Reviewing the "Victorino Conundrum" thread, JBJ seems to have both strong detractors and advocates.
JBJ is 25 years old. He appears capable of raking AAA pitching, as he's got over 500 ABs in AAA (albeit over three years) with a cumulative OPS over .800. However, he has thus far been almost completely incapable of hitting MLB pitching.
His value as a trade asset is low at the moment, as he has more than a whiff of AAAA about him. Unfortunately, the only way to determine what he's going to be is to get him major-league ABs, however:
(1) there isn't really room for him in the OF; Castillo and Betts need ABs, so neither of them should sit for JBJ. And Hanley's going to have to play LF until Papi is put out to pasture; and
(2) after last year's lengthy and disastrous stint in the majors, it's hard to imagine either Farrell or the FO being willing to give him an extended look if he doesn't hit right away -- and going 0-11 in his brief time in the majors this year didn't make things any easier.
So what do the Sox do with JBJ?
This year is easy -- I'd do what they're doing; let him get ABs in AAA all year, bring him up only when he'll get playing time due to injury, then call him up in September to shore up the D. But what about the future? If you were Ben & team sketching out a long-term plan for JBJ, what would it be? In particular, if you think he's a player, how do you make that determination without taking away ABs from someone else who needs them?
I suspect that he eventually is going to wind up being dealt in the off-season to an NL team with a need in CF (the Padres seem as likely a destination as any, especially if they lose Upton), but I'm curious what others think. I was especially surprised to see multiple suggestions that JBJ is the CF of the future. Does that assume Mookie moves to a corner, Hanley moves to DH and Papi is let go?
JBJ is 25 years old. He appears capable of raking AAA pitching, as he's got over 500 ABs in AAA (albeit over three years) with a cumulative OPS over .800. However, he has thus far been almost completely incapable of hitting MLB pitching.
His value as a trade asset is low at the moment, as he has more than a whiff of AAAA about him. Unfortunately, the only way to determine what he's going to be is to get him major-league ABs, however:
(1) there isn't really room for him in the OF; Castillo and Betts need ABs, so neither of them should sit for JBJ. And Hanley's going to have to play LF until Papi is put out to pasture; and
(2) after last year's lengthy and disastrous stint in the majors, it's hard to imagine either Farrell or the FO being willing to give him an extended look if he doesn't hit right away -- and going 0-11 in his brief time in the majors this year didn't make things any easier.
So what do the Sox do with JBJ?
This year is easy -- I'd do what they're doing; let him get ABs in AAA all year, bring him up only when he'll get playing time due to injury, then call him up in September to shore up the D. But what about the future? If you were Ben & team sketching out a long-term plan for JBJ, what would it be? In particular, if you think he's a player, how do you make that determination without taking away ABs from someone else who needs them?
I suspect that he eventually is going to wind up being dealt in the off-season to an NL team with a need in CF (the Padres seem as likely a destination as any, especially if they lose Upton), but I'm curious what others think. I was especially surprised to see multiple suggestions that JBJ is the CF of the future. Does that assume Mookie moves to a corner, Hanley moves to DH and Papi is let go?