A Realistic View of 2023: Part II

[mvp 78]

I agree with Yoshida, and Casas playing, because they are going to be around for a few years, and are not a stopgap like Kike, and i wouldn’t call playing Kike as a best bet, and if it yours you’re probably a loser.

 

No, a loser would be someone that goes back and forth with another poster for months and months having dumb pointless arguments. I wouldn't stoop to loser behavior like that. I just like to waste time while I'm at work.

 

If they bench Kiké, who are they going to play at SS instead? They don't have anyone! Mondesi is out until June and is liable to be put back on the IL soon after. Valdez is currently hitting worse in AAA than Kiké. Yu Chang's current OPS is 000. David Hamilton was not a good hitter in AA last season. There's no way he'd be adequate in MLB in 2023. They don't have anyone who can play SS aside from Kiké right now.

 

Who are you playing there instead?

[notin]

No, a loser would be someone that goes back and forth with another poster for months and months having dumb pointless arguments. I wouldn't stoop to loser behavior like that. I just like to waste time while I'm at work.

 

If they bench Kiké, who are they going to play at SS instead? They don't have anyone! Mondesi is out until June and is liable to be put back on the IL soon after. Valdez is currently hitting worse in AAA than Kiké. Yu Chang's current OPS is 000. David Hamilton was not a good hitter in AA last season. There's no way he'd be adequate in MLB in 2023. They don't have anyone who can play SS aside from Kiké right now.

 

Who are you playing there instead?

 

Paul DeJong!!

[Bellhorn04]

I can't see it as a good thing that notin's Paul DeJong man-crush has resurfaced.

[Old Red]

No, a loser would be someone that goes back and forth with another poster for months and months having dumb pointless arguments. I wouldn't stoop to loser behavior like that. I just like to waste time while I'm at work.

 

If they bench Kiké, who are they going to play at SS instead? They don't have anyone! Mondesi is out until June and is liable to be put back on the IL soon after. Valdez is currently hitting worse in AAA than Kiké. Yu Chang's current OPS is 000. David Hamilton was not a good hitter in AA last season. There's no way he'd be adequate in MLB in 2023. They don't have anyone who can play SS aside from Kiké right now.

 

Who are you playing there instead?

#1 who’s fault is it that they don’t have anymore options than what you mentioned? Playing Kike at SS is pretty much like playing no one there anyway. It’s surly is not a good option, but Bobby D I don’t think would do any worse, and at least would get a base hit every now, and then.

As for the loser I’ve seen others go back, and forth with another poster on here myself.

[Bellhorn04]

Kike has been moved to the bottom of the lineup at least.

[Old Red]

I can't see it as a good thing that notin's Paul DeJong man-crush has resurfaced.

 

Before it was Gallo.

[mvp 78]

Paul DeJong!!

 

Wow, I don't see him on the 40 man or even in the organization?

[Old Red]

Kike has been moved to the bottom of the lineup at least.

 

I would love to see Kike go on one of his hot streaks, and I’m sure he, and the Sox would as well, but I’m just not to confident it is going to happen.

[mvp 78]

#1 who’s fault is it that they don’t have anymore options than what you mentioned? Playing Kike at SS is pretty much like playing no one there anyway. It’s surly is not a good option, but Bobby D I don’t think would do any worse, and at least would get a base hit every now, and then.

As for the loser I’ve seen others go back, and forth with another poster on here myself.

 

So your winning idea is to make Bobby Dalbec the SS. Sounds like a real viable strategy. No notes.

[Old Red]

So your winning idea is to make Bobby Dalbec the SS. Sounds like a real viable strategy. No notes.

 

I said it wasn’t a good option, but better than Kike at the moment. Maybe Cora can come out of retirement.

[moonslav59]

I think lots of lefty pitching has been the reason.

 

Yes, more than the norm, but still 6 RH'd SPs vs 5 LH'd SPs.

 

270 PAs v R

155 PAs v L

 

Yet, Wong has 26 PAs to 16 and 7 GS to 4.

 

OPS Splits, so far...

 

Wong

.250 v R (12 PAs)

.445 v L (14)

 

McGuire

1.038 v R (16 PAs)

no PAs vs LHPs, so far

 

It seems obvious, they don't want McGuire facing lefties, but why allow Wong to start vs a righty?

[Bellhorn04]

Yes, more than the norm, but still 6 RH'd SPs vs 5 LH'd SPs.

 

270 PAs v R

155 PAs v L

 

Yet, Wong has 26 PAs to 16 and 7 GS to 4.

 

OPS Splits, so far...

 

Wong

.250 v R (12 PAs)

.445 v L (14)

 

McGuire

1.038 v R (16 PAs)

no PAs vs LHPs, so far

 

It seems obvious, they don't want McGuire facing lefties, but why allow Wong to start vs a righty?

 

Pairing him up with a pitcher?

[moonslav59]

But he’s really never been a good fit for a leadoff hitter…

 

.342 was not a bad OBP in 2021, and it was a lot better in the second half, but I agree. Yoshida should lead off, and I said that before the season began.

 

Once Kike went back to leading off on June 27, 2021 and never hit anywhere else but leadoff, his OBP was .374. Then...

.500 ALWC

.429 ALDS

.407 ALCS

 

I'm not saying he deserves a long look at leadoff, but I wouldn't say he has never done well, there.

 

The guy seems lost at bat and in the field. I'm optimistic he recovers, but how long a leash does he get? It's not just about 11 games in 2023. Last season was not good, either.

 

[moonslav59]

No, a loser would be someone that goes back and forth with another poster for months and months having dumb pointless arguments. I wouldn't stoop to loser behavior like that. I just like to waste time while I'm at work.

 

If they bench Kiké, who are they going to play at SS instead? They don't have anyone! Mondesi is out until June and is liable to be put back on the IL soon after. Valdez is currently hitting worse in AAA than Kiké. Yu Chang's current OPS is 000. David Hamilton was not a good hitter in AA last season. There's no way he'd be adequate in MLB in 2023. They don't have anyone who can play SS aside from Kiké right now.

 

Who are you playing there instead?

 

Bloom needs to trade for someone, anyone, even if nobody is being offered. That's the repeated answer.

 

He should have traded for a nonexistent 1B, last June, too.

[Bellhorn04]

Pitcher-catcher pairings first 12 games:

 

Kluber-McGuire

Sale-McGuire

Houck-Wong

Crawford-Wong

Pivetta-McGuire

Kluber-Wong

Sale-McGuire

Houck-Wong

Crawford-Wong

Pivetta-Wong

Whitlock-Wong

Sale-McGuire

 

Wong started 4 in a row.

[Hugh2]

I think getting swept by the Pirates at home was a lot more telling about this club than sweeping the banjo hitting Tigers, so to say the Red Sox looked promising going into Tampa is something I don’t buy.

 

How many games did they play going into Tampa? I don't think it's fair to be too judgemental either way at this point. Yes, based on our personalities the cup will be half full or half empty. But the season is still in it's infancy.

[Bellhorn04]

How many games did they play going into Tampa? I don't think it's fair to be too judgemental either way at this point. Yes, based on our personalities the cup will be half full or half empty. But the season is still in it's infancy.

 

The season is in its infancy, but we know that some teams have no chance. The Red Sox are not a team with no chance, but they have far more question marks than the Yanks/Rays/Jays, who all just happened to pound us last year. We can be thankful we don't have to play those teams 19 times any more. The Jays made what looks to have been a very helpful trade for Varsho, although they did give up a top catching prospect.

[jad]

The season is in its infancy, but we know that some teams have no chance. The Red Sox are not a team with no chance, but they have far more question marks than the Yanks/Rays/Jays, who all just happened to pound us last year. We can be thankful we don't have to play those teams 19 times any more. The Jays made what looks to have been a very helpful trade for Varsho, although they did give up a top catching prospect.

 

The RS have no chance.

[sk7326]

The season is in its infancy, but we know that some teams have no chance. The Red Sox are not a team with no chance, but they have far more question marks than the Yanks/Rays/Jays, who all just happened to pound us last year. We can be thankful we don't have to play those teams 19 times any more. The Jays made what looks to have been a very helpful trade for Varsho, although they did give up a top catching prospect.

 

Honestly, I'm a bit heartened by the start. The team is scoring easier than I expected. The defense is bad - but we knew that. The bullpen has largely been pretty good considering the horrific starting pitching. There is still upside - but it depends on the starting pitching in general rising up to acceptable.

[moonslav59]

Honestly, I'm a bit heartened by the start. The team is scoring easier than I expected. The defense is bad - but we knew that. The bullpen has largely been pretty good considering the horrific starting pitching. There is still upside - but it depends on the starting pitching in general rising up to acceptable.

 

It's almost always about the starting pitching.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

It's almost always about the starting pitching.

 

And the Red Sox planned to make the playoffs this year going into the season with one starter in his prime: the #5 starter.

[Bellhorn04]

Reese McGuire CERA:

 

2022 6.33

2023 6.20

 

It's almost funny.

[Old Red]

Not the start the Red Sox wanted, or needed, but only 12 games in. Not panicking yet, but it wouldn’t take much to get there. The offense shouldn’t be as bad has it’s been, and it showed a little bit of life last night. SS, and CF seem the most concerning right now along with the Start of Chris Sale, which I think most agreed that a productive Chris Sale is a must for the team to have any chance of a postseason appearance.

[Old Red]

Reese McGuire CERA:

 

2022 6.33

2023 6.20

 

It's almost funny.

2023 Chris Sale has a lot to do with that.

[Bellhorn04]

2023 Chris Sale has a lot to do with that.

 

Nothing to do with the 2022 number though.

 

Let Wong catch Sale. It's one of the few things I can think of that might result in improvement. I'm a desperate Sox fan right now, admittedly.

[Bellhorn04]

How about opponent OPS when McGuire is catching?

 

2022 .874

2023 .883

 

That's unbelievable. Maybe the guy is making some extra dough tipping off hitters what pitches are coming.

[Old Red]

Nothing to do with the 2022 number though.

 

Let Wong catch Sale. It's one of the few things I can think of that might result in improvement. I'm a desperate Sox fan right now, admittedly.

 

Wong is a better C, and McGuire is a better hitter. Either way it certainly wouldn’t hurt having Wong catch Sale.

[notin]

Nothing to do with the 2022 number though.

 

Let Wong catch Sale. It's one of the few things I can think of that might result in improvement. I'm a desperate Sox fan right now, admittedly.

 

 

No, but the 2022 number might be influenced by several starts from Connor Seabold, Josh Winckowski, Kutter Crawford and pre-epiphany Brayan Bello.

 

(He also caught some of Bello’s good outings.)

[Bellhorn04]

No, but the 2022 number might be influenced by several starts from Connor Seabold, Josh Winckowski, Kutter Crawford and pre-epiphany Brayan Bello.

 

(He also caught some of Bello’s good outings.)

 

I know, but you have to admit, these numbers are bizarre. Especially the consistency between the two years.

 

Maybe moon could do a little dig and see if any Sox catcher has ever had this high of a CERA over this big of a sample.

[Bellhorn04]

Honestly, I'm a bit heartened by the start. The team is scoring easier than I expected. The defense is bad - but we knew that. The bullpen has largely been pretty good considering the horrific starting pitching. There is still upside - but it depends on the starting pitching in general rising up to acceptable.

 

I don't know, sk, I think it's kind of a bad sign when we feel good about the team "making a game of it" like last night.