A Realistic View at 2018: Part I

[oldtimer]

If we sign JD, HRam can be platooned with Moreland at 1B. Give him few more bats at DH. That way we get some value for paying him $22M. But his 2019 season won't be vested. I serious doubt you'd find any takers that will pay more than $10M of $44M.

 

Get some value in 2018, then save entire $22M in 2019, 50% savings versus 25% savings, and we get 400 at bats for 2018.

 

I would go out and get a healthy Nunez now and that would make Holt that much less needed. If we get rid of Holts salary, then the net positive of Nunez is around $5 million/yr which fits nicely with our bugetary constraints. Waiting for JDM is jeopardizing the possibility of getting Nunez, who would be a valuable addition to our team.

[moonslav59]

He should have been let go after 2016, but whatever. He's gone and instead of re-litigating at which point he should have been let go, I'm just going to be excited to see what Cora can do.

 

Me, too, and I agree on the after 2016 part as well.

[mvp 78]

I would go out and get a healthy Nunez now and that would make Holt that much less needed. If we get rid of Holts salary, then the net positive of Nunez is around $5 million/yr which fits nicely with our bugetary constraints. Waiting for JDM is jeopardizing the possibility of getting Nunez, who would be a valuable addition to our team.

 

I think they should get Nunez and JDM.

[moonslav59]

I think they should get Nunez and JDM.

 

Or, JDM + Watson.

 

[S5Dewey]

But this is only one interpretation. None of us really know the entire story, yet it continues to resurface as if we do...

 

And that can be said about anything we don't see with our own eyes. We have to take what we've had reported to us and draw our own conclusions.

 

Do you have a different interpretation of what Butter said?

[Bellhorn04]

And that can be said about anything we don't see with our own eyes. We have to take what we've had reported to us and draw our own conclusions.

 

Do you have a different interpretation of what Butter said?

 

Butterfield gave kind of a non-answer though, didn't he?

[mvp 78]

Or, JDM + Watson.

 

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=3132&position=P

 

I don't know enough about Watson. His numbers don't really look all that hot. Not sure he's a guy you need to sign for 3 years.

[oldtimer]

@alexspeier

 

Bogaerts on 2017: ‘The quicker we move on, the better for us.’ Suggests there were a lot of things going on with the team, but declined to get into specifics.

 

I remember JOhn Farrell said nothing during the Price incident. I often thought of John as the sitting Buddha. Not many signs of emotion going on with him. Many Cora will generate a little more enthusiasm on the team. I guess that is a wait and see.

[moonslav59]

https://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=3132&position=P

 

I don't know enough about Watson. His numbers don't really look all that hot. Not sure he's a guy you need to sign for 3 years.

 

If one or two gets him, then even better.

[mvp 78]

All of Cora's potential lineups going forward have Betts and Beni hitting 1 and 2.

 

Anyone want Betts hitting lower? I know Cora talked about wanting an impact bat at leadoff and he mentioned putting Betts there.

[Bellhorn04]

All of Cora's potential lineups going forward have Betts and Beni hitting 1 and 2.

 

Anyone want Betts hitting lower? I know Cora talked about wanting an impact bat at leadoff and he mentioned putting Betts there.

 

Personally I'm looking forward to arguing about it all year.

[S5Dewey]

Butterfield gave kind of a non-answer though, didn't he?

 

He gave a "politician's answer". He dodged the question.

 

What I do know is that it's been my experience that when someone gives an evasive answer to a direct question it's because they don't want to lie and yet they don't want to tell the truth.

[mvp 78]

Personally I'm looking forward to arguing about it all year.

 

He's also planning on more IF shifts and weird OF looks too. Those will be fun.

[Spudboy]

Does anyone really expect some kind of huge impact on team play with Cora as manager?

 

I like the guy but I don't see this team being better with him at the helm.

[Nick]

sometimes it's just good to hear a difference voice.

[mvp 78]

Does anyone really expect some kind of huge impact on team play with Cora as manager?

 

I like the guy but I don't see this team being better with him at the helm.

 

Better with an actively involved coach than a zombie? I'd hope so.

[Bellhorn04]

Does anyone really expect some kind of huge impact on team play with Cora as manager?

 

I like the guy but I don't see this team being better with him at the helm.

 

I will say that I'm optimistic they'll be better than they would have been if we brought Farrell back for another season.

[mvp 78]

Farrell seemed to be a good manager for veterans. He seemed to lose it with the younger team last year that needed more direction.

[moonslav59]

Farrell seemed to be a good manager for veterans. He seemed to lose it with the younger team last year that needed more direction.

 

Can you elaborate on this?

[sk7326]

Farrell tactically was fine. He was not great, but he was not terrible. (like Matt Williams terrible) Tactically he did a pretty good job in the ALDS. (no way to tactically work around 2 horrific starts ... his moves were crucial to winning Game 3, and he did everything right in Game 4)

 

He got respect - and after the Bobby V experience, having a normal human being in that position was a tremendous plus.

 

However, he did not seem to be very good with working with a younger team. He was good in that he played kids - which not all managers do. But - and a lot of the reporting surrounding the firing noted this - the kids the Sox had were all smart, high character guys. But they often were also guys who were very hard on themselves - and Farrell was not the sort of guy who can tell the kids to take it easy or just helping them relax.

 

Can Cora be able to work with a lighter touch - I am excited to find out.

[mvp 78]

Can you elaborate on this?

 

Sure. Veterans tend to need less coaching that younger guys. Think of how many times JBJ got doubled up on a dumb base running play. When Victorino, Napoli, Gomes and Dempster came in during 2013, they really calmed the organization down (especially in April when Papi was out). He was really hands off. Once things went downhill in 2014 (typical post WS letdown), the younger players got more run and he just sat on his hands. They needed guidance. Sure, Betts played out of his mind in 2016. JBJ had very molten lava scorching streaks. Beni came up at the end of 2016 and went off. Devers came up and exploded on the scene in 2017. These things were great, but he just seemed unable to lead the young players to be more consistent and to be more aware of situational baseball. When you have a veteran team, you don't need to worry about it as much. With the young team, he needed to be more active in the day to day stuff, but he was largely hands off. Think of what happened when Price got upset last year. Farrell didn't do anything. He just let the players act on their own. That's fine with a largely veteran team because they can handle it in house, but not so fine when players like JBJ have a history of doing the same thing and not being spoken to. What kind of example is that?

[Spudboy]

Farrell seemed to be a good manager for veterans. He seemed to lose it with the younger team last year that needed more direction.

 

If one buys the media spin on this topic, I guess.

[Kimmi]

I do agree with you for the most part. The Pedroia thing may have just been a lack of judgement. Sadly we all witnessed it and it really did not look to me as though he was very supportive of his teammates. I think that he plays hard and when healthy I can't think of anyone else I had rather see out there. That is certainly worthy of being considered a leader. He gets there early and stays late. He lives and breathes the game and plays it the right way. I truly wish that he could have shut his mouth. In my estimation, that was not my idea of leadership.

 

I did not approve Pedroia's "It's not me, it's them" comment either. I wish he would have kept his mouth shut as well. Then again, there were a couple of times that I wish Papi would have kept his mouth shut too, and he is supposedly a great team leader.

 

Bogaerts said in his press conference today that the leaders on the team are Pedroia, Porcello, and Price, in that order. Maybe fans and the media are making more out of the incident, and the Price incident, than we should be.

[mvp 78]

If one buys the media spin on this topic, I guess.

 

Media has more access than you or me.

[Kimmi]

Yeah he was; did you see those things? He just acted on what every member of the White Sox was thinking that day.

 

I did see them. They were atrocious.

[Kimmi]

All of Cora's potential lineups going forward have Betts and Beni hitting 1 and 2.

 

Anyone want Betts hitting lower? I know Cora talked about wanting an impact bat at leadoff and he mentioned putting Betts there.

 

I have always been on board with Betts hitting leadoff.

[Kimmi]

Personally I'm looking forward to arguing about it all year.

 

Ha. There are already writers/bloggers criticizing this move.

[mvp 78]

Ha. There are already writers/bloggers criticizing this move.

 

The best hitter should have the most opportunities to get ab’s. Helps when he runs well too!

[Spudboy]

Oh Christ here we ago again with the batting order s***.

[cp176]

I did not approve Pedroia's "It's not me, it's them" comment either. I wish he would have kept his mouth shut as well. Then again, there were a couple of times that I wish Papi would have kept his mouth shut too, and he is supposedly a great team leader.

 

Bogaerts said in his press conference today that the leaders on the team are Pedroia, Porcello, and Price, in that order. Maybe fans and the media are making more out of the incident, and the Price incident, than we should be.

 

I can't find anything to disagree with you about here. What am I to do? It has been a bit of a boring off season. oh - I also agree with you about Papi too.