Started By
Message

re: Boston Red Sox sign C/1B/DH Mike Napoli to three year deal

Posted on 12/3/12 at 12:10 pm to
Posted by GynoSandberg
Member since Jan 2006
71929 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 12:10 pm to
So what you're saying is he's a .260 career hitter.

He's a power hitter, they strike out a lot. 20+ HR in 5 straight seasons, and that's without playing everyday.

Highest slugging % of any active player in Fenway. Highest OPS of a RH hitter ever in Fenway.

Napoli is going to abuse the short dimensions down the lines in Fenway
Posted by Vicks Kennel Club
29-24 #BlewDat
Member since Dec 2010
31055 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 12:13 pm to
quote:

Soto re-signed for a year

Prayers sent.

My RW3R team is excited about this move. A guy with major pop and great patience who has a career of torching Fenway. Let's fricking go.
This post was edited on 12/3/12 at 12:14 pm
Posted by Louie T
htx
Member since Dec 2006
36299 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 12:14 pm to
+1

Napoli does a good job of spraying the ball to all fields when he makes contact. As long as he doesn't become too pull conscious with the monster, I think he'll do well.
Posted by tduecen
Member since Nov 2006
161244 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 12:26 pm to
He is a career .260 and next year he will probably be down to .255, then .250.... Just like prior to this season he was a .264 hitter

Although like I said previously and then you mentioned again he has hit well in Fenway over his career
Posted by lowspark12
nashville, tn
Member since Aug 2009
22364 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 12:33 pm to
but will he get as many good pitches to hit in boston as he as the last two years in tx?

quote:

We are looking at a small sample size but the 4 season he managed 350 or more AB he hit .227, .320, .238, and .272.....
I don't see him ever coming close to .320 again and doubt in a full time roll he would be much better than .240 (although playing in Fenway may actually boost it as he has good numbers in Fenway)
Posted by Louie T
htx
Member since Dec 2006
36299 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 12:36 pm to
quote:

but will he get as many good pitches to hit in boston as he as the last two years in tx?

It's not as good as the Rangers lineup, but the Bos lineup won't be devoid of bats. People aren't going to pitch around Napoli.

Pedroia, Middlebrooks, Ortiz, Ellsbury, Ross, Naopoli, and likely 2 highly touted prospects in Lavarnway and Kalish at some point

This post was edited on 12/3/12 at 12:37 pm
Posted by BigBoyTiger
Cleveland
Member since Aug 2005
9578 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 12:59 pm to
quote:

Napoli does a good job of spraying the ball to all fields when he makes contact


The "when he makes contact" clause of the sentence is key. He did not make a lot of contact last year and thus sucked. I think he had one of the highest strikeout rates in the AL last year.
Posted by GynoSandberg
Member since Jan 2006
71929 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 1:08 pm to
He was at the top of K%, as was other power guys like Dunn, Granderson, Alvarez, Chris Davis, Trumbo, Jay Bruce, Hamilton.

He is also top 10 in BB%.




Posted by tduecen
Member since Nov 2006
161244 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 1:12 pm to
Well they need to resign Ross or sign Swisher whichever
Posted by GynoSandberg
Member since Jan 2006
71929 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 1:14 pm to
This is about how I feel about it.

per Fangraphs
quote:


A second thing this does is install Mike Napoli at first base for a while. Napoli is said to be coming off a down season at the plate, but incidentally:

Mike Napoli, 2012: 114 wRC+
Adrian Gonzalez, 2012: 115 wRC+

Napoli’s 2012 was poor relative to his 2011, but Napoli’s 2011 was uncharacteristically amazing, and it’s that season that stands out as the anomaly. The strikeout rate didn’t make sense. Napoli’s going to walk, Napoli’s going to go deep, and Napoli’s going to whiff. As he has been, he will presumably continue to be.

Napoli, clearly, is a non-elite bat. He doesn’t make a positive contribution running the bases, and he’s not about to win a Gold Glove at first base. He’s made valuable by his power, and the best way to describe his contract with the Red Sox is “fair”. The Red Sox aren’t getting him at a bargain, and the Red Sox also aren’t getting Napoli as a potential albatross, which was never going to happen given the limited number of suitors. Three years and $39 million seems like the right price for a good hitter on the wrong side of 30. It was probably crucial for the Red Sox to get this done now so that they can turn their attention to other parts of the roster in need.

Something that’s been noted is that Napoli has hit the crap out of the ball in Fenway Park, to the tune of a 1.107 career OPS. That’s undeniably true, over a sample of 73 plate appearances. Over a sample of 70 plate appearances, Napoli has generated a .657 OPS in US Cellular. You can see where this is going. Napoli is by no means a bad fit for Fenway, but he isn’t an unusually good fit, and he’s coming from Texas, which is just as righty-friendly. As it happens, Napoli has seven career homers in Boston — one to left, two to left-center, one to center, two to right-center, and one to right. He’ll hit his home runs, and he’ll spread them around.
Posted by Lester Earl
Member since Nov 2003
278010 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 1:29 pm to
quote:

Sox need to rebuild, but they refuse to do it the right way


When you have money, there are more ways than 1.
Posted by WinnPtiger
Fort Worth
Member since Mar 2011
23835 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 2:08 pm to
how much money is that per home run?
Posted by Lester Earl
Member since Nov 2003
278010 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 2:35 pm to
They need a power hitter. He was the best catcher on the market. This was a more reasonable deal than what Russell Martin got.
Posted by LSUCreole
Lost in a drunken haze
Member since Nov 2005
11615 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 2:47 pm to
I like the signing for the Sox. Got exactly what was needed and didn't grossly overpay for him
Posted by GynoSandberg
Member since Jan 2006
71929 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 2:48 pm to
He's going to mainly play 1B and will only catch periodically, it seems
Posted by WinnPtiger
Fort Worth
Member since Mar 2011
23835 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 2:49 pm to
Did the rangers even counter?
Posted by TigerBait2008
Boulder,CO
Member since Jun 2008
32365 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 2:49 pm to
yes they did at 13 Mill per..
Posted by LSUCreole
Lost in a drunken haze
Member since Nov 2005
11615 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 2:51 pm to
They overpaid sure but this is no Crawford deal we're talking about
This post was edited on 12/3/12 at 2:52 pm
Posted by papz
Austin, TX
Member since Jul 2008
9330 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 2:52 pm to
The Rangers are mixed up with Greinke, Hamilton, Upton, and Shields right now... they weren't willing to make the 3 year investment at that rate.
Posted by BigBoyTiger
Cleveland
Member since Aug 2005
9578 posts
Posted on 12/3/12 at 2:55 pm to
quote:

He was the best catcher on the market.


He's not really a catcher. In fact, he sucks as a catcher. He can't throw people out for shite.
first pageprev pagePage 2 of 4Next pagelast page

Back to top
logoFollow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates on LSU Football and Recruiting.

FacebookTwitterInstagram