Spring Training 2018 Thread

[notin]

I was Buch's biggest supporter on that other site.

 

I don't want him back.

 

I suppose a minor league deal can't hurt, but I'd rather we find someone else.

 

 

I think the Sox need to bring in at least one from Buchholz, Hellickson, or Cahill. Just for some depth.

[baseball jones]

At the moment, nobody seems too concerned about it. OTOH, I remember ERod's '3 day' injury lasting 3 months, so I won't believe it until I see Pom back on the field.

 

As much as I like the JD signing, I still would have preferred the Sox add a top starting pitcher instead. That has always been my biggest concern for our 2018 team due to health question marks.

 

Pom's elbow doesnt worry me so much.he's a workhorse and has shown that he can work through it.Price's elbow injury isn't going away and all you have to do is look at Pom to see that.it's just a matter of when and how bad this time and will it end his season.we can win a lot by out scoring and out hitting but last year our rotation was a mess by august and only got worse.i couldnt even watch come october. Sale was overused to the point i thought he was going to injured too.

 

this is our weakness and we did nothing about it? yet anyway...hopefully something changes here.

[Hugh2]

I'd give Buchh a minor league deal. Whats the worse thing that can happen? he gets injured and costs you almost nothing? best case scenario someone goes down and you get a 1/2 a year out of him.

[notin]

I'd give Buchh a minor league deal. Whats the worse thing that can happen? he gets injured and costs you almost nothing? best case scenario someone goes down and you get a 1/2 a year out of him.

 

He also might jeopardize Pawtucket's playoff hopes, I guess

[notin]

Pom's elbow doesnt worry me so much.he's a workhorse and has shown that he can work through it.Price's elbow injury isn't going away and all you have to do is look at Pom to see that.it's just a matter of when and how bad this time and will it end his season.we can win a lot by out scoring and out hitting but last year our rotation was a mess by august and only got worse.i couldnt even watch come october. Sale was overused to the point i thought he was going to injured too.

 

this is our weakness and we did nothing about it? yet anyway...hopefully something changes here.

 

The Sox have 2 starters already injured. They have one more having elbow issues and another coming off a season that was marred by elbow issues.

 

So far the Sox have added the following starting pitchers to the organization this off-season:

 

Now certainly Dombrowski knows much more about the physical status of all 4 pitchers (and probably all available free agent ones, too) than I do. But right now I do see starter health as a big potential issue, and one that has gone completely unaddressed. And it is starting to look like how Dombrowski handled season after season of ineffective bullpen in Detroit...

[moonslav59]

The Sox have 2 starters already injured. They have one more having elbow issues and another coming off a season that was marred by elbow issues.

 

So far the Sox have added the following starting pitchers to the organization this off-season:

 

Now certainly Dombrowski knows much more about the physical status of all 4 pitchers (and probably all available free agent ones, too) than I do. But right now I do see starter health as a big potential issue, and one that has gone completely unaddressed. And it is starting to look like how Dombrowski handled season after season of ineffective bullpen in Detroit...

 

2 years in a row without adding a significant starter to the rotation.

 

We have a lot of promise but a lot of worry as well.

 

Is Price really healthy, and will he stay healthy all year?

 

Will Sale get over his late season swoons?

 

Will Porcello come back or repeat 2017?

 

Is Pom's arm trouble just a minor issue or a hint of something bad down the road?

 

Can Wright return to pre-injury form?

 

How long will it take ERod to return?

 

Will ERod's surgery finally end all his knee issues that have affected his play for years?

 

Can Johnson, Velazquez, Elias or some other guy step up bigtime?

[harmony]

Pom says nothing major, just forearm tightness. We shall see

[Bellhorn04]

2 years in a row without adding a significant starter to the rotation.

 

How's that? He added Sale last year.

[moonslav59]

How's that? He added Sale last year.

 

That was minor.

 

LOL

 

My bad.

 

LOL.

 

Price the year before and Pom mid season.

[Spudboy]

Not for nothing and all that but I've been watching sam Travis hit in both Pawtucket and Boston for about two years.

 

It seems that every game I see him in he gets at least one hit.

[Bellhorn04]

Not for nothing and all that but I've been watching sam Travis hit in both Pawtucket and Boston for about two years.

 

It seems that every game I see him in he gets at least one hit.

 

Travis might be another unexpected bonus, both him and Swihart...they might help push back the cliff.

[Kimmi]

It's definitely Clay time.

 

Absolutely.

[Kimmi]

I was Buch's biggest supporter on that other site.

 

I don't want him back.

 

I suppose a minor league deal can't hurt, but I'd rather we find someone else.

 

I can certainly understand people's frustration with him. I'm a big supporter and was often frustrated with him myself.

 

I just don't see any harm in adding him on a minor league deal. He might even be pretty good.

[Kimmi]

Pom's elbow doesnt worry me so much.he's a workhorse and has shown that he can work through it.Price's elbow injury isn't going away and all you have to do is look at Pom to see that.it's just a matter of when and how bad this time and will it end his season.we can win a lot by out scoring and out hitting but last year our rotation was a mess by august and only got worse.i couldnt even watch come october. Sale was overused to the point i thought he was going to injured too.

 

this is our weakness and we did nothing about it? yet anyway...hopefully something changes here.

 

At the very least, Dombrowski should be signing some inexpensive depth guys. He hasn't even done that.

[Kimmi]

 

Jason Mastrodonato

‏Verified account @JMastrodonato

2m2 minutes ago

 

Looks like every player who had a flexor strain last year missed at least six weeks except Pomeranz, who got a late start after a stem cell injection in his elbow and then missed the minimum 10 days on the DL to start the year. Diagnosis then was a left forearm flexor strain.

[notin]

That was minor.

 

LOL

 

My bad.

 

LOL.

 

Price the year before and Pom mid season.

 

He's fine a nice job putting the rotation together. He just had nothing in place for when it falls apart...

Edited March 4, 2018 by notin

[dgalehouse]

" Inexpensive depth guys " is a euphemism for " veteran ham and egger ."

[notin]

Remember the 2000 season? Duquette didn't sign any depth guys and the Sox wound up having key September games started by Steve Ontiveros, who hadn't pitched in the majors in five years. Do are you advocating for that or four trying to prepare for actual injuries by signing actual major league arms?

[moonslav59]

He's fine a nice job putting the rotation together. He just had nothing in place for when posts of it fall apart...

 

Is this a word jumble game?

[moonslav59]

Remember the 2000 season? Duquette didn't sign any depth guys and the Sox wound up having key September games started by Steve Ontiveros, who hadn't pitched in the majors in five years. Do are you advocating for that or four trying to prepare for actual injuries by signing actual major league arms?

 

There's got to be a few unsigned vets (not named Buch) waiting for a minor league deal and an outside chance at the bigs.

[Bellhorn04]

" Inexpensive depth guys " is a euphemism for " veteran ham and egger ."

 

Sure, that's the truth. It's just about when you need a fill-in starter, you'd like it to be a guy who can at least 'keep you in the game' with 5.1 innings and 3 runs allowed or something-not get shelled out of there in the first inning. Somebody who doesn't cost you much but has a chance of landing a decent contract the next year if they do well, like Fister.

[Hugh2]

I think the bullpen depth will go a long way if Smith comes back healthy and compliments Kimbrel at the back of the bullpen.

 

Looks like Johnson, and Valesquez might get some starts early this season. Beeks might be an option at some point too, some potential in his arm but he's not ever going to be a TOTR guy (doesn't need to be). Things would feel a lot better if the Sox added another depth option or two.

[baseball jones]

The Sox have 2 starters already injured. They have one more having elbow issues and another coming off a season that was marred by elbow issues.

 

So far the Sox have added the following starting pitchers to the organization this off-season:

 

Now certainly Dombrowski knows much more about the physical status of all 4 pitchers (and probably all available free agent ones, too) than I do. But right now I do see starter health as a big potential issue, and one that has gone completely unaddressed. And it is starting to look like how Dombrowski handled season after season of ineffective bullpen in Detroit...

 

this makes me think of it differently because of the bullpen issues he has had in his past.i was going to say we could use a starter turned reliever out of the pen that we could use for stop starts when neccessary but....

 

and like you say he does know these guys better than us so maybe he does have something up his sleeve in AAA.or elsewhere for that matter.

 

i wouldnt mind signing a guy and trading someone from the rotation for stability but who?

[notin]

this makes me think of it differently because of the bullpen issues he has had in his past.i was going to say we could use a starter turned reliever out of the pen that we could use for stop starts when neccessary but....

 

and like you say he does know these guys better than us so maybe he does have something up his sleeve in AAA.or elsewhere for that matter.

 

i wouldnt mind signing a guy and trading someone from the rotation for stability but who?

 

Sure he knows the AAA options better than me as well. But those guys aren't immune to injury either.

[Larry Cook]

Clay had certainly garnered his share of enemies among Sox fans. The same people who want Bryce Brentz to succeed and who think any BA top 100 prospect who flops was a wasted asset somehow can't forgive Clay for actually panning out to some degree.

 

A minor league deal does no harm but to some even that is too much

 

Last I heard, buchholz could not pass a physical and that is why he is not signed.

[notin]

Last I heard, buchholz could not pass a physical and that is why he is not signed.

 

..which makes sense. And probably the case with Brett Anderson, too.

 

But there are still other pitchers out there who can increase the team's depth a little at zero cost....

[Bellhorn04]

R. A. Dickey?

[Kimmi]

" Inexpensive depth guys " is a euphemism for " veteran ham and egger ."

 

For the most part, yes. But I did say 'at the very least'. I think Dombrowski should have signed a #2/3 starter instead of a bat to begin with.

 

As far as the inexpensive depth guys, there is no harm in signing a couple to minor league contracts. They may amount to nothing more than a mediocre fill in for one start, but one of the guys might actually end up being a decent long term replacement, if needed.

[notin]

R. A. Dickey?

 

I would have zero issue with that, even with the Sox already employing another knuckleballer.

 

 

Also, Ubaldo Jimenez is still available...

[notin]

For the most part, yes. But I did say 'at the very least'. I think Dombrowski should have signed a #2/3 starter instead of a bat to begin with.

 

As far as the inexpensive depth guys, there is no harm in signing a couple to minor league contracts. They may amount to nothing more than a mediocre fill in for one start, but one of the guys might actually end up being a decent long term replacement, if needed.

 

Line Bronson Arroyo was? That's too much to ask, but it does happen.

 

I just want someone to avoid duplicating the awful Steve Ontiveros situation of 2000. That's the kind of thing every team should learn from and make sure it never happens again...