Comments on: David Ross addition gives Red Sox plenty of flexibility

By: jkaflagg

jkaflagg — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 04:47:37 +0000

Most of the conversation seems to revolve around the bats of these players – can any of them handle a pitching staff ? I remember that Ross was a catching convert by the Dodgers several years back and was considered mostly a bat; and have not heard much about the defensive skills of Salty & Lavarnway.

By: kylecleric

kylecleric — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 01:08:57 +0000

wanna bet, hushbrother

By: dan1111

dan1111 — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 20:50:52 +0000

@uyf, that is a very good point about the walks, which I hadn’t considered. I wonder if anyone has studied how large the effect of batting 8th in the NL is.

By: hushbrother

hushbrother — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 20:35:16 +0000

Lavarnway can’t hit, plain and simple. He doesn’t belong in the major leagues. Salty and Ross will platoon and be ok.

By: kylecleric

kylecleric — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 18:05:58 +0000

“Lavarnway would become trade bait in that scenario, though it’s unlikely that he’d fetch as much as Salty.”

People who say stupid things like this should not have a public platform.

By: uyf1950

uyf1950 — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 15:44:47 +0000

Dan, I’m tempted to believe at least a portion of Ross’s higher walk rate is directly related to the fact that he played in the NL and batted 8th over 50% of the time. A league where there is no DH and the pitcher bats 9th probably led to Ross walking more then a similar batter in the American League batting 8th where there is a DH rule. So I guess if I can quote you while all strikeouts are not equal, neither are all walks.

By: edelmanfanclub

edelmanfanclub — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 15:23:42 +0000

wow people born in 1977 are 36 next year? Time goes by fast. Anyways, quick look at the numbers

Salty: .222/.288/.454 95 OPS+ .319 wOBA 2.0 WAR (448 PA)
Ross .256/.321/.449 105 OPS+ .334 wOBA 1.5 WAR (196 PA)

About the same K% and BB%, the thing is Ross is going to continue to be a back up and get something like 150-200 PA while Lavarnway who has never batted below .280 and never had a wOBA below .360 in the minors (AA and above) will get a shot at extended playing time instead of a platoon. They’ll see what they have in him this year and flip Salty (coming off a season where is ISO is .232 and he hit 25 HR) for a pitcher or an OF.

By: proudlycanadian

proudlycanadian — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 14:28:18 +0000

A decent signing by the Red Sox, but it will not get them back in the playoffs. A combination of Ross and Napoli would not get them back in the playoffs either. Red Sox fans are going to need some patience during the next few years.

By: dan1111

dan1111 — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 12:55:49 +0000

Ross only played 62 games last season. If you look at their career stats, Ross has a 26% strikeout percentage compared to 29% for Saltalamacchia. Also, not all strikeouts are equal. Some hitters strike out because they are patient and are willing to go deep in the count; others just have a bad approach at the plate. Saltalamacchia’s much higher K/BB ratio suggests that his strikeouts are “worse” than Ross’s.

Yes, they both strike out a lot. But there is room to make a distinction between them.

By: kibogato

kibogato — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 12:47:55 +0000

When did he leave Van Halen?

By: doublezero74

doublezero74 — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 12:30:05 +0000

Say salty one more time

By: uyf1950

uyf1950 — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 10:41:09 +0000

The article begins by saying that Salty is “strikeout prone”. but if you check David Ross’s 2012 numbers he strikes out at the same rate as Salty. Both about 1 K per 2.9 AB’s, so if Salty is strikeout prone what does that make Ross.
While I still think it’s a good signing for the Sox I also believe it’s a bit of an overpay for a backup catcher who will be 36 at the start the 2013 season.

By: dan1111

dan1111 — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 10:04:26 +0000

Catchers who can hit are always valuable, and Ross is a better hitter than the average MLB starting catcher. I think this is a good deal for the Sox, especially if they don’t want to commit to Saltalamacchia.

By: Chip Caray's Eyebrows

Chip Caray's Eyebrows — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 04:32:46 +0000

Ross is worth every penny of that deal. Sad to see him leaving Atlanta, but wish him luck going forward.

By: Carl Hancock

Carl Hancock — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 03:08:08 +0000

A 2 year deal for over 6 million for a 36 year old backup catcher who’s never been a starter and doesn’t project as one going forward? Someone please stop the insanity. I’m surprised it wasn’t the Dodgers that signed him.