Fire Chaim Bloom!

[notin]

According to the scoreboard , they did pretty well under D.D.

 

Until they took away his only weapon - Henry's checkbook...

[Bellhorn04]

And I disagree with both of you, or at least I'm much more in the middle. I think he made some very good moves, but he wasn't great in the building back department.

[notin]

And I disagree with both of you, or at least I'm much more in the middle. I think he made some very good moves, but he wasn't great in the building back department.

 

He definitely made some good moves. But he did put the team in what was obviously going to be a very difficult position, and that was before he decided to go out in a Blaze of Glory...

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

He definitely made some good moves. But he did put the team in what was obviously going to be a very difficult position, and that was before he decided to go out in a Blaze of Glory...

 

Saddles, Mongo... One guy left on Blazing Saddles, the other entered on a Blaze of Jordan.

[mvp 78]

https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/rays-pitchers-unique-arm-angles

 

Wonder if Bloom will try to mimic this approach that has lead the Rays to the 3rd best bullpen in MLB?

[notin]

https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/rays-pitchers-unique-arm-angles

 

Wonder if Bloom will try to mimic this approach that has lead the Rays to the 3rd best bullpen in MLB?

 

An interesting approach, and I agree, probably not coincidental.

 

The author touches on another aspect, the pitcher's height, which also might have another influence. A taller pitcher with a longer stride (and longer arms) also brings that release point even closer to the batter, giving just that much less time to adjust. If a normal release point is about 55 feet from home plate (just a guess), releasing the ball just 1 foot closer has the same effect in terms of time reaching home plate as adding 1 full mph to a fastball. A freakishly taller pitcher like Fairbanks or Glasnow might be about to exploit that to the point of getting up to 2 feet closer, which is like adding 2 full MPH to a fastball. And we are talking about guys who routinely hit 97 mph (Glasnow) and 100mph (Fairbanks) to begin with....

[moonslav59]

https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/rays-pitchers-unique-arm-angles

 

Wonder if Bloom will try to mimic this approach that has lead the Rays to the 3rd best bullpen in MLB?

 

Very cool stuff, MVP. Thanks.

[mvp 78]

An interesting approach, and I agree, probably not coincidental.

 

The author touches on another aspect, the pitcher's height, which also might have another influence. A taller pitcher with a longer stride (and longer arms) also brings that release point even closer to the batter, giving just that much less time to adjust. If a normal release point is about 55 feet from home plate (just a guess), releasing the ball just 1 foot closer has the same effect in terms of time reaching home plate as adding 1 full mph to a fastball. A freakishly taller pitcher like Fairbanks or Glasnow might be about to exploit that to the point of getting up to 2 feet closer, which is like adding 2 full MPH to a fastball. And we are talking about guys who routinely hit 97 mph (Glasnow) and 100mph (Fairbanks) to begin with....

 

Maybe that's why Bloom let Graterol go back to the Dodgers? Didn't like his early release point?

[notin]

Maybe that's why Bloom let Graterol go back to the Dodgers? Didn't like his early release point?

 

Maybe.

 

Although the early stories were that he felt Graterol could not handle a role as a full time starter. Makes one wonder how he feels abut Eovaldi...

[Bellhorn04]

Maybe.

 

Although the early stories were that he felt Graterol could not handle a role as a full time starter. Makes one wonder how he feels abut Eovaldi...

 

Hard to say. He signed him in 2018 to a one-year deal, and traded him to us at the deadline.

[notin]

Hard to say. He signed him in 2018 to a one-year deal, and traded him to us at the deadline.

 

 

Well, he certainly has shown he can be enamored by the talent of Eovaldi. I'm ok with that. I am too.

 

If I had to guess, Eovaldi will start the season in the Sox rotation, and where in that rotation is irrelevant. But I think that Nathan's history has given sufficient reason to try a new approach so as to maximize his skillset...

 

With Sale, he at least deserves a chance to reclaim his old role, at least until he gives a good reason to show he shouldn't have it

[Bellhorn04]

Let's not forget that Sale has actually had durability concerns his whole career. His physique and his delivery were always worrisome, and his numbers have always suggested he wears down by September, both before and after joining the Red Sox.

 

And he has not been 100% right since about August 2018.

[notin]

Let's not forget that Sale has actually had durability concerns his whole career. His physique and his delivery were always worrisome, and his numbers have always suggested he wears down by September, both before and after joining the Red Sox.

 

And he has not been 100% right since about August 2018.

 

I think he was defintely having trouble by August 2018, and that was probably a big factor in why he was willing to sign a deal that was clearly below what he would have gotten on the open market as a healthy starter.

 

And yes, he has had questions about his durability due to his pitching style his entire career. At some point, those questions will all come most definitely all be answered such that he is done as a starter. It happens to everyone. But until we get there, let him start...

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

August '18 is when I sat right behind home plate in Baltimore and watched Sale blow away the O's (his sidewinding delivery is the best of "tall guys", as it looks like he lets go of the ball already halfway to the batter). Sale was throwing a hundred mph, so all guys could do was guess if it was a fastball or slider. I think there were two balls put in play in five innings... and then he was never the same again.

[Bellhorn04]

August '18 is when I sat right behind home plate in Baltimore and watched Sale blow away the O's (his sidewinding delivery is the best of "tall guys", as it looks like he lets go of the ball already halfway to the batter). Sale was throwing a hundred mph, so all guys could do was guess if it was a fastball or slider. I think there were two balls put in play in five innings... and then he was never the same again.

 

And yet he had a stretch last year where he had something like 40 K's without a walk, giving us short-lived hope again.

[moonslav59]

August '18 is when I sat right behind home plate in Baltimore and watched Sale blow away the O's (his sidewinding delivery is the best of "tall guys", as it looks like he lets go of the ball already halfway to the batter). Sale was throwing a hundred mph, so all guys could do was guess if it was a fastball or slider. I think there were two balls put in play in five innings... and then he was never the same again.

 

It's interesting to note that Sale was throwing harder than ever before. I seem to recall, he had adjusted his delivery, and I wonder if that might have played into his injury. (He was likely doomed to need surgery at some point.)

 

See: 2018

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/chris-sale/10603/graphs?pitchgraphs=true&statArr=&legend=1&split=base&time=daily&start=2014&end=2019&rtype=mult&gt1=15&dStatArray=FA&ymin=&ymax=

[moonslav59]

And yet he had a stretch last year where he had something like 40 K's without a walk, giving us short-lived hope again.

 

Another interesting fact about his 2018 season was that he missed a couple starts at the end of July and early August, then came back for one game, before missing a month and coming back with way lower velocity and effectiveness.

 

That one game? Baltimore.

 

12 Ks and 0 BB in just 5 IP. His best K/9 game rate of the season.

 

Did he overthrow?

 

Was he already hurt and still gutted out a fantastic performance?

 

Were the O's really that bad?

 

(Note: he did end up with 15 K's in his last 8 IP in 2018.)

[Bellhorn04]

Another interesting fact about his 2018 season was that he missed a couple starts at the end of July and early August, then came back for one game, before missing a month and coming back with way lower velocity and effectiveness.

 

That one game? Baltimore.

 

12 Ks and 0 BB in just 5 IP. His best K/9 game rate of the season.

 

Did he overthrow?

 

Was he already hurt and still gutted out a fantastic performance?

 

Were the O's really that bad?

 

(Note: he did end up with 15 K's in his last 8 IP in 2018.)

 

Yeah, I suspect he was "pitching through pain" on various occasions in 2018 and 2019.

[moonslav59]

Yeah, I suspect he was "pitching through pain" on various occasions in 2018 and 2019.

 

That stretch of Sale brilliance in 2018, to me, set the tone for our winning it all mentality- do what it takes. All the best cliches!

[mvp 78]

Trades Heath Hembree and 2 months of Workman for Seabold and Pivetta.

 

Hembree gets DFA'd the following offseason.

 

So basically Seabold and Pivetta for nothing? That's king s*** right there.

[moonslav59]

Trades Heath Hembree and 2 months of Workman for Seabold and Pivetta.

 

Hembree gets DFA'd the following offseason.

 

So basically Seabold and Pivetta for nothing? That's king s*** right there.

 

YES!

 

Pivetta starts year 1 of 4 arbs, next season.

 

Potts has 5+ years of ML team control.

 

All for 2 months of Workman.

[notin]

YES!

 

Pivetta starts year 1 of 4 arbs, next season.

 

Potts has 5+ years of ML team control.

 

All for 2 months of Workman.

 

Potts was acquired for Moreland...

[moonslav59]

Potts was acquired for Moreland...

 

Sorry. I meant Seabold.

 

Potts for 3 months of Moreland could work out well, too.

[mvp 78]

Sorry. I meant Seabold.

 

Potts for 3 months of Moreland could work out well, too.

 

Especially when Moreland gets DFA'd and the Sox re-sign him this offseason.

[mvp 78]

Also, the Sox should totally re-sign Hembree.

[moonslav59]

Speaking of years of team control for 2-3 months of pending free agents...

 

Verdugo still has a pre arb season, then 3 arbs plus Downs and Wong- both at 5+ years.

 

Pivetta (4) and Seabold (5) for Workman & Hembree

 

Potts (5+) & Rosario (5+) for Moreland

 

Wallace (5+) for Pillar

 

Grullon (5+) off waivers

[mvp 78]

Speaking of years of team control for 2-3 months of pending free agents...

 

Verdugo still has a pre arb season, then 3 arbs plus Downs and Wong- both at 5+ years.

 

Pivetta (4) and Seabold (5) for Workman & Hembree

 

Potts (5+) & Rosario (5+) for Moreland

 

Wallace (5+) for Pillar

 

Grullon (5+) off waivers

 

That's how you build back a farm even if your hands are tied.

[moonslav59]

That's how you build back a farm even if your hands are tied.

 

So, next summer's free-agents-to-be are:

 

Barnes & ERod

[Nick]

So, next summer's free-agents-to-be are:

 

Barnes & ERod

 

Building a championship team requires patience. A group of talent must arrive at about the same time. That's the trick. Timing wise it's not working out for E Rod. Missing 2020 did not help his cause. No way I let him become a free agent on my dime. Bloom won't either.

[Larry Cook]

That's how you build back a farm even if your hands are tied.

 

Yes Indeed! Plus I think he got a player in yorke via the draft. Although at least 4 development years away.