Red Sox: Off Season '23-'24

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

According to the official baseball record book, the 2020 season counts, despite some wishing it didn't. The Dodgers, led by newly acquired Mookie Betts, won the World Series. And from watching our beloved Red Sox mail it in that season, did you really want to see it last longer?

 

The Dodgers also won the World Series in the strike-shortened 1981 season. They made the playoffs by finishing 1st in their 57-game first "half" with a 36-21 record for a .632 winning percentage... then finished 4th in the second "half" (the Reds had the best combined overall mark in the NL West, but finished 2nd in each "half" and didn't even make the playoffs)... LA won the postseason with a 10-6 record and had an overall W-L percentage of .579.

 

In 2020, the Dodgers finished 1st in their 60-game season with a big league best-record of 43-17, .717%,... then won the postseason with 13-5, .722% (the most post Ws ever required for a ring). Their overall mark: 56-22 .718% (in 78 gms, nearly half a full season). For perspective, the all-time '18 Sox: 108-54 .667, 11-3 .786, overall 119-57 .676.

 

If LA was accepted as the '81 world champs in that wack-a-mole season, then 2020 is also legit.

[moonslav59]

The Dodgers also won the World Series in the strike-shortened 1981 season. They made the playoffs by finishing 1st in their 57-game first "half" with a 36-21 record for a .632 winning percentage... then finished 4th in the second "half" (the Reds had the best combined overall mark in the NL West, but finished 2nd in each "half" and didn't even make the playoffs)... LA won the postseason with a 10-6 record and had an overall W-L percentage of .579.

 

In 2020, the Dodgers finished 1st in their 60-game season with a big league best-record of 43-17, .717%,... then won the postseason with 13-5, .722% (the most post Ws ever required for a ring). Their overall mark: 56-22 .718% (in 78 gms, nearly half a full season). For perspective, the all-time '18 Sox: 108-54 .667, 11-3 .786, overall 119-57 .676.

 

If LA was accepted as the '81 world champs in that wack-a-mole season, then 2020 is also legit.

 

To each his own.

 

Those seasons have some meaning. Let's call it one ring and move on.

[notin]

Actually I don’t mind crediting the Dodgers the ring. But the last place finish is presumptuous. There’s no guarantee that in last place if that season goes a full 162, especially since they only finished one game behind Baltimore…

[Randy Red Sox]

Zzzzzz--hey GM's wake me up when you decide to actually sign REAL MLB players not guys to minor league deals that no-one cares about. Everything being held up by a guy who has never thrown a pitch in MLB. I'd find it hilarious if he didn't sign before his Jan 4th deadline but I realize of course he will sign at the last minute. Merry Christmas everyone.

[harmony]

Okay, yes, Betts and Bogey- two 23 year olds with the sky as the limit, but the foundation around them was in shambles. JBJ was about to step in, but Papi was one year away from retiring, and it took a lot of trades and FA signings for DD to fill all the holes on the 2015 team.

 

These were the leading PA players ate each position:

C- Swihart .712

1B- Napoli .693

2B- Pedey .797

SS- Bogey .776

3B- Pablito .658

LF- HRam .717 (had best year in BOS in DD's first season)

CF- Betts .820

RF- Castillo .647

DH- Papi .913 (actually got better in 2016, before retiring.)

UT- Holt .727 (505 PAs was 3rd on team)

OF JBJ .832 (255 PAs)

1B- TShaw .813 (248)

C2- Hanigan .664

 

GS

32 Miley 4.46

28 Porcello 4.92 (about to win Cy Young)

25 Kelly 4.82 (moved to pen)

21 ERod 3.85

18 Buccholz 3.26

11 Owens 4.57, 9 Wright 4.09, 9 Masterson 5.61

 

Pen

40 year old Uehara (40 IP)

IP

65 Ogando

61 R Ross

59 Tazawa

56 Breslow

48 Layne

33 Barnes

25 Hembree

 

I see a hell of a lot of major holes on that team.

 

This team may not have Betts, Bogey, JBJ and Pedey, but I see less major holes.

 

This year the Red Sox got only a combined 13.6 fWAR from their position players, and that total included 5.1 fWAR from the departed Alex Verdugo, Adam Duvall and Justin Turner.

 

Yet focus is on the starting rotation.

 

The Sox have holes to fill.

[sk7326]

The Dodgers also won the World Series in the strike-shortened 1981 season. They made the playoffs by finishing 1st in their 57-game first "half" with a 36-21 record for a .632 winning percentage... then finished 4th in the second "half" (the Reds had the best combined overall mark in the NL West, but finished 2nd in each "half" and didn't even make the playoffs)... LA won the postseason with a 10-6 record and had an overall W-L percentage of .579.

 

In 2020, the Dodgers finished 1st in their 60-game season with a big league best-record of 43-17, .717%,... then won the postseason with 13-5, .722% (the most post Ws ever required for a ring). Their overall mark: 56-22 .718% (in 78 gms, nearly half a full season). For perspective, the all-time '18 Sox: 108-54 .667, 11-3 .786, overall 119-57 .676.

 

If LA was accepted as the '81 world champs in that wack-a-mole season, then 2020 is also legit.

 

Of course. They are all legit. But it is fair to take the results of that season WAY less seriously than other seasons - particularly when it comes to last place finishes and so on.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Of course. They are all legit. But it is fair to take the results of that season WAY less seriously than other seasons - particularly when it comes to last place finishes and so on.

 

But let's not pretend for one second that the 2020 Red Sox weren't historically, abysmally bad, and just a club in a slump for two months. Sure, guys like JD and Beni checked out, Mookie went west, and the dislikes of Chavis and Peraza roamed the diamond. But the pitching...

 

MLB 2020 Team Pitching:

Most Hits Allowed, Most Home Runs Served UP, Most Walks Issued, Most Runs Allowed Per Game (non-Coors column) -- Boston.

Worst FIP, Worst WHIP, Worst LIP (Losers In Pitching) sinks ship -- Boston.

[cp176]

The latest news looks pretty encouraging - not. Maybe the fact that the latest Japanese superstar didn't visit boston can be taken as encouraging.

[notin]

But let's not pretend for one second that the 2020 Red Sox weren't historically, abysmally bad, and just a club in a slump for two months. Sure, guys like JD and Beni checked out, Mookie went west, and the dislikes of Chavis and Peraza roamed the diamond. But the pitching...

 

MLB 2020 Team Pitching:

Most Hits Allowed, Most Home Runs Served UP, Most Walks Issued, Most Runs Allowed Per Game (non-Coors column) -- Boston.

Worst FIP, Worst WHIP, Worst LIP (Losers In Pitching) sinks ship -- Boston.

 

Yeah but we knew going in it was going to be a bad year. Mookie was traded. Sale was out. And Ryan Weber started the third game of the season. None are good signs.

 

No one is saying it was just a two month slump. After all, that season was actually 9 weeks long…

[Bellhorn04]

Looks like the Dodgers are quite serious about signing Moto too. They're trying to run the table.

[mvp 78]

This year the Red Sox got only a combined 13.6 fWAR from their position players, and that total included 5.1 fWAR from the departed Alex Verdugo, Adam Duvall and Justin Turner.

 

Yet focus is on the starting rotation.

 

The Sox have holes to fill.

 

Expectations are Casas and Masa will be better in year 2. Story will make up for the horrible SS situation in 1st half. Abreu's fWAR prorates to 3.5 over a full season . I think the offense is in a holding pattern until the prospects start showing up later this year and in '25.

[mvp 78]

The latest news looks pretty encouraging - not. Maybe the fact that the latest Japanese superstar didn't visit boston can be taken as encouraging.

 

We'll see what the FO does with this. If they realize they are out, they need to be on the phone with option 2. If they fumble the bag, it's over. It'll take a good playoff run before they'll get me to buy into the nonsense again no matter what they do.

[Randy Red Sox]

Expectations are Casas and Masa will be better in year 2. Story will make up for the horrible SS situation in 1st half. Abreu's fWAR prorates to 3.5 over a full season . I think the offense is in a holding pattern until the prospects start showing up later this year and in '25.

 

 

I think that is the plan alright

[mvp 78]

Looks like the Dodgers are quite serious about signing Moto too. They're trying to run the table.

 

CBT doesn't seem to matter to some organizations. It's a big deal to the Sox for some reason.

[mvp 78]

I think that is the plan alright

 

They better hope the prospects don't fall flat.

[Hugh2]

^^^ Add - Sox are expected to make an upgrade at 2nd. Now maybe that's a big yawn move with plugging the hole with an aging Whit Merrifield, but they could trade for a guy who could easily be better than that.

 

If the Sox add a good RHH 2nd baseman and get two good starters.....I don't think anyone would feel bad about the offense heading into the season.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Yeah but we knew going in it was going to be a bad year. Mookie was traded. Sale was out. And Ryan Weber started the third game of the season. None are good signs.

 

No one is saying it was just a two month slump. After all, that season was actually 9 weeks long…

 

Only for utter flops like Boston. Teams that went deep into the postseason played for another month.

 

Any Red Sox club that won 13 games in the playoffs for a title would be remembered as an all-time great by their fans. Try finding any Dodgers fan who hates the season their team traded for and signed a Hall of Famer in his prime, and then won a championship.

 

And there are many posters who care less about the regular season -- as long as one's favorite team qualifies for the postseason... because then anything can happen! But let's not call them hypocrites for dismissing the results of any tournament, even extra long ones, like in 2020.

[mvp 78]

^^^ Add - Sox are expected to make an upgrade at 2nd. Now maybe that's a big yawn move with plugging the hole with an aging Whit Merrifield, but they could trade for a guy who could easily be better than that.

 

If the Sox add a good RHH 2nd baseman and get two good starters.....I don't think anyone would feel bad about the offense heading into the season.

 

"Expected." With Yorke in AAA, I'm not sure how big they'll go at 2B.

[Bellhorn04]

This year the Red Sox got only a combined 13.6 fWAR from their position players, and that total included 5.1 fWAR from the departed Alex Verdugo, Adam Duvall and Justin Turner.

 

Yet focus is on the starting rotation.

 

The Sox have holes to fill.

 

It's not too late for the Sox to decide to just punt 2024.

[mvp 78]

It's not too late for the Sox to decide to just punt 2024.

 

They need to let me know so that can I punt my MLB Network subscription.

[Bellhorn04]

They need to let me know so that can I punt my MLB Network subscription.

 

Cancel now, you can re-subscribe in the unlikely event the Sox get to work.

[Hugh2]

"Expected." With Yorke in AAA, I'm not sure how big they'll go at 2B.

 

A 1 year rental would come at a more reasonable price. I wouldn't hate a guy with an extra year of control.

[mvp 78]

A 1 year rental would come at a more reasonable price. I wouldn't hate a guy with an extra year of control.

 

If Yorke is ready, you could always spin them off in another deal I guess!

[mvp 78]

Cancel now, you can re-subscribe in the unlikely event the Sox get to work.

 

Good advice. They are getting at least one subscription out of me anyway (wife's grandfather). May as well cancel the second one.

[Hugh2]

If Yorke is ready, you could always spin them off in another deal I guess!

 

A second year of control is also a hedge on both Yorke and Mayer, and Story staying healthy for that matter. I'm a prospect homer, I have faith in all these guys, but the probability that one of those two is not much more than replacement level OR takes an extra year to develop is high. If you end up with a log jam because people are healthy and performing it's a good problem to have

[mvp 78]

A second year of control is also a hedge on both Yorke and Mayer, and Story staying healthy for that matter. I'm a prospect homer, I have faith in all these guys, but the probability that one of those two is not much more than replacement level OR takes an extra year to develop is high. If you end up with a log jam because people are healthy and performing it's a good problem to have

 

I have different levels of faith on each prospect. Yorke comes with some injury concerns and consistency going back to High School. Mayer missed most of last season due injury so we need to see him be competitive at AA. Anthony and Teel look like they'll continue their march towards the bigs. It's hard to say how well they'll perform when they get there, but I don't see them being impeded before then. Bleis and Cespedes are just young and far away so it's hard to judge. The pitching is filled with lots of lower ceiling guys (mid rotation at best IMO).

[notin]

Only for utter flops like Boston. Teams that went deep into the postseason played for another month.

 

Any Red Sox club that won 13 games in the playoffs for a title would be remembered as an all-time great by their fans. Try finding any Dodgers fan who hates the season their team traded for and signed a Hall of Famer in his prime, and then won a championship.

 

And there are many posters who care less about the regular season -- as long as one's favorite team qualifies for the postseason... because then anything can happen! But let's not call them hypocrites for dismissing the results of any tournament, even extra long ones, like in 2020.

 

I’m not dismiss the postseason. I’m dismissing the Sox last place finish. We all knew that year was a white flag.

 

And if every time I refer to the 2022 and 2023 teams as 78 win teams, I get corrected by someone who saying “you mean last place teams”, then I’m allowed to do that because maybe just maybe some of us don’t need to live in a world where we get to talk about even bad Sox seasons without over-emphasizing the negativity. As if failing to underscore every failure in the worst possible light is construed as not understanding the situation…

[notin]

If Yorke is ready, you could always spin them off in another deal I guess!

 

Someone like Merrifield is capable of other positions. Given the possibility of two rookies in the outfield, Yorke might end up replacing one of them through some rearrangement as well…

[notin]

A 1 year rental would come at a more reasonable price. I wouldn't hate a guy with an extra year of control.

 

This is why Brandon Drury checks every box.

 

1. Plays decent 2b.

2. Right-handed bat with some pop

3. One year of control (at $8.5mill)

4. Can play 1b and 3b, negating any need to keep Dalbec.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I’m not dismiss the postseason. I’m dismissing the Sox last place finish. We all knew that year was a white flag.

 

And if every time I refer to the 2022 and 2023 teams as 78 win teams, I get corrected by someone who saying “you mean last place teams”, then I’m allowed to do that because maybe just maybe some of us don’t need to live in a world where we get to talk about even bad Sox seasons without over-emphasizing the negativity. As if failing to underscore every failure in the worst possible light is construed as not understanding the situation…

 

Some people like to say that posters never change their minds, but if you've noticed I have recently stopped using the L-word (not Losers) when referring to 75% of the Red Sox standings during the Bloom Era.

 

From now on, our beloved, beheaded Sox will be known only as the fifth-best team in the greatest division in baseball history that hasn't won a World Series since 2018.