A Realistic View of 2023: Part II

[moonslav59]

Turner is only hitting 760. JD is currently hitting 794.

 

Let's see in September.

 

Turner rocks in the second half.

 

I'm not sure JD will dip like he did, last year, but I'm betting Turner ends up better than the 2022 JD and probably the 2023 JD, and at less money.

[mvp 78]

I think none of us are all surprised at the starting rotation being kind of a trainwreck so far. Is this really shocking to anyone?

 

We liked the pen.

 

We questioned the middle IF depth (and were right).

 

Nothing that has happened has been all that surprising.

[moonslav59]

I think none of us are all surprised at the starting rotation being kind of a trainwreck so far. Is this really shocking to anyone?

 

We liked the pen.

 

We questioned the middle IF depth (and were right).

 

Nothing that has happened has been all that surprising.

 

Ask those who saw us winning 70-76 games.

 

I'm surprised, no shocked, the rotation has been this bad. Every starter with more than 1 GS'd has an ERA over 5.00. I can see thinking Pivetta and maybe Kluber might, but they are over both over 6.30might.

 

ERA as SP

8.00 Crawford 2GS

6.41 Kluber 8

6.30 Pivetta 8

6.19 Whitlock 3 (maybe understandable after injury)

5.48 Houck 8 (maybe understandable after injury)

5.40 Sale 8 (maybe understandable after long layoff)

5.01 Bello (still just a kid.)

 

In isolation, nothing is that shocking, but everyone? Yes.

 

Team Starter ERA: 5.84 with a 119 OPS+ Against.

 

[moonslav59]

I think none of us are all surprised at the starting rotation being kind of a trainwreck so far. Is this really shocking to anyone?

 

We liked the pen.

 

We questioned the middle IF depth (and were right).

 

Nothing that has happened has been all that surprising.

 

Some seemed to question the offense, especially coming off a 9th place finish in 2022 in runs and OPS.

 

We all questioned the D and thought the pen should be better.

 

We knew the rotation was questionable, but 5.84? WOW!

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I think none of us are all surprised at the starting rotation being kind of a trainwreck so far. Is this really shocking to anyone?

 

We liked the pen.

 

We questioned the middle IF depth (and were right).

 

Nothing that has happened has been all that surprising.

 

Duran looks like a big leaguer this year, and sometimes a big-time player.

 

I never saw it coming, and not because of his physical skills.

 

But I accept that I've been retired too long to appreciate the adage. Students learn at a different pace on different levels, and there are no age deadlines for teaching dirtdogs new tricks.

[Bellhorn04]

What if I told you the team that SCORES THE MOST RUNS wins the game?

 

And run differential is the best measure of a team's performance.

 

Ours is pretty slim at this stage.

[Bellhorn04]

Duran looks like a big leaguer this year, and sometimes a big-time player.

 

I never saw it coming, and not because of his physical skills.

 

But I accept that I've been retired too long to appreciate the adage. Students learn at a different pace on different levels, and there are no age deadlines for teaching dirtdogs new tricks.

 

Or as a wise old baseball philosopher once said, "You can't predict s*** in this game."

[moonslav59]

And run differential is the best measure of a team's performance.

 

Ours is pretty slim at this stage.

 

Yup. We are 12th in MLB winning % and 15th in run diff at +7.

[moonslav59]

AL East Winning % Standings in MLB:

 

1. TBR

2. BAL

T6. TOR

8. NYY

12. BOS

 

Good thing, for us, MLB cut down on division games.

[Bellhorn04]

Pablo Reyes off to a flying start to his Red Sox career.

[Bellhorn04]

My man Refsnyder's numbers are looking much better now.

[moonslav59]

Let's see in September.

 

Turner rocks in the second half.

 

I'm not sure JD will dip like he did, last year, but I'm betting Turner ends up better than the 2022 JD and probably the 2023 JD, and at less money.

 

Turner may just pass JD, tonight!

[moonslav59]

Pablo Reyes off to a flying start to his Red Sox career.

 

Is he one of those "gems" we heard Bloom was so good at finding?

[moonslav59]

Turner may just pass JD, tonight!

 

LOL, after tonight...

 

.795 Turner

 

.794 JD

 

Too funny!

[Maxbialystock]

I liked JDM a lot, especially in 2018--but not so much lately. I wrote Turner off as too old and am delighted to admit my error. He hits and is extremely versatile and capable in the field.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Pablo Reyes is the turning point in the season, from 30 mph Leephus pitches to 2-run doubles off the Monstah. Sox should extend him to a longterm contract now, at least through the summer solstice.

 

Bloom needs to lock him up, literally, until the trade deadline...

[Old Red]

Pablo Reyes is the turning point in the season, from 30 mph Leephus pitches to 2-run doubles off the Monstah. Sox should extend him to a longterm contract now, at least through the summer solstice.

 

Bloom needs to lock him up, literally, until the trade deadline...

 

Short amount of time, but Reyes, and Valdez has done a better job than Arroyo, and Kike. And the beat goes on. Keep playing them both.

[notin]

Pablo Reyes is the turning point in the season, from 30 mph Leephus pitches to 2-run doubles off the Monstah. Sox should extend him to a longterm contract now, at least through the summer solstice.

 

Bloom needs to lock him up, literally, until the trade deadline...

 

He’s becoming a Pedro Ciriaco-esque cult hero…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

He’s becoming a Pedro Ciriaco-esque cult hero…

 

Pablo is a .421 hitter in Boston! The A's tried to stash him in the minors until their big move to Vegas, but Bloom saw right through their little ruse.

 

Chaim's like Branch Rickey running Pittsburgh, going up to Canada to pirate Clemente away from the Brooklyn Dodgers. Reyes could be his legacy!

[moonslav59]

I liked JDM a lot, especially in 2018--but not so much lately. I wrote Turner off as too old and am delighted to admit my error. He hits and is extremely versatile and capable in the field.

 

He's had very good success as he ages. That does not mean he can't lose it, quickly and at any moment, but he had one of his hottest stretches of his career over the last half of 2022, and is known as a second half hitter, so I'm optimistic he will stay ahead of what JD gave us last year- and maybe by a lot.

[notin]

Pablo is a .421 hitter in Boston! The A's tried to stash him in the minors until their big move to Vegas, but Bloom saw right through their little ruse.

 

Chaim's like Branch Rickey running Pittsburgh, going up to Canada to pirate Clemente away from the Brooklyn Dodgers. Reyes could be his legacy!

 

Right. Trade Mayer now…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Right. Trade Mayer now…

 

... for two prospects!

[mvp 78]

My man Refsnyder's numbers are looking much better now.

 

If you can keep him away from RHP, he can be useful.

[mvp 78]

LOL, after tonight...

 

.795 Turner

 

.794 JD

 

Too funny!

 

Even if JD has a .020 higher OPS, Turner is a much better fit for the Sox. He plays the field and is a good clubhouse leader. JD can't even jog towards the OF without breaking in half and would rather sit in the video room than talk to teammates.

[moonslav59]

Even if JD has a .020 higher OPS, Turner is a much better fit for the Sox. He plays the field and is a good clubhouse leader. JD can't even jog towards the OF without breaking in half and would rather sit in the video room than talk to teammates.

 

Some questioned the lack of clubhouse leadership, last season. I know stat geeks are not supposed to even talk about human element stuff, but the team seems to be in better hands, this year.

 

No knock on JD, Vaz, Nate & Bogey, but it did seem like the 2022 team lacked something, and that falls on Cora, too.

[mvp 78]

Some questioned the lack of clubhouse leadership, last season. I know stat geeks are not supposed to even talk about human element stuff, but the team seems to be in better hands, this year.

 

No knock on JD, Vaz, Nate & Bogey, but it did seem like the 2022 team lacked something, and that falls on Cora, too.

 

Even though Kiké has kinda sucked on the field, I think his off field presence has really helped this team. Verdugo has stepped up a lot too. This team may not be the most talented team in the division, but they battle. They have done so from game 1.

[Nick]

I will say it. I don't miss Xander at all.

 

I enjoy watching this group of hitters.

 

Duran Casas Wong Yoshida Turner Tapia Valdez.....new and improved Verdugo along with Devers....it was time to move on.

 

There's always something exciting about infusion of some young talent.

Edited May 18, 2023 by Nick

[moonslav59]

I will say it. I don't miss Xander at all.

 

I enjoy watching this group of hitters.

 

Duran Casas Wong Yoshida Turner Tapia Valdez.....new and improved Verdugo along with Devers....it was time to move on.

 

There's always something exciting about infusion of some young talent.

 

I do miss the steadiness that Bogey brought to the team. It's no secret I prefer great defensive SSs, but the guy was a clear plus to the team.

 

Last year, I questioned the clubhouse leadership as appearing to come up short, but it's hard to know exactly what was going on and who was most at fault.

 

Many were upset when we traded Vaz and mentioned his leadership qualities and how trading him (and the way we handled telling him about the trade) took the steam out of clubhouse morale. I was thinking, "what morale?"

 

I think the team needed a change, and my views on Cora are such that I don't think he was a major reason we flopped, last year.

 

It looks like the team is more cohesive and energetic. As bad as the defense has been, it does not seem to be from a lack of focus and effort. There seem to be a few less mental blunders on the basepaths and defense, but that is not supported by any data I know of.

 

I have a better gut feeling about this team than 2022, and it's not just based on that 8 game streak. Had we gone 4-4 in that stretch, we'd be at .500 and I'd still have optimism. I lost my optimism very early, last year. It's not something I'm proud of, but it just seemed like the writing was on the wall. It was like the team expected to be snake-bitten every night.

[mvp 78]

Agree with not being the most talented, and battling since day one. The amazing part to me is that the call ups of guys that you didn’t really expect much from when called up like Reyes, Valdez, and even the Butterfly Man have really produced. Can’t forget Wang either who had solidified the D at SS before he got hurt.

 

Chang?

[Old Red]

Chang?

 

Thanks for the correction. I was to late to fix.