Starting CF'er

[Jager]

This seems to be obvious, but I haven't heard any official announcement on who the starting CF'er will be. The whole offseason it was thought that Ellsbury would start anyway, and then Crisp was out for most of the Spring, so it seems obvious that Ellsbury would be starting in CF, but I haven't heard anything yet. Has anyone else heard yet?

[slugger33]

Can someone explain to me why everyone thinks Jacoby Ellsbury will be such a good player? Sure, he can steal bases, but he has almost zero power.

[JerseySoxFan19]

I wouldn't think anybody than Jacoby would get the CF I think it's pretty much cemented. As for coco you had the idea that when Ramirez retires/leaves we move him to LF. Personally i love the idea.

[Jager]

Can someone explain to me why everyone thinks Jacoby Ellsbury will be such a good player? Sure, he can steal bases, but he has almost zero power.

He's going to be our leadoff hitter, and he doesn't need power to do that. His job is to get on base, and he does that quite well. Plus with his speed, he'll leg out some hits that most guys wouldn't. He'll steal some bases, and he plays very good defensive CF. What else should you ask of your leadoff guy? Sure he has very little power, but so what. He'll get on base, and that's what you want of your leadoff guy.

[Jager]

I wouldn't think anybody than Jacoby would get the CF I think it's pretty much cemented. As for coco you had the idea that when Ramirez retires/leaves we move him to LF. Personally i love the idea.

Yeah, but the problem with that is that if Manny has a good year, we'll definitely pick up his option, so it may not work out anyways.

[Imgran]

I wouldn't think anybody than Jacoby would get the CF I think it's pretty much cemented. As for coco you had the idea that when Ramirez retires/leaves we move him to LF. Personally i love the idea.

wait, what? So we put our rangiest outfielder to defending the smallest part of the ballpark? We start our second-best defensive CF in CF while our best outfield defender and his mediocre bat starts in a position tailor-made to hide weak gloves in the name of offense?

If both of them are starting I want Coco in CF, Jacoby in LF unless Jacoby improves DRAMATICALLY.

As for Jacoby being somehow "cemented" in CF, one look at his ST numbers tells me that's hardly the case. If he'd had a tremendous spring, sure, but right now the door is very much open for Coco.

[JerseySoxFan19]

Not my idea, I don't care which one of them lands in left if they do. I think Jacoby's got the job, just my thoughts.
BTW- what are coco's spring stats?

[YOUgodofwalks]

I've heard Jacoby will be starting the season as the starting CF because Crsip has been hurt most of the spring. Crisp has had only 6 AB's all spring, he just hasn't gotten the time to get his swing and his timing down.

[Imgran]

I've heard Jacoby will be starting the season as the starting CF because Crsip has been hurt most of the spring. Crisp has had only 6 AB's all spring, he just hasn't gotten the time to get his swing and his timing down.

Crisp didn't look like he was in particular trouble when he legged out that triple against Toyoda in the top of the 9th just now.

[Mike D.]

I wouldn't think anybody than Jacoby would get the CF I think it's pretty much cemented. As for coco you had the idea that when Ramirez retires/leaves we move him to LF. Personally i love the idea.

Ugh, I don't. Two guys with no power in your outfield, plus one with so-so power (Drew)? Can you really have a championship caliber offense with an outfield that barely hits 30 home runs....total?

[DoubleX]

Ellsbury will almost certainly be the starting CFer at some point, if not the beginning of the season. However, one thing I'd look for is that if Ellsbury is seeing a lot of playing time in the 1st half, I wouldn't be surprised if he struggles some in the second half. He's not used to the grind of playing everyday at the Majors and the most games he played professionally in a season is 120 (last year). It's just one of those growing things rookies sometimes have to go through.

[Imgran]

If we replace internally for Manny it'll either be Carter in LF or Moss in RF, Drew to LF.

BTW -- I still haven't given up on Crisp. That triple was enough to convince me to keep the faith -- for now anyway.

[JerseySoxFan19]

I haven't given up either, that's why I want him to stay in CF/LF. As for Carter whom I think will be a good player for us I really think he'd make a good RF if Drew doesn't pan out.
(now here comes imgran shooting holes in my opinion)

[Imgran]

I haven't given up either, that's why I want him to stay in CF/LF. As for Carter whom I think will be a good player for us I really think he'd make a good RF if Drew doesn't pan out.
(now here comes imgran shooting holes in my opinion)

Since you asked so nicely...

Until the numbers change anytime Crisp and Ellsbury are both in the game I want Coco in CF.

As for Drew "panning out" or having any options if he doesn't I think we're past that point. Drew will be a Red Sox until his contract expires.

Carter doesn't have nearly the arm to be a major league right fielder and I'd worry about him in Fenway's strange RF layout. You really need a good arm to throw from the RF corner and have it mean anything and by all accounts Carter doesn't. Carter's an LF/1B/DH.

On the other hand, though, Moss is positioning himself as a great Plan B if Drew manages to get hurt.

[JerseySoxFan19]

I really hate it when you do that.