2020 Red Sox Starting Pitching

[mvp 78]

Annual post for miscellaneous discussion around the starters.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/03/latest-on-bostons-rotation.html

 

Jason Mastrodonato of The Boston Herald spoke with Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke, who gave some details about a presentation from chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom. (Bloom, of course, was with the Rays when they pioneered the use of the opener.)

 

Roenicke outlined that they are still considering using two openers, as well as using some pitchers to “pitch three innings every three days.”

 

It seems the approach is still in a very speculative stage. One element being considered is the stretching out of Darwinzon Hernández. Before last year, Hernández had primarily been a starter in the minors. But 2019 saw him oscillate between starting and the bullpen, making 12 starts and and five appearances at two minor levels to go along with one start and 28 relief appearances in the big leagues. What form his contribution will take in 2020 seems to still be up in the air.

 

“We talked about it again a couple days ago,” Roenicke said, “and I think that talk is probably going to continue on with him. Especially the better he does at more innings, we’ll probably keep talking about it. Maybe he’s at two innings and then goes to three. Then we’re like, ‘OK, do we try this guy and see how he does starting?’ Those conversations I imagine will probably happen through the years.”

 

Another name to watch out for is Ryan Weber, according to Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe. Abraham notes that the Red Sox are trying to maximize Weber’s five-pitch mix by increasing the use of his cutter.

[mvp 78]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/03/camp-battles-bostons-rotation.html

 

Ryan Weber, RHP: The 29-year-old Weber has pitched in the majors for the Braves, Mariners, Rays and Red Sox since 2015, but he hasn’t experienced much success in the bigs. Weber’s fastball averaged under 89 mph last year as a member of the Red Sox, with whom he struggled to a 5.09 ERA (with a much better 4.20 FIP) and 6.42 K/9, 1.77 BB/9 and a 48.6 percent groundball rate across a career-high 40 2/3 innings. While Weber worked mostly as a reliever in 2019, the Red Sox are optimistic about his chances of turning into a capable starter or at least a bulk pitcher, thanks to increased reliance on a cutter.

 

Chris Mazza, RHP: Mazza debuted in MLB last season with the Mets at the age of 29, but he yielded 10 earned runs on 21 hits during that 16 1/3-inning span. To Mazza’s credit, he was far better last year in Triple-A, where he put up a 3.67 ERA/3.85 FIP with 7.34 K/9, 2.13 BB/9 and a lofty 58 percent groundball rate across 76 frames.The Mets cut Mazza loose after the season, and he ended up with the Red Sox via waivers.

 

Mike Shawaryn, RHP: Shawaryn, 25, was a fifth-rounder of the Red Sox in 2016 who climbed to the majors for the first time last season. It didn’t go well; even though Shawaryn racked up 29 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings, he surrendered 22 earned runs on 26 hits and issued 13 walks. And he wasn’t great with Triple-A Pawtucket, either, evidenced by a 4.52 ERA/5.65 FIP with 7.63 K/9 and 4.92 BB/9 in 89 2/3 frames.

 

Kyle Hart, LHP: A 19th-round pick of the Red Sox in 2016, Hart has consistently prevented runs at a solid clip in the minors, where he has never posted an ERA above the threes at any level. The 27-year-old made his Triple-A debut in 2019 and logged a 3.86 ERA/4.32 FIP with 7.18 K/9 and 3.23 BB/9 over 100 1/3 innings.

 

Matt Hall, LHP: Hall, 26, joined the Red Sox in a minor trade with the Tigers in January. The spin rate darling has enjoyed some success in the minors, shown in part by a 4.25 ERA with 10.3 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 in 144 Triple-A innings, but has allowed almost 10 runs per nine with 5.17 BB/9 in a smaller sample of major league frames (31 1/3).

 

Phillips Valdez, RHP: Valdez was a waiver pickup from the Mariners just last week. He got his first taste of MLB action with the Rangers a season ago, and while he pitched to a 3.94 ERA, averaged better than 10 strikeouts per nine and induced grounders at a 53.3 percent clip, he walked more than five per nine at the same time. And Valdez wasn’t as good at Triple-A, where he recorded a 4.92 ERA/5.59 FIP with 7.44 K/9 and 4.12 BB/9 in 78 2/3 innings of work.

 

Brian Johnson, LHP: Unlike the names listed above, Johnson’s not on Boston’s 40-man roster, meaning he’s facing an especially steep climb to begin the season in the majors. Now 29, Johnson turned in passable numbers as a member of the Red Sox in 2017-18, but health problems helped hold the soft-tossing southpaw to a 6.02 ERA/5.32 FIP in 40 1/3 innings last year, when he walked over five hitters per nine.

Edited March 5, 2020 by mvp 78

[notin]

I wonder at what point Roenicke looks at his starting lineup and notices the bottom five hitters are a great big steaming pile of meh...

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

"Another name to watch out for is Ryan Weber, according to Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe."

 

Outfielders -- put on your batting helmets before heading out to pasture!

[Bellhorn04]

I wonder at what point Roenicke looks at his starting lineup and notices the bottom five hitters are a great big steaming pile of meh...

 

Non sequitur.

[mvp 78]

I wonder at what point Roenicke looks at his starting lineup and notices the bottom five hitters are a great big steaming pile of meh...

 

Sir, this is a thread about the starting pitching.

[mvp 78]

"Another name to watch out for is Ryan Weber, according to Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe."

 

Outfielders -- put on your batting helmets before heading out to pasture!

 

How's he doing this spring?

[Slasher9]

....DFA JBj!

[notin]

Sir, this is a thread about the starting pitching.

 

I didn’t like the title

[notin]

Non sequitur.

 

Totally. But one that is lost amidst all the discussion of the Sox pitching issues...

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

How's he doing this spring?

 

Boston has been very strategic with young Weber. Some here might not know this, but at Winter Weekend the players are often paired together for the fan photo ops. For example, a year ago my son got to pose between two catchers, Leon and Swihart. But this winter, who was Weber's partner? Not Osich or Maza, not even Brewer... but our favorite Fu Mancigarchewing El Tiante!

 

For what it's worth... there's something happening here, what it is ain't exactly beer.

[mvp 78]

....DFA JBj!

 

He's got a cannon for an arm. Think he can pitch like Darnell MacDonald did?

[mvp 78]

Boston has been very strategic with young Weber. Some here might not know this, but at Winter Weekend the players are often paired together for the fan photo ops. For example, a year ago my son got to pose between two catchers, Leon and Swihart. But this winter, who was Weber's partner? Not Osich or Maza, not even Brewer... but our favorite Fu Mancigarchewing El Tiante!

 

For what it's worth... there's something happening here, what it is ain't exactly beer.

 

My newest grill isn't even a Weber.

[vegasbob]

How's he doing this spring?

 

Amazingly, incredible, awesome. 5 innings in 2 starts, 0.00 ERA, 5 hits no walks, and 7 K's . SSS, but what could go wrong with those stats on the board?

[mvp 78]

@NYPost_Mets

Rick Porcello with a third straight good outing to begin the spring. The right-hander pitched three shutout innings against the Cardinals with two hits allowed, one walk and four strikeouts.

 

Coulda fit him under the CBT, no?

[Bellhorn04]

@NYPost_Mets

Rick Porcello with a third straight good outing to begin the spring. The right-hander pitched three shutout innings against the Cardinals with two hits allowed, one walk and four strikeouts.

 

Coulda fit him under the CBT, no?

 

I would have liked it. Many would not have.

[mvp 78]

I would have liked it. Many would not have.

 

For one year? I’m in.

[vegasbob]

I would have liked it. Many would not have.

 

The one thought I have about not getting Rick is that there was little chance for him to be a cog in the future, and Bloom &Co knew that Betts and Price would be gone early on (just not the details). Therefore , whatever you paid him would eat up a chunk of the money available under the CBT threshhold. The rebuild was on and Rick P. wasn't going to figure in it. They had to anticipate trouble with Sale's and/or Eovaldi's arm would sink 2020 anyway , so Porcello as a #4 or 5 accomplished little . I hope he does well for the Mets

[Kimmi]

@NYPost_Mets

Rick Porcello with a third straight good outing to begin the spring. The right-hander pitched three shutout innings against the Cardinals with two hits allowed, one walk and four strikeouts.

 

Coulda fit him under the CBT, no?

 

The Sox should have re-signed him for what the Mets signed him for.

 

Do not underestimate the value of his innings pitched.

[notin]

The one thought I have about not getting Rick is that there was little chance for him to be a cog in the future, and Bloom &Co knew that Betts and Price would be gone early on (just not the details). Therefore , whatever you paid him would eat up a chunk of the money available under the CBT threshhold. The rebuild was on and Rick P. wasn't going to figure in it. They had to anticipate trouble with Sale's and/or Eovaldi's arm would sink 2020 anyway , so Porcello as a #4 or 5 accomplished little . I hope he does well for the Mets

 

Porcello has massive value in a rebuild. His IP helps reduce the workload for younger pitchers...

[mvp 78]

The Sox should have re-signed him for what the Mets signed him for.

 

Do not underestimate the value of his innings pitched.

 

I would have done 2/20

[Bellhorn04]

I assume they figured $10 million would have put them too close to the cap for this year.

 

If they don't stay under the $208 million now, they'll look like bozos.

[mvp 78]

Don’t go over then.

[Bellhorn04]

Let me add: if they somehow exceed the $208 million now, it will be extremely punitive financially, to the detriment of the 2021 season and maybe beyond that.

[moonslav59]

Let me add: if they somehow exceed the $208 million now, it will be extremely punitive financially, to the detriment of the 2021 season and maybe beyond that.

 

If we end up going over, Bloom should be fired.

[Larry Cook]

If we end up going over, Bloom should be fired.

 

If we go over, he will be smart enough Henry’s pre approval.

[moonslav59]

If we go over, he will be smart enough Henry’s pre approval.

 

Makes no sense- Henry approval or no approval.

 

Now, if we are 5 games up in July, maybe spending could become an option, but that's a super duper long shot.

 

[Larry Cook]

Makes no sense- Henry approval or no approval.

 

Now, if we are 5 games up in July, maybe spending could become an option, but that's a super duper long shot.

 

 

If anybody can explain how or why Henry makes the decisions he makes, when it comes to the Sox and their front office, I would love to hear it,

[moonslav59]

If anybody can explain how or why Henry makes the decisions he makes, when it comes to the Sox and their front office, I would love to hear it,

 

I don't think it's all that complicated. Every major move he has made had valid reasoning behind them, whether we agree or not.

[Larry Cook]

I don't think it's all that complicated. Every major move he has made had valid reasoning behind them, whether we agree or not.

 

And on a scale of one to ten, how is henry’s long term strategy for fielding a competitive team year after year looking going forward?

 

Our starting pitching depth is thinner than a sheet of paper.

Our best position player now plays for the dodgers.

The farm system is a hollow picked over shell of what it once was.

The brightest and best of our baseball operations department are now in Arizona, Chicago and other markets around the country.

Our baseball analytics department is filled with substandard geeks and run by a guy that couldn’t get laid in a women’s prison.

 

I know the history of how we got to this point in time. What I fail to grasp is where is the strategy going forward?