A Realistic View at 2019: Part II

[Bellhorn04]

Like moon said, you just congratulate guys in general, it's part of the game and part of being a good teammate, and frankly good sportsmanship too.

 

I think there's a fine line, and it's an important one.

 

You don't see many guys get congratulated for striking out. You might see them an encouraging pat which signifies 'Don't get down, keep your head up', that sort of thing. That is support but it's not congratulations.

[Bellhorn04]

Then WTF ( best nickname ever btw) should get his act straight. If Sale is right and has his command, you don’t need Vasquez’ offense.

 

Leon has been catching Sale ever since Swihart was removed, and lately Sale hasn't had great results with Leon either.

[moonslav59]

Leon has been catching Sale ever since Swihart was removed, and lately Sale hasn't had great results with Leon either.

 

Sale has been bad his first 5 starts of the year and his last 3 (2 of the 3 were with Leon).

 

Last 3 games:

 

Leon Last 2 games)

11 IP

13 H

3 BB

18 K

8 ER

 

Vaz (last game)

5.2 IP

9 H

2 BB

5 K

5 ER

 

He's been bad with both, but still worse with Vaz in every category listed.

 

 

[Fan_since_Boggs]

I would like to see the Red Sox act as sellers at the trade deadline.

 

Could the Red Sox trade Price? I'm not expecting a significant prospect for Price, just wondering if they could move the contract for a B prospect? I don't know. But Price's performance in the postseason last year definitely improved his trade value.

[notin]

Bruins trail in the 7th game, and Gryz scores with under a minute left for the team's only goal. The player gets high-fived, the B's play their goal music and the fans who are there cheer and stand. You are not allowed to be excited about the goal? It's the same logic. Players drive in a run, you get high-fived, or congratulated. It's not fun as much as it's part of the game, and about sportsmanship, team performance.

 

 

It’s also fun

[a700hitter]

It’s also fun

If it is about fun, then they should have greeted him at the on deck circle and jumped up and down together as a team.

 

As an aside, I was listening to an old Brooklyn Dodger broadcast by Vin Scully. He mentioned that you cannot tell a ballplayer or his family that baseball is just a game. That made them bristle. Scully said that baseball is a cutthroat business.

[moonslav59]

I would like to see the Red Sox act as sellers at the trade deadline.

 

Could the Red Sox trade Price? I'm not expecting a significant prospect for Price, just wondering if they could move the contract for a B prospect? I don't know. But Price's performance in the postseason last year definitely improved his trade value.

 

So, you'd like to see the Sox not contend or win enough in the next 3 weeks to become strong a contender?

[moonslav59]

We need pitching.

 

Here are some of our recent offense numbers:

 

Devers:

1.660 last 8 games

1.283 last 19 games

1.073 last 38 games

 

JBJ:

1.033 last 10 games

1.001 last 40 games

 

Vaz:

1.444 last 4 games

.985 last 17 games

.877 last 28 games

 

Chavis:

1.128 last 5 games

.847 last 24 games

 

Marco:

1.073 last 9 games

.894 all season (17 games)

 

Holt:

.867 last 15 games

.891 last 23 games

 

JD:

1.315 last 6 games

.974 last 25 games & last 39 games

.917 all season

 

Bogey:

.995 last 18 games

.914 all season

 

Betts:

.879 last 15 games

.861 last 22 games

.880 last 66 games

 

Even Nunez is at .713 his last 14 games, and Leon is at .750 his last 3 games.

 

The best I could come up with for Beni:

 

Beni:

.735 last 14 games

.773 last 22 games

.780 last 46 games

.794 last 67 games

 

We have 9 guys over .812 in the last 4 weeks and Beni at .730.

 

We have 5 guys over .939 the last 14 days and 7 over .821.

 

We have 5 guys over 1.128 in the last 7 days and 6 over .909.

 

 

Edited July 5, 2019 by moonslav59

[moonslav59]

1.009 JBJ

.988 Devers

.980 Bogey

.948 JD

.894 Marco

.863 Vaz

.849 Holt

.782 Beni

.778 Betts

.735 Chavis

 

MLB Teams

.849 Sox

.849 Braves

.843 Dodgers

.841 Yankees

.834 Pirates

.817 Rockies

.816 Guardians

.806 Mets

 

.770 MLB since May 27th

Edited July 5, 2019 by moonslav59

[dannycater]

It’s also fun

 

Ok, it's fun too.

[dannycater]

1.009 JBJ

.988 Devers

.980 Bogey

.948 JD

.894 Marco

.863 Vaz

.849 Holt

.782 Beni

.778 Betts

.735 Chavis

 

MLB Teams

.849 Sox

.849 Braves

.843 Dodgers

.841 Yankees

.834 Pirates

.817 Rockies

.816 Guardians

.806 Mets

 

.770 MLB since May 27th

 

More remarkable on JBJR's split is even with that he is hitting with a lousy overall batting average. It's like he is either 1.009 or .601 with no in between.

[dannycater]

So, you'd like to see the Sox not contend or win enough in the next 3 weeks to become strong a contender?

 

great post. nice fans out there, let's quit in July in a crappy AL where the wild card is right there for the taking.

[moonslav59]

great post. nice fans out there, let's quit in July in a crappy AL where the wild card is right there for the taking.

 

The optimist would look at how horribly we've played and the fact that we are still right in the thick of the WC race as a good thing by assuming we cannot keep finding ways to lose forever.

 

We've gotten the worst out of our system- blue skies ahead!

[OH FOY]

Relief pitching through 86 games, didn't includes last night.

Saves

2019-17

2018-28

Innnings Pitched

2019-333.0

2018-278.1

 

ERA

2019-4.43

2018- 3.17

 

ERA up 1.26

[OH FOY]

Starters through 86 games. Didn't include last nights game.

Wins

2019 - 41

2018 - 24

 

Innings pitched

2019 - 447.1

2018 - 497.0

49.2 innings less

 

ERA

2019 - 4.67

2018 - 3.82

[notin]

great post. nice fans out there, let's quit in July in a crappy AL where the wild card is right there for the taking.

 

That’s the thing.

 

It’s right there for the taking, but so far this group can’t take it anyway...

[OH FOY]

Cleveland is hot at the moment too. Might have to root for the Yanks to beat the Rays.

[moonslav59]

Last 11 games:

 

SP'ers:

6.33 ERA (132 ERA-)

54 IP (4.9 IP/gm)

1.63 WHIP

 

RP'ers:

8.20 ERA

45 IP (4.1 IP/gm)

1.93 WHIP

 

Team:

7.18 ERA

1.77 WHIP

 

Edited July 5, 2019 by moonslav59

[Fan_since_Boggs]

So, you'd like to see the Sox not contend or win enough in the next 3 weeks to become strong a contender?

 

As a fan, I've always been a realist and I don't believe the Red Sox are a championship caliber team this year. I know there are fans who take a different perspective--and will believe until the very end. To each his own.

 

I'm curious about Price -- can that contract be moved or not? If it can be moved, I would jump on that opportunity.

Edited July 6, 2019 by Fan_since_Boggs

[Fan_since_Boggs]

Cleveland is hot at the moment too. Might have to root for the Yanks to beat the Rays.

 

The A's have been coming on strong too. That's 3 decent teams in front of the Red Sox for the two Wild Card spots. And it goes without saying that the division race is over.

 

The Red Sox could still win a Wild Card, but they not only need to accomplish that, they will need to win the Wild Card game, and then find a way to beat better teams in the subsequent playoff rounds, not to mention the tall order of defeating the NL team in the World Series. Maybe there is a 2% chance that the 2019 Red Sox--a team that is just a few games above .500--can accomplish such things?

 

For whatever reason, MLB teams rarely win back-to-back championships nowadays.

Edited July 6, 2019 by Fan_since_Boggs

[moonslav59]

As a fan, I've always been a realist and I don't believe the Red Sox are a championship caliber team this year. I know there are fans who take a different perspective--and will believe until the very end. To each his own.

 

I'm curious about Price -- can that contract be moved or not? If it can be moved, I would jump on that opportunity.

 

The Sox have certainly not played like champions this year, so I can understand not thinking this is going to end well, but we have a strong team on paper and a lot of games left to find a groove and ride it to back-to-back paradise.

[a700hitter]

The Sox have certainly not played like champions this year, so I can understand not thinking this is going to end well, but we have a strong team on paper and a lot of games left to find a groove and ride it to back-to-back paradise.

I can’t see being able to go on a sustained good run with this bullpen. Edited July 6, 2019 by a700hitter

[moonslav59]

I can’t see being able to go on a sustained good run with bullpen.

 

I agree, but I think we trade for a pen solid arm.

 

I don't think the cost will need to be as high as many feel it has to be. We may not get a big name pitcher, but we should be able to get a useful piece. Then, we need some magic from maybe 2 of these 3: Wright, Hembree and Eovaldi, or see a resurgence from Barnes & Noble....err...I mean Barnes and Brasier.

 

It is possible.

 

________ (acquisition)

Eovaldi

Workman

Barnes

Hembree

Brasier

Wright

Brewer or Velazquez or Johnson (whoever is not the 5th starter) or Taylor as the 8th pen man.

 

 

[devildavid]

The starting pitchers, as a group, need to perform better for the Sox to be true contenders. Tweaking the bullpen is not the answer.

[Bellhorn04]

The starting pitchers, as a group, need to perform better for the Sox to be true contenders. Tweaking the bullpen is not the answer.

 

Well, adding a good reliever is not going to hurt anything.

 

We know that our starters can do better than they have. Not sure we can say the same about the relievers.

[notin]

The starting pitchers, as a group, need to perform better for the Sox to be true contenders. Tweaking the bullpen is not the answer.

 

The sox biggest need is a fifth starter so they can stop using relievers to start games, relieving pressing the bullpen..,

[moonslav59]

The sox biggest need is a fifth starter so they can stop using relievers to start games, relieving pressing the bullpen..,

 

If we trade for a SP'er, then Velazquez or Johnson go to the pen, and maybe Walden or Taylor gets booted to AAA.

 

While a good SP'er would be an upgrade over Velazquez/Johnson, the pen would not improve at all, except for possible less innings needed every 5 days.

 

I'd still rather get a solid closer and keep an 8 man pen that compensates for our 5th starter going 1-3 innings most of the time.

[moonslav59]

The only pitchers we have with an ERA under 4 over the last 4 weeks:

 

....but look at some of the WHIP!

 

1.69 Workman (1.50 WHIP)

1.74 Brasier (1.26)

1.86 Taylor (1.03)

2.16 Johnson (1.80 & on IL)

3.38 Hembree (0.38- tiny sample size)

3.75 Brewer (1.75)

3.86 Lakins (1.71)

3.86 JSmith (1.29)

 

No starters.

 

4.21 ERod

4.55 Sale

5.40 Price

5.85 Porcello

 

The worst (8+ IP)

11.42 Shawaryn

9.90 Walden

8.18 Barnes

 

Last 14 days (3+ IP)

1.59 Brasier (1.06)

2.70 Workman (1.50)

3.00 J Smith (1.00)

3.00 Price (1.33)

3.60 Taylor (1.80)

 

4.32 ERod (1.26)

 

5.40 Wright (2.00)

 

6.23 Velazquez (1.61)

 

7.71 Brewer (1.93)

7.71 Sale (1.54)

 

12.27 Barnes

14.54 Walden

15.63 Porcello

 

[jacksonianmarch]

You’ve gone 3-1 in your last four since coming back from the London massacre and have gained no ground on the division. Thankfully for you, the Yanks have beaten the Rays and have actually brought the WC1 within striking distance. This is really important for Boston, IMO. A home WC playoff would be very important for the Sox. The Sox are only 2 games out of the WC, yet are tied with a team, have another team ahead of them not in the top two spots then has to contend with TB and CLE. To the surprise of nobody, the A’s have gotten white hot. Gun to my head, the A’s are going to have their name in either WC spot by season’s end. That leaves the other spot and it’ll be a battle with the Guardians and Rays to secure the last spot for grabs (not specifying WC1 or WC2). The Guardians have the easiest path as they play in the central and the Twins are likely not as good as advertised. Interestingly, the A’s have played themselves into the division race as well with Houston sputtering up until the last 10 games. This is gonna be a fun finish for sure.

[moonslav59]

Vazquez Makes the All Star Team!

 

Felipe, that is.