A Realistic View at 2021: Part I

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Most likely because they have spent their allowance.

 

It's a lot easier for you and me to spend the Sox money, since we don't actually have to pay any of it, and we don't have to deal with the future implications of doing so. All we get is the right to complain about it, even if they take the very suggestions we made and watched them not pan out...

 

But there comes a time when they better pay attention to us lest we stop paying attention to them. Remember, we're the diehards; there are millions of Red Sox fans who care less.

[mvp 78]

Absolutely.

 

And I have been campaigning for Odorizzi and/or Porcello to no avail.

 

Probably because Bloom and his staff, like most teams, don't take suggestions from anonymous posters on internet forums...

 

I mean, Odorizzi could be legitimately signed on a below market deal now? Porcello could be cheap and is good insurance against the health risks we currently have.

[notin]

But there comes a time when they better pay attention to us lest we stop paying attention to them. Remember, we're the diehards; there are millions of Red Sox fans who care less.

 

Oh they need to pay attention to fans every season.

 

Unless of course there are seasons where fans are actually not allowed to attend games, like if there is something really weird like a global pandemic or a lot of really good shows on Netflix. Because when that happens, it also affects the bottom line regardless of how good the team is.

[mvp 78]

This may just be the one point everyone on this forum agrees with. But why does Boston's front office disagree with us? Are they overrating their roster or properly assessing their roster and not admitting such assessments to fandom?

 

They just don't want to go over the cap or be stuck with a pitcher they don't want next season. Maybe they can get some one year deals done? IDK.

 

Maybe they truly believe guys like Seabold and Houck could be successful in this rotation in the 2nd half?

[mvp 78]

Oh they need to pay attention to fans every season.

 

Unless of course there are seasons where fans are actually not allowed to attend games, like if there is something really weird like a global pandemic or a lot of really good shows on Netflix. Because when that happens, it also affects the bottom line regardless of how good the team is.

 

It may be more important in pandemic seasons as the only $$$ will be from tv viewers. If the team stinks in August, people will stop watching. If the same happens in a normal season, the tickets are already sold.

[notin]

I mean, Odorizzi could be legitimately signed on a below market deal now? Porcello could be cheap and is good insurance against the health risks we currently have.

 

Exactly!!

 

Go get them both!! If the team truly does tank by July, there are pieces that could be dealt away in an attempt to get back under. And if you don't get under, no biggie. The tax payment will be minimized and the pending new CBA probably re-examines this entire issue anyway.

 

And heck, bring back Bradley, too. Show him some love that no one else will....

[notin]

It may be more important in pandemic seasons as the only $$$ will be from tv viewers. If the team stinks in August, people will stop watching. If the same happens in a normal season, the tickets are already sold.

 

True.

 

Although some will stop watching even a good team for other reasons, like new episodes of Stranger Things.

[mvp 78]

Exactly!!

 

Go get them both!! If the team truly does tank by July, there are pieces that could be dealt away in an attempt to get back under. And if you don't get under, no biggie. The tax payment will be minimized and the pending new CBA probably re-examines this entire issue anyway.

 

And heck, bring back Bradley, too. Show him some love that no one else will....

 

Maybe them messing around in ST will make them realize they need a CF and they just get JBJ for like 1/8?

[mvp 78]

True.

 

Although some will stop watching even a good team for other reasons, like new episodes of Stranger Things.

 

Binge that one week, back to baseball the next.

[mvp 78]

@byJulianMack

Cora says JD Martinez won’t hit second this year. It was something the Red Sox toyed with last year.

[notin]

Binge that one week, back to baseball the next.

 

OK, you do not binge Stranger Things. This is the rarest genre of shows - family horror.

 

Binging Stranger Things is like funneling Dom Perignon...

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

OK, you do not binge Stranger Things. This is the rarest genre of shows - family horror.

 

Binging Stranger Things is like funneling Dom Perignon...

 

I'd even settle for another season of In The Dark. And definitely a climax of Money Heist! (gotta see who gets to drive the Maserati...)

[mvp 78]

OK, you do not binge Stranger Things. This is the rarest genre of shows - family horror.

 

Binging Stranger Things is like funneling Dom Perignon...

 

Season 2 and 3 weren't Dom Perignon.

 

Watch 2 episodes a night for 5 nights and you're done.

[notin]

Season 2 and 3 weren't Dom Perignon.

 

Watch 2 episodes a night for 5 nights and you're done.

 

No. This is a family-friendly horror. We have to allow for the daughter to get her homework done...

[Bellhorn04]

I can see why people are down on the Sox. I, too, doubt we win more than 82-85 games, but that doesn't mean there isn't going to be a lot of excitement and storylines to watch.

 

I'm way more optimistic about 2021 than 2020, and also that our farm is being built up faster than I imagined back in the days of talking about "the cliff."

 

You're still talking about it, man.

[Bellhorn04]

Really their entire season rests on how healthy Richards and Eovaldi are. Richards is easier to have faith in, since he really just had the one serious injury and chose a poor treatment plan. But Eovaldi? I have less faith...

 

And let's face it, if things go sour with Eovaldi and Richards, 80 wins may be a fantasy.

[mvp 78]

No. This is a family-friendly horror. We have to allow for the daughter to get her homework done...

 

My kids wouldn't sleep for months if they watched that.

[moonslav59]

If the Sox suck again Bloom may have no choice but to spend, especially if mandated by owners. Even if some of the reclamation arms pan out, and Sale's limited comeback looks promising, they're still going to have to get serious about acquiring established pitchers to contend.

 

I totally agree.

 

Even if we don't suck, we'll need to spend next winter.

[moonslav59]

This may just be the one point everyone on this forum agrees with. But why does Boston's front office disagree with us? Are they overrating their roster or properly assessing their roster and not admitting such assessments to fandom?

 

It's simple: they want to put off the tax for one more year.

[moonslav59]

You're still talking about it, man.

 

Not really. I was talking about a certain time period.

 

Do you prefer another name for "it?"

[Bellhorn04]

Not really. I was talking about a certain time period.

 

Do you prefer another name for "it?"

 

Who says it needs a special name? What was the special name for 2014-2015?

[moonslav59]

Who says it needs a special name? What was the special name for 2014-2015?

 

Ok, I'll just say back from 2017-2019.

 

I'm not sure why there is a need to "cancel" that word.

[notin]

You're still talking about it, man.

 

Well, maybe because last year was the bottom of it...

[Bellhorn04]

Ok, I'll just say back from 2017-2019.

 

I'm not sure why there is a need to "cancel" that word.

 

I'm not sure why there's a need to use it, so I guess we're even.

[moonslav59]

I'm not sure why there's a need to use it, so I guess we're even.

 

It speaks to a very specific time frame and a very heated debate about what the "win now" philosophy was doing to our future outlook. The time period many spoke of is here and now.

 

I'm not sure why it should be a word that bothers anyone. You or others may think another word was or is more appropriate. That's fine.

 

I use the word, because most here know what I'm talking about by just saying one word.

 

Part of that debate centered on how long the "downturn" would last. (There, I changed the word for you.) Many stated things like, "We'll build the farm back up, like we always do (in no time was implied)." I disagreed on how quickly the farm could be rebuilt, due mainly to how the rules have changed since our glory days of farm building while still winning.

 

I wanted to point out that I felt like our farm has been getting better at a faster pace than I imagined back in the days of that discussion, and the context of that discussion is needed, IMO.

 

The trades we made, last summer helped.

 

The Betts trade gave the farm a significant boost. That was not really expected back from 2017-2018.

 

We got higher than expected draft picks last year and very high one coming up, this year.

 

Our IFA signings have been flat for years.

[Bellhorn04]

It speaks to a very specific time frame and a very heated debate about what the "win now" philosophy was doing to our future outlook. The time period many spoke of is here and now.

 

I'm not sure why it should be a word that bothers anyone. You or others may think another word was or is more appropriate. That's fine.

 

I use the word, because most here know what I'm talking about by just saying one word.

 

Here's what you posted last night: I have to think it's kind of funny some of the "cliff deniers" are the now projecting doom & gloom, and many of the "cliff dwellers" are the more optimistic ones.

 

You seem to like making it into a political issue - "cliff deniers" on one side, "cliff dwellers" on the other. And just like with real politics, it's a "gotcha" game. Ha ha, look at the cliff deniers now, what fools they are.

[moonslav59]

Here's what you posted last night: I have to think it's kind of funny some of the "cliff deniers" are the now projecting doom & gloom, and many of the "cliff dwellers" are the more optimistic ones.

 

You seem to like making it into a political issue - "cliff deniers" on one side, "cliff dwellers" on the other. And just like with real politics, it's a "gotcha" game. Ha ha, look at the cliff deniers now, what fools they are.

 

It in no way is political.

 

There were clearly two sides to the debate over whether the philosophy we chose to use under DD would lead to a down turn or not. I really don't care what it's called, but the word "cliff" was pretty much what most chose to call it and talk about. I don't think I was the one who coined the phrase, but it became the accepted term- like it or not.

 

Am I wrong to notice that many of those who denied we'd have a "down turn" are now super sour, pessimistic or projecting doom & gloom, or at best less wins than many of those who expected a "down turn". Those who saw the writing on the wall, seem to be more optimistic, now.

 

It seems to me, and I could be wrong, although nobody has tried to say I'm wrong on this point.

 

Am I wrong?

 

What's the big deal about calling those who thought the idea of a re-set and downturn "cliff deniers?"

What's the big deal about calling those who expected a re-set and downturn "cliff dwellers?"

 

(BTW, there were some who did not really take sides or were somewhere in the middle, or who said something like, "How can we know what will happen 2-4 years from now, so why worry or debate the issue, now?")

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Who says it needs a special name? What was the special name for 2014-2015?

 

Last. I'd call it Suckitude, except we still got to root for two borderline Hall of Famers, and watch the development of young future stars -- one who now looks like a first-ballot immortal (from afar).

[moonslav59]

What was the special name for 2014-2015?

 

There were a few posters (on that "other site") who preached gloom those off seasons before those seasons, but it didn't seem like something our philosophy was driving us towards.

 

We were still spending big and had some rising young stars, a decent farm, and decent pitching until maybe 2015.

 

The fire sales we had were summer choices, too.

[moonslav59]

Last. I'd call it Suckitude, except we still got to root for two borderline Hall of Famers, and watch the development of young future stars -- one who now looks like a first-ballot immortal (from afar).

 

Did anyone see those two years as inevitable? Something out path was driving us towards?

 

Maybe I missed that pulse.

 

We had just come off a ring year in 2013, that many felt was a miracle or confluence of good luck, but I didn't get the sense that we were making moves for the "here and now" at the expense of the future, in fact, I got the sense a sizable amount of people thought we were not trying hard enough for the "here and now."

 

Big difference.