In response to jidgef's comment:

Not a great day at the fort, but Lester looked real good. I left after six innings so I didn't see Rubby give up runs, but I did see Wright throw two excrutiating innings...couldn't throw strikes and when he did he got crushed. Not much offense either, but Holt, Iggy and Ciriaco all turned in excellent defensive plays. Ciriaco's error occured when he replaced Bradley in center. The backup infielder battle is wide open. 

An interesting sidelight was the sight of Overbay playing left field and looking lost. My guess is that they want the backup firstbaseman to also double as the fifth outfielder (I'm pretty sure Sweeney is the fourth outfielder.) and if that's the case then Overbay's first test was a dismal failure. He played a fairly routine fly to left into a double when he turned too quickly to play it off the wall and it short-hopped the wall instead, ooops. Then with a runner on second he charged a single to left and should have easily held the runner at third but he booted that ball allowing the runner to score. This was after Wright had walked the bases full, ugly baseball.

But Lester looked great, and it looked like he was being squeezed, but he kept his composure and pounded the strike zone. The only run he allowed scored on an infield out following a leadoff triple.

They should print your reports on the Globe Sports Pages.

Thinking outside of the box a little....

1) Bradley is ready now defensively for sure.

2) Bradley does appear to have a very advanced hitting approach already, particularly in terms of getting on base.

3) Bradley has produced in high pressure situations in college and seems to be a mature young man emotionally, capable of dealing with adversity and a big market.

4) Considering the wear and tear a center fielder often takes in MLB, are the normal "prime" years the same for a center fielder? Would he be better now rather than at 29? Look at other CF who have aged quickly in mlb and had difficulty staying on the field.

5) What are our needs THIS YEAR? Would he not fit in as a solid outfielder against all RH pitching and as a defensive replacement for THIS TEAM? The kid would potentially get into almost every game if he were also subbed as a defensive replacement in left field and he would probably play against most RH pitching considering the extreme splits of our normal LF and RF starters. 

6) He's a young player who is not used to playing 155 games anyway. He may be better off playing with some periodic rest in order to optimize his performance. Would he not develop just as fast in this situation, playing at least 2/3 the games?. 

7) It could just be that Bradley is one of our best lead off options already. Enabling us to slot Ellsbury at #3. Significantly changing the entire lineup.

*** I'm not saying go with Bradley at the start of the year but after we arrange to keep him from being a super 2, I have no problem at all bringing him up. The key to me is why did he slump the last month in AA ball? Was it a pitching adjustment which he just couldn't handle? Or was it fatigue and/or injuries or just a slump? To me that is a huge aspect of this decision.

They should print your reports on the Globe Sports Pages.

You mean they're not?

You haven't gotten a check yet?

In response to moonslav59's comment:

They should print your reports on the Globe Sports Pages.

You mean they're not?

You haven't gotten a check yet?

They're probably mailing it to Mass while I'm down here in Florida; just my luck!

If I thought we had a legitimate chance for a ring this year, I'd be going bonkers over Bradley not getting a shot this early season. I'm surprised that a lot of posters who have been arguing that the Sox have a good chance this year want our best OF'er to start in AAA and even to stay there most or all the year.

Thinking outside of the box a little....

1) Bradley is ready now defensively for sure.

2) Bradley does appear to have a very advanced hitting approach already, particularly in terms of getting on base.

3) Bradley has produced in high pressure situations in college and seems to be a mature young man emotionally, capable of dealing with adversity and a big market.

4) Considering the wear and tear a center fielder often takes in MLB, are the normal "prime" years the same for a center fielder? Would he be better now rather than at 29? Look at other CF who have aged quickly in mlb and had difficulty staying on the field.

5) What are our needs THIS YEAR? Would he not fit in as a solid outfielder against all RH pitching and as a defensive replacement for THIS TEAM? The kid would potentially get into almost every game if he were also subbed as a defensive replacement in left field and he would probably play against most RH pitching considering the extreme splits of our normal LF and RF starters. 

6) He's a young player who is not used to playing 155 games anyway. He may be better off playing with some periodic rest in order to optimize his performance. Would he not develop just as fast in this situation, playing at least 2/3 the games?. 

7) It could just be that Bradley is one of our best lead off options already. Enabling us to slot Ellsbury at #3. Significantly changing the entire lineup.

*** I'm not saying go with Bradley at the start of the year but after we arrange to keep him from being a super 2, I have no problem at all bringing him up. The key to me is why did he slump the last month in AA ball? Was it a pitching adjustment which he just couldn't handle? Or was it fatigue and/or injuries or just a slump? To me that is a huge aspect of this decision.

In response to RedsoxProspects' comment:

Thinking outside of the box a little....

1) Bradley is ready now defensively for sure.

2) Bradley does appear to have a very advanced hitting approach already, particularly in terms of getting on base.

3) Bradley has produced in high pressure situations in college and seems to be a mature young man emotionally, capable of dealing with adversity and a big market.

4) Considering the wear and tear a center fielder often takes in MLB, are the normal "prime" years the same for a center fielder? Would he be better now rather than at 29? Look at other CF who have aged quickly in mlb and had difficulty staying on the field.

5) What are our needs THIS YEAR? Would he not fit in as a solid outfielder against all RH pitching and as a defensive replacement for THIS TEAM? The kid would potentially get into almost every game if he were also subbed as a defensive replacement in left field and he would probably play against most RH pitching considering the extreme splits of our normal LF and RF starters. 

6) He's a young player who is not used to playing 155 games anyway. He may be better off playing with some periodic rest in order to optimize his performance. Would he not develop just as fast in this situation, playing at least 2/3 the games?. 

7) It could just be that Bradley is one of our best lead off options already. Enabling us to slot Ellsbury at #3. Significantly changing the entire lineup.

*** I'm not saying go with Bradley at the start of the year but after we arrange to keep him from being a super 2, I have no problem at all bringing him up. The key to me is why did he slump the last month in AA ball? Was it a pitching adjustment which he just couldn't handle? Or was it fatigue and/or injuries or just a slump? To me that is a huge aspect of this decision.

After seeing Bradley this ST one thing that is clear that RS might soon regret the SV signing. Think he could have started in RF this year and given us the same defense and probably more production offensively. Then probably would become starting CF next year and hopefully Brentz/ or Kalish would have been ready to take over RF position in 14.

In response to mef429's comment:

In response to southpaw777's comment:

In response to mef429's comment:

In response to moonslav59's comment:

In response to mef429's comment:

we shouldn't waste Bradleys time if he isn't going to be an everyday player..

Whaaaa, we're "building his confidence!"

;)

i'll take 1 extra year closer to his prime rather than a confident rookie who is still developing thank you very much :)

Why waste the year of control and more important, have him sit on the bench part of the time and play out of position? Just so everyone gets to see him play? Makes no sense to me.

Unless hes playing 100% of the time, and in CF, he should be in AAA

agreed, although if we keep jacoby he will have to get used to playing RF next season

Actually if Ells' does hit for power and by some miracle we do resign him, I could see him in LF with JBJ in CF...JBJ is the better out for the 2 defensively and has a much better arm.

In response to southpaw777's comment:

In response to mef429's comment:

In response to southpaw777's comment:

In response to mef429's comment:

In response to moonslav59's comment:

In response to mef429's comment:

we shouldn't waste Bradleys time if he isn't going to be an everyday player..

Whaaaa, we're "building his confidence!"

;)

i'll take 1 extra year closer to his prime rather than a confident rookie who is still developing thank you very much :)

Why waste the year of control and more important, have him sit on the bench part of the time and play out of position? Just so everyone gets to see him play? Makes no sense to me.

Unless hes playing 100% of the time, and in CF, he should be in AAA

agreed, although if we keep jacoby he will have to get used to playing RF next season

Actually if Ells' does hit for power and by some miracle we do resign him, I could see him in LF with JBJ in CF...JBJ is the better out for the 2 defensively and has a much better arm.

thus the arm would be much better suited for RF where it can be put to good use. Plus a configuration with either of them in LF is a vast waste of their talent. one has to be in CF and one in RF. Ells doesn't have the arm for RF, JBJ does.

besides, Fenways RF is like a second CF anyway...

Hey Moon, Notin, Drewski, Jid, Mef, Boom, Ice, Gary, Dgale, Southpaw and all the other guys i failed to mention but enjoy the good baseball talk on this thread.....I'll be in the Fort next week!  I managed to escape snowy Vermont, by myself, to see three games in four days.  I'll be at Hammond on Thursday, Jet Blue Friday night, and Port Charlotte Saturday.  Been all over Florida several times through the years, but never to Fort Myers.  I have great seats for all three games and am one of those guys who watches every pitch of every game and looks for the nuances of the game that day.  I should see a good representation of major and minor leaguers as well as most of the pitchers since i'm seeing a day game, night game, day game.  I will try to post while there, but I won't be as diligent as Jid. (Maybe i'll see you on the 15th though).  If there is anything in particular anyone wants me to look for, shoot me a message on here and i'll do my best.  I don't post a lot on these threads but I read them as much as I can and I respect the guys who keep it to baseball talk, still the best game out there. 

In response to mef429's comment:

In response to southpaw777's comment:

In response to mef429's comment:

In response to southpaw777's comment:

In response to mef429's comment:

In response to moonslav59's comment:

In response to mef429's comment:

we shouldn't waste Bradleys time if he isn't going to be an everyday player..

Whaaaa, we're "building his confidence!"

;)

i'll take 1 extra year closer to his prime rather than a confident rookie who is still developing thank you very much :)

Why waste the year of control and more important, have him sit on the bench part of the time and play out of position? Just so everyone gets to see him play? Makes no sense to me.

Unless hes playing 100% of the time, and in CF, he should be in AAA

agreed, although if we keep jacoby he will have to get used to playing RF next season

Actually if Ells' does hit for power and by some miracle we do resign him, I could see him in LF with JBJ in CF...JBJ is the better out for the 2 defensively and has a much better arm.

thus the arm would be much better suited for RF where it can be put to good use. Plus a configuration with either of them in LF is a vast waste of their talent. one has to be in CF and one in RF. Ells doesn't have the arm for RF, JBJ does.

besides, Fenways RF is like a second CF anyway...

You have a point...