Fire Bloom .

[Bellhorn04]

DD was hired as the President of Baseball Operations, not GM. Ben could have stayed on. Mike Hazen functioned as the GM under DD.

 

Ben would have been a wimp to stay on. He did the right thing.

[Dipre]

So playoffs or bust? What's "the goal" for him to keep his job?

 

They wanted him to build a sustainable farm and a competitive roster that could be supplemented by it. The farm looks like it can be a top-notch unit from here on out, but the MLB roster needs work. He'll have money to burn and clear needs to address. If he can't get this team to at least the playoffs next year, he should be canned.

[moonslav59]

They wanted him to build a sustainable farm and a competitive roster that could be supplemented by it. The farm looks like it can be a top-notch unit from here on out, but the MLB roster needs work. He'll have money to burn and clear needs to address. If he can't get this team to at least the playoffs next year, he should be canned.

 

Even if they give him $20M to fill the 3 big slots needed to fill?

 

SP1

SP2

RH'd OF

[Bellhorn04]

Even if they give him $20M to fill the 3 big slots needed to fill?

 

SP1

SP2

RH'd OF

 

If they do that he should quit.

[moonslav59]

If they do that he should quit.

 

Why?

 

He's getting paid enough and may end up seeing the benefits of his work starting in 2025, like Ben might have in 2018.

 

He's been playing the long game, as I suspect he was told to do, hired to do, and has been doing rather well, IMO.

[moonslav59]

If 2021 had been a .440 winning %, this would have been Bloom's progression:

 

.519 in 2019- before the purge

 

.400 in '20

.440 in '21

.480 in '22

.520 in '23

 

Perfect graph line!

 

Extend this guy for 4 YEARS!

 

We'll be at .640 by then.

[Bellhorn04]

Why?

 

He's getting paid enough and may end up seeing the benefits of his work starting in 2025, like Ben might have in 2018.

 

He's been playing the long game, as I suspect he was told to do, hired to do, and has been doing rather well, IMO.

 

It's all a matter of opinion.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

One pitcher wouldn't have made enough of a difference this year.

 

Nope, but two of the many who were dealt in July would've meant a lot better shot at the postseason. It was the month that two team leaders (at least in salary) -- Jansen and Devers -- appealed for help for both the pen and rotation. According to Bloom, BOH and Sam K, that just didn't "make sense."

 

Instead, in the first series after the deadline -- vs. a team the Sox were just one game behind in the loss column for a wild card spot -- Cora was left to start two openers. Toronto -- using starters Manoah, Berrios and Bassitt -- swept Boston. The Jays didn't even have to use their #1, Kevin Gausman. For fans, it will be remembered as the most despicable series of the season.

 

The most ridiculous, of course, was being swept by Houston, when the Astros were another playoff-bound club Boston still had a chance to catch. The infamous Bear Claw Game will always be a reminder of what can happen when a front office regularly refuses to fortify the big league bullpen with legitimate MLB pitchers.

[mvp 78]

They wanted him to build a sustainable farm and a competitive roster that could be supplemented by it. The farm looks like it can be a top-notch unit from here on out, but the MLB roster needs work. He'll have money to burn and clear needs to address. If he can't get this team to at least the playoffs next year, he should be canned.

 

Agreed. He hasn't put it together for the MLB team yet. His drafts have been fine. His offseason maneuvers have left something to be desired.

[mvp 78]

Even if they give him $20M to fill the 3 big slots needed to fill?

 

SP1

SP2

RH'd OF

 

Wouldn't they have Duvall's contract, Turner's contract, Kluber's contract, Kiké's contract and remaining cap space (assuming Devers uses Barnes/Bleier/Brasier/Tapia contract amounts)? That's closer to 35M to spend.

[vegasbob]

Did you know the Sox are 56-3 when leading after 6 innings? f*** Nola!! Sign Hader and Dylan Floro!

 

That's an interesting stat (56-3, after 6 when leading) given that Jansen himself has lost 5 games . That means the Sox trailed after 6 at least 2 times, tied or regained the lead, then Kenley blew it. There must be a few others on the staff who did the same.

 

Anyway, the eye test indicates that the Sox tend to hit better late in the game , often quiet early.

[mvp 78]

If 2021 had been a .440 winning %, this would have been Bloom's progression:

 

.519 in 2019- before the purge

 

.400 in '20

.440 in '21

.480 in '22

.520 in '23

 

Perfect graph line!

 

Extend this guy for 4 YEARS!

 

We'll be at .640 by then.

 

If you change one number it makes a perfect progression? Uh..........

 

.417 in '20

.546 in '21

.469 in '22

.444 in '23

 

Maybe that's the progression Bloom is going for?

[moonslav59]

If you change one number it makes a perfect progression? Uh..........

 

.417 in '20

.546 in '21

.469 in '22

.444 in '23

 

Maybe that's the progression Bloom is going for?

 

You changed 4.

 

My point was meant to show that other than 2021, the winning % has been on a steady upward slope.

 

[Bellhorn04]

You changed 4.

 

My point was meant to show that other than 2021, the winning % has been on a steady upward slope.

 

 

Other than 2019, Dombrowski's teams were on a rocket ride to interstellar space.

[moonslav59]

Other than 2019, Dombrowski's teams were on a rocket ride to interstellar space.

 

Indeed. Had the spending kept rising, too, he might still be here.

[Bellhorn04]

Indeed. Had the spending kept rising, too, he might still be here.

 

Your taste for hypothetical histories far exceeds mine. I find making sense of what's actually happened hard enough.

[mvp 78]

You changed 4.

 

My point was meant to show that other than 2021, the winning % has been on a steady upward slope.

 

 

I used actual winning % for 20, 21 and 22 and then project the remainder of 2023. You rounded down for 2020, made up a number for 2021 and rounded up for 2022. Why?

[moonslav59]

Your taste for hypothetical histories far exceeds mine. I find making sense of what's actually happened hard enough.

 

IMO, DD's friction with the top brass seemed to be over the change in spending and trading away prospects philosophies.

 

Had we brought back Kimbrell and traded Casas or Bello back in 2019, we might have kept the winning going another year or two. Okay, I just added another hypothetical... YIKES!

[dgalehouse]

Dombrowski left a legacy of three straight division titles and one championship , featuring one of the best teams in MLB history. Also a not so decimated farm with prospects like Bello, Casas, Duran, Crawford, Houck and Rafaela.

[moonslav59]

Dombrowski left a legacy of three straight division titles and one championship , featuring one of the best teams in MLB history. Also a not so decimated farm with prospects like Bello, Casas, Duran, Crawford, Houck and Rafaela.

 

Indeed. His legacy is a great one.

 

Almost all the prospects he traded away underperformed expectation.

 

Only a small few of the players he traded for underperformed.

 

He was not the one that put the brakes on spending and trading prospects, so he should not be "blamed" for 2019.

 

[Bellhorn04]

IMO, DD's friction with the top brass seemed to be over the change in spending and trading away prospects philosophies.

 

It's a reasonable guess, but that's all it is. There was the rumor about "lack of communication", but a cynic might think that was a cover story.

 

As has been pointed out many times, he seemed to do what he was hired to do.

[Randy Red Sox]

Excellent post Moonslav!!

[mvp 78]

IMO, DD's friction with the top brass seemed to be over the change in spending and trading away prospects philosophies.

 

Had we brought back Kimbrell and traded Casas or Bello back in 2019, we might have kept the winning going another year or two. Okay, I just added another hypothetical... YIKES!

 

Bello was the 17th ranked prospect when DD was fired. Not sure what that brings back.

[moonslav59]

It's a reasonable guess, but that's all it is. There was the rumor about "lack of communication", but a cynic might think that was a cover story.

 

As has been pointed out many times, he seemed to do what he was hired to do.

 

When people agree, not much communication is needed.

[Duran Is The Man]

Even if they give him $20M to fill the 3 big slots needed to fill?

 

SP1

SP2

RH'd OF

 

why would JH only give him $20M? is JH really that f***ing greedy?

[moonslav59]

why would JH only give him $20M? is JH really that f***ing greedy?

 

I didn’t say he would. I’m just laying out mr parameters.

[MADSTORK]

Epstein in the building

 

Those r the facts and the facts are undisputed

[MADSTORK]

Stearns in the building

 

Those r the facts and the facts are undisputed

[Hugh2]

Stearns in the building

 

Those r the facts and the facts are undisputed

 

Well….which one is it?

[cp176]

Dombrowski left a legacy of three straight division titles and one championship , featuring one of the best teams in MLB history. Also a not so decimated farm with prospects like Bello, Casas, Duran, Crawford, Houck and Rafaela.

 

Also he was one of the best horse traders in baseball. He could make a deal, the right deal. Do people who want to see Bloom deal anyone away, really think he can make the types of deal that Dombrowski did? Oh, by the way, the farm does have more players in it then when he was here. Does that alone mean that he decimated the farm? Not by a long shot.