2015 Red Sox In-Season Thread

[Palodios]

This year's team sucks. The decisions made for 2015 were bad. Cheaping out on pitching was an awful idea, and the Lackey/Lester trades f***ed up the team's starting pitching core and have inevitably yielded zero/negative value.

 

That being said, this team looks pretty good in 2016. The young core will continue developing. Owens, Johnson, and Wright could very well help the rotation out quite a bit. There's money for atleast 1 top tier starting pitcher... in an insanely rare year where there are probably 3-4 top tier starters available, and about a half dozen #2s. The Red Sox also have the best farm system in baseball, with another low draft pick coming.

 

If the Red Sox get rid of the boobs, I hope his replacement buys into the same strategy, but with a bit better decision making skills. The drunken sailor approach to GMing never really appealed to me.

[Kimmi]

This year's team sucks. The decisions made for 2015 were bad. Cheaping out on pitching was an awful idea, and the Lackey/Lester trades f***ed up the team's starting pitching core and have inevitably yielded zero/negative value.

 

That being said, this team looks pretty good in 2016. The young core will continue developing. Owens, Johnson, and Wright could very well help the rotation out quite a bit. There's money for atleast 1 top tier starting pitcher... in an insanely rare year where there are probably 3-4 top tier starters available, and about a half dozen #2s. The Red Sox also have the best farm system in baseball, with another low draft pick coming.

 

If the Red Sox get rid of the boobs, I hope his replacement buys into the same strategy, but with a bit better decision making skills. The drunken sailor approach to GMing never really appealed to me.

 

Solid post Pal.

[cp176]

This year's team sucks. The decisions made for 2015 were bad. Cheaping out on pitching was an awful idea, and the Lackey/Lester trades f***ed up the team's starting pitching core and have inevitably yielded zero/negative value.

 

That being said, this team looks pretty good in 2016. The young core will continue developing. Owens, Johnson, and Wright could very well help the rotation out quite a bit. There's money for atleast 1 top tier starting pitcher... in an insanely rare year where there are probably 3-4 top tier starters available, and about a half dozen #2s. The Red Sox also have the best farm system in baseball, with another low draft pick coming.

 

If the Red Sox get rid of the boobs, I hope his replacement buys into the same strategy, but with a bit better decision making skills. The drunken sailor approach to GMing never really appealed to me.

 

I think that there is some potential for next year's team in the minors. Outside of Owens, we have seen what many consider to be the best so far. We are not just around the corner from being able to compete at the highest level. Deals need to be made if this team is going to get a little swagger back within the next 3 to 4 years. No one should be untouchable.

[Kimmi]

I think that there is some potential for next year's team in the minors. Outside of Owens, we have seen what many consider to be the best so far. We are not just around the corner from being able to compete at the highest level. Deals need to be made if this team is going to get a little swagger back within the next 3 to 4 years. No one should be untouchable.

 

When you say deals need to be made, are you talking about both pitching and offense, or just pitching?

[cp176]

When you say deals need to be made, are you talking about both pitching and offense, or just pitching?

 

That actually is an interesting question. Pitching comes first for me. With two very good proven arms leading the way, I think that the offense would just naturally look quite a bit better. I really don't think that Hammals(sp) provides an answer but I also would not arbitrarily exclude anyone over the age of 30. I appreciate what they have as goals, but I want to win now. I really enjoy watching some of our younger players but I'm not sure I consider any of them really untouchable. Bogaert's, Betts, and Rodriguez probably come the closest for me.

[Kimmi]

That actually is an interesting question. Pitching comes first for me. With two very good proven arms leading the way, I think that the offense would just naturally look quite a bit better. I really don't think that Hammals(sp) provides an answer but I also would not arbitrarily exclude anyone over the age of 30. I appreciate what they have as goals, but I want to win now. I really enjoy watching some of our younger players but I'm not sure I consider any of them really untouchable. Bogaert's, Betts, and Rodriguez probably come the closest for me.

 

I pretty much agree with this. I think the offense is pretty well set, aside from 1B. I want the FO to focus on pitching this offseason, both for the rotation and for the pen. Sign a #1 and a #2 or #3. Miley and Porcello are likely going to be in the rotation next year, barring an unforeseen trade. Then you can have Buchholz or Rodriguez in the other spot. I would prefer it to be Buchholz to start the season, giving us more depth, with Rodriguez ready to go when someone gets injured or underperforms.

 

Kelly can go to the pen, and perhaps even do well in the closer's role.

[dupree]

In what direction does the Sox go with 1B?

 

Do they sign a free agent?

Do they move Hanley to the infield and either he or Panda play 1B?

Or lastly do they resign Nap?

 

I would add bring someone up from the farm but I don't think we have anymore Anthony Rizzo types on the farm so I'd say that option is out.

 

I'd say they move Panda to first and Hanley to 3rd. Panda looks like he's gained weight all season and if he keeps swelling up I'd rather the FO move him to someone to get pitching. I know he got mad when San Francisco said someone to him about his weight but s***. His weight has gotten so outta control he can't swing the bat but from one side now it's sad.

 

So all that being said, with Hanley in the infield what does that mean for the outfield? Betts and Holt are options a long with Castillo if he can hit and stay healthy. Plus JBJ as the best defensive option.

 

Id say they add one more piece to that mix via a free agent. By it being a trade for a platoon type or a an everyday player I really don't see a splash out their just a solid defensive option that can hold Avg numbers at the plate. A low key under the radar move.

 

This offseason the only splashes need to be made in the rotation or the fans will have the FO's heads.

[User Name]

Hanley and Panda at the corners is probably the best course of action.

[jacksonianmarch]

AGon said that Hanley would make a good 1b from their time in LA. He's a guy who is used to having his feet in the dirt not the grass. Convince him to work on 1b over the winter and intensely work with him in ST and he should at least be serviceable there. He is a former SS for god sakes, the guy should be able to handle it

[User Name]

I was about to post the same thing. Again, Hanley and Panda at the corners is probably what's best for the Sox for next year.

[Kimmi]

In what direction does the Sox go with 1B?

 

Do they sign a free agent?

Do they move Hanley to the infield and either he or Panda play 1B?

Or lastly do they resign Nap?

 

I would add bring someone up from the farm but I don't think we have anymore Anthony Rizzo types on the farm so I'd say that option is out.

 

I'd say they move Panda to first and Hanley to 3rd. Panda looks like he's gained weight all season and if he keeps swelling up I'd rather the FO move him to someone to get pitching. I know he got mad when San Francisco said someone to him about his weight but s***. His weight has gotten so outta control he can't swing the bat but from one side now it's sad.

 

So all that being said, with Hanley in the infield what does that mean for the outfield? Betts and Holt are options a long with Castillo if he can hit and stay healthy. Plus JBJ as the best defensive option.

 

Id say they add one more piece to that mix via a free agent. By it being a trade for a platoon type or a an everyday player I really don't see a splash out their just a solid defensive option that can hold Avg numbers at the plate. A low key under the radar move.

 

This offseason the only splashes need to be made in the rotation or the fans will have the FO's heads.

 

I think Pablo at 1B and Hanley at 3B might be the way to go. The FA class at 1B doesn't look that hot. I don't know what would be available through trade. I like the idea of Castillo, Betts, and JBJ in the outfield defensively. I don't know how that would play out offensively. The only thing then is that it wouldn't leave us with much depth.

 

At any rate, I don't think there needs to be a significant amount of work done in terms of position players. The FO needs to focus on pitching.

[a700hitter]

I am a firm believer that when filling a defensive position by moving a player to a new position that it be done without a domino effect of moving other players out of position. If you field a defense with 2 or more players playing out of position, you will have a bad defense. I would not move Pablo to first and Hanley to third for that reason. I would move Hanley to first base leaving Panda at third. Only play one player out of position. I would start working on that this season to see if Hanley has any aptitude to make the move to 1B. Edited July 25, 2015 by a700hitter

[dupree]

Hanley and Panda at the corners is probably the best course of action.

What would you do with the outfield User?

With Hanley in the infield and Vic gone and Craig in the minors and not time coming up anytime soon to take 1B. I see a lot of lack of power in the outfield. Betts is starting to grow on me leading off but that's a different topic all together. So it comes down to Betts, Castillo, JBJ, Nava & Craig plus Holt because he can play anywhere.

 

Would you stay in house or bring in someone or two new guys to fill the corner spots?

[User Name]

What would you do with the outfield User?

With Hanley in the infield and Vic gone and Craig in the minors and not time coming up anytime soon to take 1B. I see a lot of lack of power in the outfield. Betts is starting to grow on me leading off but that's a different topic all together. So it comes down to Betts, Castillo, JBJ, Nava & Craig plus Holt because he can play anywhere.

 

Would you stay in house or bring in someone or two new guys to fill the corner spots?

 

Good question.

 

Because this team has so many pitching needs, it won't have a lot of money left over to focus on OF production.

 

I'd like to see them bringing in a Kapler-type that can mash lefties and platoon him with Holt in LF (while moving him aorund the diamond and letting him do his thing as well) and create competition for the final spot between JBJ and Castillo. One of them should become a productive regular IMO.

[dupree]

A Kalper type would be idea for this group of youngsters. I would like to see Craig get his head straight and start hitting the ball. He would be a great asset to have next year to play outfield and 1B with more power than Nava. But that's a wait and see.

 

As far as pitching goes last I looked Hamels was hitless thru 7 innings. So I'd say his stock is rises. I think the Red Sox will move on him soon. Simple fact the Phillies don't want him in a Dodger uniform plain and simple.

[dupree]

Hitless thru 8 now.

[Dojji]

A Kalper type would be idea for this group of youngsters. I would like to see Craig get his head straight and start hitting the ball. He would be a great asset to have next year to play outfield and 1B with more power than Nava. But that's a wait and see.

 

As far as pitching goes last I looked Hamels was hitless thru 7 innings. So I'd say his stock is rises. I think the Red Sox will move on him soon. Simple fact the Phillies don't want him in a Dodger uniform plain and simple.

 

Oh god no, no no no no no no no no no. You absolutely do not EVER EVER EVER evaluate a pitcher based on his last appearance. No. No. The decision is about what he can do for you over the entire life of the contract, not what he just did. You start changing your price, or even your willingness to pull a trigger or not pull a trigger, based on the latest flashy outing, then you have just made the Eric Gagne trade, the Crawford signing, the Panda signing, and a whole horrible host of others. Look at the while pile of data or nothing at all

 

I'm not really against bringing in Hamels except that I think the whole idea is [hilosophically flawed, based on a delusion that this team is going to be playoff-relevant anytime within the next 2-3 years. It is not. Pretending we need to make the kind of move to put a team over the top, when we're still sitting on the bottom, is a horrible use of resources. Realistically the recovery HAS to take more than 1 offseason. Because it took more than one offseason for the situation to get this bad in the first place. Acting now as if the World Series is just around the corner when we're umpteen games under .500 is the worst kind of pigheaded nonsense.

 

By the time I see this team being ready to contend again, Cole Hamels will not be 32, he'll be between 35 and 37 with his best years very much behind him. This team is offensively and defensively flawed, pitching is nowhere near the only problem, if it was maybe I'd feel differently but right now we'd be devoting all of our resources to patching one of several holes in a ship that's already sinking.

 

Basically I feel like if Hamels is your solution you're probably asking the wrong question.

 

When you have to fundamentally overhaul both your offense and your defense as well as your pithing while maneuvering around several dead-weight contracts, that's not the time to bring in an ace in his 30's to put you over the top in the playoffs. That's the time to make fundamentally unpopular moves to strengthen the franchise in the long run and hope you have a good 3 year plan. Making big moves as if we were contenders would simply keep us here in the basement for longer and doing it over and over again is the literal definition of insanity.

Edited July 26, 2015 by Dojji

[Spudboy]

Oh god no, no no no no no no no no no. You absolutely do not EVER EVER EVER evaluate a pitcher based on his last appearance. No. No. The decision is about what he can do for you over the entire life of the contract, not what he just did. You start changing your price, or even your willingness to pull a trigger or not pull a trigger, based on the latest flashy outing, then you have just made the Eric Gagne trade, the Crawford signing, the Panda signing, and a whole horrible host of others. Look at the while pile of data or nothing at all

 

I'm not really against bringing in Hamels except that I think the whole idea is [hilosophically flawed, based on a delusion that this team is going to be playoff-relevant anytime within the next 2-3 years. It is not. Pretending we need to make the kind of move to put a team over the top, when we're still sitting on the bottom, is a horrible use of resources. Realistically the recovery HAS to take more than 1 offseason. Because it took more than one offseason for the situation to get this bad in the first place. Acting now as if the World Series is just around the corner when we're umpteen games under .500 is the worst kind of pigheaded nonsense.

 

By the time I see this team being ready to contend again, Cole Hamels will not be 32, he'll be between 35 and 37 with his best years very much behind him. This team is offensively and defensively flawed, pitching is nowhere near the only problem, if it was maybe I'd feel differently but right now we'd be devoting all of our resources to patching one of several holes in a ship that's already sinking.

 

Basically I feel like if Hamels is your solution you're probably asking the wrong question.

 

When you have to fundamentally overhaul both your offense and your defense as well as your pithing while maneuvering around several dead-weight contracts, that's not the time to bring in an ace in his 30's to put you over the top in the playoffs. That's the time to make fundamentally unpopular moves to strengthen the franchise in the long run and hope you have a good 3 year plan. Making big moves as if we were contenders would simply keep us here in the basement for longer and doing it over and over again is the literal definition of insanity.

 

I was going to underline a few sentences that I really liked then decided that I agree with the whole post.

 

I could not agree any more.

[User Name]

The offfense has a chance to bounce back. The pitching doesn't.

 

I keep saying, however, that Hamels is a terrible idea. The Sox need young, controllable pitching both for the rotation and the bullpen. That's the only justifiable use of assetss for this team right now.

[reYoukilis]

We had a great farm system, got rid of all our high priced contracts and were flush with cash. We then smartly spent that money on veterans, underrated players and Napoli, who was supposed to be tailor made for Fenway. This was all geared toward the future. Unfortunately we won a World Series on the way. I say its unfortunate because we lost sight of our original goal, that of rebuilding. And because of that WS win we had to put any of these rebuilding plans on hold to see if it could happen again. It didn't. I think its high time we give that original plan the chance it was meant to have and stop loading up on the new version of our Crawford's and Gonzales's that being Panda and Ramirez and Hammel,.

[User Name]

They only made two real errors (and they were big ones) this offseason from my vantage point: Signing Panda and tinkering with Porcello's approach. Hanley at 3B anchoring the lineup would make that deal look much better. Adrian Gonzalez made mention of how the guy's a natural infielder, and moving him was a terrible idea. I suspected (and mentioned in other threads) that the pitchers they acquired would have an adjustment period. I didn't expect Masterson to be cooked, but he was a 1-year deal anyways.

 

I think the Sox can make some moves to greatly improve the roster for next year without having to sacrifice their upper-echelon prospects. Substance signing/trades I'd call them. If they try to go for "flash" like they did this offseason, they'll probably f*** s*** up again.

[mvp 78]

The offfense has a chance to bounce back. The pitching doesn't.

 

I keep saying, however, that Hamels is a terrible idea. The Sox need young, controllable pitching both for the rotation and the bullpen. That's the only justifiable use of assetss for this team right now.

 

Oh, you don't want to give away some top prospects for an "ace" that has struggled against the AL his whole career???

[cp176]

Oh god no, no no no no no no no no no. You absolutely do not EVER EVER EVER evaluate a pitcher based on his last appearance. No. No. The decision is about what he can do for you over the entire life of the contract, not what he just did. You start changing your price, or even your willingness to pull a trigger or not pull a trigger, based on the latest flashy outing, then you have just made the Eric Gagne trade, the Crawford signing, the Panda signing, and a whole horrible host of others. Look at the while pile of data or nothing at all

 

I'm not really against bringing in Hamels except that I think the whole idea is [hilosophically flawed, based on a delusion that this team is going to be playoff-relevant anytime within the next 2-3 years. It is not. Pretending we need to make the kind of move to put a team over the top, when we're still sitting on the bottom, is a horrible use of resources. Realistically the recovery HAS to take more than 1 offseason. Because it took more than one offseason for the situation to get this bad in the first place. Acting now as if the World Series is just around the corner when we're umpteen games under .500 is the worst kind of pigheaded nonsense.

 

By the time I see this team being ready to contend again, Cole Hamels will not be 32, he'll be between 35 and 37 with his best years very much behind him. This team is offensively and defensively flawed, pitching is nowhere near the only problem, if it was maybe I'd feel differently but right now we'd be devoting all of our resources to patching one of several holes in a ship that's already sinking.

 

Basically I feel like if Hamels is your solution you're probably asking the wrong question.

 

When you have to fundamentally overhaul both your offense and your defense as well as your pithing while maneuvering around several dead-weight contracts, that's not the time to bring in an ace in his 30's to put you over the top in the playoffs. That's the time to make fundamentally unpopular moves to strengthen the franchise in the long run and hope you have a good 3 year plan. Making big moves as if we were contenders would simply keep us here in the basement for longer and doing it over and over again is the literal definition of insanity.

 

This is kind of depressing but probably quite true. Pitching, hitting, fielding - all areas that they are deficient in. We all want to see them bounce back quickly but realistically there has been no sign that they will in any of these areas anytime soon. When you look at it that way, a Cole Hamels signing would be foolish and just another move to try to put people in the seats. When and if they do start to take steps toward becoming a better baseball team, I hope that they don't paint themselves into a corner by issuing proclamations about not signing players over the age of thirty to long term contracts. An exception to every rule always exists. Their stance makes sense but sometimes you do what it takes to win. They have lots of issues to deal with first in addition to pitching. Will Sandoval literally eat his way out of the game? Can they convince Ramirez to lose all of his fielding gloves? Will the front office make good baseball decisions regardless of how it might affect attendance?

[Dojji]

The offfense has a chance to bounce back. The pitching doesn't.

 

I keep saying, however, that Hamels is a terrible idea. The Sox need young, controllable pitching both for the rotation and the bullpen. That's the only justifiable use of assetss for this team right now.

 

I think the offense as constituted has a better chance to get worse than get better. We've got a lot of over-30 talent in our lineup, and our best offensive player is definitely on the back 9. We're tied into a couple bad contracts that the team nade to try to contend with this offense now and that has turned out to be another terrible idea. We would clearly be in a better position to do what we need to do now as a franchise without Panda and probably without Hanley too but that's water under the bridge. At the end of the day I don't see huge offensive upside here.

 

I see the team able to manage an average offense, but an average offense that results in several defensive compromises won't help the pitching. Basically the lineup is in a holding pattern until and unless Bogaerts and Betts start to seriously break out. Once that happens the team can consider bringing in a free agent of some sort, preferably at first, and the offense will probably work out as top third in the league. But that depends on severa things going right for the team and I'm not sure I'm willing to outright predict any of them.

 

This team needs a fundamental overhaul. It needs to get younger at most of its positions, and especially first, third, right and DH. Nothing's going to happen for this team in the next 2-3 years so it's time to ask some serious questions, especially about some people who we don't like to think about moving on from, especially the aging Ortiz and the increasingly fragile Pedroia. Guys we hate to lose who aren't likely to be effective the next time it matters. Thing is if we can't make some tough calls here it's going to push our next contending window out several more years. We need to bringn the players who WILL be effective in thoe positions the next time it matters and start getting them experience. That's the move right now and I can't possibly see the Red Sox FO actually going for any of this, which is one of the big reasons I don't see us contending in the near future.

Edited July 26, 2015 by Dojji

[mvp 78]

They only made two real errors (and they were big ones) this offseason from my vantage point: Signing Panda and tinkering with Porcello's approach. Hanley at 3B anchoring the lineup would make that deal look much better. Adrian Gonzalez made mention of how the guy's a natural infielder, and moving him was a terrible idea. I suspected (and mentioned in other threads) that the pitchers they acquired would have an adjustment period. I didn't expect Masterson to be cooked, but he was a 1-year deal anyways.

 

I think the Sox can make some moves to greatly improve the roster for next year without having to sacrifice their upper-echelon prospects. Substance signing/trades I'd call them. If they try to go for "flash" like they did this offseason, they'll probably f*** s*** up again.

 

Idk, I'd say the extensions they signed were pretty dumb too.

[User Name]

Oh, you don't want to give away some top prospects for an "ace" that has struggled against the AL his whole career???

 

No, I really don't.

[mvp 78]

I think the offense as constituted has a better chance to get worse than get better. We've got a lot of over-30 talent in our lineup, and our best offensive player is definitely on the back 9. We're tied into a couple bad contracts that the team nade to try to contend with this offense now and that has turned out to be another terrible idea. We would clearly be in a better position to do what we need to do now as a franchise without Panda and probably without Hanley too but that's water under the bridge. At the end of the day I don't see huge offensive upside here. I see the team able to manage an average offense, but an average offense that results in several defensive compromises won't help the pitching.

 

This team needs a fundamental overhaul. It needs to get younger at most of its positions, and especially first, third, right and DH. Nothing's going to happen for this team in the next 2-3 years so it's time to ask some serious questions, especially about some people who we don't like to think about moving on from, especially the aging Ortiz and the increasingly fragile Pedroia. Thing is if we can't make some tough calls here it's going to push our next contending window out several more years.

 

Agree 100%. Trade Pedroia.

[User Name]

Idk, I'd say the extensions they signed were pretty dumb too.

 

I think Porcello will bounce back, and Miley has been pretty darn good after a disastrous April.

[mvp 78]

I think Porcello will bounce back, and Miley has been pretty darn good after a disastrous April.

 

He's good, but not worth the extension. No point is signing people ahead of time when they haven't shown jack yet.

[mvp 78]

No, I really don't.

 

But a deal of Swihart (sucks can't catch Wright), Rodriguez (pitch tipper) and one other guy would get it done!!!

 

Bring Hamels to the AL East! Get Paplebon too!

 

That would be some good hate watch tv!