The Red Sox will pay a small MLB-mandated fine after the team fielded a lineup of minor leaguers for a game against the Marlins earlier this week, Alex Speier of WEEI.com reports, citing Major League sources. As we noted earlier tonight, the incident appears to have fostered some amount of bad blood between the two clubs. Under MLB rules, teams must feature four players who either served as regulars during the preceding season or who have a legitimate chance at doing so during the upcoming season. More Saturday night MLB links:
- Red Sox outfielder Shane Victorino, tradtionally a switch-hitter, may abandon swinging from the left side altogether after finding success in the second half last season as a predominantly right-handed batter (via Maureen Mullen of MLB.com).
- The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Travis Sawchik examined the Pirates' strategy in recent drafts, noting the team's heavy focus on prep arms. From 2009-11, 17 of the club's first 30 selections were high school pitchers. Assistant GM Greg Smith, who headed the Pirates' drafts in those seasons, said the club aims to find pitchers in the Stephen Strasburg mold before they blossom into top draft picks.
- Billy Beane's latest strategy for building a winner involves targeting players with flexible skillsets, Peter Gammons writes for his Gammons Daily website. Gammons notes that the Athletics' targeting of players such as outfielder Billy Burns, who has one homer in three minor league seasons, appears perplexing. However, Burns' speed, ability to switch-hit and career .420 minor league OBP make him a fit for the A's.
I hope Victorino doesn’t abandon switch hitting. He looked awful swinging at off speed stuff. My memory’s a bit thin but I think I remember saying I was surprised teams weren’t throwing more off speed stuff against him, mainly the Tigers.
50 against Yeah his K/BB ratio was 3/25 over 115 PA’s right on righty. However if you add HBP to BB it jumps to 14/25 over 115 PA’s. He also was 900 OPS guy in those 115 PA’s. He’s always been better hitting righty than lefty as a traditional switch hitter. I’d like to see him split his PA’s 50/50 against righties depending on situation feel. 400 Pa’s righty, 200 left,
Traditionally*
Why should the RedSox get fined…did the Marlins lineup have 4 legit MLB regulars in the lineup every game last season?
Actually, that lineup for the Marlins was most of their regulars.
Yet the game still ended in a 0-0 tie
Which probably just shows the Quality of the Marlins lineup.
Yeah but most of the Marlins regulars would be Triple A bench guys on a normal team.
” Under MLB rules, teams must feature four players who either served as regulars during the preceding season or who have a legitimate chance at doing so during the upcoming season.”
So really teams have to have 4 players that are likely to be regulars for them start a spring game
only one of the marlins regulars would be a starter on the sox. if the prospects the sox fielded were in florida a number of them would be starters.
The sox are by far a more complete team, but I’d take the Marlin’s corner outfielders over Boston’s.
sorry. no respect for the marlins. they continue to steal money from mlb and from the people of florida. stop pocketing money and field a real team before you complain about what other teams are doing.
Just to clarify I’m not really trying to defend the Marlins.
I’m really just pointing out how bad their lineup is.
It’s easy to make jokes about the Marlins, but in all honesty they have one of the more exciting teams to keep an eye on with all the young talent on that team.
I think that’s exactly what the Pirates have in Tyler Glasnow. Wouldn’t shock me to see him end up just as good, if not better, than Cole and Tallion.
They are hoping for something similar in Clayton Holmes and Luis Heredia as well. Kingham is nearly ready, and he fits that mold as well.
I don’t know why Gammons finds the A’s going for a guy like Burns so “perplexing”. If a player could do a .420 OBP with speed at the major league level, everyone would want him, power or no power.
Right. Actually sounds a bit like a poor man’s Ichiro leadoff approach. .420 obp gets it done
I agree with Beane. The ability to play two positions or bat from either side is something that you NEED to look for. Irving Falu is a perfect example as well as Cesar Hernandez. Beane is a pure baseball genius.
It’s less averse to being co-opted by richer mlb teams as well. Brandon Moss isn’t nearly as valuable in a platoon to a team that can afford a straight OF than he is to Oakland… Norris/Jaso..etc. a bit like watching someone assemble Frankenstein. Interesting thing is though that its always been the pitching that’s brought a winner in Oakland with the bats helping
Why is it perplexing to go after Burns? He stole 74 bases with a 91.4 steal percentage last year in only 120 games. Throw in a +.400 OBP in the minors… yeah not perplexing. I’ve never watched the guy but stats alone suggest he could potentially be a good leadoff hitter.
Its perplexing to a writer who doesn’t understand why all mlb games aren’t played at Fenway.
Its perplexing to a writer who doesn’t understand why all mlb games aren’t played at Fenway.
Allowing the Marlins to charge fans more to see the Red Sox is the bigger issue, in my opinion. I have no sympathy for the Marlins in this case.
The Rockies sure pushed that 4 player rule last week against the Brewers. Jordan Lyle started on the mound, but I can’t recall another regular playing in the game. Only 3 outside the SP saw any kind of real mlb time…. Blackmon, LeMeieu, Dickerson and a bunch of minor leaguers