A Realistic View at 2021: Part I

[moonslav59]

Brasier has been past his expiration date for 2 years.

 

He’s above average the last 2 years combined. 10K/9, 4.03 FIP and 105 ERA+. With a pen of 8 pitchers he’s better than most team’s 7-8th men and better than our 5 or 6 to 8 pen arms.

Being happy he’s out is puzzling to say the least

[a700hitter]

He’s above average the last 2 years combined. 10K/9, 4.03 FIP and 105 ERA+. With a pen of 8 pitchers he’s better than most team’s 7-8th men and better than our 5 or 6 to 8 pen arms.

Being happy he’s out is puzzling to say the least

I can be puzzling. I would like to see several members of our bullpen be quarantined away from Fenway permanently. Am I supposed to start a fan club for a guy that might be better than most teams 7th or 8th pen guys?

[notin]

Losing Brasier is a plus.

 

I’ve been more critical of Brasier than most people, but this is flat out untrue. Unless you meant to type “Brice”. In which case, I agree...

[moonslav59]

I can be puzzling. I would like to see several members of our bullpen be quarantined away from Fenway permanently. Am I supposed to start a fan club for a guy that might be better than most teams 7th or 8th pen guys?

 

Big difference between starting a Brasier club and being glad he’s on the IL.

 

If he’s better than our 7&8 guys it makes us worse by replacing him with someone even worse than 7&8.

 

Also, most teams go through 10 or so pitchers trying to fill the last 2-3 slots in the pen. The more you have the better chance one will do fairly well.

 

I have Brasier as our 4-6 pen arm. I realize that is not something to brag about, but it is what it is. Sometimes being not all that bad vs horrible is enough to win a few games.

[a700hitter]

Big difference between starting a Brasier club and being glad he’s on the IL.

 

If he’s better than our 7&8 guys it makes us worse by replacing him with someone even worse than 7&8.

 

Also, most teams go through 10 or so pitchers trying to fill the last 2-3 slots in the pen. The more you have the better chance one will do fairly well.

 

I have Brasier as our 4-6 pen arm. I realize that is not something to brag about, but it is what it is. Sometimes being not all that bad vs horrible is enough to win a few games.

If you want to declare victory on Brasier, go ahead. This team has much bigger problems than this turd. They don't have reliable starters to pitch quality innings. They can't field. And their best hitter wears Dodger Blue. I have to take my enjoyment where I can find it, and the thought of not having to watch Brasier pitching in meaningful games makes me smile.

[moonslav59]

If you want to declare victory on Brasier, go ahead. This team has much bigger problems than this turd. They don't have reliable starters to pitch quality innings. They can't field. And their best hitter wears Dodger Blue. I have to take my enjoyment where I can find it, and the thought of not having to watch Brasier pitching in meaningful games makes me smile.

 

Nobody is “declaring victory on Brasier,” and I’m not even sure how one does such a thing.

 

If you enjoy watching Brice over Brasier, you may be the only one.

 

Yes, we have several more pressing issues than Brasier, but we weren’t the ones singling him out.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Arauz leads the majors with 5 Spring Training doubles. He's also tied for the lead in runs scored with 9.

 

Ya, ya, ya, these stats mean nothing... except to the guys who still have to play well enough to actually attain them.

[moonslav59]

Arauz leads the majors with 5 Spring Training doubles. He's also tied for the lead in runs scored with 9.

 

Ya, ya, ya, these stats mean nothing... except to the guys who still have to play well enough to actually attain them.

 

I kinda liked what I saw from him last year, considering his age and experience level during his rule 5 season. I’m glad he’s in our system, but I’m thinking longer term.

 

It would be great if he plays well enough to win the 2B job sometime this year.

[notin]

Arauz leads the majors with 5 Spring Training doubles. He's also tied for the lead in runs scored with 9.

 

Ya, ya, ya, these stats mean nothing... except to the guys who still have to play well enough to actually attain them.

 

 

Point?

[jacksonianmarch]

Arauz has next to no chance of making the bigs. With Kike and Marwin, they don’t need another utility guy without major offensive upside. Chavis, IMO, is valued higher than Arauz

[moonslav59]

Arauz has next to no chance of making the bigs. With Kike and Marwin, they don’t need another utility guy without major offensive upside. Chavis, IMO, is valued higher than Arauz

 

Agreed, and I’d put Munoz ahead of him, too. Then, there might be Downs moving up the depth charts, this summer.

 

That being said, you know how things go, including multiple injuries or massive implosions by players higher on the depth charts.

[Nick]

Does anyone have a 'scouting' report on Nick Pivetta? Not stats, what does he throw, how fast, etc?

 

Yeah it's early, but with four years of team control, along with acquiring Seabold, did Bloom steal one from the Phillies?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Point?

 

Point at him and cheer. Spring hopes eternal. Who cares if he'll start or even make the Opening Day roster. If it's all about the future, Arauz is a young prospect who looks like he's improving.

[Nick]

Boston Red Sox’s Danny Santana is in the hospital with a foot infection.

 

I'm 65 and my days are pain free, granted I don't strain myself at all but all these "injuries", is that normal?

[jad]

Boston Red Sox’s Danny Santana is in the hospital with a foot infection.

 

I'm 65 and my days are pain free, granted I don't strain myself at all but all these "injuries", is that normal?

 

You're 65 and pain-free?????? (You want to explain to the rest of us old f*rts how you do that?)

[Nick]

You're 65 and pain-free?????? (You want to explain to the rest of us old f*rts how you do that?)

 

well, I don't extend myself.....lol

 

Today's mission? I'm getting hair cut.....nothing else on my calendar....

[Bellhorn04]

You're 65 and pain-free?????? (You want to explain to the rest of us old f*rts how you do that?)

 

I'm 65 and pain-free except for my knees starting to act up a bit.

 

(Knocks on wood.)

[harmony]

I'm 65 and pain-free except for my knees starting to act up a bit.

 

(Knocks on wood.)

I'm 65 and overweight but still jog forest trails three mornings a week and bicycle 11 miles on two or three other mornings.

 

I am grateful that my knees have held up. My hip joints and shoulders have improved since the pandemic canceled my yoga classes.

[jacksonianmarch]

Foot infections are tricky. Usually the worst in diabetics. But with locker room exposure and lots of wear on his feet, MRSA is more likely. Pseudomonas in diabetics, which is problematic. Goal is to stem infection before it gets into the bones or tracks proximally.

[notin]

You're 65 and pain-free?????? (You want to explain to the rest of us old f*rts how you do that?)

 

He doesn’t play Major League Baseball, where HIPPA laws go to die...

[moonslav59]

I’m 61 and falling apart. I just had an MRI in my left shoulder, which was actually supposed to be on my mid to upper back. The results showed 4-5 things wrong but no tears. I’ve been in extreme pain for almost a week and have had to put off treatment and an MRI on my back for a week as we are in Mexico now. I may get an MRI here.

 

I can’t find a comfortable position to sleep. Doc says I have swelling that is pinching a nerve tha runs into my shoulder and down to my index finger.

 

I’m a mess! (Was in pretty good health for 60 years.)

[a700hitter]

Nobody is “declaring victory on Brasier,” and I’m not even sure how one does such a thing.

 

If you enjoy watching Brice over Brasier, you may be the only one.

 

Yes, we have several more pressing issues than Brasier, but we weren’t the ones singling him out.

i never said that I enjoyed watching Brice more than Brasier, and I am not singling out Brasier. I was very clear that I would be just as happy to say goodbye to most of the Red Sox bullpen.

[moonslav59]

i never said that I enjoyed watching Brice more than Brasier, and I am not singling out Brasier. I was very clear that I would be just as happy to say goodbye to most of the Red Sox bullpen.

 

I never said you mentioned Brice, but that is who you will see more of (or worse) with Brasier on the IL.

[notin]

i never said that I enjoyed watching Brice more than Brasier, and I am not singling out Brasier. I was very clear that I would be just as happy to say goodbye to most of the Red Sox bullpen.

 

I don’t think the Sox have improved anywhere more than they improved the bullpen. I’m not wild about Brice and Valdez (which is putting it mildly). Whitlock is an unknown. Sawamura, too, but successful Japanese relief pitchers often do well in MLB. But adding Ottavino and Andriese along with the return of Taylor and Darwinzon Hernandez to the other holdovers from last year in Barnes and Brasier is a vast step up from watching the futility in Walden, Springs, Hall, Covey, Weber, Triggs and Stock plus others. I would like to see them dump Brice and replace him with Houck. Looks like it won’t happen by April but I’m hopeful by May...

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I don’t think the Sox have improved anywhere more than they improved the bullpen. I’m not wild about Brice and Valdez (which is putting it mildly). Whitlock is an unknown. Sawamura, too, but successful Japanese relief pitchers often do well in MLB. But adding Ottavino and Andriese along with the return of Taylor and Darwinzon Hernandez to the other holdovers from last year in Barnes and Brasier is a vast step up from watching the futility in Walden, Springs, Hall, Covey, Weber, Triggs and Stock plus others. I would like to see them dump Brice and replace him with Houck. Looks like it won’t happen by April but I’m hopeful by May...

 

Cora said they consider Houck a starter, and by default he's the Sox' top pitching prospect... now that Mata has an elbow ish, which could mean (depending on a famous, new underwear brand being advertised) he may not be 100% again for a few years -- if ever.

[a700hitter]

I never said you mentioned Brice, but that is who you will see more of (or worse) with Brasier on the IL.

That is on Bloom.

[a700hitter]

I don’t think the Sox have improved anywhere more than they improved the bullpen. I’m not wild about Brice and Valdez (which is putting it mildly). Whitlock is an unknown. Sawamura, too, but successful Japanese relief pitchers often do well in MLB. But adding Ottavino and Andriese along with the return of Taylor and Darwinzon Hernandez to the other holdovers from last year in Barnes and Brasier is a vast step up from watching the futility in Walden, Springs, Hall, Covey, Weber, Triggs and Stock plus others. I would like to see them dump Brice and replace him with Houck. Looks like it won’t happen by April but I’m hopeful by May...

I am hopeful about Sawamura, but he looked bad again today. Darwinzon still needs to learn to throw strikes more consistently. We had him last year, so he was not an addition to last years pig pen. Is Ottavino an improvement over a Workman?

[moonslav59]

That is on Bloom.

 

Nothing to do with preferring Brice or someone worse over Brasier.

[moonslav59]

I am hopeful about Sawamura, but he looked bad again today. Darwinzon still needs to learn to throw strikes more consistently. We had him last year, so he was not an addition to last years pig pen. Is Ottavino an improvement over a Workman?

 

DHern & Workman combined for 15 IP for the Sox, last year, so I think it’s safe to say Ottavino & the 2021 DHern looks to be a vast improvement over 2020.

[moonslav59]

This shows the change in the pen from 2020’s IP totals from those not here anymore or expected not to pitch much and those expected to pitch a lot in 2021:

 

Returning in 2021 & expected to pitch a lot:

25 Brasier

23 Barnes

20 Brice

8 DHern

7 Taylor

(30 Valdez)

(26 Brewer)

 

Added:

Ottavino

Andries

Sawamura

Houck or Pivetta

Seabold & others

 

Gone

43 Weber

30 mazza

29 godley

20 Springs

16 osich

14 Covey&Kickham

13 Stock&Walden

11 Hart

10 Hembree

9 Hall

8 Triggs

7 Workman

5 Lever

4 Tapia

246 innings! +56 Brewer & Valdez is over 75% of the pen IP in 2020!

Edited March 15, 2021 by moonslav59