A Realistic View of 2023: Part II

[mvp 78]

@SoxNotes

The Red Sox earned their 6th series win of the season on April 30.

 

Last year, they secured their 6th series win on June 4.

 

The Sox are 6-3-0 in series, after going 1-7-1 in their first 9 series of 2022.

 

Getting swept by the Pirates and the Rays hurt, but both of those teams look legit now. Maybe the standings will even out in the long run?

[moonslav59]

They did also sign those extensions with Sale and Bogey.

 

You could tell JH was putting on the clampers a bit because of the tax situation, since DD didn't replace Kimbrel or Kelly.

 

That was the sign many of us saw that worried us about where the club was heading for the next 3-4 years. They had an incredible foundation built that could have had the window extended, at least one more year.

[Nick]

My recollection was 2019 rotation went to hell.

 

The payroll was still up there in 2019.

[moonslav59]

My recollection was 2019 rotation went to hell.

 

The payroll was still up there in 2019.

 

Many blamed restgate or overuse of the starters in 2018, but not replacing Kimbrell and Kelly hurt, too.

 

We also made no moves at the deadline, then had massive budget cuts after 2019.

 

2018>2019

 

SP ERA:

3.77> 4.95

 

SP OPSA

.697>.781

 

RP ERA:

3.72> 4.40

 

RP OPSA

.700>.736

 

We spent to extend Nate and he started 12 games with a 5.99 ERA. Porcello crapped himself (5.52).

 

Here were the RP iP Leaders:

78 Walden

72 Workman

64 Barnes

56 Brasier

55 Brewer

46 Taylor

40 Hembree

34 Veleazquez

29 Weber

27 DHern, 24 Josh A Smith, 23 Cashner, 20 Shawaryn...

 

2018

66 Kelly

62 Kimbrel

62 Barnes

60 Hembree

55 Velazquez

41 Workman

[moonslav59]

It's only May 1st, and there is a lot of season left to go, but whodathunk our CF position would be #2 in fWAR at 2.1? If the D was better, we'd be 1st by a mile.

 

After Yoshida's slow start, the LF position is near average at 0.3.

 

Verdugo has carried the RF position to 5th best at 1.3.

 

OF: TBR 4.0, BOS 3.3, HOU 3.1, LAA 3.0. Our OF OPS is .890!

 

Other positions:

9th at 3B 0.8

13th Pen 1.0

14th DH 0.2

15th C 0.5

21st SS 0.2

25th 2B -0.2

26th 1B -0.5

28th SP 0.2

 

 

 

 

 

[mvp 78]

Jarren Duran is hitting 5th and playing CF. Where's the outrage for the butterfly man?

[mvp 78]

@billjamesonline

The Yankees and Red Sox are both 15-14. Baseball Reference says that the Yankees' chance to make the post season is 68.4%; the Red Sox is 4.8%.

 

The Red Sox September schedule must be REALLY tough, ya think?

[Old Red]

Jarren Duran is hitting 5th and playing CF. Where's the outrage for the butterfly man?

 

Wow!Why should there still be outrage? I said a couple of days ago that he looks like a completely different player, which is good for him, and good for the Red Sox. Now if he reverts back to the butterfly man he will get the same love as he did before.

Edited May 1, 2023 by Old Red

[Nick]

Valdez can hit. He needs to stay with the big club.

[moonslav59]

Valdez can hit. He needs to stay with the big club.

 

The sample size is still rather small, but keep playing the hot hand!

 

He's at .916, now.

 

Duran is up to 1.113!

 

 

Yoshida is up to .850 and has silenced all the critics, for now.

[notin]

Valdez can hit. He needs to stay with the big club.

 

If there is a crunch, you might see Valdez to DH, Turner to 1b, Casas to Worcester…

[iortiz]

The sample size is still rather small, but keep playing the hot hand!

 

He's at .916, now.

 

Duran is up to 1.113!

 

 

Yoshida is up to .850 and has silenced all the critics, for now.

 

The thing with Valdez seems to be his glove IMo. It is not very good.

 

Hopefully all these guys keep hitting, specially Duran and Yoshida.

[Nick]

I anxiously wait for Mondesi's return to health.

 

We have the makings of good offensive team when everyone is healthy.

Edited May 2, 2023 by Nick

[moonslav59]

If Valdez stick in the line-up and becomes an everyday batter, DH seems to be the best spot for him.

 

For that to happen, Turner would pretty much have to go to 1B, which squeezes Casas before he's really had a chance to prove himself.

 

I guess we could totally give up on middle IF defense and play Valdez/Arroyo at 2B and Kike/Arroyo at SS, but that seems too scary.

 

You can't stick Valdez in LF with the way our OF is playing, right now, and our best defensive OF'er (Kike) playing SS.

 

If it was closer to the trade deadline, one could imagine some sort of trade to move some pieces around, but that just doesn't happen in May.

[moonslav59]

I anxiously wait for Mondesi's return to health.

 

We have the makings of good offensive team when everyone is healthy.

 

Mondesi is like the Paxton of middle IF'ers.

[Nick]

Mondesi is like the Paxton of middle IF'ers.

 

Mondesi is younger and has higher ceiling in my mind.

[moonslav59]

Mondesi is younger and has higher ceiling in my mind.

 

He's younger but this will be his 8th season in MLB.

 

He's had over 291 PAs, once.

He's never gone over 443.

He's only been over 150, 3 times.

 

Paxton had 28+ starts in 2 straight seasons and 20+ in 4 straight.

 

I was being kind to Mondesi.

[iortiz]

If Duval and Story come back and this group keeps hitting like this wonder what will Cora do?

[moonslav59]

If Duval and Story come back and this group keeps hitting like this wonder what will Cora do?

 

Rest the hottest batters?

[Jasonbay44]

One thing is for sure, even when Duvall comes back, Duran needs to stay in the lineup and get AB: somewhere. He looks like he’s finally figured it out. His improvements at the MLB level is like night and day, especially in the outfield. Also, very small sample size but he’s 5-9 against LHP which is encouraging.

[Jasonbay44]

How is Mondesí defensively? Can he at least sure up the infield defense?

 

Sucks Chang got hurt, he at least was a very solid defender despite little to no bat.

[Nick]

Cora is high on Momdesi. He is much the athlete like Kike but also a true shortstop.

[Nick]

We can always try the failed experiment of trying out a player at 1B.

 

Wasn't Duran an infielder coming up? Lol

[Nick]

Other than me bitching about couple of our starters, I like this team. Was it last year that we were all bitching about only having 3 or 4 good hitters?

[cp176]

It would appear that we have another "clutch" hitter in the making. If you don't believe it, ask him. If you live for these moments, and you come through, could it be that clutch is for real. lol what have I done?

[Bellhorn04]

Yoshida is up to .850 and has silenced all the critics, for now.

 

Hall Monitor post.

 

Yoshida said Fatse advised him to open his stance a little and it made a big difference.

[Bellhorn04]

It would appear that we have another "clutch" hitter in the making. If you don't believe it, ask him. If you live for these moments, and you come through, could it be that clutch is for real. lol what have I done?

 

Verdugo has been unreal so far.

[Old Red]

Verdugo has been unreal so far.

 

Both with the bat, and on D too.

[Old Red]

Hall Monitor post.

 

Yoshida said Fatse advised him to open his stance a little and it made a big difference.

 

From NOshida to hitting ping pong balls to the IF to GOshida, and hitting balls off the Monsta.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

From NOshida to hitting ping pong balls to the IF to GOshida, and hitting balls off the Monsta.

 

It's not a revelation for Yoshida -- he just went back to the successful approach that we saw in ST and the WBC. And he didn't have a lot of "critics" either, since it's not like hand-eye talent doesn't translate from one continent to the other with the same size home plate.

 

Bloom had the critics for signing him for so much money, because some scouts wondered whether he could handle big league velo. Masa looks pretty competent out in left field, too.