A Realistic View at 2023: Part I

[mvp 78]

I think Verdugo is a candidate to have a much better season in 2023, which Boston pretty much needs to have a successful season (on top of many other things breaking right). I wonder if Duvall can bounce back too, a wrist injury zapped his offensive production and in the past, it has felt like it takes a guy a full season to really get his offense back after that. I'm pretty sure Duvall is banking on that too, I would have loved to see a second-year team option on that contract, but it's fine for 1 year and 1 WAR. Good deal on it's own, but one that was necessary because of a botched offseason.

 

The bridgiest of all bridge years. Waiting on Mayer and Rafaela and more.

[Old Red]

The bridgiest of all bridge years. Waiting on Mayer and Rafaela and more.

 

And higher ticket prices to boot. What a deal!

[moonslav59]

Wonder if Duvall is the last major move the Sox make...

 

We have to add a middle IF'er. 100% certainty.

[notin]

The bridgiest of all bridge years. Waiting on Mayer and Rafaela and more.

 

While both are good prospects, I’m not sure either is a foundation you build a team around…

[notin]

We have to add a middle IF'er. 100% certainty.

 

Well, I’ll go with we should add a middle infielder, specifically a shortstop…

[notin]

It's 100% certain. Even if it's a sure thing Kike will play SS or 2B, there is no way we start the season with a middle IF of:

 

On 40 Man:

Kike

Arroyo

EValdez

Dalbec (LOL)

Hamilton

 

Not on 40:

Rafaela

Niko Goodman

Christian Koss

Ryan Fitzgerald

 

If we do, I'll leapfrog Red as leader of the Bloom Basher Club.

 

Rafaela is on the 40 man roster.

 

I’ll assume Goodman is an autocorrect…

[moonslav59]

Rafaela is on the 40 man roster.

 

I’ll assume Goodman is an autocorrect…

 

Yes, LOL.

 

Corrected.

[moonslav59]

It's 100% certain. Even if it's a sure thing Kike will play SS or 2B, there is no way we start the season with a middle IF of:

 

On 40 Man:

Kike

Arroyo

EValdez

Dalbec (LOL)

Rafaela (likely not ML ready on opening day)

Hamilton (likely not ML ready on opening day)

 

Not on 40:

Niko Goodrum

Christian Koss

Ryan Fitzgerald

 

If we do, I'll leapfrog Red as leader of the Bloom Basher Club.

[mvp 78]

We have to add a middle IF'er. 100% certainty.

 

The signed Edwin Diaz yesterday. Expect more of those MIFers.

[mvp 78]

While both are good prospects, I’m not sure either is a foundation you build a team around…

 

Yeah, don't build the team around a franchise SS. Good idea.

[notin]

Yeah, don't build the team around a franchise SS. Good idea.

 

And exactly which A-ball at bat convinced you Mayer is already a franchise SS?

[moonslav59]

The signed Edwin Diaz yesterday. Expect more of those MIFers.

 

He didn't sign a ML contract, did he?

[mvp 78]

And exactly which A-ball at bat convinced you Mayer is already a franchise SS?

 

https://www.mlb.com/prospects

 

He's the 7th ranked prospect in all of baseball. I'll hitch my wagon to him with no regrets. We see him in BOS in 2023.

[mvp 78]

He didn't sign a ML contract, did he?

 

No, not on 40 man.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

It's 100% certain. Even if it's a sure thing Kike will play SS or 2B, there is no way we start the season with a middle IF of:

 

On 40 Man:

Kike

Arroyo

EValdez

Dalbec (LOL)

Rafaela (likely not ML ready on opening day)

Hamilton (likely not ML ready on opening day)

 

Not on 40:

Niko Goodrum

Christian Koss

Ryan Fitzgerald

 

If we do, I'll leapfrog Red as leader of the Bloom Basher Club.

 

Come on: how many Bloom winters have we already spent absolutely convinced of certain roster needs that (we feel) are never sufficiently filled?

 

Look at it this way: is it feasible in 2023 that Yoshida-Turner-Alfaro-Duvall will out-homer Bogey-JD-Vaz-Story? Now imagine Henry praising Chaim for saving around a quarter-billion dollars (by not signing X) in the process.

 

If all those bounce-back batters -- with Masa bouncing forth -- support our bounce-back pitchers... and our bolstered bullpen does its job, the Red Sox could have the superball boomerang season of the decade! So far...

[mvp 78]

Come on: how many Bloom winters have we already spent absolutely convinced of certain roster needs that (we feel) are never sufficiently filled?

 

Look at it this way: is it feasible in 2023 that Yoshida-Turner-Alfaro-Duvall will out-homer Bogey-JD-Vaz-Story? Now imagine Henry praising Chaim for saving around a quarter-billion dollars (by not signing X) in the process.

 

If all those bounce-back batters -- with Masa bouncing forth -- support our bounce-back pitchers... and our bolstered bullpen does its job, the Red Sox could have the superball boomerang season of the decade! So far...

 

This team will out HR last year's team, just because last year's team was kind of pitiful, not because this year's team will be very good. It'll be a bounce back year.

 

2022: 155 HR's, 20th

2021: 219 HR's, 10th

 

My guess is they will be somewhere in between those two numbers. Barring changes to the ball: 175ish. More middle of the pack.

[moonslav59]

Come on: how many Bloom winters have we already spent absolutely convinced of certain roster needs that (we feel) are never sufficiently filled?

 

.

 

All of them, and for good reason.

 

Year 1, he had 15-20 open slots on the 40 and a buck-fifty to spend.

 

Year 2, he had 10-14 open slots on the 40 and two-fifty to spend.

 

Year 3, he had 8-12 open slots and filled 6 of them, and even then, he had to spread the wealth, except for the Story signing.

 

This year was supposed to be different. He had about 8 slots to fill and $90M to spend.

 

I'm actually happy with our 40 man roster depth, now. I was so happy with it, I expected this winter to be more about quality than quantity and a focus on filling our higher need areas and not LF and DH, but I'm the Bloom Brown Noser, so what do I know..

[moonslav59]

 

If all those bounce-back batters -- with Masa bouncing forth -- support our bounce-back pitchers... and our bolstered bullpen does its job, the Red Sox could have the superball boomerang season of the decade! So far...

 

I still think this team is significantly better than 2022's team, even with Story out, all year, but better than last place does not mean greatness.

 

We need a lot to go right to be a fun year, but we have so many legitimate hopefuls than we don't need all of them to happen, to have a nice season. Nice being making the playoffs.

[notin]

https://www.mlb.com/prospects

 

He's the 7th ranked prospect in all of baseball. I'll hitch my wagon to him with no regrets. We see him in BOS in 2023.

 

7th ranked prospect? That clinches it! He’s clearly the next Jesus Montero!!

 

I would doubt he’s in Boston in 2023. But certainly 2024 is reasonable. Then comes the question of how good he is vs MLB pitching and how long it takes him to get there.

 

I do think the glove will play no matter what..

[notin]

I still think this team is significantly better than 2022's team, even with Story out, all year, but better than last place does not mean greatness.

 

We need a lot to go right to be a fun year, but we have so many legitimate hopefuls than we don't need all of them to happen, to have a nice season. Nice being making the playoffs.

 

 

They should be better than the 78 win 2022 team. But whether or not it’s improved enough for October baseball rests largely on the durability of two fragile starting pitchers…

[mvp 78]

7th ranked prospect? That clinches it! He’s clearly the next Jesus Montero!!

 

I would doubt he’s in Boston in 2023. But certainly 2024 is reasonable. Then comes the question of how good he is vs MLB pitching and how long it takes him to get there.

 

I do think the glove will play no matter what..

 

I'm being reminded of the 2017 offseason where everyone laughed about me saying Devers would make it to BOS that year...

 

I don't care if my belief isn't good enough for you. Saying "what at bat at A+ convinced you" is just f***ing stupid though. I've read the scouting reports and I trust what they say. He's a great clubhouse guy and has all the tools to be a franchise SS. I'm all in. I sure as s*** would trust those scouting reports over some naysayer on TalkSox.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

7th ranked prospect? That clinches it! He’s clearly the next Jesus Montero!!

 

I would doubt he’s in Boston in 2023. But certainly 2024 is reasonable. Then comes the question of how good he is vs MLB pitching and how long it takes him to get there.

 

I do think the glove will play no matter what..

 

Montero is not a good comp -- he was all PEDs.

 

Mayer is all DQs -- as in vastly in need of considerable Blizzards: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Triple Pecan Cluster, Oreo Dirt Pie, Caramel Fudge Cheesecake, and a heaping helping of Heath... but no GirlScout Thin Mints, Butterfinger, Snickers, and never BenandCherry Garciaparra.

[mvp 78]

Montero is not a good comp -- he was all PEDs.

 

Mayer is all DQs -- as in vastly in need of considerable Blizzards: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Triple Pecan Cluster, Oreo Dirt Pie, Caramel Fudge Cheesecake, and a heaping helping of Heath... but no GirlScout Thin Mints, Butterfinger, Snickers, and never BenandCherry Garciaparra.

 

You list a bunch of blizzards and don't mention one Reese's variation?!?!?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

You list a bunch of blizzards and don't mention one Reese's variation?!?!?

 

It doesn't take a degree in Classics at Yale to make McGuire jokes.

[notin]

I'm being reminded of the 2017 offseason where everyone laughed about me saying Devers would make it to BOS that year...

 

I don't care if my belief isn't good enough for you. Saying "what at bat at A+ convinced you" is just f***ing stupid though. I've read the scouting reports and I trust what they say. He's a great clubhouse guy and has all the tools to be a franchise SS. I'm all in. I sure as s*** would trust those scouting reports over some naysayer on TalkSox.

 

I’m not even saying you’re wrong in your prediction. My belief is A ball is too early to tell much of anything. I don’t even get excited about prospects until AA, let alone label them foundations…

[Old Red]

https://www.mlb.com/prospects

 

He's the 7th ranked prospect in all of baseball. I'll hitch my wagon to him with no regrets. We see him in BOS in 2023.

Let’s pump the breaks a few times here. 2023/would be a real long shot.

[Old Red]

They should be better than the 78 win 2022 team. But whether or not it’s improved enough for October baseball rests largely on the durability of two fragile starting pitchers…

 

Still hyping that 78 WIN team? Let’s give them a participation trophy.

[notin]

Montero is not a good comp -- he was all PEDs.

 

Mayer is all DQs -- as in vastly in need of considerable Blizzards: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Triple Pecan Cluster, Oreo Dirt Pie, Caramel Fudge Cheesecake, and a heaping helping of Heath... but no GirlScout Thin Mints, Butterfinger, Snickers, and never BenandCherry Garciaparra.

 

 

Montero was the first top ten flop that leapt to mind. Corey Patterson was second, but felt too obscure for a Sox board…

[mvp 78]

Let’s pump the breaks a few times here. 2023/would be a real long shot.

 

No.

[Old Red]

No.

 

Portland is the best bet at some point.