Red Sox Spring Training

[Old Red]

8 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

We won't get anything very good for Grissom, so I think maybe waiting, in hope he can build up his stock may be the best call. He may have to do it at AAA.

Even with Bregman playing 3B FT, I have Grissom 5th on the 2B depth chart:

Campbell

Mayer or Story (whoever is not at SS)

DHam-Romy platoon

Grissom

(Maybe he can beat our Romy for a platoon role with DHam, but Romy plays better D and can play SS, 1B and 3B.)

If we come up to a 40 man roster crunch, maybe we'll need to trade Grissom.

Not surprising, but I disagree. I see Grissom #1 on the depth chart with DHam, or Romy backing him up. Mayer missed valuable developmental time the last two years due to injury, and isn’t ready IMO.

[notin]

1 minute ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Well, it's not much of an article, but to be fair to Jackson, it was mostly a recap of what another blogger said, and Jackson said this:

If there's one thing that's for certain, it's that the Red Sox have to ignore the Sale piece of all this. Looking back, there's no guarantee the lefty would have stayed healthy and been a Cy Young contender last year if he'd stayed in Boston, and at any rate, the Red Sox should only be looking forward.

Calling the deal “ill-advised” was based on hindsight.  There’s a big difference between an ill-advised trade and one that didn’t work out.  Would the Sale trade have been ill-advised if Sale had torn a ligament in his elbow last spring training?

[Bellhorn04]

Just now, notin said:

Calling the deal “ill-advised” was based on hindsight.  There’s a big difference between an ill-advised trade and one that didn’t work out.  Would the Sale trade have been ill-advised if Sale had torn a ligament in his elbow last spring training?

In my opinion, the trade was ill-advised because of the lack of other moves with the rotation.  I think if everyone knew at the time that all they were going to do was sign Giolito, most people would have criticized this trade.

[notin]

5 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

In my opinion, the trade was ill-advised because of the lack of other moves with the rotation.  I think if everyone knew at the time that all they were going to do was sign Giolito, most people would have criticized this trade.

So what if the Sox kept Sale and didn’t sign Giolito or make other moves for the rotation?  Without the benefit of hindsight, would that have been a better plan?

[Bellhorn04]

3 minutes ago, notin said:

So what if the Sox kept Sale and didn’t sign Giolito or make other moves for the rotation?  Without the benefit of hindsight, would that have been a better plan?

No, that plan would have stunk too.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

27 minutes ago, notin said:

Calling the deal “ill-advised” was based on hindsight.  

That must mean one of the sicko fans advised Brez to make it his first priority to dump the Sox' Ghost of Rotations Past.

But I'm not quite sure what Boston fans with a life look like: pink hats and yellow jerseys? Maybe they wear authentic replicas with Number 9 on back under the name Williams and yell at New York fans with a life who wear Number 3 on their backs under the name Ruth (even though names weren't on baseball uniforms until 1960, or on Red Sox road jerseys until 1990).

[Old Red]

30 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

In my opinion, the trade was ill-advised because of the lack of other moves with the rotation.  I think if everyone knew at the time that all they were going to do was sign Giolito, most people would have criticized this trade.

And all this was done without knowing that Houck, and the Kut Man would step up, and give you the amount of innings that both pitched last year. Bad roster construction at the very least. The $17M the Sox payed Atlanta got me the most.

[Larry Cook]

On 3/13/2025 at 9:07 AM, mvp 78 said:

From FanGraphs today:

One way to tell the difference between a baseball fan who has a life and a true sicko is whether they have strong opinions on players who sign minor league contracts and attend spring training on a non-roster invite. 

So congratulations to all of us sickos who have opinions on Michael Fulmer, Robert Stock, et al. 

I admit, I have no life except baseball and my wife!!!!! However if I could locate a suitable assisted living center, then I  could just have baseball!!!!!

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

11 minutes ago, Larry Cook said:

I admit, I have no life except baseball and my wife!!!!! However if I could locate a suitable assisted living center, then I  could just have baseball!!!!!

They're not going let you watch baseball on those TVs when everybody else is chanting for Let's Make A Deal! and the The Price is Mookie!

[notin]

1 hour ago, Old Red said:

And all this was done without knowing that Houck, and the Kut Man would step up, and give you the amount of innings that both pitched last year. Bad roster construction at the very least. The $17M the Sox payed Atlanta got me the most.

I think they had a better idea of whether or not those pitchers would step up than you’re giving them credit for…

[notin]

17 minutes ago, Larry Cook said:

I admit, I have no life except baseball and my wife!!!!! However if I could locate a suitable assisted living center, then I  could just have baseball!!!!!

We all know you’re retiring in Fort Myers, bringing nothing with you but your stopwatch and trusty radar gun…

[moonslav59]

3 hours ago, notin said:

Campbell and Mayer are not options yet, which leaves Grissom third on your depth chart behind a platoon and …. leaving a gaping hole on the right side of the infield?!?

The first two are not on the 40 man roster, and the one banging his way doesn’t play 2b, and the one who does play 2b isnt banging his way on to the roster.

Hamilton and Romy are last year’s story.  Campbell isnt likely.  That really just leaves Marcelo Mayer or the 2021 version of Marcelo Mayer based catapulted through the Braves farm system aka Vaughn Grissom…

They are not on the 40, but they can be added and called up as quickly as anyone on the 40 and at AAA.

I agree that Campbell and Mayer are "not likely" going to make the 40 (and 26) on opening day. I doubt Anthony does, even if Abreu is on the 10 day I, but I still see all 3 as ML ready depth, where management would not hesitate to add and activate them, if they felt they were a much better option than Grissom or Thompson, if those two were needed in a near FT capacity. As long as DHam-Romy are healthy, Grissom will not be needed near FT. (Nor will Campbell & Mayer, unless Story gets hurt.) Anthony can be kept down, while we play Ref & Yoshida in LF as a platoon, if needed.

[jad]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/44239588/rafael-devers-told-red-sox-do-need

Gosh, what a surprise!  Seems like the uproar was pretty much manufactured by native English speakers who didn't bother to consider what he actually said or meant.

 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Second base remains the most awkward position in camp. No one has played there that looks smooth enough for a legit contender.  

Campbell at 2B appears maybe uncomfortable? at times. Returning second sackers Hamilton and Grissom have had shaky moments with their hands, trying to catch and throw. 

The Sox two best infielders, Bregman and Story, haven't even taken reps there, because they're busy anchoring the left side of the diamond. 

Marcelo Mayer has looked too good at shortstop to move elsewhere. But if Raffy can accept change, other veterans could soon also do what's best for the team. 

Cora, an old keystone cop himself, knows how important it is to the pitching staff for the men behind them to turn double plays...

 

[moonslav59]

32 minutes ago, jad said:

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/44239588/rafael-devers-told-red-sox-do-need

Gosh, what a surprise!  Seems like the uproar was pretty much manufactured by native English speakers who didn't bother to consider what he actually said or meant.

 

Yup, and a few people, especially the media ran with it.

One even suggested we trade him.

[moonslav59]

32 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Second base remains the most awkward position in camp. No one has played there that looks smooth enough for a legit contender.  

Campbell at 2B appears maybe uncomfortable? at times. Returning second sackers Hamilton and Grissom have had shaky moments with their hands, trying to catch and throw. 

The Sox two best infielders, Bregman and Story, haven't even taken reps there, because they're busy anchoring the left side of the diamond. 

Marcelo Mayer has looked too good at shortstop to move elsewhere. But if Raffy can accept change, other veterans could soon also do what's best for the team. 

Cora, an old keystone cop himself, knows how important it is to the pitching staff for the men behind them to turn double plays...

 

I may be one of the few who is okay with DHam's defense at 2B, and with his speed, he's fine on offense vs RHPs, only. I'm not sold on Romy's improvement being for real, but he's so-so on defense and has shown he can hit lefties, really well- something we need.

I wish we had better, but starting the season with a DHam-Romy 2B platoon should be okay.

In 2024, these two had these splits:

.729 DHam v R (+3 OAA on D at 2B)

.879 Romy v L (-3 OAA on D at 2B)

[Bellhorn04]

14 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Yup, and a few people, especially the media ran with it.

I don't think Raffy is totally blameless in this.  If he thought his statements that were made through the interpreter were being misconstrued, he had ample time to set things straight. 

Just my take.  And I like Raffy a lot and wish him no ill will whatsoever. 

[moonslav59]

3 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

I don't think Raffy is totally blameless in this.  If he thought his statements that were made through the interpreter were being misconstrued, he had ample time to set things straight. 

Just my take.  And I like Raffy a lot and wish him no ill will whatsoever. 

Assigning "blame" for what he said is not what I'd do, but I can see how others might.

It was pretty tame. He never threatened to sit out. 

I heard his words in Spanish, and I know Spanish. I did not take what he said the way many did. It's they way some cultures talk. "I'm the 3Bman." was not a lie.

[vegasbob]

Ironic  how Grissom has not shown much in his limited performance last season or this ST to date .  This despite the fact that the job (2Bman)  has been wide open for him to grab.   

It has nothing to do with Sale , but Vaughn  is a  low ceiling prospect .  Likely untradable except in a bigger package.

[Larry Cook]

6 hours ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

They're not going let you watch baseball on those TVs when everybody else is chanting for Let's Make A Deal! and the The Price is Mookie!

Who said I would ever join her in the assisted living center! I have a 100 inch 8k Samsung tv at home. I can watch anything that is broadcast from my home!!! 

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, vegasbob said:

Ironic  how Grissom has not shown much in his limited performance last season or this ST to date .  This despite the fact that the job (2Bman)  has been wide open for him to grab.   

It has nothing to do with Sale , but Vaughn  is a  low ceiling prospect .  Likely untradable except in a bigger package.

Even in a bigger package, I doubt he's the guy who clinches any deal. His trade value is too low, right now to think trading him is a good idea. Now, maybe some GM really likes him and offer something nice. If that happens, I'm all ears.

I'm happy with our 2B depth charts sans Grissom, We also have some very exciting middle infielders ready to join the conversation in a year or two (Romero, Arias, Cespedes and eventually maybe Riemer, Ramos and Soto)

[moonslav59]

Fitts had a good line in today's game:

4.1 IP

1 Hit

0 ER

0 BB

4 K

[jad]

1 hour ago, Larry Cook said:

Who said I would ever join her in the assisted living center! I have a 100 inch 8k Samsung tv at home. I can watch anything that is broadcast from my home!!! 

But who's going to wipe the drool off your chin?  (I suppose, just going from personal experience, who gives a cr*p?)

[jad]

4 hours ago, Bellhorn04 said:

I don't think Raffy is totally blameless in this.  If he thought his statements that were made through the interpreter were being misconstrued, he had ample time to set things straight. 

Just my take.  And I like Raffy a lot and wish him no ill will whatsoever. 

Not sure he would.  Why would he expect anyone to allow themselves to be 'set right' in a language they clearly do not understand?  He never said anything the least bit controversial.   But oh well, at least it's over, and the season is about to start.

[Bellhorn04]

53 minutes ago, jad said:

Not sure he would.  Why would he expect anyone to allow themselves to be 'set right' in a language they clearly do not understand?  He never said anything the least bit controversial.   But oh well, at least it's over, and the season is about to start.

But we have a new thread for this now! 

[moonslav59]

3 hours ago, jad said:

Not sure he would.  Why would he expect anyone to allow themselves to be 'set right' in a language they clearly do not understand?  He never said anything the least bit controversial.   But oh well, at least it's over, and the season is about to start.

100%.

It was all media generated hype and misdirection. I think it was intentional, but but I never count out ignorance of context and nuance.

[notin]

9 hours ago, Bellhorn04 said:

I don't think Raffy is totally blameless in this.  If he thought his statements that were made through the interpreter were being misconstrued, he had ample time to set things straight. 

Just my take.  And I like Raffy a lot and wish him no ill will whatsoever. 

I think he has bigger concerns than media missteps.  His job is to play baseball and hit very hard.  If he chooses to focus on getting ready and being pain-free so he can do his job, I have absolutely no issues with that…

[notin]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

100%.

It was all media generated hype and misdirection. I think it was intentional, but but I never count out ignorance of context and nuance.

Exactly.

What headline gathers more readers?

”Devers accepts new position, moves on.”

or

”Devers claims third base is his, will fight all interlopers to the death!!”?

 

[Yaz Fan Since 67]

On 3/11/2025 at 1:04 PM, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Bob Feller threw so hard his throw once beat a motorcycle cop to the finish line. On the video I couldn't tell if the officer dug his spurs in on the nag, but the narrator said their speed was "NINETY MILES AN HOUR!"

 

 

I remember seeing this and laughing my ass off.  What a crued way to attempt to measure the speed of a fastball.  

[notin]

3 hours ago, Yaz Fan Since 67 said:

I remember seeing this and laughing my ass off.  What a crued way to attempt to measure the speed of a fastball.  

Before motorcycles, pitchers would just throw the ball as hard as they could,  and then they’d go get it and throw it again and go get it.  They would keep repeating this process for an hour.  Then someone would see how many miles away they were…