Devers signs 11 year $331 million extension

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

The ‘22 Sox won 78 games with no pitching depth and a lot of pitching injuries. The lineup wasn’t really the problem. Yoshida, Casas and whoever plays SS/2b should improve a pretty good offense that lost Bogaerts, Cordero and Bradley. The bullpen does look like it should be a lot better. Turner (116) had roughly the same OPS+ as JD (117). So that’s pretty much a push at DH.

 

The rotation largely rests on Sale and Paxton. They might have a little more starter depth this year, but probably not enough, as they’re likely to tap into it quickly…

 

We always agree on the rotation... and the phrase probably not enough.

[moonslav59]

But not even the Uncle Uppers think the Sox will have a better record in '23 just for bringing back a guy they already had on a cellar dweller.

 

The 2022 bar set is pretty low. I'm feeling very optimistic we will win a significant amount more in 2023, and that's not even figuring the more balanced and easier schedule we'll have, next season.

 

I'm happy with our catchers, but we may still add, there.

1B should be way better.

Middle IF is looking like a big decline, but I think we will add a bridge SS who plays plus D.

I'm expecting Devers to have a career year at 3B.

I like Turner to beat JD's 2022 numbers at DH.

Yoshida should give a huge boost to our OF O, and no JBJ and Cordero and hopefully less from Duran and more from Kike will see a jump up for our OF, as a whole.

The pen should be way better.

Bello & Whitlock in the rotation may gives it a big boost. I like the Kluber addition, but had hoped for better. It looks like Sale or Paxton will have to impress, and maybe Pivetta keeps being one of MLB's best 5th starters, another season.

 

Uncle Uppers is pretty optimistic, after the Devers extension.

 

 

 

[jacksonianmarch]

The 2022 bar set is pretty low. I'm feeling very optimistic we will win a significant amount more in 2023, and that's not even figuring the more balanced and easier schedule we'll have, next season.

 

I'm happy with our catchers, but we may still add, there.

1B should be way better.

Middle IF is looking like a big decline, but I think we will add a bridge SS who plays plus D.

I'm expecting Devers to have a career year at 3B.

I like Turner to beat JD's 2022 numbers at DH.

Yoshida should give a huge boost to our OF O, and no JBJ and Cordero and hopefully less from Duran and more from Kike will see a jump up for our OF, as a whole.

The pen should be way better.

Bello & Whitlock in the rotation may gives it a big boost. I like the Kluber addition, but had hoped for better. It looks like Sale or Paxton will have to impress, and maybe Pivetta keeps being one of MLB's best 5th starters, another season.

 

Uncle Uppers is pretty optimistic, after the Devers extension.

 

 

 

 

You can keep telling yourself this, but it’s not likely you’re better than 22 after losing the guys you lost and not replacing them.

[Old Red]

The 2022 bar set is pretty low. I'm feeling very optimistic we will win a significant amount more in 2023, and that's not even figuring the more balanced and easier schedule we'll have, next season.

 

I'm happy with our catchers, but we may still add, there.

1B should be way better.

Middle IF is looking like a big decline, but I think we will add a bridge SS who plays plus D.

I'm expecting Devers to have a career year at 3B.

I like Turner to beat JD's 2022 numbers at DH.

Yoshida should give a huge boost to our OF O, and no JBJ and Cordero and hopefully less from Duran and more from Kike will see a jump up for our OF, as a whole.

The pen should be way better.

Bello & Whitlock in the rotation may gives it a big boost. I like the Kluber addition, but had hoped for better. It looks like Sale or Paxton will have to impress, and maybe Pivetta keeps being one of MLB's best 5th starters, another season.

 

Uncle Uppers is pretty optimistic, after the Devers extension.

 

 

 

 

Catchers are nothing, but backups.

1B has lots of promise, but unproven.

Can Story handle SS?

Turner is closing in on turning 40, so what can you really expect from him?

Huge boost from Yoshida? BIG ?

Bello another lots of promise, but also unproven.

This team could win more games, but still loaded with ???

[Bellhorn04]

You can keep telling yourself this, but it’s not likely you’re better than 22 after losing the guys you lost and not replacing them.

 

"The guys you lost".

 

We lost one guy who had a good season last year, one guy with an fWAR above 1.8-Bogey, and he would have cost in the high 20's to retain.

[Jasonbay44]

"The guys you lost".

 

We lost one guy who had a good season last year, one guy with an fWAR above 1.8-Bogey, and he would have cost in the high 20's to retain.

 

The bar is also low. The Red Sox weren’t good in 2022, I don’t think they’ll be great or anything but hoping for a competitive team and outdoing 2022 isn’t crazy. On paper the rotation and bullpen should be better, the lineup should be about the same, if not better. I fully expect Devers to have a better season, Story to stay more healthy and a Kike bounce back and for more 1B production. I don’t think any of those expectations are crazy.

 

Is this a playoff team? I doubt it, I don’t think the rotation can stay healthy. Is this team a team that can be competitive and we won’t feel like torture watching? I think they can be

[moonslav59]

You can keep telling yourself this, but it’s not likely you’re better than 22 after losing the guys you lost and not replacing them.

 

You keep telling yourself this same thing over and over and have been wrong more than right.

 

The fact is we lost a lot of bad players, semi-bad players and a three good players that did not have great or very productive 2022 season. I suspect you are thinking we are losing the 2018 or 2021 Nate, the 2018-2020 Bogey and the 2018, 2019 and 2021 JD. No, we are losing the 2022 Nate, JD and Bogey. That's not to say we don't need decent players to fill their slots, but in some cases, we do, and you need to count all the other players we lost and how easy it should be to improve on their numbers.

 

The two major slots we have had trouble refilling, so far ar SS and SP. No doubt, we lost big at SS, but my point is maybe not as big as it appears to some, who are thinking we need a SS who hits 25-30 HRs and drives in 100-120 runs. That's a strawman SS. JD is an even bigger strawman, and Nate may be the biggest of the 3. It might actually be harder replacing the 2022 Wacha+ Hill than Nate.

 

Why not go over my points, one-by-one, and tell me where my projections are wrong? You owe specifics.

 

Catcher: I may be wrong, here, but replacing Vaz and Plawecki and their combined .694 OPS may not be as hard as you think. IMO, Vaz had issues with maximizing the abilities of the pitching staff, but I may be assuming McGuire is better. Plawecki was awful, last season. Call this a push.

 

1B: If you don't see this as a major gain, I'll lose the respect I've always had for you. The D was horrific, and the O produced 20 HRs and a .683 OPS at a position known for power and offense. Huge plus in 2023.

 

2B: I'm going with Story, here, for now, and I think the odds are he gets more PAs than 2022, and even if he doesn't produce more, just the more PAs makes this a plus. Potential for huge plus.

 

SS: There is not getting around this: huge loss, but at the risk of sounding hypocritical and mentioning HRs and RBIs when I usually poo-poo others for focusing only on those two stats, Bogey had just 38 HRs and 152 RBI in his last 2 seasons, combinned (1234 PAs.) That specific production may not be so hard to come close to, with a key addition. We all know my feelings about Bogey's D, but that is another area to gain a chunk of positive, but in no way will we stop SS from becoming a NEGATIVE.

 

3B: I do not think I'm wearing pink glasses to suggest Devers, entering peak prime, improves on 2022's .856 OPS at 3B. Turner in reserve, could alone, help improve 3B.

 

LF: All speculation, here, but improving on a .694 OPS and so-so D should be predicted with the addition of Yoshida and no Cordero, Pham and maybe less of Duran. PLUS

 

CF: Same as 2B, more PAs from Kike, alone, should make CF a plus on O & D. A return to just his career norms on O would make this a huge plus, and if he comes close to 2021, a massive plus. (CF was at .671, last year.)

 

RF: This is a tricky position to call. Dugo and Ref, perhaps on a mild platoon, should easily improve on the .661 RF OPS of 2022, but there will be a drop off on D, due to the loss of JBJ's D. However, we have to remember who else played D in RF, last season, and in more combined innings than JBJ:

525 JBJ

474 Others (163 Ref/124 Cordero/108 Arroyo/46 Duran/24 Ja Davis/8 Almonte)

432 Dugo

 

 

DH: Turner should do better than the .763 DH OPS in 2023, but this could b e close: Slight Plus.

 

I see 7 pluses, one loss and 1 even, but could agree on 6-1-2.

 

Maybe a simpler view: loss of players by OPS and PAs

.833 Bogey (631 PAs)

.790 JD M (596)

.759 Vaz (318)

That's 1555 PAs of near .800 Offense. But, add up these lost or reduced PAs:

.652 Dalbec (353)

.578 JBJ (290)

.697 Cordero (275)

.672 Pham (235)

.645 Duran (223)

.574 Plawecki (175)

.631 Hosmer (50)

.322 Sanchez (44)

.427 Downs (41)

.697 Almonte (37)

.596 Chang (26)

.000 Shaw and Arauz (31)

That's 1024 PAs Lost and 576 PAs reduced. That's the same as the big 3 lost above.

 

Now, the lost pitching:

ERA/FIP Pitcher IP

The Decent to Good

3.32/4.14 Wacha (127)

4.27/3.92 Hill (124)

3.87/4.30 Nate (109)

3.83/3.72 Strahm (45)

In total, we lost 69 GS'd, which amounts to about 2 SP'ers NOT 3, as it may appear. That is a substantial loss that will be replaced by:

20-30 GS Kluber

15-20 more GS from Bello

15-20 more GS from Whitlock

I'll say this might be a net loss, but remember, we are also replacing or reducing these GS'd

14 Winckowski 5.89 ERA

12 Crawford 5.47 ERA

5 Seabold 11.29

3 Davis 5.47

I see a potential for a gain, but will agree to call the rotation a loss, as of now.

 

The pen has to b e viewed as a major improvement, despite Whitlock moving to the rotation.

 

Gains:

Jansen

Martin

Joely

Mills

Maybe more from Schreiber, Houck, Barnes and Kelly/German/Mata/Walter...

 

Losses or reduced innings:

IP RP only and ERA as a RP'er only

62 Brasier 5.78

51 Sawamura 3.73

48 Davis 6.19

40 Danish 5.13

39 Whitlock 2.75

38 Dieman 4.23

28 Ort 6.35

25 Robles 5.84

16 Bazardo 2.76

16 Valdez 4.41

10 Familia 6.10

15 Others 10.00+ ERA

 

These are the facts. Of course, not all good projections will happen, but just looking at the odds of slots improving or declining, it looks like a clear plus at way more positions than losses, and the ALE schedules will be easier in 2023- leading to the chance for more wins by all ALE teams.

 

Tell me, specifically, where you think I projected incorrectly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[notin]

"The guys you lost".

 

We lost one guy who had a good season last year, one guy with an fWAR above 1.8-Bogey, and he would have cost in the high 20's to retain.

 

 

And while Yoshida is a question as a replacement, sometimes the answer to that question is “abso-f*ckin’-lutely!!”

 

I don’t think the Sox season hinges on replacing Bogaerts with Yoshida. The success of 2023 could and should live or die with the Sox rotation…

[moonslav59]

Catchers are nothing, but backups. Newsflash: our catchers were "back-ups," last season. Literally. Vaz was the back-up to a catcher hitting under .600 on the Astros.

1B has lots of promise, but unproven. Yes, of course, but do you project a loss from the putrid level of 2022? Note" Turner is "proven."

 

Can Story handle SS? I said SS was a major loss.

 

Turner is closing in on turning 40, so what can you really expect from him? The same or better than the 2022 JD. Do you expect worse?

 

Huge boost from Yoshida? BIG ? Likely, huge. Maybe just big. Almost certainly better than .690's.

Bello another lots of promise, but also unproven. I suggested we decline in the rotation.

 

This team could win more games, but still loaded with ???

Projected to be better at 1B, 2B, 3B, LF, CF, RF, DH and Pen (may be 6 of the 8 slots plus better depth).

Projected to be near the same or slightly worse at Catcher.

Projected to be worse at SP.

Projected to be much worse at SS.

Projected to have a much easier schedule- like all ALE teams, but not like all non-ALE teams.

 

Projected better team and more wins. Yes, projects are just speculation, but are you speculating any of the positions I said should be pluses as minuses? If yes, which ones?

 

I'm speculating significantly more wins. Tell me why you are not, and try to be specific.

[Bellhorn04]

Catchers are nothing, but backups. Newsflash: our catchers were "back-ups," last season. Literally. Vaz was the back-up to a catcher hitting under .600 on the Astros.

 

That's pretty unfair. We all understand why Vaz was a backup during his short stint with the Stros. He wasn't a backup with the Red Sox.

[Old Red]

Catchers are nothing, but backups. Newsflash: our catchers were "back-ups," last season. Literally. Vaz was the back-up to a catcher hitting under .600 on the Astros.

1B has lots of promise, but unproven. Yes, of course, but do you project a loss from the putrid level of 2022? Note" Turner is "proven."

 

Can Story handle SS? I said SS was a major loss.

 

Turner is closing in on turning 40, so what can you really expect from him? The same or better than the 2022 JD. Do you expect worse?

 

Huge boost from Yoshida? BIG ? Likely, huge. Maybe just big. Almost certainly better than .690's.

Bello another lots of promise, but also unproven. I suggested we decline in the rotation.

 

This team could win more games, but still loaded with ???

Projected to be better at 1B, 2B, 3B, LF, CF, RF, DH and Pen (may be 6 of the 8 slots plus better depth).

Projected to be near the same or slightly worse at Catcher.

Projected to be worse at SP.

Projected to be much worse at SS.

Projected to have a much easier schedule- like all ALE teams, but not like all non-ALE teams.

 

Projected better team and more wins. Yes, projects are just speculation, but are you speculating any of the positions I said should be pluses as minuses? If yes, which ones?

 

I'm speculating significantly more wins. Tell me why you are not, and try to be specific.

 

Projections of the season is more of a crapshoot then making the playoffs, and winning it. No one predicted that 2020 would be a bad as it was, and no one predicted that last year was going to be a losing last place team.

News Flash! Vaz was not a backup C with the Red Sox last year.

Where did I say the Red Sox would not win more games this year? I didn’t, and as a matter of FACT I said they could win more games this year, but still had lots of ???

[Old Red]

That's pretty unfair. We all understand why Vaz was a backup during his short stint with the Stros. He wasn't a backup with the Red Sox.

 

Exactly, and once again the Moon Man is full of it.

[moonslav59]

That's pretty unfair. We all understand why Vaz was a backup during his short stint with the Stros. He wasn't a backup with the Red Sox.

 

Fair point, but he did end the season as a back-up to a severely offensively-challenged catcher.

 

Also, to be fair, McGuire wasn't really a back up, either. He started more games as a catcher than any other Blue Jay in 2021 and any other White Sox in 2022, prior to the trade.

[notin]

That's pretty unfair. We all understand why Vaz was a backup during his short stint with the Stros. He wasn't a backup with the Red Sox.

 

True. Basically they let the pitchers throw to the guy they were used to.

 

On the other hand, maybe McGuire was miscast as a backup, too…

[Jasonbay44]

Fair point, but he did end the season as a back-up to a severely offensively-challenged catcher.

 

Also, to be fair, McGuire wasn't really a back up, either. He started more games as a catcher than any other Blue Jay in 2021 and any other White Sox in 2022, prior to the trade.

I think it has more to do with how much the Astros staff respects and loves working with Maldonado than it has to do with anything Vazquez himself did.

[notin]

Catchers are nothing, but backups. Newsflash: our catchers were "back-ups," last season. Literally. Vaz was the back-up to a catcher hitting under .600 on the Astros.

1B has lots of promise, but unproven. Yes, of course, but do you project a loss from the putrid level of 2022? Note" Turner is "proven."

 

Can Story handle SS? I said SS was a major loss.

 

Turner is closing in on turning 40, so what can you really expect from him? The same or better than the 2022 JD. Do you expect worse?

 

Huge boost from Yoshida? BIG ? Likely, huge. Maybe just big. Almost certainly better than .690's.

Bello another lots of promise, but also unproven. I suggested we decline in the rotation.

 

This team could win more games, but still loaded with ???

Projected to be better at 1B, 2B, 3B, LF, CF, RF, DH and Pen (may be 6 of the 8 slots plus better depth).

Projected to be near the same or slightly worse at Catcher.

Projected to be worse at SP.

Projected to be much worse at SS.

Projected to have a much easier schedule- like all ALE teams, but not like all non-ALE teams.

 

Projected better team and more wins. Yes, projects are just speculation, but are you speculating any of the positions I said should be pluses as minuses? If yes, which ones?

 

I'm speculating significantly more wins. Tell me why you are not, and try to be specific.

 

It’s interesting we consider Story a question mark due to a flexor strain (which can heal, by the way). Yet JD, who also had a flexor strain, is considered a loss…

[moonslav59]

Projections of the season is more of a crapshoot then making the playoffs, and winning it. No one predicted that 2020 would be a bad as it was, and no one predicted that last year was going to be a losing last place team.

News Flash! Vaz was not a backup C with the Red Sox last year.

Where did I say the Red Sox would not win more games this year? I didn’t, and as a matter of FACT I said they could win more games this year, but still had lots of ???

 

Many predicted total failure in 2020, especially after we learned Sale was out for the season, and ERod, too.

Vaz ended the season as a clear back-up. McGuire started more games than any other catcher on his teams, both in 2021 and in 2022. So, who is "full of it" is just opinion and speculation on your part.

Where did I say you said we'd lose more games, Mr. Strawman Builder? You said we "could win more." I asked why you are not projecting we do win more, which is an entirely true statement on my behalf. That's not the same as saying you "said we'd lose more." Talk about making faulty assumptions. Talk about being "full of it."

[moonslav59]

I think it has more to do with how much the Astros staff respects and loves working with Maldonado than it has to do with anything Vazquez himself did.

 

Had Vaz been better, he'd have started.

 

He had 2+ months to learn how to work with their staff.

 

He had years and years to improve on how he worked with our staff, and consistently git worse results from our staff than Plawecki and Leon, and ...

 

Yes, he was a starter, most of his career. I pushed the envelope by calling him a back-up. I admit that, but he did end the season as one, and to a guy hitting something like .580, which is like JBJish.

 

McGuire might not be viewe das a starting catcher, but he was used as a starter more than any other catcher on his teams, the last 2 years. My guess is, he works well with the staff, since he did not hit very well- much like Maldonado.

[Jasonbay44]

Had Vaz been better, he'd have started.

 

He had 2+ months to learn how to work with their staff.

 

He had years and years to improve on how he worked with our staff, and consistently git worse results from our staff than Plawecki and Leon, and ...

 

Yes, he was a starter, most of his career. I pushed the envelope by calling him a back-up. I admit that, but he did end the season as one, and to a guy hitting something like .580, which is like JBJish.

 

McGuire might not be viewe das a starting catcher, but he was used as a starter more than any other catcher on his teams, the last 2 years. My guess is, he works well with the staff, since he did not hit very well- much like Maldonado.

 

Changing starting catchers near the end of the season is tough, especially when Maldonado is one of the most well respected game callers and defensive catchers in the league. Everywhere he has gone, pitchers have loved him. It’s one of those things where the stats don’t tell the whole story.

[Old Red]

Many predicted total failure in 2020, especially after we learned Sale was out for the season, and ERod, too.

Vaz ended the season as a clear back-up. McGuire started more games than any other catcher on his teams, both in 2021 and in 2022. So, who is "full of it" is just opinion and speculation on your part.

Where did I say you said we'd lose more games, Mr. Strawman Builder? You said we "could win more." I asked why you are not projecting we do win more, which is an entirely true statement on my behalf. That's not the same as saying you "said we'd lose more." Talk about making faulty assumptions. Talk about being "full of it."

Who cares if Vaz was the backup C in Houston, or not outside of you.the fact is he was the Red Sox #1 C. I already answered why I’m not predicting more wins, and that was to many ??? Wash, rinse, and repeat is your past time along with your Strawman. As usual Mr Wrong, Mr Wrong they are playing your song, and once again you didn’t like someone’s opinions. TDB.

[notin]

I think it has more to do with how much the Astros staff respects and loves working with Maldonado than it has to do with anything Vazquez himself did.

 

That trade was not about upgrading Maldonado; it was about replacing Jason Castro, who was out with what turned out to be a career-ending knee injury. Castro’s interim replacement Korey Lee just wasn’t cutting it…

[Jasonbay44]

That trade was not about upgrading Maldonado; it was about replacing Jason Castro, who was out with what turned out to be a career-ending knee injury. Castro’s interim replacement Korey Lee just wasn’t cutting it…

 

I know why the Astros did the trade. I was just defending Vazquez, who I think we all know isn’t actually a backup, he is clearly a top 30 catcher and a starter in this league. Maldonado is just one of those weird cases where stat wise he looks bad, but pitchers and teammates love him and he does a phenomenal job of calling games, framing, defense and etc. don’t even think Astros care if he hit at all.

[moonslav59]

The Final Line on Vaz and the pitchers who pitched the most for the Sox since 2014 (in order of most IP since 2014):

 

Porcello

4.19 Leon (576 Innings)

4.96 Vaz (211)

 

 

ERod

4.05 Leon (118)

4.18 Vaz (614)

 

Price

2.96 Leon (204)

4.27 Vaz (360)

 

Sale

2.51 AJ Pierzynski (226 some with CWS)

2.79 Leon (436)

4.08 Vaz (132)

 

Nate

3.39 Plawecki (183)

4.64 Vaz (176)

 

Buchholz

2.83 VMart (241)

3.01 Leon (155)

3.95 Salty (207)

4.44 Vaz (130)

 

Pivetta (Note: some small sample sizes, here)

3.39 Plawecki (69)

4.55 Vaz (221)

 

I don't think it's a fluke to see every SP'er did worse with Vaz.

 

It's also noteworthy to see that while Vaz was our "starting catcher" every season since 2016, he wasn't the FT catcher for Sale, Porcello, Nate, Buch and sometimes with Price- basically all our best SP'ers, except ERod &N Pivetta.

[moonslav59]

Changing starting catchers near the end of the season is tough, especially when Maldonado is one of the most well respected game callers and defensive catchers in the league. Everywhere he has gone, pitchers have loved him. It’s one of those things where the stats don’t tell the whole story.

 

That's kinda been my point about Vaz, all along. (See my most recent post.)

 

Vaz was hitting over .750 when he joined the Astros, while Maldy was under .590. I guess how you handle a staff counts for more than that. Many disagree.

[Bellhorn04]

The Final Line on Vaz and the pitchers who pitched the most for the Sox since 2014 (in order of most IP since 2014):

 

Porcello

4.19 Leon (576 Innings)

4.96 Vaz (211)

 

 

ERod

4.05 Leon (118)

4.18 Vaz (614)

 

Price

2.96 Leon (204)

4.27 Vaz (360)

 

Sale

2.51 AJ Pierzynski (226 some with CWS)

2.79 Leon (436)

4.08 Vaz (132)

 

Nate

3.39 Plawecki (183)

4.64 Vaz (176)

 

Buchholz

2.83 VMart (241)

3.01 Leon (155)

3.95 Salty (207)

4.44 Vaz (130)

 

Pivetta (Note: some small sample sizes, here)

3.39 Plawecki (69)

4.55 Vaz (221)

 

I don't think it's a fluke to see every SP'er did worse with Vaz.

 

It's also noteworthy to see that while Vaz was our "starting catcher" every season since 2016, he wasn't the FT catcher for Sale, Porcello, Nate, Buch and sometimes with Price- basically all our best SP'ers, except ERod &N Pivetta.

 

But with all those numbers in hand, Bloom did not dispatch him until the 2022 deadline. And yes I know about the reported pursuit of Stallings. But if Vaz was that bad, Bloom should have sent him on his way regardless.

[moonslav59]

Who cares if Vaz was the backup C in Houston, or not outside of you.the fact is he was the Red Sox #1 C. I already answered why I’m not predicting more wins, and that was to many ??? Wash, rinse, and repeat is your past time along with your Strawman. As usual Mr Wrong, Mr Wrong they are playing your song, and once again you didn’t like someone’s opinions. TDB.

 

You aren't predicting more wins for the Sox and accused me of saying you did not predict more wins for the Sox. Talk about wash, rinse and repeat the strawmen over and over.

 

"Who cares?" You cared enough about my starting catcher comment to respond, so I clarified.

 

You also called McGuire a b ack-up, when he wasn't. Another strawman position, which you conveniently failed to respond to, as always, when exposed as being wrong and for building strawmen.

[Jasonbay44]

That's kinda been my point about Vaz, all along. (See my most recent post.)

 

Vaz was hitting over .750 when he joined the Astros, while Maldy was under .590. I guess how you handle a staff counts for more than that. Many disagree.

 

It’s definitely a debatable topic, but it worked out for Astros

[moonslav59]

But with all those numbers in hand, Bloom did not dispatch him until the 2022 deadline. And yes I know about the reported pursuit of Stallings. But if Vaz was that bad, Bloom should have sent him on his way regardless.

 

Vaz was a pretty good hitting catcher, compared to most others. I have never said he was a net negative or recommended he be forced to start less games.

 

I am merely pointing out one fault of his that is often ignored, until the same reason used to explain why Maldy started over Vaz is used to point out that maybe Vaz was not as good as some think he was, and maybe losing his bat may be overcome by better staff relationships with McGuire- just maybe.

 

I've never come close to saying Vaz sucked or deserved to be the back-up, but I do think it's fair to point out his short-comings.

[Old Red]

The Final Line on Vaz and the pitchers who pitched the most for the Sox since 2014 (in order of most IP since 2014):

 

Porcello

4.19 Leon (576 Innings)

4.96 Vaz (211)

 

 

ERod

4.05 Leon (118)

4.18 Vaz (614)

 

Price

2.96 Leon (204)

4.27 Vaz (360)

 

Sale

2.51 AJ Pierzynski (226 some with CWS)

2.79 Leon (436)

4.08 Vaz (132)

 

Nate

3.39 Plawecki (183)

4.64 Vaz (176)

 

Buchholz

2.83 VMart (241)

3.01 Leon (155)

3.95 Salty (207)

4.44 Vaz (130)

 

Pivetta (Note: some small sample sizes, here)

3.39 Plawecki (69)

4.55 Vaz (221)

 

I don't think it's a fluke to see every SP'er did worse with Vaz.

 

It's also noteworthy to see that while Vaz was our "starting catcher" every season since 2016, he wasn't the FT catcher for Sale, Porcello, Nate, Buch and sometimes with Price- basically all our best SP'ers, except ERod &N Pivetta.

 

Outside of the Red Sox how many teams would the 2 backup C they have now start on any other ML teams. Vaz was a #1 C rather you like that, or not. Also the Red Sox have nothing, but backup C on their roster right now, and I’m not so sure that Wong will even stay on the Red Sox roster.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Dusty Baker said Houston traded for Vazquez to pinch-hit for Maldonado and play in late innings -- not to upgrade the position, but to augment it.

 

The Astros were never going to replace Maldonado as the #1 catcher last year. The reason they didn't trade for Contreras, instead, is that Dusty said he didn't want an All-Star pouting on the bench. Maldonado's been the Astros' top backstop the past three seasons, which includes two World Series teams, and the pitching staff -- a major strength -- is obviously comfortable working with him.

 

The question for the '23 Red Sox catchers is how well will they adjust to the new pitch clock and pick-off limitations? The running game may be a bigger factor than ever...

 

... and a clever club may really benefit from the thievery possibilities. Maybe that's why Bloom hasn't been overly concerned with replacing power hitters since '21.