Lavarnway is ready

[60'sfan]

Ryan Lavarnway his hitting everything in sight right now. His average over the last ten games is .487 bringing his season average up to .320. His plate discipline is excellent. Is it time to shop Shoppach while he has some value?

 

[NHUConnfan]

Ryan Lavarnway his hitting everything in sight right now. His average over the last ten games is .487 bringing his season average up to .320. His plate discipline is excellent. Is it time to shop Shoppach while he has some value?

Shop Shoppach? He's not going to command much. Shopping Lavarnway would be the smarter thing. Unless the Sox are willing to part with Ortiz at the end of this year (which I have a hard time thinking they'll do), Lavarnway doesn't have a place on this team.

 

[60'sfan]

I'd like to see Lavarnway come up for an extended period of time to see what he could do. We know what we have in Shoppach and it's not much. None of the three catchers is eye-catching defensively but Lavarnway could be a solid bat. Shoppach might have some value for a contender who needs a backup catcher. His value right now is higher than the last two years when he hit below the Mendoza line.

 

[NHUConnfan]

I'd like to see Lavarnway come up for an extended period of time to see what he could do. We know what we have in Shoppach and it's not much. None of the three catchers is eye-catching defensively but Lavarnway could be a solid bat. Shoppach might have some value for a contender who needs a backup catcher. His value right now is higher than the last two years when he hit below the Mendoza line.

You couldn't trade Shoppach straight up for anyone that would be of use to the Red Sox in their playoff push.

 

[Danzz]

Ryan Lavarnway his hitting everything in sight right now. His average over the last ten games is .487 bringing his season average up to .320. His plate discipline is excellent. Is it time to shop Shoppach while he has some value?

He is proably better off playing everyday in Pawtucket.

 

[60'sfan]

You couldn't trade Shoppach straight up for anyone that would be of use to the Red Sox in their playoff push.

You're more optimistic than me. I don't see this Red Sox team as being a playoff team. If somehow they did get in, they don't have the top of the rotation starters to last very long. I know that Theo got in trouble for saying that the Sox were in a bridge year, but it is what it is. This might be a great time to unload some players who still have some talent for future pitching prospects. Or, put together a package and try to get someone like King Felix. There are some talented position players down on the farm but the pitching is pretty weak. Right now the Sox starters are close to the worse in all of baseball.

 

[NHUConnfan]

You're more optimistic than me. I don't see this Red Sox team as being a playoff team. If somehow they did get in, they don't have the top of the rotation starters to last very long. I know that Theo got in trouble for saying that the Sox were in a bridge year, but it is what it is. This might be a great time to unload some players who still have some talent for future pitching prospects. Or, put together a package and try to get someone like King Felix. There are some talented position players down on the farm but the pitching is pretty weak. Right now the Sox starters are close to the worse in all of baseball.

The Sox starters are fine. The offense has just gotten anemic the past few days and the bullpen has found their propensity to blow late leads. This team has the parts to make the playoffs and they're not that far off.

 

[NHUConnfan]

To put it in perspective, here's how many games the Red Sox have left after the All-Star break (4 game series in 3 days with Yankees before the break)

• Tampa Bay Rays - 9 games (2 home, 7 away)
• Chicago White Sox - 4 games (all home)
• Toronto Blue Jays - 9 games (6 home, 3 away)
• Texas Rangers - 6 games (3 home, 3 away)
• New York Yankees - 12 games (3 home, 9 away) ... on a side note, whoever the dumb duck is who created this part schedule is insane, especially given the 4 before the break are against the Yanks too
• Detroit Tigers - 3 games (all home)
• Minnesota Twins - 4 games (all home)
• Cleveland Indians - 4 games (all away)
• Baltimore Orioles - 9 games (3 home, 6 away)
• LA Angels - 6 games (3 home, 3 away)
• Kansas City Royals - 4 games (all home)
• Oakland Athletics - 3 games (all away)
• Seattle Mariners - 3 games (all away)

It's an interesting schedule when you break it down. I think the tough thing for the Yankees is having to play the Red Sox 12 times. As always, that's a stressful series for both clubs and with 16 of those games left this season...it's quite the mental test for both teams.
The AL East will be won in the second half of the year and I honestly think any team has a chance. I also am positive at least one of the wild cards is coming from the AL East.

 

[60'sfan]

The AL East will be won in the second half of the year and I honestly think any team has a chance. I also am positive at least one of the wild cards is coming from the AL East.

I hope that you are right but the Sox are currently 5th in the wild card standings and right now they are not among the top five teams in AL IMO. It is certainly possible that Crawford and Ellsbury will light a fire under the team when they return but it is also possible the Crawford is no longer the player he used to be; and Jacoby may take a while to get into MVP shape again.
But I still have no confidence in their starters. Beckett and Lester are a combined 9-12 and have ERAs over four. I have no idea what is going on with Buchholtz who despite his ERA over 5.53 has an 8-2 mark. Dice K is probably done. I don't think Cook is the answer. Don't count on Bard coming back as a starter. I'm not sure is coming back at all. He has been getting lit up in triple A and may set an all-time record for hit batsmen. Morales has looked good but the 43 innings he has pitched this year are a career high. Even our own Matt Barnes has gotten pummeled lately in the advanced A league with Salem.
I think the Sox should be focused on 2013. But what do I know? If they sweep the Yankees this weekend, I will be right there with you.

 

[Waquoit]

I don't think schedule analysis is much use in baseball. Any team can get hot against any other team in a short stretch, as late last season showed us. I still think the Sox at full strength can get hot in the 2nd half.

 

[NHUConnfan]

I don't think schedule analysis is much use in baseball. Any team can get hot against any other team in a short stretch, as late last season showed us. I still think the Sox at full strength can get hot in the 2nd half.

I did it for myself just to see who we're playing...but does anyone find it strange how the Sox/Yanks is so backloaded this season?

 

[60'sfan]

The Sox starters are fine. The offense has just gotten anemic the past few days and the bullpen has found their propensity to blow late leads. This team has the parts to make the playoffs and they're not that far off.

Sometimes you don't know how many holes your team has until you play someone good. It was so true with Uconn basketball, where the team would look wonderful playing against weak teams in December and then get a wake up call when the Big East schedule kicked in. After playing Seattle and Oakland last week, it was easy to believe that our pitching was OK but after playing the Yankees it is obvious that our starters are not capable of competing against decent hitting teams. Why is a great question. Why did Lester and Beckett become ordinary? Is it because Varitek retired? Is it because of the new pitching coach? Is it because of the fat contracts?

The series against the Yankees revealed some other holes. Salty can hit mistakes a long way but he is not a very good hitter. He cannot hit a good curve and he strikes out way too much. He is also pretty weak defensively. While he has a strong arm, he is very inaccurate. He committed a passed ball that cost Lester a run and he was out of position when Nava threw home and the ball hit the runner. He should have been in front of the plate. He has dropped too many throws home already this season. The Sox have given him plenty of time to see what he can do and IMO it is not enough. I have no idea if he calls a good game but there have not been good results. They need to unload either Salty or Shoppach and give Larvarnway a good long look. I still say this is not a playoff team and they should focus on the future.

 

[NHUConnfan]

Lavarnway is never going to catch for the Sox full time. Get that out of your head.

 

[60'sfan]

Lavarnway is never going to catch for the Sox full time. Get that out of your head.

One thing I have learned over the years is to never say never. I can only guess that you see something in Salty that you like and/or something in Larvarnway that you don't like. As I mentioned in my last post Salty has good power but hits for a low average and cannot hit a curve. He has poor plate discipline and rarely walks. He is average to poor defensively. This year he is throwing out 17% of the base runners and last year he led the American League in passed balls (although part of that could have been the Wakefield factor).
Larvarnway and Salty are both about the same size physically. Ryan is two years younger and appears to be a very good hitter with good plate discipline. His OBP is over 400%. Here is some more info on him:
Selected by the Boston Red Sox in the sixth round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of Yale University. ... Was ranked the Red Sox's No. 4 prospect by MLB.com entering the 2012 season. ... Made his Major League debut on Aug. 18, 2011. ... On Sept. 27, 2011, he became the third player in Major League history to hit multiple homers in his first game started behind the plate. ... Was named Red Sox Minor League Offensive Co-Player of the Year in 2010 and 2011. ... Was named the organization's Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America following the 2011 season. ... Finished the 2011 season with 32 homers, the most by a Red Sox Minor Leaguer since 2004. ... Was tabbed by Baseball America as the best power prospect in the International League in 2011. ... In 2010, he led the organization and ranked 11th in the Minor Leagues in RBIs.

I am told that he has a lot to learn about catching but he must be pretty smart. He went to Yale.

 

[NHUConnfan]

One thing I have learned over the years is to never say never. I can only guess that you see something in Salty that you like and/or something in Larvarnway that you don't like. As I mentioned in my last post Salty has good power but hits for a low average and cannot hit a curve. He has poor plate discipline and rarely walks. He is average to poor defensively. This year he is throwing out 17% of the base runners and last year he led the American League in passed balls (although part of that could have been the Wakefield factor).
Larvarnway and Salty are both about the same size physically. Ryan is two years younger and appears to be a very good hitter with good plate discipline. His OBP is over 400%. Here is some more info on him:
Selected by the Boston Red Sox in the sixth round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of Yale University. ... Was ranked the Red Sox's No. 4 prospect by MLB.com entering the 2012 season. ... Made his Major League debut on Aug. 18, 2011. ... On Sept. 27, 2011, he became the third player in Major League history to hit multiple homers in his first game started behind the plate. ... Was named Red Sox Minor League Offensive Co-Player of the Year in 2010 and 2011. ... Was named the organization's Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America following the 2011 season. ... Finished the 2011 season with 32 homers, the most by a Red Sox Minor Leaguer since 2004. ... Was tabbed by Baseball America as the best power prospect in the International League in 2011. ... In 2010, he led the organization and ranked 11th in the Minor Leagues in RBIs.

I am told that he has a lot to learn about catching but he must be pretty smart. He went to Yale.

Lavarnway was not a catcher until his last year at Yale. To make the assumption that he could call a better game than Salty is absolutely insane. His catching skills have been reported by many as topping out at average, but mainly below-average.

Don't get me wrong, he's an offensive beast. But he is absolutely not a full-time catcher. He doesn't and will never possess the skills to be a full-time catcher. However bad you think Salty is defensively as a catcher (calling a game and the rest), Lavarnway is worse, much much worse. If not, wouldn't you think the Sox would have called him up by now? (That's a rhetorical question and not one to be seriously answered.)

 

[NHUConnfan]

By the way 60's...don't need to tell me about Sox prospects. I follow them very closely. And I think you'll see in the other posts on this board that I have not said anything contradicting your previous post.