A Realistic View at 2019: Part I

[oldtimer]

A prescient call by Bell and Moon after today's 3 hit , including HR, by Steve Pearce.

 

Lots of people hit today. Lets see what happens against teams with better pitching. Be great if Bradley and Pearce round into form though.

[notin]

And of course Holt has the option. Stash him while Pedey is trying to give it a go, and take it from there?

 

 

It’s been pointed out that with his service time, Holt cannot be demoted without his approval...

[Slasher9]

and pearce will start to hit, you can count on it. He's a good hitter.

Hfx go BOOM

[notin]

11 RP'ers of note...

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/05/mlb-free-agent-relievers-bullpen-help.html

 

 

The only one anyone should even consider is Carlos Torres. Although Rosscup already has his next job...

[moonslav59]

With Chavis playing 2b, Holt and Nunez are the redundancy on this team. The argument against keeping Pearce is that Moreland is playing well enough to keep him benched. But we’ve seen first half heroics from Moreland before,..

 

Chavis can play 1B, and Holt can in a pinch.

 

I think it comes down to who we think will do better going forward.

[jacksonianmarch]

You’ve got your top two going against Houston’s 4 and 5. Sunday looks less than promising for you guys with ERod facing Verlander, but avoiding Cole and running Proce and Sale in the first two gives you the advantage in the series

[Slasher9]

You’ve got your top two going against Houston’s 4 and 5. Sunday looks less than promising for you guys with ERod facing Verlander, but avoiding Cole and running Proce and Sale in the first two gives you the advantage in the series

 

Sale sucks tho?

[jacksonianmarch]

He doesn’t suck. He’s still throwing a bit slower than last year, but he’s adjusted. Way higher percentage of sliders this year. He’s still a horse

[notin]

He doesn’t suck. He’s still throwing a bit slower than last year, but he’s adjusted. Way higher percentage of sliders this year. He’s still a horse

 

It’s “down” because of a couple early season “restgate” starts.

 

His velocity is returning to prior levels.

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/graphs.aspx?playerid=10603&position=P&pitchgraphs=true&statArr=&legend=1&split=base&time=daily&start=2017&end=2019&rtype=mult&gt1=15&dStatArray=FA&ymin=&ymax=

[moonslav59]

It's still a little down, but with Leon catching him, there's no stopping...

 

Chris Freakin' Sale!

 

[Maxbialystock]

I like Sale's slider--really. But what happened to the changeup which now appears infrequently and usually as a waste pitch?

[FredLynn]

You’ve got your top two going against Houston’s 4 and 5. Sunday looks less than promising for you guys with ERod facing Verlander, but avoiding Cole and running Proce and Sale in the first two gives you the advantage in the series

 

Not for nothing, but Sale has been throwing pretty consistently at 95 when he dials it up. I remember that you and I had a minor disagreement about this. Seems his arm is fine.

[jacksonianmarch]

Not for nothing, but Sale has been throwing pretty consistently at 95 when he dials it up. I remember that you and I had a minor disagreement about this. Seems his arm is fine.

 

When I start seeing him pumping 98-99 in the warmer weather, then I'll believe it. He still hasn't shown me that he has that top gear. Then again, at 95, he is extremely effective

[Bellhorn04]

When I start seeing him pumping 98-99 in the warmer weather, then I'll believe it. He still hasn't shown me that he has that top gear. Then again, at 95, he is extremely effective

 

He just had a stretch of 40 strikeouts without a walk.

[FredLynn]

When I start seeing him pumping 98-99 in the warmer weather, then I'll believe it. He still hasn't shown me that he has that top gear. Then again, at 95, he is extremely effective

 

As I recall the disagreement was about 95, not 99. I am not sure he will get quite to 99. But as you said, at 95 he will be effective. Earlier this year he was at 92-93.

[Bellhorn04]

I'm not sure they even want him throwing 99 any more.

[mvp 78]

He just had a stretch of 40 strikeouts without a walk.

 

They were very unimpressive and nonflashy strikeouts tho.

[Slasher9]

They were very unimpressive and nonflashy strikeouts tho.

 

Sad!

[a700hitter]

When I start seeing him pumping 98-99 in the warmer weather, then I'll believe it. He still hasn't shown me that he has that top gear. Then again, at 95, he is extremely effective

It wasn't until around the middle of May 2018 when Sale started hitting 99 consistently. He attributed the increase in velocity to an adjustment that he had made. Post adjustment he added 3-4 mph. I went to a game where he was hitting 100 mph starting from his first pitch. I remember wondering whether his frame could hold up throwing that hard. After the All Star game, he started having issues. I don't think he needs to throw 99-100 mph, nor do I think it would be very good for his durability.

[Kimmi]

It’s “down” because of a couple early season “restgate” starts.

 

His velocity is returning to prior levels.

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/graphs.aspx?playerid=10603&position=P&pitchgraphs=true&statArr=&legend=1&split=base&time=daily&start=2017&end=2019&rtype=mult>1=15&dStatArray=FA&ymin=&ymax=

 

I also read that Sale had an 'undisclosed toe injury' to begin the season.

 

I have no idea how that affected his velocity, but we now have "Toegate" to consider.

[notin]

I also read that Sale had an 'undisclosed toe injury' to begin the season.

 

I have no idea how that affected his velocity, but we now have "Toegate" to consider.

 

 

Does that mean his toe injury was not disclosed? Or that he injured his “undisclosed toe”???

[oldtimer]

The Sox are not deep offensively, having to put 4 guys out there hitting below 200. While it looked to some they were heating up against the Blue Jay pitching, the Astros may disabuse us of that conclusion. What small amount of their play in Houston I had watched tonight leads me to believe they are tired and uninspired tonight.

[moonslav59]

The Sox are not deep offensively, having to put 4 guys out there hitting below 200. While it looked to some they were heating up against the Blue Jay pitching, the Astros may disabuse us of that conclusion. What small amount of their play in Houston I had watched tonight leads me to believe they are tired and uninspired tonight.

 

I think our offense is deep, and it will show by season's end. We just had a few guys in slumps, early.

[jacksonianmarch]

Hard to win in Houston when your defense can’t field for s***. Sale deserved better

[S5Dewey]

Hard to win in Houston when your defense can’t field for s***. Sale deserved better

 

Right you are. Sale gave up 2 ER, the other two are on the defense. that was a disgusting display of bad baseball. It's had to beat a any team when you give them three "extra outs" in a game, let alone one of the best teams in baseball.

[oldtimer]

Right you are. Sale gave up 2 ER, the other two are on the defense. that was a disgusting display of bad baseball. It's had to beat a any team when you give them three "extra outs" in a game, let alone one of the best teams in baseball.

 

It was a bad night in the field but at least one good aspect is that JBJ did hit another ball very hard, and this time against a pitcher who has been getting just about everyone out. I'm crossing my fingers that the long awaited return of JBJ to the productive side of the offense may be underway. I don't expect miracles from him but if could slowly ascend to the 700 ops level it would help the club.

[S5Dewey]

It was a bad night in the field but at least one good aspect is that JBJ did hit another ball very hard, and this time against a pitcher who has been getting just about everyone out. I'm crossing my fingers that the long awaited return of JBJ to the productive side of the offense may be underway. I don't expect miracles from him but if could slowly ascend to the 700 ops level it would help the club.

 

With JBJ hitting <.200 it still a very good team. with the bottom of order producing they win>

[FredLynn]

I also read that Sale had an 'undisclosed toe injury' to begin the season.

 

I have no idea how that affected his velocity, but we now have "Toegate" to consider.

 

I heard the decreased velocity was actually due to deflated baseballs the Sox were caught providing to him.

[notin]

It was a bad night in the field but at least one good aspect is that JBJ did hit another ball very hard, and this time against a pitcher who has been getting just about everyone out. I'm crossing my fingers that the long awaited return of JBJ to the productive side of the offense may be underway. I don't expect miracles from him but if could slowly ascend to the 700 ops level it would help the club.

 

If he doesn’t get to a .700 OPS, he’s non-tender material. I’m not sure what the actual cutoff is, but I am sure it’s at least .700...

[moonslav59]

With JBJ hitting <.200 it still a very good team. with the bottom of order producing they win>

 

The bottom of the order, last year, was not great, yet we won 108.