A Realistic View at 2019: Part I

[jacksonianmarch]

Keon Broxton to this point cannot hit .200. You need some offense out of the CF slot.

[dgalehouse]

Should Bradley leave , I think Betts or Benintendi would move to center . It would be easier to find a corner outfielder or a D.H.

[notin]

Should Bradley leave , I think Betts or Benintendi would move to center . It would be easier to find a corner outfielder or a D.H.

 

I’d say JD Martinez would be a great option there. I do think his opt out is more likely after 2020 than 2019...

[moonslav59]

I'm not convinced it makes sense to reset/punt in a year when you've got so many high-priced, high-caliber players on your roster-Betts, JDM, Bradley, Sale, Price, Eovaldi. That's arguably a waste of money and opportunity.

 

We'll see!

 

Good point, but you have to keep fans coming to games and watching on TV. Plus, we may have a slight chance of competing, if some farm guys surprise.

[Bellhorn04]

Good point, but you have to keep fans coming to games and watching on TV. Plus, we may have a slight chance of competing, if some farm guys surprise.

 

A 'slight chance'?

 

We'll also still have E-Rod, Barnes, Brasier, Beni, Devers, Pedroia and a few others.

[moonslav59]

A 'slight chance'?

 

We'll also still have E-Rod, Barnes, Brasier, Beni, Devers, Pedroia and a few others.

 

Extending Betts & JD and letting Porcello, Porcello, Moreland, Pearce, Nunez, Holt & Thornburg go and resetting would mean we have just about no money for all the other roster spots.

 

2020 Roster

 

C- Vaz (if we can afford him or trade him) & Swihart

1B- Chavis

2B- Pedey

3B- Devers & Dalebec

SS- Chatham & Lin

LF- Beni & GHernandez

CF- JBJ (may lose him for 2021)

RF- Betts

DK- Martinez

 

SP1 Sale

SP2 Price

SP3 Eovaldi

SP4 ERod

SP5 Johnson/DHernandez/Velazquez

 

RP1 Barnes

RP2 Brasier

RP3 Hembree

RP4 Workman

RP5 Lakins

RP6 Feltman

RP7 Poyner/Wright/Walden/Shawaryn

 

It's not a bad team. It is not a "cliff", but it is not a highly competitive team without Bogey, Porcello and all the role players like Moreland, Pearce, Holt and Nunez.

 

 

[Bellhorn04]

It's not a bad team. It is not a "cliff", but it is not a highly competitive team without Bogey, Porcello and all the role players like Moreland, Pearce, Holt and Nunez.

 

I have to disagree. The role players are replaceable. Maybe they even keep Holt and/or Nunez. A guy like Devers could have a breakout season. Other good stuff could be added.

 

I can't believe you're throwing in the towel with that much talent and with a great owner like Henry.

[moonslav59]

I have to disagree. The role players are replaceable. Maybe they even keep Holt and/or Nunez. A guy like Devers could have a breakout season. Other good stuff could be added.

 

I can't believe you're throwing in the towel with that much talent and with a great owner like Henry.

 

I'm assuming a reset, so there's only so much Henry and DD can do, under that circumstance.

 

I think you are underestimating how important Bogey & Porcello are to our chances of winning. Moreland, Pearce, Holt & Nunez cannot be easily replaced with just about no spending money. Maybe Chavis & Dalbec can do well, but one from Chatham or Lin will be replacing Bogey, so expecting something useful from those two replacing 3 infielders is a big stretch.

 

We've also already lost Kimbrel & Kelly. Would we have won last year without Porcello, Bogey, Kimbrel, Kelly, Moreland, Pearce, Holt, Nunez, Leon, Pom & Thornburg?

 

I think we'd have a slight chance that year, which is better than the cliff I had been projecting.

 

Remember, other teams will be getting better, while we lose key players.

Edited March 23, 2019 by moonslav59

[Bellhorn04]

I'm assuming no reset for 2020.

 

Reading about the terms of Sale's deal only strengthens that opinion. Sale took some deferred money that somehow reduced his AAV to 25.6 million. He wanted to give the team a little more payroll flexibility. And I'm guessing in return they gave him assurances that they plan to field highly competitive teams each year.

[Bellhorn04]

Remember, other teams will be getting better, while we lose key players.

 

Other teams are susceptible to losing key players just like we are.

[moonslav59]

I'm assuming no reset for 2020.

 

Reading about the terms of Sale's deal only strengthens that opinion. Sale took some deferred money that somehow reduced his AAV to 25.6 million. He wanted to give the team a little more payroll flexibility. And I'm guessing in return they gave him assurances that they plan to field highly competitive teams each year.

 

I'm not sure if and when we reset. My point on that post was based on the condition we reset after 2019.

 

Of course, if we don't reset, then we can and should remain highly competitive for a while.

[moonslav59]

Other teams are susceptible to losing key players just like we are.

 

True, but I was working on the assumption we reset in 2020 and teams like the Yanks and Dodgers are a few year away from the same position we will be in next winter.

 

(The Astros have already begun to lose key players, and they were thought to be set for years, in terms of having stocked up young players and plenty of budget space.)

 

Surely, anything can happen.

[moonslav59]

Good to see the team rounding into shape as ST'ing nears its end.

 

Our rotation is looking strong. Even Johnson looked good today.

 

Our pen is still shaky, but we'll have some budget space to fix it, if needed.

[Nick]

Woke up happy today catching up reading all things Chris Sale.

 

Watched his presser and it struck me how 'normal' players are....

 

His home is near the Spring Training facility. Playing for Sox allows him to be 'home' for additional two months.

 

Mentioned how he's made it to his son's baseball practices. He has seen 6 of 14 games that his son has played.

 

He's a dad, a husband.

 

He's not going to squeeze out every little dollar. Let's not kid ourselves. He's still going to make boatload of money.

 

How can you not like this guy?

[Bellhorn04]

He's not going to squeeze out every little dollar. Let's not kid ourselves. He's still going to make boatload of money.

 

How can you not like this guy?

 

Yes, it's pretty clear that Sale was actually thinking both of the team and of himself when they worked out this deal. It's admirable.

[moonslav59]

Makes that Sale trade look even better now.

[Larry Cook]

Makes that Sale trade look even better now.

 

The sale trade could end up being desperate Dave’s best trade!

 

One might be so bold as to call it an out and out theft!

[moonslav59]

The sale trade could end up being desperate Dave’s best trade!

 

One might be so bold as to call it an out and out theft!

 

Looking at Verlander's extension, so was Sale's extension a theft.

 

It was almost as "low ball" as the offer to Lester.

[mvp 78]

Should Bradley leave , I think Betts or Benintendi would move to center . It would be easier to find a corner outfielder or a D.H.

 

I don't want JD in RF in Fenway and I'm not sure Beni has the arm for RF in Fenway either.

[notin]

I don't want JD in RF in Fenway and I'm not sure Beni has the arm for RF in Fenway either.

 

Hey we still have Rusney Castillo. Next year will be the last year on his deal and he would be making slightly less than the 1b platoon this year...

[mvp 78]

Hey we still have Rusney Castillo. Next year will be the last year on his deal and he would be making slightly less than the 1b platoon this year...

 

I'm holding out hope for a Bryce Brentz call up this year.

[moonslav59]

I'm holding out hope for a Bryce Brentz call up this year.

 

That would mean an injury or a September call-up.

[mvp 78]

That would mean an injury or a September call-up.

 

There is likely to be at least one injury. I don't believe he even got the September call up last go around.

[Slasher9]

That would mean an injury or a September call-up.

 

i dont think we are allowed to september call up anymore

[mvp 78]

i dont think we are allowed to september call up anymore

 

I think that's next year when they reduce the call-up number to 28.

[mvp 78]

@redsoxstats

 

Opposing pitchers to start the year

Gonzales (L)

Kikuchi (L)

Leake ®

LeBlanc (L)

Oakland #5

Fiers ®

Estrada ®

Anderson (L)

 

8-0

[harmony]

@redsoxstats

 

Opposing pitchers to start the year

Gonzales (L)

Kikuchi (L)

Leake ®

LeBlanc (L)

Oakland #5

Fiers ®

Estrada ®

Anderson (L)

 

8-0

The combined record of those pitchers after those seven games?

 

Marco Gonzales is already 1-0.

 

I can guarantee that the Red Sox will not be 8-0 after seven games.

 

I'm glad the Mariners are going with their four best starters instead of giving a start to icon Felix Hernandez. The Red Sox instead will face veteran lefthander Wade LeBlanc, the Jamie Moyer clone who mastered the World Series champions last year:

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SEA/SEA201806160.shtml

Edited March 25, 2019 by harmony

[Larry Cook]

I think we win 95 games this year and make an impact deal by the trade deadline.

[BillyWilliams]

I think we win 95 games this year and make an impact deal by the trade deadline.

 

And who do you think the trade chip is in an "impact" deal?

[moonslav59]

And who do you think the trade chip is in an "impact" deal?

 

Well, Jalen Beeks got us Eovaldi.

 

Santiago Espinal got us Pearce.

 

Saun Anderson & Gregory Santos got us Nunez.

 

Stephen Nogosek, Gerson Bautista and Jamie Callahann got us Addison Reed.

 

Are you saying we don't have farm hands like these to trade this summer?