Spring Training Week 1 - Stock Report

[bmags]

Great stuff NSS, as always. I hope that you are right, and that Gordo can potentially be left off the 25, depending on his level of suckage and the performance of those competing.

 

BTW, is Saladino already reassigned? He's the guy I want to see replacing Gordo, sooner or later. Unlike Gordo and Sanchez, seems to kill LHP, making him more platoon suitable to the other personnel. And probably has the most pop of the bunch.

 

Found some nice info on Danish's outing http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/pfx.ph...hamlb_kcamlb_1/ Apparently reached 92.5, not too bad.

 

Found it through this article article on SSS, http://www.southsidesox.com/2015/3/11/8188...for-second-base

talking about TD now throwing more of a slider ( "Coop calls it a cutter"), vs. the "slurve" type of pitch he had been throwing.

 

Cannot wait until we have that pitch data for EriK Johnson.

[Iwritecode]

D'oh, my brother just sent me that it's behind a paywall, sorry everyone.

 

I could read it with no problem.

[NorthSideSox72]

Thanks, and that is indeed sad. Does TS seem completely healthy? I kinda thought the GB reacquisition might have been somewhat related to Saladino's recovery timetable. Would love to see him given a real shot.

 

That Brooks data is freakin tremendous, imo, and I'll be checking it out for Rodon today and the other guys going forward, especially Montas. Did not know it existed for ST.

The Brooks data and Trackman are experimental in ST right now.

 

I am sure Saladino's health questions were some small part of the Beckham signing, but I am also pretty sure they just weren't comfortable relying on Saladino generally. He's been playing in Cactus League games, so I'd assume he's quite healthy at this point.

 

Cannot wait until we have that pitch data for EriK Johnson.

 

Yes.

 

[ShandyMan]

Fantastic article.

[NorthSideSox72]

The team knew Saladino would have no restrictions at the start of ST back in January.

Well no, the team said he was on track and it appeared that way. That isn't the same as saying they "knew" he'd have no restrictions. It certainly appeared that was likely, but they didn't and couldn't really know until he got out there. So it's good to see it coming to fruition.

 

[NorthSideSox72]

For that matter, Saladino actually told Rob (another FS writer) that he was easing in a bit at the beginning of ST.

 

[Eminor3rd]

Shouldn't we all be worried about Duke? He's had a history of being terrible and on March 11th, he is terrible.

 

Your hatred of anything Gordon Beckham is noted, but you can't have it both ways. If Beckham was 13-13 with 5 homers, you would say his numbers are meaningless. So saying he isn't one of the top 25 players in camp because he is 1-13 is ridiculous.

I'm not asking for it both ways -- Duke, just LAST YEAR, had an entire season of elite dominance as a relief pitcher. Yes, there are question marks because one entire season isn't two seasons or three seasons or ten seasons, but that is so much better an indicator of performance than Gordon Beckham's one good half-season five years ago followed by 2500 plate appearances of garbage. My saying he isn't one of the top 25 players in camp is a result of THAT plus tiny sprinkling of "oh btw he has still looked like s*** in ST this year." If he went 13-13 with five homers, I'd be damn impressed, but you're right that it wouldn't make me forget about the massive, years long resume of bad that he has collected thusfar. And it shouldn't. When Beckham has a full season of top-five-at-his-position performance, I'll gladly support giving him a contract and a spot on the roster.

 

I don't hate Gordon Beckham, but I do hate it when bad players soak up PT on my favorite team, especially when there are alternatives.

 

 

[Dick Allen]

I'm not asking for it both ways -- Duke, just LAST YEAR, had an entire season of elite dominance as a relief pitcher. Yes, there are question marks because one entire season isn't two seasons or three seasons or ten seasons, but that is so much better an indicator of performance than Gordon Beckham's one good half-season five years ago followed by 2500 plate appearances of garbage. My saying he isn't one of the top 25 players in camp is a result of THAT plus tiny sprinkling of "oh btw he has still looked like s*** in ST this year." If he went 13-13 with five homers, I'd be damn impressed, but you're right that it wouldn't make me forget about the massive, years long resume of bad that he has collected thusfar. And it shouldn't. When Beckham has a full season of top-five-at-his-position performance, I'll gladly support giving him a contract and a spot on the roster.

 

I don't hate Gordon Beckham, but I do hate it when bad players soak up PT on my favorite team, especially when there are alternatives.

Duke had an elite 38 innings. The other 20 were awful. When I got my BP they project him for a negative WAR. And the rest of the past 10 years has been godawful as well. And Beckham is a back up. You said he isn't a top 25. Is Sanchez better? If the answer is yes, tell me what you base it on?

 

Bonafacio's career splits are worse than Beckham's. He has zero hits. If the current spring training numbers are really any kind of guide as to how this season is going to play out, the Sox are in trouble. Gillaspie, Melky, LaRoche...none of them are hitting. I'm not expecting Beckham to be an all star. A back up is a good role for him. It's March 11th. Guys don't even have 15 plate appearances.

 

http://www.southsidesox.com/2015/3/4/81460...tistics-of-2014

Edited March 11, 2015 by Dick Allen

[shysocks]

Duke had an elite 38 innings. The other 20 were awful. When I got my BP they project him for a negative WAR. And the rest of the past 10 years has been godawful as well. And Beckham is a back up. You said he isn't a top 25. Is Sanchez better? If the answer is yes, tell me what you base it on?

 

Bonafacio's career splits are worse than Beckham's. He has zero hits. If the current spring training numbers are really any kind of guide as to how this season is going to play out, the Sox are in trouble. Gillaspie, Melky, LaRoche...none of them are hitting. I'm not expecting Beckham to be an all star. A back up is a good role for him. It's March 11th. Guys don't even have 15 plate appearances.

 

http://www.southsidesox.com/2015/3/4/81460...tistics-of-2014

You're repeatedly missing when Eminor says his thoughts on Beckham are primarily guided by his whole bad career and not the 13 plate appearances this spring. Are you not reading it or are you just willfully ignoring it?

[Dick Allen]

You're repeatedly missing when Eminor says his thoughts on Beckham are primarily guided by his whole bad career and not the 13 plate appearances this spring. Are you not reading it or are you just willfully ignoring it?

And I am trying to get him to tell me why he isn't one of the top 25 players in the Sox camp. Why would someone like Sanchez or Leury Garcia or Saladino top him if it all has to do with past performance.

Edited March 11, 2015 by Dick Allen

[Eminor3rd]

And I am trying to get him to tell me why he isn't one of the top 25 players in the Sox camp. Why would someone like Sanchez or Leury Garcia or Saladino top him if it all has to do with past performance.

 

Sanchez and Johnson have upside, Bonifacio and Garcia are fast and can play all over the diamond. All of those players are lefties or switch hitters. These are all great attributes for a bench player that Beckham doesn't have.

[Dick Allen]

Sanchez and Johnson have upside, Bonifacio and Garcia are fast and can play all over the diamond. All of those players are lefties or switch hitters. These are all great attributes for a bench player that Beckham doesn't have.

 

You are saying Leury Garcia is a better player than Gordon Beckham?

 

Look at Sanchez's numbers last year. He's better than Gordon Beckham as a back up?

 

Advanced stats will even say you are wrong.

 

 

Edited March 11, 2015 by Dick Allen

[Eminor3rd]

You are saying Leury Garcia is a better player than Gordon Beckham?

 

No. Nor do I know how you could have derived that. He IS faster and more defensively versatile, which is what I did say.

 

Look at Sanchez's numbers last year. He's better than Gordon Beckham as a back up?

 

Advanced stats will even say you are wrong.

 

As a back-up, yes. Sanchez has upside. I don't believe Beckham does. I like a guy on the bench who has a chance to break out. Who wouldn't? Beckham might be a marginally better hitter as of last year, but Sanchez could easily eclipse him if he improves, which isn't unlikely given that he's 22 or 23 or whatever. They seem about equal defensively, Sanchez is faster, and Sanchez is a switch-hitter.

[Dick Allen]

No. Nor do I know how you could have derived that. He IS faster and more defensively versatile, which is what I did say.

 

 

 

As a back-up, yes. Sanchez has upside. I don't believe Beckham does. I like a guy on the bench who has a chance to break out. Who wouldn't? Beckham might be a marginally better hitter as of last year, but Sanchez could easily eclipse him if he improves, which isn't unlikely given that he's 22 or 23 or whatever. They seem about equal defensively, Sanchez is faster, and Sanchez is a switch-hitter.

That doesn't mean he's better. And you said Beckham isn't one of the top 25. Hater's gonna hate.

 

If Sanchez does have all this upside, I'd rather he be in Charlotte playing everyday than scattered ABs at the major league level. Sitting on the bench doesn't help your development. But that is just me. And if he beats out Micah this spring, the same for Micah.

Edited March 11, 2015 by Dick Allen

[Eminor3rd]

That doesn't mean he's better. And you said Beckham isn't one of the top 25. Hater's gonna hate.

 

If Sanchez does have all this upside, I'd rather he be in Charlotte playing everyday than scattered ABs at the major league level. Sitting on the bench doesn't help your development. But that is just me. And if he beats out Micah this spring, the same for Micah.

 

I don't think Leury's one of the top 25, either. I'm not backing off the of the "not one of the top 25" comment. Beckham is a well-established bad player. I do consider Sanchez as better, because his more well-rounded skillset is more useful to this team.

 

I'd agree about the regular AB thing if it weren't for the fact that he doesn't seem to have anything to learn in AAA. He had a full year of 111 wRC+ there last year, which is probably his offensive ceiling anyway. I'd like to see him figure out how to hit ML pitching, and there's only one way to do that.

 

Plus, if Micah gets the starting job, he won't have anything like an iron grip on it. There'll be room for plenty of reps for whoever the backup is.