See what I did up there ? I’m not proud. I could pawn it off on “ Headline Writers” but you wouldn’t believe me. Jarren Duran is back. Or was he ever here in the first place ? Good question. Last season Duran had more than a cup of coffee with the big club. Being called up from the Woosox on July 17th. and well, that cuppa joe was bitter. In thirty three games he had just 23 hits. He struck out 40 times in a mere 107 AB. He walked 4 times more than I did over the same timeframe. Please have small children avert their eyes. His slash line was: .215/.241/.336/.578. These numbers had the highly touted Durran back to Wooster before you could say Kiké.
"It looks like his hands are a little more elevated and getting closer to that launch position that you're looking for." Kevin Youkilis on how a change in Jarren Duran's hand position has improved his performance in the batter's box. @GreekGodOfHops | @adampellerin | #RedSox pic.twitter.com/FImXElEl5z — NESN (@NESN) June 5, 2022
That was then this is now
Durran is making the most of his second opportunity with the Big Club. well as much as you can do in 14 plate appearances against the Oakland AAA’s. But to this point what we have seen was everything I and most of you all hoped for last July. Patients – Hard Hit Balls and Speed. The speed was there last season. Seven of those 23 hits were for extras. Three doubles, two triples and two home runs. I kept the dingers in because he even trots four baggers fast. Now the patients and hard hit balls have joined the party.
Jarren Duran 2-for-5, 106 mph lineout Cora: "He’s in a better place. That line drive the other way, that line drive up the middle, we didn’t see that last year. He was hitting the ball in the air. A lot of flyballs, getting under the ball. Now he’s on time, hitting the ball hard" — Christopher Smith (@SmittyOnMLB) June 5, 2022
Cora showed no hesitation in giving the young track star the leadoff spot ( I mean why not no one else is a leadoff guy) and Duran has rewarded him with three solid games. He has 4 hits including a triple and scored 2 runs. The last in Sunday’s game from second base on a liner to left field . Hashtag FAST.
Rafael Devers goes oppo into left field and Jarren Duran sprinted from second to score 🏃🏻♂️💨#RedSox • #DirtyWater pic.twitter.com/bJLy1hKOBR — Beyond the Monster (@BeyondtheMnstr) June 5, 2022
Now the question is
what to do with him. JBJ is due back from his maternity leave. The sox need a leadoff man but also need JBJ in right. Could Bobby Dalbec be the odd man out ? Or could Bloom buddy Christin Arroyo of the Mendoza Line Arroyo’s be sent packing? ( please God please. ) or could Bloom think out of the box and DFA Ryan Brasier to make room ? And leave Cora the conundrum of getting – JBJ – Hernandez – Verdugo and Duran each enough at bats to make this work. We all know no one juggles like Cora. He’s proven hard work can pay off. Even the shift isn’t affecting him as he’s shooting the ball to the vacated left side of the field. All I know is I hope Durran gets his shot to stick. Imagine a roster with a real fourth outfielder, the mind Wobbles.
As always you can follow/give me grief on Twitter @Tmurph207