How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?
posted at 4/16/2011 10:11 AM EDT
- Mr.Bump
- Posts: 267
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- Last: 9/22/2011
Saltalamacchia threw a ball into center field on Aaron Hill's stolen base in the fourth inning last night. Hill did not advance, so Saltalamacchia was not charged with an error, but he now has made several throws that have sailed into the outfield.
Saltalamacchia also bounced a throw to third on the Jays' double steal in the seventh inning and bounced another throw to second when Hill stole second, the last of four stolen bases by the Jays. He has bounced throws to the bag on a number of occasions already this season.
Saltalamacchia also is off to a slow start at the plate, batting .138; so far, Saltalamacchia has just one extra-base hit, a double.
What should Epstein/Francona do? Is this an on the job training job for Saltalamacchia to learn his craft? Should Varitek split the catching assignments. Should Saltalamacchia be sent down to the minors? Do you believe Theo gambled too much by making him the starting catcher? Or from what you've observed, the sample size is too small and Saltalamacchia should be given more time? But, if you take this approach and see the same poor results, when do you say I've seen enough. And finally who would replace Saltalamacchia on the roster?
Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?
posted at 4/16/2011 10:26 AM EDT
Bob Montgomery and that's an upgrade.
Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?
posted at 4/16/2011 10:28 AM EDT
- Hfxsoxnut
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Salty has to be replaced without delay. It's the one thing that they can and must address immediately.
Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?
posted at 4/16/2011 10:31 AM EDT
He definately has to be sent down.He has to realize that his shoulder is not a bat rest.His looking at called third strikes is embarrassing.I'd like to at least see an aggressive swinger,especially in productive circumstances.I know the team is performing terrible,but this kid should not be on this team,at least not right now.If the Sox were tearing the cover off the ball,it'd be ok,but not while they are suffering.I think he's a nice kid,but he'd be better off with a team that has not high expectations............He's gotta go down and unwind,lifes tough in Boston,especially now
Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?
posted at 4/16/2011 10:31 AM EDT
In Response to
Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?:
Bob Montgomery and that's an upgrade.
Posted by Roaddogg1959
The good news about Monty is he doesn't wear a helmet while batting so the Sox save money.
Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?
posted at 4/16/2011 11:34 AM EDT
- andrewmitch
- Posts: 16690
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Give Theo a break man. He's only had since 2008 to get a catcher and I think that by putting all of his eggs into a guy who has blown several chances to catch on with 2 other clubs is great way to go!!!!!!!!!!!
Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?
posted at 4/16/2011 11:42 AM EDT
It's hard to imagine that that Esposito would be worse than Salty.
Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?
posted at 4/16/2011 12:18 PM EDT
- andrewmitch
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I said last winter to get Gerald Laird as a FA who would have been relatively cheap and not have cost a prospect and I was laughed at......Even Laird's .225 BA would look great right now and we know he can play defense. What skills does Salty have that Laird doesn't?
Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?
posted at 4/16/2011 12:59 PM EDT
- ZILLAGOD
- Posts: 10381
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What ever happened to all the "Get Salty now" people who used to post here the last two years?
I think Esposito is not a good alternative. Both Phil and Tony are too old now and this is the wrong sport.
Here is what I would do, simply because they have already made their bed and now must sleep in it: Use Varitek and Salty every other game until one emerges as a consistently good choice, then start giving the better one more starts. If Salty still struggles it is time to send him to AAA and try someone else. At least you know what you are getting with Varitek, he won't hit much, won't throw out many runners , but at least he'll be a reliable signal caller. If the team doesn't win the majority of games Varitek catches than the problem is with the staff , not the catchers. Give up and build a new rotation or fire the pitching coach....but do something , to do nothing is an admission that this is okay with everyone...and it is not okay to keep losing.
If they wait until the All Star break to try something different ,they might as well just give up now.
Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?
posted at 4/16/2011 1:08 PM EDT
Ziil: Making Varitek your number 1 catcher doesn't make sense. He's 39 years old and as you know, that's old in baseball years.
Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?
posted at 4/16/2011 1:36 PM EDT
- ZILLAGOD
- Posts: 10381
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Well obviously making Salty the #1 catcher makes little sense, going by the results.
Carlton Fisk caught well into his 40s , it can be done. Varitek is a healthy, strong 39 year old man. Granted he can't catch 110 games or more. But it would not be "nonsense" to say he can catch 80-90 games or so.
I didn't feel "old" at 39, I have lost a little bit at 52 , but I hate the excuse that athletes are "old" at 39. Gordie Howe didn't pack it in at 39.
Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?
posted at 4/16/2011 2:47 PM EDT
- Diamondtalk
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Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?
posted at 4/16/2011 2:47 PM EDT
A Catcher has only a couple of resposibilities behind the plate.
1. Learn the pitchers and hitters and make good suggestions to the pitcher so he will have fewer things to think about. (Varitek = good, Salty = bad)
2. Catch/block any bad pitches. (Both adequate)
3. Throw the ball back to the pitcher so that he can easily catch it and prepare for his next pitch. (Both adequate, although Salty is only around the mound)
4. If a runner takes off, GET THE BALL TO 2nd base TO GIVE THE PLAYER THERE SOME CHANCE TO TAG THE RUNNER. (WE DO NOT HAVE A CATCHER THAT CAN DO THAT!!!!!!!! REALLY? I WOULD RATHER A CATCHER THAT CAN'T HIT HIS WEIGHT, BUT CAN ACTUALLY THROW THE BALL TO A BASE!!)
5. Make an attempt at the plate to make contact with a pitch. (Varitek = bad, Salty = so far worse)
In one of the even lower divisions, there must be a catcher that can do at least 3 or 4 of these things. Bring someone up and let them learn on the job, for the rest. The Sox have been the laughing stock of baseball for the past few years with the ineptitude behind the plate.
Somewhere, somehow, there must be a catcher that is better than this. I realize the importance of having a catcher that can learn the pitchers, but with all of the technology that is available and all of the coaches on the team, TEACH SOMEONE!
I am so over the fact that teams with no speed run on the Sox. It's awful and it has to stop. Runners get on base. MAKE THEM STAY ON FIRST for as long as you can and get someone with a cannon to stop them when they run!
Just my thoughts!
Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?
posted at 4/16/2011 3:15 PM EDT
- tcal2-
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I'm still puzzled by the man love the front office had for this guy.
Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?
posted at 4/16/2011 4:02 PM EDT
- BaseballGM
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In his last start shutout, VMart has a nice breaking ball.
Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?
posted at 4/16/2011 5:26 PM EDT
- TampaGolfer
- Posts: 19
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In Response to
Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?:
In Response to Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative? : I know where we can find a 26-year old catcher who has struggled a bit in the first handful of games, but had an OPS over 1.1 in spring training. He's thrown out 29% of base runners so far, which, if it holds for the season would have been good for 5th in the AL among qualifying catchers last year. I'm not sure how good he is at calling games, but in the 150 or so games he has caught, he has consistently had a lower cERA than his staff ERA, so I imagine he's pretty good. Interested? Here's his baseball reference page ...
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/saltaja01.shtmlPosted by slomag
I don't disagree that Salty has some upside, but he has airmailed more than a couple throws and even at my advancing age, I could hit .200. I played in the minors for a very short time and was a catcher earlier, but hitting and throwing are 2 pretty important aspects of this game and right now, anyway, neither of our catchers are very proficient at either.
Just my thoughts!
Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?
posted at 4/16/2011 5:46 PM EDT
- royf19
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In Response to
Re: How long should Epstein/Francona stay with Saltalamacchia and what's the alternative?:
No decision should be made until at least the All-Star break. Salty's thrown out 4 of 14 runners, which is more than acceptable, and a better percentage than Varitek has had at any point in his career. There is no reason to believe Salty will not hit .250 with a .700 OPS which is his career average and fine for a Catcher. He is pressing right now, like a lot of our hitters, but once a few guys get on track, it will take the pressure off of everybody. He does not handle the pitching staff poorly - that was a complete fabrication based on a few poor pitching outings and the 'grass is always greener' mentality of this board. He had a lower cERA with the Rangers than both Gerald Laird and Pudge Rodriguez, and he has a reputation among the staff of being a hard worker and well prepared. If he has not improved by the all-star break, the FO will have a better idea of how the talent is progressing on the farm. Until then, leave it alone.
Posted by slomag
I'm inclined to agree for the most part. If he's really, really bad, you can make a change before then, but pulling the plug after he started just eight or nine games is utterly asinine.
The way some posters on this board want to pull a guy after two or three bad games is ridiculous.
