6/20 Red Sox @ Kansas City

[VA Sox Fan]

Not enjoying the constant suck

[SoxHop]

Royals fans are having too much fun..... I'm jealous...... I say nuke the entire city....

[iortiz]

What a way to waste money in a guy like Porcello. Well done, Ben.

[jd98]

Just who were the teams in on him?

 

The Yankees? I read that he had NO TEAMS seeking him. If so, the Sox massively over paid against themselves.

 

I kind of doubt a guy who can no longer field his position is worth 22 mil.

 

Seattle reportedly had strong interest. Houston supposedly some interest. Probably Yankees too. Would have been more talk had he waited longer to sign somewhere. After looking back at some articles, it appears there wasn't much of a consensus on his expected contract, but certainly nothing much less than what he got.

[SoxHop]

Seattle reportedly had strong interest. Houston supposedly some interest. Probably Yankees too. Would have been more talk had he waited longer to sign somewhere. After looking back at some articles, it appears there wasn't much of a consensus on his expected contract, but certainly nothing much less than what he got.

 

 

UUUNNNNN, AHHHHHHHH OOOO AAHHH UNNNNNNNnYEAAA!!!!

 

sorry, I just orgasmed over the thought of the Yankees with Hanley instead of the Sox..........

[Jasonbay44]

At least Hanley hits for power, the idea of putting him at a position hes never played before was idiotic. I may be in the minority but id like to keep Hanley as a DH after this season, he can still hit, his fielding and base running is just retarded.. I think the bigger problem is the pitching and Sandoval. All of these pitchers aside from Rodriguez suck, and Pablo has been painfully awful.

 

I guess the bright spots are the young guys are fun to watch. Xander, Betts, Swihart and Rodriguez all have bright futures.

[SoxHop]

Flip a coin, bring up JBJ or Craig........ tell them to s*** or get off the pot.

 

Trade Hanley straight up to some total sucker that we can convince he is still a third baseman and not a 22 mil a year DH. Use torture methods to make them agree to the deal. (I know this isn't going to happen)

 

Sandoval....... stays.........and does better next year.

 

Search for one other dominate starter. Paired with E-Rod and surrounding cast. Get two dominate starters and we buy WS tickets early.

 

Unless things turn around...... so long Papi..........

 

Superman, E-Rod, and the following three we figure out. BUchholtz is probably in the mix. Please, one of the rest of the rotation figure it out.

 

Bullpen shop. Taz and Uehara stay...... ...

Edited June 21, 2015 by SoxHop

[a700hitter]

DeLeon stinks. Pick up anyone else. We couldn't do worse.

[a700hitter]

The time has come to realize that the Porcello contract was just toopid. He is maintaining a 5+ ERA and is at best a middle of the rotation guy -- a dime a dozen.

[Station 13]

how about Mookie Betts finally seeing the ball drop for hits now? BABIP is a wonderful thing, the good players will see it even out. He doesn't have bad AB. He has yet to hit into a DP. He plays CF like a pro with no trouble adjusting to it. He's on pace for 6-7WAR for his first 162 games played. Amazing player.

[jacksonianmarch]

You're building a core around the middle of the field. I told you guys it would take a couple seasons. But with Swihart taking his licks and Vasquez getting healthy, you have the makings of a solid tandem for years to come. You have Pedroia who should be an AS and Bogaerts up the middle and Betts in CF. Come 2017, the sox will probably be the best team up the middle in baseball, assuming they don't deal them away. You win with production up the middle. You'll have it in spades, especially when these guys really establish themselves. The edges are more expendable and replaceable.

[cp176]

You're building a core around the middle of the field. I told you guys it would take a couple seasons. But with Swihart taking his licks and Vasquez getting healthy, you have the makings of a solid tandem for years to come. You have Pedroia who should be an AS and Bogaerts up the middle and Betts in CF. Come 2017, the sox will probably be the best team up the middle in baseball, assuming they don't deal them away. You win with production up the middle. You'll have it in spades, especially when these guys really establish themselves. The edges are more expendable and replaceable.

 

As long as the young pitching staff comes along, I agree with you. Whether both Swihart and Vasquez stay in Boston will be interesting to find out.

[Kimmi]

At least Hanley hits for power, the idea of putting him at a position hes never played before was idiotic. I may be in the minority but id like to keep Hanley as a DH after this season, he can still hit, his fielding and base running is just retarded.. I think the bigger problem is the pitching and Sandoval. All of these pitchers aside from Rodriguez suck, and Pablo has been painfully awful.

 

I guess the bright spots are the young guys are fun to watch. Xander, Betts, Swihart and Rodriguez all have bright futures.

 

I don't think the idea of putting Hanley in LF was idiotic. He is a professional athlete who played one of the hardest defensive positions in the game. You would expect that he could play LF at least as well as he played SS, and reasonably expect to even see improvement in LF. Either way, with his offensive ability, he should still be well worth $22 mil a year.

[Kimmi]

You're building a core around the middle of the field. I told you guys it would take a couple seasons. But with Swihart taking his licks and Vasquez getting healthy, you have the makings of a solid tandem for years to come. You have Pedroia who should be an AS and Bogaerts up the middle and Betts in CF. Come 2017, the sox will probably be the best team up the middle in baseball, assuming they don't deal them away. You win with production up the middle. You'll have it in spades, especially when these guys really establish themselves. The edges are more expendable and replaceable.

 

There is no reason to have expected that this year's team would be so bad. Anyone who says otherwise is being a revisionist.

[Kimmi]

The time has come to realize that the Porcello contract was just toopid. He is maintaining a 5+ ERA and is at best a middle of the rotation guy -- a dime a dozen.

 

It looks awful right now, for reason's beyond anyone's explanation, but I will defend that contract unitl I'm blue in the face. Given the same circumstances going in, it's one I would do again, hindsight notwithstanding.

[jacksonianmarch]

He's always been a more hits than IP guy. His problem this year is the homerball. Last year he averaged one a little more than every 2 starts. Now he's averaging 1HR/start. Add to that is career low ground ball rate and his still rather ordinary K rate and you have a recipe for disaster, especially in your park. No acquisition this offseason has worked. None

[cp176]

There is no reason to have expected that this year's team would be so bad. Anyone who says otherwise is being a revisionist.

 

Revisionist thinking or not many if not most people entered this season with a heavy dose of caution attached to their optimism.

I am not particularly critical of the decisions that they made to try to improve the team in general. If things don't get a little better, it would be senseless not to make some changes.

[Kimmi]

He's always been a more hits than IP guy. His problem this year is the homerball. Last year he averaged one a little more than every 2 starts. Now he's averaging 1HR/start. Add to that is career low ground ball rate and his still rather ordinary K rate and you have a recipe for disaster, especially in your park. No acquisition this offseason has worked. None

 

This is exactly the point.

 

For one, would you have expected Porcello's HR rate to spike and his ground ball rate to dip to a career low? The type of pitcher that he should be is tailor made for Fenway.

 

For two, would you expect that none of the acquisitions would work? None?

 

Also FTR, it's been not quite half a season. Though they do not look good right now, it is far too early to for anyone to be calling these signings a bust.

[Kimmi]

Revisionist thinking or not many if not most people entered this season with a heavy dose of caution attached to their optimism.

I am not particularly critical of the decisions that they made to try to improve the team in general. If things don't get a little better, it would be senseless not to make some changes.

 

I understand the caution that many people had, particularly with regard to the starting pitching staff. Even those who are less than optimistic could not have predictied the team to be as bad as it is in either pitching, offense, or defense, never mind all 3 of them.

[User Name]

They're tinkering with Porcello's approach to increase his K%, which has to be one of the stupidest things I've ever seen this team do. Some of the greatest pitchers of the steroid era made their living off of keeping the ball low and inducing weak contact. Porcello was able to do just that, and they supposedly built a team to increase the effectiveness of that strategy, then turn around and say "f*** it, them K's are sexy". Wat?

[iortiz]

The time has come to realize that the Porcello contract was just toopid. He is maintaining a 5+ ERA and is at best a middle of the rotation guy -- a dime a dozen.

 

Yup, he stinks, it is really that simple. Now we have to live with this bum for the next 4 years.

[iortiz]

It looks awful right now, for reason's beyond anyone's explanation, but I will defend that contract unitl I'm blue in the face. Given the same circumstances going in, it's one I would do again, hindsight notwithstanding.

 

Good to hear Kim, it is going to be always a pleasure to bet my sig with you for the next 4 years LOL!.

[User Name]

Dear Lord, you're a simpleton.

[a700hitter]

I understand the caution that many people had, particularly with regard to the starting pitching staff. Even those who are less than optimistic could not have predictied the team to be as bad as it is in either pitching, offense, or defense, never mind all 3 of them.

 

I remember optimistic posters who saw possibilities for this being an innings eating productive stafff who noted with caution that if some things went bad that it could quickly turn disastrous. There were plenty of reasons to be wary of this staff. I was very vocal about the lack of top of rotation pitchers. I was not even talking about the need for an ace. I termed this staff " a pair of 4's a pair of 5s and a 3" and that is what they are, and the results have been disastrous.

[iortiz]

I remember optimistic posters who saw possibilities for this being an innings eating productive stafff who noted with caution that if some things went bad that it could quickly turn disastrous. There were plenty of reasons to be wary of this staff. I was very vocal about the lack of top of rotation pitchers. I was not even talking about the need for an ace. I termed this staff " a pair of 4's a pair of 5s and a 3" and that is what they are, and the results have been disastrous.

Now they are blaming the coaching staff for his performance haha.

 

As I said Porcello, sucked, sucks and will suck.

[cp176]

I understand the caution that many people had, particularly with regard to the starting pitching staff. Even those who are less than optimistic could not have predictied the team to be as bad as it is in either pitching, offense, or defense, never mind all 3 of them.

 

That is very accurate I think. I think that there was reason to feel optimistic going into this season. But I have to also say that personally I don't think that I ever felt anything other than optimism heading into spring training. The pitching staff as a whole has not shown any sign that they are going to get the job done. Outside of Rodriguez, who many people didn't even have on their radar, they have been disappointing. I did then and I still do like what the scouts said about Rodriguez. Trading Cespedes and bringing in Porcello - signing Sandoval and Ramirez seemed to be stepping in the right direction both from a pitching as well as a hitting perspective. No one could possibly have foreseen how poorly Ramirez would adjust to playing let field. No way. Ramirez came back with some baggage that much we did know. We can second guess most of the decisions that were made. It is safe to say that no one is particularly happy right now. Personally for me there will be a time if things don't improve that I think saying that things didn't work out is ok. No one is right all of the time. Turn the page. I hope that they will build a team based around the play of their young players. Outside of Pedroia and Holt, I think that this is where their leadership is going to come from.

[Spudboy]

I don't think the idea of putting Hanley in LF was idiotic. He is a professional athlete who played one of the hardest defensive positions in the game. You would expect that he could play LF at least as well as he played SS, and reasonably expect to even see improvement in LF. Either way, with his offensive ability, he should still be well worth $22 mil a year.

 

But neither happened. He has been a pig in LF and has, overall, fallen short of reasonable expectations at the Plate.

 

He has made little effort since ST to become a better left fielder, that is established fact.

 

Yeah, with most players making that transition, it would be reasonable to assume that the adjustment would be made and the player would maintain his value.

 

That has not happened with Hanley.

 

Many are not surprised.

[cp176]

I remember optimistic posters who saw possibilities for this being an innings eating productive stafff who noted with caution that if some things went bad that it could quickly turn disastrous. There were plenty of reasons to be wary of this staff. I was very vocal about the lack of top of rotation pitchers. I was not even talking about the need for an ace. I termed this staff " a pair of 4's a pair of 5s and a 3" and that is what they are, and the results have been disastrous.

 

 

Absolutely accurate. I was not in the least bit surprised that Rodriguez was brought up. He is and has been the young pitcher with the highest ceiling. He was just needed sooner than I thought that he was going to be.

[Kimmi]

Good to hear Kim, it is going to be always a pleasure to bet my sig with you for the next 4 years LOL!.

 

I have no problem admitting that I was wrong about Porcello and that you were right - up to this point. I'm sure that makes you happy. I am in no way ready to write him off for the remainder of his contract. He is a much better pitcher than what we're seeing so far this season. He just needs to get back to the approach that got him here.

[a700hitter]

I have no problem admitting that I was wrong about Porcello and that you were right - up to this point. I'm sure that makes you happy. I am in no way ready to write him off for the remainder of his contract. He is a much better pitcher than what we're seeing so far this season. He just needs to get back to the approach that got him here.

 

4.40 career ERA over 1,100 innings. If you think that 4.40 is a big improvement, then I will agree that he is better than what we have seen, but that is still not good enough to be a top of the rotation guy.