A Realistic View at 2021: Part III

[moonslav59]

With you, never. We know what you are doing. You're one of those nutjobs that constantly pines for the backup catcher. I bet you're one of the football sickos who roots for the 3rd string QB too.

 

It all started with VTek, then the anti-Salty years. (Note: he was benched in the playoffs, too.)

 

I was also into showing how Posada was not as great as many felt he was. That was fun.

 

It's not just about catchers. I enjoyed roasting Jeter's D, too.

[moonslav59]

So why is Vaz "still a better choice than Plawecki"?

 

OPS since August 1st:

 

.724 Vaz

.644 Plawecki

 

(Maybe Vaz did not need more rest.)

[moonslav59]

xFIP- since August 4:

 

72 Eovaldi

75 Whitlock

79 Sale

88 Houck

92 ERod

93 Davis

93 Perez

93 Richards

95 Robles

99 Taylor

108 Pivetta

118 Ottavino

 

ERA-

44 Richards

57 Sale

72 Eovaldi

79 Ottavino

80 ERod

88 Whitlock

90 Taylor

93 Houck

97 Davis

107 Pivetta

112 Robles

158 Perez

[moonslav59]

IP since the day Sale returned:

 

41 Eovaldi

37 ERod

35 Sale

30 Houck

20 Pivetta

19 Richards

17 Whitlock

15 Robles

14 Ottavino

11 Davis

 

SIERA since 8-14

2.60 Robles

2.84 Whitlock

2.89 Eovaldi

3.44 Sale

3.70 Richards

3.78 Davis

4.06 Houck

4.33 ERod

4.75 Ottavino

4.95 Pivetta

[mvp 78]

OPS since August 1st:

 

.724 Vaz

.644 Plawecki

 

(Maybe Vaz did not need more rest.)

 

And the people posting back in August that Plawecki's high OPS wasn't likely to continue were right then?

[moonslav59]

And the people posting back in August that Plawecki's high OPS wasn't likely to continue were right then?

 

I guess, but there is still a few games left.

 

Look, I didn't say I was right about thinking maybe Plawecki should play more because he was hitting better. I am one to not put much credence in previous few weeks sample sizes.

[mvp 78]

I guess, but there is still a few games left.

 

Look, I didn't say I was right about thinking maybe Plawecki should play more because he was hitting better. I am one to not put much credence in previous few weeks sample sizes.

 

Wrong. There ARE still a few games left.

[moonslav59]

Wrong. There ARE still a few games left.

 

That's what I said.

 

I see, now, why comprehension is lacking.

[Bellhorn04]

That's what I said.

 

I see, now, why comprehension is lacking.

 

He corrected your grammar.

 

Never trust an accountant.

[moonslav59]

Minn up 6-2 on Jays!

 

Jays run into out at home down 4.

Edited September 24, 2021 by moonslav59

[moonslav59]

7-2, now., despite hitting into 3 DPs!

 

CWS split, so we gained one in the loss column on them- not that it matters.

[moonslav59]

Jays lost that important “extra game.” Everyone now has 9 games left.

 

94-59 TBR

91-62 HOU

88-65 BOS +2 WC1/+3WC2

86-67 CWS

86-67 NYY +1 WC2

85-68 TOR -1 WC2

84-69 SEA -2 WC2

82-71 OAK -4 WC2

 

Games remaining:

 

BOS 3 v NYY, 3@BAL, 3@WSH

NYY 3@BOS, 3@TOR, 3 v TBR

TOR 3@MIN, 3 vNYY, 3 vBAL

SEA 3@LAA, 3 vOAK, 3 vLAA

[Maxbialystock]

I've looked over the last few pages and have found no successful refutation of my point that Plawecki does a better job than Vazquez with our best starter, Eovaldi. To remind: Plawecki has caught him all four games in September when his ERA has been 2.70, his best month this year.

 

What's neat about that is--assuming the Sox get to the postseason--Cora simply starts Plawecki when Eovaldi pitches and Vazquez for everyone else.

 

This has been a surprisingly good year for the Sox, and to me it is makes no sense not to give Vazquez some credit for that, especially given the issues with the defense and the importance of the bullpen.

[Bellhorn04]

I've looked over the last few pages and have found no successful refutation of my point that Plawecki does a better job than Vazquez with our best starter, Eovaldi. To remind: Plawecki has caught him all four games in September when his ERA has been 2.70, his best month this year.

 

There is no refutation. We do have respect for many numbers here.

[Maxbialystock]

Assuming the Sox do get to the postseason, maybe a discussion of lineups is in order.

 

The big issue is that Iglesias, who has been fantastic at 2b in the field and at bat, is unavailable. Arroyo is, but in my opinion he is suspect, if not in the field, almost certainly at the plate, which Cora has alluded to. He's missed too many games.

 

On the other hand, while Kike would be just fine at 2b, he would leave a big gap in the defensive outfield.

 

On still one other hand--this is a three-handed discussion--moving Verdugo to CF allows JDM and Schwarber to be DH and leftfielder, Dalbec to play 1b, Renfroe in RF, Kike at 2b and Devers and Bogey at 3b and SS. Or Shaw could start at 1b against lefties. In other words, sacrifice some defense for getting good bats into the lineup.

 

Current Sox OPS's--

 

Iglesias 1.074

Schwarber .971

Shaw .908

Bogey .889

Devers .879

JDM .868

Renfroe .823

Dalbec .806

Kike Hernandez .788

Verdugo .787

Arroyo .767

Plawecki .704

Vazquez .670

Edited September 24, 2021 by Maxbialystock

[Bellhorn04]

Assuming the Sox do get to the postseason, maybe a discussion of lineups is in order.

 

The big issue is that Iglesias, who has been fantastic at 2b in the field and at bat, is unavailable. Arroyo is, but in my opinion he is suspect, if not in the field, almost certainly at the plate, which Cora has alluded to. He's missed too many games.

 

On the other hand, while Kike would be just fine at 2b, he would leave a big gap in the defensive outfield.

 

On still one other hand--this is a three-handed discussion--moving Verdugo to CF allows JDM and Schwarber to be DH and leftfielder, Dalbec to play 1b, Renfroe in RF, and Devers and Bogey at 3b and SS. Or Shaw could start at 1b against lefties.

 

Shaw has played some 2b as well.

[notin]

Assuming the Sox do get to the postseason, maybe a discussion of lineups is in order.

 

The big issue is that Iglesias, who has been fantastic at 2b in the field and at bat, is unavailable. Arroyo is, but in my opinion he is suspect, if not in the field, almost certainly at the plate, which Cora has alluded to. He's missed too many games.

 

On the other hand, while Kike would be just fine at 2b, he would leave a big gap in the defensive outfield.

 

On still one other hand--this is a three-handed discussion--moving Verdugo to CF allows JDM and Schwarber to be DH and leftfielder, Dalbec to play 1b, Renfroe in RF, and Devers and Bogey at 3b and SS. Or Shaw could start at 1b against lefties.

 

C: Vazquez/Plawecki

1b: Dalbec/Shaw

2b: Hernandez

3b: Devers

SS: Bogaerts

LF: Schwarber

CF: Verdugo

RF: Renfroe

DH: Martinez

 

BN: Plawecki, Shaw, Duran, Arroyo

 

Vs LHP, Arroyo to 2b, Hernandez to CF, Verdugo to BN

 

Done…

[notin]

Shaw has played some 2b as well.

 

And he never should again.

 

Duran has more experience at 2b than Shaw…

[Maxbialystock]

Wrong. There ARE still a few games left.

 

Good eye. I practically invented subject-verb agreement, but that also makes me a pedant.

[Maxbialystock]

C: Vazquez/Plawecki

1b: Dalbec/Shaw

2b: Hernandez

3b: Devers

SS: Bogaerts

LF: Schwarber

CF: Verdugo

RF: Renfroe

DH: Martinez

 

BN: Plawecki, Shaw, Duran, Arroyo

 

Vs LHP, Arroyo to 2b, Hernandez to CF, Verdugo to BN

 

Done…

 

Pretty good.

[dgalehouse]

Getting a wild card is now almost a certainty. Probably the first wild card and home field for the play-in game. Who will be the opponent? I think the Yankees might be slightly easier to beat than the Blue Jays. It's hard to say. Seattle would be the easiest ( no offense, Harmony) , but they are still a long shot to make it. If the Sox can win it , I think they have a real shot against any of the teams that will be in the post season tournament.

[moonslav59]

C: Vazquez/Plawecki

1b: Dalbec/Shaw

2b: Hernandez

3b: Devers

SS: Bogaerts

LF: Schwarber

CF: Verdugo

RF: Renfroe

DH: Martinez

 

BN: Plawecki, Shaw, Duran, Arroyo

 

Vs LHP, Arroyo to 2b, Hernandez to CF, Verdugo to BN

 

Done…

 

Our last 3 games are at WSH with no DH.

 

Things will get real interesting.

 

I have to think JD and Schwarber sit at least one game. Dalbec probably will, too, so Schwarber can get one game at 1B.

 

It also means Kike plays 3 games at 2B and there is no Iggy and much worse D.

[kenmeister]

Getting a wild card is now almost a certainty. Probably the first wild card and home field for the play-in game. Who will be the opponent? I think the Yankees might be slightly easier to beat than the Blue Jays. It's hard to say. Seattle would be the easiest ( no offense, Harmony) , but they are still a long shot to make it. If the Sox can win it , I think they have a real shot against any of the teams that will be in the post season tournament.

 

Hey all, sorry I've been absent, but now that the team is playing better I'm getting baseball fever.

 

I'm worried about the Red Sox playing the Astros. Anyone else in the AL I think they can possibly win against.

[dgalehouse]

Getting a wild card is now almost a certainty. Probably the first wild card and home field for the play-in game. Who will be the opponent? I think the Yankees might be slightly easier to beat than the Blue Jays. It's hard to say. Seattle would be the easiest ( no offense, Harmony) , but they are still a long shot to make it. If the Sox can win it , I think they have a real shot against any of the teams that will be in the post season tournament.

 

Seattle has six against the Angels and three more with Oakland , so they could get hot while the Yanks and Jays stumble. Can't entirely count the Mariners out .

[harmony]

Seattle has six against the Angels and three more with Oakland , so they could get hot while the Yanks and Jays stumble. Can't entirely count the Mariners out .

It's a long shot for the Seattle Mariners.

 

With this week's four-game sweep in Oakland, the Mariners are 6-1 on their current 10-game road trip with three games remaining in Anaheim. For the third time in four years the M's are likely to be eliminated in the final week of the season.

 

Props to the underdog.

[moonslav59]

It's a long shot for the Seattle Mariners.

 

With this week's four-game sweep in Oakland, the Mariners are 6-1 on their current 10-game road trip with three games remaining in Anaheim. For the third time in four years the M's are likely to be eliminated in the final week of the season.

 

Props to the underdog.

 

You guys have nothing to be ashamed of. You outperformed expectations and run differential to win more.

 

It will be interesting to see, if you spend big, this winter.

 

Nice run.

[moonslav59]

88-66 BOS wc1

87-67 NYY wc2 (-1 wc1)

85-69 TOR -2 wc2

85-69 SEA -2 wc2

 

Edited September 25, 2021 by moonslav59

[moonslav59]

Games remaining:

 

BOS 2 v NYY, 3@BAL, 3@WSH

NYY 2@BOS, 3@TOR, 3 v TBR

TOR 2@MIN, 3 vNYY, 3 vBAL

SEA 2@LAA, 3 vOAK, 3 vLAA

 

Match-ups:

 

Saturday

NYY (Cortes) @ BOS (Pivetta)

TOR (Ray) @ MIN (TBD)

SEA (Anderson) @ LAA (Barria)

 

Sunday

TOR (Manoah) @ MIN (Jax)

SEA (Gonzalez) @ LAA (Ohtani)

NYY (Montgomery) @ BOS (ERod)

 

OFF

 

Sox

Tuesday: @BAL (Sale)

Wednesday: @BAL (Eovaldi)

Thursday: @BAL (Pivetta)

Friday: @WSH (ERod)

Saturday: @WSH (Seabold/Houck)

Sunday: @WSH (Sale, if needed)

 

 

[moonslav59]

Sox RBI Leaders

 

108 Devers (628 PAs)

95 JD (604)

91 Renfroe (539)

79 Bogey (568)

76 Dalbec (398)

59 Verdugo (582)

57 Kike (547)

46 Vaz (441)

25 Arroyo (177)

17 Schwarber (140)

 

RBI/PA

.191 Dalbec

.172 Devers

.169 Renfroe

.157 JD

.141 Arroyo

.121 Schwarber

.104 Kike

.104 Vaz

.101 Verdugo

[moonslav59]

OBP

(.444 Iggy)

.429 Schwarber

.371 Bogey

.352 Verdugo

.352 Martinez

.350 Devers

.340 Kike

.337 Plawecki

.320 Arroyo

.319 Renfroe

.313 Vaz

.306 Dalbec

 

 

 

SLG

(.600 Iggy)

.535 Schwarber

.531 Devers

.521 JD

.511 Bogey

.501 Bogey

.500 Renfroe

.497 Dalbec

.454 Kike

.447 Arroyo

.429 Verdugo

.367 Plawecki

.354 Vaz

.