A Realistic View at 2023: Part I

[notin]

True, but as far as the rotation concerned, Bloom seems to be building a bridge to nowhere. He's going to have to make a big trade or a risky signing at some point...assuming he's around to do so.

 

Or the Tampa model.

 

You don’t see them overspending for starters very often. But I think he’d like a minor league kicking in some replacements. Other than Drohan, he hasn’t added much MiLB pitching, however…

[moonslav59]

It wasn't great. Sox team starter fWAR last season was ranked 18th. CHW at 15 was 3.4 fWAR higher (needed Hill and Wacha to be twice as good to make up the difference).

 

They weren’t “bad” either, and Hill made half of what Richards and Kluber made.

 

Wacha and Hill were not the reason we sucked last year. They earned their $12M combined.

 

If fingers are to be pointed, maybe the fact the Bello and Pivetta both had higher fWARs than Nate is more worthy of scrutiny.

 

We paid Sale and Nate a huge percent of our budget, yet Bloom is blamed for signing Wacha, Hill and trading scraps forPivetta.

 

Bloom deserves blame for Kluber, Richards and Perez x 2, but going 2 for 5 on bargain signings is not bad or the problem.

 

The problem was our high priced players declined or got hurt or both.

 

This year, the problem was spending almost everything in offense and the pen. That’s all on Bloom and JH.

[mvp 78]

Enmanuel Valdez

4/19 - 5/5/23: 138 wRC+, 875 OPS, 19% k rate

5/7 - 6/7/23: 53 wRC+, 573 OPS, 31% k rate

 

Another guy trending in the wrong direction.

[moonslav59]

Hope he is more than just a “flash.”

[Larry Cook]

Duran is trending down as well

[notin]

Enmanuel Valdez

4/19 - 5/5/23: 138 wRC+, 875 OPS, 19% k rate

5/7 - 6/7/23: 53 wRC+, 573 OPS, 31% k rate

 

Another guy trending in the wrong direction.

 

Demote Valdez. Promote Hamilton…

[moonslav59]

Demote Valdez. Promote Hamilton…

 

What is the reason for not giving Hamilton a shot? Anyone asked Bloom?

[notin]

What is the reason for not giving Hamilton a shot? Anyone asked Bloom?

 

I think he blocked my texts…

[Randy Red Sox]

because he is not a Bloom guy

What is the reason for not giving Hamilton a shot? Anyone asked Bloom?

[notin]

because he is not a Bloom guy

 

Sure he is. Bloom traded Renfroe for him…

[Duran Is The Man]

They weren’t “bad” either, and Hill made half of what Richards and Kluber made.

 

Wacha and Hill were not the reason we sucked last year. They earned their $12M combined.

 

If fingers are to be pointed, maybe the fact the Bello and Pivetta both had higher fWARs than Nate is more worthy of scrutiny.

 

We paid Sale and Nate a huge percent of our budget, yet Bloom is blamed for signing Wacha, Hill and trading scraps forPivetta.

 

Bloom deserves blame for Kluber, Richards and Perez x 2, but going 2 for 5 on bargain signings is not bad or the problem.

 

The problem was our high priced players declined or got hurt or both.

 

This year, the problem was spending almost everything in offense and the pen. That’s all on Bloom and JH.

 

i'd give Bloom credit for signing Wacha and then blame him for not resigning him this past winter. but honestly, i think the only reason Bloom signed him to begin with is because he was relatively cheap.

[Duran Is The Man]

Demote Valdez. Promote Hamilton…

 

why not at this point.

[moonslav59]

Sure he is. Bloom traded Renfroe for him…

 

Still, a “head scratcher!”

[redsoxrules]

Duran is trending down as well

 

Well, his hot start was never going to last. I mentioned yesterday that his OPS was 371 prior to last night's game in his last 17 games.

[Bellhorn04]

Well, his hot start was never going to last. I mentioned yesterday that his OPS was 371 prior to last night's game in his last 17 games.

 

The true test for him comes now. Can he bounce back? He did have a couple of hits last night.

[Old Red]

The true test for him comes now. Can he bounce back? He did have a couple of hits last night.

 

Duvall is back tomorrow, so I don’t see Duran getting anywhere near the playing time he has been getting.

[Bellhorn04]

Duvall is back tomorrow, so I don’t see Duran getting anywhere near the playing time he has been getting.

 

I'm with fellow poster Dipre, who says in a lost season like this surely is, you might as well see what Casas and Duran have.

 

OTOH Duvall obviously deserves his fair share of playing time.

[Old Red]

I'm with fellow poster Dipre, who says in a lost season like this surely is, you might as well see what Casas and Duran have.

 

OTOH Duvall obviously deserves his fair share of playing time.

While Duran has improved I don’t think he is in any long term plans.

[Bellhorn04]

While Duran has improved I don’t think he is in any long term plans.

 

Don't forget he's cheap right now.

[Old Red]

Don't forget he's cheap right now.

 

That does give him a big advantage.

[notin]

The true test for him comes now. Can he bounce back? He did have a couple of hits last night.

 

He’s not likely to see the lineup too much more with Duvall back.

 

Now he did at least make himself look like a Major Leaguer this year, a nice bump up from whatever he was last year…

[notin]

While Duran has improved I don’t think he is in any long term plans.

 

He might get the opportunity to change that in 2024…

[Bellhorn04]

He’s not likely to see the lineup too much more with Duvall back.

 

Now he did at least make himself look like a Major Leaguer this year, a nice bump up from whatever he was last year…

 

Well, as you might say, it's only a matter of time until Duvall goes back on the IL...

[mvp 78]

While Duran has improved I don’t think he is in any long term plans.

 

Duran:

5/5 - 6/8/23

196 AVG

261 OBP

284 SLG

32% K

44 wRC+

 

Casas:

5/3 - 6/8/23

244 AVG

354 OBP

481 SLG

26% K

126 wRC+

[mvp 78]

He’s not likely to see the lineup too much more with Duvall back.

 

Now he did at least make himself look like a Major Leaguer this year, a nice bump up from whatever he was last year…

 

He's just going to slide into the Tapia role as the 4th OFer.

[Dipre]

He'll get plenty of playing time, but mostly on favorable matchups.

[Dipre]

I'm with fellow poster Dipre, who says in a lost season like this surely is, you might as well see what Casas and Duran have.

 

OTOH Duvall obviously deserves his fair share of playing time.

 

Even if it wasn't a lost year. Gotta build part of the roster from within.

[mvp 78]

Even if it wasn't a lost year. Gotta build part of the roster from within.

 

Just push him lower in the order. Casas has hit well over the past month though.

[Dipre]

Just push him lower in the order. Casas has hit well over the past month though.

 

Casas is a very special talent. That sort of plate control with that level of power is a phenomenal combination. You can fix a swing to lower strikeouts, or improve plate coverage, but you can't teach power of plate approach.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Casas is a very special talent. That sort of plate control with that level of power is a phenomenal combination. You can fix a swing to lower strikeouts, or improve plate coverage, but you can't teach power of plate approach.

 

Agreed. Duran is best drilling balls in the gap and flying around the bases -- the type of guy in his prime a line-up needs batting in front of a guy like Casas, in his prime. I don't know if they'll ever bat 1-2, but if the Sox' best hitters in the next half decade are Yoshida, Verdugo and Devers (when he rebounds), with Mayer the best prospect, that's all lefty swingers.

 

The new GM will have to add a couple premium righty bats... among his many priorities.