A Realistic View at 2019: Part I

[dgalehouse]

You and Oldtimer were right Denny.

 

Good on you.

 

Thank you .

[Kimmi]

It's not going to be easy.

For every game they drop, the pressure is going to build and the tendency to press is going to be tougher to fight off.

 

No, it won't be easy.

 

They have to just take it one game at a time. They can't think about being 7.5 games behind the Rays or about being 6 games under .500, and trying to make it all up in two weeks time.

[dgalehouse]

I think the first goal is to get to .500 . Then go from there . One step at a time .

[oldtimer]

Dustin Pedroia has been a special player for the Sox and has worked very hard and endured much to make back to be a contributor. A lot of us have been skeptical that a 35 year old can be out a full year and make it back, especially with the type of injury and repair that hasn't got a lot of history of success. Tonight, Pedroia went out early in the game with discomfort in the surgically repaired knee. Not a good sign. Cross your fingers on this one.

[moonslav59]

Dustin Pedroia has been a special player for the Sox and has worked very hard and endured much to make back to be a contributor. A lot of us have been skeptical that a 35 year old can be out a full year and make it back, especially with the type of injury and repair that hasn't got a lot of history of success. Tonight, Pedroia went out early in the game with discomfort in the surgically repaired knee. Not a good sign. Cross your fingers on this one.

 

With Holt on the IL, we are stuck with Nunez.

[illinoisredsox]

With Holt on the IL, we are stuck with Nunez.

 

Holt's on a rehab; he can be brought back anytime (unless his kid pokes him in the eye again).

 

But with Pedroia out indefinitely, you are right, Nunez is here to stay.

[moonslav59]

Holt's on a rehab; he can be brought back anytime (unless his kid pokes him in the eye again).

 

But with Pedroia out indefinitely, you are right, Nunez is here to stay.

 

I heard Holt need more time.

 

I's put Nunez on IL and bring up Lin.

 

I'm so down on Nunez right now, I'd even bring up Chavis to botch 2B over starting Nunez at 2B one more time until he gets his act together.

[cp176]

With respect to the conversation over the importance of spring training, there is absolutely no doubt that at any level you are going to play like you practice. I have no idea how hard these guys actually worked during the spring but not being in game situations does not help preparation. How much they actually played is much more important than whether they won or not. Wins and losses in the spring normally have no meaning but not practicing and playing with some intensity does. If they did not do enough during the spring to be prepared to come out of the gate strong, it is absolutely not excusable.

[Bellhorn04]

JBJ had a terrific spring with a 1.024 OPS in 48 PA's! I haven't checked his current stats but I assume he's off to a splendid start!

[cp176]

JBJ had a terrific spring with a 1.024 OPS in 48 PA's! I haven't checked his current stats but I assume he's off to a splendid start!

 

I'm going out on a limb here I know but I'm willing to predict that Jackie never becomes the hitter we all want to see! lol

Maybe JBJ, Vazqueth and Leon shouldn't even enter the cage!

[cp176]

Actually the more thought I put into this, maybe we should just let our pitchers hit and dh for either Jackie or one of our catchers. Just kidding - I know that Jackie, Sandy, and Vaz never need to get a hit to justify their value to this franchise.

[notin]

With respect to the conversation over the importance of spring training, there is absolutely no doubt that at any level you are going to play like you practice. I have no idea how hard these guys actually worked during the spring but not being in game situations does not help preparation. How much they actually played is much more important than whether they won or not. Wins and losses in the spring normally have no meaning but not practicing and playing with some intensity does. If they did not do enough during the spring to be prepared to come out of the gate strong, it is absolutely not excusable.

 

 

The goals of Spring Training should be 1) get ready and 2) don’t get hurt. They were massively successful at the second goal. But appear to have fared miserably at the first.

 

As for “practice like you play,” this is absolutely wonderful advice for little leaguers and high school players. But we are talking about grown-up adult professional players here. Many already levels of intensity and tenacity beyond our mere mortal comprehension. These people enjoy competition for a living. The same advice our little league and high school coaches just does not apply...

[cp176]

The goals of Spring Training should be 1) get ready and 2) don’t get hurt. They were massively successful at the second goal. But appear to have fared miserably at the first.

 

As for “practice like you play,” this is absolutely wonderful advice for little leaguers and high school players. But we are talking about grown-up adult professional players here. Many already levels of intensity and tenacity beyond our mere mortal comprehension. These people enjoy competition for a living. The same advice our little league and high school coaches just does not apply...

 

I respect your opinion as always notin but I don't agree with it. Intensity and tenacity also are words that don't necessarily have to apply to being properly prepared.

[notin]

I heard Holt need more time.

 

I's put Nunez on IL and bring up Lin.

 

I'm so down on Nunez right now, I'd even bring up Chavis to botch 2B over starting Nunez at 2B one more time until he gets his act together.

 

 

We don’t need Chavis to botch 2b. Nunez is quite capable of doing that all by himself.

 

And Brandon Phillips does have a phone...

[notin]

I respect your opinion as always notin but I don't agree with it. Intensity and tenacity also are words that don't necessarily have to apply to being properly prepared.

 

 

Ok. While I see your point, bear in mind that “practice how you play” is supposed to teach tenacity and intensity. Players don’t make MLB if they don’t have these facets ingrained in their personality as tough they were instinctive traits.

 

We all played aseball growing up. But at this level, there are very big differences from the game we grew up playing.

 

I do agree the Sox are ill-prepared. But that’s in a comparative sense and not an absolute one. It would appear that everyone else is better prepared. Make more sense?

Edited April 18, 2019 by notin

[cp176]

Ok. While I see your point, bear in mind that “practice how you play” is supposed to teach tenacity and intensity. Players don’t make MLB if they don’t have these facets ingrained in their personality as tough they were instinctive traits.

 

We all played aseball growing up. But at this level, there are very big differences from the game we grew up playing.

 

I do agree the Sox are ill-prepared. But that’s in a comparative sense and not an absolute one. It would appear that everyone else is better prepared. Make more sense?

 

I think it does. what ever they were supposed to do to be as prepared as possible, it doesn't look like they did it to the degree that they needed to.

[Maxbialystock]

I respect your opinion as always notin but I don't agree with it. Intensity and tenacity also are words that don't necessarily have to apply to being properly prepared.

 

Meh. Gotta go with notin. I'm mad about spring training, but I'm not sure how you can introduce intensity and tenacity into ST games. I think those two come into play much later in this monster of a 162 game season.

 

What we have seen is that the pitchers, especially the starters, didn't have good command (or even good velocity--Sale) when the season started and got hit hard and walked guys. This apparently was a risk Cora and DD were prepared to incur in order to compensate for the rigors of the 2018 postseason.

 

I will grant you this word--focus. Not the same as intensity and tenacity, but in the same family. Focus as I understand it is how JDM became such a good hitter, and all hitters need it all the time. Same goes for all pitchers.

 

Fair enough?

[cp176]

Meh. Gotta go with notin. I'm mad about spring training, but I'm not sure how you can introduce intensity and tenacity into ST games. I think those two come into play much later in this monster of a 162 game season.

 

What we have seen is that the pitchers, especially the starters, didn't have good command (or even good velocity--Sale) when the season started and got hit hard and walked guys. This apparently was a risk Cora and DD were prepared to incur in order to compensate for the rigors of the 2018 postseason.

 

I will grant you this word--focus. Not the same as intensity and tenacity, but in the same family. Focus as I understand it is how JDM became such a good hitter, and all hitters need it all the time. Same goes for all pitchers.

 

Fair enough?

 

We have to be a little careful here i think. Kind of looks like a suggestion that I used the two words intensity and tenacity which I did not. Although they are two words that have great meaning to me, you saying "gotta go with notin" is implying that I'm not going with notin. I likely am. I will of course stand behind what I did say - it is quite likely that this current Red Sox team was not as prepared as they could have been to start the season.

A lot of arguments tend to get started here when someone reads things into someone elses posts. I said nothing about introducing intensity and tenacity in to spring training games.

[notin]

We have to be a little careful here i think. Kind of looks like a suggestion that I used the two words intensity and tenacity which I did not. Although they are two words that have great meaning to me, you saying "gotta go with notin" is implying that I'm not going with notin. I likely am. I will of course stand behind what I did say - it is quite likely that this current Red Sox team was not as prepared as they could have been to start the season.

A lot of arguments tend to get started here when someone reads things into someone elses posts. I said nothing about introducing intensity and tenacity in to spring training games.

 

 

And here lies the issue with message boards as a method of communicating. When you say things like “practice how you play,” a phrase as a coach I love, to me it does mean practice intense, practice hard, practice tenacious, etc.

 

Also I like “focus.” Good word to describe another aspect of what I meant. Arguably different but inarguably related...

[notin]

I think it does. what ever they were supposed to do to be as prepared as possible, it doesn't look like they did it to the degree that they needed to.

 

 

No mic drop?

[moonslav59]

I'm going out on a limb here I know but I'm willing to predict that Jackie never becomes the hitter we all want to see! lol

Maybe JBJ, Vazqueth and Leon shouldn't even enter the cage!

 

It baffles me how he can hit very well for pretty long stretches and then just turn ice cold for even longer stretches.

 

He was over .800 for about 900 PAs at one point in his career, but I'm losing hope on him ever becoming consistent.

[cp176]

No mic drop?

 

nope

[oldtimer]

It baffles me how he can hit very well for pretty long stretches and then just turn ice cold for even longer stretches.

 

He was over .800 for about 900 PAs at one point in his career, but I'm losing hope on him ever becoming consistent.

 

This year he talked about how hard he had worked with the coaches to change his swing, particularly the angle of approach to the ball. Then, he has started off in a pathetic fashion, but he has a lot of company. We have Mookie also drastically underperforming as well. We expect Mookie to snap out of it while no one is quite sure if or when JBJ will.

[cp176]

And here lies the issue with message boards as a method of communicating. When you say things like “practice how you play,” a phrase as a coach I love, to me it does mean practice intense, practice hard, practice tenacious, etc.

 

Also I like “focus.” Good word to describe another aspect of what I meant. Arguably different but inarguably related...

 

I'm with you. There are lots of different things that go into preparation. Some of it is dictated by the sport being prepared for. I do not know what the Red Sox do or have done or even if they did anything different with respect to their preparation for this current season. Based on the way their season has started I think that whether right or wrong, it is at least logical to think that they didn't do enough of what they should have done. In a great effort to be unoffensive to everyone on earth, i do not know if I could possibly be any more evasive than I am being. I want to be everybody's friend! I don't want to be "ignored" by anyone. lol

[Maxbialystock]

We have to be a little careful here i think. Kind of looks like a suggestion that I used the two words intensity and tenacity which I did not. Although they are two words that have great meaning to me, you saying "gotta go with notin" is implying that I'm not going with notin. I likely am. I will of course stand behind what I did say - it is quite likely that this current Red Sox team was not as prepared as they could have been to start the season.

A lot of arguments tend to get started here when someone reads things into someone elses posts. I said nothing about introducing intensity and tenacity in to spring training games.

 

I stand corrected. Almost all of us on talksox agree ST was not productive.

[cp176]

I stand corrected. Almost all of us on talksox agree ST was not productive.

 

fun in the sun is what it kind of looks like - not a bad thing - i've enjoyed it very much

[Maxbialystock]

And here lies the issue with message boards as a method of communicating. When you say things like “practice how you play,” a phrase as a coach I love, to me it does mean practice intense, practice hard, practice tenacious, etc.

 

Also I like “focus.” Good word to describe another aspect of what I meant. Arguably different but inarguably related...

 

True about message boards, but I think talksox works exceptionally well. It allows us all to go off on tangents, but also clarify something we meant seriously--all pretty much without moderators having to jump in.

[kenmeister]

It baffles me how he can hit very well for pretty long stretches and then just turn ice cold for even longer stretches.

 

He was over .800 for about 900 PAs at one point in his career, but I'm losing hope on him ever becoming consistent.

 

We seem very far away from JBJ's hitting streak days.

[Maxbialystock]

We seem very far away from JBJ's hitting streak days.

 

JBJ's OPS's--

 

2014 .531 (this was the year he replaced Ellsbury and ended up in Pawtucket)

2015 .832 (the year the light turned on in August and he hit like a champ)

2016 .835 (still up and down, but mostly up--his overall WAR was 4.3, highest of his career)

2017 .726 (regression to the mean, as moonslav would say)

2018 .717 (the mean stays mean)

2019 .375 (too early to be meaningful, but worrisome)

[moonslav59]

We seem very far away from JBJ's hitting streak days.

 

True, but just last year, he had a very long consistent streak of above average hitting:

 

May 20 to Sept 30 (102 games and 393 PAs)

 

.260/.333/.460/.793