Fire Bloom .

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Lost in this sea of finger-pointing is the credit due to our never-rebuilding CBO Classics major... Imagine how tempting it must have been for Bloom to just sign heroic power hitters named Homer?

 

Instead, thinking outside the batter's box, we have sly rally-starter Kike Hernandez -- he who waits with two strikes for a dirtball to bounce past the catcher... then fakes a swing and Ks on purpose, while sprinting safely to first base.

 

What's next, batters going up there looking to just make good contact... with the catcher's mitt?

[moonslav59]

Lost in this sea of finger-pointing is the credit due to our never-rebuilding CBO Classics major... Imagine how tempting it must have been for Bloom to just sign heroic power hitters named Homer?

 

Instead, thinking outside the batter's box, we have sly rally-starter Kike Hernandez -- he who waits with two strikes for a dirtball to bounce past the catcher... then fakes a swing and Ks on purpose, while sprinting safely to first base.

 

What's next, batters going up there looking to just make good contact... with the catcher's mitt?

 

Busting a gut, too early in the morning!

[jad]

We could have signed the healthy J Baez or the not so healthy Seeger.

 

Don't be ridiculous. Those two haven't sung together in decades.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Don't be ridiculous. Those two haven't sung together in decades.

 

We shall overcome (someone on the Fire Bloom thread had to say it).

[moonslav59]

"Diamonds and Rust" Edited April 19, 2023 by moonslav59

[sk7326]

And Yoshida has 5 years to go

 

So far he has lived up to the skeptic - certainly does a good job controlling the strike zone for now ... but if he doesn't start actually hitting line drives, teams will stop allowing him to take pitches

[Bellhorn04]

The money it would have cost to keep Vazquez is exactly one-third of what it cost for Yoshida (not including the posting fee).

[Bellhorn04]

If Kluber and Yoshida both continue to suck, that pretty much has to be it for Bloom, seriously. The guy seems to be throwing darts, and too often missing the board completely.

[notin]

If Kluber and Yoshida both continue to suck, that pretty much has to be it for Bloom, seriously. The guy seems to be throwing darts, and too often missing the board completely.

 

I could see Yoshida being a factor, but I doubt any GM/Pres of OPS/whatever for any team anywhere has been fired over a one year deal like Kluber’s…

[moonslav59]

The money it would have cost to keep Vazquez is exactly one-third of what it cost for Yoshida (not including the posting fee).

 

Indeed, Vaz is a major overpay.

[Bellhorn04]

Indeed, Vaz is a major overpay.

 

Nope.

[Bellhorn04]

I could see Yoshida being a factor, but I doubt any GM/Pres of OPS/whatever for any team anywhere has been fired over a one year deal like Kluber’s…

 

Yeah, but Bloom said he was going to acquire a starter with "leadership, innings and UPSIDE".

 

Kluber has about as much upside as the Titanic. It's a complete joke that Bloom would say something like that and follow it up like that. But we're not laughing.

[mvp 78]

The money it would have cost to keep Vazquez is exactly one-third of what it cost for Yoshida (not including the posting fee).

 

Comparing a 3 year deal and a 5 year deal in this manner is kinda silly. Need to compare AAV.

[moonslav59]

Comparing a 3 year deal and a 5 year deal in this manner is kinda silly. Need to compare AAV.

 

I think that would make it one half.

[mvp 78]

I think that would make it one half.

 

A fairer comparison IMO. Also, I don't remember a big furor over not re-signing Vaz.

[moonslav59]

A fairer comparison IMO. Also, I don't remember a big furor over not re-signing Vaz.

 

Is anybody saying we should have outbid the Twins?

 

Our catchers are not this team's problem- far from it. In fact, our catching pair place T8th in team fWAR at +0.5.

 

We are 28th at 1B, but god forbid someone suggest giving Casas a break to regroup.

 

We are 27th at 2B and 28th at SS with very few in-system options to try and bring that up- just hopes that the guys we have wake the EFF up.

 

Our rotation is 29th, and we have no chance of doing anything exciting, unless we can get the to mid tier.

 

[jad]

A fairer comparison IMO. Also, I don't remember a big furor over not re-signing Vaz.

 

Then you didn't listen to Joe Castiglione the other night (but what does that old school fart know about baseball!), or the fans who paid tribute to him (but who gives a cr*p about a bunch of no-account pink hats?), or Devers (who clearly knows nothing about CERA or xWAR), or the other players on the RS (who know s*** about team chemistry).

[moonslav59]

Then you didn't listen to Joe Castiglione the other night (but what does that old school fart know about baseball!), or the fans who paid tribute to him (but who gives a cr*p about a bunch of no-account pink hats?), or Devers (who clearly knows nothing about CERA or xWAR), or the other players on the RS (who know s*** about team chemistry).

 

So, what you are saying is that Vaz was the team's meth connection?

[Bellhorn04]

A fairer comparison IMO. Also, I don't remember a big furor over not re-signing Vaz.

 

There are too many things with this team to get into a furor about. Some of them get buried in the mix for a while.

[Bellhorn04]

Then you didn't listen to Joe Castiglione the other night (but what does that old school fart know about baseball!), or the fans who paid tribute to him (but who gives a cr*p about a bunch of no-account pink hats?), or Devers (who clearly knows nothing about CERA or xWAR), or the other players on the RS (who know s*** about team chemistry).

 

Article in the Athletic today about the Sox catching issues, and Cora talking about Vaz and how much he has grown as a player. Cora's words had a "wistful" tone, you might say.

[Bellhorn04]

If Wong turns out to be a really good catcher, that makes the Betts trade look better.

 

And Winckowski is certainly making the Benintendi trade look a lot better these days.

[Hugh2]

If Wong turns out to be a really good catcher, that makes the Betts trade look better.

 

And Winckowski is certainly making the Benintendi trade look a lot better these days.

 

Wong and Verdugo, and for one 1/3 of a season for Betts. I wish they resigned Betts, but if it was true he wasn’t t resigning here then it’s nice to know he didn’t walk for nothing.

[Bellhorn04]

And Verdugo has been tremendous so far this year.

 

He's a free agent after 2024 BTW.

[notin]

And Verdugo has been tremendous so far this year.

 

He's a free agent after 2024 BTW.

 

I’m still on the “Mistake Not Keeping Graterol” mantra. But Wong might be able to make it look like less of one…

[Maxbialystock]

Then you didn't listen to Joe Castiglione the other night (but what does that old school fart know about baseball!), or the fans who paid tribute to him (but who gives a cr*p about a bunch of no-account pink hats?), or Devers (who clearly knows nothing about CERA or xWAR), or the other players on the RS (who know s*** about team chemistry).

 

I only know what I see on the field of play, and I couldn't be happier that Vaz is gone. In the Sox best season ever, 2018, Vaz's WAR was -0.8. Before and after that season he loved to run into outs on the base paths, and I do not think he was effective behind the plate.

 

Right now Wong is clearly a better defensive catcher than Vaz and McGuire is a better hitter. Together, with Wong starting most of the games, they are competent and a freaking bargain.

[Hugh2]

I only know what I see on the field of play, and I couldn't be happier that Vaz is gone. In the Sox best season ever, 2018, Vaz's WAR was -0.8. Before and after that season he loved to run into outs on the base paths, and I do not think he was effective behind the plate.

 

Right now Wong is clearly a better defensive catcher than Vaz and McGuire is a better hitter. Together, with Wong starting most of the games, they are competent and a freaking bargain.

 

Vaz wasn’t a bad defender, when he first came up he was an elite defender. That’s why he earned the job. His defense slipped over the years to average but his bat is a plus now for the position. He was still a plus defender in 2018

[Hugh2]

I’m still on the “Mistake Not Keeping Graterol” mantra. But Wong might be able to make it look like less of one…

 

At the time Downs was the better prospect. You thought you might be getting a future short stop rather than a future relief pitcher.

 

And the Sox have a better record bringing along starting position players than they do pitchers.

[moonslav59]

Vaz wasn’t a bad defender, when he first came up he was an elite defender. That’s why he earned the job. His defense slipped over the years to average but his bat is a plus now for the position. He was still a plus defender in 2018

 

On Vaz's offense: OPS+

 

64 '14-'16 (385 PAs)

71 '17-'18 (614 PAs)

105 '19-'20 (710)

87 '21-'22 (924- some with HOU)

 

In fairness, an OPS+ of about 90 is probably good for a catcher.

 

Vaz has been a good MLB hitter among catchers, and he had some big hits along the way, but an 86 OPS+ over his career is not really all that good.

 

[Maxbialystock]

Vaz wasn’t a bad defender, when he first came up he was an elite defender. That’s why he earned the job. His defense slipped over the years to average but his bat is a plus now for the position. He was still a plus defender in 2018

 

Yes, he was still a plus defender, statistically, in 2018. However, I thought Sandy Leon was better handling the pitchers. And yes, his bat now makes him a plus catcher.

 

But I'm still happy with the two we've got. Both have positive WAR's: +0.3 for Wong and +0.2 for McGuire. Vazquez's is +0.5.

Edited April 22, 2023 by Maxbialystock

[Hugh2]

On Vaz's offense: OPS+

 

64 '14-'16 (385 PAs)

71 '17-'18 (614 PAs)

105 '19-'20 (710)

87 '21-'22 (924- some with HOU)

 

In fairness, an OPS+ of about 90 is probably good for a catcher.

 

Vaz has been a good MLB hitter among catchers, and he had some big hits along the way, but an 86 OPS+ over his career is not really all that good.

 

 

You might be surprised how horrible the average catcher is offensively