just wondering

[notin]

Beagle that Hole will haunt me for the rest of my days.

 

And knowing that will help me sleep better at night...

[Maxbialystock]

The position players are set, if we want them to be, but 3 of our 5 rotation pitchers are FAs.

 

Our closer and top set up guy through June are FAs or named Barnes.

 

Our 2Bman missed 2/3 of the season, which seems to be common.

 

We need a solid utility guy, and we have 4 everyday players that can or will be FAs after 2022 (C, SS, CF, DH)

 

I wouldn't say we are all set and just need some depth and pen additions to improve on 2021.

 

Me, I'm fine with Dugo, Kike, and Renfroe in the outfield, and Devers, Bogey, Iglesias, and Dalbec in the infield with Arroyo as a backup. If JDM and Schwarber both return, I'd be fine with the system Cora has used this year with one of them playing a position. I would be OK with Plawecki and Wong as the catchers, but am fine with whatever Bloom and Cora decide.

 

I think pitching is the issue even though the Sox already have some pretty good arms (Sale, Eovaldi, Houck, Whitlock, Taylor, etc).

Edited October 8, 2021 by Maxbialystock

[moonslav59]

Me, I'm fine with Dugo, Kike, and Renfroe in the outfield, and Devers, Bogey, Iglesias, and Dalbec in the infield with Arroyo as a backup. If JDM and Schwarber both return, I'd be fine with the system Cora has used this year with one of them playing a position. I would be OK with Plawecki and Wong as the catchers, but am fine with whatever Bloom and Cora decide.

 

I think pitching is the issue even though the Sox already have some pretty good arms (Sale, Eovaldi, Houck, Whitlock, Taylor, etc).

 

I've said all along, my only top priority for filling a non pitching role is a solid utility. I'd count Arroyo as one, despite his health concerns. Maybe he can stay off the IL by sitting on the bench much of the year.

 

I've even said, I would not pay to bring back Schwarber, unless we can and will trade JD without paying too much of his salary (maybe pay $3-7M?).

 

I've said upgrading the defense is a top priority of mine, but it's probably too complicated to do, this winter. (I'd kick the tires on Bogey and consider changing positions for Bogey and Devers, but it doesn't seem worth it, right now.) We could go large and sign Semien or Biaz, but that's not my plan, unless we trade Bogey for pitching and or farm help.

 

I'm actually okay with getting slightly worse at the non pitching side of the team (No Schwarber), as long as we make major strides with the staff.

 

I love knowing Houck and Whitlock have many years left with us, but I'm not sure what roles are best for them. As of now, I'd like to see both in the pen, or maybe Whitlock as our 4th starter (Pivetta 5th)and Houck as the closer or top set up man. Even with this, we have 2-3 major holes. The first choice and decision is the QO to ERod, but even if he comes back, we need to replace the holes left by Richards, Perez and Ottavino. It's easy to say "addition by subtraction," but that's a lot of innings to replace from within the system, and many of those innings weren't as bad as we remember. Perez had the best starter numbers on the team after 12-13 starts. Richards filled a big pen need when we needed it. Ottavino had one of the pens best OPS Against number.

 

More innings from Whitlock and Houck should be great, but they are not going to go from 142 combined in 2021 to 400+ in 2020. Here are the innings lost:

158? ERod

137 Richards

114 Perez

62.0 Ottavino

37.1 Andriese

25.0 Robles

20.0 Workman

40+ others

 

That's about 550 innings. Maybe Houck and Whitlock can eat 250 of them, if they both start (140 from 2021+250=390), but we still need a major boost.

 

I'm hoping we add a solid #2 and #4, keep Houck and Whiltock in the pen and add a decent pen piece or two, but no closer spending.

[moonslav59]

I would get rid of either Vaz or Plawecki. Replace Vaz with Manny Pina or replace Plawecki with some cheap glove only guy who is just holding a spot for Hernandez or Wong.

 

I'd consider Arroyo to be the UTIL guy and sign Cesar Hernandez to play 2b.

 

Offer QO to ERod.

 

Sign Stroman.

 

Cesar's D has slipped at 2B.

 

I think Stroma will cost to much for his profile. He's not the guy I'd choose to go large and long on, despite our obvious need at the top of our rotation.

 

I'm wondering if we go for an older pitchers, so the years won't be so many.

 

[mvp 78]

Cesar's D has slipped at 2B.

 

I think Stroma will cost to much for his profile. He's not the guy I'd choose to go large and long on, despite our obvious need at the top of our rotation.

 

I'm wondering if we go for an older pitchers, so the years won't be so many.

 

 

How has his defense slipped? His UZR/150 this year was above his career average.

 

I disagree on Stroman for sure.

[moonslav59]

How has his defense slipped? His UZR/150 this year was above his career average.

 

I disagree on Stroman for sure.

 

I don't look at one season UZR/150. They actually warn against doing that.

 

Stroman has only been real good for a pretty short part of his career. (2 years and 3 of his last 4 years played)

 

His best part of his career was 2017-2021, and his WHIP was a pedestrian 1.290.

 

3.48 ERA (123 ERA+)

3.74 FIP

 

A comp you might like:

 

ERod, before this year (his previous 3 seasons played- both missed 2020):

1.297 WHIP

3.92 ERA (118 ERA+)

3.84 FIP

 

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have Stroman on the 2022 Sox, and much more so than ERod, but I don't see him as the guy you wait 6 years for to sign large and long. (Yes, 6 years since the Price signing, and look at David's numbers before we signed him!)

[Kimmi]

I wouldn't say incredible, but I'd say he definitely found some great value. Hard to complain when Yorke, Blaze, Mayer and Whitlock all appear to be great pipeline additions. I don't think the 2020 Sox were as bad as their record showed. Simple additions to the starting rotation really turned the record around. Overlooking thoughts on trading Betts, I don't see how anyone could grade him less than a B+.

 

The team is in the playoffs during what was a rebuilding year. Yes, I agree that much of the talent was already there, but you can't argue with the players that Bloom picked up that turned out to be key players. He did this while staying under the luxury tax limit and, most importantly, while strengthening our farm. Depending on whose ranking system you use, the Sox farm improved by about 11 spots this year. IMO, that's pretty incredible.

 

That said, I would still give larger credit to Cora for this year's turnaround.

[Kimmi]

But they have gone over whether "significantly" or not. They would like to stay under, but they have the ability to go over.

 

Every team has the 'ability to go over'. In reality, it's not going to happen year after year, regardless of how much money an owner has.

[Kimmi]

I think they will go over next year. They now see the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

This is a very real possibility, an added benefit of not going over this year. The Sox have the financial flexibility to make some big moves this offseason. Not that I'm condoning signing any huge contracts.

[Kimmi]

The only way Martinez opts out is if the NL formally adopts the DH for the 2022 season before his decision date (or if Boras strongly suspects it will happen this coming off-season).

 

Martinez is not opting out.

[oldtimer]

Martinez is not opting out.

 

If the leagues adopt the DH universally, he has a chance of getting a multi-year contract. Probably not close to $20 million but possibly tempting.

[Bellhorn04]

If the leagues adopt the DH universally, he has a chance of getting a multi-year contract. Probably not close to $20 million but possibly tempting.

 

But I believe his opt-out decision date comes before the new CBA date, so he won't know in time.

[mvp 78]

But I believe his opt-out decision date comes before the new CBA date, so he won't know in time.

 

This offseason could get pretty weird. Hard to forecast what the CBA will look like and even if there is a normal season next year.

[sk7326]

The Sale extension was fine. I did not LOVE the Eovaldi extension, but given the market he was entering, somebody was going to pay him. He was hurt so much in 2019 and you're better off just throwing all of the 2020 stats (this applies for every team) out the window. There is a good pitcher there clearly - albeit one with some injury risk.

[sk7326]

Every team has the 'ability to go over'. In reality, it's not going to happen year after year, regardless of how much money an owner has.

 

Yeah - the new CBA will make this interesting. I think there is a good chance there will be some actual salary cap. (the players might do it if it locks in a percentage of the pie. Right now the players are living with all of the downsides of a salary cap with none of the benefits)

 

Ideally, we can bring Schwarber back - Dalbec is not a starter, but as a platoon bat playing both corner positions there is a really interesting player. Upgrading 2B would be nice.

[Old Red]

The Sale extension was fine. I did not LOVE the Eovaldi extension, but given the market he was entering, somebody was going to pay him. He was hurt so much in 2019 and you're better off just throwing all of the 2020 stats (this applies for every team) out the window. There is a good pitcher there clearly - albeit one with some injury risk.

 

The Sale extension was not fine, because everyone knew Sale was hurt, and may never be the same again.

[mvp 78]

The Sale extension was not fine, because everyone knew Sale was hurt, and may never be the same again.

 

Yes.

[Maxbialystock]

Apropos of nothing, I just read the NYTimes version of the Sox winning their ALDS. In a nutshell, they said good hitting beat good pitching.

 

To that I would add what I have said before. The final regular season series vs the Nats was absolutely crucial to winning the home field advantage for the wild card game and it was played in a NL park, hence no DH. Nevertheless, Cora went out of his way to play both Schwarber and JDM in all three games. He also went out of his way to get JDM back into the lineup for the final 3 games--all wins--of the ALDS despite his ankle still hurting.

 

So I'm thinking keeping this ALDS line-up (JDM DH and Schwarber 1b) is worthwhile because it's actually the best combo of hitting and defense readily obtainable. Dalbec and Duran on the bench. And I like Iglesias over Arroyo at 2b.

 

We all know this pitching staff stinks to high heaven. Sale is dead. ERod is inconsistent. So is Pivetta. Almost everyone in the bullpen got nailed at least once in this series, even Houck and Pivetta (who did not start).

 

However, this pitching staff also has the lowest ERA, 4.11, of the five American League postseason staffs. Up ahead is the ALCS for further evidence of their ineptitude or, perish the thought, competence. My point is that, while Bloom should definitely be looking for good starters and relievers, he should not spend big.

 

Am I the only who noticed that the Sox won 7 of their last 8 games (including the crucial 3 games series in DC) without a closer? Or that the Sox had a great closer in 2018 and he stunk in the postseason?

Edited October 12, 2021 by Maxbialystock

[mvp 78]

Apropos of nothing, I just read the NYTimes version of the Sox winning their ALDS. In a nutshell, they said good hitting beat good pitching.

 

To that I would add what I have said before. The final regular season series vs the Nats was absolutely crucial to winning the home field advantage for the wild card game and it was played in a NL park, hence no DH. Nevertheless, Cora went out of his way to play both Schwarber and JDM in all three games. He also went out of his way to get JDM back into the lineup for the final 3 games--all wins--of the ALDS despite his ankle still hurting.

 

So I'm thinking keeping this ALDS line-up (JDM DH and Schwarber 1b) is worthwhile because it's actually the best combo of hitting and defense readily obtainable. Dalbec and Duran on the bench. And I like Iglesias over Arroyo at 2b.

 

We all know this pitching staff stinks to high heaven. Sale is dead. ERod is inconsistent. So is Pivetta. Almost everyone in the bullpen got nailed at least once in this series, even Houck and Pivetta (who did not start).

 

However, this pitching staff also has the lowest ERA, 4.11, of the five American League postseason staffs. Up ahead is the ALCS for further evidence of their ineptitude or, perish the thought, competence. My point is that, while Bloom should definitely be looking for good starters and relievers, he should not spend big.

 

Am I the only who noticed that the Sox won 7 of their last 8 games (including the crucial 3 games series in DC) without a closer? Or that the Sox had a great closer in 2018 and he stunk in the postseason?

 

Iglesias is ineligible for postseason play.