A Realistic View at 2018: Part II

[Nick]

Can we go Sale, Price at Fenway than Eovaldi, Porcello, Sale on the road for the World Series? Does Price have enough time to recover?

[notin]

Can we go Sale, Price at Fenway than Eovaldi, Porcello, Sale on the road for the World Series? Does Price have enough time to recover?

 

Game 2 of the World Series is October 24. He should have 5 days rest by then. So yes he does...

[sk7326]

Can we go Sale, Price at Fenway than Eovaldi, Porcello, Sale on the road for the World Series? Does Price have enough time to recover?

 

Game 1 is Tuesday. So Price will have 5 days of rest for Game 2.

[Maxbialystock]

Can we go Sale, Price at Fenway than Eovaldi, Porcello, Sale on the road for the World Series? Does Price have enough time to recover?

 

You don't know the dates? First game is Tuesday, Oct 23, so of course Sale and Price can start games 1 and 2, and Price would actually be getting an extra day's rest. I would be tempted to go with Sale and Eovaldi, however, because they will be more of a contrast in pitching styles. Sale and Price are a lot alike.

[mvp 78]

Can we go Sale, Price at Fenway than Eovaldi, Porcello, Sale on the road for the World Series? Does Price have enough time to recover?

 

Game 2 isn't until Wednesday. That's a full rest for him.

 

edit: whoops, sorry for the dogpile. Three responses were more than enough.

[harmony]

My priorities are little different than Moon's and I do respect him.

 

Signing Eovaldi takes pressure off Porcello/Sale free agency after 2019. I'm willing to go say 4 years, $60M. Maybe that won't be enough.

 

Arbitration increases will be paid for by Hanley's salary, $22M.

 

Kimbrel, Kelly and Pom will contribute another $25M. Can we sign Eovaldi and TRADE for a closer? We also pick up additional $8M in cap increase to take care of contract raises for Vaz, Sale and anyone else.

Despite their flaws the Seattle Mariners have Edwin Diaz and Alex Colome, who have each led the American League in saves in a season the last two years. The Mariners also have a crowded middle infield with three former All Stars -- Robinson Cano, Jean Segura and Dee Gordon -- as potential replacements for Dustin Pedroia.

 

Rick Porcello would be a decent target but for the $21 million price tag for the righthander's final year of team control.

 

A match is doubtful.

[notin]

That play where he clipped the 1B on purpose, that's all I needed to see. And just to think, Pedey 'defended' him. I will NEVER forget "it's not me, it's THEM".

 

Hasn’t that been covered to death by the media as something fans seem to be overreacting to way more than the players are?

[notin]

My priorities are little different than Moon's and I do respect him.

 

Signing Eovaldi takes pressure off Porcello/Sale free agency after 2019. I'm willing to go say 4 years, $60M. Maybe that won't be enough.

 

4 years for a pitcher whose had TJ TWICE????!?!?!

 

Ignoring health and basing a contract on postseason numbers sounds like the exact logic that justified signing Pablo Sandoval...

[S5Dewey]

Hasn’t that been covered to death by the media as something fans seem to be overreacting to way more than the players are?

 

The only way we can gauge that would be to talk to the players and (IMO) they'd be reluctant to throw Pedey under the bus so we'll never know. The fans I talk with are still pretty upset about it. They've neither forgiven nor forgotten but they're willing to put it behind them for the sake of the game.

[Slasher9]

Hasn’t that been covered to death by the media as something fans seem to be overreacting to way more than the players are?

 

no. the players wont go on record since he is still on the team. there is zero "over reaction" when it comes to throwing teammates under the bus. something everyone on the Sox last year understood except dustin pedroia.....

[Slasher9]

The only way we can gauge that would be to talk to the players and (IMO) they'd be reluctant to throw Pedey under the bus so we'll never know. The fans I talk with are still pretty upset about it. They've neither forgiven nor forgotten but they're willing to put it behind them for the sake of the game.

 

this.

[notin]

no. the players wont go on record since he is still on the team. there is zero "over reaction" when it comes to throwing teammates under the bus. something everyone on the Sox last year understood except dustin pedroia.....

 

I’m not so sure, and a few people posted links about how overblown that whole situation was...

[notin]

The only way we can gauge that would be to talk to the players and (IMO) they'd be reluctant to throw Pedey under the bus so we'll never know. The fans I talk with are still pretty upset about it. They've neither forgiven nor forgotten but they're willing to put it behind them for the sake of the game.

 

But if only the fans are upset, that agrees with my point.

 

I think none of us have the entire story...

[S5Dewey]

I’m not so sure, and a few people posted links about how overblown that whole situation was...

 

Had these people who posted links talked with the players or their friends to get other opinions, or were they just their own personal opinions?

 

Personally, I find it hard to believe that anyone who's played competitive sports (successfully) would condone one player throwing the rest of his team under the bus. But maybe that's just me... and the people I've talked with.... and Brian Butterfield, who completely dodged the question when put to him.

[S5Dewey]

But if only the fans are upset, that agrees with my point.

What??? No it doesn't, because your point is that it's overblown assumes the players aren't upset, and we have no way to know that.

 

As with just about everything in life "none of us have the entire story" so we have to assume that one person's viewpoint is no more valid than another's.

 

I base my opinion on my viewpoint, that of the people I've talked with about it, and Butterfield's reaction to the question. I think that's solid. Others may not.

[notin]

What??? No it doesn't, because your point is that it's overblown assumes the players aren't upset, and we have no way to know that.

 

 

Well my point was two parts - that the players weren’t and the fans are the ones who still are...

[Bellhorn04]

What??? No it doesn't, because your point is that it's overblown assumes the players aren't upset, and we have no way to know that.

 

As with just about everything in life "none of us have the entire story" so we have to assume that one person's viewpoint is no more valid than another's.

 

I base my opinion on my viewpoint, that of the people I've talked with about it, and Butterfield's reaction to the question. I think that's solid. Others may not.

 

I don't put a lot of weight on Butterfield's reaction. If it was a player it might be different. Butterfield was a member of John Farrell's coaching staff, as he was in Toronto, and I assume they're pretty tight.

 

When Pedroia said it's them, it's pretty obvious to me he was including Farrell. I think Farrell screwed up that whole retaliation thing.

 

So to me it's perfectly understandable Butterfield would be uncomfortable with the situation because of his allegiance to Farrell.

[moonslav59]

My priorities are little different than Moon's and I do respect him.

 

Signing Eovaldi takes pressure off Porcello/Sale free agency after 2019. I'm willing to go say 4 years, $60M. Maybe that won't be enough.

 

Arbitration increases will be paid for by Hanley's salary, $22M.

 

Kimbrel, Kelly and Pom will contribute another $25M. Can we sign Eovaldi and TRADE for a closer? We also pick up additional $8M in cap increase to take care of contract raises for Vaz, Sale and anyone else.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have Eovaldi return. I'm just not sure we can afford him.

[S5Dewey]

Well my point was two parts - that the players weren’t and the fans are the ones who still are...

 

And you have nothing to back up your viewpoint that the players aren't/weren't upset except that they haven't made a public issue of it - which a good teammate wouldn't do anyway.

[notin]

And you have nothing to back up your viewpoint that the players aren't/weren't upset except that they haven't made a public issue of it - which a good teammate wouldn't do anyway.

 

Nope. I have nothing except alternative theories that counter the popular but equally unsupported beliefs of others. You know, keep an open mind kind of stuff.

 

My entire stance on this has always been that none of us has the whole story and really, until we do (if ever), any discussion really needs to acknowledge other interpretations.

 

But a lot of people do seem close-minded to the existence of alternative possibilities....

[Slasher9]

Nope. I have nothing except alternative theories that counter the popular but equally unsupported beliefs of others. You know, keep an open mind kind of stuff.

 

My entire stance on this has always been that none of us has the whole story and really, until we do (if ever), any discussion really needs to acknowledge other interpretations.

 

But a lot of people do seem close-minded to the existence of alternative possibilities....

 

i mean...anything is possible. Kimbrel can fly in from the BP riding on a unicorn with rainbows shooting out of its butt.

 

it's more about what is probable.

and it's probable that dustin pissed off alot of his teammates last season. and it's probable that some of those are still holding a grudge....it's probable that these teammates respect the code enough never to say anything about how they really feel to the press or public.....

[notin]

i mean...anything is possible. Kimbrel can fly in from the BP riding on a unicorn with rainbows shooting out of its butt.

 

it's more about what is probable.

and it's probable that dustin pissed off alot of his teammates last season. and it's probable that some of those are still holding a grudge....it's probable that these teammates respect the code enough never to say anything about how they really feel to the press or public.....

 

Some players certainly adhere to that code, but some don’t, which is also probable. For example, a couple years ago Scott Van Slyke of the Dodgers publicly talked about how his teammates, notably his friend Clayton Kershaw, were fed up with Yasiel Puig.

 

And I wouldn’t consider it improbable that Pedroia told his teammates NOT to retaliate and escalate the situation, but Barnes did anyway. That’s a story that makes every piece fit, and actually, unlike the popular belief, even explains why Pedroia reacted at all. And that’s just one possibility.

 

Like I aid, I’m at least open to that and other possibilities, and with an equal amount of proof that anyone has for anything else.

 

And by the way, your Kimbrel/unicorn scenario is actually NOT possible...

[dgalehouse]

Hail to the Boston Red Sox , 2018 American League Champions. A great team with a terrific manager , a generous owner and an outstanding G.M. You could pretty much see this coming from opening day. Also , a special shout out to the die-hard fans who wanted to unload JBJ for a bag of balls , who wanted to ship Devers to Pawtucket for more seasoning , who wanted to run David Price out of town on a rail , and who ,most recently , turned on Craig Kimbrel, one of the best , most reliable closers in recent years. Hang in there guys. Try to support your team in the upcoming World Series.

[Nick]

Hail to the Boston Red Sox , 2018 American League Champions. A great team with a terrific manager , a generous owner and an outstanding G.M. You could pretty much see this coming from opening day. Also , a special shout out to the die-hard fans who wanted to unload JBJ for a bag of balls , who wanted to ship Devers to Pawtucket for more seasoning , who wanted to run David Price out of town on a rail , and who ,most recently , turned on Craig Kimbrel, one of the best , most reliable closers in recent years. Hang in there guys. Try to support your team in the upcoming World Series.

 

I was good with JBJ, Devers, Price and Kimbrel.

Edited October 19, 2018 by Nick

[Kimmi]

World Series baby!!!

 

So happy for Price!

 

^^This.

[Kimmi]

Here's an observation you won't read anywhere else.

 

There were 2 separate stories about so-called 'trolling' by Red Sox opponents this postseason.

 

Aaron Judge played 'New York, New York'. So New York times 2. Then the Red Sox win the next two.

 

Alex Bregland played a video of 3 home runs. Then the Red Sox win the next three.

 

Kind of a weird mathematical progression going on there.

 

Very cool observation.

 

What kind of 'four' thing can the NL team troll us with before we start this series? LOL

[Kimmi]

So, any changes for the WS roster? Is anyone injured? Do we see different needs? Has performance suggested possible changes?

 

It is hard to see a lot of positive changes that could be made to improve things. Here are my possibles:

 

1. Workman based on his perfformance and lack of use. Do we have a pitcher that might be a better fit? I can't see a clear improvement.

 

2. Swihart never saw the light of day, but is a versatile athlete who has some hitting ability. Lin is an alternative but not really better.

 

3. Nunez got a lot of PT but don't know the status of his ankle, hamstring, knee issues. I assume the days off will allow him to recover.

 

We may well just stand pat.

2.

 

Wright is supposedly healthy and ready to pitch in the World Series. I'd be surprised if he's not added back to the roster.

 

I'd keep Swihart on the roster. As someone pointed out, whether he actually gets the playing time or not is not the important factor. The important factor is that it allows Cora to be able to pinch hit for his catchers with no hesitation.

[Kimmi]

Once Braiser shook off the nerves in the first game of the playoffs, he's been nails.

 

Any pitcher that tells a Yankee player to get the f___ back in the box is okay in my book.

[Nick]

Wright is supposedly healthy and ready to pitch in the World Series. I'd be surprised if he's not added back to the roster.

 

I'd keep Swihart on the roster. As someone pointed out, whether he actually gets the playing time or not is not the important factor. The important factor is that it allows Cora to be able to pinch hit for his catchers with no hesitation.

 

Good points.

 

Having someone that can pitch multiple innings is HUGE. His style is so different that it's added bonus. Fire hoser to limp dick to hire hoser.

 

I thought we were aggressive with pinch hitting and part of that was due to having three catchers. I approve.

[Kimmi]

Can we go Sale, Price at Fenway than Eovaldi, Porcello, Sale on the road for the World Series? Does Price have enough time to recover?

 

Cora has already said that Price is likely the Game 2 starter, but it might change depending on who we're playing.

 

So yeah, he'll be ready.