Sox Pitching Staff Discussion

[Bellhorn04]

Kudos to management for not DFAing Buchholz. The roster has been managed well lately, but earlier in the year, it was one big fustercluck for a while.

 

I think we may have to agree to disagree on that one. We did after all get off to a very nice start, 32-20 in April and May.

[Nick]

Our #1 baby will be in the majors by 2019...bank it.

[bowman]

I think so to..

[bowman]

Lol.

 

Let your hair down!

 

It's clusterf***!!!!1!!

Lol...

[Yaz Fan Since 67]

He throws a knuckleball ... if the knuckleball feels like rolling out of bed and going to work, things will be fine. If the knuckleball comes down with a cold, or has a bad attitude, it's trouble. Wright is basically a jockey here - on some basic level, it's up to the horse whether to do its thing. I've given up on thinking too much about it.

 

I like this post, well said.

[Nick]

Team G IP W L S ERA H R ER HR BB K G/F WHIP AVG OPS

Salem 10 51.1 4 1 0 1.23 24 9 7 0 24 81 2.17 0.94 0.144 0.443

 

Kopech getting it done........Michael Kopech continued his domination, tossing seven shutout innings and allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out ten (Sox Prospects)....2018 looks about right for him....

 

No home runs given up in 51 innings. Limiting opposition to .144 Batting Average. High K/BB ratio. WHIP below 1.00. Dominating performance so far.

Edited August 25, 2016 by Nick

[Nick]

Starters under team control

 

Price 2022

Porcello 2019

Pomeranz 2018 Replace with Kopech

E Rod 2020

Wright 2020

 

I doubt Price would opt out.....it's a solid group if they stay healthy

[sk7326]

Team G IP W L S ERA H R ER HR BB K G/F WHIP AVG OPS

Salem 10 51.1 4 1 0 1.23 24 9 7 0 24 81 2.17 0.94 0.144 0.443

 

Kopech getting it done........Michael Kopech continued his domination, tossing seven shutout innings and allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out ten (Sox Prospects)....2018 looks about right for him....

 

No home runs given up in 51 innings. Limiting opposition to .144 Batting Average. High K/BB ratio. WHIP below 1.00. Dominating performance so far.

 

One trick pony so far - but most High-A guys don't have a prayer against that trick

[Nick]

One trick pony so far - but most High-A guys don't have a prayer against that trick

 

Anytime a kid throws close to 100 mph and walks only two batters, I'll take it. And I don't care at what level. His biggest issue will always be his control. Major league hitters will wait him out if he can't paint the black.

[SoxnCycles]

Starters under team control

 

Price 2022

Porcello 2019

Pomeranz 2018 Replace with Kopech

E Rod 2020

Wright 2020

 

I doubt Price would opt out.....it's a solid group if they stay healthy

 

Depends on what kind of stupid contracts are given out to pitchers between now and then.

[sk7326]

Starters under team control

 

Price 2022

Porcello 2019

Pomeranz 2018 Replace with Kopech

E Rod 2020

Wright 2020

 

I doubt Price would opt out.....it's a solid group if they stay healthy

 

I fully expect him to - and I think the Red Sox would almost be rooting for it

 

1. Money is flowing

2. If he opts out, it's because he did well - we like that

3. The Sox get maximum flexibility by him opting out - presumably after good results

[illinoisredsox]

One trick pony so far - but most High-A guys don't have a prayer against that trick

 

Yep. The guys that do get promoted.

[illinoisredsox]

Anytime a kid throws close to 100 mph and walks only two batters, I'll take it. And I don't care at what level. His biggest issue will always be his control. Major league hitters will wait him out if he can't paint the black.

 

If he's to continue as a starter, he'll have to learn to command the strike zone by dialing it back a bit, throw easy mid-90s where he wants to and be able to ramp up when he needs to. Obviously he'll need to add a couple pitches as well (change, breaking ball).

 

If he ends up in the pen, the other pitches aren't quite as important.

 

Either way, does anyone know if his pitches are straight or do they have movement? Major league hitters can handle 100 mph straight (ask Joe Kelly)

[sk7326]

If he's to continue as a starter, he'll have to learn to command the strike zone by dialing it back a bit, throw easy mid-90s where he wants to and be able to ramp up when he needs to. Obviously he'll need to add a couple pitches as well (change, breaking ball).

 

If he ends up in the pen, the other pitches aren't quite as important.

 

Either way, does anyone know if his pitches are straight or do they have movement? Major league hitters can handle 100 mph straight (ask Joe Kelly)

 

I've heard it is kind of straight - at the same time 100 has been his floor - so while hitters can square up a Joe Kelly fastball, this might be a tick above ... he needs another pitch, but his velocity is plus-plus

[Kimmi]

Lol.

 

Let your hair down!

 

It's clusterf***!!!!1!!

 

LOL

 

My hair is down.

[Kimmi]

Depends on what kind of stupid contracts are given out to pitchers between now and then.

 

When Price first signed this contract, I thought that there was no way he would opt out of his contract because no team would be willing to pay him, at that age, more than what he was already getting. Then I saw what Greinke got when he opted out.

 

If Price pitches well, he will likely opt out. That's my hope, at least.

[Nick]

PER SOXPROSPECTS Kopech

 

Fastball: 93-97 mph. Have seen him top out at 98 mph, but reportedly has hit 100+ mph. Explosive pitch with plus life. Sinking movement. Plus-plus potential. Well below-average command. Command will take time to develop.

 

Slider: 84-87 mph. Plus potential, showed wipeout potential and bat-missing ability. (E Rod is pitching much better since he quit throwing his cutter and replaced it with slider...)

 

Changeup: 85-88 mph. Firm, some drop. Similar arm action, needs to improve consistency with arm speed. Below-average potential.

 

Curveball: 79-82 mph. Loose break, drops arm slot. Flashes tight rotation and depth. Average potential. The club has reportedly asked Kopech to shelve the pitch to focus on his other three offerings, which makes sense as when he throws both in the same outing they end up blending together in a slurvy breaking ball in the low-80s.

 

He's 6-3, DD type of starter....I think his development plus signing Gromes eased the pain of trading away Espinoza for DD.

Edited August 25, 2016 by Nick

[Kimmi]

I fully expect him to - and I think the Red Sox would almost be rooting for it

 

1. Money is flowing

2. If he opts out, it's because he did well - we like that

3. The Sox get maximum flexibility by him opting out - presumably after good results

 

Agreed.

 

My only concern would be that, if Price is pitching really well, the Sox would try to re-sign him to a larger contract, similar to what the Yankees did with CC.

[Nick]

I fully expect him to - and I think the Red Sox would almost be rooting for it

 

1. Money is flowing

2. If he opts out, it's because he did well - we like that

3. The Sox get maximum flexibility by him opting out - presumably after good results

 

I don't think he'll opt out but I won't lose any sleep over it....$30M can go toward our killer B's....

[Nick]

Agreed.

 

My only concern would be that, if Price is pitching really well, the Sox would try to re-sign him to a larger contract, similar to what the Yankees did with CC.

 

If Price does opt out, 2019 will be Porcello's last year. Money maybe better spent on extending Porcello. At least that's my hope.

 

The big picture is that we are in the pennant race now and we should compete for the title in 2018 and 2019, especially with the way our SP rotation and positional line up is shaping up.

 

After last two years, we're in a good place right now.

Edited August 25, 2016 by Nick

[Kimmi]

If Price does opt out, 2019 will be Porcello's last year. Money maybe better spent on extending Porcello. At least that's my hope.

 

The big picture is that we are in the pennant race now and we should compete for the title in 2018 and 2019, especially with the way our SP rotation and positional line up is shaping up.

 

Based on last two years, we're in a good place right now.

 

I hope he opts out. IMO, that would be the best case scenario for us. As you said, that money could be better spent elsewhere.

 

I agree, we are in a very good place right now.

[a700hitter]

I hope he opts out. IMO, that would be the best case scenario for us. As you said, that money could be better spent elsewhere.

 

I agree, we are in a very good place right now.

Yes, we could spend save $150 million on the remainder of Price's contract and spend $300 million on our next FA pitcher.

[S5Dewey]

Yes, we could spend save $150 million on the remainder of Price's contract and spend $300 million on our next FA pitcher.

 

YES! This is my problem with it. Sure, the team has saved $150M, and all they had to do to save it was give up their best pitcher. Then the Sox get to go out and spend even more money on a pitcher who may not be as good as Price.

 

Does that make any sense?

[Bellhorn04]

YES! This is my problem with it. Sure, the team has saved $150M, and all they had to do to save it was give up their best pitcher. Then the Sox get to go out and spend even more money on a pitcher who may not be as good as Price.

 

Does that make any sense?

 

It's possible that it works out that way, sure. There is a whole range of possibilities.

[a700hitter]

YES! This is my problem with it. Sure, the team has saved $150M, and all they had to do to save it was give up their best pitcher. Then the Sox get to go out and spend even more money on a pitcher who may not be as good as Price.

 

Does that make any sense?

Not to me. If he opts out, it will be because his market value has gone up.

[Bellhorn04]

Worth noting on this topic...

 

Who were the last 2 ace pitchers to opt out?

 

1) Sabathia. Would the Yankees have been better off letting him opt out? Yes.

2) Greinke. Are the Dodgers better off letting him opt out? Sure looks that way in the early going.

[Slasher9]

YES! This is my problem with it. Sure, the team has saved $150M, and all they had to do to save it was give up their best pitcher. Then the Sox get to go out and spend even more money on a pitcher who may not be as good as Price.

 

Does that make any sense?

i would rather put that $150 towards whatever stud FA pitcher that is late 20's when price opts out. this way we will be "missing out" on paying price $31MM per year age 35+. unless he is nolan ryan or uses drugs like clemens i dont like him at mid 30's.....

[a700hitter]

i would rather put that $150 towards whatever stud FA pitcher that is late 20's when price opts out. this way we will be "missing out" on paying price $31MM per year age 35+. unless he is nolan ryan or uses drugs like clemens i dont like him at mid 30's.....

and add another $100 million.

[sk7326]

Worth noting on this topic...

 

Who were the last 2 ace pitchers to opt out?

 

1) Sabathia. Would the Yankees have been better off letting him opt out? Yes.

2) Greinke. Are the Dodgers better off letting him opt out? Sure looks that way in the early going.

 

Yankees - yes.

Dodgers is a little harder - they have not actually replaced him adequately - and so much of Grienke's dropoff is just going to a worse team in a worse environment, but the general point is sound

[Spudboy]

Why is it necessary to discuss Price opting out two years from now?