A Realistic View of 2024: Part II

[Randy Red Sox]

I don't know what JH is thinking. I'm thinking that the SOX could now be considered a middle market team with big market ticket prices.

 

JH is thinking solely about his wallet and i totally agree they are a middle market team now.I am sure he would love to get Story off the books somehow too.

[Maxbialystock]

howdy splinter--hey do you think the posters on the old fan forum will ever realize that I was right when i said that John Henry was cutting payroll and looking to build the team through the farm system and generally overalll BBB signings?

 

Excuse me. You had to deaf, blind, and ignorant not to know that JH was cutting salaries. That's why he fired DD in 2019, 5 years ago. In 2019 the Sox had the highest payroll in MLB, but to begin the process of saving $$ David Price was sent to LA with the Sox paying a big chunk of his salary for several years. Sox also paid major dollars for Sale, who stayed in Boston but missed a whole bunch of starts for the next 4 years.

 

Why else was Chaim Bloom hired in 2019 if not to imitate the Rays success with a low budget payroll?

 

I hasten to add that this year the pitching, basically low budget, is fantastic.

 

Also worth noting is that the three biggest salaries this year belong to Devers, Story, and Yoshida--and to date none has earned his pay (this year). Story and Yoshida never have. Devers has earned most of his salary.

Edited April 7, 2024 by Maxbialystock

[notin]

The fact is our replacement options at SS all stink. Let's not be surprised if Breslow makes a move, once they know roughly how long Story is gone.

 

That’s the biggest reason. They’re not going to get a full replacement if he’s only out 2-3 weeks. The information is not yet complete.

 

 

Except on Dalbec. Seriously, do people still think he’s an MLB player?

[Nick]

We have 8 left handed hitting lineup for today's game. I've never seen it.

 

Interestingly, 5 of 8 throws right handed, Casas, Valdez, Hamilton, Duran and McGuire. Odd.

[moonslav59]

I'd rather keep Rafaela in CF (not SS,) and Duran in LF (not CF.)

 

I think SS Reyes & 2B Grissom is better defense than SS Grissom & 2V Valdez/Reyes.

 

I seriously doubt we go out and get a SS stopgap. It's our M.O.

[moonslav59]

We have 8 left handed hitting lineup for today's game. I've never seen it.

 

Interestingly, 5 of 8 throws right handed, Casas, Valdez, Hamilton, Duran and McGuire. Odd.

 

Having a left hitting catcher helps reach those numbers.

[Elktonnick]

7 out 10 on a West coast trip, great starting pitching, everything is clicking. Enjoy the ride and hope it lasts.

[Duran Is The Man]

The fact is our replacement options at SS all stink. Let's not be surprised if Breslow makes a move, once they know roughly how long Story is gone.

 

this is odd, ya' know....since we draft 50 shortstops EVERY FREAKIN' YEAR.

[vegasbob]

That’s the biggest reason. They’re not going to get a full replacement if he’s only out 2-3 weeks. The information is not yet complete.

 

 

Except on Dalbec. Seriously, do people still think he’s an MLB player?

 

29 GMs and analytic staffs do not think so, or Bobby D would be wearing other colors. The surprise may be that in all his time over the past 2 years he has not improved . He is wearing corrective lenses at bat , but likely cannot see the ball well.

[vegasbob]

It will be interesting to see how Tuesday and the series with the Orioles (5-4) goes, then the Angels come back again. If we are lucky, we will miss Detmers slot in the Angel's rotation.

 

A 7-3 record ( all 3 losses by 1 run !!) on a West Coast extended road trip is a very good start . The guys have not been truly home since mid-February or longer. If we are still within 1 or 2 of AL East leader by end of next Sunday, there may be some real positives for this team, despite the nutshot of losing Story.

 

A seemingly mediocre roster with little star-power suddenly could be exciting again. But, it's still early , only 6.17% of the season gone. Wait until we hit 10% to make rash projections of playoffs.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

this is odd, ya' know....since we draft 50 shortstops EVERY FREAKIN' YEAR.

 

Come on, man -- by now, you know they're all the best players available...

 

They can play anywhere.

 

We might even be able to convert a few of them to... shortstop!

[moonslav59]

Over 6% of the season has been played: still, a very small sample size.

 

7-3 on the road.

 

Keep it going!!!

[notin]

We have 8 left handed hitting lineup for today's game. I've never seen it.

 

Interestingly, 5 of 8 throws right handed, Casas, Valdez, Hamilton, Duran and McGuire. Odd.

 

No.

 

What would be odd is if those players all threw left-handed, yet the Sox still used them 2b, SS and catcher.

 

Also, Devers?

[moonslav59]

A 7-3 record ( all 3 losses by 1 run !!) on a West Coast extended road trip is a very good start .

 

The first loss was 1-0. (The HR beat us.)

 

The second loss was 4-3, and 3 runs were unearned.

 

The third loss was 2-1 with both runs unearned.

[notin]

The fact is our replacement options at SS all stink. Let's not be surprised if Breslow makes a move, once they know roughly how long Story is gone.

 

Hamilton homered in his next at-bat after you posted this.

 

Post it again next time he’s in the lineup…

[Nick]

No.

 

What would be odd is if those players all threw left-handed, yet the Sox still used them 2b, SS and catcher.

 

Also, Devers?

 

I think the 'odd' I mentioned is having 5 right handed throwers bat left handed. Not one switch hitter among them.

 

Without looking I bet you $100 that no other team has 8 or more left handed bats and 5 of them throws right handed and not one of them is switch hitter.

[Randy Red Sox]

Excuse me. You had to deaf, blind, and ignorant not to know that JH was cutting salaries. That's why he fired DD in 2019, 5 years ago. In 2019 the Sox had the highest payroll in MLB, but to begin the process of saving $$ David Price was sent to LA with the Sox paying a big chunk of his salary for several years. Sox also paid major dollars for Sale, who stayed in Boston but missed a whole bunch of starts for the next 4 years.

 

Why else was Chaim Bloom hired in 2019 if not to imitate the Rays success with a low budget payroll?

 

I hasten to add that this year the pitching, basically low budget, is fantastic.

 

Also worth noting is that the three biggest salaries this year belong to Devers, Story, and Yoshida--and to date none has earned his pay (this year). Story and Yoshida never have. Devers has earned most of his salary.

 

well i was banned from that site by stating that JH was all about cutting the payroll and building from the farm on entry level contracts. Tampa had had some success under that plan but it was Friedman NOT Bloom who was the brains behind that. The regulars on that forum but like CanaboyKen { know it all} denied that JH was cutting payroll and i was banned for being too "realistic" to what has since proven to be true. I was far less antogonist to many on this forum but many on that board were FO apologists and I got banned. Splinter was around and knows how it played out.

[Randy Red Sox]

bang on

[notin]

I think the 'odd' I mentioned is having 5 right handed throwers bat left handed. Not one switch hitter among them.

 

Without looking I bet you $100 that no other team has 8 or more left handed bats and 5 of them throws right handed and not one of them is switch hitter.

 

 

Remember this game in 2020?

 

Tampa started NINE left-handed hitters against the Sox. No switch hitters. And eight of them threw right-handed.

 

No need to pay me

[moonslav59]

If HOU beats TEX, tonight, the Sox will be pass them for the 3rd best AL record.

8-2 NYY

7-2 CLE

6-2 TEX

7-3 BOS (4th but could be 3rd, after tonight)

6-3 DET

 

MLB

8-2 NYY & PIT

7-2 CLE

6-2 TEX, ATL & MIL

7-3 BOS (7th best before TEX game.)

 

This may not last long, but it has been fun.

[moonslav59]

I think the 'odd' I mentioned is having 5 right handed throwers bat left handed. Not one switch hitter among them.

 

Without looking I bet you $100 that no other team has 8 or more left handed bats and 5 of them throws right handed and not one of them is switch hitter.

 

Good trivia question.

 

It could be 7:

 

Casas, Valdez, Hamilton, Duran and McGuire plus Yoshida & Devers.

 

(Abreu is the only BL/TL on the everyday roster.)

 

[moonslav59]

How many players throw L and bat only R?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

The 7-3 Red Sox are 16th in today's MLB Power Rankings.

 

The 5-4 Orioles are 5th -- even though they got walked off the last two games by 8-2 Pittsburgh, now 11th. Baltimore's OBP is 29th, ahead of only the White Sox... but their MLB "power" is somehow justified by citing Triple A stats of their shortstop prospect, still in the minors.

 

Meanwhile, Boston already promoted its Triple A shortstop, David Hamilton -- and he homered in his first at bat. Isn't that actual power?

 

Other teams deemed better than the .700 Red Sox have losing records, like Philly #6th (really?), Astros 8th, D-backs 13th, and Blow Jays 14th. All four losers were playoff teams last season, but isn't this list based on this year?

 

If strength of schedule means that much, then how did the Yankees jump up to #3 by beating up last-place Toronto this weekend? Huh? The 6-3 Tigers are #7, after just losing two in a row to the mighty A's... WHAT?

Edited April 8, 2024 by 5GoldGloves:OF,75

[Bellhorn04]

I'm not sure there's any way to do power rankings after 10 games of a baseball season that would make any sense.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I'm not sure there's any way to do power rankings after 10 games of a baseball season that would make any sense.

 

Probably, but if they just vote on the most current facts -- who won, who lost this week -- that makes more sense than basing it on what happened four months ago or what might happen in the next month.

 

If they're not going to base it on actual results, why even keep score? Just pick the teams with the biggest, strongest players -- those always look good on paper (or on screen).

[Hugh2]

Probably, but if they just vote on the most current facts -- who won, who lost this week -- that makes more sense than basing it on what happened four months ago or what might happen in the next month.

 

If they're not going to base it on actual results, why even keep score? Just pick the teams with the biggest, strongest players -- those always look good on paper (or on screen).

 

It seems to me that they're going to weigh expectations, rosters construction etc much heavier at this point. Would a reasonable person still agree that Baltimore is probably a better team overall and should finish ahead of the Red Sox? As time goes on, what your record is will hold a lot more weight, by mid-season that will be 99%of it.

[Hugh2]

I think Rafaela is going to be your home opener SS, or at least probably should be.

[notin]

I'm not sure there's any way to do power rankings after 10 games of a baseball season that would make any sense.

 

There's no way at any other point in the season, either...

[notin]

Probably, but if they just vote on the most current facts -- who won, who lost this week -- that makes more sense than basing it on what happened four months ago or what might happen in the next month.

 

If they're not going to base it on actual results, why even keep score? Just pick the teams with the biggest, strongest players -- those always look good on paper (or on screen).

 

Basing it on results is too easy, and anyone can do it. These are done by people with inside knowledge and deep perception about the sport that us common rabble just don't have...

[mvp 78]

this is odd, ya' know....since we draft 50 shortstops EVERY FREAKIN' YEAR.

 

When you draft HS SS, it takes a long time for them to develop. Also, Yorke was NOT a SS. Even at the time he was drafted, people assumed he was a 2B.