A Realistic View at 2019: Part II

[a700hitter]

That's exactly what I was trying to say. It couldn't make much difference either way.

So, Cora implementing a throwing program with the stated purpose of keeping their arms fresh until later in the season was either a lie or just bogus on his part?

[a700hitter]

That's exactly what I was trying to say. It couldn't make much difference either way.

The truth is that they threw a lot less during spring training and they started throwing later during camp. IP in the spring is a very misleading stat.

[Bellhorn04]

So, Cora implementing a throwing program with the stated purpose of keeping their arms fresh until later in the season was either a lie or just bogus on his part?

 

I honestly haven't seen the quotes.

[a700hitter]

I honestly haven't seen the quotes.

We didn't make it up here. It was their strategy and it has been discussed during broadcasts etc. Let's not act like it didn't happen or that it was so insignificant that it wouldn't make a difference one way or the other - early or late in the season. It was designed to have an effect later in the season. To deny that they changed the throwing program in any significant manner during ST is just making up s*** as U.N. used to say. People need to stop making up s*** on this issue.

[Elktonnick]

No, I didn't miss the point. You just didn't read the posts by Kimmi and moon that I responded to.

 

I had read it and you still have missed the point why the Manager's ST regime was so stupid. One as they say can put lipstick on a pig and it still is a pig.

[Bellhorn04]

We didn't make it up here. It was their strategy and it has been discussed during broadcasts etc. Let's not act like it didn't happen or that it was so insignificant that it wouldn't make a difference one way or the other - early or late in the season. It was designed to have an effect later in the season. To deny that they changed the throwing program in any significant manner during ST is just making up s*** as U.N. used to say. People need to stop making up s*** on this issue.

 

I'm not making up s***, I'm just asking for some actual links to quotes and stories. That's pretty standard procedure isn't it?

[Bellhorn04]

I had read it and you still have missed the point why the Manager's ST regime was so stupid. One as they say can put lipstick on a pig and it still is a pig.

 

Well, that's your opinion and you're entitled to it. But you're a s***** reader.

[a700hitter]

I'm not making up s***, I'm just asking for some actual links to quotes and stories. That's pretty standard procedure isn't it?

Okay, it didn't happen unless there is a link. Okay.

[Elktonnick]

We didn't make it up here. It was their strategy and it has been discussed during broadcasts etc. Let's not act like it didn't happen or that it was so insignificant that it wouldn't make a difference one way or the other - early or late in the season. It was designed to have an effect later in the season. To deny that they changed the throwing program in any significant manner during ST is just making up s*** as U.N. used to say. People need to stop making up s*** on this issue.

 

I was in Ft Myers. It was obvious that this was part of the manager's strategy. It was defended throughout the NESN ST broadcasts. No one saw any of the starters until the last few days of ST. The manager explained why he was doing this. No one in the Red Sox organization raised any concerns until the starters began to fall apart in the early days of the season. I believe the first one to doubt the wisdom of the manager's approach was Eckersly

[Elktonnick]

Well, that's your opinion and you're entitled to it. But you're a s***** reader.

 

And you are a really ill informed baseball fan.

[FredLynn]

Well, that's your opinion and you're entitled to it. But you're a s***** reader.

 

Seriously? You don't remember that Cora didn't use his SPs much in ST? The stated reason was that he was trying to keep them fresh for the regular season since the team's 2018 season ended so late. Didn't really work out too well, did it. You cannot make up for the kind of start this team had..the games they lost early on will remain losses. Now we are in July and we are behind what-four teams in the WC race? I think Cora made a mistake too.

 

Here you go:

 

https://bosoxinjection.com/2019/04/02/red-sox-spring-training-plan-starting-pitchers-backfired/

 

And this from this link: https://bosoxinjection.com/2019/03/06/red-sox-cora-pulling-trigger-starters/

 

"Alex Cora has played it smart and safe with his starting rotation, holding them off for as long as he could before playing them. This is a benefit to the Red Sox as it allowed them to control the workload going into the season. it also gave them a chance to tweak and work on any mechanical issues that may have popped up before seeing live action.

 

For much of 2018, Alex Cora received praise for often having answers to questions that hadn’t even been asked yet. On the way to a 108 win season and World Series crown, Cora often made the right move at the right time, every time. Will holding off his starters until a few short weeks before Opening Day be another masterful move? Only time will tell and in baseball, time waits for no one."

Edited July 9, 2019 by FredLynn

[a700hitter]

Well, that's your opinion and you're entitled to it. But you're a s***** reader.

Links:

 

https://nesn.com/2019/01/red-sox-reportedly-will-be-cautious-with-pitchers-in-spring-training/

 

https://bosoxinjection.com/2019/04/02/red-sox-spring-training-plan-starting-pitchers-backfired/

 

https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/02/23/mastrodonato-red-sox-spring-training-prompts-new-questions-for-2019/

 

This next link discusses holding back Sale in specific:

 

https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/02/16/red-sox-pitchers-spring-training/

 

https://985thesportshub.com/2019/03/06/red-sox-starting-pitchers-cleared-for-spring-debuts/

 

But it didn't happen.

[FredLynn]

Links:

 

https://nesn.com/2019/01/red-sox-reportedly-will-be-cautious-with-pitchers-in-spring-training/

 

https://bosoxinjection.com/2019/04/02/red-sox-spring-training-plan-starting-pitchers-backfired/

 

https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/02/23/mastrodonato-red-sox-spring-training-prompts-new-questions-for-2019/

 

This next link discusses holding back Sale in specific:

 

https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/02/16/red-sox-pitchers-spring-training/

 

https://985thesportshub.com/2019/03/06/red-sox-starting-pitchers-cleared-for-spring-debuts/

 

But it didn't happen.

 

Its not that it didn't happen. Its just that Bellhorn "has no recollection of that event".

[OH FOY]

So what's going on with Sale? You saying the Spring Training hurt him this late in the season?

[OH FOY]

Last season he pitched a total of 42 innings from July to the Post-Season. He had a 4.11 era in the Post-Season. So it seems to me nothing is working for the guy, at this moment. That shoulder injury last season, has lasted longer then we realize, or hoped for.

Cora tried to save his Ace, and others, didn't work at the beginning, but this late in season, it's a moot point.

Losing 18 leads from the 7th inning on, and losing the game has been the difference up to this point. Just going .500 on these games we would be within 2 games of first place.

[jacksonianmarch]

Sale's shoulder injury is either more severe than was advertised or he is starting to wear down and needs to adapt to lost velocity

[notin]

Sale's shoulder injury is either more severe than was advertised or he is starting to wear down and needs to adapt to lost velocity

 

Or go all Princess Bride in the second half and yell out “I am not left-handed!!” and unleash the 125mph blazing thunder with his well-rested right arm...

[moonslav59]

Last season he pitched a total of 42 innings from July to the Post-Season. He had a 4.11 era in the Post-Season. So it seems to me nothing is working for the guy, at this moment. That shoulder injury last season, has lasted longer then we realize, or hoped for.

Cora tried to save his Ace, and others, didn't work at the beginning, but this late in season, it's a moot point.

Losing 18 leads from the 7th inning on, and losing the game has been the difference up to this point. Just going .500 on these games we would be within 2 games of first place.

 

Sale has lost and regained his velocity several times over the last 1.5 seasons.

 

His last 4 games of 2018 were almost identical to the first 4 of 2019. The rest of 2019 looks like the first 7 starts of 2018.

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/graphs.aspx?playerid=10603&position=P&pitchgraphs=true&statArr=&legend=1&split=base&time=daily&start=2018&end=2019&rtype=mult&gt1=15&dStatArray=FA&ymin=&ymax=

 

 

 

 

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

I expect Nunez to go on a tear in the 2nd half.

[jacksonianmarch]

I expect Nunez to go on a tear in the 2nd half.

 

Like a hamstring tear or a calf tear?

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Like a hamstring tear or a calf tear?

 

 

Good one. Btw, how many years do you think it will take Sanchez to learn English?

[moonslav59]

Like a hamstring tear or a calf tear?

 

Better chance, for sure.

[jacksonianmarch]

Good one. Btw, how many years do you think it will take Sanchez to learn English?

 

He can speak with his bat

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Managing the all-star team must be more difficult for Cora without having Nunez on the bench.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

He can speak with his bat

 

So could Ortiz, but, at least, he was smart enough to learn the language.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

How bad is SOX pitching? Cora couldn't find it within himself to pick even one SOX pitcher for the all-star game.

[Hitch]

And there ya' go. The "younger generation" will figure out that they are being sold a bill of goods and honestly they have very little tolerance for that now. We have sold them down the primrose path over too many "so called" dyed in the wool, take it to the bank American standards and they are not real interested in supporting you once you have your pants down around your ankles. Too many charlatans have worn out that path for them.

 

Um, no. I don't agree at all. This feels like you're trying to wrestle this into your overall points. Unfortunately, I believe the kids very much enjoy this new version of baseball. I've seen little evidence that suggest the new breed of fans don't like the juiced ball.

[OH FOY]

Sox have 1 day off from Friday till Aug.14. Brutal. After the break we play 17 straight games. Get a day off, then continue till Aug.14.

This is the season right now, the Sox need a 5th Starter.

If I a missed a day-off, please correct me, but I looked 3 times, because I could not believe this.

We play 34 games with 2 days off, by my count. 17 straight, then day-off, then 17 straight again. Brutal.

Edited July 10, 2019 by OH FOY!

[jung]

Um, no. I don't agree at all. This feels like you're trying to wrestle this into your overall points. Unfortunately, I believe the kids very much enjoy this new version of baseball. I've seen little evidence that suggest the new breed of fans don't like the juiced ball.

 

When there are enough of them that are baseball fans or actually for MLB''s sake give a rats behind about MLB wake me up.

 

As a group, they just don't care and frankly, I don't blame them.

 

My kids friends are hockey fans, basketball fans, AMERICAN FOOTBALL fans, football fans. They will ooh-and -ahh over HR's when they glance sideways at video screen and see one. They make no effort to watch games, much less understand the game at a level that would allow them to know what the heck is actually going on out there or end up with any genuine interest in it. They make no effort to even determine when a game might be available to watch. Its wallpaper to them.

 

Again with 5x the viewership of the 18-49 year old demographic tied up in the 65+ year old demographic and none of the MLB's crap having moved the needle at all, what happens to MLB when my generation starts dying off. We don't have that far to go before we start pushing up daisies. Viewership is generally down across the board. Attendance is down in all likelihood because game attendance has transitioned from sports entertainment to general entertainment and there are plenty of ways to spend general entertainment dollars.

Edited July 10, 2019 by jung

[notin]

I expect Nunez to go on a tear in the 2nd half.

 

Which tendon?