A Realistic View at 2024: Part I

[Bellhorn04]

Recruit and develop pitching, and fill the roster with a supporting cast of position players skilled on both sides of the ball that supply the manager with personnel good enough to collaborate on a winning team?

 

It would sure help that cause if the CBO worked for a big market team owned by a billionaire...

 

If they sign or trade for 2 good starting pitchers, that alone gives the 2024 team a realistic shot at the playoffs.

 

Meanwhile Brez can work on improving the pitching at the organizational level.

[jacksonianmarch]

Rebuilding involves bringing in and developing talent. Bloom made some questionable amateur talent acquisitions and had a development team that really didn't seem very good at all. Brez needs to make some wholesale changes on an organizational level

[Old Red]

If they sign or trade for 2 good starting pitchers, that alone gives the 2024 team a realistic shot at the playoffs.

 

Meanwhile Brez can work on improving the pitching at the organizational level.

Improving the SP, and the D will only make the Red Sox better.

[Randy Red Sox]

I think the notion that posting about rebuilding and a draft pick struck me odd.

 

I do see the Sox signing at least one of Montgomery, Snell, Stroman, or Yamamoto. Most likely not Yamamoto.

 

I also see a trade with Miami for another SP.

 

I am going to repeat AGAIN that it better not be that cancer Stroman.

[Randy Red Sox]

If they sign or trade for 2 good starting pitchers, that alone gives the 2024 team a realistic shot at the playoffs.

 

Meanwhile Brez can work on improving the pitching at the organizational level.

 

I have been saying the latter for several years now.

[Randy Red Sox]

The Red Sox roster needs improvements, but not to be rebuilt.

 

It may not be needing a full rebuild but there are more than just SP that needs an upgrade. 2B and C also need to be upgraded along with figuring out the OF.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

If they sign or trade for 2 good starting pitchers, that alone gives the 2024 team a realistic shot at the playoffs.

 

Red Sox fans really want to believe that. But do posters on the realistic thread really believe two good pitchers are all it will take to make Devers, Casas, Yoshida and Duran good fielders, or Wong and Story hitters who won't strike out in one of every three at bats... or anyone to claim second base... or a rightfielder who'll stay out of the doghouse?

 

Many changes need to be made, but all can't happen at once. Looking forward to the winter meetings...

[Bellhorn04]

Red Sox fans really want to believe that. But do posters on the realistic thread really believe two good pitchers are all it will take to make Devers, Casas, Yoshida and Duran good fielders, or Wong and Story hitters who won't strike out in one of every three at bats... or anyone to claim second base... or a rightfielder who'll stay out of the doghouse?[/i]

 

The 2023 team did stay in the hunt for a playoff spot until the deadline, and if Bloom had done something to help, they might have stayed in the hunt.

[Randy Red Sox]

The 2023 team did stay in the hunt for a playoff spot until the deadline, and if Bloom had done something to help, they might have stayed in the hunt.

 

 

And finished LAST again

[dgalehouse]

Making the playoffs, where six out of fifteen teams get in, is not exactly the impossible dream. Especially for a big market team with huge financial resources. Winning the division should always be the goal.

[notin]

And finished LAST again

 

 

And won only 6 fewer games than the NL pennant winner…

[Randy Red Sox]

And won only 6 fewer games than the NL pennant winner…

 

and that counts for??.....

[notin]

Making the playoffs, where six out of fifteen teams get in, is not exactly the impossible dream. Especially for a big market team with huge financial resources. Winning the division should always be the goal.

 

Winning the division has advantages over being a wild card, but there is no shame in being that wild card. I don’t think Texas objected to “just getting in” to the postseason this year, and it doesn’t cheapen their title…

[notin]

and that counts for??.....

 

What does the “last place” count for, beyond realizing that a 78 win last place team obviously plays in a ridiculously tough division.

 

If that team had gotten the deadline help they needed, which could have been done in one trade, they could have made the postseason, which was the point that was made…

Edited December 3, 2023 by notin

[moonslav59]

Rebuilding involves bringing in and developing talent. Bloom made some questionable amateur talent acquisitions and had a development team that really didn't seem very good at all. Brez needs to make some wholesale changes on an organizational level

 

When you draft almost all HS players and are gone in 4 years, how can anyone know?

[moonslav59]

Red Sox fans really want to believe that. But do posters on the realistic thread really believe two good pitchers are all it will take to make Devers, Casas, Yoshida and Duran good fielders, or Wong and Story hitters who won't strike out in one of every three at bats... or anyone to claim second base... or a rightfielder who'll stay out of the doghouse?

 

Many changes need to be made, but all can't happen at once. Looking forward to the winter meetings...

 

The D should be better, even if no changes are made and injuries are not a major issue.

 

SS was horrific in 2023. It should be top 5-8 in 2024.

LF was horrific and with Yoshida at DH shoudl move to mid pack.

CF was bad. Rafaela should turn it plus.

2B was awful. Reyes should improve it a little.

 

C & 1B have young players who could improve, but we can't count on it.

 

RF & 3B looks the same.

 

Adding 2 legit SP'ers who give us 170+ IP would be a major improvement to the rotation and the pen, as well.

 

I'm not sure I'd say just 2 SP'ers is enough, but I think this reasonable winter would do the trick:

 

Sign Monty, Lugo and Duvall

Trade Duran and Mata for Rogers and Berti

 

[dgalehouse]

What does the “last place” count for, beyond realizing that a 78 win last place team obviously plays in a ridiculously tough division.

 

If that team had gotten the deadline help they needed, which could have been done in one trade, they could have made the postseason, which was the point that was made…

 

Like it or not, there is a certain embarrassment in finishing dead last.

[Randy Red Sox]

What does the “last place” count for, beyond realizing that a 78 win last place team obviously plays in a ridiculously tough division.

 

If that team had gotten the deadline help they needed, which could have been done in one trade, they could have made the postseason, which was the point that was made…

 

not trying to disrespect you but this is a "win now league" and the Sox FO/Owner has not given the team the talent it needs to compete in the AL East.

[notin]

not trying to disrespect you but this is a "win now league" and the Sox FO/Owner has not given the team the talent it needs to compete in the AL East.

 

They had a shot each of the last two years until Bloom bailed at the deadline. That was the point being made.

 

As much as they are not going to put together a perfect lineup full of 9 slugging contact hitters capable of winning both a Silver Slugger and. Gold Glove, it’s not going to happen.

 

And the team can be competitive without doing do. They were in 2021. And they are in 2022 and 2023 until the CBO quit on the team…

[moonslav59]

Like it or not, there is a certain embarrassment in finishing dead last.

 

True, but I'd still rather finish 20th in W-L% and last in the ALE than 18th in W-L and 4th place.

[Bellhorn04]

True, but I'd still rather finish 20th in W-L% and last in the ALE than 18th in W-L and 4th place.

 

It's kind of like choosing between being executed by a firing squad, or by lethal injection.

[Randy Red Sox]

They had a shot each of the last two years until Bloom bailed at the deadline. That was the point being made.

 

As much as they are not going to put together a perfect lineup full of 9 slugging contact hitters capable of winning both a Silver Slugger and. Gold Glove, it’s not going to happen.

 

And the team can be competitive without doing do. They were in 2021. And they are in 2022 and 2023 until the CBO quit on the team…

 

well i have said since the day Bloom was hired that Henry was really calling the shots on any signifigant decisions. Until Breslow is able to compete a SIGNIFIGANT addition I will suspect he is under the same directive. Having said that I suspect even Henry knows how restless RSN is after 3 last place finishes in 4 years and will allow Breslow the ability to spend at least a bit. We shall see.

[notin]

Like it or not, there is a certain embarrassment in finishing dead last.

 

Yes let’s overreact.

 

They were 78-84. It’s not good but it also isn’t 57-105…

[moonslav59]

It's kind of like choosing between being executed by a firing squad, or by lethal injection.

 

It really has sucked, but to me, I see it as a mix of two things that distract me from some of the pain:

 

1. The stretch from 2016 to 2018 was so amazing that sacrificing some of the future was worth it. (I did not expect it to be over 5 years of the future, but that stretch helped, some, especially the early years of 2019 or 2020 to 2021/2022.

 

2. The belief that the farm system and ML foundation were improving quickly enough to make us exciting to watch by 2023, at the latest. (That did not work out all that well.)

 

The sour part has been the whole "sham" thing by the front office.

 

I still like our foundation. I have not been this upbeat about our top 4-5 prospects in a very long time. I may end up disappointed, but I'm clinging to that for my optimism fix.

 

I'm not part of the dump Henry Brigade, but I am pissed about being the shammed. I'm not going to say I have hope for 2024, because I don't. I refuse to get my hopes up, again, until I see the commitment made, again, by the front office. There is zero optimism on that, from me.

 

I'm thinking we'll have to go over the tax line and up close to the second one to get my juices flowing, but maybe Brez can work some wonders. Let's see what his first big move will be.

 

 

 

 

[moonslav59]

well i have said since the day Bloom was hired that Henry was really calling the shots on any signifigant decisions. Until Breslow is able to compete a SIGNIFIGANT addition I will suspect he is under the same directive. Having said that I suspect even Henry knows how restless RSN is after 3 last place finishes in 4 years and will allow Breslow the ability to spend at least a bit. We shall see.

 

I read this after my recent post.

 

You said it very well, and in much fewer words.

[cp176]

Winning the division has advantages over being a wild card, but there is no shame in being that wild card. I don’t think Texas objected to “just getting in” to the postseason this year, and it doesn’t cheapen their title…

 

With the addition of the wild card coming in to play in general, I think that it cheapens the impact of what happens during the regular season. It's all good for sure if anyone's plan is to "make the playoffs", I just think that winning the division and being the absolute best that you can be should be the goal.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

It's kind of like choosing between being executed by a firing squad, or by lethal injection.

 

Except no one ever said a team finished dead fourth.

[Bellhorn04]

Like it or not, there is a certain embarrassment in finishing dead last.

 

Yes let’s overreact.

 

They were 78-84. It’s not good but it also isn’t 57-105…

 

Here's one way to look at things that makes no reference to placing or divisions:

 

Over the 12-year period 2012-2023 the Red Sox finished under .500 6 times (50%).

Over the 46-year period 1966-2011 the Red Sox finished under .500 6 times (13%).

[notin]

With the addition of the wild card coming in to play in general, I think that it cheapens the impact of what happens during the regular season. It's all good for sure if anyone's plan is to "make the playoffs", I just think that winning the division and being the absolute best that you can be should be the goal.

 

What’s your point? Do you think that ever wasn’t the goal? Are you saying we as fans should be dissatisfied if the team just makes the playoffs without winning the division? Like remember how frustrated we were in 2004?

 

Are you saying that if the Sox have a shot at the postseason at the deadline, but no real shot at the division, they should sell? Or at the very least, do nothing? If so, you must have loved Bloom.

[notin]

Here's one way to look at things that makes no reference to placing or divisions:

 

Over the 12-year period 2012-2023 the Red Sox finished under .500 6 times (50%).

Over the 46-year period 1966-2011 the Red Sox finished under .500 6 times (13%).

 

Now compare titles!!