A Realistic View at 2022: Part III

[JDavis76]

I woke up this morning and for some reason a Guns & Roses song was stuck in my head

 

Welcome to the cellar, we keep losing games

We can't field the ball honey, you know the names

We are the people that can't hit whenever we may need

If you got the money, honey, we got your two seats

 

In the cellar, welcome to the cellar

Watch it bring you to your sha-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n knees, knees

Mwah, I, john henry wanna watch you bleed

 

Welcome to the cellar, we lose here day by day

If you want it you're gonna bleed but it's the high price you'll pay

And you're a very Swansea girl who's very hard to please

You can taste the fenway dogs but you won't get there for free

In the cellar, welcome to the cellar

Drink my, my, my, my my moonshine

Ooh, ah, I want to hear you scream

 

Welcome to the cellar, it gets worse here every day

You learn to live like a fenway rat in the shithole where we play

If you got a hunger for what you see you'll take it eventually

You won't have what you want but you better not expect it for free

 

In the cellar, welcome to the cellar

Watch it bring you to your sha-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-knees, knees

Mwah, chaim gonna watch you bleed

 

And when you're high, you never ever wanna come down

So down, so down, so down, yeah

 

You know where you are?

You're in the cellar, baby, you're gonna cry

In the cellar, welcome to the cellar

Watch it bring you to your sha-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-knees, knees

In the cellar, welcome to the cellar

Drink my, my, my my, my moonshine

Cellar, welcome to the cellar

Watch it bring you to your sha-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-knees, knees

Down In the cellar, welcome to the cellar

Watch it bring you to you

It's gonna bring you down, huh

[mvp 78]

That may be the case, but you guys are making judgments rather quickly based on relatively little experience in the OF.

 

5 years.

 

That's not relatively little experience IMO.

[redsoxrules]

I see why we are playing him in CF, now. Verdugo can't play anywhere but LF.

 

Having 2 LF-ONLY OF'ers necessitates the trading of one of them by the start of 2023. This deadline might bring a better return, since both have more than 1 year of team control, but one must be gone by 2023.

 

I would not be upset, if both were gone, assuming we add other OF'er between now and then.

 

Verdugo can play LF but he's not good at it.

He's been quite a disappointment honestly this year

[mvp 78]

Verdugo can play LF but he's not good at it.

He's been quite a disappointment honestly this year

 

He looked really good in 2020, but hasn't matched that since then.

[moonslav59]

Based on what?

 

His -2.1 UZR/150 in 636 innings suggests he is “slightly below average” in the position. It’s not ideal, but hardly a defensive deathnail…

 

Based on Cora is the manager and refuses to play Dugo anywhere but LF.

[moonslav59]

That may be the case, but you guys are making judgments rather quickly based on relatively little experience in the OF.

 

Well, if the rebuild is a 5 year plan (2020-2024), then Dugo will be gone by the time Duran can play another OF position, so keep em both still makes little sense.

[oldtimer]

Well, if the rebuild is a 5 year plan (2020-2024), then Dugo will be gone by the time Duran can play another OF position, so keep em both still makes little sense.

 

I agree but would keep Verdugo of the two. I would look for a ML FA OF and get reps on our best two prospects before this season gets much further. Those that believe we can still be competitive this season are unrealistically optimistic in my opinion. We do need to keep a core and build around it. Clearly we need OF help, !st base replacement, replacement of core players if we let Bggey, Vazquez and JDM walk. I gave my thoughts on that elsewhere. Another quality starter and improvement to the BP is also needed. Maybe it's too much to hope for in 2023. but Bloom needs to show more than he has been allowed to do to date.

[mvp 78]

I agree but would keep Verdugo of the two. I would look for a ML FA OF and get reps on our best two prospects before this season gets much further. Those that believe we can still be competitive this season are unrealistically optimistic in my opinion. We do need to keep a core and build around it. Clearly we need OF help, !st base replacement, replacement of core players if we let Bggey, Vazquez and JDM walk. I gave my thoughts on that elsewhere. Another quality starter and improvement to the BP is also needed. Maybe it's too much to hope for in 2023. but Bloom needs to show more than he has been allowed to do to date.

 

There have been big questions about the OF each year since Bloom took over. I have no idea what the plan is out there.

[notin]

Based on Cora is the manager and refuses to play Dugo anywhere but LF.

 

That doesn’t mean he can’t

 

Unless you’re using “can’t” to mean “not allowed to” whereas I’m assuming it to mean “not physically able to”…

[notin]

There have been big questions about the OF each year since Bloom took over. I have no idea what the plan is out there.

 

How involved do people think these “plans” are?

 

I thought last off-season, the OF plan was “upgrade the defense.” Was it more than that in anyone’s eyes?

[moonslav59]

I agree but would keep Verdugo of the two. I would look for a ML FA OF and get reps on our best two prospects before this season gets much further. Those that believe we can still be competitive this season are unrealistically optimistic in my opinion. We do need to keep a core and build around it. Clearly we need OF help, !st base replacement, replacement of core players if we let Bggey, Vazquez and JDM walk. I gave my thoughts on that elsewhere. Another quality starter and improvement to the BP is also needed. Maybe it's too much to hope for in 2023. but Bloom needs to show more than he has been allowed to do to date.

 

The thing is, even if we could get back in the race, is it worth the long shot gamble and try?

 

The extended future has to be top priority, now. We have a lot of money to spend on5-8 slots, this winter.

[moonslav59]

That doesn’t mean he can’t

 

Unless you’re using “can’t” to mean “not allowed to” whereas I’m assuming it to mean “not physically able to”…

 

It means he thinks he sucks in CF and RF, or he’d have played there, this year.

[jad]

How involved do people think these “plans” are?

 

I thought last off-season, the OF plan was “upgrade the defense.” Was it more than that in anyone’s eyes?

 

I think the "plan" is: Cut payroll and put more money in my pocket.

[Elktonnick]

I think the "plan" is: Cut payroll and put more money in my pocket.

 

I think the plan is to buy teams in other leagues. He closed the deal on the Penguins in December. He now has his sights set on an NBA franchise for LeBron James. He also reportedly closed a deal with Mass Mutual to replace John Hancock as the sponsor for the big sign in the outfield.

Henry is expanding his sports empire. He is not letting that European Soccer debacle slow him down.

[moonslav59]

I’m still glad Henry is our owner, even during times when he “skimps.”

[Larry Cook]

It means he thinks he sucks in CF and RF, or he’d have played there, this year.

 

Ouch!

[moonslav59]

Ouch!

 

Has there ever been a year under Henry where we needed a CF/RF'er more than this year?

 

Cora would rather bench Duran than play Verdugo in RF.

 

Cora would rather play Duran in CF than Verdugo.

 

Doesn't that speak volumes?

 

Jackie Bradley has 280 PAs. Nuff said!

[oldtimer]

If it isn't the pitching, it's the lack of offense. If the offense is decent its errors and base running. The Sox are going bad and finding ways to lose. The Sox need to get players back healthy and need to fix some of the weakest spots. Unfortunately, that will not happen before the trade deadline and decisions will need to be made based on where we are and how we are going. For whatever reason, Bloom id not make the moves that would have made the Sox competitive. I have been a fan since 1947 and I have seen bad spells like this one before. The front office has not done it's job but perhaps there is a plan that will be more evident after Aug 2nd.

[moonslav59]

If it isn't the pitching, it's the lack of offense. If the offense is decent its errors and base running. The Sox are going bad and finding ways to lose. The Sox need to get players back healthy and need to fix some of the weakest spots. Unfortunately, that will not happen before the trade deadline and decisions will need to be made based on where we are and how we are going. For whatever reason, Bloom id not make the moves that would have made the Sox competitive. I have been a fan since 1947 and I have seen bad spells like this one before. The front office has not done it's job but perhaps there is a plan that will be more evident after Aug 2nd.[/b]

 

It's very hard to make big moves way ahead of the deadline. It does happen, but not all that often.

 

Bloom only had so much to spend, this winter, and he chose to spend in to fill just a few of the many open slots we had, and hoped in system players could man the other slots well enough to get us into the playoffs. He could have spread out Story's money to get a mediocre 1Bman, RF'er, 2 RP'ers and 4th OF'er. Would we be any better? I thought the rap on Bloom was that all he got was mediocre players in hopes they'd have career years.

 

Honestly, was it crazy to think...

 

Dalbec & Shaw could play well enough, until Casas was ML ready? After all, Dalbec had an career .819 OPS going into 2022 with 33 HRs in 497 career ABs. What GM would have gone out and paid for a 1Bman?

 

Kike would man CF like he did in 2021?

 

Wacha, Hill and some kids might hold down the fort, until Sale & Paxton got healthy? (Okay, this might be a close to crazy, but these guys damn near did it, except Sale's comeback was less than 2 games.)

 

Bogey & JD would get over 100 RBIs, this year.

 

Whitlock and Houck in the pen would make it better than the decent 2021 pen.

 

To me, the biggest gap and mistake was RF and the JBJ trade, and the lack of a back-up for JBJ and Kike, until Refsnyder was given a chance, anyway. The rest made sense, at the time, considering the budget constraints and desire to not hurt the farm for 2022, only.

 

Edited July 28, 2022 by moonslav59

[vjcsmoke]

Based on Cora is the manager and refuses to play Dugo anywhere but LF.

 

Considering that Left Field has the LEAST amount of ground to cover in Fenway Park, if Verdugo can't play left field, I don't think he's suitable for anywhere in the outfield!

 

Official Park measurements:

Fenway Park measures 310 feet (94.5 meters) down the left field line: 379 feet (115.5 meters) in left center field; 390 feet (118.9 meters) in center field; 420 feet (128 meters) in deep center field; 380 feet (115.8 meters) in deep right field; and 302 feet (92 meters) down the right field line.

 

Three Dimensional view:

 

Could it be possible that Verdugo is just a mediocre defensive outfielder?

Edited July 28, 2022 by vjcsmoke

[moonslav59]

Fenway's LF allows us to "hide" a poor fielder without it burning us, too much, but that is only an asset when the guy you are hiding can hit and knows how not to run into outs on the basepaths.

[vjcsmoke]

Fenway's LF allows us to "hide" a poor fielder without it burning us, too much, but that is only an asset when the guy you are hiding can hit and knows how not to run into outs on the basepaths.

 

Seriously. And don't forget that the 'genius' who engineered the Verdugo trade is the guy still currently in the GM chair, Chaim Bloom. Yup let's trade a perennial all-star for an outfielder who's currently putting up a .673 OPS in Verdugo. Seems fair.

 

Mookie Betts trade article:

Red Sox trade Mookie Betts, add Alex Verdugo

WWW.MLB.COM

---

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Red Sox had a week for it to sink in that they were going to trade superstar Mookie Betts to the Dodgers. This, thanks to the prolonged nature of the negotiations and the many hiccups along the way. Yet, that didn’t make it any easier

 

BTW the top prospect received from the Betts trade, Jeter Downs, oh he's sporting a nifty .139 BA and .408 OPS. Very SMALL sample size. But geez, early on, it doesn't look good!

 

Chaim is also the author of the bring back JBJ trade. Let's trade for one of the worse hitting OFer in the majors! We don't need Hunter Renfroe's .823 OPS, the Brewers need it more! We've become the equivalent of a baseball charity, apparently. Give away good players, receive another team's bad players!

 

But don't worry this is just a part of Chaim Bloom's 'master plan'!

 

What 'genius' move does Bloom have in store for us next? I'm scared! Bloom has justification to be a seller with the Red Sox recent collapse in the AL East. OOF.

Edited July 28, 2022 by vjcsmoke

[MADSTORK]

Yanks with NO problem trading for and paying AB ! Lol

 

Great trade hey pink hats! Lmao

 

Winkowski 5 ERA 40 ip 45 h 25 k priceless

Cordero lmao

Gambrel 24 in A ball ain’t pitched yet

Valdez - de la rosa rookie league

 

Keep on trading Orlando u ain’t made a bad move yet!

[moonslav59]

Seriously. And don't forget that the 'genius' who engineered the Verdugo trade is the guy still currently in the GM chair, Chaim Bloom. Yup let's trade a perennial all-star for an outfielder who's currently putting up a .673 OPS. Seems fair.

 

Mookie Betts trade article:

Red Sox trade Mookie Betts, add Alex Verdugo

WWW.MLB.COM

---

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Red Sox had a week for it to sink in that they were going to trade superstar Mookie Betts to the Dodgers. This, thanks to the prolonged nature of the negotiations and the many hiccups along the way. Yet, that didn’t make it any easier

 

BTW the top prospect received from the Betts trade, Jeter Downs, oh he's sporting a nifty .139 BA and .408 OPS. Very SMALL sample size. But geez, early on, it doesn't look good!

 

He's also the author of the bring back JBJ trade.

 

What 'genius' move does Bloom have in store for us next? I'm scared! Cos Bloom has justification to be a seller with the Red Sox recent collapse in the AL East.

 

Okay, you pick his 2 worst moves and act like that's it. (BTW, you probably forgot the Beni trade.)

 

You don't consider the budget, farm and 40 man roster he was handed.

 

You act like he traded 10 years of Betts for Dugo, Downs and Wong. He traded a 60 game season for them. Still bad, but let's not act like it was more than it was.

 

The good:

Whitlock: rule 5

Schreiber: waivers

Refsnyder: waivers

Pivetta & Seabold for Workman & Hembree

Renfroe, Kike, Wacha, Strahm and other minor signings that worked well.

Built up the farm in less than 3 years.

 

No, he has not been perfect, but some context is needed, as always.

 

 

[MADSTORK]

Binelas .149 in AA

Hamilton .233 25 years old in AA

 

JBJ in RF priceless!

 

Keep on trading Orlando “you ain’t made a bad move yet” lmao

[vjcsmoke]

Like the saying goes - even a blind squirrel finds a nut.

 

Let's see what Bloom does by the trade deadline.

 

August 2nd is just a week away.

 

I just hope Bloom doesn't trade away Devers. That would be a body blow. I don't think many Red Sox fans would feel very happy about that.

[MADSTORK]

Okay, you pick his 2 worst moves and act like that's it. (BTW, you probably forgot the Beni trade.)

 

You don't consider the budget, farm and 40 man roster he was handed.

 

You act like he traded 10 years of Betts for Dugo, Downs and Wong. He traded a 60 game season for them. Still bad, but let's not act like it was more than it was.

 

The good:

Whitlock: rule 5

Schreiber: waivers

Refsnyder: waivers

Pivetta & Seabold for Workman & Hembree

Renfroe, Kike, Wacha, Strahm and other minor signings that worked well.

Built up the farm in less than 3 years.

 

No, he has not been perfect, but some context is needed, as always.

 

 

 

 

Your drinking the Kool-Aid 59, your taking a big sip! Lmao

 

Betts generational talent

AB champion all star great defender

Renfro power bat

 

Budget? Your nuts

Minor league rebuild , where ? The same buffoons Crockett Abraham are still in charge

 

Lmao

[moonslav59]

BTV accepted:

 

Bogey, Nate, JD, Wacha & Wong

to STL for

Mikolas (1 year after 2022)

Herrera (fine catching prospect)

MCgreevey (pitching prospect w value near any 2 of Pivetta, Crawford, Gonzalez, Walter or Wink)

 

[MADSTORK]

Perfect example of the incompetence

 

2022 MLB Draft, let’s take a H.S SS college commit who was projected to go 3rd round

 

Two picks later at #26 Brown SS Coastal Carolina .800 ops in the Cape League

 

Priceless!

[MADSTORK]

Hey 59, since your on a Budget how bout the Cash considerations to Brewers for a 33 year old beer leaguer!

 

Priceless!