A Realistic View of 2024: Part II

[Maxbialystock]

Domes or retractable roofs:

Rays

Jays

Rangers

Houston

Milwaukee

Miami

Arizona

 

West Coast Climate:

LA

Anaheim

SD

SF

A's

 

Milder Weather Sites:

ATL

KC

STL

 

That's half the parks right there.

 

About KC. It's in the Great Plains. I lived there for 5 years, intermittently from 1948 to 1990, about 35 miles from KC and can assure you the winters are cold and snowy and July and August pretty doggone hot.

 

April was a mixed bag a lot like the Robert Frost poem: "The sun was warm, but the wind was chill./You know how is with an April day/When the sun is out and the wind is still,/You're one month on in the middle of May./But if you so much as dare to speak,/A cloud comes over the sunlit arch,/A wind comes off a frozen peak/and you're two months back in the middle of March."

[Maxbialystock]

It was a fact that they wasn’t that good yesterday was it not?

 

weren't, not wasn't. And the A's scored how many runs from all those Sox errors?

[Maxbialystock]

Snowing in New England today. But even if not, climate change regularly brings windy, rainy nights in the 40s through most of April now. If MLB is smart, they schedule East Coast teams out West (or in domes) at the start of every season...

 

... speaking-of, yes, it's one trip. But it's evident Boston is improved, if just under the spell of Bailey. I always shook my head in past years when the team sucked and posters insisted "it's still early" in April, May -- "it's only Memorial Day" --, June -- "it's not even officially summer" --, July "it's not even the All-Star Break... wait til the deadline" ... "The season's only half over..."

 

Players and management have to use those stock lines, but fans see the truth. The Red Sox may not be contenders or not even a .500 team this year, but they've been winning now for two months. So here's a serious question for the board: When is it no longer "still early?"

 

It's still early right now, April 4, 2024. And it will stay early as long as there is hope. In the old days, that happened with the Sox infamous "June swoon."

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

October.

 

If teams like the 2007 Rockies can be 7 games out with 20 games left, miss the division lead by 1 game, make the wild card, and ride that wave all the way to the World Series, is it ever too late before math officially says so?

 

So: one vote for Memorial Day, another for Halloween. I'll take the 4th... but my team has to be at least .500 and within a few games of a wild card spot. Keep the summer interesting.

 

Put it this way -- if a club is dead last in April, May and June, it's not "still early." But if they somehow trade for four decent outfielders with pop by the end of July -- and all four go on tears to transform the line-up (like the '21 Braves) -- then by the end of August it's ok to say, "it's not too late."

 

"Still early" is usually reserved for underachievers -- or helplessly hopeful standings deniers. When ballplayers are playing well enough to win more than they lose, it's unreasonable to expect them to suddenly suck. It is fair to reserve judgment until they beat some favorites, though.

 

But never say, "They're actually not good; they're just playing good" ... cuz that's bad gramma.

[moonslav59]

Nobody is.

 

Just stating facts at where they stand right now.

 

I still project we finish around 16th, so yes.

[Old Red]

weren't, not wasn't. And the A's scored how many runs from all those Sox errors?

 

Max, you saw Piersall. Was he the best CF the Red Sox ever had?

[notin]

So: one vote for Memorial Day, another for Halloween. I'll take the 4th... but my team has to be at least .500 and within a few games of a wild card spot. Keep the summer interesting.

 

Put it this way -- if a club is dead last in April, May and June, it's not "still early." But if they somehow trade for four decent outfielders with pop by the end of July -- and all four go on tears to transform the line-up (like the '21 Braves) -- then by the end of August it's ok to say, "it's not too late."

 

"Still early" is usually reserved for underachievers -- or helplessly hopeful standings deniers. When ballplayers are playing well enough to win more than they lose, it's unreasonable to expect them to suddenly suck. It is fair to reserve judgment until they beat some favorites, though.

 

But never say, "They're actually not good; they're just playing good" ... cuz that's bad gramma.

 

I didn’t say Halloween. More like Extra Virgin Olive Oil Day (September 30). And no, I don’t expect a card…

[Duran Is The Man]

Snowing in New England today. But even if not, climate change regularly brings windy, rainy nights in the 40s through most of April now. If MLB is smart, they schedule East Coast teams out West (or in domes) at the start of every season...

 

... speaking-of, yes, it's one trip. But it's evident Boston is improved, if just under the spell of Bailey. I always shook my head in past years when the team sucked and posters insisted "it's still early" in April, May -- "it's only Memorial Day" --, June -- "it's not even officially summer" --, July "it's not even the All-Star Break... wait til the deadline" ... "The season's only half over..."

 

Players and management have to use those stock lines, but fans see the truth. The Red Sox may not be contenders or not even a .500 team this year, but they've been winning now for two months. So here's a serious question for the board: When is it no longer "still early?"

 

it doesn't matter and a ******** excuse for your team not performing, because "it's still early" for every single team.

[jad]

Max, you saw Piersall. Was he the best CF the Red Sox ever had?

 

Curious what Max says. Piersall was my favorite player, but I'm told that Dom Dimaggio guy was way better.

[dgalehouse]

I saw Jimmy Piersall play many times. He was an excellent center fielder and an interesting guy. JBJ is the best Sox defensive center fielder I have seen.

[Old Red]

Curious what Max says. Piersall was my favorite player, but I'm told that Dom Dimaggio guy was way better.

 

I’m curious too. Casey Stengel said Piersall was the best CF he ever saw play.

[moonslav59]

After this next series at LAA, we'll have another day off, followed by a 10 game homestand:

 

3 BAL

3 LAA

4 CLE

 

Then, no day off and a road trip of 3 at PIT and 3 at CLE and a 6 game home stand vs CHC & SFG.

 

No days off from April 9th to May 5th, which fall in the middle of a mini road trip at MN & ATL.

 

Possible starting pitchers:

 

@LAA Crawford (+1 Day of rest)

@LAA Whitlock (+1)

@LAA Houck (+1)

OFF

BAL Bello (+2)

BAL Pivetta (+2)

BAL Crawford (+1)

LAA Whitlock (+1)

LAA Houck (+1)

LAA Bello (no more extra days of rest until May 5.)

 

 

 

 

Edited April 4, 2024 by moonslav59

[notin]

I saw Jimmy Piersall play many times. He was an excellent center fielder and an interesting guy. JBJ is the best Sox defensive center fielder I have seen.

 

Never saw Piersall, so I go with JBJ.

 

Coco Crisp was probably the Web Gem leader (

), but his highlight reel plays might have made folks forget he had no throwing arm…

[notin]

Curious what Max says. Piersall was my favorite player, but I'm told that Dom Dimaggio guy was way better.

 

Don’t sleep on Tris Speaker, who is the all time leader in outfield assists (and by a lot), outfielder double plays (also by a lot) , and outfielder unassisted double plays (whatever those are). And he did all of it while sporting a giant handlebar mustache and sitting atop the giant front wheel of his bicycle…

Edited April 5, 2024 by notin

[mvp 78]

Never saw Piersall, so I go with JBJ.

 

Coco Crisp was probably the Web Gem leader (

), but his highlight reel plays might have made folks forget he had no throwing arm…

 

Coco Crap had highlight plays because he got bad jumps.

 

Rafaela may surpass peak JBJ at some point.

[mvp 78]

About KC. It's in the Great Plains. I lived there for 5 years, intermittently from 1948 to 1990, about 35 miles from KC and can assure you the winters are cold and snowy and July and August pretty doggone hot.

 

April was a mixed bag a lot like the Robert Frost poem: "The sun was warm, but the wind was chill./You know how is with an April day/When the sun is out and the wind is still,/You're one month on in the middle of May./But if you so much as dare to speak,/A cloud comes over the sunlit arch,/A wind comes off a frozen peak/and you're two months back in the middle of March."

 

Average high for KC is 66 in April. That is Boston’s average high for May.

[mvp 78]

I still project we finish around 16th, so yes.

Seems fair. Unfortunately, Sox don’t play 43% of their games against the A’s the rest of the way.

[moonslav59]

Never saw Piersall, so I go with JBJ.

 

Coco Crisp was probably the Web Gem leader (

), but his highlight reel plays might have made folks forget he had no throwing arm…

 

Darren Lewis was really good, too.

 

Fred Lynn, of course.

 

I agree on JBJ, then Coco, but Rafaela may end up passing both.

[Elktonnick]

Darren Lewis was really good, too.

 

Fred Lynn, of course.

 

I agree on JBJ, then Coco, but Rafaela may end up passing both.

 

Having seen both Piersall and JBJ play, my nod goes to Piersall as the better defender. In 55, 56 and 57, Piersall made 425, 457 and 395 putouts. In 16,17 and 18 JBJ made 378, 306 and 308. That is quite a difference.

[Larry Cook]

Darren Lewis was really good, too.

 

Fred Lynn, of course.

 

I agree on JBJ, then Coco, but Rafaela may end up passing both.

 

I have never seen a center fielder moving at crack of the bat like Bradley!!! Rafeala is much more athletic, but nobody had the instincts of Bradley

[moonslav59]

I have never seen a center fielder moving at crack of the bat like Bradley!!! Rafeala is much more athletic, but nobody had the instincts of Bradley

 

He also had a smooth and long stride that made it look like he was not really moving that fast. He seemed to always take the exact right route to the ball. It was very rare to see him change direction or have to reach back to make a catch.

 

I have no beef with anyone who says JBJ was the best they have ever seen.

[moonslav59]

Having seen both Piersall and JBJ play, my nod goes to Piersall as the better defender. In 55, 56 and 57, Piersall made 425, 457 and 395 putouts. In 16,17 and 18 JBJ made 378, 306 and 308. That is quite a difference.

 

I'd like to know how many balls were hit to CF in each of those 2 eras.

 

I can tell you this:

Ks by staff

1955-1957: 2078

2016-2018: 4500

 

That's over 2400 batters (800 per season) that hit the ball nowhere for an out, in JBJ's time.

Edited April 5, 2024 by moonslav59

[notin]

Coco Crap had highlight plays because he got bad jumps.

 

Rafaela may surpass peak JBJ at some point.

 

I’ll have to take your word for it since I never get to see that. Crisp started playing for Boston after I moved away, so I never saw him play in person…

[Elktonnick]

Piersall was known to be an extremely hard worker. He kept book on every hitter back before all the analytics were used. He would get a tremendous jump on balls in play. Casey Stengal wasn't the only one who called him the best defensive centerfielder of his day. BTW look at Fred Lynn's putouts during his time. They exceed JBJs as well.

[Bellhorn04]

Piersall was known to be an extremely hard worker. He kept book on every hitter back before all the analytics were used. He would get a tremendous jump on balls in play. Casey Stengal wasn't the only one who called him the best defensive centerfielder of his day. BTW look at Fred Lynn's putouts during his time. They exceed JBJs as well.

 

As moon pointed out, the ratio of K's to other outs is much higher now, so that has an impact on the fielding chances.

[notin]

Piersall was known to be an extremely hard worker. He kept book on every hitter back before all the analytics were used. He would get a tremendous jump on balls in play. Casey Stengal wasn't the only one who called him the best defensive centerfielder of his day. BTW look at Fred Lynn's putouts during his time. They exceed JBJs as well.

 

Casey Stengel, who died in 1975, might not be the best testimony for putting Piersall ahead of Bradley or Lynn.

 

Also a count of put outs means nothing without knowing chances. And even then, Bradley undoutedly let Mookie take a few he could have had…

[Hugh2]

I'd like to know how many balls were hit to CF in each of those 2 eras.

 

I can tell you this:

Ks by staff

1955-1957: 2078

2016-2018: 4500

 

That's over 1400 batters that hit the ball nowhere for an out, in JBJ's time.

 

That's an insanely large number to ignore, that has to be somewhere around 250-300 less outs being made in todays game simply because the batter is less likely to put the ball in play.

[notin]

Piersall was known to be an extremely hard worker. He kept book on every hitter back before all the analytics were used. He would get a tremendous jump on balls in play. Casey Stengal wasn't the only one who called him the best defensive centerfielder of his day. BTW look at Fred Lynn's putouts during his time. They exceed JBJs as well.

 

Casey Stengel, who died in 1975, might not be the best testimony for putting Piersall ahead of Bradley or Lynn.

 

Also a count of put outs means nothing without knowing chances. And even then, Bradley undoutedly let Mookie take a few he could have had…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Bradley wasn't the fastest, but no one I ever saw play centerfield got a better jump consistently.

 

It's also what makes Rafaela comparable. When he saved the game for Winckowski, Ceddanne immediately noted it was because of the jump he got on the ball before he ran it down. That's what makes him legit; this guy isn't outrunning misjudgments, like some other fast outfielders...

 

The best season I ever saw in CF was Lynn in '75, when spectacular catches seemed to come in the clutch all year long. He wasn't just voted AL MVP because of his bat.

[notin]

That's an insanely large number to ignore, that has to be somewhere around 250-300 less outs being made in todays game simply because the batter is less likely to put the ball in play.

 

Some of it is due to playing 8 more games, too…