A Realistic View of 2023: Part II

[Dipre]

If Kike is going to play - and he very likely is - it should be in CF. If Cora can’t see that, he should be replaced…

 

Cora is playing the hand he was dealt.

[Randy Red Sox]

isn't that what we said last offseason?

[Bellhorn04]

A lot of talk about this rotation

 

Starter ERA

Season: 5.29

Last 30 days: 4.40

Last 14 days: 4.23

 

Team OPS:

Season: .786

Last 30 Days: .718

Last 14 days: .699

 

The starters, while certainly not good, might not be the problem here. Especially considering the play behind them…

 

Now just think what those numbers would look like with Eovaldi.

[Bellhorn04]

Cora is playing the hand he was dealt.

 

Most of us are trying to get Bloom fired. notin dances to the beat of a different drum, he's going after Cora instead...

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Now just think what those numbers would look like with Eovaldi.

 

Woltz awakes... discovers blood on his pajamas... all over the sheets... lifts the blanket... EEEEEAAAAHHHH!!!!!

[notin]

Cora is playing the hand he was dealt.

 

And that hand shouldn’t have Kike at SS. Cora has other options, there, too…

[notin]

Now just think what those numbers would look like with Eovaldi.

 

I don’t see how his career .197 OPS is the answer here…

[Bellhorn04]

And that hand shouldn’t have Kike at SS. Cora has other options, there, too…

 

He does, but you can't say they're great ones. Reyes is a guy the A's didn't want.

[notin]

Most of us are trying to get Bloom fired. notin dances to the beat of a different drum, he's going after Cora instead...

 

I’m not trying to get anyone fired.

 

But I will promise this. Fair or not, agree or not, Cora will be fired before Bloom…

[notin]

He does, but you can't say they're great ones. Reyes is a guy the A's didn't want.

 

But is he a better or worse option at SS than Kike? Is the bar at “great” here?

 

Also bear in mind, Reyes wasn’t released; he was acquired…

[Bellhorn04]

I’m not trying to get anyone fired.

 

But I will promise this. Fair or not, agree or not, Cora will be fired before Bloom…

 

Why are you so sure about that? You don't think Bloom has a good shot at following in Cherington's footsteps? Cherington (arguably perhaps) did better in his 4 years.

[Old Red]

But is he a better or worse option at SS than Kike? Is the bar at “great” here?

 

Also bear in mind, Reyes wasn’t released; he was acquired…

It doesn’t matter one way, or the other how anyone the Red Sox have was acquired, or released, or traded for.

[Bellhorn04]

But is he a better or worse option at SS than Kike? Is the bar at “great” here?

 

Also bear in mind, Reyes wasn’t released; he was acquired…

 

Kike's numbers on FanGraphs are incredibly bad for sure. I certainly agree he shouldn't play SS any more.

[Hugh2]

I don't even want Kike looking at SS. Don't even look over there.

[Dipre]

I miss Theo Epstein

[Bellhorn04]

I miss Theo Epstein

 

Bring him back and pay him anything. He's still a young man.

[notin]

It doesn’t matter one way, or the other how anyone the Red Sox have was acquired, or released, or traded for.

 

It also doesn’t matter that the A’s didn’t want him. I was pointing out its not like he was released from the worst team in the league.

 

But more important - does he represent a defensive upgrade at the position?

 

Schreiber was released by the Tigers. Does that mean he isn’t an upgrade in the bullpen?

[notin]

Why are you so sure about that? You don't think Bloom has a good shot at following in Cherington's footsteps? Cherington (arguably perhaps) did better in his 4 years.

 

There’s a fair argument.

 

But it seems as though spending matters, too. I doubt Henry grades solely on W-L.

[Duran Is The Man]

Most of us are trying to get Bloom fired. notin dances to the beat of a different drum, he's going after Cora instead...

 

can't happen soon enough for me. since his arrival i've been completely underwhelmed.

[notin]

I don't even want Kike looking at SS. Don't even look over there.

 

He’s a CF.

 

When does Chang come back?

[notin]

From Rotoworld:

 

Simply put, Hernández is finished playing shortstop. He's committed a staggering 13 throwing errors this season, including a couple at shortstop over the weekend, and has graded out as one of the worst defenders in baseball at the position from an advanced metrics standpoint. It sounds like Pablo Reyes and Yu Chang (hand), once he returns from the injured list, will get the bulk of the starts at the position until Trevor Story (elbow) is ready to return.

 

It was worth a try, but it went on too long and it’s finally over…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

There’s a fair argument.

 

But it seems as though spending matters, too. I doubt Henry grades solely on W-L.

 

This is why I -- along with you, and a few others -- can't see Bloom getting fired. Henry is a business man, and if he can still make a profit -- and spend less -- why would he move on from the guy he hired to make that happen?

 

Posters can argue that Henry may not make as much when the brand is losing and less popular, but a smaller payroll and tax could still ensure a similar profit, where the income exceeds the outcome.

 

Is there any evidence that the organization is spending more instead on R and D: Recruiting Developmental people (from winners like Tampa, Houston, Atlanta, LA etc)?

[Dipre]

This is why I -- along with you, and a few others -- can't see Bloom getting fired. Henry is a business man, and if he can still make a profit -- and spend less -- why would he move on from the guy he hired to make that happen?

 

Posters can argue that Henry may not make as much when the brand is losing and less popular, but a smaller payroll and tax could still ensure a similar profit, where the income exceeds the outcome.

 

Is there any evidence that the organization is spending more instead on R and D: Recruiting Developmental people (from winners like Tampa, Houston, Atlanta, LA etc)?

 

That's not how baseball economics work for a large-market team at all, and funny that you mention Houston and the Dodgers, two teams who win a lot, spend a lot, and are great at developing players.

[notin]

This is why I -- along with you, and a few others -- can't see Bloom getting fired. Henry is a business man, and if he can still make a profit -- and spend less -- why would he move on from the guy he hired to make that happen?

 

Posters can argue that Henry may not make as much when the brand is losing and less popular, but a smaller payroll and tax could still ensure a similar profit, where the income exceeds the outcome.

 

Is there any evidence that the organization is spending more instead on R and D: Recruiting Developmental people (from winners like Tampa, Houston, Atlanta, LA etc)?

 

 

If Bloom is teaching his financial KPIs, he’s probably safe for now. Fans -and understandably so - don’t care about this stuff and like everything measured in wins and losses. But as you said, profitability is the bottom line. Sure mediocrity (or worse) costs you that swing vote dollar from fans. But that money can’t be counted on.

 

The roles could be as simple as:

 

1. Bloom - staff the team within the budget

2. Cora - maximize the performance of that team

 

If that’s the case, who is on the hot seat?

[notin]

That's not how baseball economics work for a large-market team at all, and funny that you mention Houston and the Dodgers, two teams who win a lot, spend a lot, and are great at developing players.

 

The Astros and Dodgers both repeatedly succeed because their farm system constantly produces minimum wage talent that allows for highly paid veterans. They can’t afford Betts and Freeman without balancing them out with Outman and Miller and Lux.

 

That’s what (I think) the Sox want to be able to do…

[Dipre]

If Bloom is teaching his financial KPIs, he’s probably safe for now. Fans -and understandably so - don’t care about this stuff and like everything measured in wins and losses. But as you said, profitability is the bottom line. Sure mediocrity (or worse) costs you that swing vote dollar from fans. But that money can’t be counted on.

 

The roles could be as simple as:

 

1. Bloom - staff the team within the budget

2. Cora - maximize the performance of that team

 

If that’s the case, who is on the hot seat?

 

Yeah, but for a team like the Red Sox, who don't take part in revenue sharing, fielding a competitive team that makes the playoff is the surest way to profitability. TV deals aside, regular season gate and playoff gate are the best ways for a large market team to make money, since merchandise sales are divided equally among teams.

[Dipre]

The Astros and Dodgers both repeatedly succeed because their farm system constantly produces minimum wage talent that allows for highly paid veterans. They can’t afford Betts and Freeman without balancing them out with Outman and Miller and Lux.

 

That’s what (I think) the Sox want to be able to do…

 

But they spend money and make the playoffs. That's the point, and probably what the Sox want to emulate, but that doesn't mean the Sox don't want to spend, as spending is what they've always done, sometimes with less than desirable results, because of the lack of a farm system that constantly produces talent, and is absolutely awful at producing pitching.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Yeah, but for a team like the Red Sox, who don't take part in revenue sharing, fielding a competitive team that makes the playoff is the surest way to profitability. TV deals aside, regular season gate and playoff gate are the best ways for a large market team to make money, since merchandise sales are divided equally among teams.

 

That's the point -- but Fenway Park is a tourist attraction, a museum, a novelty, and an entertainment center, which can arguably be a detriment to fans who only want a competitive team.

 

Win or lose, the Sox still fill the seats... I didn't say all the seats, but since they were built for bodies that roamed America over a hundred years ago, there's plenty of overflow in most that are occupied.

[Dipre]

That's the point -- but Fenway Park is a tourist attraction, a museum, a novelty, and an entertainment center, which can arguably be a detriment to fans who only want a competitive team.

 

Win or lose, the Sox still fill the seats... I didn't say all the seats, but since they were built for bodies that roamed America over a hundred years ago, there's plenty of overflow in most that are occupied.

 

But it's not even an argument that they want to make more money. Everybody wants to make more money. The way to do that is making the playoffs.

[Bellhorn04]

If Henry only cared about keeping the payroll down, I doubt he would have authorized a $313.5 million extension for Devers.