Here’s the latest from the American League:
- Red Sox outfielder Hanley Ramirez expressed little inclination to return to the infield, as WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford reports. He emphasized that he believes on the grass limits the wear and tear on his body, saying “I consider myself an outfielder.” Some have suggested that Ramirez could spend time at first, now or in the future, as the team looks to spark a lagging offense and find time for a large group of outfielders. But it sounds as if that is rather unlikely at this stage.
- Though he’s back from knee surgery, Athletics utilityman Ben Zobrist has yet to look himself, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. The 34-year-old still appears to be a step slow, per Slusser, and has not yet turned things around at the plate. Oakland is well back in the standings and could conceivably move quickly if it sees a sterling opportunity to sell — as ESPN.com’s Buster Olney discussed today in an Insider piece — but one wonders whether that strategy would work for Zobrist, who may need to show more to maximize his value.
- The Yankees’ risky call to keep Masahiro Tanaka away from the surgeon’s knife has paid dividends so far, writes John Harper of the New York Daily News. Tanaka has been outstanding since returning from the DL, and is running out a mid-90s heater after exhibiting a velocity dip earlier in the season. It remains to be seen whether he can stave off Tommy John surgery permanently, but it’s hard to argue with the decision to wait when he owns a 2.48 ERA with 9.7 K/9 against just 1.7 BB/9 over his first six starts of the year.
Hanley must love playing the outfield. He is certainly good at it. I think he is trying to become Manny 2.0.
Hanley being Hanley.
Hanley being Manny.
Too bad Hanley makes Manny look like a Gold Glover.
I don’t really see it as a hard decision to keep Tanaka in the rotation. If the doctors said he can rehab without surgery, I trust them. What’s the worst that could happen? He needs surgery?
The naysayers will point to the time of recovery, and that is a valid point. However, the results seem to indicate this is a risk worth taking. The reward is a top 10 pitcher in the league, an Ace. Even if he does need surgery this year, which puts him on the shelf for most of 2016, the Ace caliber pitching he is providing is more necessary now than next year when there will be other pitchers in the fold (Nova, maybe Severino, FA signings, etc.)
Since he’s yet to start for a full season, I don’t think Tanaka will opt-out of the contract which could be a good thing for the Yankees.
Even if he does… we’re the Yankees, not the Mets. We could just re-sign him.
Ouch. Totally true though, Mets ownership should be an embarrassment to the MLB. Unfortunately Selig protected them for years.
Some have suggested that Ramirez could spend time at first, now or in the future
Who is this ‘Some’?
Mostly Red Sox fans who don’t know how bad of a disaster it would be to have a lackadaisical first baseman.
Only one 1B at a time can play 1B. I’ve seen Ortiz, Napoli, and now Hanley suggested. How many aging sluggers and/or failed FA signings can the Sox have that can only play 1B. And only Napoli is actually any good at it.
“I consider myself an outfielder”
Well, you’re about the only one, Hanley
The Red Sox couldn’t possibly have signed Hanley for his glove. He could have just said “happy to help the team in any way I can” but realistically, he is there for the bat. If he can play outfield tolerably, that’s a plus. But, if not, he’s still there for his bat, and he’s probably the longer term solution to Ortiz.
The worst that can happen to Tanaka is needing surgery and being shelved right before the playoffs this year. Then his recovery clock means no return til 2017.
I still don’t understand why they didn’t just go ahead, do the surgery, and let him miss 2015. The Yankees aren’t really competitive this year and had no chance to be. And before you all start screaming “the Yankees are in first place”, who cares? No team from the AL East is going anywhere in the postseason in 2015. And for all their competitiveness as you might call it, they are still only a game and a half up on the Rays who every one of you laughed off this offseason and have more guys on the DL than the rest of the AL combined. Should have just written off this weak year for the division and had the surgery done.
It was a mistake for the Red Sox to sign Ramirez and Sandoval. You can’t do the quick fix anymore. A good farm system is a must nowdays.
They have a consensus top 3 farm system and signing Ramirez and Sandoval really didn’t do much to hurt that.
Huh? Signing those two slugs to long term contracts did nothing to hurt their farm system. Well, except for the overrated (as most of them are) highly touted prospects with no place to go.
Personally I loved the signing of Hanley for the Sox, but hated the Panda signing. Sadly Hanley’s bat hasn’t been nearly as good as in recent years.
Wait, are you trying to tell me that Sandoval, who has never ever hit in May in his entire career (.721 OPS), didn’t hit in May this year??? Wow, what a huge surprise.
Calm down, Sox fans. The season is 7+ months long. Its cheesy to call a guy a bust because of the one month where he never usually hits.
Check the last 5 seasons for Sandoval (including this one). His OBP, OPS, OPS+ and wRC+ have declined each and every season. His batting average also has declined each season except 2014 when it went from .278 to .279
Signing both of them was all but useless.
Agreed , Ramirez has always been a malcontent, Both in Florida and LA.
If he wants to stay in the outfield, fine, but he’s got to improve. He’d have to hit the way Bryce Harper is hitting this season for his offense to justify that kind of defense.
I would rather see David Ortiz at first with Hanley the DH. At least Ortiz pays attention when out in the field. From what I have seen Ortiz is not even an average first baseman, but he doesn’t make the mental errors that Hanley does. I would worry about the extra wear and tear on Ortiz but considering he isn’t hitting as is, would it really matter.
Yes it would matter. The Red Sox problem is offense and Ortiz has been awful this year with the bat
If I was a Red Sox fan, I’d want Hanley as the DH and Ortiz benched.
I appreciate benching Ortiz, but the fact is you have to be sure there is nothing left in the tank. Ortiz has had longer slumps and has come out of it. As much as his stats show he should be benched you have to try and break him out of it.
Be careful saying stuff like that. Ortiz will appear in the Boston Globe denouncing your unfair treatment of him.
Yea unfair to get millions to ride the bench. If he pulls that the Sox should keep him from getting the the 425 plate appearances for his option to kick in.
Ortiz is like 39 right playing like a 40yr old. who’d thunk it
How was it “Risky” for the yankees to not have surgery when the 3 or 4 Dr’s they went to all said no surgery for Tanaka?
being a Yankees fan & told how our farm system stinks. Boston has such a great farm system, were are all the players at. that’s what I thought
boston calls the Yankees the evil empire,they got 3 titles in last 10yrs that’s great I’m jealous, but they did it the Yankees way. not the A’s way.(money ball) big $$$ ball!