Fire Bloom .

[Old Red]

Here we go Div, and wildcard standings update. 5 games back in the L column for last place in the Div, and 6 games back in the L column for the wildcard. BIG win last night, but still sitting at the kiddie table. 1 game at a time, and Let’s Go Sox. Edited August 12, 2022 by Old Red

[Old Red]

I’ll give Bloom credit, where credit where credit is do. Pham, and Hosmer have been solid pickups, but Pham, or the like should have been here before the season started, and Hosmer, or the like should have been here at least 2 months ago.

[JDavis76]

Here we go Div, and wildcard standings update. 5 games back in the L column for the Div, and 6 games back in the L column for the wildcard. BIG win last night, but still sitting at the kiddie table. 1 game at a time, and Let’s Go Sox.

 

Umm, they are17 games back in the L column for the division.

[Old Red]

Umm, they are17 games back in the L column for the division.

 

I meant last place. Corrected.

[moonslav59]

Small sample size alert.

 

Vaz .333 OPS in 12 PAs (He has started 3 of the Astros' 9 games.)

Diekman 4.15 in 5 games with the CWS (much better WHIP 1.154, but he was a DFA candidate.)

 

.895 McGuire in 15 PAs (Has started 4 of the Sox 9 games.)

.856 Hosmer in 18 PAs

.832 Pham in 41 PAs

 

To be fair, one can argue DHern and/or Ort have taken Diekman's place, and they have been disastrous, but I don't miss Diekman and we dumped his $4M x 2 contract, too.

 

To me, the deals seemed to help 2022 and give us a better chance to be better in 2023 and beyond. Pham has a 2023 option, Hosmer is free for 2 more years, and McGuire has 2 years remaining. Plus, we got two decent prospects with a bit of potential to be meaningful ML pieces, someday.

 

[JDavis76]

Small sample size alert.

 

Vaz .333 OPS in 12 PAs (He has started 3 of the Astros' 9 games.)

Diekman 4.15 in 5 games with the CWS (much better WHIP 1.154, but he was a DFA candidate.)

 

.895 McGuire in 15 PAs (Has started 4 of the Sox 9 games.)

.856 Hosmer in 18 PAs

.832 Pham in 41 PAs

 

To be fair, one can argue DHern and/or Ort have taken Diekman's place, and they have been disastrous, but I don't miss Diekman and we dumped his $4M x 2 contract, too.

 

To me, the deals seemed to help 2022 and give us a better chance to be better in 2023 and beyond. Pham has a 2023 option, Hosmer is free for 2 more years, and McGuire has 2 years remaining. Plus, we got two decent prospects with a bit of potential to be meaningful ML pieces, someday.

 

 

But, more importantly, what's mcguire's CERA?

[Bellhorn04]

But, more importantly, what's mcguire's CERA?

 

It's a cool 8.18 in 4 games. Excuses/explanations: small sample size, adjustment period etc. etc.

[JDavis76]

It's a cool 8.18 in 4 games. Excuses/explanations: small sample size, adjustment period etc. etc.

 

Well, for someone who continually harps on CERA and the importance of things a catcher does aside from hitting, I thought it was pretty convenient that he left that part out.

 

Not that I really expected otherwise.....

[moonslav59]

It's a cool 8.18 in 4 games. Excuses/explanations: small sample size, adjustment period etc. etc.

 

LOL.

 

HOU CERA (should be done pitcher by pitcher, but...)

2.46 Castro

3.07 Maldanado

3.62 K Lee

 

4.50 Vaz

 

[Bellhorn04]

Well, for someone who continually harps on CERA and the importance of things a catcher does aside from hitting, I thought it was pretty convenient that he left that part out.

 

Not that I really expected otherwise.....

 

McGuire is still just getting a handle on things, you know that...

[JDavis76]

McGuire is still just getting a handle on things, you know that...

 

One would think that with his prior experience handling staffs that it would help him get a better grasp of things much sooner.....

[moonslav59]

McGuire is still just getting a handle on things, you know that...

 

It's hard to know if McGuire is better at handling a staff or not. His numbers with Chicago were not that convincing, except for this year, which showed he did a little better than the other catchers on the White Sox.

 

It will take time to learn the pitchers, and with 3 of our starters reaching free agency and Strahm and other pen arms not likely returning, he'll be learning all over, next spring.

 

I'm not sure if "staff handling" was even a consideration in his acquisition. Personally, I'd like to think they feel he can improve over Vaz, in this area, but only time will tell.

 

In tiny sample sizes, so far, these pitchers have been lit up while McGuire was behind the plate:

 

1.700 DHern (10 PAs)

1.400 Schreiber (10)

1.250 Bello (4)

1.186 R Hill (15)

1.167 Davis (10)

.937 Crawford (21)

 

.818 Wick (22)

.801 Ort (13)

 

Only 3 did well...

.655 Pivetta (24)

.200 Sawamura (5)

.000 Barnes (2)

[Tedballgame]

I would give Bloom a grade of C since he started with the Red Sox. That is not good enough. I would give him one more year to prove himself or otherwise, he is gone after 2023.

Drastic improvements are needed for the bullpen and the lineup. He obviously did not address either of those for this year. That is on him and ownership.

[Bellhorn04]

I would give Bloom a grade of C since he started with the Red Sox. That is not good enough. I would give him one more year to prove himself or otherwise, he is gone after 2023.

Drastic improvements are needed for the bullpen and the lineup. He obviously did not address either of those for this year. That is on him and ownership.

 

I'm about 95% in agreement.

[moonslav59]

I would give Bloom a grade of C since he started with the Red Sox. That is not good enough. I would give him one more year to prove himself or otherwise, he is gone after 2023.

Drastic improvements are needed for the bullpen and the lineup. He obviously did not address either of those for this year. That is on him and ownership.

 

I can't disagree, but I will say, he tried to add to the line-up by signing Story, and I think the plan for the pen was to have some starters move to the pen, when Sale and Paxton returned from the 60 day IL. Obviously, the plan failed, and the Kike injury did not help the line-up, either, and instead of starters moving to the pen, we saw pen arms (Houck & Whitlock) moved to the rotation, due to injuries.

 

I think a tight budget makes planning for injuries very difficult, but clearly mistakes were made, and Bloom & Co. have responsibility for some of the problems.

[Bobe2]

Just sitting here wondering why the Red Sox would want to teach Dalbec how to play second base, he can’t play first he’s slow at third base and can’t hit, they already have Story and Arroyo there it would only make sense if they are planning on not signing Bogaerts and moving Story to short and using Dalbec at second or a utility infielder. Once again dumping salary and a good player and keeping an inferior player just because of his salary. I really don’t understand the Sox love affair with Dalbec he’s not a good player and should be traded if they can if not DFA him. He’s kinda like JBJ neither one can hit but at least JBJ could play great defence Edited August 12, 2022 by Bobe2

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

One shred of hope for fans when it comes to Bloom: last offseason he invested in one bullpen arm for two years, then halfway through the first, recognized the move was a failure... and dumped the guy at the deadline.

 

Obviously, there are plenty of other pitchers and hitters, and even a few fielders, that we Sox watchers have already seen enough of -- but at least when it came to Diekman, Chaim agreed with us... unless, it actually pained him to lose his favorite foot-finder to pry McGuire loose from back-up backstop land.

[notin]

Just sitting here wondering why the Red Sox would want to teach Dalbec how to play second base, he can’t play first he’s slow at third base and can’t hit, they already have Story and Arroyo there it would only make sense if they are planning on not signing Bogaerts and moving Story to short and using Dalbec at second or a utility infielder. Once again dumping salary and a good player and keeping an inferior player just because of his salary. I really don’t understand the Sox love affair with Dalbec he’s not a good player and should be traded if they can if not DFA him. He’s kinda like JBJ neither one can hit but at least JBJ could play great defence

 

Apparently Cora just wanted him to be more versatile. Not like they want him to start there…

[Bobe2]

Nobody knew if Bloom was a good GM or not, I mean let’s be honest how could you screw up the Rays and if he did no one noticed or cared. Your not in Kansas anymore Dorthy now your in Boston and we notice and care about our team

[Bobe2]

I guess we will just have to Wait and see

[notin]

One shred of hope for fans when it comes to Bloom: last offseason he invested in one bullpen arm for two years, then halfway through the first, recognized the move was a failure... and dumped the guy at the deadline.

 

Obviously, there are plenty of other pitchers and hitters, and even a few fielders, that we Sox watchers have already seen enough of -- but at least when it came to Diekman, Chaim agreed with us... unless, it actually pained him to lose his favorite foot-finder to pry McGuire loose from back-up backstop land.

 

 

McGuire is somewhat similar to off-season target Jacob Stallings with his good field-weak bat profile. Except McGuire is a bit more, well, athletic in appearance…

[Elktonnick]

Apparently Cora just wanted him to be more versatile. Not like they want him to start there…

I do not think Cora had anything to do with it. Reading reports coming out baseball ops.they are all about versatility and wanting late inning options. The advantage to Dalbec is that he is cheap. Whether he can play the position very well is immaterial. It is all about Blooms philosophy that anyone can play anywhere.

Edited August 12, 2022 by Elktonnick

[moonslav59]

Nobody knew if Bloom was a good GM or not, I mean let’s be honest how could you screw up the Rays and if he did no one noticed or cared. Your not in Kansas anymore Dorthy now your in Boston and we notice and care about our team

 

He did not screw up with the Rays, and we'd know, if he did.

 

There is a reason the leader of the Dodgers and Astros' front offices are from the Rays.

[moonslav59]

I do not think Cora had anything to do with it. Reading reports coming out baseball ops.they are all about versatility and wanting late inning options. The advantage to Dalbec is that he is cheap. Whether he can play the position very well is immaterial. It is all about Blooms philosophy that anyone can play anywhere.

 

Team's usually don't go with utility players who can only play 1B and 3B. If it comes down to Dalbec vs Arroyo (or Downs), being passable at 2B might be all Dalbec needs to win the 2023 job.

[Bobe2]

Team's usually don't go with utility players who can only play 1B and 3B. If it comes down to Dalbec vs Arroyo (or Downs), being passable at 2B might be all Dalbec needs to win the 2023 job.

 

How many championships are you going to win if your players are passable, I think I’d want at least ok

[Bobe2]

He did not screw up with the Rays, and we'd know, if he did.

 

There is a reason the leader of the Dodgers and Astros' front offices are from the Rays.

 

Maybe the Astros and Dodgers got the good ones, you know what they say there’s always one rotten apple in the bushel

[moonslav59]

How many championships are you going to win if your players are passable, I think I’d want at least ok

 

Most ring teams have 1 or 2 positions where a player is "passable," and utility IF'er is probably one area you can win without greatness.

 

I would not be happy with Dalbec or Arroyo as our utility IF'er, but if the rest of the team is solid, I'm okay with the idea.

 

Dalbec still has options, so he can be stashed in AAA as injury depth.

 

I like Arroyo, but he's always hurt.

[moonslav59]

Maybe the Astros and Dodgers got the good ones, you know what they say there’s always one rotten apple in the bushel

 

Maybe so, but Bloom has not been given the winter spending budgets the others have been given, until just before this season started.

 

Click has had to deal with stars leaving due to not wanting to extend them, so maybe we got the wrong one.

[notin]

I do not think Cora had anything to do with it. Reading reports coming out baseball ops.they are all about versatility and wanting late inning options. The advantage to Dalbec is that he is cheap. Whether he can play the position very well is immaterial. It is all about Blooms philosophy that anyone can play anywhere.

 

Is that really Bloom’s philosophy?

 

Others are complaining his philosophy is to acquire too many players who already play too many positions, like Marwin Gonzalez and Danny Santana,

 

And Cora (like many managers) does constantly try players at new positions in games and presumably in practice. For example, in 2019, he played Christian Vazquez and Michael Chavis at 2b, with the total prior experience was the 7 games Chavis played there in the minors. And that was BEFORE Bloom was hired.

 

But the bottom line is, there are 29 other teams doing the exact same type of thing and seeing the exact same types of failures and successes. The Sox did similar things under Dombrowski and Cherington and Epstein. But no one ever said anything about it. Not even when Bogaerts was trying out 3b for the first time during a pennant run.

 

Probably because fans use the phrase “natural position” for players, be it where they played in college or what appears on their baseball card, and assume that’s their defensive limit. Cora and, well, every manager ever bases the player’s position(s) on some part of their skill set that makes them think they can handle the position. In this case, Dalbec has yet to appear ina single game at 2b and people are complaining. The article also said he was taking flyballs in the outfield. Why no complaints?

 

I wouldn’t be surprised if Cora thought 1b was a bad match for Dalbec. His two biggest defensive assets are a very strong arm and surprising speed (he’s actually one of the fastest players on the team), neither of which is exploited at 1b.

 

That they’re trying him out for an in-game emergency or just seeing if there’s another position where he’s a better defensive fit, these are both good things.

 

Not to mention, so far it’s only been in practices…

[Bobe2]

Maybe so, but Bloom has not been given the winter spending budgets the others have been given, until just before this season started.

 

Click has had to deal with stars leaving due to not wanting to extend them, so maybe we got the wrong one.

He’s had money to spend he just didn’t spend it wisely, and in the next few years your going to see the teams that want championships ignoring the salary cap like the Dodgers have and spending what they have to to win (330 million salary and 47 million in penalty tax) MLB totally blew it by not caping players salary, the money they demand will keep any team from competing unless they ignore the salary cap, so in my opinion this is the wrong era to try and operate a team on the cheap unless you don’t really care if you win

Edited August 12, 2022 by Bobe2