A Realistic View of 2023: Part II

[moonslav59]

Just because you can't let it go, here is my original post on this that you actually put in your first Reply With Quote:

 

"From the time he joined the club in late July 2018 through last season, Eovaldi led the Red Sox in all innings pitched -- regular and postseason combined."

And since you think the term workhorse is a joke to describe the leader in innings pitched, here is the Oxford non-animal definition: "a person or machine that dependably performs hard work over a long period of time."

 

Now I will defer to your subjective opinion of what constitutes "dependably" and "hard work" and "a long period of time."

 

But let's not move the foul poles onto a putting green next to a pond stocked with goldfish which are really carp that are actually the traditional Christmas meal in the Czech Republic.

 

IMO, that definition does not fit Nate. Just because it fits him more than anyone else in your time period chosen does not make him dependable. He was far from dependable.

 

Better: yes.

 

He was not even the most dependable from 2018-2020, 2019-2020, 2020-2022 and many other time frames, except yours.

 

Yes, your chosen time frames gives Nate the lead in innings, but he missed way too many innings to be called dependable, IMO.

 

[moonslav59]

Core Group Update (team control starting in 2024 inc)

 

CC Wong (5)

1B Casas (5)

2B Reyes (4)

3B Devers (10)

SS Story (5)

LF Yoshida (4)

CF Duran (5)

RF Verdugo (1)

DH ???????

 

I'm sticking with this for now.

 

$60M.....3 starters at $20M?

 

Urias > Reyes, IMO

[Nick]

Urias > Reyes, IMO

 

Would you extend Casas?

[moonslav59]

Would you extend Casas?

 

YES!

 

I'd also think about extending Crawford, Bello and Wong.

[Larry Cook]

YES!

 

I'd also think about extending Crawford, Bello and Wong.

 

I agree 100 percent. Plus Winkowski

[moonslav59]

I agree 100 percent. Plus Winkowski

 

Only if Wink takes a bargain deal.

 

His .757 OPS Against and 1.400 WHIP begs to take a longer look.

[Duran Is The Man]

Please name the last long term pitching contract the Sox gave out that worked…

 

not trying to be a smartass, but does that mean no more long term pitching contracts going forward?

[a700hitter]

Only if Wink takes a bargain deal.

 

His .757 OPS Against and 1.400 WHIP begs to take a longer look.

Maybe for free.

[moonslav59]

not trying to be a smartass, but does that mean no more long term pitching contracts going forward?

 

JD and Nate, or do you mean longer than 4 years?

[moonslav59]

Man, we sweep the Yanks, but are still 3 games out.

 

We gained on TOR and HOU, but we still have a lot of ground to make up.

 

70-55 HOU

69-55 SEA

 

69-55 TOR -0.5

66-58 BOS -3.0 (-2.5 TOR) (-3.5 HOU)

 

Next 3 series:

BOS: 4@HOU/ 3 vLAD/ 3 v HOU

SEA: 3 vCWS/ 3 vKCR/ 3 v OAK

HOU: 4 vBOS/ 3@DET/ 3@BOS

TOR: 3@BAL/ 3 vCLE/ 3 vWSH

 

In some ways, our destiny is in our own hands.

 

HOU is struggling, thanks to SEA, so we need to keep the pedal floored.

 

 

[moonslav59]

Devers is starting to make that extension look more worthwhile.

 

His D has hurt the team, but being the Yankee killer, alone is almost worth that money.

 

Updated team OPS leaders:

.877 Devers (Can he get to .900?)

.844 Turner (Can he pass JD, at .856, now?)

.836 Casas (Can he keep his post ASB numbers up?)

.828 Duran (Can he break yet another slump?)

.817 Yoshida (Can he turn this around?)

.815 Reyes (Has this all been a mirage?)

.795 Duvall (Can he get back over .800?)

 

 

[Maxbialystock]

Urias > Reyes, IMO

 

Give me Reyes any day of the week and twice on Sundays. But, yes, I love having Urias too.

[Maxbialystock]

Devers is starting to make that extension look more worthwhile.

 

His D has hurt the team, but being the Yankee killer, alone is almost worth that money.

 

Updated team OPS leaders:

.877 Devers (Can he get to .900?)

.844 Turner (Can he pass JD, at .856, now?)

.836 Casas (Can he keep his post ASB numbers up?)

.828 Duran (Can he break yet another slump?)

.817 Yoshida (Can he turn this around?)

.815 Reyes (Has this all been a mirage?)

.795 Duvall (Can he get back over .800?)

 

 

 

Despite my gloom and doom, the Sox hitting seems to be on the mend.

[moonslav59]

Give me Reyes any day of the week and twice on Sundays. But, yes, I love having Urias too.

 

Urias has a longer history, but I agree: it's great having both.

 

Oue 2B slot seems filled, nicely, for 2024.

[moonslav59]

Despite my gloom and doom, the Sox hitting seems to be on the mend.

 

Players and teams are always going through ups and downs. That is what should be expected, and not for trends to keep crending in the same direction.

[notin]

not trying to be a smartass, but does that mean no more long term pitching contracts going forward?

 

Well, that’s not my call.

 

But they really don’t seem to work out very often if at all for the Red Sox (and many other teams)…

[Maxbialystock]

Well, that’s not my call.

 

But they really don’t seem to work out very often if at all for the Red Sox (and many other teams)…

 

All long term contracts should be suspect if only because too many of them involve paying megabucks for someone well past his prime. Plus, of course, the player gets paid in full if he is injured throughout the contract.

[moonslav59]

We are now over 75% through the 2023 season, and here are the comps to 2021 and 2022:

 

OPS '21>'22>'23

C: .686> .694> .683

1B .761> .683> .821

2B .777> .724> .654

3B .909> .856> .839

SS .822> .815> .652

LF .695> .694> .824

CF .678> .671> .784

RF .803> .661> .765

DH .906>.763> .805

 

Pitching

ERA- 94>104>96

WHIP 1.38>1.35>1.30

 

[notin]

Devers is starting to make that extension look more worthwhile.

 

His D has hurt the team, but being the Yankee killer, alone is almost worth that money.

 

Updated team OPS leaders:

.877 Devers (Can he get to .900?)

.844 Turner (Can he pass JD, at .856, now?)

.836 Casas (Can he keep his post ASB numbers up?)

.828 Duran (Can he break yet another slump?)

.817 Yoshida (Can he turn this around?)

.815 Reyes (Has this all been a mirage?)

.795 Duvall (Can he get back over .800?)

 

 

 

 

That’s why next year, Devers needs to be part of a 1b/DH situation (with Casas) and the Sox need to sign Matt Chapman for 3b. And sign Isiah Kiner-Falefa because 1) he’s a versatile defender capable of playing multiple positions well, and 2) our finally pitchers can stop facing him since he can’t hit anyone else…

[moonslav59]

That’s why next year, Devers needs to be part of a 1b/DH situation (with Casas) and the Sox need to sign Matt Chapman for 3b. And sign Isiah Kiner-Falefa because 1) he’s a versatile defender capable of playing multiple positions well, and 2) our finally pitchers can stop facing him since he can’t hit anyone else…

 

It would mean...

 

Games

3B: 157 Chapman/ 5 Devers

1B: 142 Devers/ 20 Casas

DH: 140 Casas/ 10 Devers/12 Yoshida

 

[notin]

All long term contracts should be suspect if only because too many of them involve paying megabucks for someone well past his prime. Plus, of course, the player gets paid in full if he is injured throughout the contract.

 

Free agency is usually when a team overpays for a player in his 30s to compensate him for his accomplishments in his 20s that were for another team…

[Old Red]

That’s why next year, Devers needs to be part of a 1b/DH situation (with Casas) and the Sox need to sign Matt Chapman for 3b. And sign Isiah Kiner-Falefa because 1) he’s a versatile defender capable of playing multiple positions well, and 2) our finally pitchers can stop facing him since he can’t hit anyone else…

 

My prediction next year is Raffy will still be at 3B, and Casas will still be a 1B. Story will be the SS, and Yoshida will be LF/DH depending on Turner. Outside of that it’s anyone’s guess.

[notin]

My prediction next year is Raffy will still be at 3B, and Casas will still be a 1B. Story will be the SS, and Yoshida will be LF/DH depending on Turner. Outside of that it’s anyone’s guess.

 

Oh I would predict Raffy will be at third as well, but I still think moving him to 1b and upgrading the D is the better plan…

[notin]

It would mean...

 

Games

3B: 157 Chapman/ 5 Devers

1B: 142 Devers/ 20 Casas

DH: 140 Casas/ 10 Devers/12 Yoshida

 

 

Why?

 

I know the initial “Y” is about all Yoshida has in common with Yaz, but I’m ok with him in LF if the infield can be made respectable…

[Old Red]

Oh I would predict Raffy will be at third as well, but I still think moving him to 1b and upgrading the D is the better plan…

 

D has been a problem the last two years, and especially this year, but the front office doesn’t seem all that concerned.

[moonslav59]

My prediction next year is Raffy will still be at 3B, and Casas will still be a 1B. Story will be the SS, and Yoshida will be LF/DH depending on Turner. Outside of that it’s anyone’s guess.

 

I agree. I can see us spending very little on everyday players. Maybe look for a 1 year CF'er.

 

C: Wong and McGuire

1B: Casas (Dalbec AAA)

2B: Urias & Reyes

3B: Devers

SS: Story

LF: Duran/ Refsnyder (Yoshida)

CF: ______/ Rafaela

RF: Verdugo (Abreo AAA)

DH: Yoshida

 

I hope this also means we spend more on starting pitching.

[moonslav59]

D has been a problem the last two years, and especially this year, but the front office doesn’t seem all that concerned.

 

Weird, right?

 

The whole JBJ for Renfore thing was supposed to be about D.

[notin]

D has been a problem the last two years, and especially this year, but the front office doesn’t seem all that concerned.

 

I think they were too complacent with their “we can just wait for injured players to get back” solutions…

[moonslav59]

MLB OPS Leaders

1.071 Ohtani

.989 Betts

12. Devers .877[

16. JD .856

22. Turner .844

27. Casas .836

39. Masataka .817

79. Verdugo .765

 

(Duran DNQ)

 

 

Edited August 21, 2023 by moonslav59

[notin]

I agree. I can see us spending very little on everyday players. Maybe look for a 1 year CF'er.

 

C: Wong and McGuire

1B: Casas (Dalbec AAA)

2B: Urias & Reyes

3B: Devers

SS: Story

LF: Duran/ Refsnyder (Yoshida)

CF: ______/ Rafaela

RF: Verdugo (Abreo AAA)

DH: Yoshida

 

I hope this also means we spend more on starting pitching.

 

I’m not overly confident.

 

I’m positive they will be out (or at best, make a token effort to get their names in the press) on Ohtani, Urias and Nola.

 

The best I could see them being seriously linked to is Snell, but I’m not very confident there either.

 

I’m expecting something more like a one year rebound deal like Severino or Marquez or (worse yet) Brad Keller.

 

They’re more likely to do the actual spending in the bullpen…