JBJ's Spring

[Kimmi]

I like Farrell but I miss Tito.

I second that.

That goes for Theo too.

[Kimmi]

I am just going by reports at the time. He reportedly told management that he lost control in 2011 and he was pretty hurt by it. He suggested that he was through in Boston.

I think a lot of that was blown out of proportion because the team was free falling. Had they been winning, his "loss of control" would not have been an issue.

[a700hitter]

I think a lot of that was blown out of proportion because the team was free falling. Had they been winning, his "loss of control" would not have been an issue.

I am just going by what Tito reportedly said at the time, and he reportedly suggested his firing.

[seabeachfred]

Look at the Indians' roster. With Brantley nursing a sore back, and Bourn a shell of himself, the Indians are built to play station to station. Are you going to hit and run with a bunch of guys who are both slow as molasses and prone to swinging-and-missing? You play the team they give you.

The go-go Sox of 2008 (120 SB), and the fast 2007 team (97 SB) completely contradict your very erroneous notion that Francona was a proponent of playing station-to-station baseball. You can scream that he didn't strategize with baserunning until you are blue in the face, but that doesn't take away the fact that you are wrong. Your recollection is very different from almost everyone else's, and the stats.

Look, Francona himself said he didn't like to give up outs and that was seconded by Epstein. I saw how he put the clamps on any running game at all those two series back in 2008. I don't need anyone to remind me of what I saw because I saw where the Rays didn't give a shit about our runners at all, the pitchers didn't look at them before they pitched and not once did Francona turn them loose. I'm talking about a half dozen times in those two games we had runners on first and second and less than two outs and no movement whatsoever. That was the team's philosophy under those two and it was carried in my opinion to a ridiculous extreme.

[User Name?]

Look, Francona himself said he didn't like to give up outs and that was seconded by Epstein. I saw how he put the clamps on any running game at all those two series back in 2008. I don't need anyone to remind me of what I saw because I saw where the Rays didn't give a shit about our runners at all, the pitchers didn't look at them before they pitched and not once did Francona turn them loose. I'm talking about a half dozen times in those two games we had runners on first and second and less than two outs and no movement whatsoever. That was the team's philosophy under those two and it was carried in my opinion to a ridiculous extreme.

But the philosophy of not running into outs, and de-emphasizing the running game are two completely different things. The Sox played straight-steals, but they had a bunch of big boppers who they didn't want to distract with hit-and-runs and the like. Creating situations is a hell of a lot less important when you've got 5-6 guys in a lineup who can go yard at any given time, and a couple more who can drop an XBH with regularity as well. Whether or not you agree with it with one thing, but with a team with as much firepower as those Sox teams had, letting the hitter do their thing was always the percentage play.

[Kingface]

I'm well known for my profound statements. LOL

You miss me, don't you?

Never disliked you!! I have that innate ability to bother the heck out of people!! Contrary to popular belief, I did not join here to creepily stalk anybody. Things get boring at 'other places' so I wanted to see what this place was like. Seems pretty good with a lot of familiar faces from a while back. Hope all is well and you're enjoying the start of this 'interesting' season. If we can get some of our pitchers to learn how to pitch again....and not throw .....this could be a great season......

[SimplyMarie]

I like JBJ.. I saw him when he was with the Spinners. Couldn't hit his weight...but he was exciting to watch in the field. I know..I know..offense is so sexy..but his strength will always be in his defense.

[Kimmi]

Never disliked you!! I have that innate ability to bother the heck out of people!! Contrary to popular belief, I did not join here to creepily stalk anybody. Things get boring at 'other places' so I wanted to see what this place was like. Seems pretty good with a lot of familiar faces from a while back. Hope all is well and you're enjoying the start of this 'interesting' season. If we can get some of our pitchers to learn how to pitch again....and not throw .....this could be a great season......

This is a good board. I've enjoyed posting here. The members have all been very welcoming, and the moderating is not stifling.

All is well, thank you, and I hope the same for you. The season has been both frustrating and enjoyable so far. The starting pitching should be better than what we saw last week, and IMO, the bats have not really warmed up yet. Given that we are 8-5 despite that, I am optimistic about things to come.

[Kimmi]

I like JBJ.. I saw him when he was with the Spinners. Couldn't hit his weight...but he was exciting to watch in the field. I know..I know..offense is so sexy..but his strength will always be in his defense.

I like JBJ too. I really hope that the Sox do not trade him, and that he can hit enough to earn a spot on the team, maybe next season. Not sure if that will happen though.

[jad]

Well, he's hitting pretty well in Pawtucket, and he hit well this spring. Meanwhile, among those who are not hitting all that well: Betts, Craig, Victorino, Nava, catchers, even Ortiz. Since three of those are OF, there ought to be a place for him on the roster pretty soon. I'd like to see Craig and Victorino gone, since I'm not really interested in their apparently fading careers, but it's not my money, and thus it's easy to say that.

[Spitball]

Look, Francona himself said he didn't like to give up outs and that was seconded by Epstein. I saw how he put the clamps on any running game at all those two series back in 2008. I don't need anyone to remind me of what I saw because I saw where the Rays didn't give a shit about our runners at all, the pitchers didn't look at them before they pitched and not once did Francona turn them loose. I'm talking about a half dozen times in those two games we had runners on first and second and less than two outs and no movement whatsoever. That was the team's philosophy under those two and it was carried in my opinion to a ridiculous extreme.

I believe the Red Sox were third in the AL in 2008 with 130 steals.

[User Name?]

I believe the Red Sox were third in the AL in 2008 with 130 steals.

I made that point in the post he was responding to. Sometimes fred won't let facts get in the way of a good argument though.

[Spitball]

I made that point in the post he was responding to. Sometimes fred won't let facts get in the way of a good argument though.

Ha! I see that now. I don't remember Fred's recollections, but stolen bases should be an absolute situational strategy with a high percentage of success and not a necessary act. I believe Francona understood this.

[a700hitter]

Mariners Rejected Bradley-For-Furbush Offer From Red Sox
May 14th, 2015 at 11:44pm CST • By Mark Polishuk

The Mariners turned down a trade offer from the Red Sox in the spring that would’ve seen outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. go to Seattle in exchange for left-handed reliever Charlie Furbush, ESPN Boston’s Gordon Edes reports (Twitter link).

Moving Bradley would’ve helped clear up the outfield surplus that the Sox are still dealing with, though there’s been less of a logjam for playing time than expected given some injuries and a few underperforming players.* Furbush has posted solid numbers since 2012 and you have to think he would’ve upgraded a Boston bullpen that entered today with the second-lowest fWAR of any relief corps in the game.* That said, Furbush’s 1.86 ERA this season is belied by some shaky peripherals numbers (.185 BABIP, 4.37 xFIP, 3.89 SIERA) so perhaps he might’ve struggled at Fenway Park.* Furbush is on a one-year, $1.3MM deal and still has two remaining years of arbitration eligibility.

Offering Bradley for a good-but-not-elite setup reliever would’ve seemed unthinkable a year ago, when the outfielder was considered one of the consensus top prospects in the game.* Over 530 MLB plate appearances in 2013-14, however, Bradley hit a measly .196/.268/.280, posting the second-lowest wRC+ (51) of any player in that stretch with at least 500 PA.* The Sox have already seemed to have moved on to Mookie Betts as their center fielder of the future and signed Rusney Castillo to a $72.5MM contract.

It’s hard to see Bradley’s hitting numbers improving with a move to the notoriously pitcher-friendly Safeco Field, and clearly the Mariners had enough concern about his bat that they weren’t willing to pull the trigger on an ex-top prospect who is controllable through 2019.* Bradley has shown himself to be a phenomenal defender, and could’ve potentially been a long-term answer in center with Austin Jackson scheduled for free agency after the season.

I would hope that his stock will rise with a good showing in his current stint in the bigs.

[cp176]

I'm beginning to wonder if he will ever hit big league pitching. As a Red Sox, I think that this is his last shot.