GAME #110 - SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2022 - BOSTON RED SOX @ KANSAS CITY ROYALS

[longgame]

Not only have we seen Duran now flat out miss a few balls, he is having a hard time tracking them in general and doesn't know how to get to a ball in the air.  Then there's not going after the ball behind him, not running to the one that kicked toward him (was called a HR anyhow) and not diving back to 1B.  Just so many fundamental problems that have not been overcome by raw talent.

In general I can't believe the product this big market team is putting on the field.  They've managed to get worse as the season goes on and now have even more work to do in the offseason - while maintaining some charade about making the postseason this year after losing 3 of 4 to one of the worst teams in the league.

[elktonnick]

One has to wonder whether Bloom can judge talent at all.

[Sea Dog 23]

From what I understand, our best CF in the system that's getting close is
Rafaela at Portland.  He is a natural, batting .280 with 8 HR.  But he likely won't make Boston until very late 2023, more likely 2024.  A lot of playing outfield is innate ability as well as the instruction.  Listening to Soto explain how he plays the outfield is interesting for a 23 yo.  Of course he's a generational talent.  Abreu is the promising RF at Portland, but only at .214.

The 18 yo CF Miguel Bleis is in our Top 5, and is getting rave reviews, but he's still down in the Florida League., probably 3-4 years away.

[MongoLikeSox]

From what I understand, our best CF in the system that's getting close is
Rafaela at Portland.  He is a natural, batting .280 with 8 HR.  But he likely won't make Boston until very late 2023, more likely 2024.  A lot of playing outfield is innate ability as well as the instruction.  Listening to Soto explain how he plays the outfield is interesting for a 23 yo.  Of course he's a generational talent.  Abreu is the promising RF at Portland, but only at .214.

The 18 yo CF Miguel Bleis is in our Top 5, and is getting rave reviews, but he's still down in the Florida League., probably 3-4 years away.

Rafaela can flat out play ball. This is his breakout season hitting. If it continues, I can see him easily by next season's end. His big hole is swinging at balls a foot out of the strike zone.

I've watched the current AAA CF'er, Granberg, only once or twice, but not enough to know how he is at fielding the ball. He's had one OK power year, but strikes me as a 10-15 HR, .275 guy ten years ago. I guess that would be something like hitting .250 in this day and age. Big power drop this year, and dropped from .300 to about .260 going from AA to AAA. IF he's a solid CF'er and Duran needs to regroup down in AAA again, why not? He's already 26 years old. Not like he's going to ruin anything.