A Realistic View at 2023: Part I

[mvp 78]

Bloom says he's excited about assembling the next core of sustained attenders.

 

I thought he said sustained hellbenders who dismember Bloom dissenters, but not defenders. My mlb.tv was glitchy at the time.

[mvp 78]

It's hard to remember clearly, but I don't recall EVER thinking I was high enough.

 

It's Friday. You ain't got no job. And you ain't got s*** to do.

[jad]

It's Friday. You ain't got no job. And you ain't got s*** to do.

 

That doesn't distinguish it from most other Fridays ... or any other day of the week. (I'm too old and nerdy to have seen the show that quote comes from.)

[moonslav59]

It's hard to remember clearly, but I don't recall EVER thinking I was high enough.

 

I've been too high several times.

[moonslav59]

Has there even been a Noah Song update recently? Last I heard he was still in limbo.

 

There are a lot of arms. A guy like Zeferjahn could be featured in the pen next year if he reduces his pitch mix.

 

The most intriguing arms outside of Bello and Mata to me are probably Wikelman, Perales and Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz. None of them would be up in the next two years though.

 

Will Wikelman be protected from Rule 5?

[moonslav59]

Possible major fixes:

 

SP: (trade?) deGrom, Verlander, Rodon, Kershaw, Bassitt, Severino, Syndergaard, Wainwright, Wacha/Nate (QO?)/Manaea/ T Anderson

Closer: E Diaz/C Kimbrel/K Jansen/A Chapman/D Robertson

RP: BTreinen/MFulmer/TaRogers/Montero

SS: Bogey/Swanson/Anderson or 2B: K Wong/A Frazier (I don't think Turner or Correa are realistic targets)

RF: Nimmo/Conforto/Haniger (I don't think Judge is a realistic target.) or RF/DH/1B: Mancini or 1B/DH Abreu/Rizzo/JBell/Belt

 

[Nick]

Boston Red Sox lineup: Trevor Story will play Friday vs. Orioles despite expected day off

 

Are you serious? He needs a day off after all the games he has missed?

 

And those of you want to argue that's just Cora, why not just sit his ass down on the bench for the rest of the season and play younger players? Play Arroyo. I bet he doesn't think he needs a day off.

 

I get that Xander probably deserves a day off but Story?

 

Sorry, the headline just pissed me off. $23M f***ing dollars. What a bunch of pussies....sorry again.

[Bellhorn04]

Boston Red Sox lineup: Trevor Story will play Friday vs. Orioles despite expected day off

 

Are you serious? He needs a day off after all the games he has missed?

 

And those of you want to argue that's just Cora, why not just sit his ass down on the bench for the rest of the season and play younger players? Play Arroyo. I bet he doesn't think he needs a day off.

 

I get that Xander probably deserves a day off but Story?

 

Sorry, the headline just pissed me off. $23M f***ing dollars. What a bunch of pussies....sorry again.

 

Well, Story did have a fracture in his wrist from an HBP. He seems like a gamer to me.

[Nick]

Well, Story did have a fracture in his wrist from an HBP. He seems like a gamer to me.

 

We have a rule on our team. If you are hurt, you don't play. Decide.

 

Maybe we should have him NOT play so he is 100% healed.

 

What if he reinjures himself in these meaningless games?

 

I just didn't like the headline.

[jad]

We have a rule on our team. If you are hurt, you don't play. Decide.

 

Maybe we should have him NOT play so he is 100% healed.

 

What if he reinjures himself in these meaningless games?

 

I just didn't like the headline.

 

The problem, as athletes in all sports point out constantly, is that after opening day, no one is ever 100%.

[moonslav59]

We have a rule on our team. If you are hurt, you don't play. Decide.

 

Maybe we should have him NOT play so he is 100% healed.

 

What if he reinjures himself in these meaningless games?

 

I just didn't like the headline.

 

I doubt Story asked for the day off.

 

It's Cora and his confounding rigid rest protocols.

[Larry Cook]

Well, Story did have a fracture in his wrist from an HBP. He seems like a gamer to me.

 

Injuries have been insane this year. We need to revamp the entire medical/training staff.

[notin]

Injuries have been insane this year. We need to revamp the entire medical/training staff.

 

I think just not signing and re-signing oft-injured pitchers would be enough…

[Larry Cook]

I think just not signing and re-signing oft-injured pitchers would be enough…

 

But we struggle mightily to develop homegrown pitchers!

 

And since teams keep quality healthy pitchers, and Hang’em Chaim does not draft quality pitchers early.

 

That only leaves the retreads for Hang’em Chaim.

[moonslav59]

Well, bloom did trade for at least 3 prospect pitchers: German, Wink and Seabold, plus he got Whitlock off Rule 5, so he has not totally ignored adding young pitchers to the system.

 

Some "retreads" have worked: Pivetta, Schreiber and Strahm to some extent.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Well, bloom did trade for at least 3 prospect pitchers: German, Wink and Seabold, plus he got Whitlock off Rule 5, so he has not totally ignored adding young pitchers to the system.

 

 

I'm sure Bloom's department employees are on it, but maybe looking for less-celebrated -- and thus less-expensive -- arms with potential. This would be where having the best developmental people would then be key; maybe that's why some of the offseason shopping should be spent on coaches in organizations like Tampa, Houston, Atlanta and LA...

[moonslav59]

I'm sure Bloom's department employees are on it, but maybe looking for less-celebrated -- and thus less-expensive -- arms with potential. This would be where having the best developmental people would then be key; maybe that's why some of the offseason shopping should be spent on coaches in organizations like Tampa, Houston, Atlanta and LA...

 

Sounds like a great plan, and apparently the 3 year rule about poaching people from your former organization has now passed- so have at it, BLOOM!

 

He might want to poach the Braves and Marlin's systems, too. I'd rather he pay them double than sign the next Diekman,

[mvp 78]

Sounds like a great plan, and apparently the 3 year rule about poaching people from your former organization has now passed- so have at it, BLOOM!

 

He might want to poach the Braves and Marlin's systems, too. I'd rather he pay them double than sign the next Diekman,

 

I thought it was 2 years. When did it move to 3?

[moonslav59]

I thought it was 2 years. When did it move to 3?

 

Somebody posted that, recently. I'm not sure how many years it is.

[mvp 78]

Somebody posted that, recently. I'm not sure how many years it is.

 

https://www.bostonsportsjournal.com/2020/10/23/mcadam-red-sox-managerial-search-starts-heat-one-potential-candidate-appears-beyond-reach

 

But per an agreement with the Rays, forged a year ago when Bloom left Tampa Bay to join the Red Sox, Bloom is prohibited from hiring anyone from Tampa Bay -- both front office and uniformed personnel -- for a period of two years.

 

(Bloom has hinted that some restrictions were put in place upon his joining the Sox, but has declined to specify them. He declined comment for this story).

[mvp 78]

He should have been able to hire anyone he wanted last offseason.

[moonslav59]

He should have been able to hire anyone he wanted last offseason.

 

I wonder, if he's even tried.

 

[Bellhorn04]

I wonder, if he's even tried.

 

 

It's natural to wonder that.

[mvp 78]

I wonder, if he's even tried.

 

 

"Hey, you want to come up to Boston where we can pay you more money?"

 

Probably a tough sell.

 

Maybe he likes the people he already has? Maybe Sam Kennedy, Ben Crockett, Eddie Romero and Brian O'Halloran have convinced Chaim that he doesn't need to have to poach from other teams?

[moonslav59]

"Hey, you want to come up to Boston where we can pay you more money?"

 

Probably a tough sell.

 

Maybe he likes the people he already has? Maybe Sam Kennedy, Ben Crockett, Eddie Romero and Brian O'Halloran have convinced Chaim that he doesn't need to have to poach from other teams?

 

Bloom has to know who the guys that can recognize and develop great pitchers are.

 

Offer 'em double. If they say no, offer 'em triple.

[mvp 78]

Bloom has to know who the guys that can recognize and develop great pitchers are.

 

Offer 'em double. If they say no, offer 'em triple.

 

Why hasn't he then?

[moonslav59]

Why hasn't he then?

 

Maybe he thinks he was the only guy we need.

 

I've always wondered who these guys are in other teams' organizations that keep finding/developing stud pitchers, year-after-year.

[notin]

I wonder, if he's even tried.

 

 

Maybe he did but since all the pitchers he’s brought into the organization are still in A ball, you’re not seeing immediate results.

 

Or maybe he did and that’s why Crawford, Winckowski and Bello were better than expected…

[moonslav59]

Maybe he did but since all the pitchers he’s brought into the organization are still in A ball, you’re not seeing immediate results.

 

Or maybe he did and that’s why Crawford, Winckowski and Bello were better than expected…

 

I guess those kind of poach signings aren't ever in the media.

[notin]

So… among the rule changes for next year are the limiting of pickoff throws and larger bases (from 15 to 18 inches). To me, this means speed is back. Stolen bases. Good baserunning needed.

 

Bloom has been hoarding speed prooescts. Hamilton, Ferguson, Rosier and Abreu are all base runners, among other things. He may have done so in anticipation of this rule change. (He didn’t hoard speed in Tampa.)

 

Does all of this mean Duran is in the plans for 2023? Or does it at least make him better trade bait?