This is if we trade JDM .Originally Posted by S5Dewey
This is if we trade JDM .
I'm coll and relaxws, until they put JD in the OF, then I'm on pins and needles.
When you say it's gonna happen now
When exactly do you mean?
Your sneaky funny Moon
the fact that JDM didn't spend last offseason and ST working on 1b is criminal negligence by WTF!
i expect C-BlOOM! will fix this approach this coming year.
moon - keep an eye out for Sox personnel swinging by the TX Nokona factory picking up a couple Bloodline Pro Series P3's......
other names i have posted under: none
Sometimes the truth is damn funny!
When you say it's gonna happen now
When exactly do you mean?
It would be in his best interest if JD became a serviceable first baseman. The Sox have a need, and it would open up the market for him next year when his opt out comes up again. Remember the Sox won a championship with Napoli at 1B.
I respect you both but am I wrong in thinking they would be better served to just burn all his mitts ?
It's the team's best interest to keep JD's bat in the line-up at all costs. Keep him healthy.
After each games, they should wrap him in bubble wrap and put him in a padded room.
1B? OF? HELL NO!
(If we have to play him 1-2 games in a 3 games series in an NL park, so be it, but I'll be biting my nails down to the quick every game.)
When you say it's gonna happen now
When exactly do you mean?
If JD never plays 1b and sits in the 6 games the Sox play in NL parks, it’s not a disaster.
Without JBJ, I see JD playing about the same amount of games in the OF as 2019- maybe less.
When you say it's gonna happen now
When exactly do you mean?
Corner outfielders see sporadic action -- though a misplay can mean extra bases.
But a first baseman gets chances in virtually every inning, and is entrusted to secure automatic outs.
A skilled first baseman has good hands and reflexes to make scoops and stretches that save errors and subsequent pitches for the guy on the mound. Napoli started in the big leagues as a catcher. Ernie Banks was an MVP shortstop before moving to first. A lot of third basemen transition easily over to first: Youk, Tony Perez... cough, Bagwell.
A bad defensive ballplayer doesn't play first.
Actually it seems like first base is where most players who can hit but are poor defensive players get moved to. Most of the chances are throws intended to be caught, so it does tend to be the easiest position to play...
It would seem that way -- just stand there and catch the ball -- but there is also a lot of nimble footwork required, holding runners on, a step and a dive on liners, moving to make good feeds in traffic to start DPs, taking and relaying cutoff throws from right and center. A really good first sacker can be a weapon, like Keith Hernandez pouncing on bunts.
The Yankees seemingly wasted their best defensive player at first in the playoffs, but that was partly so they could keep Torres' bat in the lineup at second base. Torres is not a bad defender, but it was DJ was who nominated for a Gold Glove at second, and now they're letting Gregorious go so Torres can move to short and DJ back to second permanently. Voit had a hernia, but fans worried all summer about whether they could trust him at first in a championship drive in October.
We rarely see contenders with bad first basemen. Dick Stuart's nickname was Dr. Strangeglove, but he could hit dingers, and Boston needed the draw. His '63/64 Sox finished 7th and 8th, 28 and 27 games behind. He made 53 errors. At first base!
Actually it seems like there have been plenty of contenders with weak defensive 1b. The Yankees with Jason Giambi leaps to mind. Giambi fits the mold of a player who washed out defensively from other positions (2B and 3B) and settled in at 1B. Feddie Freeman had an uncharacteristic bad season at 1B for the NL East champion Braves.
Moreover, many players who were defensive disasters at other positions seem to settle in and become good 1B, and very quickly. Mark Teixeira was a horrific 3B when he came up, but he was a Gold Glove-caliber 1B. Mike Napoli is another. Although it is possible his reputation for being a defensive liability behind the plate stemmed from Mike Scioscia's attitude towards the position. But even if he wasn't as bad as advertised, he was far from an elite catcher. He WAS an elite 1B, however.
Heck, the namesake for this thread Eric Thames is an outfielder who washed out defensively, moved to 1B, and continued poor defensive play for a team that made the post-season this year and lost in the NLCS last year....
footwork is required but is an easily learnt skill. hence why WTF! should have him spend the past offseason and ST working on it. we shall see if it happens this season. i suspect it will.
other names i have posted under: none
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