Red Sox Spring training thread

soxhop411

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“@bradfo: Koji said he was hurt at end of last year but wouldn't identify what ailment was. Said it was not simply fatigue”

“@PeteAbe: Without going into too many details, Koji Uehara said his arm was bothering him last season. But he was healthy by the end. #RedSox”
 

soxhop411

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According to major league sources, here are some particulars about the Red Sox’ approach to picking these pieces:

– The Red Sox did have interest in free agent Max Scherzer, actually valuing him as much as Jon Lester. But after numerous discussions with Scherzer’s agent, Scott Boras, it became clear the righty’s price tag was going to be too big for the Red Sox’ to swallow.

According to one source, at no point during the offseason did Boras hint that he was concerned Scherzer wouldn’t get his money, potentially leading to a more palatable reduced rate. In the end, the former Tigers hurler inked a seven-year, $210 million deal with the Nationals.

– The Red Sox did meet with free agent James Shields at the winter meetings, but never identified the starter as a great fit. It was determined by the organization that pitching home games at Fenway Park might not be the best avenue for Shields, who carries a career record of 2-9 with a 5.42 ERA. The money Shields ultimately got with the Padres — four years, $75 million with a fifth year club option for $16 million — was in the vicinity of the Red Sox anticipated.

– While it the moves to acquire both Wade Miley and Rick Porcello almost immediately after Lester signed with the Cubs appeared to be a reaction to missing out on the lefty, both acquisitions were already pretty much in place with or without Lester. The Miley deal had been worked on since the GM meetings a month before, and with Detroit needing to maneuver its roster, the impetus to acquire an outfielder (Yoenis Cespedes) while freeing up some room in the rotation became a priority for Detroit GM Dave Dombrowski in the waning hours of the winter meetings.

(The Red Sox were also wary of the Tigers potentially flipping Cespedes to the Orioles, who had shown interest in trading for the outfielder earlier in the offseason.)

– If Lester did re-sign with the Red Sox, Masterson might have been the odd man out. It shouldn’t be forgotten, however, the relationship between the former Indians ace and his former pitching coach (and current Red Sox manager) John Farrell. Even after the Sox’ 2009 trade of Masterson, the two kept in touch on a regular basis.
http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/2015/02/16/a-look-at-how-red-sox-starting-rotation-took-shape-and-why-it-doesnt-include-max-scherzer-james-shields/
 

pokey_reese

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Compared to the first picture, it looks like he is really sucking it in when he knows that he is being photographed. But from the side, he has a real Rich Garces thing going, which is oddly comforting.
 

Snodgrass'Muff

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soxhop411 said:
 
Finally, we can move on from Josh Beckett. Let the "Pictures taken in motion distort" versus "He's a professional athlete, his job is to be in prime condition" arguments resume! Spring is here!
 

ItOnceWasMyLife

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It's amazing how much professional players look like your average softball beer league when out of uniform. 
 

soxhop411

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For the first time in his professional career, Pablo Sandoval has entered into a spring training wearing gear that doesn’t have the San Francisco Giantslogo all over it.
It didn’t seem to throw the effervescent third baseman off his game.
“I kind of love it,” Sandoval said of the change, wearing a red Michael Jordan hat and a big smile while meeting with the media Tuesday afternoon. “I’m getting used to it.”
Sandoval’s first day working out with his new teammates wasn’t anything out of the norm, first hitting with Hanley Ramirez in the batting cage before heading out to the field, where he took batting practice off lefty BP pitcher Adrian Lorenzo.
There were also the plyometrics and sprints, executed with the other position players.
All the while, his brother, Michael, looked on, witnessing the results of the duo’s offseason labor.
Perhaps the most noteworthy tidbit Sandoval expressed when talking after the workouts was that he has focused almost exclusively on hitting from the right side this offseason.
“I just started hitting left-handed last week,” the switch-hitter noted. ‘I think it will be a good challenge for me.”
The challenge will be for Sandoval to improve upon the sizable gap between his batting averages hitting from the left and right sides. Against lefty pitchers in 2014, he only hit .199, compared to a .317 average when hitting left-handed.
For his career, Sandoval is batting .304 vs. righty pitching, and .274 against left-handers. In last season’s postseason, however, he did hit .300 from the right side (and .377 as a lefty batter).
“It’s not how you start,” he said, ‘it’s how you finish.
http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/2015/02/17/pablo-sandoval-shows-up-vows-to-hit-lefty-pitching-better/
 

Al Zarilla

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adam42381 said:
We already knew he was fat. Let's just hope he doesn't gain too much more weight.
Re my post, I am well aware of his "fat history", as are the others on this board that watch the Giants. As long as he stays, what, 50 - 60 pounds this side of 300, we should be good. 
 
I was thinking this morning about how Sox fans are going to love or hate him. If he (heaven forbid) gets off to a bad start like in 2014, when he was hitting .180 into May, you'll be hating him for swinging at everything. When he gets it going and takes pitches a foot+ outside off the wall to knock in runs, you'll marvel at his great bat control. Should be fun.
 

nattysez

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Al Zarilla said:
Re my post, I am well aware of his "fat history", as are the others on this board that watch the Giants. As long as he stays, what, 50 - 60 pounds this side of 300, we should be good. 
 
I was thinking this morning about how Sox fans are going to love or hate him. If he (heaven forbid) gets off to a bad start like in 2014, when he was hitting .180 into May, you'll be hating him for swinging at everything. When he gets it going and takes pitches a foot+ outside off the wall to knock in runs, you'll marvel at his great bat control. Should be fun.
 
Quoted for truth -- I'm really worried about what's going to happen if he gets off to one of his slow starts.  
 
On the one hand, even when he came into Spring Training in better shape, he tended to get heavier as the season progressed, so I'm not overly worried about him starting out heavy (as long as he doesn't get too much heavier).  On the other hand, it might've been nice for him to show that he could watch his weight without being constantly harassed about it, which is reportedly part of the reason he wanted to leave SF.
 
Edit:  A few interesting thoughts in this Twitter thread between SF-based sports folks.
 

Al Zarilla

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nattysez said:
 
Quoted for truth -- I'm really worried about what's going to happen if he gets off to one of his slow starts.  
 
On the one hand, even when he came into Spring Training in better shape, he tended to get heavier as the season progressed, so I'm not overly worried about him starting out heavy (as long as he doesn't get too much heavier).  On the other hand, it might've been nice for him to show that he could watch his weight without being constantly harassed about it, which is reportedly part of the reason he wanted to leave SF.
 
Edit:  A few interesting thoughts in this Twitter thread between SF-based sports folks.
If he does start off slow, we'll just have to grin and bear it and know that he always comes around. After that horrible start last year he set the record for most hits in a single postseason with 26. The guy's bat control, most noticeable of course when he goes after bad pitches, is remarkable.
 
http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/Playoffs_batting.shtml
 
Just noticed that he's even in the top 10 for a second time because of 2012. And, they didn't let him play in 2010 (meanies). 
 

Jed Zeppelin

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Al Zarilla said:
If he does start off slow, we'll just have to grin and bear it and know that he always comes around. After that horrible start last year he set the record for most hits in a single postseason with 26. The guy's bat control, most noticeable of course when he goes after bad pitches, is remarkable.
 
http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/Playoffs_batting.shtml
 
Ideally, this lineup will be good enough to soften the blow of extended slumps by any individual. Plus there are enough potential targets of disdain to share the burden of overreaction by the media and impatient fans. You have the big contracts (Ramirez and Sandoval), the young and unproven (Bogaerts/Betts/Vazquez) and the mystery man (Castillo), all with ready-made hot takes attached.
 
As always, team success will cure all ills unless you're worse than Julio Lugo or less demonstrative than JD Drew (regular season edition). I'm sure Panda can be frustrating but I'll hang my hat on the report from a while back that it's good to fill your lineup with different types of hitters.
 

OnWisc

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Not to say he's skinny, but I think he's got something under his shirt in that profile picture. He's not Randy from Trailer Park Boys.

He looks big in the other photos, but nothing like that profile. Plus the shape of his gut is weird and there's something sticking out from under the shirt.

I hope.
 

SydneySox

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It does sort of look like it, with something hanging out and shit. Maybe he's trolling us.
 
I'd appreciate if that was the case.
 

Yazdog8

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Having lived in SF for all of Sandoval's tenure in SF, this is how he pretty much shows up to camp (save for one year where he really dropped weight and looked great). He's surprisingly athletic for having that build. He's going to put on some weight during the season. This is who he is. You just have to get used to it.
 

In my lifetime

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OnWisc said:
Not to say he's skinny, but I think he's got something under his shirt in that profile picture. He's not Randy from Trailer Park Boys.

He looks big in the other photos, but nothing like that profile. Plus the shape of his gut is weird and there's something sticking out from under the shirt.

I hope.
 
I think that is Spanx that is hanging out of his shirt.
 

phrenile

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Urqz08sI8U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6plOr_Qc0E
 

E5 Yaz

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SydneySox said:
You know who else said you have to get used to things?
The Nazis.
 
That's who.
 
And they implemented an extremely effective weight-loss program
 

koufax32

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In fairness to George he burned a lot of those calories in the cab on the way to the game by banging like 20 chicks. Can we vet Panda a brothel discount card or something?
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Yazdog8 said:
Having lived in SF for all of Sandoval's tenure in SF, this is how he pretty much shows up to camp (save for one year where he really dropped weight and looked great). He's surprisingly athletic for having that build. He's going to put on some weight during the season. This is who he is. You just have to get used to it.
 
Wasn't last year one of those seasons where he showed up to camp slimmed down?  And wasn't last year one of his slow start years?  Coincidence?  I'll take pudgy Panda if it means he hits .280-290+ in the first half.
 

reggiecleveland

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We have the first "best shape of his life story"
 

 

Mookie Betts - OF - Red Sox


Mookie Betts arrived at Red Sox camp weighing 181 pounds.

He's listed at 155 pounds on the official Red Sox website. This is muscle that Betts has added, not fat. The 22-year-old outfielder may be headed for a true breakout season after flashing to the tune of a .291/.368/.444 batting line with five homers and seven stolen bases in 52 games as a rookie in 2014.
 
https://twitter.com/bradfo/status/567329296394358784
 
 

nvalvo

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That makes it sound like he's added 25 pounds this offseason. I think it's more likely that he's added 25 pounds since he turned pro. 
 

NDame616

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Pet peeve: it's impossible to add 5 or 10 or 20 lbs OF MUSCLE in a baseball off season....unless you turn to Jose Canseco for advice.

No one adds that much muscle that quickly.
 

Toe Nash

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soxhop411 said:
According to major league sources, here are some particulars about the Red Sox’ approach to picking these pieces:

– The Red Sox did meet with free agent James Shields at the winter meetings, but never identified the starter as a great fit. It was determined by the organization that pitching home games at Fenway Park might not be the best avenue for Shields, who carries a career record of 2-9 with a 5.42 ERA. 
He may or may not be a good fit for the Sox and Fenway, but he wouldn't be facing the Red Sox' offense had they signed him, which has generally been pretty good...
 
BCsMightyJoeYoung said:
MLBTR claims (via Ben Cherington) that Uehera's injury last year's was a lower back issue

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/02/pitching-notes-gee-k-rod-soriano-marlins-uehara-richards.html

That makes more sense. If Koji was having arm issues then I can't see the Sox keep running him out there in a lost season.
It doesn't make sense to me. Any kind of injury can cascade and I wish they had been more careful with Koji (unless he was hiding the severity, in which case I wish he hadn't). There was really nothing to be gained.
 

FL4WL3SS

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NDame616 said:
Pet peeve: it's impossible to add 5 or 10 or 20 lbs OF MUSCLE in a baseball off season....unless you turn to Jose Canseco for advice.

No one adds that much muscle that quickly.
It's completely reasonable to add .5lbs per week. 10lbs of muscle is one offseason is completely doable. 5 would be easy.

October thru February is 20 weeks.
 

NDame616

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it's muscle gain that's the issue with me. Any college freshman can tell you gaining 15 lbs in a fall is easy to to. but you don't gain all muscle.

Your basic HS freshman lifting weights for the first time and enjoying puberty can maybe gain 2 lbs of muscle a month.
 

CGSO

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Really could not care less about Pablo's weight. As long as he keeps doing what he did in San Fran he can be as fat as he wants.
 

FelixMantilla

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Are you guys for real? 
 
Betts weight was 156 lbs when he was drafted in 2011. No great stretch that he now weighs 181 lbs.
 

injia

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FelixMantilla said:
Are you guys for real? 
 
Betts weight was 156 lbs when he was drafted in 2011. No great stretch that he now weighs 181 lbs.
felix himself has certainly gained that much weight in this same period.
 

flymrfreakjar

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OnWisc said:
Not to say he's skinny, but I think he's got something under his shirt in that profile picture. He's not Randy from Trailer Park Boys.

He looks big in the other photos, but nothing like that profile. Plus the shape of his gut is weird and there's something sticking out from under the shirt.

I hope.
 
After seeing the videos, this has to be the case.
 

NDame616

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FelixMantilla said:
Are you guys for real? 
 
Betts weight was 156 lbs when he was drafted in 2011. No great stretch that he now weighs 181 lbs.
Maybe I jumped the gun. I was under the impression last season was listed at 156.