2020-2021 Offseason Thread

[mvp 78]

Except with most pitchers, there is always one other incredibly obvious possibility, and one I argued was always the case with David Price until he showed there was a good chance I was correct. And that point is that racking up larger IP totals wears a pitcher down and some pitchers are simply exhausted and worn out and probably very sore by the time October comes around.

 

And there also seems to be a trend that pitchers who log a lot of innings deep into October are not as effective the following season. (And possibly why Cora took it very easy on the Sox starters in ST 2019.) This is potentially a good factor in why so few teams seem to repeat World Series titles any more...

 

Don't you bring that evil back to this board...

[notin]

Don't you bring that evil back to this board...

 

Well, if he gets rehired, what will ST 2021 look like?

[Nick]

I think Kimmi is right in saying the goal is to get into the playoffs then anything can happen, good or bad.

 

You pay Betts $300M because over a course of 162 game season, cream will rise to the top. But during the season, even Betts can have series of two or three where he struggles. So how well he plays during playoffs can vary from year to year.

 

But I think pitchers are different. I'm not sure they go into prolonged slumps as do position players.

 

Why? Not sure but maybe thinking a hitter is good when he hits .300 has something to do with it. Pitcher is still winning 70% of the battle.

 

Pitching and defense still wins big games.

 

So I would take Sale at his best over Betts at his best in a 7 game series.

[moonslav59]

Yeah, if only he was Manny Margot in the post-season...

 

He's been traded twice. One has to think we could have gotten him back- had we really wanted him.

 

(I had suggested various trades to get him back- not that that means anything. I think I've suggested trades for half the players in MLB.)

[moonslav59]

I think Kimmi is right in saying the goal is to get into the playoffs then anything can happen, good or bad.

 

You pay Betts $300M because over a course of 162 game season, cream will rise to the top. But during the season, even Betts can have series of two or three where he struggles. So how well he plays during playoffs can vary from year to year.

 

But I think pitchers are different. I'm not sure they go into prolonged slumps as do position players.

 

Why? Not sure but maybe thinking a hitter is good when he hits .300 has something to do with it. Pitcher is still winning 70% of the battle.

 

Pitching and defense still wins big games.

 

So I would take Sale at his best over Betts at his best in a 7 game series.

 

Me, too.

[notin]

He's been traded twice. One has to think we could have gotten him back- had we really wanted him.

 

(I had suggested various trades to get him back- not that that means anything. I think I've suggested trades for half the players in MLB.)

 

The biggest reason to keep Margot was he would have provided a cheaper alternative for Bradley in CF for the past couple seasons, freeing up money for other areas. But once the Sox decided to pay Bradley, there was no reason to go get Margot. And Bradley, for all his ups and downs, was certainly a contributing player, especially in the 2018 post-season...

[Bellhorn04]

Except with most pitchers, there is always one other incredibly obvious possibility, and one I argued was always the case with David Price until he showed there was a good chance I was correct. And that point is that racking up larger IP totals wears a pitcher down and some pitchers are simply exhausted and worn out and probably very sore by the time October comes around.

 

And there also seems to be a trend that pitchers who log a lot of innings deep into October are not as effective the following season. (And possibly why Cora took it very easy on the Sox starters in ST 2019.) This is potentially a good factor in why so few teams seem to repeat World Series titles any more...

 

But Kershaw is always great in the regular season.

[mvp 78]

Well, if he gets rehired, what will ST 2021 look like?

 

They only played 60 games, so the pitchers should be ready to go on 2/1/21.

[Bellhorn04]

I think Kimmi is right in saying the goal is to get into the playoffs then anything can happen, good or bad.

 

You pay Betts $300M because over a course of 162 game season, cream will rise to the top. But during the season, even Betts can have series of two or three where he struggles. So how well he plays during playoffs can vary from year to year.

 

$365 million - stop shortchanging him.

[mvp 78]

But Kershaw is always great in the regular season.

 

And his September splits are good too, so it's not like he's wearing down at the end of every season like clockwork.

[Bellhorn04]

And his September splits are good too, so it's not like he's wearing down at the end of every season like clockwork.

 

And he was pitching beautifully this postseason until the 6th inning last night.

 

He seems to be a frequent victim of the 'one bad inning at the wrong time' syndrome in the postseason.

[moonslav59]

The biggest reason to keep Margot was he would have provided a cheaper alternative for Bradley in CF for the past couple seasons, freeing up money for other areas. But once the Sox decided to pay Bradley, there was no reason to go get Margot. And Bradley, for all his ups and downs, was certainly a contributing player, especially in the 2018 post-season...

 

Agreed. I was more against including Allen in the deal than Margot (at the time) and felt that package could have netted us a very good SP'er or a cheaper, top 5 closer.

[Nick]

$365 million - stop shortchanging him.

 

I stopped counting at $300....I can't comprehend that type of money....

 

Best quote from Ray Charles when told he lived modestly by an interviewer, paraphrasing..."No matter how much money you have, you can only eat three times a day"..I liked that...

Edited October 16, 2020 by Nick

[notin]

I stopped counting at $300....I can't comprehend that type of money....

 

Best quote from Ray Charles when told he lived modestly buy an interviewer, paraphrasing..."No matter how much money you have, you can only eat three times a day"..I liked that...

 

Ray Charles clearly never met Pablo Sandoval...

[Nick]

Ray Charles clearly never met Pablo Sandoval...

 

good one...

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

 

And there also seems to be a trend that pitchers who log a lot of innings deep into October are not as effective the following season. (And possibly why Cora took it very easy on the Sox starters in ST 2019.) This is potentially a good factor in why so few teams seem to repeat World Series titles any more...

 

I pose this theory whenever someone bemoans '19; Cora may not have had much of a choice.

[moonslav59]

Ray Charles clearly never met Pablo Sandoval...

 

...or Oprah.

[Thunder]

Fenway's transformation into a polling place begins today. I hope this sticks around for the future. I would LOVE to vote at Fenway. What if we were in the World Series at the same time? Sadly, I don't think I will be living within city limits, at least not when I first move up there.

[Bellhorn04]

I pose this theory whenever someone bemoans '19; Cora may not have had much of a choice.

 

I agree.

[moonslav59]

I agree.

 

I never had an issue with what Cora did with the staff that spring. Sale had obvious health concerns. Eovaldi had a history of health issues and had just been through a very high amount of high leverage IP'd that post season. Price and others pitched a lot that October, too.

 

We sucked out of the gate. That doesn't mean that was the mistake that caused it, or that we might have seen injuries had he not rested them a fraction more than normal.

[Bellhorn04]

I never had an issue with what Cora did with the staff that spring. Sale had obvious health concerns. Eovaldi had a history of health issues and had just been through a very high amount of high leverage IP'd that post season. Price and others pitched a lot that October, too.

 

And you had the starting pitchers also pitching out of the bullpen, which worked great but was also further cause for concern.

 

I absolve Cora 100%, personally.

[mvp 78]

I never had an issue with what Cora did with the staff that spring. Sale had obvious health concerns. Eovaldi had a history of health issues and had just been through a very high amount of high leverage IP'd that post season. Price and others pitched a lot that October, too.

 

We sucked out of the gate. That doesn't mean that was the mistake that caused it, or that we might have seen injuries had he not rested them a fraction more than normal.

 

It worked well for Eduardo Rodriguez. He had the best season of his career.

[moonslav59]

And you had the starting pitchers also pitching out of the bullpen, which worked great but was also further cause for concern.

 

I absolve Cora 100%, personally.

 

Not only do I absolve him, I applaud the choice, but then again, I still applaud the Grady-Pedro choice..

[mvp 78]

Not only do I absolve him, I applaud the choice, but then again, I still applaud the Grady-Pedro choice..

 

You guys are really trolling me today.

[Bellhorn04]

Not only do I absolve him, I applaud the choice, but then again, I still applaud the Grady-Pedro choice..

 

I didn't blame Grady that much at the time, but I got very angry when I found out later that Theo had gone over the numbers with him before the game and basically instructed him to get Pedro out of there at 105 pitches no matter what, and Grady chose to defy him.

[mvp 78]

I didn't blame Grady that much at the time, but I got very angry when I found out later that Theo had gone over the numbers with him before the game and basically instructed him to get Pedro out of there at 105 pitches no matter what, and Grady chose to defy him.

 

Get the catapult out at that point for Grady. Theo should've just launched him out of Yankee Stadium.

[notin]

You guys are really trolling me today.

 

I would be down on Grady more, but it's not like the Sox had some great bullpen that should have made it an easy decision. And their brief little run of post-season success was not the only factor...

[mvp 78]

I would be down on Grady more, but it's not like the Sox had some great bullpen that should have made it an easy decision. And their brief little run of post-season success was not the only factor...

 

You guys are thirsty for some catapult action, eh?

[harmony]

Contributors at Over the Monster discuss possible Red Sox extensions this offseason:

 

https://www.overthemonster.com/2020/10/16/21519059/boston-red-sox-offseason-preview-extensions-bogaerts-verdugo-devers-benintendi

 

The most interesting proposal may be for Andrew Benintendi, who has two remaining years of team control with a guaranteed 2021 salary of $6.6 million.

[Nick]

Contributors at Over the Monster discuss possible Red Sox extensions this offseason:

 

https://www.overthemonster.com/2020/10/16/21519059/boston-red-sox-offseason-preview-extensions-bogaerts-verdugo-devers-benintendi

 

The most interesting proposal may be for Andrew Benintendi, who has two remaining years of team control with a guaranteed 2021 salary of $6.6 million.

 

Extending Beni makes absolutely no sense...hell his best days maybe behind him....putting on muscle was the worst thing to do on a 5' 7 body....now he's really slow.....