A Realistic View at 2021: Part II

[Kimmi]

Toronto is looking like they might give the Rays a run for the money.

 

The Jays need pitching. If they get starting pitching, look out.

[moonslav59]

E-Rod is starting to look like the real E-Rod again.

 

I still think the uncertainty of COVID long term effects will cause the Sox to pass on ERod

[Bellhorn04]

I still think the uncertainty of COVID long term effects will cause the Sox to pass on ERod

 

I don't know. It looks like he has shaken off the effects. Nobody knows much about long term effects.

 

The big questions are how much he wants, and whether he would take somewhat of a discount to stay with the Sox.

[moonslav59]

I don't know. It looks like he has shaken off the effects. Nobody knows much about long term effects.

 

The big questions are how much he wants, and whether he would take somewhat of a discount to stay with the Sox.

 

There is still a lot of season left, so we may know more, later, but with COVID, we don't know about issues arising years from now.

 

Neither do other teams, so maybe ERod realizes that and will extend with us at a reasonable amount.

 

Can any of us know what is reasonable under these circumstances.

[Nick]

I've got NOTHING.....the team is playing well....

 

Even though he gave up a home run last night, I love watching Whitlock pitch. When you attack the strike zone often, home runs will come. The key is not to have guy on base on a walk.

 

I love his pace. Whitlock gets the ball back and he's ready to fire.

 

You see slow walking people all the time. Whitlock is a fast walker.

[Nick]

It appears we've lengthened our hitting order.....#1-#6 is more fun than #2-#5.

 

Kike is doing fine now as a leadoff hitter....just looks more confident

 

Renfroe is doing his thing from #6 spot

 

I'd guess Arroyo will take over 2B when he returns...#7#8/#9 spot

 

Vaz is Vaz...#7/#8/#9

 

It sure would be nice if Dalbec turned it up a notch....#7/#8/#9 spot

Edited July 3, 2021 by Nick

[moonslav59]

It appears we've lengthened our hitting order.....#1-#6 is more fun than #2-#5.

 

Kike is doing fine now as a leadoff hitter....just looks more confident

 

Renfroe is doing his thing from #6 spot

 

I'd guess Arroyo will take over 2B when he returns...#7#8/#9 spot

 

Vaz is Vaz...#7/#8/#9

 

It sure would be nice if Dalbec turned it up a notch....#7/#8/#9 spot

 

Arroyo still to prove he’s a keeper, but what’s not to like, so far- other than injuries?

 

Vaz has been around .800 from 2019-2020, so hoping for .750 for the second half of 2021 is not a stretch.

 

Dalbec remains the biggest wildcard- biggest upside and maybe downside, too. Maybe Cordero can help at 1B. Maybe, a Duran call-up can allow Kike to help at 1B & 2B some.

 

Gotta like the way things are looking going into the holiday!

[harmony]

The AL West has the Astros. Outside of that, the AL East > the AL West. I will grant you the tougher competition against the NL West than against the NL East. OTOH, it could be said that the NL West looks so strong because they have such weak competition against the AL West.

Outside the Astros and the Red Sox, is the AL West stronger than the AL East?

 

The "weak competition" of the AL West has a 57-48 (.543) record in head-to-head competition against the AL East.

[illinoisredsox]

I've got NOTHING.....the team is playing well....

 

Even though he gave up a home run last night, I love watching Whitlock pitch. When you attack the strike zone often, home runs will come. The key is not to have guy on base on a walk.

 

I love his pace. Whitlock gets the ball back and he's ready to fire.

 

You see slow walking people all the time. Whitlock is a fast walker.

 

Jim Palmer is the poster child for this. In 19 years, 558 games and 3948 innings, he allowed 303 home runs.

 

193 were solo shots.

83 were 2-run homers

27 were 3-run homers

0 were grand slams (he did allow one in a minor league game to some guy named Johnny Bench).

 

He also apparently never allowed back-to-back homers.

[moonslav59]

Jim Palmer is the poster child for this. In 19 years, 558 games and 3948 innings, he allowed 303 home runs.

 

193 were solo shots.

83 were 2-run homers

27 were 3-run homers

0 were grand slams (he did allow one in a minor league game to some guy named Johnny Bench).

 

He also apparently never allowed back-to-back homers.

 

Amazing!

 

It can’t be a fluke. It also shows how some players can do better under more stressful conditions.

[Nick]

Jim Palmer is the poster child for this. In 19 years, 558 games and 3948 innings, he allowed 303 home runs.

 

193 were solo shots.

83 were 2-run homers

27 were 3-run homers

0 were grand slams (he did allow one in a minor league game to some guy named Johnny Bench).

 

He also apparently never allowed back-to-back homers.

 

Thanks for the stats on Jim Palmer.

[illinoisredsox]

Amazing!

 

It can’t be a fluke. It also shows how some players can do better under more stressful conditions.

 

Thanks for the stats on Jim Palmer.

 

I just always found it incredible that he never allowed a grand slam in the majors while pitching that long and for that many innings.

 

He did walk home a run 13 times (something he was not afraid to do, reasoning 1 run was better than 4). There was an article I saw a while back in which the reporter started giving him a list of 12 names. The reporter got 3 names in and Palmer responded oh, those are the guys I walked with the bases loaded.

[notin]

Not sure if anyone has brought this up, but Matt Barnes has 4 blown saves this year. The Red Sox are 3-1 in those games….

[Maxbialystock]

Arroyo still to prove he’s a keeper, but what’s not to like, so far- other than injuries?

 

Vaz has been around .800 from 2019-2020, so hoping for .750 for the second half of 2021 is not a stretch.

 

Dalbec remains the biggest wildcard- biggest upside and maybe downside, too. Maybe Cordero can help at 1B. Maybe, a Duran call-up can allow Kike to help at 1B & 2B some.

 

Gotta like the way things are looking going into the holiday!

 

A tiny reminder. This year Dalbec has hit righties better--higher OPS--than Cordero. Plus Cordero is an outfielder trying to become an infielder. That said, I seen no reason to hang onto Santana, which frees up a space unless Arroyo needs that space.

[Nick]

Mets beating Yankees 8-3 after 6. When can we start feeling sorry for them? They have tough trip to Seattle and to Houston before the All-Star break.

 

If I'm Hal, I wouldn't worry too much about 2021. He better get ready for 2022 season.

 

Aaron Judge will get a hefty raise this winter. Arbitration #3 coming up.

Edited July 3, 2021 by Nick

[moonslav59]

A tiny reminder. This year Dalbec has hit righties better--higher OPS--than Cordero. Plus Cordero is an outfielder trying to become an infielder. That said, I seen no reason to hang onto Santana, which frees up a space unless Arroyo needs that space.

 

What if Santana keeps hitting well?

1.212 OPS last 3 games

.785 last 8 games

[d-money]

Mets beating Yankees 8-3 after 6. When can we start feeling sorry for them? They have tough trip to Seattle and to Houston before the All-Star break.

 

If I'm Hal, I wouldn't worry too much about 2021. He better get ready for 2022 season.

 

Aaron Judge will get a hefty raise this winter. Arbitration #3 coming up.

 

Surprise that judge hasn’t asked for the big bucks.

[notin]

A tiny reminder. This year Dalbec has hit righties better--higher OPS--than Cordero. Plus Cordero is an outfielder trying to become an infielder. That said, I seen no reason to hang onto Santana, which frees up a space unless Arroyo needs that space.

 

The Sox will demote Chavis before they DFA Santana. That way, they get to hold on to both of them....

[Kimmi]

I don't know. It looks like he has shaken off the effects. Nobody knows much about long term effects.

 

The big questions are how much he wants, and whether he would take somewhat of a discount to stay with the Sox.

 

Agreed. I don't think the FO is really concerned about long term COVID effects. I think the Sox will want to extend him, but they won't be crazy about it. It would have to be a team friendly deal.

[Kimmi]

I've got NOTHING.....the team is playing well....

 

 

I love it.

[moonslav59]

Agreed. I don't think the FO is really concerned about long term COVID effects. I think the Sox will want to extend him, but they won't be crazy about it. It would have to be a team friendly deal.

 

I can’t imagine COVID concerns not affecting the contract amount and years.

[Kimmi]

It appears we've lengthened our hitting order.....#1-#6 is more fun than #2-#5.

 

Kike is doing fine now as a leadoff hitter....just looks more confident

 

Renfroe is doing his thing from #6 spot

 

I'd guess Arroyo will take over 2B when he returns...#7#8/#9 spot

 

Vaz is Vaz...#7/#8/#9

 

It sure would be nice if Dalbec turned it up a notch....#7/#8/#9 spot

 

I'm not too happy about seeing Marwin, Santana, and Chavis all in the lineup at the same time, but what can I say.

 

Our offense is good. We just need to let Cora do his thing.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Thanks for the stats on Jim Palmer.

 

Things I actually remember: Palmer won World Series games -- and rings -- in three decades. He also was a 20-game winner in eight of nine seasons... but in the Baltimore dynasty -- 1966-1971 -- Palmer was never quite considered the staff ace; Cuellar and McNally outpointed Palmer in Cy Young and MVP votes every year during that era. Imagine having a Hall of Famer in his prime as your #3 starter?

[Bellhorn04]

What if Santana keeps hitting well?

1.212 OPS last 3 games

.785 last 8 games

 

They saw something in him, and their vision has been pretty good.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Imagine having a Hall of Famer in his prime as your #3 starter?

 

Response to 5GGs: Braves fans did in the 1990s.

[Kimmi]

Outside the Astros and the Red Sox, is the AL West stronger than the AL East?

 

The "weak competition" of the AL West has a 57-48 (.543) record in head-to-head competition against the AL East.

 

I cannot argue against the head to head W-L records. I don't think that head to head record necessarily makes the AL West a stronger division.

 

Against Houston, the AL East has a -45 run differential.

 

Against the rest of the AL West, the AL East has a +44 run differential, and that includes lowly Baltimore with the 2nd worst run differential in baseball.

 

I stand by my statement that outside of the Astros, the AL East > the AL West. Granted, I can't just discount the Astros. In which case, the AL West has a +1 advantage.

[Kimmi]

Jim Palmer is the poster child for this. In 19 years, 558 games and 3948 innings, he allowed 303 home runs.

 

193 were solo shots.

83 were 2-run homers

27 were 3-run homers

0 were grand slams (he did allow one in a minor league game to some guy named Johnny Bench).

 

He also apparently never allowed back-to-back homers.

 

Good stuff Illinois. That's pretty incredible.

 

Palmer was obviously a much better pitcher than he is announcer. LOL

[Kimmi]

Not sure if anyone has brought this up, but Matt Barnes has 4 blown saves this year. The Red Sox are 3-1 in those games….

 

If I'm not mistaken, they were all 1 run leads that he has blown. Still a blown save, but better than blowing 2 or 3 run leads.

[Kimmi]

I can’t imagine COVID concerns not affecting the contract amount and years.

 

Because ERod hasn't shown any ill effects of COVID since returning, I don't think it's a big concern. Of course, the Sox would do their due diligence on medicals, for what that's worth. Also, I'm not talking about a monster contract. I'm talking about a 4 year deal type of thing, buying out his last arb year.

[Kimmi]

They saw something in him, and their vision has been pretty good.

 

In Bloom, we trust.