2020-2021 Offseason Thread

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

German's lower IP...

 

Some of us half-glass drinkers would see this as less mileage on the arm... though realists may choose to sit back and count how many guys who missed an entire year -- in the majors -- will just instantly transform back into the athletes they were when they were two years younger.

[notin]

Some of us half-glass drinkers would see this as less mileage on the arm... though realists may choose to sit back and count how many guys who missed an entire year -- in the majors -- will just instantly transform back into the athletes they were when they were two years younger.

 

Yes he will be slightly older. But there is a big difference in expectations from a player who missed an entire year because his arm had to be reassembled like a Tinker Toy as opposed to a healthy athlete who missed an entire year to go sit in the corner...

[mvp 78]

That's a mighty tall order. And it makes me think you have completely forgotten about the immortal Mike Wacha.

 

Wacha might be immortal, but his elbow certainly is not...

 

Wacha Wacha Wacha...

[mvp 78]

Joe Buck giving on air fellatio to Michael Wacha during the 2013 WS made me pine to never hear that name again.

[harmony]

You act like 28, 31 and 33 are too old for 170 IP.

 

Pessimism abounds on the left coast.

 

If it makes you feel better, take 20-25 IP away from those three and add 15-20 to the next four. Certainly, that is doable.

 

It's not a long shot to think some mix of IP'd from our 7 SP'ers could equal 860 IP- the mean for 2019 rotations.

 

123 x 7 = 861.

The Red Sox certainly should improve on last year's team ERA+ of 85 if the Sox can get enough innings from these six potential starters (with their 2021 age season and career ERA+): Chris Sale (32) 140, Eduardo Rodriguez (28) 113, Garrett Richards (33) 106, Nathan Eovaldi (31) 96, Martin Perez (30) 96 and Nick Pivetta (28) 79.

[moonslav59]

The Red Sox certainly should improve on last year's team ERA+ of 85 if the Sox can get enough innings from these six potential starters (with their 2021 age season and career ERA+): Chris Sale (32) 140, Eduardo Rodriguez (28) 113, Garrett Richards (33) 106, Nathan Eovaldi (31) 96, Martin Perez (30) 96 and Nick Pivetta (28) 79.

 

That was kind of my point. We should improve, while many AL teams should expect decline or staying the same from their rotations.

 

No Sox starter is significantly past prime to the point where a near career season is unthinkable.

 

Only the health issues make 4 of our top 7 starters big question marks.

 

Is it likely all stay healthy or return to form at the same time? No, of course not, but our #5-#7 starters, of which you keep leaving Houck out of the picture, can fill in nicely, when needed. The three of them could, all together, realistically eat over 450 innings. If they do, we probably won't be making the playoffs, but there is a chance they all do well enough to keep our hopes alive. Then, there is the wildcard: Whitlock.

 

I'm not going to get into Seabold and Mata, just yet.

[Kimmi]

Maybe no one on this board is as skeptical about the Red Sox 2021 rotation as I am. Here's the rotation, as of now: #1 If, #2 If, #3 If, #4 If, #5 Martin Perez, #6 If.

 

But then, here's the rotation of everybody's preseason AL favorites: #1 Cole, #2 If, #3 If, #4 If, #5 If, #6 If. They look a sure thing.

 

We have a lot of uncertainty, but so does every other rotation in the AL East.

[Kimmi]

Red Sox Stats

@redsoxstats

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37m

A sentence in The Athletic today:

“the Rays tried hard to beat Bloom to Pivetta; ‘we think he can be another Glasnow,’ said a Rays official.”

 

 

That should be worth something.

[mvp 78]

Red Sox Stats

@redsoxstats

·

37m

A sentence in The Athletic today:

“the Rays tried hard to beat Bloom to Pivetta; ‘we think he can be another Glasnow,’ said a Rays official.”

 

 

That should be worth something.

 

Another very smart poster put this up here earlier.

[a700hitter]

I wouldn’t mind signing Edwin Encarnacion to play some 1B.

[oldtimer]

There are still rumors floating around about a Japanese pitcher who might be suitable as a closer and it looks like we are seriously in the running. the person is Hirokazu Sawamura who is 32 but could represent an improvement in our BP.

 

I have been high on Jarren Duran for some time and wouldn't be surprised if he is on the team right out of Spring Training. He might well be as good or better than any alternative with the exception of JBJ. I don't think JBJ is going to be with the Sox this year.

[moonslav59]

There are still rumors floating around about a Japanese pitcher who might be suitable as a closer and it looks like we are seriously in the running. the person is Hirokazu Sawamura who is 32 but could represent an improvement in our BP.

 

I have been high on Jarren Duran for some time and wouldn't be surprised if he is on the team right out of Spring Training. He might well be as good or better than any alternative with the exception of JBJ. I don't think JBJ is going to be with the Sox this year.

 

I hope you are right on Duran, but I just don't see it happening that quickly. He's new to the OF and hasn't had extended periods of success, just yet.

 

I'm thinking mid summer at the earliest, and even then, only if he's needed.

 

I'd like to see us take a flyer on Sawamura. I'm not sure we'd pencil him in as our closer-m day one, but adding a nice arm to the pen can't hurt.

 

[moonslav59]

Kinda understandable, but that's a lot of dough.

[Swiharts Ghost]

Kinda understandable, but that's a lot of dough.

 

Where is Genette ? Why not try him out give the guy an invite what the hell happened ? Seems like a Bloom reclamation project and if he hits worst case flip the kid ? I just can’t understand the Demise of this kid ...and no shot ? I can’t understand giving up on a person like this and what happened to Puig ? can puig play RF and Move Verdugo to CF play Kiki full time at 2nd ? Trade Chavis ? Play Bobby ? Is someone’s personality really this important on a team with literally minimal shot at a Worldseries ? If Puig hits trade the guy ? I think it’s a huge mistake to just gloss over these players ...what cost for Scooter ? Minimum what cost Puig ? 9 million ? Is Cora the perfect manager for Puig if not who would be ? My soapbox is broken .

Edited February 9, 2021 by Swiharts Ghost

[moonslav59]

Where is Genette ? Why not try him out give the guy an invite what the hell happened ? Seems like a Bloom reclamation project and if he hits worst case flip the kid ? I just can’t understand the Demise of this kid ...and no shot ? I can’t understand giving up on a person like this and what happened to Puig ? can puig play RF and Move Verdugo to CF play Kiki full time at 2nd ? Trade Chavis ? Play Bobby ? Is someone’s personality really this important on a team with literally minimal shot at a Worldseries ? If Puig hits trade the guy ? I think it’s a huge mistake to just gloss over these players ...what cost for Scooter ? Minimum what cost Puig ? 9 million ? Is Cora the perfect manager for Puig if not who would be ? My soapbox is broken .

 

Why are you so intent on the Sox going after misfits?

 

You latch onto a name and cling to it.

[notin]

I wouldn’t mind signing Edwin Encarnacion to play some 1B.

 

EE always wanted to come to Boston for the honor of replacing Ortiz. Encarnacion was pretty awful last year, but I hope the short season isn't weighed too heavily, especially since he was very good in 2019. His 1B has been limited recently, but isn't non-existant, having played 57 games at 1B in 2019. Zero games there in 2020, but that probably does not reflect as much on Encarnacion as it does on 2020 AL MVP Jose Abreu.

 

I do think if the Sox add a 1B, it might be a LHH like Moreland, who apparently is the guy who talked Boston up to Garrett Richards when they were teammates in San Diego...

[notin]

Why are you so intent on the Sox going after misfits?

 

You latch onto a name and cling to it.

 

Gennett was awful in 2019 (due to an early season oblique strain) and did not play in 2020. If he is even looking for work, he probably settles for a minor league deal or a contract with an Asian league...

[notin]

There are still rumors floating around about a Japanese pitcher who might be suitable as a closer and it looks like we are seriously in the running. the person is Hirokazu Sawamura who is 32 but could represent an improvement in our BP.

 

I have been high on Jarren Duran for some time and wouldn't be surprised if he is on the team right out of Spring Training. He might well be as good or better than any alternative with the exception of JBJ. I don't think JBJ is going to be with the Sox this year.

 

Doubtful Duran makes the team out of ST. Limited OF playing time and he does need to step up the defense. He's done well in some short seasons, but his last full season ended with a pretty bad stint in AA ball. He might debut in 2021, but not in Aoril.

 

And he probably is NOT a better player right now than Kevin Pillar or Yasiel Puig...

[moonslav59]

Gennett was awful in 2019 (due to an early season oblique strain) and did not play in 2020. If he is even looking for work, he probably settles for a minor league deal or a contract with an Asian league...

 

He wouldn't be a bad get, and he would not cost much, but he and Puig are all I hear about.

[notin]

He wouldn't be a bad get, and he would not cost much, but he and Puig are all I hear about.

 

Well, I have been pushing Puig for a while now. He is an absolute monster. And when I say that I mean I am not sure he is human. He certainly does not behave like one...

[notin]

Villar to the Mets

 

1 year $3.55 mill.

 

If he returns to his 2019 form (4.1 fWAR), this is an absolute steal for the Mets...

[moonslav59]

Well, I have been pushing Puig for a while now. He is an absolute monster. And when I say that I mean I am not sure he is human. He certainly does not behave like one...

 

He certainly has potential- but maybe potential for harm, too.

[mvp 78]

EE always wanted to come to Boston for the honor of replacing Ortiz. Encarnacion was pretty awful last year, but I hope the short season isn't weighed too heavily, especially since he was very good in 2019. His 1B has been limited recently, but isn't non-existant, having played 57 games at 1B in 2019. Zero games there in 2020, but that probably does not reflect as much on Encarnacion as it does on 2020 AL MVP Jose Abreu.

 

I do think if the Sox add a 1B, it might be a LHH like Moreland, who apparently is the guy who talked Boston up to Garrett Richards when they were teammates in San Diego...

 

EE thinks he has 2 years left. Too bad they still have JD on the roster.

[mvp 78]

Japanese papers are expecting Sawamura to sign very very soon.

[moonslav59]

Japanese papers are expecting Sawamura to sign very very soon.

 

Could this be a major "get?"

[mvp 78]

Could this be a major "get?"

 

If he can throw 96-99 and compete for closer duties, it would really shore up the pen.

 

@redsoxstats

Best I can tell this says the medical was done and Hirokazu Sawamura is in formal agreement with the Red Sox. There are a billion Japanese tweets wishing him good luck with the Sox right now.

 

Sawamura throws upper 90s with a 90+ mph split that grades out very well.

[mvp 78]

@tylermilliken_

Hirokazu Sawamura is entering his age-33 season. He features a fastball that can reach 97 MPH along with a low-90s splitter that serves as his primary out pitch. His arsenal also includes a slider, but it’s not as effective as his two other pitches.

[mvp 78]

Isn't a fastball/splitter mix what Paplebon used to use?

[moonslav59]

mlb-mlbpa-reach-deal-on-health-and-safety-protocols

[jacksonianmarch]

Sawamura sounds interesting for sure. I do share the questions of others here. Some guys with high ceilings are signing for peanuts. Kinda perplexed as to why the Sox aren’t in on them