A Realistic View at 2021: Part III

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Our super high BAbip against is no fluke. Our D sucks!

 

The thing is -- no matter how optimistic we can be about batters breaking out or pitchers hitting spots or baserunners making better decisions -- bad defense is seldom due to "slumps." Bad defenders can improve, if say, Dalbec practices hundreds of scoops per day or JD catches hundreds of flies. But, at this point in a pennant race, the quickest way to improve team defense is to use different players... and we know that's not happening before October.

[moonslav59]

The thing is -- no matter how optimistic we can be about batters breaking out or pitchers hitting spots or baserunners making better decisions -- bad defense is seldom due to "slumps." Bad defenders can improve, if say, Dalbec practices hundreds of scoops per day or JD catches hundreds of flies. But, at this point in a pennant race, the quickest way to improve team defense is to use different players... and we know that's not happening before October.

 

 

True. The only player that does seem to slump on D is Devers.

[moonslav59]

Just a reminder of what we had, last year, and just how many holes Bloom needed to fill with about $40M to spend- short term deals only.

 

IP Rankings

1. Pérez (re-signed him)

3. Weber

4. Valdez

5. Mazza

6. Godley

7. Brewer

8. Brasier

10 Springs

11. Brice

13. Osich

14. Covey

15. Kickham (even at #15, he was on pace for 40 IP!)

These guys for over 25 IP: Stock, Walden, Hart

These over 15: Hembree, Triggs, Hall

 

How about our PA leaders?

7. Chavis

8. Pillar

9. Peraza

10. Dalbec

11. Plawecki

12. Aráuz (on pace for 200 PAs)

Lin, Pueblo, Munoz and others played some.

 

We had a very weak roster from about 16 or 18 to 40. We’d have had to spend like the Dodgers to fill all those slots, p,us add an ace and top closer.

 

Let’s get real, here.

 

 

[harmony]

Are the Red Sox still paying Matt Andriese, whom the Sox released last week after signing the righthander in January to a one-year, $2.1 million contract with a team option for 2022?

 

The Seattle Mariners reportedly have signed Andriese to an MLB contract:

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/08/mariners-sign-matt-andriese-to-major-league-deal.html#comments

[moonslav59]

Are the Red Sox still paying Matt Andriese, whom the Sox released last week after signing the righthander in January to a one-year, $2.1 million contract with a team option for 2022?

 

The Seattle Mariners reportedly have signed Andriese to an MLB contract:

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/08/mariners-sign-matt-andriese-to-major-league-deal.html#comments

 

We pay the difference, right?

 

Unless you guys claimed him through waivers.

[illinoisredsox]

True. The only player that does seem to slump on D is Devers.

 

His D seems to follow his O. If he’s hitting well, his D is good. When he’s slumping at the plate, he carries it to the field.

[illinoisredsox]

We pay the difference, right?

 

Unless you guys claimed him through waivers.

 

The Sox released him, so Boston is responsible for all but the prorated part of the MLB minimum. Seattle is paying him somewhere between $130K and 140K.

[moonslav59]

The Sox released him, so Boston is responsible for all but the prorated part of the MLB minimum. Seattle is paying him somewhere between $130K and 140K.

 

I wasn’t sure if SEA claimed him off waivers or he cleared them and then was signed for the min.

 

I assume, now, it was the latter.

[harmony]

I wasn’t sure if SEA claimed him off waivers or he cleared them and then was signed for the min.

 

I assume, now, it was the latter.

Yes.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/08/red-sox-designate-matt-andriese-for-assignment.html

[moonslav59]

We were 54-32 on July 5th. That seems like eternity ago.

 

We’ve gone 16-23 since then, but had some moments where it looked like we were going to get back to our winning ways. We won 4 in a row and 6 of 7 vs NYY & TOR in the middle of July and 3 of 4 just last week, but it seems more and more like that 86 game team was the fluke and not this most recent 39 game team. Take away those 6 of 7 and 3 of 4 stretches and we have a 7-21 record,

 

I still think there’s plenty of time to turn things around, especially with a favorable schedule when compared to the A’s, but we gotta beat up the bad teams and hold our own with the good ones. Losing 10-1 to the Rangers after seeing them sweep us in Texas months ago, hurts, badly.

 

.

[Bellhorn04]

I still think there’s plenty of time to turn things around, especially with a favorable schedule when compared to the A’s, but we gotta beat up the bad teams and hold our own with the good ones. Losing 10-1 to the Rangers after seeing them sweep us in Texas months ago, hurts, badly.

 

.

 

I have some good news for you, then. They didn't sweep us in Texas. They won 3 out of 4.

[jacksonianmarch]

I have some good news for you, then. They didn't sweep us in Texas. They won 3 out of 4.

 

You’re likely nearing the point where you’re rooting for NY in Oakland next week

[moonslav59]

You’re likely nearing the point where you’re rooting for NY in Oakland next week

 

I’m more worried about the Jays than the As.

 

Even when I posted the Pesky Rays thread, the Yanks were always my biggest worry.

[moonslav59]

I have some good news for you, then. They didn't sweep us in Texas. They won 3 out of 4.

 

It felt like a sweep.

[illinoisredsox]

You’re likely nearing the point where you’re rooting for NY in Oakland next week

 

Never

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

You’re likely nearing the point where you’re rooting for NY in Oakland next week

 

I'm definitely rooting for the Yankees... to show all their true warts after playing over everyone's heads for a month: swing from the heels for the fences, play below-average defense at shortstop and catcher, blow late leads, confuse Boone, and go on a losing streak like they're capable of. I'm not rooting for injuries to any key players, though, because I'm confident that will happen as usual.

[moonslav59]

The Rays have scored 46 more runs than us, this year, despite these numbers:

 

.739 OPs/ 104 OPS+

 

Sox: .765/111 OPS+

 

By batting slot:

TBR/ BOS

1 .858/.742

2 .744/.745

3 .601/.859

4 .852/.883

5 .685/.883

6 .746/.711

7 .778/.655

8 .745/.759

9 .625/.625

 

I know team speed and base running smarts has something to do with it, but still...

 

How about non repeatable numbers?

 

Late & Close

.701 TBR

.671 BOS

 

High Leverage

.843 BOS

.777 TBR

 

BAbip

.308 BOS

.292 TBR

 

[MADSTORK]

We tend to forget that the Sox are rebuilding. Outside of a handful of posters, no one expected the Sox to even contend. And most people were okay with that as long as Bloom was improving the future outlook of the team.

 

Well, Bloom is improving the future outlook of the team. And amazingly enough, the Sox are contending at the same time.

 

 

How does a Team get labeled "rebuilding" when the Payroll has never been below 190 million?

[moonslav59]

How does a Team get labeled "rebuilding" when the Payroll has never been below 190 million?

 

You really don’t know?

 

Look at the 2020 roster, especially our top innings eaters, and then ask again.

[MADSTORK]

STORK is a troll.

 

I speak facts and the facts are undisputed

[moonslav59]

I speak facts and the facts are undisputed

 

Saying the AB trade was a disaster is an opinion, not a fact, and likely a wrong one, too.

 

AB sucks and we have a long way to go to see what the 5 players we got for him will give us.

 

[Oscars]

Looking ahead to next season in regard to improving the infield defence, I would like the the Sox to accept that Bogey and his limited range that hurts the team should move to 3rd base, the inconsistent Devers should go to first base where he should be serviceable, and sign a SS with a good glove and acceptable bat until Meyer arrives.

Either Kike or Arroya at 2nd base works.

Edited August 23, 2021 by Oscars

[moonslav59]

Looking ahead to next season in regard to improving the infield defence, I would like the the Sox to accept that Bogey and his limited range that hurts the team should move to 3rd base, the inconsistent Devers should go to first base where he should be serviceable, and sign a SS with a good glove and acceptable bat until Meyer arrives.

Either Kike or Arroya at 2nd base works.

 

There is a 2022 thread.

[Kimmi]

You’re likely nearing the point where you’re rooting for NY in Oakland next week

 

I'm rooting for Oakland 100%.

 

The Sox can't depend on other teams to win or lose for us. It won't matter if they don't take care of their own business.

[Kimmi]

Never

 

My man.

[Kimmi]

The Rays have scored 46 more runs than us, this year, despite these numbers:

 

.739 OPs/ 104 OPS+

 

Sox: .765/111 OPS+

 

By batting slot:

TBR/ BOS

1 .858/.742

2 .744/.745

3 .601/.859

4 .852/.883

5 .685/.883

6 .746/.711

7 .778/.655

8 .745/.759

9 .625/.625

 

I know team speed and base running smarts has something to do with it, but still...

 

How about non repeatable numbers?

 

Late & Close

.701 TBR

.671 BOS

 

High Leverage

.843 BOS

.777 TBR

 

BAbip

.308 BOS

.292 TBR

 

 

The Rays have been very fortunate in clustering their hits together, another luck thing as opposed to a skill thing. Their offense leads all of baseball with +84.2 runs in cluster runs. The Red Sox are 13th in MLB with +29.3. That's pretty much the difference right there - clustering hits together versus spreading them out.

[Kimmi]

How does a Team get labeled "rebuilding" when the Payroll has never been below 190 million?

 

The way the Sox rebuild is different than the way most other teams rebuild.

[moonslav59]

The Rays have been very fortunate in clustering their hits together, another luck thing as opposed to a skill thing. Their offense leads all of baseball with +84.2 runs in cluster runs. The Red Sox are 13th in MLB with +29.3. That's pretty much the difference right there - clustering hits together versus spreading them out.

 

As much as I hate to say it, the Rays seem to do this, every year.

 

Does that prove it's a repeatable skill, or are they just super lucky every year.

[Kimmi]

As much as I hate to say it, the Rays seem to do this, every year.

 

Does that prove it's a repeatable skill, or are they just super lucky every year.

 

Clustering hits together or, for a pitcher, scattering hits apart, are not repeatable skills.

 

I have not been able to find the data for previous years, but if I do, I will look at how the Rays have done.

[moonslav59]

Clustering hits together or, for a pitcher, scattering hits apart, are not repeatable skills.

 

I have not been able to find the data for previous years, but if I do, I will look at how the Rays have done.

 

I know. Even if they've done it 3 years in a row, it does not prove it's a repeatable Skill (or just plain "skill" for bellhorn).