A Realistic View of 2023: Part II

[notin]

You'll have to convince me. Picking him up would put them over the CBT.

 

Not if St. Louis paid some and/or the Sox sent salary back…

 

DeJong + $6mill for Brasier and Refsnyder. DeJong costs $1.5mill towards the CBT…

[notin]

 

Tapia isn't a career 1.357whatever OPS guy. Refsnyder and Tapia are bench guys AT BEST. Duran has a starting profile if he put it together at the plate.

 

… and in the outfield, where Duran has proven to be dreadful.

 

He struggles to hit, is worse in the OF. And the one thing he does worse than hit and field is post-game press conferences.

 

Tapia, who has 308 more career starts than Duran, is probably always going to be the better starter option…

[Old Red]

Just go over the CBT. Why put forth another middling team?

 

Tampa hasn’t missed a beat since Bloom left, and the Red Sox big league club, which matters the most has gotten worse since Bloom arrived it town. Not a coincidence to me.

[Maxbialystock]

If we say they should have re-signed Bogaerts, that will just open up the same case we've already litigated a million times.

 

The bottom line is we all agreed this was a huge offseason for Bloom. And for whatever reasons, budgetary or otherwise, he didn't do much to upgrade the team over last year's 78-84 squad.

 

I didn't agree this past offseason was huge. Moreover, I wonder why anyone did when Bogaerts wasn't re-signed (for a king's ransom) and the Sox team salaries this year are the lowest in the JH era.

 

You can argue--and I will probably not be able to argue back--that the guys Bloom obtained ain't good enough by the standards of previous JH teams. But so far I kind of like what I am seeing in games--except for the early atrocious pitching backed up by even more atrocious fielding--especially last night against the hottest (by far) team in MLB. Also the 5-5 record and, now and then, the hitting.

 

I also think Bloom was handed a mess, which was made that much worse by his first season being 2020, which was a nonseason.

 

So, me, age 82, I'm still willing to be patient even though I cringe at the idea of a Yalie at the helm. Wasn't Yawkey also a Yalie?

[moonslav59]

Tampa hasn’t missed a beat since Bloom left, and the Red Sox big league club, which matters the most has gotten worse since Bloom arrived it town. Not a coincidence to me.

 

What about James Click?

 

Joe Madden?

[moonslav59]

Tampa hasn’t missed a beat since Bloom left, and the Red Sox big league club, which matters the most has gotten worse since Bloom arrived it town. Not a coincidence to me.

 

The team is worse than the purged 2019 team?

 

I won't even mention the farm or how promising the future looked after 2019 and now.

[Maxbialystock]

Tampa hasn’t missed a beat since Bloom left, and the Red Sox big league club, which matters the most has gotten worse since Bloom arrived it town. Not a coincidence to me.

 

You need to reread that because to me you're agreeing that Bloom helped build a great system for identifying and developing good players, especially pitchers, for a minimum amount of money. That unique--no other MLB team comes remotely close--Rays system continues to flourish, but it took a while to build it. If Bloom was hired to do something similar for the Sox, it won't happen quickly.

 

The Great Dombrowski inherited a bunch of good young hitters, so all he had to do was go out and buy a good DH, JDM, and a basketful of pitchers--of whom only Sale is still around (and not for the good). My guess is you want Dombrowski back and spending megabucks for pitchers who won't last long.

[Old Red]

You need to reread that because to me you're agreeing that Bloom helped build a great system for identifying and developing good players, especially pitchers, for a minimum amount of money. That unique--no other MLB team comes remotely close--Rays system continues to flourish, but it took a while to build it. If Bloom was hired to do something similar for the Sox, it won't happen quickly.

 

The Great Dombrowski inherited a bunch of good young hitters, so all he had to do was go out and buy a good DH, JDM, and a basketful of pitchers--of whom only Sale is still around (and not for the good). My guess is you want Dombrowski back and spending megabucks for pitchers who won't last long.

 

I’m not agreeing with anything. Tampa wins with Bloom, and wins without Bloom, so I don’t think Bloom built anything. He was just one of many Nerds in the room, and maybe the Red Sox picked the wrong nerd. Now he’s out in front of the room in Boston, and it has shown. He big league club has suffered.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Story and Duvall were not legit?

 

Not for short and center, and with their specific injuries, probably never again at those positions in Boston.

[notin]

Not for short and center, and with their specific injuries, probably never again at those positions in Boston.

 

What’s wrong with Story as a shortstop?

[notin]

I’m not agreeing with anything. Tampa wins with Bloom, and wins without Bloom, so I don’t think Bloom built anything. He was just one of many Nerds in the room, and maybe the Red Sox picked the wrong nerd. Now he’s out in front of the room in Boston, and it has shown. He big league club has suffered.

 

The Sox dropped from a .518 winning percentage before Bloom got here to a .505 winning pct since. That’s basically going from 84 wins to 82. And that includes a punted 2020 short season.

 

Also the farm is vastly improved.

 

Dramatic much?

Edited April 12, 2023 by notin

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

What’s wrong with Story as a shortstop?

 

Nothing, when he was a Rockie. Now, he has no elbow.

 

Last year Story was really good defensively as a Red Sox second baseman. Now he has an artificial brace attached to his elbow. If that doesn't make him an enhanced Bionic Man, why wouldn't they just return him to the position he just mastered before this winter? It's not like Boston isn't hurting there, either, with a career back-up looking overmatched on both sides of the ball...

[notin]

Nothing, when he was a Rockie. Now, he has no elbow.

 

Last year Story was really good defensively as a Red Sox second baseman. Now he has an artificial brace attached to his elbow. If that doesn't make him an enhanced Bionic Man, why wouldn't they just return him to the position he just mastered before this winter? It's not like Boston isn't hurting there, either, with a career back-up looking overmatched on both sides of the ball...

 

Story’s arm injury brought him down to Dansby Swanson level. If the surgery works, he might not be the DRS machine he was in Colorado, but he could still even be above average…

[jad]

You need to reread that because to me you're agreeing that Bloom helped build a great system for identifying and developing good players, especially pitchers, for a minimum amount of money. That unique--no other MLB team comes remotely close--Rays system continues to flourish, but it took a while to build it. If Bloom was hired to do something similar for the Sox, it won't happen quickly.

 

The Great Dombrowski inherited a bunch of good young hitters, so all he had to do was go out and buy a good DH, JDM, and a basketful of pitchers--of whom only Sale is still around (and not for the good). My guess is you want Dombrowski back and spending megabucks for pitchers who won't last long.

 

So how much time does he get? All the average fan (e.g., me--who likes to watch great athletes and familiar athletes perform) sees is the loss: Bogey, Betts, Vaz, Beni, JBJ ... etc., and in return, nothing but broken-down, injury prone guys (now on DL), or guys with what I'll call 'character' issues hanging over them. Guys like that are, from an economic (analytics) standpoint, good deals. But if you care about your customers, they're the worst.

[Maxbialystock]

I’m not agreeing with anything. Tampa wins with Bloom, and wins without Bloom, so I don’t think Bloom built anything. He was just one of many Nerds in the room, and maybe the Red Sox picked the wrong nerd. Now he’s out in front of the room in Boston, and it has shown. He big league club has suffered.

 

To be honest, I can't prove you're wrong. In fact, Tampa has been especially good since Bloom left after the 2019 season. However, I think his situation is different from previous VP's/GM's under JH, who right now seems determined to keep spending less and less on players. This year's payroll is the lowest in the John Henry era.

[moonslav59]

To be honest, I can't prove you're wrong. In fact, Tampa has been especially good since Bloom left after the 2019 season. However, I think his situation is different from previous VP's/GM's under JH, who right now seems determined to keep spending less and less on players. This year's payroll is the lowest in the John Henry era.

 

Your numbers need to be checked.

[notin]

Your numbers need to be checked.

 

It’s certainly the lowest ranked in MLB for a while. But as the Henry Era is a couple decades old, we’ve seen lower payrolls back when everyone spent less…

[Old Red]

Bogey hit his 4th HR of the season last night. On the other hand Kike doesn’t even have 4 hits. WOW!

[Bellhorn04]

Bogey hit his 4th HR of the season last night. On the other hand Kike doesn’t even have 4 hits. WOW!

 

This season has total disaster written all over it, Red.

[Bellhorn04]

But yeah, Bogey is off to a smoking start. Good for him. Bad for us. Couldn't fit him into our little budget. Story will be back sometime though.

[Bellhorn04]

Zac Eflin just went on the IL so we face the Rays top pitching prospect Bradley tonight.

[Bellhorn04]

Maybe the secret plan of the 2023 team is to tank, again.

[Hugh2]

Story’s arm injury brought him down to Dansby Swanson level. If the surgery works, he might not be the DRS machine he was in Colorado, but he could still even be above average…

 

I think he will be fine at 2nd, I'm just hoping his bat comes back or at least it doesn't take him long to shake off the rust.

[Bellhorn04]

Just like that we only have 2 healthy hitters, Devers and Verdugo, with an OPS over .680. Yikes.

[notin]

If we say they should have re-signed Bogaerts, that will just open up the same case we've already litigated a million times.

 

The bottom line is we all agreed this was a huge offseason for Bloom. And for whatever reasons, budgetary or otherwise, he didn't do much to upgrade the team over last year's 78-84 squad.

 

 

The bottom is is a bunch of random strangers on a message board all (well, not really all) agreed this was a huge off-season for Bloom? And why exactly does that matter?

 

I think what you meant to say was “we all (well, not really all) agreed Bloom needs to prove something to us as a random group of strangers on a message board.” But that actually means surprisingly little to Bloom and Henry.

 

The reality is none of us knows what Henry expects from Bloom and for how long. And none of us knows whether or not Henry has gone all Bob Kraft and decided winning is nice but awfully expensive and maybe he can tolerate cheaper mediocrity for a while….

[notin]

I think he will be fine at 2nd, I'm just hoping his bat comes back or at least it doesn't take him long to shake off the rust.

 

I don’t think even shortstop for short term is ridiculous. His throwing speed dropped, but not to the slowest in the league among shortstops…

[mvp 78]

Zac Eflin just went on the IL so we face the Rays top pitching prospect Bradley tonight.

 

He shouldn't go very deep into the game. Sox need to take the next two.

[mvp 78]

I don’t think even shortstop for short term is ridiculous. His throwing speed dropped, but not to the slowest in the league among shortstops…

 

The ideal position for him is clearly 2B, but right now he's all we have on the horizon for SS.

[Bellhorn04]

The bottom is is a bunch of random strangers on a message board all (well, not really all) agreed this was a huge off-season for Bloom? And why exactly does that matter?

 

I think what you meant to say was “we all (well, not really all) agreed Bloom needs to prove something to us as a random group of strangers on a message board.” But that actually means surprisingly little to Bloom and Henry.

 

The reality is none of us knows what Henry expects from Bloom and for how long. And none of us knows whether or not Henry has gone all Bob Kraft and decided winning is nice but awfully expensive and maybe he can tolerate cheaper mediocrity for a while….

 

I would agree that none of us know a thing about exactly what Henry's plans are any more.

 

But common sense suggests he's not actually aiming for bad, boring teams, and the declining attendance and TV ratings that are apt to follow.

[Bellhorn04]

He shouldn't go very deep into the game. Sox need to take the next two.

 

Realistically, we should be happy to win one of the next two.