A Realistic View at 2018: Part II

[oldtimer]

To change the subject, I did a look ahead at the weather in Boston for the next 5 days and it doesn't look pretty. Very cool (cold) with a chance of rain tomorrow and possible snow as well. Looks like it will be tough to play and particularly hard on the pitchers.

[moonslav59]

To change the subject, I did a look ahead at the weather in Boston for the next 5 days and it doesn't look pretty. Very cool (cold) with a chance of rain tomorrow and possible snow as well. Looks like it will be tough to play and particularly hard on the pitchers.

 

Might have been a good time to rest Betts.

[jacksonianmarch]

Weird scheduling sees the sox play the Rays 10 times before May 1. You also get to mix in 3 vs the A's, 2 vs the Marlins, and 1 vs KC before May 1. Front loaded schedule du jour. You should have a sizable lead after this month

[Spudboy]

Weird scheduling sees the sox play the Rays 10 times before May 1. You also get to mix in 3 vs the A's, 2 vs the Marlins, and 1 vs KC before May 1. Front loaded schedule du jour. You should have a sizable lead after this month

 

The games still must be played.

 

All kinds of s*** can happen.

[Bellhorn04]

Weird scheduling sees the sox play the Rays 10 times before May 1. You also get to mix in 3 vs the A's, 2 vs the Marlins, and 1 vs KC before May 1. Front loaded schedule du jour. You should have a sizable lead after this month

 

Aha, the old concern-troll-reverse-mojo ploy. I've used it myself.

 

The Yankees are too freaking awesome to let us get much of a lead, you know what.

 

Right back atcha.

[cp176]

To change the subject, I did a look ahead at the weather in Boston for the next 5 days and it doesn't look pretty. Very cool (cold) with a chance of rain tomorrow and possible snow as well. Looks like it will be tough to play and particularly hard on the pitchers.

 

How about a ball hit right on the bat handle. I can still remember that feeling!

[Bellhorn04]

How about a ball hit right on the bat handle. I can still remember that feeling!

 

Makes your teeth rattle, amongst other unpleasant things, if I recall correctly.

[jacksonianmarch]

Aha, the old concern-troll-reverse-mojo ploy. I've used it myself.

 

The Yankees are too freaking awesome to let us get much of a lead, you know what.

 

Right back atcha.

 

It’s just strange that two in-division teams will play each other 10 times in a month (well, 33 days). And it just so happens to be a playoff contender and a rebuilding team with no lineup

[jacksonianmarch]

To change the subject, I did a look ahead at the weather in Boston for the next 5 days and it doesn't look pretty. Very cool (cold) with a chance of rain tomorrow and possible snow as well. Looks like it will be tough to play and particularly hard on the pitchers.

 

The cold never bothered me pitching. I’d just wear long sleeves and the exercise would keep me warm enough. I hated it as a hitter. In 30 degree weather, even solid contact hurts

[cp176]

The cold never bothered me pitching. I’d just wear long sleeves and the exercise would keep me warm enough. I hated it as a hitter. In 30 degree weather, even solid contact hurts

 

I've always felt that the pitcher has the advantage in cold weather. Might be more prone to injury though when it is as cold as it is today.

[Bellhorn04]

It’s just strange that two in-division teams will play each other 10 times in a month (well, 33 days). And it just so happens to be a playoff contender and a rebuilding team with no lineup

 

Yeah it's weird scheduling. But you guys will play the Rays same number of times as us. And they're not gonna get any better.

[Slasher9]

It’s just strange that two in-division teams will play each other 10 times in a month (well, 33 days). And it just so happens to be a playoff contender and a rebuilding team with no lineup

 

i just called the waaaaaaaambulance to come pick you up.

 

remind me again how amazing are those Mets teams you get to play 6x per year for the past 2 decades?

[moonslav59]

i just called the waaaaaaaambulance to come pick you up.

 

remind me again how amazing are those Mets teams you get to play 6x per year for the past 2 decades?

 

I actually like inter league play, but that aspect of it stinks.

 

I'd like to see something like this:

 

Play every other league team every year 3 times (3 x 15=45)

 

Play every other division team 6 times (6 x 10= 60)

 

Play your own division 14-15 times (14 x 3= 42 and 15 x 1= 15 for 57 total)

 

You could play other divisions 5 games (5 x 10-50) and your own division 16-17 games.

 

Totally balanced might look like this:

 

2 games vs every other league team (2 x 15=30)

6 games vs every other in-league division (6 x 10=60)

18 games vs own division (18 x 4=72)

[kenmeister]

I really like him, but I have my doubts about his staff handling abilities.

 

I think Sox management feels the same.

 

From what I've seen before, staff handling improves with experience. In other words, get him playing more and that will (probably) improve. Put me down for more Swihart less Leon, but either way make it a healthy competition.

[moonslav59]

From what I've seen before, staff handling improves with experience. In other words, get him playing more and that will (probably) improve. Put me down for more Swihart less Leon, but either way make it a healthy competition.

 

I do think Swihart would improve in that area, if he was given a lot of time- maybe just with one particular starter, but the learning curve may not be short, and we have a season to play and take every game seriously.

 

I have to think the reason Swihart does not catch much is because of how he handles the staff and defends the plate. Nobody doubts he's a better hitter than Leon.

 

As it is now, Vaz will likely catch 4 out of 5 starters, so even if Swi beats out Leon, he'll likely only catch 20% of the games. Is that enough for him to improve measurably?

[mvp 78]

i just called the waaaaaaaambulance to come pick you up.

 

remind me again how amazing are those Mets teams you get to play 6x per year for the past 2 decades?

 

Mets since interleague play: .505 (82 wins per year)

Braves since interleage play: .546 (88 wins per year)

 

Last year, an 88 win team in the NL makes the playoffs, while the 82 win team would have had a worse record than the mediocre Cardinals who hovered around .500 all year.

[Slasher9]

Mets since interleague play: .505 (82 wins per year)

Braves since interleage play: .546 (88 wins per year)

 

Last year, an 88 win team in the NL makes the playoffs, while the 82 win team would have had a worse record than the mediocre Cardinals who hovered around .500 all year.

 

we also spent a good chunk of time playing the mid 2000's Phillies (5 Aces/thome/utley/howard/rollins) as our "rival" 6 games per year.

[Nick]

The games still must be played.

 

All kinds of s*** can happen.

 

Yep, if I recall we struggled mightily against the A's.

[Nick]

Yeah it's weird scheduling. But you guys will play the Rays same number of times as us. And they're not gonna get any better.

 

It's a great point......baseball season is a marathon. It's a true test for Division Championship.

[oldtimer]

Interesting list of where our prospects will start playing this year. Brannen will start in Greenville to try to work on his hitting. He is 6th on our prospect list behind only Chavis and Travis as field players. He is 6th prospect because of his excellent speed and ability to play up the middle (CF). I am hoping that his hitting will come along well this year and his high ranking can be justified.

[mvp 78]

we also spent a good chunk of time playing the mid 2000's Phillies (5 Aces/thome/utley/howard/rollins) as our "rival" 6 games per year.

 

I thought it was always the Braves?

[mvp 78]

Four teams in the East and West form a "split rivalry" where the rivalry pairings alternate in odd- and even-numbered years.

 

In the East:

 

Odd-numbered years:

Boston Red Sox v. Philadelphia Phillies

Toronto Blue Jays v. Atlanta Braves

Even-numbered years:

Boston Red Sox v. Atlanta Braves (the Braves played in Boston as the Boston Red Stockings, Red Caps, Beaneaters, Doves, Rustlers, and Braves from 1871 through 1952)

Toronto Blue Jays v. Philadelphia Phillies

[devildavid]

It's easy to ridicule Gabe Kapler after that very conspicuous bonehead maneuver but many people have been very high on Kapler's potential to manage baseball.

 

The Sox, if anyone recalls, wanted to groom him as a manager by asking him to manage Greenville. Of course that is when he got the itch to play again which was in my view, misguided.

 

So make fun of him all you want. He may fail. But he was very highly regarded prior to his flub at the mound.

 

I think Kapler could succeed as a manager if he gets the opportunity. Remember, Francona had a rough start managing a lousy Philly team. And look at him now.

[devildavid]

Bell , I'm not necessarily an eternal optimist. This is my honest assessment. I like Dombrowski. I like Cora. And I think this is a very talented team. Looking around , I see a lot of weak , beatable teams in both leagues. I really do think it will be a smooth ride to the playoffs.

 

I fully agree with your reasonable assessment.

[Bellhorn04]

I fully agree with your reasonable assessment.

 

dgale is a very reasonable fellow.

 

But there's no way it will be a smooth ride to winning the division. It's doable obviously but tough. A smooth ride to winning the wild card, perhaps.

[Slasher9]

I thought it was always the Braves?

 

nah. i'm west NJ so not too far from illadelphia so get to see the Sox there every year.

pre 2008 it was all Sox fans.

2008-2010 it was 50/50

2011 on we are back to all Sox fans.

[mvp 78]

One of the reasons I hate interleague is that it's just too confusing for me.

[a700hitter]

Before people could forget his pitching change without having a pitcher throwing in the bullpen, Kapler positioned his LFer ridiculously shallow on the Mets Rosario resulting in a triple over his head. Kapler defended the defensive alignment based on his analytics. He is losing the confidence of his team very quickly.

[Jasonbay44]

Before people could forget his pitching change without having a pitcher throwing in the bullpen, Kapler positioned his LFer ridiculously shallow on the Mets Rosario resulting in a triple over his head. Kapler defended the defensive alignment based on his analytics. He is losing the confidence of his team very quickly.

 

To add on to that, there was 20 MPH winds blowing out to right field lol.

[Slasher9]

I'm optimizing my workday today by watching the Sox on my iphone......