A Realistic View at 2024: Part I

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

We are literally going to enter into the season without a rotation lol just wow!

 

If you think last two seasons were a nightmare wait to see this one.

 

This team has turned into a complete disaster.

 

That’s my reality check.

 

I'm predicting a high draft pick for the SOX.

[iortiz]

I don't know if this has already been posted, but Cora has named Bello as the opening day starter. It was a choice between him and Pivetta.

 

When Pivetta is one of your choices for opening day, it must speak volumes about your pitching staff.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

When Pivetta is one of your choices for opening day, it must speak volumes about your pitching staff.

 

A big YUP on that.

[Dipre]

The SOX BP looks pretty good. My question is at what point in the season will most of the BP arms be exhausted?

 

June 15th

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

June 15th

 

That late?

[Dipre]

That late?

 

Jansen will start the season on the IL, so make that May 30th

[vegasbob]

The SOX BP looks pretty good. My question is at what point in the season will most of the BP arms be exhausted?

 

Mid June, especially now with Murphy sidelined for a long time.

 

Cora's temptation will be to extend starters even if they are getting hit to get this staff through a long season, and to show ownership they should have been more aggressive once again on SP's. There is very little gas in the tank for #6/7 SP's to cover for the inevitable injury bug (minor or major) to the current starters.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Mid June, especially now with Murphy sidelined for a long time.

 

Cora's temptation will be to extend starters even if they are getting hit to get this staff through a long season, and to show ownership they should have been more aggressive once again on SP's. There is very little gas in the tank for #6/7 SP's to cover for the inevitable injury bug (minor or major) to the current starters.

 

 

Hi Vegas. Long time, no see.

Remember that low expectations equate to low disappointment.

Hopefully, Story can stay healthy for most of the season because he truly is an awesome defensive SS.

[vegasbob]

Hi Vegas. Long time, no see.

Remember that low expectations equate to low disappointment.

Hopefully, Story can stay healthy for most of the season because he truly is an awesome defensive SS.

 

Splendid, have fun with the Game Threads, you're a master there. Remember AC is in a contract year, so he will be trying really hard to get this crew out of last place . My guess is that Tampa will take last place away from us.

[mvp 78]

I don't know if this has already been posted, but Cora has named Bello as the opening day starter. It was a choice between him and Pivetta.

 

Very grim.

[mvp 78]

MLB has made some dumb rule changes recently, a list topped by the ghost runner, but one very good rule was limiting September call ups...

 

I wouldn't mind if if they limited the amount of active players per game.

[Bellhorn04]

Very grim.

 

Crawford has been pitching well.

[mvp 78]

Crawford has been pitching well.

 

Crawford has pitched well and I'm relatively hopeful that Bello is a decent starter. Just the pivot to Pivetta being a potential Opening Day starter is GRIM. If I posted last May that Pivetta was 50/50 the Opening Day starter this year, I don't think it would have went over well.

[moonslav59]

Who starts and will end up starting will be a big part of how good our pen will be.

 

With Gio down, another good pen arm goes to the rotation. We already robbed Crawford, Whitlock and even Pivetta from last year's pen.

 

For argument's sake, let's say opening day sees this:

 

IL: Giolito, Mata, Murphy & Jansen

 

Rotation: Bello, Pivetta, Crawford, Houck & Whitlock

 

The pen might be...

 

Closer: Martin

8th inning: Bernardino, Campbell

7th inning: Slaten, Weissert, Luetge

Long Relief: Winckowski, Criswell

 

Minor league depth:

Long: Fitts, Walter, Gambrell

Short: Kelly, Joely, Hagenman, Jacques, Guerrero among others

 

 

[vegasbob]

Bernardino who showed some effectiveness in 2023, straight off the trash pile of pitching , has also performed well so far this ST. 5.2 IP, 3 hits, 0 ER, 4 K's vs 1 BB, and 0.71 WHIP. If we are lucky , Brennan will keep that type of performance well into the season

 

One of Bloom's finds .Breslow needs to go to Tijuana and see if there are any more down there

[Nick]

Obviously I am not optimistic about this year.

I doubt we make the playoffs. I am anxious to watch all the youngsters perform, especially our starting rotation.

 

It is what management does this winter will say everything about John Henry and the future.

 

He will be standing on the cliff.

[mvp 78]

Who starts and will end up starting will be a big part of how good our pen will be.

 

With Gio down, another good pen arm goes to the rotation. We already robbed Crawford, Whitlock and even Pivetta from last year's pen.

 

For argument's sake, let's say opening day sees this:

 

IL: Giolito, Mata, Murphy & Jansen

 

Rotation: Bello, Pivetta, Crawford, Houck & Whitlock

 

The pen might be...

 

Closer: Martin

8th inning: Bernardino, Campbell

7th inning: Slaten, Weissert, Luetge

Long Relief: Winckowski, Criswell

 

Minor league depth:

Long: Fitts, Walter, Gambrell

Short: Kelly, Joely, Hagenman, Jacques, Guerrero among others

 

 

 

Crawford had more starts than relief appearances in 2023.

 

Most of the relief arms have looked good so far in ST. They should be good this year too, but could be run down early as others have said. If Bello, Pivetta or Crawford get injured, it could get ugly.

[mvp 78]

Obviously I am not optimistic about this year.

I doubt we make the playoffs. I am anxious to watch all the youngsters perform, especially our starting rotation.

 

It is what management does this winter will say everything about John Henry and the future.

 

He will be standing on the cliff.

 

Wish you would step back from that ledge, my friend

You could cut ties with all the lies

That you've been living in

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

If Bello, Pivetta or Crawford get injured, it could get ugly.

 

That trio -- at their best -- is ok... and management gives us no choice to hope for better.

 

The problem right now is they might look good enough to take to the prom, but at the beach the next day, eyes will be wandering elsewhere.

[mvp 78]

That trio -- at their best -- is ok... and management gives us no choice to hope for better.

 

The problem right now is they might look good enough to take to the prom, but at the beach the next day, eyes will be wandering elsewhere.

 

It's an ok trio, but the only guys that I think could give us consistent innings. Houck and Whitlock? No chance.

[moonslav59]

Crawford had more starts than relief appearances in 2023.

 

 

Yes, he was pulled from the pen, early.

 

Pivetta startered, went to the pen, then started again, after being a SP'er pretty exclusively for years. However, the fact is, he was doing great in the pen, and they pulled him out of it to start.

 

[Bellhorn04]

Yes, he was pulled from the pen, early.

 

Pivetta startered, went to the pen, then started again, after being a SP'er pretty exclusively for years. However, the fact is, he was doing great in the pen, and they pulled him out of it to start.

 

 

Somebody had to start.

[moonslav59]

Somebody had to start.

 

Indeed, and I did not disagree with moving Pivetta back to the rotation. My point is about how it affects the pen.

 

I think our pen can be a plus, if we stop raiding it.

[notin]

Indeed, and I did not disagree with moving Pivetta back to the rotation. My point is about how it affects the pen.

 

I think our pen can be a plus, if we stop raiding it.

 

Yes. Stop raiding the bullpen for starters. But the only way to do that would be to GO GET SOME STARTERS.

 

The season is officially underway, and Montgomery is still available albeit clearly unlikely. Sleazinger and Lorenzen still need jobs and are reportedly only looking for 1 and 2 years respectively...

[notin]

It's an ok trio, but the only guys that I think could give us consistent innings. Houck and Whitlock? No chance.

 

I am hoping Whitlock's durability issues last year were related to his hip surgery in the off-season, but even then he has never thrown more than 120 IP in a season. And that was back in 2018, when he was pitching in A, A+ and AA ball...

[mvp 78]

Somebody had to start.

 

Stop raiding the starting rotation for bullpen arms!!!!!!!!!

[mvp 78]

I am hoping Whitlock's durability issues last year were related to his hip surgery in the off-season, but even then he has never thrown more than 120 IP in a season. And that was back in 2018, when he was pitching in A, A+ and AA ball...

 

I am thoroughly not confident. I thought it was worth the experiment the past two years, but not this one.

[Bellhorn04]

I am thoroughly not confident. I thought it was worth the experiment the past two years, but not this one.

 

They never listen to us.

[notin]

They never listen to us.

 

Or know we exist...

[mvp 78]

Or know we exist...

 

We're getting paid by the FO to post and they don't even know we exist?!?!?!?