A Realistic View of 2023: Part II

[moonslav59]

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.

 

There is still a long way to go on Yoshida's contract, but what's not to like about his approach?

 

It seemed like the kind that would transfer well into MLB, and after a couple weeks of adjusting, it looks like a winning approach. There had to be some culture shock, too, and playing in the WBC prolonged that adjustment time, as well.

 

It's hard to know just how good he will be, but it is looking more and more like it will be on some level of "good."

[moonslav59]

Neglecting the rotation over the winter, or thinking Kluber and Paxton could combine to fill one slot, well was a major boo-boo by Bloom. It was one thing just about everyone here agreed on, although at varying levels of intensity.

 

Just about all the other additions, including those made last deadline are working out from well to better than almost anyone expected:

 

Duvall before getting hurt

Yoshida is looking mighty fine.

Jansen, who some felt was over-the-hill

Martin, who still has much to prove

Turner is a late season batter, who has started out okay.

McGuire was on fire.

EValdez has shocked many. (Abreu is doing well, on the farm.)

 

Mondesi, Joely, Mills and a few others have yet to play.

 

Tapia, Chang and others have been meh.

 

Some players acquired a while ago that were looking kinda sketchy, are now looking like good additions: Dugo, Winckowski, Wong and even this week's version of Arroyo.

 

The Devers extensión helped with team morale.

 

The Whitlock, Schreiber and Refsnyder additions are looking sketchy, now, but I am far from writing off at least two of these guys.

 

Wow, being 2 games over .500 sure changes the mood around here.- (We are currently 0.5 GB for the last WC berth- Houston.)

 

[mvp 78]

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.

 

He's decent, or at least was at one point. As long as his health has returned, he's not going to be an issue.

[Old Red]

Neglecting the rotation over the winter, or thinking Kluber and Paxton could combine to fill one slot, well was a major boo-boo by Bloom. It was one thing just about everyone here agreed on, although at varying levels of intensity.

 

Just about all the other additions, including those made last deadline are working out from well to better than almost anyone expected:

 

Duvall before getting hurt

Yoshida is looking mighty fine.

Jansen, who some felt was over-the-hill

Martin, who still has much to prove

Turner is a late season batter, who has started out okay.

McGuire was on fire.

EValdez has shocked many. (Abreu is doing well, on the farm.)

 

Mondesi, Joely, Mills and a few others have yet to play.

 

Tapia, Chang and others have been meh.

 

Some players acquired a while ago that were looking kinda sketchy, are now looking like good additions: Dugo, Winckowski, Wong and even this week's version of Arroyo.

 

The Devers extensión helped with team morale.

 

The Whitlock, Schreiber and Refsnyder additions are looking sketchy, now, but I am far from writing off at least two of these guys.

 

Wow, being 2 games over .500 sure changes the mood around here.- (We are currently 0.5 GB for the last WC berth- Houston.)

 

If someone said that the Red Sox at this point in the season would be 2 games over 500, and ahead of the Yankees I think everyone would have taken it.

[moonslav59]

If someone said that the Red Sox at this point in the season would be 2 games over 500, and ahead of the Yankees I think everyone would have taken it.

 

The 2 over sounds about right. The Yankee part, no.

 

This team still has a major issue with the rotation, and that has not changed because we are +2 in the win column.

 

If we don't start seeing some starters finding a groove, we will be back playing the +1 and -1 qame, all year long.

 

Bello and Sale have had good starts, but still not a few in a row. A friend once told me, a SP'er is only as good as his last start, which certainly is not true, but it does have some merit.

 

Right now, Kluber, Whitlock and even Houck look very questionable- for different reasons.

 

Crawford may be able to fill one slot, but just saying that causes shivers down my spine.

 

[notin]

The 2 over sounds about right. The Yankee part, no.

 

This team still has a major issue with the rotation, and that has not changed because we are +2 in the win column.

 

If we don't start seeing some starters finding a groove, we will be back playing the +1 and -1 qame, all year long.

 

Bello and Sale have had good starts, but still not a few in a row. A friend once told me, a SP'er is only as good as his last start, which certainly is not true, but it does have some merit.

 

Right now, Kluber, Whitlock and even Houck look very questionable- for different reasons.

 

Crawford may be able to fill one slot, but just saying that causes shivers down my spine.

 

 

The Sox are 6-4 in their last 10.

 

That’s really the goal of every team, to win 6 games out of every 10 all season long. It’s a ridiculous pace, believe it or not. And one 6-4 stretch (out of 16!!) isn’t enough, but I do like it so far…

[Nick]

To have 28th best starting ERA with our record is amazing.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

To have 28th best starting ERA with our record is amazing.

 

I think most of us are tempering our excitement because we know the staff isn't loaded with strikeout pitchers, and our worst fielding position is shortstop.

 

The Sox are the AL's third-worst in defensive efficiency, ahead of only the pitiful A's and White Sox.

[Hugh2]

It would be a really good look for these Sox if they can take a series win vs. Toronto.

[Bellhorn04]

It would be a really good look for these Sox if they can take a series win vs. Toronto.

 

Which is especially hard to do in a 4 game series.

[Hugh2]

Which is especially hard to do in a 4 game series.

 

f*** it, lets go for a sweep. I mean, we already won the Kluber start.

[Maxbialystock]

The 2 over sounds about right. The Yankee part, no.

 

This team still has a major issue with the rotation, and that has not changed because we are +2 in the win column.

 

If we don't start seeing some starters finding a groove, we will be back playing the +1 and -1 qame, all year long.

 

Bello and Sale have had good starts, but still not a few in a row. A friend once told me, a SP'er is only as good as his last start, which certainly is not true, but it does have some merit.

 

Right now, Kluber, Whitlock and even Houck look very questionable- for different reasons.

 

Crawford may be able to fill one slot, but just saying that causes shivers down my spine.

 

 

I'm higher on Sale than you because I think he was tipping his pitches or whatever in Baltimore. I think he's back and probably our ace. Then it's just a bunch of decent but not terrific starters--in order, Houck, Pivetta, Bello, Kluber, and Paxton. Including Sale, that's 6 starters.

 

I would start Crawford over a couple of those guys--and certainly over Whitlock--but the real point is that Winckowski, Crawford, and now Whitlock can give Cora some long relief options, depending on game situations. That's exactly when he did with Schreiber when he sent him back out to pitch the 9th last night after that disastrous 8th inning in which Kike tried to sabotage the game.

 

Or put it this way. The bullpen is the strength of this pitching staff. However, to win consistently, the rotation must avoid what Kluber and Sale were doing earlier in the season. What Kluber did last night, especially against the Jays, was just right. That game was won until Kike decided to help the Jays back into it. I see absolutely no need to bring Whitlock back to the rotation.

[moonslav59]

I'm higher on Sale than you because I think he was tipping his pitches or whatever in Baltimore. I think he's back and probably our ace. Then it's just a bunch of decent but not terrific starters--in order, Houck, Pivetta, Bello, Kluber, and Paxton. Including Sale, that's 6 starters.

 

I would start Crawford over a couple of those guys--and certainly over Whitlock--but the real point is that Winckowski, Crawford, and now Whitlock can give Cora some long relief options, depending on game situations. That's exactly when he did with Schreiber when he sent him back out to pitch the 9th last night after that disastrous 8th inning in which Kike tried to sabotage the game.

 

Or put it this way. The bullpen is the strength of this pitching staff. However, to win consistently, the rotation must avoid what Kluber and Sale were doing earlier in the season. What Kluber did last night, especially against the Jays, was just right. That game was won until Kike decided to help the Jays back into it. I see absolutely no need to bring Whitlock back to the rotation.

 

I'm super high on Sale, and I think the tipping pitches is a real possibility, but he has not been consistent, yet. He's the closest of the 5 or 6.

 

Bello is second on my trust list- far from Sale. Far from Pivetta, too.

 

Whitlock is hurt.

 

I'm not sure what to do with him, when and if he returns.

[Old Red]

I'm super high on Sale, and I think the tipping pitches is a real possibility, but he has not been consistent, yet. He's the closest of the 5 or 6.

 

Bello is second on my trust list- far from Sale. Far from Pivetta, too.

 

Whitlock is hurt.

 

I'm not sure what to do with him, when and if he returns.

 

I’ll believe in Sale when he strings 3-4 good starts together. I don’t know if he was tipping any pitches In Baltimore, or not, or if they just hit him. Control, and the break on his slider, or lack of is usually when he gets hit hard, and that was the case In Baltimore.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I'm super high on Sale, and I think the tipping pitches is a real possibility, but he has not been consistent, yet. He's the closest of the 5 or 6.

 

Bello is second on my trust list- far from Sale. Far from Pivetta, too.

 

Whitlock is hurt.

 

I'm not sure what to do with him, when and if he returns.

 

They want him to start. Cora said as much, and Bloom didnt extend him for four years to be a reliever.

[Old Red]

They want him to start. Cora said as much, and Bloom didnt extend him for four years to be a reliever.

 

Like I said before the only season he has stayed healthy with the Red Sox when he was used solely in the pen for a few innings at a time, and 3 days between appearances.

[mvp 78]

They want him to start. Cora said as much, and Bloom didnt extend him for four years to be a reliever.

 

With the cost of relievers these days, if it goes in that direction, it's not the end of the world.

[Hugh2]

With the cost of relievers these days, if it goes in that direction, it's not the end of the world.

 

Even if he's just a good reliever he's still worth the money.

[mvp 78]

Even if he's just a good reliever he's still worth the money.

 

4.6M AAV is nothing. That's 2 Ryan Brasiers. The club options of 8 and 10 are probably a good deal too since they gave 16M Jansen and 6M to Martin.

[Hugh2]

4.6M AAV is nothing. That's 2 Ryan Brasiers. The club options of 8 and 10 are probably a good deal too since they gave 16M Jansen and 6M to Martin.

 

barely gets you a bench bat now a days.

[Bellhorn04]

With the cost of relievers these days, if it goes in that direction, it's not the end of the world.

 

Yeah, I'm definitely getting on board with Whitlock as a reliever, simply because of his health concerns.

[moonslav59]

I’ll believe in Sale when he strings 3-4 good starts together. I don’t know if he was tipping any pitches In Baltimore, or not, or if they just hit him. Control, and the break on his slider, or lack of is usually when he gets hit hard, and that was the case In Baltimore.

 

The 0 Ks in 5 IP was very unusual, but I'm also not sure about tipping pitches.

 

To me, he has 2 good starts in his last 3 and needs another 2-3 in a row or 3 out fo his next 4 for me to feel confident he is back.

 

He may still have some bumps coming up, but I will say, I feel better about him than I have in years.

[mvp 78]

Yeah, I'm definitely getting on board with Whitlock as a reliever, simply because of his health concerns.

 

I'm not sold that switching him to a reliever will fix that. He wasn't the picture of health at the end of 2021 and that was with a season of babying him between appearances.

[moonslav59]

Like I said before the only season he has stayed healthy with the Red Sox when he was used solely in the pen for a few innings at a time, and 3 days between appearances.

 

I'm not sure we can blame his injury on starting a few games. He only went beyond 4 IP, twice in 2022.

 

BTW, in 2021 he did pitch with just one day rest 8 times and back-to-back days, once.

 

You could be right: the pen might be safer and better for him.

[Nick]

I'm staying positive about Paxton.

 

We might as well find out about him sooner rather than later.

 

I don't want to be dismissive. We need all the help we can get. Look at Duran. Now look at Valdez. We can be negative about his defense but he has the ability to put the bat on the ball.....something Casas is having trouble with.

 

Cora obviously loves this kid. He is only 24 years old. He gives us options.

[Bellhorn04]

I'm not sold that switching him to a reliever will fix that. He wasn't the picture of health at the end of 2021 and that was with a season of babying him between appearances.

 

Seriously?

[Old Red]

I'm not sure we can blame his injury on starting a few games. He only went beyond 4 IP, twice in 2022.

 

BTW, in 2021 he did pitch with just one day rest 8 times and back-to-back days, once.

 

You could be right: the pen might be safer and better for him.

If the Red Sox wasn’t so in desperate need for arms in the rotation I don’t think it would be such an option, but the Red Sox have been in desperate need for arms for the rotation for years.

[Old Red]

The 0 Ks in 5 IP was very unusual, but I'm also not sure about tipping pitches.

 

To me, he has 2 good starts in his last 3 and needs another 2-3 in a row or 3 out fo his next 4 for me to feel confident he is back.

 

He may still have some bumps coming up, but I will say, I feel better about him than I have in years.

As long as he doesn’t get hurt punching something in the dugout.

[mvp 78]

Seriously?

 

Yeah, dude. He wasn't super healthy in the postseason and had finished the season on the IL. He pitched well in the postseason, but was nursing an injury (pectoral) if you remember and his k rate was way down. Got really lucky with the BABIP (095).

 

Early in the year, they went out of their way to put several days (3-5) in between his appearances. He didn't pitch in back to back days until September and only did so once. Went on the IL a week later.

[Bellhorn04]

Yeah, dude. He wasn't super healthy in the postseason and had finished the season on the IL. He pitched well in the postseason, but was nursing an injury (pectoral) if you remember and his k rate was way down. Got really lucky with the BABIP (095).

 

Early in the year, they went out of their way to put several days (3-5) in between his appearances. He didn't pitch in back to back days until September and only did so once. Went on the IL a week later.

 

Looks like you're right. I'm just not sure I'd call it babying, since he was pitching multi-inning stints and ended up with 73 innings.