2019 Spring Training Thread

[Jack Flap]

Are we dumping J.D. and Mookie for Bryce Brentz and Chad De La Guerra yet?

[oldtimer]

It's been done, many times over.

 

The correlation between spring training W-L record and regular season W-L record is rather weak, at best.

 

Most people here accept that W-L record in ST and performance during the season don't correlate well. On the other hand, what is being questioned here by some is the lack of hitting by last years regulars and also poor performance by the pitchers we expect to rely on during the season. It is early now, but I would expect our regulars to start hitting and our starting roster pitchers to perform competitively.

[Jack Flap]

Most people here accept that W-L record in ST and performance during the season don't correlate well. On the other hand, what is being questioned here by some is the lack of hitting by last years regulars and also poor performance by the pitchers we expect to rely on during the season. It is early now, but I would expect our regulars to start hitting and our starting roster pitchers to perform competitively.

 

Well... up to today, Barnes has pitched once, Brasier and Hembree have not appeared at all, and the entire rotation aside from E-Rod is just starting to get into action. Mostly we've been seeing guys who are unlikely or already out of the running for a roster spot (the Brian Ellingtons, Trevor Kelleys, Marcus Waldens, Erasmo Ramirezes, etc), which is exactly why the overall results are to be taken with a big grain of salt at this early juncture.

 

FWIW, I will say I've been disappointed by Workman and Thornburg (two guys who really needed to show something this spring) so far...though there is still time for that narrative to turn around.

[notin]

Are we dumping J.D. and Mookie for Bryce Brentz and Chad De La Guerra yet?

 

 

Your call, cpl176...

 

😉

[Nick]

Meet the two time Spring Training Silver Slugger Award Winner.....Sam Travis.

 

Any f***ing questions?

[Maxbialystock]

Thanks to whoever said the Sox look terrible in spring training because I was about to say it even though I was and am pretty sure--as you all keep saying--that's dead wrong. Also, as you know, I don't post here much during the winter.

[moonslav59]

I never fret over ST'ing, except the injuries.

 

(Knock on wood.)

[notin]

Meet the two time Spring Training Silver Slugger Award Winner.....Sam Travis.

 

Any f***ing questions?

 

 

He also won it in 2017 and 2018...

[moonslav59]

He also won it in 2017 and 2018...

 

Aren't those the two times?

[cp176]

Your call, cpl176...

 

 

Oh my goodness - Let's go!

[Bellhorn04]

As far as the whole meaningful/meaningless thing goes...

 

If all the guys we were hoping might make up for the loss of Kimbrel and Kelly look like s*** every time out, would that be meaningful or meaningless?

[cp176]

Most posters here I have to think understand the overall purpose of what spring training is all about. But simply writing it off and assuming that it has no relevance is also just a little foolish. There are some fairly serious issues that need to be resolved here. I don't think that the likes of Workman, Valezqueth, Thornburg, are automatic write ins to be on our roster come real game time.

 

Once again I have learned how it works here - My post in no way means that I feel there is some sort of intense contest that needs to be resolved by any member of our team. Oh and by the way, I also think that there is some relevance to all metrics being used. I'm just not a groupie like some of you seem to be - lol

[notin]

As far as the whole meaningful/meaningless thing goes...

 

If all the guys we were hoping might make up for the loss of Kimbrel and Kelly look like s*** every time out, would that be meaningful or meaningless?

 

Well, considering the big off-season get was some guy named Colten Brewer, I’d say there was cause for alarm even if they were pitching lights in spring training...

[notin]

I’m still surprised DD didn’t even make a waiver claim for Josh Fields. He could have DFAd Sandy Leon and covered all but $100,000 of the cost, which then solves the catching issue as well...

[Bellhorn04]

Well, considering the big off-season get was some guy named Colten Brewer, I’d say there was cause for alarm even if they were pitching lights in spring training...

 

Dave really decided to test this idea that if you throw enough stuff at the wall, something has to stick...

[Slasher9]

As far as the whole meaningful/meaningless thing goes...

 

If all the guys we were hoping might make up for the loss of Kimbrel and Kelly look like s*** every time out, would that be meaningful or meaningless?

 

to me personally it is meaningless until Game 1 of 162.

[notin]

As far as the whole meaningful/meaningless thing goes...

 

If all the guys we were hoping might make up for the loss of Kimbrel and Kelly look like s*** every time out, would that be meaningful or meaningless?

 

 

If the Sox bullpen looked great, would you consider these games meaningful? And representative?

 

Like most, you would probably still assume it was a potential problem. And you would base it on the track record (or lack thereof) the personnel involved as opposed to a 5 or 6 inning sample against the”B” squads of the Grapefruit League.

 

Therefore we both know no true meaning can be extracted from these warmup games. And this indeed makes them meaningless...

[jacksonianmarch]

You’ve got 3 more days to the two week mark. Like I’ve said before, the beginning of the spring is ramp up and experimentation. The last two weeks is endurance and stuff. Nobody wins opening day spots in early spring. Guys can lose a spot, but nobody earns one late Feb early March. Guys earn spots in the second half of spring.

[Bellhorn04]

If the Sox bullpen looked great, would you consider these games meaningful? And representative?

 

Like most, you would probably still assume it was a potential problem. And you would base it on the track record (or lack thereof) the personnel involved as opposed to a 5 or 6 inning sample against the”B” squads of the Grapefruit League.

 

Therefore we both know no true meaning can be extracted from these warmup games. And this indeed makes them meaningless...

 

I think it's an overstatement to say they're meaningless.

 

I suspect the team is doing some evaluation of the guys trying out for bullpen spots.

 

Otherwise they would keep them all and let them all have tryouts in regular season games.

 

Do you not think there's a chance Thornburg could be released before the real games start?

[notin]

I think it's an overstatement to say they're meaningless.

 

I suspect the team is doing some evaluation of the guys trying out for bullpen spots.

 

Otherwise they would keep them all and let them all have tryouts in regular season games.

 

Do you not think there's a chance Thornburg could be released before the real games start?

 

 

Sure there’s a chance. Do you think that chance rests solely on his spring training or his past two non-existent seasons in Boston? The Sox saw enough to offer him $1.75mill this off-season. Think they reversed their position based on 4IP? They could have non-tendered and re-signed him like they did with Carson Smith...

[notin]

 

I suspect the team is doing some evaluation of the guys trying out for bullpen spots.

 

Otherwise they would keep them all and let them all have tryouts in regular season games.

 

 

Don’t you think they’ll keep as many as possible and work things out over the season?

 

Domingo Tapia has out-pitched Thornburg, Workman and Johnson. But who of those 4 is the least likely to break camp heading to Boston?

[Bellhorn04]

Sure there’s a chance. Do you think that chance rests solely on his spring training or his past two non-existent seasons in Boston? The Sox saw enough to offer him $1.75mill this off-season. Think they reversed their position based on 4IP?

 

I think it's less about the numbers in the spring games than about how he's throwing the ball-velocity, spin rate and all that.

 

I think Thornburg and some others are genuinely trying to do well in these games and therefore there is meaning in them.

[moonslav59]

You’ve got 3 more days to the two week mark. Like I’ve said before, the beginning of the spring is ramp up and experimentation. The last two weeks is endurance and stuff. Nobody wins opening day spots in early spring. Guys can lose a spot, but nobody earns one late Feb early March. Guys earn spots in the second half of spring.

 

The only spots left to "earn" are...

 

Back up catcher- Leon or Swihart

 

Last pen slot- likely goes to out-of-options pitchers like Workman, Johnson, Hembree & Thornburg.

 

If Brasier begins on the DL, then there's a fight for another pen slot (Thornburg/Poyner/Velazquez/Walden/ ???).

Edited March 11, 2019 by moonslav59

[notin]

I think it's less about the numbers in the spring games than about how he's throwing the ball-velocity, spin rate and all that.

 

I think Thornburg and some others are genuinely trying to do well in these games and therefore there is meaning in them.

 

I think Thornburg would like to do well, but his focus is re-establishing his pitching repertoire and on on getting loose without injuring himself so he doesn’t miss another season...

[Kimmi]

As far as the whole meaningful/meaningless thing goes...

 

If all the guys we were hoping might make up for the loss of Kimbrel and Kelly look like s*** every time out, would that be meaningful or meaningless?

 

Until the real games start, meaningless.

[Kimmi]

Well, considering the big off-season get was some guy named Colten Brewer, I’d say there was cause for alarm even if they were pitching lights in spring training...

 

Colten Brewer - Soon to be 2018 Red Sox closer.

[Kimmi]

Dave really decided to test this idea that if you throw enough stuff at the wall, something has to stick...

 

Good for Dave. Seriously.

[Kimmi]

I think it's an overstatement to say they're meaningless.

 

I suspect the team is doing some evaluation of the guys trying out for bullpen spots.

 

Otherwise they would keep them all and let them all have tryouts in regular season games.

 

Do you not think there's a chance Thornburg could be released before the real games start?

 

Of course the team is doing some evaluation.

 

The performances are meaningless in terms of how they will relate to regular season performances.

[Jack Flap]

Obviously there is a lot about spring training that is important and meaningful. I think the argument here is whether spring training statistics, W-L records, etc. are in any way predictive of what's going to happen during the regular season...I would contend that they are not, but that is a very different thing from calling ST as a whole "meaningless."

[mvp 78]

@alexspeier

 

Overall, it’s been a very good spring showing for top three Red Sox prospects (I had them, in order, as Dalbec, Chavis, and Darwinzon Hernandez). The Red Sox appear likely to get big league impact from that group this year - whether via Callis or trade.