A Realistic View at 2021: Part II

[notin]

The Cubs DFA’d Workman. He was dumped by the Red Sox too late. He should have been traded after his career season in 2019 when he had more value.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/04/cubs-dfa-brandon-workman.html

 

I’m happy with Pivetta so far...

[kenmeister]

I’m happy with Pivetta so far...

 

Beat me to it. He just beat DeGrom I'm pretty stoked for him.

 

I wonder if she would bring him back as a reclamation project.

[oldtimer]

Danny Santana has a opt out clause if not promoted to our ML team by April 30th. It's fish or cut bait time for him.

[moonslav59]

Danny Santana has a opt out clause if not promoted to our ML team by April 30th. It's fish or cut bait time for him.

 

He agreed to extend it into May, because he's not quite ready.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I’m happy with Pivetta so far...

 

Amateur coaches at many levels are now requiring players to listen to the wisdom of Pivetta:

 

https://www.audacy.com/weei/sports/red-sox/the-nick-pivetta-quote-red-sox-fans-seemed-to-love

[moonslav59]

I was really happy we got Pivetta. Getting Seabold with him could make that deal a bonanza. I heard Workman was recently DFA'd, so Bloom did well not trying to bring him back.

[Bellhorn04]

The Cubs DFA’d Workman. He was dumped by the Red Sox too late. He should have been traded after his career season in 2019 when he had more value.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/04/cubs-dfa-brandon-workman.html

 

You don't think getting a starter who is currently 3-0 with a 2.81 ERA a pretty good return for Workman?

[moonslav59]

You don't think getting a starter who is currently 3-0 with a 2.81 ERA a pretty good return for Workman?

 

He's been a Pivetta basher since day one (along with Bloom).

[notin]

He's been a Pivetta basher since day one (along with Bloom).

 

The entire comment was weird. Not really sure Workman had more value immediately after the 2019 season as opposed to a few months later. Especially since relief pitchers are often at a premium at the trade deadline...

[moonslav59]

The entire comment was weird. Not really sure Workman had more value immediately after the 2019 season as opposed to a few months later. Especially since relief pitchers are often at a premium at the trade deadline...

 

He didn't really pitch much in 2020, but with the shortened season and late start, not many did.

 

I do remember suggesting we trade players with one year left, once it became clear we were tanking in 2020.

 

The part about "getting more" is speculative, but that's what this board is all about.

 

I'm glad we have Pivetta, and I'm pretty high on Seabold, too.

[mvp 78]

You don't think getting a starter who is currently 3-0 with a 2.81 ERA a pretty good return for Workman?

 

I would have been ok with them just getting Seabold for those two. Pivetta was a buy low guy. He's worked out well.

[mvp 78]

The entire comment was weird. Not really sure Workman had more value immediately after the 2019 season as opposed to a few months later. Especially since relief pitchers are often at a premium at the trade deadline...

 

And the desperation the Phillies had last year... Teams are usually less desperate in the offseason.

[moonslav59]

And the desperation the Phillies had last year... Teams are usually less desperate in the offseason.

 

Sometimes less contract cost raises the value of a player at the deadline, too.

[moonslav59]

Sox Starter ERAs (perhaps the biggest surprise beyond Whitlock)

2.81 Pivetta

3.52 ERod

3.77 Eovaldi

4.70 Perez

4.82 Houck

4.94 Richards

 

WHIP

0.870 ERod

1.151 Eovaldi

1.247 Pivetta

1.478 Perez

1.500 Houck

1.606 Richards

 

OPS Against

.603 Pivetta

.643 ERod

.660 Eovaldi

.746 Perez

.773 Richards

.791 Houck

[moonslav59]

Sox RP'ing:

 

OPS Against

.319 Whitlock

.351 barnes

.368 Valdez

 

.577 Andriese

.606 Ottavino

 

.792 Sawamura

.834 DHern

.837 Brice

 

1.039 Taylor

 

WHIP

0.571 Barnes

0.600 Whitlock

0.774 Valdez

 

1.105 Andriese

1.147 Sawamura

 

1.500 Brice

1.500 Ottavino

 

1.870 DHern

 

2.640 Taylor

[moonslav59]

Team Pitching:

 

Starters: 3.98 (1.283 WHIP) .696 OPS Against

 

Relievers: 3.19 (1.198) .619

 

Team: 3.65 (1.247) .665 OPS Against

 

.562 OPS Against vs LHB

.735 v RHB

 

.691 Home

.619 Away

 

[moonslav59]

Let's look at innings played by position:

 

C

170 Vaz

59 Plawecki

(Expect about the same- maybe a little more from Vaz.)

 

1B

177 Dalbec

52 Marwin

(Same?)

 

2B

129 Arroyo

56 Marwin

44 Hernandez

(Arroyo has won the job, for now.)

 

3B

211 Devers

18 Marwin

(Yup)

 

SS

199 Bogey

27 Marwin

2 Hernandez/1 Arroyo

(Yup)

 

OF

192 Verdugo

161 Herndandez

150 Renfroe

109 Cordero

42 JD

33 Marwin

(I expect Marwin to start taking innings from Cordero-Renfroe. Note: Verdugo does not lead any one OF position in innings.)

 

LF

109 Cordero

56 Verdugo

40 JD

24 Marwin

(I expected Renfroe in LF.)

 

CF

161 Herndnadez

66 Verdugo

2 Renfroe

(What I wanted but surprising.)

 

RF

148 Renfroe

70 Verdugo

9 Marwin

2 JD

(I expected Verdugo more, here, but this seems to be the plan.)

 

Total Innings (all positions combined)

211 Devers

207 Kike

199 Bogey

192 Verdugo

186 Marwin

177 Dalbec

170 Vaz

150 Renfroe

130 Arroyo

109 Cordero

59 Plawecki

42 JD

 

Team UZR/150

20th at -1.4 (Yanks are 21st at -2.3 & Blue Jays are 29th at -7.6)

 

2nd 2B +11.3 (Pedey who?)

3rd LF +11.7 (LF dimensions in Fenway usually hurt UZR/150)

8th

12th 3B +2.6 (Surprise, surprise!)

13th Catcher (No UZR/150)

23rd 1B -2.8 (Should improve.)

25th CF -9.5 (So much for Kike's plus metrics in CF beforehand)

28th SS -17.3 (About where we always are.)

 

Edited April 30, 2021 by moonslav59

[kenmeister]

Sox Starter ERAs (perhaps the biggest surprise beyond Whitlock)

2.81 Pivetta

3.52 ERod

3.77 Eovaldi

4.70 Perez

4.82 Houck

4.94 Richards

 

WHIP

0.870 ERod

1.151 Eovaldi

1.247 Pivetta

1.478 Perez

1.500 Houck

1.606 Richards

 

OPS Against

.603 Pivetta

.643 ERod

.660 Eovaldi

.746 Perez

.773 Richards

.791 Houck

 

If Richards has found his groove, and Pivetta, E-Rod, and Eovaldi are still dealing, then I guess it's Perez who gets the boot when Sale comes back. Unless they go to a 6-man rotation.

[mvp 78]

If Richards has found his groove, and Pivetta, E-Rod, and Eovaldi are still dealing, then I guess it's Perez who gets the boot when Sale comes back. Unless they go to a 6-man rotation.

 

There's no chance they are all 100% healthy or this productive. I would agree that Perez could get the boot, but maybe they'd just work Sale in the way they currently use Whitlock?

[moonslav59]

If Richards has found his groove, and Pivetta, E-Rod, and Eovaldi are still dealing, then I guess it's Perez who gets the boot when Sale comes back. Unless they go to a 6-man rotation.

 

Someone, most likely Perez, would go to long relief.

 

What to do with Houck and the "stretched out" Whitlock are also situations to watch.

 

Yes, as MVP points out, the chances of no injuries or implosions is remote.

 

As of now, we might ranks our starters as such:

 

1. ERod

2. Sale

3. Eovaldi

4. Pivetta

5. Richards

6. Perez

 

? Houck

? Whitlock

? Seabold

 

[mvp 78]

Someone, most likely Perez, would go to long relief.

 

What to do with Houck and the "stretched out" Whitlock are also situations to watch.

 

Yes, as MVP points out, the chances of no injuries or implosions is remote.

 

As of now, we might ranks our starters as such:

 

1. ERod

2. Sale

3. Eovaldi

4. Pivetta

5. Richards

6. Perez

 

? Houck

? Whitlock

? Seabold

 

 

Having Houck and Whitlock in the pen during a playoff game would be nasty.

[moonslav59]

Having Houck and Whitlock in the pen during a playoff game would be nasty.

 

It's been great that we have been able to limit their innings early, so we can have them, later.

 

I figured we may have to use Houck's innings all up before Sale came back, but the starting 5 have done the job. The worst two- Richards and Perez- have looked much better, of late.

[notin]

Someone, most likely Perez, would go to long relief.

 

What to do with Houck and the "stretched out" Whitlock are also situations to watch.

 

Yes, as MVP points out, the chances of no injuries or implosions is remote.

 

As of now, we might ranks our starters as such:

 

1. ERod

2. Sale

3. Eovaldi

4. Pivetta

5. Richards

6. Perez

 

? Houck

? Whitlock

? Seabold

 

 

By the time Sale gets back, another injury or two will relieve this potential logjam.

 

This team has both Eovaldi and Garrett Richards; too much health will not be a problem all year long...

[moonslav59]

By the time Sale gets back, another injury or two will relieve this potential logjam.

 

This team has both Eovaldi and Garrett Richards; too much health will not be a problem all year long...

 

Almost a certainty, but it' also possible one or both give us nearly a full season. (Then, Perez or Pivetta gets hurt.)

 

The good thing is we don't just have one guy, Sale, to take their places: we have Houck, Seabold and maybe Whitlock & Seabold.

[Nick]

Cora still resists putting Verdugo at the leadoff spot.

 

Isn't it comical? What's the big f***ing deal? Verdugo thrived as the leadoff batter last year. Cora just don't want to do it because another manager had already done it?

 

Let's help him out. Penciled him as the leadoff hitter. When he comes to bat in first inning, we can all pretend that there's ONE OUT. See how easy that is?

 

Don't fix it if it's not broken never met if you ain't getting better, you're getting worse.

 

Hell, they're even coming around to giving Rule5 guy some pressure innings.

 

the Freakin' Rule 5 Whitlock.

[moonslav59]

I kinda like the idea of Arroyo leading off for a while.

 

Our bottom order is in such a funk, lengthening the line-up seems like a good idea.

[iortiz]

I kinda like the idea of Arroyo leading off for a while.

 

Our bottom order is in such a funk, lengthening the line-up seems like a good idea.

 

I’ve been asking for this.

[Kimmi]

Cora still resists putting Verdugo at the leadoff spot.

 

Isn't it comical? What's the big f***ing deal? Verdugo thrived as the leadoff batter last year. Cora just don't want to do it because another manager had already done it?

 

Let's help him out. Penciled him as the leadoff hitter. When he comes to bat in first inning, we can all pretend that there's ONE OUT. See how easy that is?

 

Don't fix it if it's not broken never met if you ain't getting better, you're getting worse.

 

Hell, they're even coming around to giving Rule5 guy some pressure innings.

 

the Freakin' Rule 5 Whitlock.

 

I was against putting Kike in the lead off spot as much as anyone was. However, I will support Cora's decision and the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' mantra as long as the team is winning. Might we be better than we currently are if Verdugo was leading off? It's possible. But it's also just as possible that we wouldn't be. Line up changes just don't make that big of a difference.

 

We have the best record in baseball. If the offense really starts struggling, then I'm all for dropping Kike down in the order. For now, I'd let it ride.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

 

We have the best record in baseball. If the offense really starts struggling, then I'm all for dropping Kike down in the order. For now, I'd let it ride.

 

Baseball fans fanatical enough to hang out on sites like this all year are very discerning. We can see flaws in the Red Sox' offense, defense, pitching, coaching, and general managing. But after the first month or 1/6th of the season, all other clubs in the MLB have just as many -- if not bigger -- flaws. Even the mighty Dodgers are whiffing, just three Ks away from the worst swing-and-miss team in the NL.

 

The Sox were seven games over .500 for April. If they can maintain such a reasonable rate -- and go just 71-64 the next five months -- it's an 88-win pace. In an overrated, mediocre division, that should be enough to contend for a playoff spot all season... and to keep us watching all summer!

[Bellhorn04]

Cora still resists putting Verdugo at the leadoff spot.

 

Isn't it comical? What's the big f***ing deal? Verdugo thrived as the leadoff batter last year. Cora just don't want to do it because another manager had already done it?

 

Let's help him out. Penciled him as the leadoff hitter. When he comes to bat in first inning, we can all pretend that there's ONE OUT. See how easy that is?

 

Don't fix it if it's not broken never met if you ain't getting better, you're getting worse.

 

Hell, they're even coming around to giving Rule5 guy some pressure innings.

 

the Freakin' Rule 5 Whitlock.

 

Jeez Nick. Let me see if I've got this straight.

 

You're still pretty pissed that a Rule 5 rookie coming off Tommy John surgery didn't get his first high leverage outing until all the way to April 23.