3rd base

[GGajewski18]

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.

 

I definitely think he'll get his at bats in ST, were just in wait and see mode if he can take advantage of that. I hope he does so he gives the Sox a possible long term solution at 3B or up his value along with Conor in trade at the least.

[cabiness42]

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.

 

Abreu + LaRoche should be enough to cover 162 games at 1B. If one of them needs a day off the other can play 1B and then you can have anybody DH. Beyond that, Gillaspie has played a little bit of 1B, and whatever backup infielder the Sox have, whether that be Saladino, Sanchez, LGarcia or somebody else not already in the organization, should be able to handle 1B as well.

[lasttriptotulsa]

Abreu + LaRoche should be enough to cover 162 games at 1B. If one of them needs a day off the other can play 1B and then you can have anybody DH. Beyond that, Gillaspie has played a little bit of 1B, and whatever backup infielder the Sox have, whether that be Saladino, Sanchez, LGarcia or somebody else not already in the organization, should be able to handle 1B as well.

 

We need to have some sort of backup though. If one is DHing and the other gets hurt during the game, whoever's DHing will have to go in and we will lose our DH the rest of the game. But like you said, Gillaspie has played there and would be the "emergency" first baseman.

[southsider2k5]

Abreu + LaRoche should be enough to cover 162 games at 1B. If one of them needs a day off the other can play 1B and then you can have anybody DH. Beyond that, Gillaspie has played a little bit of 1B, and whatever backup infielder the Sox have, whether that be Saladino, Sanchez, LGarcia or somebody else not already in the organization, should be able to handle 1B as well.

 

Yeah, I would imagine that Connor would be the emergency 1B. If not we could always see what Dunn is... Damn, I can't even post it as a joke yet.

[Eminor3rd]

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.

 

If Saladino really can play an above-average ML 3B, I'm all for that.

 

Still, if his bat can't be at least a 90 wRC+, we're one injury away from a real problem over there.

[witesoxfan]

I don't think the Sox bench is set by any stretch of the imagination yet.

[southsider2k5]

I prefer this third bass.

 

[GGajewski18]

I don't think the Sox bench is set by any stretch of the imagination yet.

 

I agree. I could see a Brantly, Davidson, Bonifacio, Shuck/Danks/Campana bench be pretty good.

[southsider2k5]

I don't think the Sox bench is set by any stretch of the imagination yet.

 

I think bench is set and very securely fastened into the dugout.

[southsider2k5]

I agree. I could see a Brantly, Davidson, Bonifacio, Shuck/Danks/Campana bench be pretty good.

 

I'd rather see Davidson playing every day at Charlotte, and having a less talented guy playing off of the bench.

[Dick Allen]

Matt Davidson shouldn't even come into the conversation at this point. He needs to go back to AAA and show he can actually hit and catch a ball.

[NorthSideSox72]

2B is a much bigger issue.

 

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.

 

People seem to be assuming it will be Sanchez. IMO, as long as he looks pretty decent in ST, I think Micah will get the nod, with Sanchez and Saladino in the running for utility role(s).

 

If Saladino really can play an above-average ML 3B, I'm all for that.

 

Still, if his bat can't be at least a 90 wRC+, we're one injury away from a real problem over there.

I don't know his defense at 3B. He's decent at SS and 2B - OK range, good arm (assuming it comes back healthy), not flashy but playable.

 

I think having Davidson in Charlotte helps. Even if he still struggles, he is very likely to do better than last year offensively (would be hard not to). And he may do a lot better. Though he's never been thought of as strong defensively. Sanchez and Saladino should both be able to play there in a pinch.

 

The system does lack a truly strong defensive 3B though. All the way up and down, it lacks in that area.

 

[chitownsportsfan]

You guys really need to start reading the tea leaves better. Sanchez is the starting 2B. Micah Johnson has like 300 PA above high A. He's not Chris Bryant either. He needs to prove as much as Davidson this year, if not more, in AAA.

 

Sanchez was given his cup of coffee because he's the de facto starter entering 2015. Now, obviously things can change but as I've said: if Sanchez is 15 runs above average (and he showed last year he can be, he's a very slick fielder with more range than Beckham) then he doesn't need to slash much more than 250/290/340 to be worth 1 to 2 WAR.

 

You can't expect to have studs at every position. Just be glad that for the first time in years the lineup can carry a defensive specialist in the infield because they have enough superior bats around him.

Edited December 18, 2014 by chitownsportsfan

[Rowand44]

People seem to be assuming it will be Sanchez. IMO, as long as he looks pretty decent in ST, I think Micah will get the nod, with Sanchez and Saladino in the running for utility role(s).

 

 

I don't know his defense at 3B. He's decent at SS and 2B - OK range, good arm (assuming it comes back healthy), not flashy but playable.

 

I think having Davidson in Charlotte helps. Even if he still struggles, he is very likely to do better than last year offensively (would be hard not to). And he may do a lot better. Though he's never been thought of as strong defensively. Sanchez and Saladino should both be able to play there in a pinch.

 

The system does lack a truly strong defensive 3B though. All the way up and down, it lacks in that area.

I think Micah is going to get the nod. I'm just saying if I had my way I'd probably go with Sanchez with the way this team is currently constructed.

Edited December 18, 2014 by Rowand44

[Vance Law]

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.

 

 

The average 3rd baseman in the American League hit .249 last year, a .701 OPS. That's average, not weak. I point this out because I think people in general are bad at understanding what bad is these days and consequently have a bad understanding of how good Gillaspie was at the plate. He's been subpar defensively. He should be platooned. But the guy has a .765 career OPS against righties and we have him for basically zero dollars. I'd like to think Saladino can do fine with those 150 PAs.

[chitownsportsfan]

The average 3rd baseman in the American League hit .249 last year, a .701 OPS. That's average, not weak. I point this out because I think people in general are bad at understanding what bad is these days and consequently have a bad understanding of how good Gillaspie was at the plate. He's been subpar defensively. He should be platooned. But the guy has a .765 career OPS against righties and we have him for basically zero dollars. I'd like to think Saladino can do fine with those 150 PAs.

 

 

Exactly. Protect Conor against LHP.

[chitownsportsfan]

I think Micah is going to get the nod. I'm just saying if I had my way I'd probably go with Sanchez with the way this team is currently constructed.

 

I'd be shocked personally. He's not ready. Not even for the Sox' aggressive promotions is he even close.

[southsider2k5]

I'd be shocked personally. He's not ready. Not even for the Sox' aggressive promotions is he even close.

 

With the injury time he missed last year, I would imagine he is ticketed for Charlotte.

[chitownsportsfan]

With the injury time he missed last year, I would imagine he is ticketed for Charlotte.

 

Yep. If he's hitting 300/340/450 in charlotte in July, ok, that's a good problem. From all accounts his defense needs work. Let him season in AAA. Sanchez is just further ahead developmentally, even if his ceiling is lower.

[Balta1701]

With the injury time he missed last year, I would imagine he is ticketed for Charlotte.

 

 

Yep. If he's hitting 300/340/450 in charlotte in July, ok, that's a good problem. From all accounts his defense needs work. Let him season in AAA. Sanchez is just further ahead developmentally, even if his ceiling is lower.

All this makes so much sense to me that the organization-driven talk of the job being his to lose makes me think that there's a good chance they'll actually give him the job. It makes no sense based on his background to give him the job, so the only reason that would even be out in the ether is if they're actually leaning strongly towards going with him inside the org.

[Andy the Clown]

You can't expect to have studs at every position. Just be glad that for the first time in years the lineup can carry a defensive specialist in the infield because they have enough superior bats around him.

 

The problem is that we already have offensive holes at C an 3B. You can't expect to be contenders with huge gaps at a third of your positions.

[ptatc]

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.

I don't think the sox will platoon two young players. It just thier development too much.

[Vance Law]

The problem is that we already have offensive holes at C an 3B. You can't expect to be contenders with huge gaps at a third of your positions.

 

 

I think people in general are bad at understanding what bad is these days

 

The average 3rd baseman in the American League hit .249 last year, a .701 OPS. That's average, not weak.

[GreenSox]

The problem is that we already have offensive holes at C an 3B. You can't expect to be contenders with huge gaps at a third of your positions.

League average OPS for Catchers: .688

OPS for Flowers: .693

 

Here were last year's black holes:

Beckham - OPS of .598

A sub .700 OPS in LF and RF

Bench - L Garcia had about a 1/4 season worth of at bats at a .399 OPS.

 

Those 3 holes were really, really deep.

Edited December 18, 2014 by GreenSox

[southsider2k5]

The problem is that we already have offensive holes at C an 3B. You can't expect to be contenders with huge gaps at a third of your positions.

 

In 2014, those aren't the blackholes that you think they are.