Sale going for elbow MRI

[kenmeister]

Henry signed off on it at the time.

 

Coming out of 2018, I was totally serious when I thought that Chris Sale, if he could avoid surgery, needed to switch to the closer's role. I thought his days as a starter were done. And then he got that monster extension; it didn't make any sense. Henry should fire himself.

[mvp 78]

Coming out of 2018, I was totally serious when I thought that Chris Sale, if he could avoid surgery, needed to switch to the closer's role. I thought his days as a starter were done. And then he got that monster extension; it didn't make any sense. Henry should fire himself.

 

We can blame DD for sure, but Henry was the one holding the gasoline. If you know DD plays with matches and you need to control payroll long term, don't make stupid signings.

[notin]

Henry signed off on it at the time.

 

And did so on the advice of the guy he hired to handle all the baseball matters. I don’t know how involved Henry is in day-to-day stuff, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the answer was “not at all” and he was relying on his GM to only make smart moves that were beneficial short and long term.

 

I think Sale irritates me more with all of this. He’s whining about his injuries keeping him from living up to a contract that he very likely only signed in the first place because he was injured....

[mvp 78]

And did so on the advice of the guy he hired to handle all the baseball matters. I don’t know how involved Henry is in day-to-day stuff, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the answer was “not at all” and he was relying on his GM to only make smart moves that were beneficial short and long term.

 

I think Sale irritates me more with all of this. He’s whining about his injuries keeping him from living up to a contract that he very likely only signed in the first place because he was injured....

 

The rumors floating around are that he wanted to move on from DD last offseason. If that's the case, you don't sign ANY long term extensions or you at least try to consult some additional sources.

 

Henry is involved enough in the day to day matters that he can't stop running his mouth to the media and leaking s***.

[Slasher9]

an owner will never fire himself.

s*** rolls downhill.....

[mvp 78]

Henry is good at the blame game. He'll never use it on himself.

[notin]

The rumors floating around are that he wanted to move on from DD last offseason. If that's the case, you don't sign ANY long term extensions or you at least try to consult some additional sources.

 

Henry is involved enough in the day to day matters that he can't stop running his mouth to the media and leaking s***.

 

 

For reasons you pointed out, those rumors make no sense. Like the options were.

 

1. Fire Dombrowski

2. Allow Dombrowski to spend $340 mill on contract extensions.

 

One would think if there was even an inkling of DD getting the can, a middle ground between those two might have happened. Unless DD really tried to spend closer to $6-800 mill, and this was the middle ground...

[mvp 78]

For reasons you pointed out, those rumors make no sense. Like the options were.

 

1. Fire Dombrowski

2. Allow Dombrowski to spend $340 mill on contract extensions.

 

One would think if there was even an inkling of DD getting the can, a middle ground between those two might have happened. Unless DD really tried to spend closer to $6-800 mill, and this was the middle ground...

 

It makes more sense when you you're constantly playing with aluminum foil like me.

[mvp 78]

Eating it.

 

Wearing it.

 

Putting it in the microwave.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Actually if you paid attention, you might have seen a glimpse why...

 

There are a lot of reasons why it's not funny, besides Betts will rock and Fenway will be a hard place. Diehards like us will always be caught in between, because anyone who takes the time to post about the Sox is surely going to take the time to keep watching them.

 

I'd love to see Boston contend, just to disappoint all the beat (as in defeated) writers who say the season is lost before it even begins.

[mvp 78]

If they Bad News Bear'd their way to the Astrodome for the playoffs, I'd be fine with it.

 

Which player is Kelly Leak?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Coming out of 2018, I was totally serious when I thought that Chris Sale, if he could avoid surgery, needed to switch to the closer's role. I thought his days as a starter were done. And then he got that monster extension; it didn't make any sense. Henry should fire himself.

 

I was also on board with this, especially after the last inning of the Series. But some dissenters said closer wasn't that important -- which doesn't make sense when the modern game is all about back ends of bullpens (particularly if you were a Sox fan who survived Kimbrel's postseason). Eck became a Hall of Famer as a closer and no one said his talents were wasted there.

[Slasher9]

use him as an opener.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

use him as an opener.

 

Good idea; then he could earn more of his salary by going back to the dugout and yelling at the "f***ing pussies to start hitting" like he did in Dodger Stadium.

[Slasher9]

Good idea; then he could earn more of his salary by going back to the dugout and yelling at the "f***ing pussies to start hitting" like he did in Dodger Stadium.

 

hahaha. is that what he said to the team????!!!!

[Bellhorn04]

hahaha. is that what he said to the team????!!!!

 

I doubt those were the exact words.

[TylerD]

I doubt those were the exact words.

 

Probably pretty close lol

[mvp 78]

@MaureenaMullen

Roenicke on Sale: Drs want to eval at the 10-day mark (Friday) and then if he's not ready, eval again at 14 days.

[notin]

I was also on board with this, especially after the last inning of the Series. But some dissenters said closer wasn't that important -- which doesn't make sense when the modern game is all about back ends of bullpens (particularly if you were a Sox fan who survived Kimbrel's postseason). Eck became a Hall of Famer as a closer and no one said his talents were wasted there.

 

Well the notion that the closer role is overrated is because the closer is typically the best reliever on the team and too often used solely as a ninth inning specialist, and in most games, the most critical late outs come in earlier innings...

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Well the notion that the closer role is overrated is because the closer is typically the best reliever on the team and too often used solely as a ninth inning specialist, and in most games, the most critical late outs come in earlier innings...

 

No argument from me, though there is certainly value in someone who can be trusted to finish the deal (a role that takes more than talent and isn't for everyone) and shortening games.

 

I think from a WAR standpoint, average starting pitchers can be more valuable than even the best relievers because they get more outs. Thus, big salaries for pitchers are justified by total innings instead of specific innings.

 

Sox fans just gotta hope a couple hundred frames are forthcoming from a few guys who haven't even arrived yet.

[mvp 78]

I think you need at least two top of the line relievers in the pen.

 

1. A closer who can take the ball and get 3 outs.

2. A fireman who can come in during any situation and "put out the fire" real quick.

[Slasher9]

@MaureenaMullen

Roenicke on Sale: Drs want to eval at the 10-day mark (Friday) and then if he's not ready, eval again at 14 days.

 

as 5GG would say.....it's been 6 months....WTF is 10 more days gonna do????

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

as 5GG would say.....it's been 6 months....WTF is 10 more days gonna do????

 

14 is even worse -- because according to medical experts, we're all supposed to stockpile enough provisions for 14 days of self-quarantine. Doctors won't need to re-evaluate me, because if I run out of beer in two weeks, then I'll really have a drinking problem.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I think you need at least two top of the line relievers in the pen.

 

1. A closer who can take the ball and get 3 outs.

2. A fireman who can come in during any situation and "put out the fire" real quick.

 

Right-- gone are the days when starters go 7, and you can win with just a good set-up man and closer (like Okie and Paps). Ironically, Francona was the guy who basically started the new trend using his best reliever whenever -- in Cleveland, with another ex-BoSox in Miller.

 

The Sox tried Barnes at both last year; he couldn't do 1., but was good at 2. until he burned out by summer. Then we also learned he was ineffective on back-to-back days... hey, how about Barnes for Opener every five days? He could still be used for late-inning fires once or twice in between...

[notin]

I think you need at least two top of the line relievers in the pen.

 

1. A closer who can take the ball and get 3 outs.

2. A fireman who can come in during any situation and "put out the fire" real quick.

 

 

The more relievers you can trust in high leverage situations, the better, obviously. I just don’t see the point of saving one of the best arms in the bullpen for the ninth with a 3 run lead and the 7-8-9 hitters coming up...

[Noles_1335]

Anyone else on the same page as saying " WTF Sale, just have the damn surgery and stop prolonging the inevitable".... ????

[Bellhorn04]

Anyone else on the same page as saying " WTF Sale, just have the damn surgery and stop prolonging the inevitable".... ????

 

Oh yeah, a lot of people have been saying this.

[mvp 78]

Anyone else on the same page as saying " WTF Sale, just have the damn surgery and stop prolonging the inevitable".... ????

 

His body, his choice.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Sale may be looking at the Pedroia case where even Dustin has second-guessed the decision to have an op that basically ended his career. TJ may be over 40 years old, but it's still radical, and every surgery entails risks. Who knows, maybe docs are telling Sale that his elongated ligaments and tendons aren't ideal for the procedure. We can be sure that the Red Sox are considering all options to see if he'll be able to contribute, whether as an opener, closer or in-betweener... though, one label that seems unlikely is "workhorse".

[notin]

Right-- gone are the days when starters go 7, and you can win with just a good set-up man and closer (like Okie and Paps). Ironically, Francona was the guy who basically started the new trend using his best reliever whenever -- in Cleveland, with another ex-BoSox in Miller.

 

The Sox tried Barnes at both last year; he couldn't do 1., but was good at 2. until he burned out by summer. Then we also learned he was ineffective on back-to-back days... hey, how about Barnes for Opener every five days? He could still be used for late-inning fires once or twice in between...

 

 

I really like the idea of Barnes as an opener for the exact reasons you say.

 

I was hoping the Sox kept Graterol and paired him with Hernandez to be their high leverage relievers late in games....