A Realistic View at 2017 Part II

[Station 13]

RJR was optioned to Pawtucket? WTF?

 

Just get rid of Abad.

 

I believe once Barnes returns, Abad is gone.

[cp176]

Sometimes you just have to approach things differently. If you aren't scoring runs - have no real power threat- continually ground in to dp's - don't you just have to try something different now and then. The alternative is to just muddle along and repeat the words - it's all going to be ok - this team will hit. unfortunately while we wait for this to happen, good pitching performances are being wasted. move runners over into positions where they might have a chance to score. bunt, steal, hit and run - anything to get into a position to limit the number of double plays and allow us to score a run. Singles just don't seem to produce as many runs as the home run. it doesn't have to represent a permanent change in approach by any means but I think it is time to consider doing a little more to try and score a few runs.

 

I thought for sure I would get some kind of response on this one but alas not so much as one word. Guess just muddling along is ok for this crowd. Couple things though once again. I don't need to hear Bogaerts talking about how much this team misses Papi. We all miss Papi. Shut your mouth and play the game. We understand that you are trying to hit. No need to apologize. What I would say is that if David was still there, I don't think that Pedroia would have run his mouth outside of the clubhouse and no one would be crying about the guys we don't have anymore. Who is leading the way?

[mvp 78]

Sometimes you just have to approach things differently. If you aren't scoring runs - have no real power threat- continually ground in to dp's - don't you just have to try something different now and then. The alternative is to just muddle along and repeat the words - it's all going to be ok - this team will hit. unfortunately while we wait for this to happen, good pitching performances are being wasted while our fans get even more wasted and tears from Chris Sale fill our beers. move runners over into positions where they might have a chance to score. bunt, steal, hit and run - anything to get into a position to limit the number of double plays and allow us to score a run. Singles just don't seem to produce as many runs as the home run. it doesn't have to represent a permanent change in approach by any means but I think it is time to consider doing a little more to try and score a few runs.

 

I responded by fixing it for you.

[cp176]

I responded by fixing it for you.

 

thanks - i'm always up for a few beers. How did you do that anyway? Is that even legal? Can you do that with tax returns as well? You numbers guys scare me.

[mvp 78]

http://www.fangraphs.com/statsd.aspx?playerid=8370&position=2B

 

Dustin Pedroia only has 3 games so far with multiple hits. He has yet to reach base more than twice in one game. He's only had RBI in two games. He had one double and no triples or home runs.

 

This guy just sucks right now. His flapping gums aren't helping the situation either.

[mvp 78]

thanks - i'm always up for a few beers. How did you do that anyway? Is that even legal? Can you do that with tax returns as well? You numbers guys scare me.

 

Technically, you can do anything you want with a tax return. Whether the IRS notices is a different question.

[Station 13]

http://www.fangraphs.com/statsd.aspx?playerid=8370&position=2B

 

Dustin Pedroia only has 3 games so far with multiple hits. He has yet to reach base more than twice in one game. He's only had RBI in two games. He had one double and no triples or home runs.

 

This guy just sucks right now. His flapping gums aren't helping the situation either.

 

He has been horrendous. At least the glove is still there. Imagine him with grenade hands like SS/3B? pfff

[Nick]

Technically, you can do anything you want with a tax return. Whether the IRS notices is a different question.

 

I love accountants who say what do you want one plus one to be equal?

[Nick]

Xander is going to want a bank vault when he comes up for free agency. Is he really worth it?

 

Speaking of hitting singles at Fenway.....it may take 4 hits to score a run because of short left field. Ugh.

 

I grew up thinking we need power from corner positions, 1B, 3B, LF, RF and obviously DH in AL.

 

You fall in love with Sale. Everyone else is trade bait. That's as far as my loyalty goes.

[mvp 78]

I love accountants who say what do you want one plus one to be equal?

 

1 + 1 = 3 is just an immaterial difference in the grand scheme of things.

[mvp 78]

BTW, your kid has kick ass stirrups. Mine won't go with the high socks.

[cp176]

1 + 1 = 3 is just an immaterial difference in the grand scheme of things.

 

A clear cut example of the data painting the picture you want painted.

[Maxbialystock]

I thought for sure I would get some kind of response on this one but alas not so much as one word. Guess just muddling along is ok for this crowd. Couple things though once again. I don't need to hear Bogaerts talking about how much this team misses Papi. We all miss Papi. Shut your mouth and play the game. We understand that you are trying to hit. No need to apologize. What I would say is that if David was still there, I don't think that Pedroia would have run his mouth outside of the clubhouse and no one would be crying about the guys we don't have anymore. Who is leading the way?

 

Me, I blame Bill James and his stranglehold on Sox game tactics: never bunt, don't steal, etc, The result of that is that the Sox don't recruit or encourage great baserunners and probably don't even practice bunting--much anyway--which is stupid when you consider not only avoidance of GIDP, but also the benefits of bunting a way from the big shifts other teams use against some of our guys (as we do against theirs).

 

Right now the Sox are ranked 30th in dingers with 11--and the next worst team has 15, which is 36% (4/11) more than our guys. This is a serious power deficiency along with 25th in slugging percentage.

 

Thanks to Bill James, however, the Sox have no remedies for a power outage like this one. Forget a backup generator, we don't even have flashlights or lamps--the ability to bunt and/or run the bases. What did Al Pacino say in that movie? "I'm in the dark here."

[cp176]

you might be right but i don't know to what extent they follow the the teachings of Mr.James. i really just believe that if something isn't working you better be able to have a plan B. Now, they very well might come out of this fine, I just think that from a coaching perspective it is your job to do what you can do to try to help their chances to win. That is a primary part of coaching.

[Maxbialystock]

Let's put this current situation on a personal basis. Right now Chris Sale is ranked #3 in all of MLB in ERA and #2 in WAR for a pitcher. He has having a fantastic season. And his W-L record is 1-2 because this team cannot--so far, anyway--hit a lick. This in my judgment is criminal, and Sale should hire a lawyer to take this entire franchise to court and sue them for failure to support.

 

The subject of this thread is "A realistic View of 2017." To me it is realistic to say the hitting will likely improve, but not realistic to say, "things are going to be fine" because fine this year should mean running away with the AL East given that the Sox have the 4th best ERA in MLB right now.

 

Speaking of which, the Orioles and Yankees both have lower ERA's than the Sox and are both comfortably ahead of the Sox in the AL East race.

 

So whether and by how much the Sox hitting improves, the whole point of this exercise is not only to win games, but to win more games than the Orioles and Yankees.

 

Remember too that in the off season just about everyone was worried about the pitching this year even with the acquisition of Chris Sale. Then Price--who sure as heck hasn't been worth $30M/year anyway--got hurt in ST and the concern grew. But it turns out the other guys, especially Sale, have stepped up, but largely to no avail because the hitting, so far, anyway, stinks.

 

To me nothing defines the Sox current situation better than that Sale is the 2d best pitcher in MLB and has won one lousy game in 5 great starts. It's entirely appropriate, I might add, that Sale just happens to be tied for the team lead in wins--among starters, that is.

Edited April 28, 2017 by Maxbialystock

[Nick]

Let's put this current situation on a personal basis. Right now Chris Sale is ranked #3 in all of MLB in ERA and #2 in WAR for a pitcher. He has having a fantastic season. And his W-L record is 1-2 because this team cannot--so far, anyway--hit a lick. This in my judgment is criminal, and Sale should hire a lawyer to take this entire franchise to court and sue them for failure to support.

 

The subject of this thread is "A realistic View of 2017." To me it is realistic to say the hitting will likely improve, but not realistic to say, "things are going to be fine" because fine this year should mean running away with the AL East given that the Sox have the 4th best ERA in MLB right now.

 

Speaking of which, the Orioles and Yankees both have lower ERA's than the Sox and are both comfortably ahead of the Sox in the AL East race.

 

So whether and by how much the Sox hitting improves, the whole point of this exercise is not only to win games, but to win more games than the Orioles and Yankees.

 

Remember too that in the off season just about everyone was worried about the pitching this year even with the acquisition of Chris Sale. Then Price--who sure as heck hasn't been worth $30M/year anyway--got hurt in ST and the concern grew. But it turns out the other guys, especially Sale, have stepped up, but largely to no avail because the hitting, so far, anyway, stinks.

 

To me nothing defines the Sox current situation better than that Sale is the 2d best pitcher in MLB and has won one lousy game in 5 great starts. It's entirely appropriate, I might add, that Sale just happens to be tied for the team lead in wins--among starters, that is.

 

can you win Cy Young with 10 wins?

[Station 13]

can you win Cy Young with 10 wins?

 

yes. King Felix did with 1 game over .500

[Kimmi]

I thought for sure I would get some kind of response on this one but alas not so much as one word. Guess just muddling along is ok for this crowd. Couple things though once again. I don't need to hear Bogaerts talking about how much this team misses Papi. We all miss Papi. Shut your mouth and play the game. We understand that you are trying to hit. No need to apologize. What I would say is that if David was still there, I don't think that Pedroia would have run his mouth outside of the clubhouse and no one would be crying about the guys we don't have anymore. Who is leading the way?

 

I agree with you on both counts - Farrell should try to 'make something happen', and Bogaerts needs to shut his mouth and hit like he's supposed to hit. Quit making excuses. The offense is not as bad as it's been because Papi is missing. It's been this bad because most of our offense is underperforming.

 

As far as trying some bunts, steals, etc., it does have to be with the right players. You can't steal for the sake of 'making something happen', for instance, if the guy has a good chance of being thrown out.

[Kimmi]

can you win Cy Young with 10 wins?

 

Probably not with the people who do the voting for these awards, but Wins should mean very little in the Cy voting.

[Emp9]

I agree with you on both counts - Farrell should try to 'make something happen', and Bogaerts needs to shut his mouth and hit like he's supposed to hit. Quit making excuses. The offense is not as bad as it's been because Papi is missing. It's been this bad because most of our offense is underperforming.

 

As far as trying some bunts, steals, etc., it does have to be with the right players. You can't steal for the sake of 'making something happen', for instance, if the guy has a good chance of being thrown out.

 

I agree but we're speedy team. It's simply been too soggy in New England to steal bases. It really IS still Spring. Pedroia didn't play 3 nights ago because of the rain coming off an injury. If it wasn't raining he'd been out there for example.. I just glad we're not in THAT big of a slump like Toronto record wise. Are heads are above water, and there's been a lot of it.

[jacksonianmarch]

The ground is soggy? Lol. Tell that to Cincy, Milwaukee, Seattle and NYY. 4 teams from the north who are in the top six in steals

[cp176]

I agree but we're speedy team. It's simply been too soggy in New England to steal bases. It really IS still Spring. Pedroia didn't play 3 nights ago because of the rain coming off an injury. If it wasn't raining he'd been out there for example.. I just glad we're not in THAT big of a slump like Toronto record wise. Are heads are above water, and there's been a lot of it.

 

Are you kidding me? Have to be right? Too soggy to run the bases the right way?

[Hugh2]

I'll be shocked if we finish last.

 

It wouldn't be the first time.

 

I'm still thinking this team is too good to not win the division or more.

 

 

Idk, the Yankees look pretty damn scary right now.

 

Honestly I'm jelly too, they are building their team the exact way I wanted the Red Sox too.

[notin]

Me, I blame Bill James and his stranglehold on Sox game tactics: never bunt, don't steal, etc, The result of that is that the Sox don't recruit or encourage great baserunners and probably don't even practice bunting--much anyway--which is stupid when you consider not only avoidance of GIDP, but also the benefits of bunting a way from the big shifts other teams use against some of our guys (as we do against theirs).

 

Right now the Sox are ranked 30th in dingers with 11--and the next worst team has 15, which is 36% (4/11) more than our guys. This is a serious power deficiency along with 25th in slugging percentage.

 

Thanks to Bill James, however, the Sox have no remedies for a power outage like this one. Forget a backup generator, we don't even have flashlights or lamps--the ability to bunt and/or run the bases. What did Al Pacino say in that movie? "I'm in the dark here."

 

Using the bunt to avoid a double play is kind of silly. "Ok in order to not make two outs on one play, we're going to start intentionally making that first out right away and get it out of the way. That'll teach 'em."

 

The issue isn't a lack of busting and stealing, and thst certainly doesn't originate with the Bill James Red Sox. Back in the 1980's, the Era of the Lead Off Hitter, where teams and players were breaking stolen bases record annually, who was stealing for the Sox?

[Bellhorn04]

Whenever the team isn't scoring runs the smallball aficianados come out of the woodwork.

[oldtimer]

Whenever the team isn't scoring runs the smallball aficianados come out of the woodwork.

 

They come out when we aren't hitting any longballs.

[notin]

Whenever the team isn't scoring runs the smallball aficianados come out of the woodwork.

 

Small ball is ok once in a while, but it's best used by teams without hitters, not by slumping teams. You don't break out of a slump by sac bunting...

[Station 13]

Who plays small ball when behind? Which is what this team does on a regular basis. We're 1 run up on the next to last AL club scoring fewest runs.

[moonslav59]

I'd bunt just enough to keep the opps "honest"-- no more.

[Emp9]

Are you kidding me? Have to be right? Too soggy to run the bases the right way?

 

Didn't think I'd take so much flack for what Farrell himself said.