A Realistic View of 2024: Part II

[Old Red]

The strawman builder strikes again.

 

Pay NO Attention to the man behind the curtain. What he is is very obvious, unfortunately what he thinks he is is very obvious too, and what he is is nothing close to what he thinks he is. Not a gift, but a curse. Very sad, and tragic.🤭🙈🤮

[Randy Red Sox]

The Sox have just added significant pitching depth with a Sal Romano from the Gastonia Honey Hunters { whoever the heck they are} but hey the guy had a 4.91 with them. I think they got this team confused with the Gashouse Gorillas who Bugs Bunny took on in "Baseball Bugs" An all-time low even for the Red Sox.

[moonslav59]

It looks like our rotation might be coming back down to earth.

[Larry Cook]

I really wish we had signed imanaga in free agency! Stuff looks good

[Old Red]

Win some. Lose some. Win some. Lose some. Win some. Lose some. MEH.

[mvp 78]

It's actually the injury situation that's been keeping Yoshida as our $18 million Designated Sitter the last few games. There's just no place to put him if Devers is DH'ing.

 

Put him in LF.

[Old Red]

Put him in LF.

 

Put him in for who? Ref Man has been hitting. Abreu has been hitting. The Big O has been hitting.

[mvp 78]

Put him in for who? Ref Man has been hitting. Abreu has been hitting. The Big O has been hitting.

 

Sit Duran who has sucked lately. They haven’t run out a TON/Abreu/Ref OF yet.

[Old Red]

Sit Duran who has sucked lately. They haven’t run out a TON/Abreu/Ref OF yet.

 

Duran is sucking at the present, and Ref Man will most likely come back to earth especially against RHP, but NOshida has been definitely buried on the bench. Should find out more today if Raffy can find his way back to 3B.

[Bellhorn04]

It has definitely gotten weird with Yoshida.

 

Could make a good little subplot for the Netflix doc.

[Old Red]

It has definitely gotten weird with Yoshida.

 

Could make a good little subplot for the Netflix doc.

 

And the funny part is the last game he actually started he got 2 hits with a HR.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Blame Yoshida for the new culture. Ever since the Sox started lifting inflatable plastic dumbbells, all they can do is hit solo home runs.

[Bellhorn04]

And the funny part is the last game he actually started he got 2 hits with a HR.

 

Yeah, you wonder if he did or didn't do something that caused him to fall out of favor.

 

It makes the team look pretty dysfunctional when you have Pablo Reyes being treated like a key to the offense while Yoshida is the $18 million Designated Sitter.

 

The team always looks more dysfunctional after back to back crappy losses, mind you.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Yeah, you wonder if he did or didn't do something that caused him to fall out of favor.

 

It makes the team look pretty dysfunctional when you have Pablo Reyes being treated like a key to the offense while Yoshida is the $18 million Designated Sitter.

 

 

Pablo Reyes, cut last year by an A's team in the process of losing 112 games, isn't being counted on to hit -- even though he bats sixth in the order.

 

He's in there for his glove, especially while Raffy heals. And what a replacement!

 

Red Sox third basemen in '24

Devers: 12 games, 1 error, fielding percentage of .958.

Reyes: 10 games, 4 errors, fielding percentage of .852.

[notin]

Sit Duran who has sucked lately. They haven’t run out a TON/Abreu/Ref OF yet.

 

Or move Ref to 1b (where he has around 400 career innings) and sit Dalbec…

[moonslav59]

Or move Ref to 1b (where he has around 400 career innings) and sit Dalbec…

 

I wasn't aware Ref had played so much 1B. I'd do it, at least vs RHPs. Maybe play Wong at 1B vs some lefties.

 

Man, that Casas injury is killing us.

[moonslav59]

Just about all the top AL teams lost, yesterday.

 

ALE

16-9 BAL

17-10 NYY

14-13 BOS

13-14 TBR

13-14 TOR

 

Wild Card Race

18-8 CLE ALC

16-9 BAL ALE

14-12 SEA ALW

 

17-10 KCR WC1

17-10 NYY WC1

14-12 DET WC3

 

14-13 BOS -0.5

14-13 TEX -0.5

 

13-14 TBR -1.5

13-14 TOR -1.5

13-13 MIN -1.5

 

We are essentially tied for 13th in MLB best records (NYM, BOS, TEX)

[mvp 78]

It has definitely gotten weird with Yoshida.

 

Could make a good little subplot for the Netflix doc.

Chicken s*** tv show.

[mvp 78]

Or move Ref to 1b (where he has around 400 career innings) and sit Dalbec…

 

Fine by me. Don’t want to make suggestions that won’t happen though!

[moonslav59]

Fine by me. Don’t want to make suggestions that won’t happen though!

 

LOL.

 

The main point, however, is that if you make a suggestion, and it doesn't happen, you were wrong, wrong, WRONG!

[moonslav59]

It's good to have Devers back, even if just as a DH, and O'Neill being back helps, too, but we still have a ton of our top players out:

 

Gio (#1 SP) out all season

Story (#1 SS and maybe 4th or 5th best hitter) out for the rest of the season

Casas (#1 1Bman and maybe the 2nd or 3rd best hitter) out for a long time (CBS says JUN 14.)

Grissom (#1 2Bman and maybe a top 6 or 7 projected batter.) CBS says APR 30

Bello (#2 SP) unknown time out (CBS says May 7)

Pivetta (#3 SP) unknown time out (CBS says May 7)

Whitlock (#4-6 SP) unknown time out (CBS says May 15)

 

So, basically 4 of our top 6 SP'ers are out and 3 of our everyday 9 are out, too.

 

Plus, role players:

Romy G (utility IF) May 10?

Campbell (top 7-10 RPer on team) May 7?

Heineman (3rd C) May 2?

Hendriks (knew he'd be out until maybe August

Murphy & Mata (Pen depth)

Fulmer (knew he'd be out all year)

 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

It's good to have Devers back, even if just as a DH, and O'Neill being back helps, too, but we still have a ton of our top players out:

 

Gio (#1 SP) out all season

Story (#1 SS and maybe 4th or 5th best hitter) out for the rest of the season

Casas (#1 1Bman and maybe the 2nd or 3rd best hitter) out for a long time (CBS says JUN 14.)

Grissom (#1 2Bman and maybe a top 6 or 7 projected batter.) CBS says APR 30

Bello (#2 SP) unknown time out (CBS says May 7)

Pivetta (#3 SP) unknown time out (CBS says May 7)

Whitlock (#4-6 SP) unknown time out (CBS says May 15)

 

So, basically 4 of our top 6 SP'ers are out and 3 of our everyday 9 are out, too.

 

Plus, role players:

Romy G (utility IF) May 10?

Campbell (top 7-10 RPer on team) May 7?

Heineman (3rd C) May 2?

Hendriks (knew he'd be out until maybe August

Murphy & Mata (Pen depth)

Fulmer (knew he'd be out all year)

 

 

Good work compiling this list.

 

I just would label Giolito (SP) and omit the #1. He never did a single thing to earn that label in Boston except sign an expensive contract that no other club offered him.

 

His 5 ERA the past two seasons means he lost any #1 status. The Red Sox paid him to eat innings, but nobody is going to leave a guy on the mound if he's continually getting shelled, like Gio at the end of last year... just like former Cy Young winners Corey Kluber or John Smoltz, when they were here.

 

There was hope Bailey could revive Giolito's career, but nobody even knows now how he'll recover from surgery -- not every pitcher is automatically as good as new after TJS.

[notin]

Good work compiling this list.

 

I just would label Giolito (SP) and omit the #1. He never did a single thing to earn that label in Boston except sign an expensive contract that no other club offered him.

 

His 5 ERA the past two seasons means he lost any #1 status. The Red Sox paid him to eat innings, but nobody is going to leave a guy on the mound if he's continually getting shelled, like Gio at the end of last year... just like former Cy Young winners Corey Kluber or John Smoltz, when they were here.

 

There was hope Bailey could revive Giolito's career, but nobody even knows now how he'll recover from surgery -- not every pitcher is automatically as good as new after TJS.

 

I can see calling Giolito the #1. No other starter on the Sox staff has ever even reached 160 IP in a season except Pivetta. It's a relative title IMO, and not an earned distinction...

[notin]

Fine by me. Don’t want to make suggestions that won’t happen though!

 

Unless you think you can tell MLB players how to hit. It's important that they understand the purpose of internet forums is easy access to an abundance of qualified hitting coaches...

[gojohn99]

Pretty impressive considering all the injuries.

 

Just about all the top AL teams lost, yesterday.

 

We are essentially tied for 13th in MLB best records (NYM, BOS, TEX)

[moonslav59]

Good work compiling this list.

 

I just would label Giolito (SP) and omit the #1. He never did a single thing to earn that label in Boston except sign an expensive contract that no other club offered him.

 

His 5 ERA the past two seasons means he lost any #1 status. The Red Sox paid him to eat innings, but nobody is going to leave a guy on the mound if he's continually getting shelled, like Gio at the end of last year... just like former Cy Young winners Corey Kluber or John Smoltz, when they were here.

 

There was hope Bailey could revive Giolito's career, but nobody even knows now how he'll recover from surgery -- not every pitcher is automatically as good as new after TJS.

 

Technically, Gio was 4.90 and 4.88 in '22 and '23. His 63 GS made him our #1 or #2 going into 2024- not because of his great ERA, but because he was viewed as dependable to take the ball every 5 days.

 

Of course, he was the first to go down hurt, but before that he was our 1-2 slot SP'er. We weren't even sure who the 3-5 guys would be.

 

Either way you look at it, 4 of our top 6 pitchers going into this season are on the IL. That is devastating.

 

The same thing happened to the Astros, and look where they are.

[Old Red]

LOL.

 

The main point, however, is that if you make a suggestion, and it doesn't happen, you were wrong, wrong, WRONG!

 

You are right about 1 thing. You are MR WRONG.👍👍👍

[moonslav59]

Our depth has been highly criticized for a long time, and rightfully so, but for a team that has been missing 4 of their top 6 SP'ers and 4-5 of their everyday players for much of the season, being 14-13 has shown that maybe it wasn't as bad as we thought. One could argue this has been with smoke and mirrors or some genius work by Cora, and certainly many of our subs have really stunk up the place- both on O and D, but several players have done better or much better than pre-season expectations. Here are a few of the good ones:

 

Pitchers:

1. Crawford 1.35 ERA and #1 in IP on team.

2. Houck 1.65 ERA and #2 In IP on team.

3. Slaten 0.63 ERA and just 1 IP from being 5th on the team in IP.

4. Criswell 2.38 and 8th in IP.

5. Weissert 1.69 and 1 IP away from being 8th in IP.

6. Bernardino 0.92 in 9.2 IP.

7. Kelly 0.00 in just 4 IP.

 

Everyday players (some were not viewed as subs):

1. Our catchers have a .906 OPS and are maximizing our staff's production. (Wong .998 & McGuire .751)

2. O'Neill is at 1.137, but has missed a lot of time.

3. Abreu is at .905, after a slow start.

4. Refsnyder is at 1.264 in just 28 PAs, mostly vs LHPs.

 

Some players that have been disappointing on O and or D (or have done poorly but as expected:)

 

Rafaela: poor O (.463)/ Good D, despite several errors (4th in PAs on team)

Valdez: poor 0 (.444)/ Poor D but expected.

Yoshida: poor 0 (.660) and hoped for .750 or better

Duran: poor ) (.660, depsite starting off nicely. does have 8 SBs and 15 runs scored)/ D is as expected- near average for LF.

Reyes: poor O (.433) wasn't expected to be good, but not this bad, either/ Poor D at 3B.

Dalbec: awful on O (.268) and as expected on D (bad)

DHam: .581 on O, bad on D

 

Pitchers:

Joely 6.55 (9th in IP) and Campbell (12.79 ERA on IL, now)

Anderson (5.52) and Booser (5.40) not expected to do well.

 

 

 

[Duran Is The Man]

Or move Ref to 1b (where he has around 400 career innings) and sit Dalbec…

 

i've been wondering why Ref hasn't been tried at 1st. i'd put him there and Dalbec on a bus to AAA.

[moonslav59]

i've been wondering why Ref hasn't been tried at 1st. i'd put him there and Dalbec on a bus to AAA.

 

We know he can't be any worse on D.

 

His ability to play 3B was likely why he stayed, so long, but now that Devers is back at 3B, maybe we'll try Ref at 1B, at least vs LHPs and maybe a few righties.

 

Who plays vs most RHPs?

 

Ref is a career .632 v RHPs, which is still double Dalbecs overall OPS, this year.

 

Wong actually has a massive reverse split:

.782 v RHPs

.534 v LHPs

(Career)

 

Reyes?

 

Add and call up Kavadas?