Craig Breslow hired as Head Of Baseball Operations

[Bellhorn04]

Davey came within an inch of being picked off by Mariano. How would that have changed Red Sox history ?

 

It was very close, and a very clutch call by the ump. 2004 saw the umps finally pay back the Sox for Ed Armbrister LOL

[notin]

Behind the Beckett-Lowell trade, I'd take Varitek-Lowe. The catcher is always impactful on a champion, while DLowe not only won all three '04 clinchers, but started Game Seven in Yankee Stadium on two days rest and: 6 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 RUN.

 

Schilling and Pedro were neck-and-neck behind Lowe, but I'd probably rate the Nomar trade ahead of both because of shortstop Orlando Cabrera -- who played every inning of every game in the postseason at the most important non-battery position on the field (0 errors)... and only Ortiz had more RBIs.

 

Dave Roberts (who never played in the World Series) provided one of the most memorable moments in '04 -- but I've always maintained it wasn't even the biggest feat of that inning. That came off the clutch bat of Bill Mueller. Some will argue that Roberts' stolen base was so special because everyone watching in the ballpark and on TV knew he was going... but we also all knew Mueller was trying to get a hit and Rivera was trying to get him out.

 

What would most big leaguers say was harder to accomplish: stealing a base off Mariano Rivera or getting a hit off him with the season on the line?

 

Roberts’ stolen base seems overrated to me. The Sox ended that inning with the bases loaded. It’s very possible he would have been forced home one way or another.

 

But what no one mentions ever is Millar working the walk off Rivera in the first place. Without that walk, there’s no one for Roberts to pinch run for…

[Bellhorn04]

The Pedro trade was mammoth not just for 2004. Pedro gave a huge jolt of energy to the franchise and he was one of the guys they built a championship team around.

[Bellhorn04]

Roberts’ stolen base seems overrated to me. The Sox ended that inning with the bases loaded. It’s very possible he would have been forced home one way or another.

 

"Very possible" - yikes! Nobody knows what would have happened in a do-over.

 

I do agree though that Millar and Mueller should get just about as much credit. That was a team run.

[moonslav59]

The Pedro trade was mammoth not just for 2004. Pedro gave a huge jolt of energy to the franchise and he was one of the guys they built a championship team around.

 

33 GS

217 IP

3.58 FIP

124 ERA+ (3.90 ERA)

 

Yes, Schill was better in 2024, but Pedro was huge, that year.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

33 GS

217 IP

3.58 FIP

124 ERA+ (3.90 ERA)

 

Yes, Schill was better in 2024, but Pedro was huge, that year.

 

2004, not '24 -- I know it's a typo, but Curt hasn't aged well. He's kinda become Boston's Pete Rose...

[moonslav59]

2004, not '24 -- i know it's a typo, but curt hasn't aged well. He's kinda become boston's pete rose...

 

lol

[mvp 78]

Your eye test told you he was not good on D?

 

Overrated

[Old Red]

The O’s picked up Eflin, and Brez picked up Paxton, and maybe Hill. The O’s were in the passing lane, and Brez was in the breakdown lane picking up hitchhikers. Edited August 16, 2024 by Old Red

[mvp 78]

The O’s picked up Eflin, and Brez picked up Paxton, and maybe Hill. The O’s were in the passing lane, and Brez was in the breakdown lane picking up hitchhikers.

 

If Breslow picked up Eflin, they'd still be on the outside looking in of the playoffs with a horrible looking pen.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

If Breslow picked up Eflin, they'd still be on the outside looking in of the playoffs with a horrible looking pen.

 

Pen right now looks like the one my cat knocked off the table that the dog demolished: cap is chewed, spring's missing, ink's all over the rug.

[Old Red]

If Breslow picked up Eflin, they'd still be on the outside looking in of the playoffs with a horrible looking pen.

 

If the Red Sox had Eflin they wouldn’t need the pen as much. It looks like Brez didn’t help that horrible looking pen much either, so I agree with you on that.

[mvp 78]

Pen right now looks like the one my cat knocked off the table that the dog demolished: cap is chewed, spring's missing, ink's all over the rug.

 

Scarier than my father in law tinkering in my yard.

[moonslav59]

Scarier than my father in law tinkering in my yard.

 

Garcia and Sims looked like decent RP'ers- not real good, but decent. Once on the Sox, they became "scary" like the rest of them.

 

The rotation has actually settled down a bit.

 

Last 4 weeks:

1.98 Criswell (1GS & 4 RP)

3.86 Bello (3.38 last 2 starts)

4.85 Houck (4.58 last 3 GS)

5.40 Pivetta (4.66 last 2 starts)

 

Not great, but better than early to mid July numbers.

[Old Red]

And with the 12th pick in the 2024 HOBO draft the Red Sox select Brez.

[Bellhorn04]

If Breslow picked up Eflin, they'd still be on the outside looking in of the playoffs with a horrible looking pen.

 

Eflin is also under contract for 2025.

 

We missed out on him twice. To me the Sox failure to get a guy like Eflin shows exactly how badly we're f***ing up the kind of opportunities we should be capitalizing on.

Edited August 16, 2024 by Bellhorn04

[Old Red]

Garcia and Sims looked like decent RP'ers- not real good, but decent. Once on the Sox, they became "scary" like the rest of them.

 

The rotation has actually settled down a bit.

 

Last 4 weeks:

1.98 Criswell (1GS & 4 RP)

3.86 Bello (3.38 last 2 starts)

4.85 Houck (4.58 last 3 GS)

5.40 Pivetta (4.66 last 2 starts)

 

Not great, but better than early to mid July numbers.

HR’s are flying out of the ballparks at great distances, and alarming rates mostly off Bailey’s philosophy of breaking balls, and off speed pitches, and that has been killing the Red Sox.

[Bellhorn04]

HR’s are flying out of the ballparks at great distances, and alarming rates mostly off Bailey’s philosophy of breaking balls, and off speed pitches, and that has been killing the Red Sox.

 

"Back to the old drawing board!"

[mvp 78]

HR’s are flying out of the ballparks at great distances, and alarming rates mostly off Bailey’s philosophy of breaking balls, and off speed pitches, and that has been killing the Red Sox.

 

It's not the pitches, it's the location. If the pitch is middle/middle, it's going a long way. The arms are just tired and they can't locate anymore.

[mvp 78]

And with the 12th pick in the 2024 HOBO draft the Red Sox select Brez.

 

They had the number 1 pick, all the guys they wanted to sign just wanted to pull an Eli Manning. It's why you don't fire your CBO/GM/Pres of Baseball Ops every few years when you get a wild hair up your ass even though you are never around the team.

[Bellhorn04]

It's not the pitches, it's the location. If the pitch is middle/middle, it's going a long way. The arms are just tired and they can't locate anymore.

 

Could be both too. Hitters having a good idea what kind of pitch is coming.

 

Also, why are our guys so tired?

[mvp 78]

Could be both too. Hitters having a good idea what kind of pitch is coming.

 

Also, why are our guys so tired?

 

A lot of inexperienced guys that have been asked to pitch differently than they have ever had to before. If the emphasis is "throw strikes," there is more of a tendency to leave a pitch over the middle than if a guy is nibbling and is tired IMO.

Edited August 16, 2024 by mvp 78

[Randy Red Sox]

The bottom line here is simply that John Henry after firing DD has told his last 2 GM'S to cut back on spending. The ONE and ONLY reason Devers got the big contract was because RSN was in an uproar [and still is at least on this board] after Mookie was dealt. As for Gioloto the Sox had to do something to address the pitching which was terrible BEFORE Atlanta fleeced Breslow on the Sale trade.

 

Yes the farm system has improved the past few seasons but there are NO TRUE top P talents down there and until the Sox add some HIGH LEVEL TOP P talent this team will continue to play at a .475-.525 clip but Henry could CARE LESS because the park is still full,. Nothing with the Sox is going to change until Henry is gone.

[mvp 78]

The bottom line here is simply that John Henry after firing DD has told his last 2 GM'S to cut back on spending. The ONE and ONLY reason Devers got the big contract was because RSN was in an uproar [and still is at least on this board] after Mookie was dealt. As for Gioloto the Sox had to do something to address the pitching which was terrible BEFORE Atlanta fleeced Breslow on the Sale trade.

 

Yes the farm system has improved the past few seasons but there are NO TRUE top P talents down there and until the Sox add some HIGH LEVEL TOP P talent this team will continue to play at a .475-.525 clip but Henry could CARE LESS because the park is still full,. Nothing with the Sox is going to change until Henry is gone.

 

The best way to add them is to develop them and that's what they are trying to do. Juan Valera is pitching his ass off in Salem right now. Monegro hasn't given up a run in 29 innings.

[moonslav59]

The bottom line here is simply that John Henry after firing DD has told his last 2 GM'S to cut back on spending. The ONE and ONLY reason Devers got the big contract was because RSN was in an uproar [and still is at least on this board] after Mookie was dealt. As for Gioloto the Sox had to do something to address the pitching which was terrible BEFORE Atlanta fleeced Breslow on the Sale trade.

 

Yes the farm system has improved the past few seasons but there are NO TRUE top P talents down there and until the Sox add some HIGH LEVEL TOP P talent this team will continue to play at a .475-.525 clip but Henry could CARE LESS because the park is still full,. Nothing with the Sox is going to change until Henry is gone.

 

We've already seen a change in focus on the farm.

 

I'm not going to dispute your claim about JH needing to go for real change to occur. I've seen him wobble between spending and cutting several times, before. This is, by far, the longest stretch of austerity under JH, especially with the pitching, but it's not like he has totally stopped spending- just with pitching.

 

I'm not hopeful he will start, anytime soon, but nobody knows if he will or won't.

[moonslav59]

The best way to add them is to develop them and that's what they are trying to do. Juan Valera is pitching his ass off in Salem right now. Monegro hasn't given up a run in 29 innings.

 

Are you encouraged by Dobbins and E R-C?

[Randy Red Sox]

The best way to add them is to develop them and that's what they are trying to do. Juan Valera is pitching his ass off in Salem right now. Monegro hasn't given up a run in 29 innings.

 

of course they are TRYING to develop them but that may be another part of the problem. when could we expect to see any of those in Boston?

[Randy Red Sox]

We've already seen a change in focus on the farm.

 

I'm not going to dispute your claim about JH needing to go for real change to occur. I've seen him wobble between spending and cutting several times, before. This is, by far, the longest stretch of austerity under JH, especially with the pitching, but it's not like he has totally stopped spending- just with pitching.

 

I'm not hopeful he will start, anytime soon, but nobody knows if he will or won't.

 

what position players has he spent on recently?

[mvp 78]

Are you encouraged by Dobbins and E R-C?

 

Mildly.

[mvp 78]

of course they are TRYING to develop them but that may be another part of the problem. when could we expect to see any of those in Boston?

 

2026 if everything breaks right.