A Realistic View at 2019: Part I

[Hitch]

I do, too.

 

11 games in a row kind a sucks, but if we start the year with Johnson as the 6th starter, we'd only use him once in the first 3 weeks of the season.

 

Yup, but again, if you have to play 11 games without a day off, the beginning of the season is the absolute best time.

[oldtimer]

Worth noting that the projected lineup at the link is just one writer's opinion...Peter Abraham's first projection, for comparison's sake, has the Sox trading Swihart and keeping Leon, and puts Workman and Velazquez in the bullpen. At this point, their guesses are probably as good as mine and yours.

 

Leon is 5'10" 225# is dead slow and I doubt he will ever hit close to his weight. He will turn 30 in spring training. I'll agree that he is a good receiver with a strong arm, but catcher is a tough position and one has to wonder could be solid for 75 games this year, assuming Vasquez catches the remainder.

[Bellhorn04]

Leon is 5'10" 225# is dead slow and I doubt he will ever hit close to his weight.

 

His career BA is 226.

[notin]

Is it still 10 days?

 

 

I believe only the name is changing...

[Bellhorn04]

Eccch. Myself, I like the NFL's "PUP List".

 

'Physically unable to perform' does kind of nail it, doesn't it?

[moonslav59]

Yup, but again, if you have to play 11 games without a day off, the beginning of the season is the absolute best time.

 

Yes, as long as we are healthy, especially our 6 starters.

[moonslav59]

Leon is 5'10" 225# is dead slow and I doubt he will ever hit close to his weight. He will turn 30 in spring training. I'll agree that he is a good receiver with a strong arm, but catcher is a tough position and one has to wonder could be solid for 75 games this year, assuming Vasquez catches the remainder.

 

If Vaz never gets hurt, Leon could catch just 45-50 games (all Sale & Price starts).

 

We may want to start the season with someone between Sale and Price, so we can break up the consecutive games both of our catchers have to start.

[mvp 78]

While not a popular opinion, I think Leon is the one catcher they should keep.

 

While I’m probably wrong here, I think it should be Swihart vs Vazquez or the starting job. If Swihart wins, trade Vazquez. If Vazquez wins, try to trade Swihart or simply DFA him late enough in Spring Training that most teams will largely have their rosters set and won’t claim him...

 

I agree.

[notin]

I think someone would claim him. There are so many borderline back-up catchers out there, I think Swihart's upside and ability to play other positions might be enough for someone to claim him.

 

He might get claimed, but it doesn’t look like anyone wants to trade for him.

 

What might enable him to pass through waivers is that he is out of options. In order to keep him, a team would have to release someone from the 25 man roster, and if the claiming team questions his catching ability, releasing the BUC might not be the best idea.

 

But if he does get claimed, I’m not so sure it’s a huge loss.

 

That goes for Johnson, too...

[moonslav59]

He might get claimed, but it doesn’t look like anyone wants to trade for him.

 

What might enable him to pass through waivers is that he is out of options. In order to keep him, a team would have to release someone from the 25 man roster, and if the claiming team questions his catching ability, releasing the BUC might not be the best idea.

 

But if he does get claimed, I’m not so sure it’s a huge loss.

 

That goes for Johnson, too...

 

I think Johnson has more value than Swihart. He may even crack some low teams' 5 man rotation.

 

The drop off from Johnson to Velazquez may not be much, but we likely will need both and then some.

 

The same cannot be said of Swihart.

[BillyWilliams]

The article does say....

 

Combine those two factors with what might be baseball's best defensive outfield, and FanGraphs believes the Red Sox will have the game's best run differential by a good margin.

 

So, not everything is bad.

 

Reading is fundamental was obviously not part of his childhood. But I guess we shouldn't expect too much from the swamps of Jersey........

[notin]

I think Johnson has more value than Swihart. He may even crack some low teams' 5 man rotation.

 

The drop off from Johnson to Velazquez may not be much, but we likely will need both and then some.

 

The same cannot be said of Swihart.

 

 

Oh the Sox will use both and several others. But that doesn’t mean Johnson would be a big loss. And that he would be in the rotation for Miami or Baltimore doesn’t make him a good pitcher who will help the Sox. In fact, his lack of options is equally likely to hurt the Sox, since he could easily take relief appearances from a better pitcher based on nothing more than having an option...

[notin]

Reading is fundamental was obviously not part of his childhood.

 

 

You’re showing your age. But that means he can always fall back on this with your understanding

 

[jacksonianmarch]

Johnson and Velasquez are your only major league options should your rotation falter or be injured until Wright proves he can be healthy (which is about 2 years and counting where he has not been). They're not good depth, but they're your best depth. With perennial DL candidate ERod, Mr Tingle's elbow/hand in the cold, Eovaldi's bionic and frequently failing elbow and Sale's worrisome shoulder, having depth options will be paramount for the sox. Johnson will be kept on the roster as long as the sox can keep him. Now, if he blows chunks every time he takes the mound, then the decision is easy. But they're gonna hold him as insurance. With 4 guys having injury issues over the past season, the likelihood that nobody goes down for a stretch is pretty low so I expect you will be using him. Velasquez will be Johnson insurance or catastrophe insurance should multiple rotation options go down. The fact that he has options points towards him starting in AAA

[Station 13]

Johnson and Velasquez are your only major league options should your rotation falter or be injured until Wright proves he can be healthy (which is about 2 years and counting where he has not been). They're not good depth, but they're your best depth. With perennial DL candidate ERod, Mr Tingle's elbow/hand in the cold, Eovaldi's bionic and frequently failing elbow and Sale's worrisome shoulder, having depth options will be paramount for the sox. Johnson will be kept on the roster as long as the sox can keep him. Now, if he blows chunks every time he takes the mound, then the decision is easy. But they're gonna hold him as insurance. With 4 guys having injury issues over the past season, the likelihood that nobody goes down for a stretch is pretty low so I expect you will be using him. Velasquez will be Johnson insurance or catastrophe insurance should multiple rotation options go down. The fact that he has options points towards him starting in AAA

 

Yet despite Sale and E-Rod missing 2 month each, we won 108 games with 10 games Cora basically mailing it in.

[BillyWilliams]

You’re showing your age. But that means he can always fall back on this with your understanding

 

 

:)

[notin]

F

Johnson and Velasquez are your only major league options should your rotation falter or be injured until Wright proves he can be healthy (which is about 2 years and counting where he has not been). They're not good depth, but they're your best depth. With perennial DL candidate ERod, Mr Tingle's elbow/hand in the cold, Eovaldi's bionic and frequently failing elbow and Sale's worrisome shoulder, having depth options will be paramount for the sox. Johnson will be kept on the roster as long as the sox can keep him. Now, if he blows chunks every time he takes the mound, then the decision is easy. But they're gonna hold him as insurance. With 4 guys having injury issues over the past season, the likelihood that nobody goes down for a stretch is pretty low so I expect you will be using him. Velasquez will be Johnson insurance or catastrophe insurance should multiple rotation options go down. The fact that he has options points towards him starting in AAA

 

 

Only options? Did Erasmo Ramirez quit baseball this week? And Ryan Weber, too?

[moonslav59]

Reading is fundamental was obviously not part of his childhood. But I guess we shouldn't expect too much from the swamps of Jersey........

 

...where many Yankee fans live.

[moonslav59]

Oh the Sox will use both and several others. But that doesn’t mean Johnson would be a big loss. And that he would be in the rotation for Miami or Baltimore doesn’t make him a good pitcher who will help the Sox. In fact, his lack of options is equally likely to hurt the Sox, since he could easily take relief appearances from a better pitcher based on nothing more than having an option...

 

If Wright is not ready, I think Johnson offers our best chance at getting decent results, but the drop off is not big between him and the next guys, presumably Velazquez.

[moonslav59]

Johnson and Velasquez are your only major league options should your rotation falter or be injured until Wright proves he can be healthy (which is about 2 years and counting where he has not been). They're not good depth, but they're your best depth. With perennial DL candidate ERod, Mr Tingle's elbow/hand in the cold, Eovaldi's bionic and frequently failing elbow and Sale's worrisome shoulder, having depth options will be paramount for the sox. Johnson will be kept on the roster as long as the sox can keep him. Now, if he blows chunks every time he takes the mound, then the decision is easy. But they're gonna hold him as insurance. With 4 guys having injury issues over the past season, the likelihood that nobody goes down for a stretch is pretty low so I expect you will be using him. Velasquez will be Johnson insurance or catastrophe insurance should multiple rotation options go down. The fact that he has options points towards him starting in AAA

 

Wright is our 6th starter. How many teams have better 7th and 8th starters than Johnson & Velazquez. Together, the team went 14-7 in their starts.

 

"Not good depth" should be a relative term.

Edited February 12, 2019 by moonslav59

[moonslav59]

Yet despite Sale and E-Rod missing 2 month each, we won 108 games with 10 games Cora basically mailing it in.

 

Records in starts...

 

3-1 Wright

9-4 Johnson

5-3 Velazquez

6-6 Eovaldi

0-2 Beeks & Cuevas combined

 

23-14 .622

[jacksonianmarch]

That is entirely dependent on the hitting and good luck. Johnson had a 4.7xFIP. Velasquez had a 4.6xFIP. Both players are replacement level at best. The fact that you won the games they pitched is irrelevant as to whether they are good or not. Wright is good depth...if he can stay healthy. People seem to forget he had ANOTHER knee surgery in November. This after having microfracture surgery earlier in the year on the same knee. Expecting him to be reliable is just plain dumb

[BillyWilliams]

...where many Yankee fans live.

 

Yankee fans live everywhere...........

[notin]

Yankee fans live everywhere...........

 

 

Under rocks?

 

In fantasyland where they ride pinstriped unicorns?

[notin]

That is entirely dependent on the hitting and good luck. Johnson had a 4.7xFIP. Velasquez had a 4.6xFIP. Both players are replacement level at best. The fact that you won the games they pitched is irrelevant as to whether they are good or not. Wright is good depth...if he can stay healthy. People seem to forget he had ANOTHER knee surgery in November. This after having microfracture surgery earlier in the year on the same knee. Expecting him to be reliable is just plain dumb

 

The Sox will also likely use Mike Sharwyn and Darwinzon Hernandez this year at some point...

[moonslav59]

That is entirely dependent on the hitting and good luck. Johnson had a 4.7xFIP. Velasquez had a 4.6xFIP. Both players are replacement level at best. The fact that you won the games they pitched is irrelevant as to whether they are good or not. Wright is good depth...if he can stay healthy. People seem to forget he had ANOTHER knee surgery in November. This after having microfracture surgery earlier in the year on the same knee. Expecting him to be reliable is just plain dumb

 

Wright almost made the playoff roster. He was scratched at the last minute. Maybe, just maybe, it's not as bad as it seems.

 

I have never said Johnson and Velazquez were great, but they are our 7th and 8th starters. They are "good" for those roles. You said they were "not good." How many teams have better 7th and 8th starters?

[Slasher9]

come on guys. red sox players are all destined for the PUP list and/or have "down" years. yankees players are all going to be 100% healthy and perform above the back of their baseball card.....

[BillyWilliams]

Under rocks?

 

In fantasyland where they ride pinstriped unicorns?

 

I guess that's why they sell the most merchandise by far!

[notin]

I guess that's why they sell the most merchandise by far!

 

 

You got me there. All Fenway has is those silly recent championships banners...

[BillyWilliams]

You got me there. All Fenway has is those silly recent championships banners...

 

Not exactly sure what that has to do with where Yankee fans live, but, umm, ok.