Red Sox Spring Training 2023

[mvp 78]

 

Jay Groome’s fastball velocity is up about 2 mph. He appears to be close to his first taste of the majors. Soon, he could be a Padre after all. “It was nice just knowing they felt the same way still, all this time later.”

 

Back of the rotation/middle reliever guy? Not something I'm losing sleep over. His overall ceiling is gone from what it once was.

[mvp 78]

I’d all but given up on Groome, but it probably won’t take much for him to outproduce Rosier and Ferguson…

 

Yes, but he was moved to simply clear space on the 40 man. It wasn't a deal where Bloom was going to bring back much value.

[mvp 78]

I’d have concerns if Dalbec was a proposed solution for Story’s injury, but that’s hardly the case. Last year, there was a mini-panic on this board when we learned Dalbec had been working out at 2b and in the OF. And we didn’t even learn about that until August!! At which time Dalbec had accrued 0 innings at either position…

 

He should be working out in the OF though? Why would people panic? He's a bad 1b. He's an ok 3b, but not a full-timer. In order for him to stick in the majors, he needs more utility. I just don't think a good use for him is at SS, a much more demanding defensive position than 3b or 1b.

[mvp 78]

I guess Bloom may have given Sox fans a bit of a phobia about a philosophy of "anybody can play anywhere".

 

Because they can't.

[mvp 78]

@jcmccaffrey

Red Sox vs Rays: Arroyo 2B, Casas 1B, Duvall CF, Tapia DH, Refsnyder RF, Dalbec SS, McGuire C, Allen LF, Goodrum 3B, Kluber P

 

Whitlock is also scheduled to pitched in a game for the first time today. He’s set to go two innings after Kluber.

 

Bello is throwing two innings on the back fields today

[Bellhorn04]

He should be working out in the OF though? Why would people panic? He's a bad 1b. He's an ok 3b, but not a full-timer. In order for him to stick in the majors, he needs more utility. I just don't think a good use for him is at SS, a much more demanding defensive position than 3b or 1b.

 

But what if it just makes him available as an emergency fill-in at SS, especially until Mondesi is ready.

[Bellhorn04]

@jcmccaffrey

Red Sox vs Rays: Arroyo 2B, Casas 1B, Duvall CF, Tapia DH, Refsnyder RF, Dalbec SS, McGuire C, Allen LF, Goodrum 3B, Kluber P

 

Whitlock is also scheduled to pitched in a game for the first time today. He’s set to go two innings after Kluber.

 

Bello is throwing two innings on the back fields today

 

Good news!

[Old Red]

Good news!

 

If all goes well maybe Whitlock opens the season in the BP, and Houck will open in the rotation like last year.

[Old Red]

He should be working out in the OF though? Why would people panic? He's a bad 1b. He's an ok 3b, but not a full-timer. In order for him to stick in the majors, he needs more utility. I just don't think a good use for him is at SS, a much more demanding defensive position than 3b or 1b.

 

Opportunities from missing players from the WBC I think are driving this. Guys are playing more than they would have in these games, because Raffy, and Kike are missing. If the Red Sox keep both Tapia, and the Ref Man to start the season that’s 1 less IF they will keep. If that is good, or bad for Bobby D we’ll just have a few weeks left to see. Bobby D might not even make the big club.

[Hugh2]

Opportunities from missing players from the WBC I think are driving this. Guys are playing more than they would have in these games, because Raffy, and Kike are missing. If the Red Sox keep both Tapia, and the Ref Man to start the season that’s 1 less IF they will keep. If that is good, or bad for Bobby D we’ll just have a few weeks left to see. Bobby D might not even make the big club.

 

If you need to make a roster spot for a guy like Tapia because he gets a MLB offer from another club over the next 10 days AND he's still raking. You easily option a guy like Dalbec if it's needed.

 

That's just one reason why I think it's very likely Bobby Dalbec starts the season in AAA. But, a lot can happen between now and then.

[moonslav59]

If you need to make a roster spot for a guy like Tapia because he gets a MLB offer from another club over the next 10 days AND he's still raking. You easily option a guy like Dalbec if it's needed.

 

That's just one reason why I think it's very likely Bobby Dalbec starts the season in AAA. But, a lot can happen between now and then.

 

Starting Dalbec in AAA is easy. It’s the 40 man slot that is more of an issue, although it seems like it’s not that hard. Ort, Ort, Ort seems to be the easy choice, but it never seems to happen.

 

There is also the Alfaro situation.

 

Maybe some one goes on the 60 to make room.

[Hugh2]

Starting Dalbec in AAA is easy. It’s the 40 man slot that is more of an issue, although it seems like it’s not that hard. Ort, Ort, Ort seems to be the easy choice, but it never seems to happen.

 

There is also the Alfaro situation.

 

Maybe some one goes on the 60 to make room.

 

Yeah, I think it's easy enough to DFA Ort, but if you need two spaces opened up then I think they have to move a Dalbec or a Duran.

[mvp 78]

But what if it just makes him available as an emergency fill-in at SS, especially until Mondesi is ready.

 

Yu Chang should be the emergency fill in.

[mvp 78]

Opportunities from missing players from the WBC I think are driving this. Guys are playing more than they would have in these games, because Raffy, and Kike are missing. If the Red Sox keep both Tapia, and the Ref Man to start the season that’s 1 less IF they will keep. If that is good, or bad for Bobby D we’ll just have a few weeks left to see. Bobby D might not even make the big club.

 

Right now, Tapia is functioning primarily as a DH. He's basically a LF only, which will be Yoshida's spot. As long as Turner is ready to go, Tapia will be in AAA.

[mvp 78]

If you need to make a roster spot for a guy like Tapia because he gets a MLB offer from another club over the next 10 days AND he's still raking. You easily option a guy like Dalbec if it's needed.

 

That's just one reason why I think it's very likely Bobby Dalbec starts the season in AAA. But, a lot can happen between now and then.

 

I'd put Chang on the roster ahead of Dalbec and Tapia until Mondesi is ready.

[mvp 78]

Starting Dalbec in AAA is easy. It’s the 40 man slot that is more of an issue, although it seems like it’s not that hard. Ort, Ort, Ort seems to be the easy choice, but it never seems to happen.

 

There is also the Alfaro situation.

 

Maybe some one goes on the 60 to make room.

 

Alfaro depends on Wong's health. I thought they might 60 day IL Abreu, but that would start his MLB service time making it less likely.

[mvp 78]

Yeah, I think it's easy enough to DFA Ort, but if you need two spaces opened up then I think they have to move a Dalbec or a Duran.

 

Dalbec has a 927 ST OPS!

 

ST OPS by year:

2020 775

2021 1164

2022 1052

[Old Red]

Right now, Tapia is functioning primarily as a DH. He's basically a LF only, which will be Yoshida's spot. As long as Turner is ready to go, Tapia will be in AAA.

 

Tapia has played LF more than the others, but he did play 30+ games in CF, and RF last year. I would rather have him than the Ref Man.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Tapia has played LF more than the others, but he did play 30+ games in CF, and RF last year. I would rather have him than the Ref Man.

 

Tapia swings lefty. They're keeping Refsnyder because he's righty and crushed southpaws last year. Cora already said he'll play Ref vs. lefties on days he rests Verdugo, Yoshida or Casas (I don't how the latter works, when Turner plays first...DH?).

 

Re. Alfaro, it's always good to keep a guy around who bats clean-up for his national team in a world tournament, and was MVP of the winter league.

 

David Ortiz was MVP of the winter league right before his first season cleaning up in Boston in 2003...

[mvp 78]

Tapia has played LF more than the others, but he did play 30+ games in CF, and RF last year. I would rather have him than the Ref Man.

 

Rob Refsnyder is a very bad defensive outfielder. Tapia's defense took a hit last year when put in CF and RF, but was still better than Refsnyder's.

 

Tapia: -4 DRS in 935 innings

Refsnyder: -5 DRS in 303 innings (would be ghastly if pushed to 900 innings)

 

The projections are kinder to Refsnyder, but I think they heavily weigh his 2022 season. Refsnyder is definitely overrated by a lot of people on here. Tapia could be better than Refsnyder this year, but only if Refsnyder's offense bottoms out again (which isn't entirely unlikely). If he is better, it probably won't be by very much. Both guys are just 4th/5th OFer types.

[mvp 78]

Tapia swings lefty. They're keeping Refsnyder because he's righty and crushed southpaws last year. Cora already said he'll play Ref vs. lefties on days he rests Verdugo, Yoshida or Casas (I don't how the latter works, when Turner plays first...DH?).

 

Re. Alfaro, it's always good to keep a guy around who bats clean-up for his national team in a world tournament, and was MVP of the winter league.

 

David Ortiz was MVP of the winter league right before his first season cleaning up in Boston in 2003...

 

Ortiz didn't have a 34% career k rate before coming here.

[Hugh2]

Dalbec has a 927 ST OPS!

 

ST OPS by year:

2020 775

2021 1164

2022 1052

 

I'm not sure if that bodes well or bad for Dalbec.

[mvp 78]

I'm not sure if that bodes well or bad for Dalbec.

 

It means to me that you can't read much into his ST numbers.

[Old Red]

Rob Refsnyder is a very bad defensive outfielder. Tapia's defense took a hit last year when put in CF and RF, but was still better than Refsnyder's.

 

Tapia: -4 DRS in 935 innings

Refsnyder: -5 DRS in 303 innings (would be ghastly if pushed to 900 innings)

 

The projections are kinder to Refsnyder, but I think they heavily weigh his 2022 season. Refsnyder is definitely overrated by a lot of people on here. Tapia could be better than Refsnyder this year, but only if Refsnyder's offense bottoms out again (which isn't entirely unlikely). If he is better, it probably won't be by very much. Both guys are just 4th/5th OFer types.

 

Agree. The Ref Man did have a good year with he bat last year especially against LHP, but his bat has not been very productive for the rest of his career, so was last year just a career year for him, and he’ll go back to just being a journeyman with not much upside. The Ref Man isn’t that good of a OF, but he is a RHH if that matters that much. D in the OF doesn’t seem to be a big priority for the Red Sox this season as they have a LF more suited for DH, a CF who is more suited for RF, and a RF who is more suited to play LF, so we’ll see what happens.

[moonslav59]

Tapia swings lefty. They're keeping Refsnyder because he's righty and crushed southpaws last year. Cora already said he'll play Ref vs. lefties on days he rests Verdugo, Yoshida or Casas (I don't how the latter works, when Turner plays first...DH?).

.

 

Maybe Yoshida to DH and Turner to 1B to make room for Ref and sit Casas.

[moonslav59]

Agree. The Ref Man did have a good year with he bat last year especially against LHP, but his bat has not been very productive for the rest of his career, so was last year just a career year for him, and he’ll go back to just being a journeyman with not much upside. The Ref Man isn’t that good of a OF, but he is a RHH if that matters that much. D in the OF doesn’t seem to be a big priority for the Red Sox this season as they have a LF more suited for DH, a CF who is more suited for RF, and a RF who is more suited to play LF, so we’ll see what happens.

 

Ref did have a .784 OPS v lefties in 2021, so maybe 2022 was not such a fluke.

 

I’m cautiously optimistic and think he earned a long look for 2023. I like Tapia, too, but STing numbers should not be enough to displace Ref, IMO.

[mvp 78]

https://twitter.com/alexspeier/status/1636023656965980160

 

Bello is throwing his slider, changeup and sinker today. No issues noted.

[mvp 78]

Maybe Yoshida to DH and Turner to 1B to make room for Ref and sit Casas.

 

Maybe some days? I'd be more inclined to sit Verdugo vs LHP.

[Old Red]

Ref did have a .784 OPS v lefties in 2021, so maybe 2022 was not such a fluke.

 

I’m cautiously optimistic and think he earned a long look for 2023. I like Tapia, too, but STing numbers should not be enough to displace Ref, IMO.

Both guys have been around long enough, so no ST should not be a deciding factor. I’m just not that high on the Ref Man, and I’ll agree that he deserves a look, but not a long one. If it would come down to Tapia, or the Ref Man I would go with Tapia.

[moonslav59]

Maybe some days? I'd be more inclined to sit Verdugo vs LHP.

 

I’ve said that about Dugo for years.