A Realistic View at 2021: Part I

[jacksonianmarch]

So Santana also had a ligament reinforcement surgery (a TJS hybrid) that will keep him out til mid season anyway, so the foot thing is likely not to impact that timeline

[Bellhorn04]

Didn't Michael Jordan take a partial ownership role in the Washington Wizards and then come out of retirement and play for the Wizards?

 

I think that's another bingo.

[moonslav59]

Has any other major sport had an active player as a partial owner besides basketball and hockey?

[a700hitter]

Has any other major sport had an active player as a partial owner besides basketball and hockey?

I think the LeBron situation is unique in that he has an ownership interest in a sport other than the one he plays while still active in his sport. Magic is an owner of the Dodgers, but I don't think he had that ownership interest while he was still an active Laker.

[notin]

I think the LeBron situation is unique in that he has an ownership interest in a sport other than the one he plays while still active in his sport. Magic is an owner of the Dodgers, but I don't think he had that ownership interest while he was still an active Laker.

 

Venus Williams is a part owner of the Miami Dolphins...

[a700hitter]

Venus Williams is a part owner of the Miami Dolphins...

I was unaware of that.

[jacksonianmarch]

So Houck was sent down. Pivetta won the 5th starter job

[moonslav59]

So Houck was sent down. Pivetta won the 5th starter job

 

Expected.

[mvp 78]

So Houck was sent down. Pivetta won the 5th starter job

 

He still needs to work on his secondary stuff if he wants to be a starter. Obviously, there is more value to him starting and they need to do whatever they can to get there. He's most likely just going to the pen at some point though.

[notin]

So Houck was sent down. Pivetta won the 5th starter job

 

I think Pivetta "won" the role by having no options remaining...

[notin]

I was unaware of that.

 

Me neither.

 

Apparently both Venus and Serena bought a share of Miai Dolphin team ownership back in 2009, when the pair were still dominating the tennis world...

[Bellhorn04]

I think Pivetta "won" the role by having no options remaining...

 

Maybe so. What would they have done if Houck was pitching lights out, though, do you think?

[mvp 78]

Maybe so. What would they have done if Houck was pitching lights out, though, do you think?

 

Pivetta goes to the pen, Brice is DFA'd.

[jacksonianmarch]

I honestly think you won't see Houck until mid season unless the sox are surprisingly contending and someone goes down. They started his clock last year, and if he is starting in the minors, you can expand his stuff while also pushing his service clock back

[mvp 78]

I honestly think you won't see Houck until mid season unless the sox are surprisingly contending and someone goes down. They started his clock last year, and if he is starting in the minors, you can expand his stuff while also pushing his service clock back

 

Houck's clock doesn't matter as he really isn't in the upper echelon of talent.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Houck's clock doesn't matter as he really isn't in the upper echelon of talent.

 

But he is the Sox' top pitching prospect right now (with Mata hurt, Song serving, new guys unproven and Leiter undrafted). If they need a call-up to start -- when someone in the rotation gets ILed -- it will probably be Houck.

[moonslav59]

Houck's clock doesn't matter as he really isn't in the upper echelon of talent.

 

Why is it only worth messing with “the clock” with upper echelon players?

 

I get how it matters more, but getting one more year of cheap control from just decent players is worth something.

[moonslav59]

I honestly think you won't see Houck until mid season unless the sox are surprisingly contending and someone goes down. They started his clock last year, and if he is starting in the minors, you can expand his stuff while also pushing his service clock back

 

I think once his clock is set, he’ll be called up, if needed. If we are way out of it, and they think being in AAA will help him develop more than being in MLB, maybe he’ll stay down longer than the clock indicates.

[mvp 78]

But he is the Sox' top pitching prospect right now (with Mata hurt, Song serving, new guys unproven and Leiter undrafted). If they need a call-up to start -- when someone in the rotation gets ILed -- it will probably be Houck.

 

If they need an additional starter, they'll use Andriese. The first guy up in an emergency situation would probably be Gossett. They also may just go with bullpen days as they have in the past.

[mvp 78]

Why is it only worth messing with “the clock” with upper echelon players?

 

I get how it matters more, but getting one more year of cheap control from just decent players is worth something.

 

The clock only matters based on the size of the contract. Why mess around with guys who can provide value but will never become too expensive to keep?

[mvp 78]

I think once his clock is set, he’ll be called up, if needed. If we are way out of it, and they think being in AAA will help him develop more than being in MLB, maybe he’ll stay down longer than the clock indicates.

 

AAA season doesn't start until May. Hard to see his development getting that much better in April if he's not facing hitters.

[moonslav59]

I think Pivetta "won" the role by having no options remaining...

 

Maybe that was part of the decision, but Pivetta has way more experience than Houck, and it seems like the perfect time for him to prove he belongs in a rotation.

 

He’s always been promising but has yet to deliver. 2021 is the year of finding out for many Sox players.

[moonslav59]

The clock only matters based on the size of the contract. Why mess around with guys who can provide value but will never become too expensive to keep?

 

Every dollar matters these days. Looking at our future needs and budget issues, having Houck for one more year at arb cost can help a lot.

[mvp 78]

Every dollar matters these days. Looking at our future needs and budget issues, having Houck for one more year at arb cost can help a lot.

 

Sometimes the arb costs exceeds the players fair market value. The Red Sox don't have to worry about messing with player time.

[Nick]

Why is it only worth messing with “the clock” with upper echelon players?

 

I get how it matters more, but getting one more year of cheap control from just decent players is worth something.

 

Why do we give up on a guy so early? He's looking to add an effective third pitch. Isn't that what coaching staff is suppose to do? I just don't get the negativity on this site.

[moonslav59]

Sometimes the arb costs exceeds the players fair market value. The Red Sox don't have to worry about messing with player time.

 

Very rarely that happens, and if it does just trade the guy or don’t offer arb,

[mvp 78]

Why do we give up on a guy so early? He's looking to add an effective third pitch. Isn't that what coaching staff is suppose to do? I just don't get the negativity on this site.

 

Which negativity? That Houck is probably a bullpen arm? That's what scouts have been saying since he was drafted.

[moonslav59]

Why do we give up on a guy so early? He's looking to add an effective third pitch. Isn't that what coaching staff is suppose to do? I just don't get the negativity on this site.

 

I’m far from negative in Houck. I’d like to make sure we have one more year of team control with him- something some feel is just for upper echelon players. One could argue I am valuing him too highly.

 

Look, the kid is suddenly a lock for a slot in our rotation based on a 17 inning sample size from a messed up 2020 season? I’m very hopeful that was not a fluke, so much so that I want another year of him in a Sox uniform guaranteed.

 

Also, I’m very high on Pivetta- perhaps too high?

 

I could ask why you are so negative on Pivetta, but I won’t,

[mvp 78]

I’m far from negative in Houck. I’d like to make sure we have one more year of team control with him- something some feel is just for upper echelon players. One could argue I am valuing him too highly.

 

Look, the kid is suddenly a lock for a slot in our rotation based on a 17 inning sample size from a messed up 2020 season? I’m very hopeful that was not a fluke, so much so that I want another year of him in a Sox uniform guaranteed.

 

Also, I’m very high on Pivetta- perhaps too high?

 

I could ask why you are so negative on Pivetta, but I won’t,

 

A fair question is:

 

Why not start the season with a 6 man rotation of ERod/Eovaldi/Richards/Perez/Pivetta/Houck? Minimizes injury risk?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Sometimes the arb costs exceeds the players fair market value. The Red Sox don't have to worry about messing with player time.

 

Tampa doesn't seem to care about service time when using young guys. Maybe it's because they know they'll probably flip most of them before they get expensive. If you know that going in, you'll always call up and use a guy when you need him, to maximize his value to your franchise... and that includes replacing him with viable prospects to keep revolv-- I mean, evolving...