A Realistic View at 2016

[Kimmi]

Shaw's above replacement level defensively, that's all i ask of him. A lot better than relying on a guy who can't actually play the position anymore.

 

We are so lucky that we have Travis Shaw. Him just being on the roster averted a major disaster thanks to Pablo's inability to take care of himself, and turned a huge liability into a potential major asset.

 

I actually had Shaw penciled in as insurance for Hanley in case Hanley turned into a huge liability.

[Kimmi]

Shaw's shortcomings are fair game, it's the Pablo thing in and of itself. As you said yourself, he'll be gone for a while.

 

And yet, there are still daily negative comments from others about Pablo.

 

I believe it was PA who said something about why continue to harp on Pablo when there are so many positive things going on with this team?

[Youk Of The Nation]

And yet, there are still daily negative comments from others about Pablo.

 

I believe it was PA who said something about why continue to harp on Pablo when there are so many positive things going on with this team?

 

I always thought of it as a baseball fan thing, but I think it's actually a Red Sox fan thing. No matter how well things are going, we have to harp on the small problems. Sox win the World Series? Spend six hours decrying the bullpen decisions. Sox win a game 25-1? Spend two hours complaining about shoddy infield defense that lead to that one run. Sox go 162-0? Complain about the ugly new road jerseys or something. I think it's just the reflexive response, even after three championships in a decade, to the subconscious belief that the Sox are just not going to win.

[Emp9]

layne

 

Wasn't my intention to leave anybody out, but just to add Kelly to the list

[User Name]

I always thought of it as a baseball fan thing, but I think it's actually a Red Sox fan thing. No matter how well things are going, we have to harp on the small problems. Sox win the World Series? Spend six hours decrying the bullpen decisions. Sox win a game 25-1? Spend two hours complaining about shoddy infield defense that lead to that one run. Sox go 162-0? Complain about the ugly new road jerseys or something. I think it's just the reflexive response, even after three championships in a decade, to the subconscious belief that the Sox are just not going to win.

 

Don't forget all of the whining about the FO that has brought about the best era of Red Sox baseball since the early 1900's

[Bellhorn04]

I always thought of it as a baseball fan thing, but I think it's actually a Red Sox fan thing. No matter how well things are going, we have to harp on the small problems. Sox win the World Series? Spend six hours decrying the bullpen decisions. Sox win a game 25-1? Spend two hours complaining about shoddy infield defense that lead to that one run. Sox go 162-0? Complain about the ugly new road jerseys or something. I think it's just the reflexive response, even after three championships in a decade, to the subconscious belief that the Sox are just not going to win.

 

Personally I think there's also some innate pessimism when you're a baseball fan, more than other major sports, simply because you lose so damn many times. Even the World Series champs rack up about 70 losses along the way. That's a lot of losing when you think about it.

[cp176]

Personally I think there's also some innate pessimism when you're a baseball fan, more than other major sports, simply because you lose so damn many times. Even the World Series champs rack up about 70 losses along the way. That's a lot of losing when you think about it.

 

I think that it has something to do with being from New England.

[User Name]

I don't hear no whining 'bout them Patriots

[Bellhorn04]

I think that it has something to do with being from New England.

 

Calvinism? Shaughnessy-ism?

[a700hitter]

I don't hear no whining 'bout them Patriots

They whine about Peyton Manning for some reason. Pats fans hate the guy.

[User Name]

Kind of irrational since Brady spent the better part of their respectives careers owning him, and owning him hard.

[Bellhorn04]

They whine about Peyton Manning for some reason. Pats fans hate the guy.

 

No wonder, they had to face him so many times. Pats dominated him in first part of his career, then he turned the tables.

[User Name]

No wonder, they had to face him so many times. Pats dominated him in first part of his career, then he turned the tables.

 

"Turned the tables" is kind of an exaggeration.

[Bellhorn04]

Pats fans should hate the Manning Brothers, period. It's crazy, but the Pats have lost 5 postseason games in a row to them.

 

(I'm not a diehard Pats fan, because I'm not a diehard football fan, but I hope for them.)

[cp176]

Calvinism? Shaughnessy-ism?

 

yup - challenged by the climate - 3 inches of snow yesterday will do it to you.

[cp176]

I don't hear no whining 'bout them Patriots

 

 

they whine about anybody who might conceivably whine about the Pats

[sk7326]

I don't hear no whining 'bout them Patriots

 

Some contrasting histories there as well.

 

To me, the Red Sox "curse" was sort of a backhanded compliment. I mean, basically since 1967 - the team has almost always been good, or at least good for a while. The World Series losses were all 7-gamers. The Cubs have their own curse - but ruined far fewer summers than the Red Sox, simply because they have largely been too bad a team to get to the point of raising hope. Old timers now like Shaughnessy have a very long history of the Red Sox largely being pretty good and it not working out.

 

The Patriots as the pinkhat aged fans know them, are really just 20 years old. Aside from that their history aside from a couple of patches was big league incompetence. I tell people that if you had cryogenically frozen a Patriots fan in 1990 (like Dr Evil) and then revived them in 2016 and told them the Patriots are the New York Yankees of the NFL .. I think you would have had an easier time telling selling them on Bangladesh joining the G7. The Patriots org, basically since Parcells - has been so good, and in such a stunning contrast to how laughable they were - I think old fans are just grateful for them not being Victor Kiam.

[Slasher9]

if we hover close to first place for the next couple months (within a game or two) I expect DD will pull the trigger on obtaining TOTR SP. I am going to do my best not to get too attached to Moncada, Devers, Espy, or the Italian Stallion until post deadline as i believe at least 2 of these will be gone if we are within striking distance. hopefully it will be for someone under team control for a few years instead of "rental" type.

[a700hitter]

Benintendi seems like a phenom, but he is very small. Betts is small and he has been great, but I am not sure that Benintendi will ever have Betts type power. It will be interesting to see what type of player he will be at the major league level.

[User Name]

Benintendi has natural loft in his swing. You can't teach that. He has the profile of the type of guy (average power currently, but makes consistent hard contact with plus bat speed) who can be deemed as "highly projectable". The power should come, but with the rest of his offensive game already being very advanced, he would be a valuable offensive contributor either way.

[sk7326]

if we hover close to first place for the next couple months (within a game or two) I expect DD will pull the trigger on obtaining TOTR SP. I am going to do my best not to get too attached to Moncada, Devers, Espy, or the Italian Stallion until post deadline as i believe at least 2 of these will be gone if we are within striking distance. hopefully it will be for someone under team control for a few years instead of "rental" type.

 

It is possible. Losing Espinoza would be a serious mistake, especially if you are among those who bleat about the lack of org arms. The rental market honestly will probably not warrant that. The ability to get a big fish at the deadline just is not what it was. It won't be a barren market clearly - but because of revenue sharing and the 2nd wild card - it will take a long time to sort out.

[sk7326]

Benintendi seems like a phenom, but he is very small. Betts is small and he has been great, but I am not sure that Benintendi will ever have Betts type power. It will be interesting to see what type of player he will be at the major league level.

 

What is amazing about Benintendi is he is the rare college player who did not appear on radars until very recently. It is distinctly possible (I won't say likely) that Holt is keeping Benintendi or Moncada's seat warm in LF.

[cp176]

What is amazing about Benintendi is he is the rare college player who did not appear on radars until very recently. It is distinctly possible (I won't say likely) that Holt is keeping Benintendi or Moncada's seat warm in LF.

 

What makes this all the more unbelievable is just how good he has been at every level he has played at including college. Numerous player of the year awards.

[notin]

Benintendi has impressed, but the likelihood of all four of the Sox blue chippprospects panning out isn't all that great. As Dombrowski has a history indicating dealing elite prospects is something he is far from afraid of doing, which from the set of Moncada, Devers, Espinoza and Benintendi do you expect to be moved? And which ones do you think SHOULD be moved, if any?

[sk7326]

Benintendi has impressed, but the likelihood of all four of the Sox blue chippprospects panning out isn't all that great. As Dombrowski has a history indicating dealing elite prospects is something he is far from afraid of doing, which from the set of Moncada, Devers, Espinoza and Benintendi do you expect to be moved? And which ones do you think SHOULD be moved, if any?

 

Now while I say dealing a guy with "young pedro" comps is a big mistake - I will also say that pitchers health is so much more volatile than position players (along with being at Greenville as an 18 year old) puts him first on the list to trade. But you have to make it count. Other guys floors are higher.

[Dojji]

Benintendi seems like a phenom, but he is very small. Betts is small and he has been great, but I am not sure that Benintendi will ever have Betts type power. It will be interesting to see what type of player he will be at the major league level.

 

I'm the first to be nervous about small players in the second half of their careers, but fans of this team should not be so skeptical about small players flashing the power, we should have gotten that particular bit of skepticism out of our systems with Pedroia..

[cp176]

Benintendi has impressed, but the likelihood of all four of the Sox blue chippprospects panning out isn't all that great. As Dombrowski has a history indicating dealing elite prospects is something he is far from afraid of doing, which from the set of Moncada, Devers, Espinoza and Benintendi do you expect to be moved? And which ones do you think SHOULD be moved, if any?

 

That is a particularly difficult question to address. I don't want to see any of them moved but I try to see where there current needs are and will be within a year or two and go from there. Moncada is a second baseman and until he starts playing another position, he won't be seeing Boston for a few years. Devers is a particularly talented young third baseman. We have one there right now although I still think that Shaw winds up at first quite possibly. Espinoza is a pitcher with what appears to be great potential but he is years away from Boston. I think that Benintendi is the closest of the bunch to being in Boston. I also think that the Sox need an outfield upgrade. He has a great chance of being in Fenway next year. I see Moncada as possibly a once in generation talent and Benintendi being close already. If a trade was made for a young talented pitcher I think that they could absorb the losses of both Espinoza and Devers. Might regret it later on but oh well. I also happen to think that they could get what they want in a trade without moving any of these 4.

[Dojji]

if DD gets good returns for them I don't care if he trades all 4 of these prospects. Making trades to help the big league team is one of the legitimate uses of a large pool of prospects, and no worse for the franchise than any other way if handled competently. I trust DD to spend big but get big returns, that's his trademark. Ben was kind enough to stock the larder with a good reserve of talent on his way out, there's no sin in using that talent to put a team I'm convinced is a potential frontrunner, over the top.

[billge]

Where does Moncada play ?

[Dojji]

In Salem.

 

We'll learn more when he's ready to hit the bigs. He's at least a year to a year and a half out at the moment, as are all the big 3. People hoping for more are expecting too much.