Henry not looking to add much payroll

[moonslav59]

Some of the statement could be interpreted as being directed toward DD, but that portion of the statement is vague. The portion that is not vague about “easily making the playoffs is targeted directly at Cora and the roster.

 

And that "roster" was constructed by DD.

 

I'm glad you are at least now open to the idea that parts of the statement can be interpreted as not being solely at Cora. (You sounded pretty firm that it was 100% Cora before.)

[moonslav59]

You may not be thinking he is threatening the Manager's job but I suspect the manager is. I know what I would be thinking if I were the manager " I better get this thing turned around if I want keep managing this ball club.

 

Good point, but I think Cora's job is safe, at least to July 2020.

[moonslav59]

I agree that Cora will probably not lose his job if they miss the playoffs. If he misses the playoffs or goes one game and out, Cora will not get fired, but he will be on a short leash in 2020. However, if this team falls apart in the second half, I think he could get fired. In any case, Cora will go before DD.

 

When is DD's contract up?

 

If we can't afford Betts, who is to blame for that? Or, how good can we expect to be without Betts and no minor league OF'er in sight?

 

And, speaking of Betts, what can Cora do to get him to improve?

 

Did Cora help JBJ improve or was he to blame for his annual poor April?

[moonslav59]

Does Henry saying he's not willing to spend our way out of this mess finally put to rest the argument that our budget is limitless or near limitless?

 

(This is directed to those who kept slamming me and others for talking fiscal responsibility and tight payroll budgeting.)

 

[Elktonnick]

When is DD's contract up?

 

If we can't afford Betts, who is to blame for that? Or, how good can we expect to be without Betts and no minor league OF'er in sight?

 

And, speaking of Betts, what can Cora do to get him to improve?

 

Did Cora help JBJ improve or was he to blame for his annual poor April?

 

This isn't about the trees but rather the forest. It isn't about individual performances. The team has been beset by lackluster team play. Too many hitters rolling over on pitches with less than two strikes. Too many called third strikes. Too many base running blunders. Too many defensive lapses and mental errors. Too many pitchers throwing non competitive pitches to hitters with two strikes resulting in too many base on balls. Too many hitters trying to hit home runs when a base hit would bring in a run. Not to mention silly days off to ballplayers who aren't tired or before an off day. Pitchers who don't have set roles etc. etc and so forth

[a700hitter]

And that "roster" was constructed by DD.

 

I'm glad you are at least now open to the idea that parts of the statement can be interpreted as not being solely at Cora. (You sounded pretty firm that it was 100% Cora before.)

Henry clearly acknowledges that the roster is talented enough. His remark is directed at effort and coaching. That is clear from the "If we play up to our capabilities" part of his statement.

[jung]

When is DD's contract up?

 

If we can't afford Betts, who is to blame for that? Or, how good can we expect to be without Betts and no minor league OF'er in sight?

 

And, speaking of Betts, what can Cora do to get him to improve?

 

Did Cora help JBJ improve or was he to blame for his annual poor April?

 

DD's contract is up in 2020. There is a rule of thought that you should never let somebody in DD's position work all the way through his contract year as a lame duck. But the answer is 2020.

[a700hitter]

This isn't about the trees but rather the forest. It isn't about individual performances. The team has been beset by lackluster team play. Too many hitters rolling over on pitches with less than two strikes. Too many called third strikes. Too many base running blunders. Too many defensive lapses and mental errors. Too many pitchers throwing non competitive pitches to hitters with two strikes resulting in too many base on balls. Too many hitters trying to hit home runs when a base hit would bring in a run. Not to mention silly days off to ballplayers who aren't tired or before an off day. Pitchers who don't have set roles etc. etc and so forth

Last year, the team forced errors by the defense. This year, it is the Red Sox making the misplays.

[Slasher9]

Good point, but I think Cora's job is safe, at least to July 2020.

 

His job is safe as long as NYY do not have a parade. If there is a ticker tape in the Bronx WTF will be fired.... book it.

[moonslav59]

Last year, the team forced errors by the defense. This year, it is the Red Sox making the misplays.

 

It's not as bad as 2017, but there certainly is a marked difference from last year in this area.

 

I blamed JF for the lack of "fire & desire," so I should be blaming Cora for this as well. It just doesn't feel like he's more to blame than DD for providing him with this pen, and injury-plagued 4th starter and a merry-go-round of 6th starters.

 

If someone had said Vaz would be over .800 with 11 HRs, Devers near .900 and Bogey over .900, you'd have predicted we's be on pace for another 118 wins.

 

I'm just not sure how a manager can inspire timely hitting and lessen untimely pitching meltdowns late in games with this pen and starter who can't last 5 innings.

 

[Hitch]

His job is safe as long as NYY do not have a parade. If there is a ticker tape in the Bronx WTF will be fired.... book it.

 

 

If Cora is sacked this year because the Yankees win we don't deserve success.

 

Thankfully I don't believe that is going to be the case.

[OH FOY]

You think the Pitching has improved with Vazquez as the Catcher? His improved hitting, great. Is the Pitching better with him as a #1 Catcher.

Chris Sale

Vazquez 6.39 ERA

Leon 2.96

Price, for some reason Vazquez is his #1 guy now.

Vazquez 3.65 ERA, this year.

Last year with Leon, 2.37 ERA Leon doesn't catch him anymore.

Porcello

Vazquez 7.42 ERA

Leon 3.45 ERA

This team won 108 games last year because of the great pitching, not the Offense of a Catcher. Almost half a season with out its ACE, and the #1 Catcher.

Edited July 2, 2019 by OH FOY!

[OH FOY]

For all the focus everybody has on JBJ and great Centerfield play, the best Defense, is Pitchers not giving up hits, and runs. Edited July 2, 2019 by OH FOY!

[Slasher9]

For all the focus everybody has on JBJ and great Centerfield play, the best Defense, is Pitchers not giving up hits, and runs.

 

Agreed.

That’s why the mantra is always “pitching & defense” and not “defense & pitching”....

[Bellhorn04]

I think John Henry was basically saying, " How much money do you expect me to spend on this team ? " Note to Mr. Henry : John , many fans feel the same way about the ticket and concession prices at Fenway .

 

Yes, it's quite possible that the main point of Henry's remarks was simply to alert the fans to the fact that he wasn't intending to spend any more and to deflect any criticism that might be directed at him for not doing so. Defending himself, in other words.

 

Everyone is reading into his comments what they want to read into them.

[notin]

Yes, it's quite possible that the main point of Henry's remarks was simply to alert the fans to the fact that he wasn't intending to spend any more and to deflect any criticism that might be directed at him for not doing so. Defending himself, in other words.

 

Everyone is reading into his comments what they want to read into them.

 

Whatever anyone thinks about Henry as an owner, I can’t criticize him for being cheap. I don’t blame him at all for not wanting to spend more.

 

As an experienced MLB GM, Dombrowski should be able to build a better team with a quarter of a billion dollars at his disposal. And I don’t consider Sandoval or Pedroia to be sufficient handicaps there. Even taking them out of the equation still leaves him with over $200 million. Not exactly a shoestring budget.

 

It may not be easy. Hey maybe it will be. But this is the job Dombrowski signed up for, and a lot of the obstacles in turning this team around are of his own doing...

[Bellhorn04]

c. Poor decision to let Eovaldi's operation to be delayed until April.

 

oldtimer, Eovaldi made 4 starts this year before they announced the new issue with loose bodies in his elbow, which our resident doctor says could be bits of cartilage or some such thing.

 

I see no reason to think this was something they knew about in the offseason and could have dealt with then.

 

Where are you getting the idea that they knew about it before the season?

[jacksonianmarch]

oldtimer, Eovaldi made 4 starts this year before they announced the new issue with loose bodies in his elbow, which our resident doctor says could be bits of cartilage or some such thing.

 

I see no reason to think this was something they knew about in the offseason and could have dealt with then.

 

Where are you getting the idea that they knew about it before the season?

 

My anticipation is that the “floating bodies” weren’t there in the offseason. They’d have seen them when they do the MRIs for contract physicals when he was signed. This likely occurred during his ramp up to the season

[Bellhorn04]

Whatever anyone thinks about Henry as an owner, I can’t criticize him for being cheap. I don’t blame him at all for not wanting to spend more.

 

Same. Following my premise that his remarks can be interpreted any way you want, I think they might actually be directed at the fans too, and that the unfiltered version would be something like this:

 

'Look, we're already spending our asses off to bring parades to you. But as soon as anything goes wrong you start whining like pussies and pointing fingers in every direction. Well, don't look at me to spend any more, you miserable, ungrateful pricks.'

[notin]

My anticipation is that the “floating bodies” weren’t there in the offseason. They’d have seen them when they do the MRIs for contract physicals when he was signed. This likely occurred during his ramp up to the season

 

Whoa!!

 

Are you justifying “Restgate”?

 

[Slasher9]

'Look, we're already spending our asses off to bring parades to you. But as soon as anything goes wrong you start whining like pussies and pointing fingers in every direction. Well, don't look at me to spend any more, you miserable, ungrateful pricks.'

 

Dang, Henry said this? shots fired.

think he needs to join Kraft on his next trip to miami..........

[S5Dewey]

I think John Henry was basically saying, " How much money do you expect me to spend on this team ?"

Note to Mr. Henry : John , many fans feel the same way about the ticket and concession prices at Fenway .

 

ZING! You're the winner of the Post of the Day!

[notin]

Dang, Henry said this? shots fired.

think he needs to join Kraft on his next trip to miami..........

 

His PR department did clean it up a little...

[jacksonianmarch]

Whoa!!

 

Are you justifying “Restgate”?

 

 

Not at all. Maybe his rapid ramp up at the end of ST caused them?

[Bellhorn04]

Not at all. Maybe his rapid ramp up at the end of ST caused them?

 

Like I said he made 4 starts. Couldn't it have occurred during that period?

[moonslav59]

You think the Pitching has improved with Vazquez as the Catcher? His improved hitting, great. Is the Pitching better with him as a #1 Catcher.

Chris Sale

Vazquez 6.39 ERA

Leon 2.96

Price, for some reason Vazquez is his #1 guy now.

Vazquez 3.65 ERA, this year.

Last year with Leon, 2.37 ERA Leon doesn't catch him anymore.

Porcello

Vazquez 7.42 ERA

Leon 3.45 ERA

This team won 108 games last year because of the great pitching, not the Offense of a Catcher. Almost half a season with out its ACE, and the #1 Catcher.

 

Well said. Vaz could hit for a 2.000 OPS, but if we are allowing 2-3 runs more a game with him catching, it will not outweigh the defense.

[Elktonnick]

Yes, it's quite possible that the main point of Henry's remarks was simply to alert the fans to the fact that he wasn't intending to spend any more and to deflect any criticism that might be directed at him for not doing so. Defending himself, in other words.

 

Everyone is reading into his comments what they want to read into them.

 

If you are the manager and you think that Henry isn't implicitly criticizing you by these remarks then you are being tone deaf and foolish. If after these remarks a manager fails to take remedial action then he deserves to be fired.

[Bellhorn04]

If you are the manager and you think that Henry isn't implicitly criticizing you by these remarks then you are being tone deaf and foolish. If after these remarks a manager fails to take remedial action then he deserves to be fired.

 

Somehow I think that Alex Cora is well aware that things have to improve, and that if he knew exactly what 'remedial action' would result in more wins he would do it.

[Kimmi]

Henry is putting the responsibility for not making the playoffs squarely on Cora.

 

No, he's putting it on the players, and he's absolutely right about that.

 

The team doesn't need to add any new players and/or payroll. They need the guys that they have to perform to capabilities. That includes the offense, whose overall numbers look pretty good, but they aren't getting the job done either.

[Kimmi]

IDK how anyone can read that into it. If anything, his statement is an endorsement of DD by saying that the talent is there to easily make the playoffs.

 

I agree with this.