2018 Starting Rotation Mega Thread

[notin]

Fair enough.

 

I have felt all along that we should have focused on adding a #2/3 starter instead of a bat. Rotation depth has always been the bigger concern for me.

 

 

I get the addition of a big bat. They never really replaced Ortiz, and getting Martinez this year keeps them potentially or of the bidding wars for the big bats next year.

 

Not to mention the Sox really lacked any thump last year. Not only were they dead last in the AL in home runs, they were dead last by as LOT. They trailed the White Sox by 18 home runs, and that gap was the largest gap between any two adjacent teams on the home run list. Martinez filled a need, and hopefully Price can fill a number two pitcher need.

 

But I don't get not adding a single pitcher to the entire organization. No trades for minor leaguers. No minor league free agents. Not even a Rule 5 pick. Not a single arm was added above A ball. That's just weird to me.

 

And to make it stranger, Ben Taylor was DFAd. He was only drafted two years ago! He had plenty of options left! And reportedly when he was claimed, Dombrowski said that he needed to add some pitching depth. (And the article made it sound like Dombrowski was surprised Taylor was claimed. Huh?)

 

But hey, of he didn't DFA Taylor, the Sox would not have been able to get that cash from Arizona in the Marrero trade. ..

Edited March 26, 2018 by notin

[moonslav59]

I get the addition of a big bat. They never really replaced Ortiz, and getting Martinez this year keeps them potentially or of the bidding wars for the big bats next year.

 

Not to mention the Sox really lacked any thump last year. Not only were they dead last in the AL in home runs, they were dead last by as LOT. They trailed the White Sox by 18 home runs, and that gap was the largest gap between any two adjacent teams on the home run list. Martinez filled a need, and hopefully Price can fill a number two pitcher need.

 

But I don't get not adding a single pitcher to the entire organization. No trades for minor leaguers. No minor league free agents. Not even a Rule 5 pick. Not a single arm was added above A ball. That's just weird to me.

 

And to make it stranger, Ben Taylor was DFAd. He was only drafted two years ago! He had plenty of options left! And reportedly when he was claimed, Dombrowski said that he needed to add some pitching depth. (And the article made it sound like Dombrowski was surprised Taylor was claimed. Huh?)

 

But hey, of he didn't DFA Taylor, the Sox would not have been able to get that cash from Arizona in the Marrero trade. ..

 

1) You make some good points.

2) Your spell check is a mess- turn it off.

3) We have $3-4M to spend this summer on whatever we need.

4) One could view Smith and Thornburg as 2018 additions to the staff.

[notin]

But what's the answer? There was a story that DD was trying to sign guys to minor-league deals and guys weren't interested because there were better opportunities elsewhere.

 

I think rotation depth is a big concern for every team and always has been.

 

There was that story last year. I hadn't seen out this year. And I find it hard to believe.

 

That means, for example, Jeremy Hellickson, who was available 10 days ago, looked at a potential Sox rotation already featuring Brian Johnson and Hector Velasquez, and somehow thought no way he could beat out those guys and he had a better shot in Washington. I admit I never spoke to Hellickson about this, but somehow I think the former ROY isn't so humble about his abilities.

 

I get not signing Dickey. The guy is 43. He's won a Cy Young. He's made millions. I wouldn't be do surprised if he overly started he would not take a minor league deal. But his like Hellickson and numerous others have been put there for months. ..

[mvp 78]

ERod and Pom placed on 10 day DL. Edited March 26, 2018 by mvp 78

[moonslav59]

ERod and Pom placed on 10 day DL.

 

Either of them retroactive to a certain date?

[moonslav59]

There was that story last year. I hadn't seen out this year. And I find it hard to believe.

 

That means, for example, Jeremy Hellickson, who was available 10 days ago, looked at a potential Sox rotation already featuring Brian Johnson and Hector Velasquez, and somehow thought no way he could beat out those guys and he had a better shot in Washington. I admit I never spoke to Hellickson about this, but somehow I think the former ROY isn't so humble about his abilities.

 

I get not signing Dickey. The guy is 43. He's won a Cy Young. He's made millions. I wouldn't be do surprised if he overly started he would not take a minor league deal. But his like Hellickson and numerous others have been put there for months. ..

 

I'm sure Helickson and the like are smart enough to know Johnson and Velazquez will be demoted once Pom & Wright return. Then, there's ERod.

 

Those are the starters he really has to "beat out."

[mvp 78]

Either of them retroactive to a certain date?

 

Can they do that at the start of the season? I thought they couldn't?

[mvp 78]

@PeteAbe

 

Steven Wright had a PRP injection in his surgically repaired left knee today in NYC and he went on the DL. His suspension would not start until he is activated.

 

Sounds like Wright won't be ready for a while.

[harmony]

Steven Wright to start the season on the disabled list before serving a 15-game suspension:

 

http://www.nbcsports.com/boston/red-sox/wright-suspended-15-games-violation-domestic-violence-policy

 

[Carbo-Diem]

Why not start Wright on the active roster to get the bogus suspension out of the way now? If he is still not ready after the 15 games then DL him.

[mvp 78]

Why not start Wright on the active roster to get the bogus suspension out of the way now? If he is still not ready after the 15 games then DL him.

 

Because he's probably going to be out longer than 25 games?

[Carbo-Diem]

So that 25 games turns into 40 with the suspension. If there is any way to do the suspension concurrently they should do it.

[Bellhorn04]

So that 25 games turns into 40 with the suspension. If there is any way to do the suspension concurrently they should do it.

 

I'm guessing you can't serve one of these suspensions on the DL.

[Bellhorn04]

Either of them retroactive to a certain date?

 

You can go retroactive to the last game played in. I assume in this case it's 10 days from the start of the season, which would mean he could play starting April 8.

[Bellhorn04]

There was that story last year. I hadn't seen out this year. And I find it hard to believe.

 

FWIW here's the story from this year

 

http://www.nbcsports.com/boston/red-sox/boston-red-sox-having-difficulty-attracting-additional-pitching-depth

[moonslav59]

You can go retroactive to the last game played in. I assume in this case it's 10 days from the start of the season, which would mean he could play starting April 8.

 

I thought I remembered some players being placed on the DL in ST'ing, so they were ready day 5 or 6 or whatever.

[moonslav59]

I'm guessing you can't serve one of these suspensions on the DL.

 

Yeah, but if you wanted Wright to pitch day 16, you could just not put him on the DL.

[Bellhorn04]

Yeah, but if you wanted Wright to pitch day 16, you could just not put him on the DL.

 

This is only speculation on my part, but I'm thinking that MLB might take a very dim view of a team trying to cheat somehow on one of these domestic abuse suspensions.

[Kimmi]

You are chumming the waters but I'm not taking the bait. I'm perfectly ok with you thinking that Ben Cherington was a better GM than DD. If you are ok with that one, it is all good. I learn new things here everyday.

 

I'm not chumming anything. Just stating my opinion.

[Kimmi]

I get the addition of a big bat. They never really replaced Ortiz, and getting Martinez this year keeps them potentially or of the bidding wars for the big bats next year.

 

Not to mention the Sox really lacked any thump last year. Not only were they dead last in the AL in home runs, they were dead last by as LOT. They trailed the White Sox by 18 home runs, and that gap was the largest gap between any two adjacent teams on the home run list. Martinez filled a need, and hopefully Price can fill a number two pitcher need.

 

But I don't get not adding a single pitcher to the entire organization. No trades for minor leaguers. No minor league free agents. Not even a Rule 5 pick. Not a single arm was added above A ball. That's just weird to me.

 

And to make it stranger, Ben Taylor was DFAd. He was only drafted two years ago! He had plenty of options left! And reportedly when he was claimed, Dombrowski said that he needed to add some pitching depth. (And the article made it sound like Dombrowski was surprised Taylor was claimed. Huh?)

 

But hey, of he didn't DFA Taylor, the Sox would not have been able to get that cash from Arizona in the Marrero trade. ..

 

I get the addition of a big bat, it just wouldn't have been my top priority. I think our offense would have been fine this year without JD, and I think our home run numbers would have increased as well.

 

I am 100% with you not adding any minor league arms.

[harmony]

Yeah, but if you wanted Wright to pitch day 16, you could just not put him on the DL.

 

I suspect the timing of the disabled list and the suspension was part of a negotiated settlement.

 

Steven Wright's injury status was no secret. I highly doubt MLB gave the Red Sox the option of running the disabled list and the suspension concurrently.

[moonslav59]

I suspect the timing of the disabled list and the suspension was part of a negotiated settlement.

 

Steven Wright's injury status was no secret. I highly doubt MLB gave the Red Sox the option of running the disabled list and the suspension concurrently.

 

It's obvious that's not what I meant.

 

I take Bellhorn's reasoning to heart, but I'm sure we could have squeeked a few more days out of Wright, if we wanted to, by saying he's ready a little before he actually is and then setting the 15 day clock running.

 

Also, I was under the impression a team couldput someone on a 10 day DL list and make it retroactive back into ST'ing. I was told that was wrong, so maybe my point was out of line, if that's true.

 

If the choice was to try and claim he'd be ready opening day vs 10 days, maybe there was no choice. It would have been impossible to try and hide the fact the Wright was not ready for day one and we had to choose day 10.

 

[harmony]

Why not start Wright on the active roster to get the bogus suspension out of the way now? If he is still not ready after the 15 games then DL him.

What is bogus about the suspension?

 

I suspect MLB considered various accounts of the incident in reaching its decision on the suspension.

[cp176]

I'm not chumming anything. Just stating my opinion.

 

Ok for clarification purposes only - Are you saying simply that you just like Cherington more than you do Dombrowski or that you think that Cherington was actually a better GM than DD?

As for the chumming comment, i was trying to be a little humorous. I should know better right.

[Carbo-Diem]

What is bogus about the suspension?

 

I suspect MLB considered various accounts of the incident in reaching its decision on the suspension.

 

Bogus in the fact that he never laid a hand on his wife and somehow comes under the "domestic violence" policy of MLB. Chapman fires off eight rounds, chokes his girlfriend and slams her against a wall and only gets thirty days. Manfred is a tool, dispensing judgement seemingly on a whim.

[harmony]

Bogus in the fact that he never laid a hand on his wife and somehow comes under the "domestic violence" policy of MLB. Chapman fires off eight rounds, chokes his girlfriend and slams her against a wall and only gets thirty days. Manfred is a tool, dispensing judgement seemingly on a whim.

How can you say that Steven Wright never laid a hand on his wife? Is a suspension bogus if a domestic abuser never laid a hand on his partner?

 

If a domestic abuser proclaims his innocence should the matter be dropped?

 

Do you have more information on the incident than the MLB investigators did?

[Carbo-Diem]

How can you say that Steven Wright never laid a hand on his wife? Is a suspension bogus if a domestic abuser never laid a hand on his partner?

 

If a domestic abuser proclaims his innocence should the matter be dropped?

 

Do you have more information on the incident than the MLB investigators did?

 

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2018/02/14/red-sox-steven-wright-explains-domestic-assault-arrest-i-never-touched-her/

[harmony]

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2018/02/14/red-sox-steven-wright-explains-domestic-assault-arrest-i-never-touched-her/

 

To repeat a question: If a domestic abuser proclaims his innocence should the matter be dropped?

 

I suspect Major League Baseball considered Steven Wright's proclamation that he never touched his wife -- as well as a wealth of other information -- in reaching its decision on the suspension.

[Carbo-Diem]

To repeat a question: If a domestic abuser proclaims his innocence should the matter be dropped?

 

I suspect Major League Baseball considered Steven Wright's proclamation that he never touched his wife -- as well as a wealth of other information -- in reaching its decision on the suspension.

 

If the court dropped the matter, what makes Manfred judge, jury and executioner?

[Spudboy]

Wow. Again we have to argue about what happened with Wright?

 

Carbo has a valid point.

 

Talking about this topic again after we discussed it for days several months ago.

 

It is what it is now and the Sox have to deal with it.