The Starting Rotation Performance Thread

[YastrzemskI]

Amid the turmoil..

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/07/red-sox-trade-rumors-starting-pitcher-rotation.html

[OH FOY]

Duffy will cost the Sox 5 million rest of season.

Wheeler almost 2 million

Boyd will cost the last good Prospects, we have.

Forget Stroman, Yanks want him they have better Prospects.

Cashner is owed 3.166 rest of season.

Edited July 8, 2019 by OH FOY!

[OH FOY]

My 2- Homer Bailey or Wade Lablanc. Reason cost, Luxury Tax and Prospects.

[Swiharts Ghost]

Stroman would be the only guy out of that heap that would help .Go all in and get MADBUM or stroman .

[OH FOY]

https://franchisesports.co.uk/boston-red-sox-search-for-starter-wont-be-easy/

[jung]

Stroman would be the only guy out of that heap that would help .Go all in and get MADBUM or stroman .

 

Too much competition for both of them. Zack Wheeler is not a terrible choice if that is where they go. Problem is, taking pressure off the pen at large will not mean that they will suddenly have a Closer come out of that bucket-o-fried chicken bums.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Too much competition for both of them. Zack Wheeler is not a terrible choice if that is where they go. Problem is, taking pressure off the pen at large will not mean that they will suddenly have a Closer come out of that bucket-o-fried chicken bums.

 

Verlander, who leads all pitchers in the AL in HR's allowed (26) told writers that the ball is definitely juiced. Manfred agrees the ball is different, but claims it was not a directive from the league.

I know this isn't related to the OP, but I thought you might be interested.

[jung]

Verlander, who leads all pitchers in the AL in HR's allowed (26) told writers that the ball is definitely juiced. Manfred agrees the ball is different, but claims it was not a directive from the league.

 

What a pile of Manfred Crap.....C....R.....A......P

 

Different does not even begin to touch it and to suggest that the rocket ship ball has now gone through three generations in four years each hotter than the last without Manfred's knowledge and involvement is unspeakably unscrupulous and irresponsible. What is Manfred doing, angling to pick up one of those "acting secretary" jobs in the Trump Administration? Sounds like he would be perfect for it.

 

In the first place, Manfred would not have had to "direct" anybody outside of MLB. All he had to was have multiple baseball's tested and pick one. What a load of tripe. In reality ball designers and manufacturers can produce balls even hotter than the current official MLB baseball. Its just a matter of testing and picking.

Edited July 9, 2019 by jung

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

What a pile of Manfred Crap.....C....R.....A......P

 

Different does not even begin to touch it and to suggest that the rocket ship ball has now gone through three generations in four years each hotter than the last without Manfred's knowledge and involvement is unspeakably unscrupulous and irresponsible. What is Manfred doing, angling to pick up one of those "acting secretary" jobs in the Trump Administration? Sounds like he would be perfect for it.

 

In the first place, Manfred would not have had to "direct" anybody outside of MLB. All he had to was have multiple baseball's tested and pick one. What a load of tripe. In reality ball designers and manufacturers can produce balls even hotter than the current official MLB baseball. Its just a matter of testing and picking.

 

It appears that during the HR Derby the announcers have been told by someone not to use the word 'juiced' in reference to the baseballs. These balls are more juiced than Barry Bonds ever was. Well, perhaps, equally juiced.

Edited July 9, 2019 by SPLENDIDSPLINTER

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of fans who buy tickets to the games or watch at home enjoy high scoring games more than well-pitched games. The juiced ball is about money and not about the integrity of the game. In professional sports money will always trump integrity.

 

Also, this juiced ball has made a mockery of previous HR Derby's, but the paying fans love it so, more than likely, nothing will change.

Edited July 9, 2019 by SPLENDIDSPLINTER

[jung]

The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of fans who buy tickets to the games or watch at home enjoy high scoring games more than well-pitched games. The juiced ball is about money and not about the integrity of the game. In professional sports money will always trump integrity.

 

Also, this juiced ball has made a mockery of previous HR Derby's, but the paying fans love it so, more than likely, nothing will change.

 

Well the Home Run Derby balls were always hotter than the standard official MLB baseball. The problem they have now if you want to call it a problem is that the official MLB baseball is so juiced up now that the Home Run Derby ball is even beyond the absurdity of the official ball. That said, I could care less what they used for the HR Derby. In fact I watched all of two batters of the Home Run Derby just to prove to myself I would be bored to tears AGAIN. That was all I could take of that.

 

As to the previous question about Manfred and MLB's involvement in this charade, MLB does not even have to initiate its own testing for the official MLB baseball. They can accept the manufacturers testing if they want to do so. The very idea that the manufacturer does not know what he is manufacturing is laughably absurd.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Well the Home Run Derby balls were always hotter than the standard official MLB baseball. The problem they have now if you want to call it a problem is that the official MLB baseball is so juiced up now that the Home Run Derby ball is even beyond the absurdity of the official ball. That said, I could care less what they used for the HR Derby. In fact I watched all of two batters of the Home Run Derby just to prove to myself I would be bored to tears AGAIN. That was all I could take of that.

 

As to the previous question about Manfred and MLB's involvement in this charade, MLB does not even have to initiate its own testing for the official MLB baseball. They can accept the manufacturers testing if they want to do so. The very idea that the manufacturer does not know what he is manufacturing is laughably absurd.

 

If more HR's provides bigger revenues, MLB is not going to do a thing. The same reason they cast a blind eye to the steroid era. In fact, if it wasn't for the risk of a pitcher getting seriously injured or killed, MLB would allow aluminum bats.

[jung]

If more HR's provides bigger revenues, MLB is not going to do a thing. The same reason they cast a blind eye to the steroid era. In fact, if it wasn't for the risk of a pitcher getting seriously injured or killed, MLB would allow aluminum bats.

 

But I doubt their revenue streams have much to do with the baseball itself any longer. A trip to the park now could just as well be a trip to a carnival. Doubt very seriously that many of those fanny's in those seats have much of an idea what they are looking at between the lines. The viewership is in the 65+ age category is 5x the viewership in the 18-49 year old category. What are most of those 65+ year olds (like me) doing, using baseball games as a remedy for insomnia? These games sure as heck are not an aphrodisiac.

 

However, there is two problems with that:

1) it brings MLB out of the realm of sports entertainment and into the realm of general entertainment. There are plenty of ways to spend general entertainment dollars. As soon as the crowd that does not even know what they are looking at figures out that all these HR's are just flat BORING because there is really very little exciting about watching a guy hit a Superball over a fence this whole experiment in uni-dimensional power baseball is done at least for the sport itself.

2) what happens when those 65+ year olds die off and they have run out of steam convincing the current crop of 18-49 year olds that there is anything at all exciting about seeing a guy knock a Superball over a fence. Its still only one run per HR. Are they going to start to offer multiple runs based on the distance the ball travels?

 

There was a TV show called Home Run Derby that ran for a time in 1960. It ran for less than a year and died like the dog it was because it was an utter and complete BORE!

 

They should just stop calling it baseball now. It is already just about unrecognizable mainly because the pitchers can't or won't throw competitively and there is simply no way around the fact that everything that happens on the diamond starts with the baseball in the pitcher's hand. In fact its probably both. The pitchers both can't AND won't throw competitively. Just call it something else and then they can do whatever they damn well please.

Edited July 9, 2019 by jung

[harmony]

My 2- Homer Bailey or Wade Lablanc. Reason cost, Luxury Tax and Prospects.

The Seattle Mariners are unlikely to trade lefthander Wade LeBlanc with his reasonable salary and team-friendly options through 2022.

 

Since moving from a starting role to a headliner role (following an opener), LeBlanc has posted a 2.97 ERA and .228 BAA in seven appearances covering 39.1 innings:

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=leblawa01&t=p&year=2019

[YastrzemskI]

ERod showed us something today didn’t he? Sensational. Hopefully it will inspire our staff to buckle down and get it done in the second half.

[moonslav59]

Price: check.

 

ERod: check.

 

Sale & Porcello: box open for checking.

 

5th starter: Johnson Rehabbing (Last 2 starts: 3 IP/ 1 ER and 5 IP/ 1 ER), Velazquez or trade target?

 

[vegasbob]

The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of fans who buy tickets to the games or watch at home enjoy high scoring games more than well-pitched games. The juiced ball is about money and not about the integrity of the game. In professional sports money will always trump integrity.

 

Also, this juiced ball has made a mockery of previous HR Derby's, but the paying fans love it so, more than likely, nothing will change.

 

I think you are very much right on here.

[vegasbob]

Well the Home Run Derby balls were always hotter than the standard official MLB baseball. The problem they have now if you want to call it a problem is that the official MLB baseball is so juiced up now that the Home Run Derby ball is even beyond the absurdity of the official ball. That said, I could care less what they used for the HR Derby. In fact I watched all of two batters of the Home Run Derby just to prove to myself I would be bored to tears AGAIN. That was all I could take of that.

 

As to the previous question about Manfred and MLB's involvement in this charade, MLB does not even have to initiate its own testing for the official MLB baseball. They can accept the manufacturers testing if they want to do so. The very idea that the manufacturer does not know what he is manufacturing is laughably absurd.

 

I actually like and appreciate your season long commentary on the juiced ball. I only wish the Red Sox (Martinez) had realized it was available to them too. But now deep into the "second half" it gets a little wearisome to see the same argument over and over. You were/are correct. Focus on how the Sox can either take advantage of the ball or prevent it from being the difference.

[YastrzemskI]

“The Clown Sale” 2019 tour continues. I was thinking that perhaps ERods performance would motivate Sale today. Not a chance. What a disappointment. We need to acquire more pitching.. I dunno how to even address Sales struggles this season. I’m speechless.

[moonslav59]

The pen won't matter, if we keep getting starts like this from our "big 4."

[FredLynn]

There is no cogent reason to expect that either Sale or Porcello will turn it around this year. And without them....no playoffs. Oakland wins tonight; the Rangers are ahead. So one game further behind the A's and the Rangers have caught us. That makes four WC teams ahead of us. Tough assignment. Even tougher when our ace sucks.

[moonslav59]

19 starts for Sale

5 starts with 5 or more runs, including his last 3 starts.

10 starts with 4 or more let up (counting unearned runs)

5 starts with 7 or more IP'd.

 

18 starts for Porcello

5 starts with 5 or more runs allowed, including last 3.

9 starts with 4 or more runs allowed, including unearned.

3 starts with 7 or more IP

 

19 starts for ERod

5 starts with 5 or more runs allowed

9 starts with 4+ runs allowed- counting unearned.

4 starts with 7 or more IP.

[OH FOY]

Sale has never allowed 5 runs or more in his career, in 3 consecutive starts.

[Kimmi]

The pen won't matter, if we keep getting starts like this from our "big 4."

 

The pen can only do its job as well as the starters allow them to do it.

 

The pen has not been good. The main problem with this team, however, remains to be the starting rotation.

[moonslav59]

Sale has never allowed 5 runs or more in his career, in 3 consecutive starts.

 

Until now.

[Kimmi]

It seems like every time I look, our starter is in the first inning with 20+ pitches.

 

Price did not pitch that badly, but it still took him 113 pitches just to get through 5 innings. On the other side, Ryu struggled in the first inning as well, but was able to pitch 7 innings with only 94 pitches.

 

The inability of our starters to go deeper into games is a very real problem. Our pen cannot pitch 4+ innings in so many games.

[TylerD]

It seems like every time I look, our starter is in the first inning with 20+ pitches.

 

Price did not pitch that badly, but it still took him 113 pitches just to get through 5 innings. On the other side, Ryu struggled in the first inning as well, but was able to pitch 7 innings with only 94 pitches.

 

The inability of our starters to go deeper into games is a very real problem. Our pen cannot pitch 4+ innings in so many games.

 

Agree Kimmi. It's frustrating.... The bullpen as of late has actually been pretty solid too. They did all they could last night to try and get us a win. Price has had over all a solid year but going 5 innings or less just doesn't cut it.... especially against the top teams. Hence why we lost against the Yankees and the Dodgers. It's like pulling teeth asking these guys to go more than 5 lately. Used to count on Porcello giving us 6 innings nearly every start but his last 2 performances has been god awful. Detroit a slight step up from the Yankees. Same for Chris Sale. His last 3 out of 4 starts he has given us 5, 5.2 & 4.2 Just not good enough especially from our "Ace" I was really hoping this second half we would turn it on but it has not been pretty outside of E-Rod's last start which was brilliant.

[jung]

I actually like and appreciate your season long commentary on the juiced ball. I only wish the Red Sox (Martinez) had realized it was available to them too. But now deep into the "second half" it gets a little wearisome to see the same argument over and over. You were/are correct. Focus on how the Sox can either take advantage of the ball or prevent it from being the difference.

 

I actually don't know how any team can do it. The disease that is this ball manipulation by the administration of MLB now hangs over everything about MLB. For example I would not be looking to built a rotation the same way I would have built it before the rocket ship. Yet, how does anybody including the insiders of a team's baseball ops know if Manfred will continue to manipulate it further in the same direction or go back to the 2016 ball or at least to the 2016 ball when Manfred really won't own up to any of it. It has simply gone too far and I just do not know how one would proceed under these circumstances. IMO, we are seeing the last of any recognizable version of MLB. Its got maybe 10 years of life left in it at this rate IMO.

[Kimmi]

Agree Kimmi. It's frustrating.... The bullpen as of late has actually been pretty solid too. They did all they could last night to try and get us a win. Price has had over all a solid year but going 5 innings or less just doesn't cut it.... especially against the top teams. Hence why we lost against the Yankees and the Dodgers. It's like pulling teeth asking these guys to go more than 5 lately. Used to count on Porcello giving us 6 innings nearly every start but his last 2 performances has been god awful. Detroit a slight step up from the Yankees. Same for Chris Sale. His last 3 out of 4 starts he has given us 5, 5.2 & 4.2 Just not good enough especially from our "Ace" I was really hoping this second half we would turn it on but it has not been pretty outside of E-Rod's last start which was brilliant.

 

Completely agree.

 

I don't know what's going on with our starters. It's not just one guy, it's all of them, except for maybe ERod. But while ERod is getting deeper into games, his other numbers have not been as good.

 

Our starting pitching has let us down.

[Bellhorn04]

I don't know what's going on with our starters. It's not just one guy, it's all of them, except for maybe ERod. But while ERod is getting deeper into games, his other numbers have not been as good.

 

(Cherry-picking alert) E-Rod has been very good since May 1. 13 starts with a 3.76 ERA, and a (by today's standards) whopping 6.08 innings per start.