A Realistic View at 2017 Part I

[User Name]

So now y'all are whining because they shipped Buch out? Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[Fisk]

We are going to need one more potentially decent SP. What's Fister up to nowadays?

 

Fister is no longer a decent starting pitcher, rather use Kendrick.

[moonslav59]

We are going to need one more potentially decent SP. What's Fister up to nowadays?

 

Most teams need 2-3 more decent SP'ers. It really doesn't matter that much to me that we need one.

 

Did I fail to mention...

 

We have Chris Freakin' Sale!!!

[moonslav59]

We have the cap room to go out and get a starter once all the dust settles with Price and Pom. Let's wait and see how things shake out and what our true high need area is.

 

I still think it will end up being the bullpen- not our rotation.

[mvp 78]

Most teams need 2-3 more decent SP'ers. It really doesn't matter that much to me that we need one.

 

Did I fail to mention...

 

We have Chris Freakin' Sale!!!

 

The ChiSox had a great rotation last year. How'd they wind up?

[moonslav59]

The ChiSox had a great rotation last year. How'd they wind up?

 

I don't care about any other team. We have Chris Freakin' Sale!

[mvp 78]

I don't care about any other team. We have Chris Freakin' Sale!

 

He'll be fun to watch, but it doesn't mean we're a lock for the WS.

[moonslav59]

We have a top 3 offense- maybe the best.

 

We have a top 2-3 rotation in the AL- maybe top 3 in all MLB.

 

We have improved defense.

 

We have decent speed.

 

Our pen looks to be at least average but could be much better than that.

 

We're dealing with a few injuries, but we have a top 10 bench.

[moonslav59]

He'll be fun to watch, but it doesn't mean we're a lock for the WS.

 

The Guardians have a very comparable team. A couple other AL teams could challenge hard as well.

'

Nobody has a lock on anything, but it sure is nice to have Chris Freakin' Sale!

[mvp 78]

RE: Starters

 

Cubs, Giants and Mets are all better. Guardians are probably pretty similar with Price in. With Price out, the Jays rotation may be the best in the division. Dodgers and Nats both have great high end talent too.

[oldtimer]

We have a top 3 offense- maybe the best.

 

We have a top 2-3 rotation in the AL- maybe top 3 in all MLB.

 

We have improved defense.

 

We have decent speed.

 

Our pen looks to be at least average but could be much better than that.

 

We're dealing with a few injuries, but we have a top 10 bench.

 

and parcel analysis for the beginning of the season.

 

Offense: We shall see with JBJ and Leon being the most suspect

Rotation: Very good through 3, still questionable until injuries play out

Defense: Should be improved in the outfield, Sandoval and Mooreland should hold their own or better.

Decent Speed: Yes in the outfield, average or slightly below in the infield and very slow at catcher.

Pen: Last years returnees are average with the new guys yet to show more positive results

Bench: Do we keep Marco up? do we keep Holt and Rutledge? Vasquez at catcher for now? State tuned!

[Nick]

RE: Starters

 

Cubs, Giants and Mets are all better. Guardians are probably pretty similar with Price in. With Price out, the Jays rotation may be the best in the division. Dodgers and Nats both have great high end talent too.

 

Cubs, Giants, Mets, Dodgers and Nats are in NL.

 

I like our chances BETTER with Sale pitching twice in every playoff series.

[mvp 78]

Cubs, Giants, Mets, Dodgers and Nats are in NL.

 

I like our chances BETTER with Sale pitching twice in every playoff series.

 

He said maybe top 3 in all of baseball.

[moonslav59]

Offense: We shall see with JBJ and Leon being the most suspect

Even if JBJ and Leon hit .225, our offense will be top 5.

 

Rotation: Very good through 3, still questionable until injuries play out

Our top 3 is excellent- perhaps best in all MLB.

Did I mention we acquired Chris Freakin' Sale!

Our 4-6 starters compare favorably to just about every other MLB club, except maybe 4 or 5 teams.

 

Defense: Should be improved in the outfield, Sandoval and Mooreland should hold their own or better.

Moreland is a big gain over HanRam.

Beni should be a big gain over our 2016 group of LF'ers.

3B may be slightly worse, depending on Pablo's skill level. SS should improve.

 

Decent Speed: Yes in the outfield, average or slightly below in the infield and very slow at catcher.

Not slower at catcher than most teams. Faster at DH than 2016.

 

Pen: Last years returnees are average with the new guys yet to show more positive results

To me, this area is more questionable than JBJ or Leon and Vaz/Swi.

 

Bench: Do we keep Marco up? do we keep Holt and Rutledge? Vasquez at catcher for now? State tuned

It's a solid bench, and with Marco, Swi, Selsky and others in AAA, we are good and deep on our bench.

[moonslav59]

He said maybe top 3 in all of baseball.

 

Yes, top 2-3 in the AL and maybe top 3 in al MLB (assuming good health for all teams)

[moonslav59]

I like our chances BETTER with Sale pitching twice in every playoff series.

 

Our top 3 stacks up pretty well with any other MLB team. Here's how fangraphs projects top 3 starters by WAR:

 

BOS 13.1 (Sale 5.5, Porcello 3.8 & Price 3.8) They also have Pomeranz at 2.3

LAD 13.0 (Kershaw 7.4, Hill 2.8 & Maeda 2.8) Nobody else over 1.5

WSH 13.0 (Scherzer 5.7, Strasburg 4.4 & Gonzalez 2.9) Joe Ross at 2.5 and Roark at 1.9

CLE 13.0: (Kluber 5.2, Carrasco 4.4 & Salazar 3.4) Nobody else over 1.7

NYM 12.7 (Syndergaard 5.6, deGrom 3.9 & Matz 3.2) They also have Harvey at 2.7

SFG 12.5 (Bumgarner 5.1, Cueto 4.3 & Samardzija 3.1) M Moore at 2.3

Cubs 11.9 (Lester 4.5, Arrieta 4.1 & Hendricks 3.3) Lackey at 2.9

 

I think saying "maybe" top 3 is justifiable.

 

 

 

[Nick]

He said maybe top 3 in all of baseball.

 

My only point is having Sale to pitch twice in every series puts us in a better spot than in 2016.

 

I'm pretty much in agreement with Moon 90% of the time except when whines about Pom trade. (in a lovable way, of course)

[Nick]

I like our chances BETTER with Sale pitching twice in every playoff series.

 

Our top 3 stacks up pretty well with any other MLB team. Here's how fangraphs projects top 3 starters by WAR:

 

BOS 13.1 (Sale 5.5, Porcello 3.8 & Price 3.8) They also have Pomeranz at 2.3

LAD 13.0 (Kershaw 7.4, Hill 2.8 & Maeda 2.8) Nobody else over 1.5

WSH 13.0 (Scherzer 5.7, Strasburg 4.4 & Gonzalez 2.9) Joe Ross at 2.5 and Roark at 1.9

CLE 13.0: (Kluber 5.2, Carrasco 4.4 & Salazar 3.4) Nobody else over 1.7

NYM 12.7 (Syndergaard 5.6, deGrom 3.9 & Matz 3.2) They also have Harvey at 2.7

SFG 12.5 (Bumgarner 5.1, Cueto 4.3 & Samardzija 3.1) M Moore at 2.3

Cubs 11.9 (Lester 4.5, Arrieta 4.1 & Hendricks 3.3) Lackey at 2.9

 

I think saying "maybe" top 3 is justifiable.

 

 

 

 

Any one have the WAR stat from last year when Wright went out? What about Pom's at the All Star break?

[moonslav59]

Any one have the WAR stat from last year when Wright went out? What about Pom's at the All Star break?

 

1st half WAR

2.5 Pomeranz (15th in MLB)

2.1 Wright (25th in MLB)

[mvp 78]

I like our chances BETTER with Sale pitching twice in every playoff series.

 

Our top 3 stacks up pretty well with any other MLB team. Here's how fangraphs projects top 3 starters by WAR:

 

BOS 13.1 (Sale 5.5, Porcello 3.8 & Price 3.8) They also have Pomeranz at 2.3

LAD 13.0 (Kershaw 7.4, Hill 2.8 & Maeda 2.8) Nobody else over 1.5

WSH 13.0 (Scherzer 5.7, Strasburg 4.4 & Gonzalez 2.9) Joe Ross at 2.5 and Roark at 1.9

CLE 13.0: (Kluber 5.2, Carrasco 4.4 & Salazar 3.4) Nobody else over 1.7

NYM 12.7 (Syndergaard 5.6, deGrom 3.9 & Matz 3.2) They also have Harvey at 2.7

SFG 12.5 (Bumgarner 5.1, Cueto 4.3 & Samardzija 3.1) M Moore at 2.3

Cubs 11.9 (Lester 4.5, Arrieta 4.1 & Hendricks 3.3) Lackey at 2.9

 

I think saying "maybe" top 3 is justifiable.

 

 

 

 

I'm not saying it isn't justifiable. I don't think Price will get even half of 3.8 this year.

[mvp 78]

1st half WAR

2.5 Pomeranz (15th in MLB)

2.1 Wright (25th in MLB)

 

Too much cherry picking. Wright and Pomeranz were both pitching at their absolute peak. Neither of them had pitched like that before and both of them didn't finish off the season replicating their 1st half due to injuries and other factors.

[FredLynn]

Fister is no longer a decent starting pitcher, rather use Kendrick.

 

I think we will need another SP even with Kendrick. I am not going to depend on the likes of Owens and Johnson to supply even a single quality start.

[mvp 78]

I think we will need another SP even with Kendrick. I am not going to depend on the likes of Owens and Johnson to supply even a single quality start.

 

Brandon Workman?

[Thunder]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Chris Sale is a poison. He will cost this team the World Series. They'll still get to the playoffs, maybe even make the World Series. But he's proven himself to be a shithole of a teammate, and at some point, that's going to cost this team. From the start, I've hated him. I was appalled when the news of the trade broke.

[mvp 78]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Chris Sale is a poison. He will cost this team the World Series. They'll still get to the playoffs, maybe even make the World Series. But he's proven himself to be a shithole of a teammate, and at some point, that's going to cost this team. From the start, I've hated him. I was appalled when the news of the trade broke.

 

He's had issues with management and has always stood by his teammates (a big difference imo). Not sure he's really a clubhouse cancer.

[Thunder]

He's had issues with management and has always stood by his teammates (a big difference imo). Not sure he's really a clubhouse cancer.

 

Either way, I have a major problem with him. I wish Dombrowski never made that trade.

[mvp 78]

Good thing you're not on the team then.

[Emp9]

I like our chances BETTER with Sale pitching twice in every playoff series.

 

Our top 3 stacks up pretty well with any other MLB team. Here's how fangraphs projects top 3 starters by WAR:

 

BOS 13.1 (Sale 5.5, Porcello 3.8 & Price 3.8) They also have Pomeranz at 2.3

LAD 13.0 (Kershaw 7.4, Hill 2.8 & Maeda 2.8) Nobody else over 1.5

WSH 13.0 (Scherzer 5.7, Strasburg 4.4 & Gonzalez 2.9) Joe Ross at 2.5 and Roark at 1.9

CLE 13.0: (Kluber 5.2, Carrasco 4.4 & Salazar 3.4) Nobody else over 1.7

NYM 12.7 (Syndergaard 5.6, deGrom 3.9 & Matz 3.2) They also have Harvey at 2.7

SFG 12.5 (Bumgarner 5.1, Cueto 4.3 & Samardzija 3.1) M Moore at 2.3

Cubs 11.9 (Lester 4.5, Arrieta 4.1 & Hendricks 3.3) Lackey at 2.9

 

I think saying "maybe" top 3 is justifiable.

 

 

 

 

 

CLE 13.0: (Kluber 5.2, Carrasco 4.4 & Salazar 3.4) Nobody else over 1.7

 

Bauer has proven pretty versatile although inconsistent. I personally think he was pitching over his head in the playoffs, but he's a definite wildcard.

 

NYM 12.7 (Syndergaard 5.6, deGrom 3.9 & Matz 3.2) They also have Harvey at 2.7

 

I've been casually keeping track of the Mets in recent years (lot's my friends are Mets fans so it's nice to and plus I get the skinny on what they think). It's been all about injuries for them, but the talents there. I think injuries have, overall, kept them from trading a SP for a better bat.

 

I think saying "maybe" top 3 is justifiable.

 

I agree with this. But, even if we wind up being wrong, it's still gonna' be close. Our starting staff will rank up there with the best of them. If we prove to be even 7th on that list, it won't be by a lot.

[Emp9]

He's had issues with management and has always stood by his teammates (a big difference imo). Not sure he's really a clubhouse cancer.

 

Correct. He's had issues with management, not with teammates.

[moonslav59]

Too much cherry picking. Wright and Pomeranz were both pitching at their absolute peak. Neither of them had pitched like that before and both of them didn't finish off the season replicating their 1st half due to injuries and other factors.

 

Wright has pitched well for quite some time.

 

In 94 IP from 2014-2015, Wright had a 3.75 ERA with BOS (1.27 WHIP)

 

His minor league numbers were between impressive and good:

 

2012: 2.54 (1.26) in AA & AAA

2013: 3.46 (1.44) in AAA

2014: 3.42 (1.14) in AA & AAA

2015: 5.37 (1.35) in 8 starts at AAA