Chad Spann - Page 2 - Talksox

riverside sluggers · 10-14-2006, 06:25 PM

rotoworld

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Chad Spann went 4-for-5 with two doubles and a walk Friday for the Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League.

Spann had a nice bounce-back season after two down years, hitting .294/.361/.472 in 360 at-bats for Double-A Portland. He's just 22 (23 later this month), so he does have a chance to become a major leaguer. However, that he's a below average defender at third base won't help his case.

riverside sluggers · 10-20-2006, 04:01 PM

redsox.com

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Spann red hot in Arizona Fall League
Red Sox prospect hitting a mighty .474 in winter ball

Chad Spann is one of the hottest hitters in the Arizona Fall League. The third baseman opened the season hitting safely in each of his first four games and is batting .474.
He is 9-for-19 with three doubles, a triple, seven RBIs and three runs scored for the Peoria Javelinas. The former fifth-round pick has amassed at least two RBIs and two hits in each of his last three games.

Spann's best performance of the young season came in a 9-8 victory over the Peoria Saguaros, when he went 4-for-5 with two RBIs on Oct. 13.

scaffolds · 10-21-2006, 10:21 AM

[quote=riverside sluggers;176127;]Im not exactly sure what their plan is for the 2008 season about the 1st/3rd base situations. Most likely Youk will be manning one of those position.

If Youkilis is playing one of those corners position not only in 2008, but in 2007 the Sox will be in trouble.

riverside sluggers · 10-21-2006, 02:18 PM

I thought it was evident that Youk is in line to be the starting 1st baseman or 3rd come opening day. Any tidbits that it would be otherwise?

ksushi · 10-21-2006, 02:20 PM

What are you talking about? Youk did a solid job this year. Great glove and good enough with the bat. Excellent first half with the bat, hit a wall but it was his first season playing for that long. A drop off was to be expected.

scaffolds · 10-21-2006, 06:48 PM

You call good enogh bat for a first baseman who hit 13 HR's and 70 RBI's, I don't, and not only that but they Sox's can't challange the rest of AL with results like that out of a production position like first base.

riverside sluggers · 10-21-2006, 07:14 PM

Youk was moved from 3rd to 1st out of necessity due to the fact of the Sox taking on Lowell in the Beckett deal.

scaffolds · 10-21-2006, 07:59 PM

Riverside; I understand that, Lowell its a better third baseman and hitter, but Youkilis doesn't porvide enough punch from a corner position, that is a production position. Like i said beforen the Sox can't compete offensively with the rest of the AL teams with Youkilis at a corner position.

example1 · 10-21-2006, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scaffolds

Riverside; I understand that, Lowell its a better third baseman and hitter, but Youkilis doesn't porvide enough punch from a corner position, that is a production position. Like i said beforen the Sox can't compete offensively with the rest of the AL teams with Youkilis at a corner position.

I don't buy that. First I think that Youkilis is extremely versitile. He can play 3 positions, 2 of them very well. He gets on base and has decent power. I think he will show better numbers when he's not going from first, to fourth, to fifth, to second in the lineup on consecutive nights. Give the guy a role and I think he'll produce. I see him as a 2 hitter. He's a difficult out, which is so important in the 2 hole with Ortiz and someone else coming up next. I see no reason why he can't give the kind of production and value to his team(overall, not just power #'s) of a guy like Inge, Crede or Casey.

One Red Seat · 10-22-2006, 12:19 AM

Kevin Youkilis should do two a days in the gym this offseason until he can develop the power to drive the ball out of the park more often. The average VORP for the top 30 1B (approximating the 30 starters) was ~30. Youk's was 18, putting him in 20th place. To my eyes, his game (speed, range, glove, eye) are what you expect from a masher, except he doesn't mash.

example1 · 10-22-2006, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by One Red Seat

Kevin Youkilis should do two a days in the gym this offseason until he can develop the power to drive the ball out of the park more often. The average VORP for the top 30 1B (approximating the 30 starters) was ~30. Youk's was 18, putting him in 20th place. To my eyes, his game (speed, range, glove, eye) are what you expect from a masher, except he doesn't mash.

Yes! I totally agree. He's even built like a masher but there's not much mash there. I don't quite get why he's not hitting the bombs that he should, but he's still young and just had his first full season at the plate. Overall I was happy with his production and I think with a full lineup his numbers should be better.

TPetey · 10-22-2006, 04:32 AM

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Originally Posted by example1

I don't buy that. First I think that Youkilis is extremely versitile. He can play 3 positions, 2 of them very well. He gets on base and has decent power. I think he will show better numbers when he's not going from first, to fourth, to fifth, to second in the lineup on consecutive nights. Give the guy a role and I think he'll produce. I see him as a 2 hitter. He's a difficult out, which is so important in the 2 hole with Ortiz and someone else coming up next. I see no reason why he can't give the kind of production and value to his team(overall, not just power #'s) of a guy like Inge, Crede or Casey.

IMHO, Youkilis is a much better fit as a leadoff (or #9) hitter than as a 2 hitter. A 2 hitter that strikes out 120 times (like Youk) would sound the death knell for the hit-and-run.

example1 · 10-22-2006, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TPetey

IMHO, Youkilis is a much better fit as a leadoff (or #9) hitter than as a 2 hitter. A 2 hitter that strikes out 120 times (like Youk) would sound the death knell for the hit-and-run.

Not if you do the hit and run with less than two strikes. He gets deep into counts. It's a natural consequence of a high OBP. I think he'll learn when to rip on a good pitch instead of watching it go past.

TPetey · 10-22-2006, 08:56 AM

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Originally Posted by example1

Not if you do the hit and run with less than two strikes. He gets deep into counts. It's a natural consequence of a high OBP. I think he'll learn when to rip on a good pitch instead of watching it go past.

True enough, but since Youk usually takes two strikes before his first swing, batting him second radically reduces hit-and-run opportunities. An effective 2 hole hitter should be a guy who makes contact and is able and willing to go the other way. Youk is anything but that hitter. Mark Loretta, even though he turned out to be very ineffective at moving runners over, comes much closer to the ideal of a #2.

Youk's high K rate is related to the fact that he goes deep into counts, but it's also a result of his high swing-and-miss rate. A #2 hitter shouldn't be so easy to fool.

scaffolds · 10-22-2006, 09:25 AM

Example; That is the point his versatility should send him to the bench to be an utility player. Youkilis is strong enough, he doesn't have the bat speed that is needed to be a power hitter.