The Left Field Solution

What course should the Red Sox take in dealing with left field?


  • Total voters
    228
  • Poll closed .

Papelbon's Poutine

Homeland Security
SoSH Member
Dec 4, 2005
19,615
Portsmouth, NH
If any assets are spent on acquisitions they should be on relief pitching to bridge the gap and hedge against guys not coming back. Pending ERod being ok, the rotation is fine enough and the offense is best in the majors. If that means Holt in LF waiting for a young back or banking on Nintendo impressing in September than so be it. They're above average offensively at almost every position and have already fired bullets, spending more on a rental for the OF would be a horrible use of assets.
 

BestGameEvah

Member
SoSH Member
Oct 21, 2012
1,089
This is the latest on Chris Young: (from PJ - Britton)
Chris Young, on the other hand, remains a ways away from a return. Young still can't put enough weight on his injured right hamstring to run on the ground. (Young can only run on an ergonomic treadmill that limits the stress on his legs.) "We have to be careful we're not incurring any setbacks along the way," Farrell said. "It sucks right now," said Young, who was one of the hottest hitters in the Red Sox lineup when he suffered the injury on June 23. "It's been a slow process, but it always seems like that when you're not playing. The team is doing good, though, and that's amazing. I continue to work to get it right as soon as possible." Young and the Red Sox have to be careful not to push the matter too much. Dustin Pedroia came back in less than a month after suffering a hamstring strain a year ago, only to have to spend an additional six weeks on the disabled list.
 

YTF

Member
SoSH Member
I agree with the idea of returning Holt to his super utility role. They need to trade for a LF, a better offensive player than Holt. The Red Sox have the best offense in baseball, but LF is a position where they can increase their offensive production. I don't like the idea of promoting Benintendi this year, he probably isn't ready and will struggle too much. I like the idea of acquiring Josh Reddick or Carlos Gonzalez. Alternatively, they could aim lower and still get a better offensive player than Holt.
The current production out of left field is fine on both ends. I agree about Holt best serving the team as utility guy, but with the additions of Aaron Hill and Michael Martinez the Sox are a bit less dependent on him for that. DD only has so many bullets left in the chamber and I would prefer they be spent on pitching. There is plenty off offense on this team and for the moment anyway, we are not staring at a black hole of suck in the bottom of the batting order.
 

NDame616

will bailey
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2006
2,312
Not to continue the hijack, but when Roberts was on the Sox, he was a 6-year vet who had a few year track record of having an ability to steal bases at the ML level (but, strangely enough, did not have a great SB%). In other words, he was a vet who could be trusted to be a PR and make a good decision on a play and steal a base when needed.

I don't think Moncada, for all his abilities, should be thrown into the same role at this stage
 

DeadlySplitter

Member
SoSH Member
Oct 20, 2015
33,247
It sucks that Young & Swihart got seriously injured, but hopefully both are back for the stretch run. Caution on the hammy after Pedey is a good thing.

When Holt gets run down again as he seems to when playing almost everyday, Benintendi is coming up and Brentz goes down. Reassess Benintendi when Young/Swihart are ready.

EDIT: Martinez is a nice role guy to plug in at any position (as seen last night), but he was DFA'd for a reason... I'd replace him with Benintendi in a heartbeat.
 

FanSinceBoggs

seantwo
SoSH Member
Jan 12, 2009
937
New York
I would like to see them add a reliever just as long as the trade resembles the Brad Ziegler trade rather than the sabermetrically indefensible Craig Kimbrel trade. They have a lot of potentially high ceiling reliever options anyway, e.g., Kelly, Light, and Martin, and so another Craig Kimbrel trade would really speak to inadequacies in the front office. . . .

By upgrading LF, the Red Sox would upgrade the bench as well, i.e., Holt replaces Martinez. Since the Red Sox lack a minor league OF who is ready to surpass Holt as an offensive player (I highly doubt Benintendi is ready) one could argue that a LF upgrade is more important than adding another relief pitcher.
 
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DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
SoSH Member
Dec 16, 2010
53,838
Not to continue the hijack, but when Roberts was on the Sox, he was a 6-year vet who had a few year track record of having an ability to steal bases at the ML level (but, strangely enough, did not have a great SB%)
Roberts is in the top 50 all-time in SB% and in 2004, he was 33 for 34 with the Dodgers before coming to Boston.