dye Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 (edited) The moves we've made this offseason were done on the backs of our cost controlled guys being in place and ready-now. Conor is one of those guys, so he's basically a definite as our 3b. And then Davidson is not forgotten either. 3b is set because it has to be. Edited December 18, 2014 by Jose Paniagua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDF Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 QUOTE (Jose Paniagua @ Dec 18, 2014 -> 05:16 PM) The moves we've made this offseason were done on the backs of our cost controlled guys being in place and ready-now. Conor is one of those guys, so he's basically a definite as our 3b. And then Davidson is not forgotten either. 3b is set because it has to be. you got a point. the changes were made of the missing pieces that needed to be address. however one can dream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 (edited) I agree with the majority on this topic. It'd be nice to upgrade the defense at 3b but it's definitely an exaggeration to say that Conor will cost us 8-10 games. I'm also ok with Saladino being Gillaspie's platoon partner at the moment assuming Tyler is healthy. Edited December 18, 2014 by Rowand44 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lasttriptotulsa Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 I think Conor has the tools to develop into an average third baseman. If his bat can continue to improve like it did from 2013-14 he could easily be a 2.5 or so WAR player. I have a hard time complaining about that for a guy we picked up for practically nothing and makes near league minimum. I think this year his power will improve slightly as last year I believe he lost some while working on his new approach. If he can learn to elevate a bit I can see him being a 15 homer, close to .300 AVG hitter. Combine that with his acceptable, but not great, walk rate and I think he can be an .800 OPS, 120 wRC+ type player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabiness42 Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 With the improvements made around Gillaspie, it isn't a big leap to think he will be the next whipping boy. I think this is backwards thinking. A team fails to meet expectations because its best players aren't meeting their potential, not because their worst players aren't meeting their potential. If Sale, Samardzija, Q, Abreu, Alexei, Eaton, Melky, Robertson and Duke collectively meet their expectations, this team will succeed even if Gillaspie doesn't meet his. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDF Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 QUOTE (lasttriptotulsa @ Dec 18, 2014 -> 05:32 PM) I think Conor has the tools to develop into an average third baseman. If his bat can continue to improve like it did from 2013-14 he could easily be a 2.5 or so WAR player. I have a hard time complaining about that for a guy we picked up for practically nothing and makes near league minimum. I think this year his power will improve slightly as last year I believe he lost some while working on his new approach. If he can learn to elevate a bit I can see him being a 15 homer, close to .300 AVG hitter. Combine that with his acceptable, but not great, walk rate and I think he can be an .800 OPS, 120 wRC+ type player. last yr, i thought he got tired, but i still think he will still have a good avg. i also think that his hrs will increase as well. he will continue to develop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 18, 2014 -> 11:08 AM) Conor's throwing will always be an issue. Could be, but what makes you sure? Some players defense, certainly including 3B's, improve over their first few years in the majors. Conor has plenty of arm for the position and his glove work is passable. The footwork, which has resulting in throwing problems, is a pretty good candidate for being fixable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Allen Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 18, 2014 -> 12:05 PM) Could be, but what makes you sure? Some players defense, certainly including 3B's, improve over their first few years in the majors. Conor has plenty of arm for the position and his glove work is passable. The footwork, which has resulting in throwing problems, is a pretty good candidate for being fixable. His arm as always been an issue and as Wimpy would say in a Lawrence Welk voice, "he has a funky motion". When that happens, you will have periods where you are "off" as we have seen. It plagued him in the minor leagues. I am sure Robin has worked with him, so we will see. I just hope he can get to average. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy the Clown Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 2B is a much bigger issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eminor3rd Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 QUOTE (Andy the Clown @ Dec 18, 2014 -> 01:43 PM) 2B is a much bigger issue. Not defensively, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Dec 18, 2014 -> 12:51 PM) Not defensively, though. Nope. Sanchez should grade out to an above average defensive 2b. I know the Sox want to go with Micah but as I said in a different thread, I'm perfectly ok with putting Sanchez there even with his s***ty bat if he can be a good 2b defensively. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenSox Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 (edited) Chris Johnson is not a good defensive player and now his offense is matching his defense. He would be a marginal upgrade at a high cost, which even if the Sox could afford now will hamper future moves. We're actually in good shape at 2nd as well. They can handle the defense and Johnson might turn out to be really good. I don't understand the the fear of young players nor the love of bad veterans. Just need a bench bat to take occasional bats from Gillaspie and even Laroche. Edited December 18, 2014 by GreenSox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigHurt3515 Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 I am fine with Conor at 3B for the majority of the games. He has progressed since he has been here and I see no reason he can't get even better this season. Defense is something he knows he has to work on and I am sure he will be doing that. I don't think his errors will cost us 8-10 games though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Dye Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 (edited) Not saying i have an answer for Davidson's year last year, but aberrations do happen. It is not worthless to mention the following: the major league at-bats he HAS had..actually went well. Davidson would be in the mix if Conor went down. And as someone else said maybe Saladino Edited December 18, 2014 by Jose Paniagua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GGajewski18 Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 QUOTE (Jose Paniagua @ Dec 18, 2014 -> 01:02 PM) Not saying i have an answer for Davidson's year last year, but aberrations do happen. It is not worthless to mention the following: the major league at-bats he HAS had..actually went well. Davidson would be in the mix if Conor went down. And as someone else said maybe Saladino I agree with this. If Davidson has a good ST, he can very well be the platoon at DH/3B that we could possibly be looking for. Not saying its going to happen, but it is a possibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Dye Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 (edited) i do want MD getting atbats tho, at least most the year. incidentally...who's backup first base? laroche and abreu isnt enough depending on situation. Edited December 18, 2014 by Jose Paniagua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lasttriptotulsa Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ Dec 18, 2014 -> 12:55 PM) I am fine with Conor at 3B for the majority of the games. He has progressed since he has been here and I see no reason he can't get even better this season. Defense is something he knows he has to work on and I am sure he will be doing that. I don't think his errors will cost us 8-10 games though. I think they could put Walter Young at third and his defense still wouldn't legitimately cost the Sox 10 games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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