2015 Red Sox In-Season Thread

[a700hitter]

Boiled to its essence this means that the Red Sox are still responsible for Craig's entire contract. What a fleecing Ben took on this one. He gave away a good solid starting pitcher and took on the salary of a guy who is probably finished as a productive major leaguer. I don't think he grasped the meaning of being a seller at the trading deadline.

Red Sox Outright Allen Craig

By Steve Adams [May 18, 2015 at 1:21pm CDT]

 

The Red Sox announced this afternoon that first baseman/outfielder Allen Craig has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A, meaning that he is no longer on the club’s 40-man roster.

 

That Craig cleared waivers unclaimed isn’t necessarily a surprise, given the lack of production he’s experienced in the past two seasons and the significant amount of money that remains on his contract. Had any team claimed the 30-year-old Craig on waivers, they would have been required to assume the remaining $25.2MM that he is owed through the end of the 2017 season. The outright does put an exclamation point on what has been an exceptionally sudden fall for Craig, who as recently as 2013 was one of the Cardinals’ most productive bats.

 

Craig suffered a lisfranc fracture in his foot at the end of the 2013 season and was never himself in 2014 before reaggravating his left foot following a trade to Boston. (Craig, along with Joe Kelly, joined the Sox in exchange for John Lackey.) Over his past 564 Major League plate appearances, Craig is hitting just .207/.275/.302. The Sox had already optioned him to Triple-A earlier this month, but the outright removes him from the 40-man roster, which is now at 37.

 

Craig, technically, has the right to refuse his outright assignment, but doing so would mean forfeiting the money remaining on his contract, so he’ll remain with Triple-A Pawtucket in hopes of rediscovering his stroke. Boston’s offense has struggled of late and has been anemic all season long when facing left-handed pitching, so a productive Craig would go a long ways toward boosting the team’s overall outlook. In 25 plate appearances at Pawtucket thus far, Craig is hitting .261/.320/.391 with three doubles.

 

[Elktonnick]

One has to wonder how a smart business man such as John Henry who is data driven is reacting to Cherrington's getting totally hosed by the Cards on the Craig deal. 25 million is a heck of a lot money to pay for a triple A outfielder. The only way this deal will pay any dividends for Boston is if Craig can get his swing back and perhaps replace Napoli at 1st should Napoli continue to slide. Given Boston's over crowded outfield, it makes no sense to see Craig as even a fourth outfielder given their other better options there. The odds are quite long that Craig will return to Boston soon and even longer that he would return to play either left or right field IMHO.

[cp176]

I really think that both Cherington and Farrell have to be hoping that something good happens real soon.

[Bellhorn04]

Boiled to its essence this means that the Red Sox are still responsible for Craig's entire contract. What a fleecing Ben took on this one. He gave away a good solid starting pitcher and took on the salary of a guy who is probably finished as a productive major leaguer. I don't think he grasped the meaning of being a seller at the trading deadline.

 

Kelly *might* still be able to salvage that deal for Ben. And I'm not being a Ben Pollyanna, in fact I'm not feeling all that good about Ben right now. There is much to question in the way this team has been constructed. He really needs his players to get it going over the next few weeks when we should be able to win a high %.

[User Name]

This team better goddamn hit.

[Kimmi]

Kelly *might* still be able to salvage that deal for Ben. And I'm not being a Ben Pollyanna, in fact I'm not feeling all that good about Ben right now. There is much to question in the way this team has been constructed. He really needs his players to get it going over the next few weeks when we should be able to win a high %.

 

I"m not sure there is much to question about how this team has been constructed. To date, the pitching and the offense have both grossly underperformed for the most part. If they were pitching and hitting close to their expected production levels, we would be leading the division.

 

I know that Ben is going to shoulder the blame if this team doesn't improve, but should he really be held accountable for a team that has underperformed to the extent that this team has?

[Bellhorn04]

I"m not sure there is much to question about how this team has been constructed. To date, the pitching and the offense have both grossly underperformed for the most part. If they were pitching and hitting close to their expected production levels, we would be leading the division.

 

I know that Ben is going to shoulder the blame if this team doesn't improve, but should he really be held accountable for a team that has underperformed to the extent that this team has?

 

If the team doesn't improve, Kimmi, I can't see any way around it. It'd be the second year in a row with a losing record and one of the highest payrolls in the game. It has to fall on the GM.

 

Hopefully they do improve and the issue becomes academic. That's what we all want to see.

[cp176]

I"m not sure there is much to question about how this team has been constructed. To date, the pitching and the offense have both grossly underperformed for the most part. If they were pitching and hitting close to their expected production levels, we would be leading the division.

 

I know that Ben is going to shoulder the blame if this team doesn't improve, but should he really be held accountable for a team that has underperformed to the extent that this team has?

 

It probably is a little sad but they won't be firing many of their players. They used up one scapegoat already. Cherington is and should be held accountable for the team he has assembled. I will agree that they have underperformed but to what extent I am not sure.

[Spudboy]

I"m not sure there is much to question about how this team has been constructed. To date, the pitching and the offense have both grossly underperformed for the most part. If they were pitching and hitting close to their expected production levels, we would be leading the division.

 

I know that Ben is going to shoulder the blame if this team doesn't improve, but should he really be held accountable for a team that has underperformed to the extent that this team has?

 

Good question.

 

But I would question his choice of 3rd baseman when Toronto got Donaldson for Lawrie and a bag of balls.

 

I've not been a Donaldson fanboy but I can see that he is clearly superior defensively and that he is more likely to have power output than Sandoval for a fraction of the tab.

 

So yes, I question Ben's construction of this roster.

[a700hitter]

Good question.

 

But I would question his choice of 3rd baseman when Toronto got Donaldson for Lawrie and a bag of balls.

 

I've not been a Donaldson fanboy but I can see that he is clearly superior defensively and that he is more likely to have power output than Sandoval for a fraction of the tab.

 

So yes, I question Ben's construction of this roster.

 

So do I. He will be lucky if the pitching is good enough over the course of the season to keep the team competitive. The hitting will warm up as the weather warms up.

[Spudboy]

So do I. He will be lucky if the pitching is good enough over the course of the season to keep the team competitive. The hitting will warm up as the weather warms up.

 

Despite the pitching performing well over the past two times through the rotation it remains a concern of mine.

 

I do think Porcello and possibly MIley will do what was expected of each of them. But I have no confidence in Buch. Kelly is still a question mark and Masterson is very likely cooked.

 

What happens when in the middle of the season or later when arms get fatigued or injuries happen? It's nice to think that Barnes, Johnson, or Rodriguez could step up but I think that it is unlikely they will ad a whole lot to a playoff push.

 

But I plan on watching all the games anyway. It's my duty to do so.

[a700hitter]

Despite the pitching performing well over the past two times through the rotation it remains a concern of mine.

 

I do think Porcello and possibly MIley will do what was expected of each of them. But I have no confidence in Buch. Kelly is still a question mark and Masterson is very likely cooked.

 

What happens when in the middle of the season or later when arms get fatigued or injuries happen? It's nice to think that Barnes, Johnson, or Rodriguez could step up but I think that it is unlikely they will ad a whole lot to a playoff push.

 

But I plan on watching all the games anyway. It's my duty to do so.

You and I wouldn't know how to not watch them play. I have no idea what the rest of the world is doing if they aren't watching baseball.

[Spudboy]

You and I wouldn't know how to not watch them play. I have no idea what the rest of the world is doing if they aren't watching baseball.

 

Yep.

[GomesBeard]

If it comes to it, scapegoat-wise, it will be interesting to see who ownership prefers - Farrell or Cherington. Although I certainly hope it doesn't come to that.

[mvp 78]

It doesn't have to be either/or if the Sox s*** the bed this year. Why not both?

[Palodios]

Just to be clear, the Red Sox are only 2.5 games out. The team needed to stay alive in the division long enough for reinforcements to come from Pawtucket or the trade market. They have survived a quarter of the season and have a bunch of easy opponents coming up.

 

Wade Miley seems to be turning it around. Porcello has been solid, if non-spectacular. Add a Cueto or Hamels and let the offense warm up, and they're back in business.

[GomesBeard]

Good points, Pal, and perhaps some of us read into the pundits a little too much. To have played as crappy as we have to this point, especially recently, and be 2.5 out, really says a lot about the state of the AL Least.

[Kimmi]

Good question.

 

But I would question his choice of 3rd baseman when Toronto got Donaldson for Lawrie and a bag of balls.

 

I've not been a Donaldson fanboy but I can see that he is clearly superior defensively and that he is more likely to have power output than Sandoval for a fraction of the tab.

 

So yes, I question Ben's construction of this roster.

 

It's not about disagreeing with certain moves. There are certain moves that I don't necessarily agree with, the signing of Sandoval being one of them. The team, as constructed, could easily be in first place if they were playing at their projected levels of performance. The fact that nearly all the players have been underperforming is on the players, perhaps the coaching staff and Farrell, but not on the GM.

[Kimmi]

Just to be clear, the Red Sox are only 2.5 games out. The team needed to stay alive in the division long enough for reinforcements to come from Pawtucket or the trade market. They have survived a quarter of the season and have a bunch of easy opponents coming up.

 

Wade Miley seems to be turning it around. Porcello has been solid, if non-spectacular. Add a Cueto or Hamels and let the offense warm up, and they're back in business.

 

^^ This

 

No one thought the Sox would be able to run away with the division. The fact that they have been underperforming and are only 2.5 games out is rather encouraging to me. Just think what will happen when they hit their stride.

[a700hitter]

^^ This

 

No one thought the Sox would be able to run away with the division. The fact that they have been underperforming and are only 2.5 games out is rather encouraging to me. Just think what will happen when they hit their stride.

Maybe this is their stride.

[VA Sox Fan]

Just to be clear, the Red Sox are only 2.5 games out. The team needed to stay alive in the division long enough for reinforcements to come from Pawtucket or the trade market. They have survived a quarter of the season and have a bunch of easy opponents coming up.

 

Wade Miley seems to be turning it around. Porcello has been solid, if non-spectacular. Add a Cueto or Hamels and let the offense warm up, and they're back in business.

 

^ Common sense post. How dare you????

[GomesBeard]

2 more good starts from Kelly and Buchy, so at least one side of the ledger seems to be performing well now. I just hope the offense can catch up...

[mvp 78]

^ Common sense post. How dare you????

 

It's not common sense it's Stockholm Syndrome.

[Kimmi]

2 more good starts from Kelly and Buchy, so at least one side of the ledger seems to be performing well now. I just hope the offense can catch up...

 

Just as the pitching was bound to regress, so is the offense.

 

There really is no explanation for how bad they've been. It's uncanny.

[mvp 78]

Excuses excuses...

 

This team flat out sucks. The only bad luck involved is me being born into a Red Sox family.

[SoxnCycles]

Excuses excuses...

 

This team flat out sucks. The only bad luck involved is me being born into a Red Sox family.

 

Hey! We could always go back to the Sox of the early 90s!

Finishing 15 out every year was awesome!

[Spudboy]

Hey! We could always go back to the Sox of the early 90s!

Finishing 15 out every year was awesome!

 

This team is not far from that model.

[mvp 78]

Hey! We could always go back to the Sox of the early 90s!

Finishing 15 out every year was awesome!

 

Wut u got aginst Scott Cooper mate?!?

[mvp 78]

Carlos Quintana would be awesome at 1b right now too.

[Kimmi]

Excuses excuses...

 

This team flat out sucks. The only bad luck involved is me being born into a Red Sox family.

 

You need a hug MVP.