A Realistic View of the 2025 Red Sox: Part II

[Bellhorn04]

And our Big 3 are providing fresh evidence that hitting at the ML level is really freakin' hard. 

[Hitch]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

That's what happens with .500 type teams, you'll get good stretches where everyone is excited matched with bad stretches where everyone wants to dump all over the team. 

It's also what happen with such a young team. With so many rookies or players a year or so out of being one, there will be ups and downs. Booms and busts. 

Some veteran help nearing the deadline would be nice. 

[mvp 78]

Tied for 15th with Nootbar and Altuve. 🙃

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, Hitch said:

It's also what happen with such a young team. With so many rookies or players a year or so out of being one, there will be ups and downs. Booms and busts. 

Some veteran help nearing the deadline would be nice. 

At what point do they stop being "young" though? With this org, they will continue to keep churning the roster it feels like. 

Duran 28

Narvaez 26

Abreu 26

Casas 25

Toro 28

Hamilton 27

Romy 28

Refsnyder 34

Wong 29

Sogard 27

Sabol 27

Eaton 28

Is 25 even young anymore? That's the prime of most careers. 

[notin]

23 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

And our Big 3 are providing fresh evidence that hitting at the ML level is really freakin' hard. 

But they’re the first triumvirate of teammates aged 22 and under to homer in the same season since 1974!

 

And yes, you should easily name the last trio to accomplish that feat…

[moonslav59]

3 hours ago, TheSplinteredSplendor said:

I disagree, with devers gone and no other proven big bats in the line-up, it makes it very difficult to carry another black hole.

I see your point. I was thinking about what the worst Story could do to still be an overall plus. We need more than 8 slightly plus players and Bregman.

[Maxbialystock]

17 hours ago, notin said:

I’d prefer the other way, but your points are valid…

I prefer Mayer at SS because we know Story can be good at 2b and Mayer at SS.  

 

[Maxbialystock]

14 hours ago, Randy Red Sox said:

story needs to be moved.  Henry missed a steak one day last week.  Gotta cut that payroll down more. 

You mean pay Story while he plays for another team?  I don't think so.  His OPS is over .800 in June, and his fielding is solid.  When Bregman returns to 3b, Mayer can moved to his natural SS, and Story to 2b where he was excellent when Bogey was here.  

[mvp 78]

14 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

I prefer Mayer at SS because we know Story can be good at 2b and Mayer at SS.  

 

Mayer is a better SS today and should be the Red Sox SS for the next 6 years. 

[Maxbialystock]

24 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I see your point. I was thinking about what the worst Story could do to still be an overall plus. We need more than 8 slightly plus players and Bregman.

And I think your lineup does just that:  3b Bregman, SS Mayer, 2b Story, 1b Toro/Gonzalez, Duran/Rafaela/Abreu/Anthony in the outfield, Narvaez/Wong at catcher, and Yoshida/Ref at DH.

Rafaela and Story both have OPS's over .800 for June.   Anthony and Mayer with 36 games between the are a bit of a gamble, but I think one worth taking.   

With Story at 2b, that's one defensive problem solved.  If Anthony goes to LF for Duran, that's another.  

But I suspect we are worrying about the wrong topic, maybe because we have all been mesmerized by the bombardment of all things Devers.  We miss him, and the known universe agrees it was the dumbest deal since France let got of the Louisiana Purchase for a song.  

With Dobbins out, the pitching is in trouble.  Plus the bullpen stunk yesterday.  

[Maxbialystock]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

Mayer is a better SS today and should be the Red Sox SS for the next 6 years. 

That's how I see it.  Plus we know Story can play 2b and maybe his hitting is coming around.

Bregman, despite the misinformation on mlb.com and espn, started baseball activities Saturday.  I think he's no more than 10 days away and he replaces Hamilton in the lineup.  How about that for a boost!  Rafaela and Story are both hitting better this month.  And we gotta believe Mayer and Anthony will both get better at the plate this season.  Abreu is hitting.    Narvaez is still at OPS .800.  

With Dobbins out, I think our real problem is pitching, not hitting or defense.  

[mvp 78]

10 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

That's how I see it.  Plus we know Story can play 2b and maybe his hitting is coming around.

Bregman, despite the misinformation on mlb.com and espn, started baseball activities Saturday.  I think he's no more than 10 days away and he replaces Hamilton in the lineup.  How about that for a boost!  Rafaela and Story are both hitting better this month.  And we gotta believe Mayer and Anthony will both get better at the plate this season.  Abreu is hitting.    Narvaez is still at OPS .800.  

With Dobbins out, I think our real problem is pitching, not hitting or defense.  

He probably appears in WOO late next week and in BOS during the COL series at home. 

Pitching is a concern. Bullpen is starting to look a little shaky, especially Weissert (last 5: 4 IP, 3 BB, 1 K, 1.75 WHIP). 

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Maxbialystock said:

And I think your lineup does just that:  3b Bregman, SS Mayer, 2b Story, 1b Toro/Gonzalez, Duran/Rafaela/Abreu/Anthony in the outfield, Narvaez/Wong at catcher, and Yoshida/Ref at DH.

Rafaela and Story both have OPS's over .800 for June.   Anthony and Mayer with 36 games between the are a bit of a gamble, but I think one worth taking.   

With Story at 2b, that's one defensive problem solved.  If Anthony goes to LF for Duran, that's another.  

But I suspect we are worrying about the wrong topic, maybe because we have all been mesmerized by the bombardment of all things Devers.  We miss him, and the known universe agrees it was the dumbest deal since France let got of the Louisiana Purchase for a song.  

With Dobbins out, the pitching is in trouble.  Plus the bullpen stunk yesterday.  

Again, I'm not for Yoshida at DH. If he earns it, fine. but I'd rather see Duran/Anthony at DH v R and Ref/Romy at DH v L.

I see our fully line-up and Bregman + almost all slightly plus players. Maybe Abreu/Ref equal a significant plus as a platoon, and maybe Narvaez continues at .800+, thus being better than "slightly plus." The rest are borderline slight plus. Some have potential to be more (Duran, Rafaela, Story, Toro/Romy and Mayer + Anthony) but some have the potential to be near or slightly below average (.714 in MLB avg OPS) and that list includes everyone I just names in the previous sentence.

Yes, our pitching needs help, and that further stresses the need to have a better offense to help compensate for expected issues with our staff.

I keep waiting for our defense to have a long stretch of looking near or in the top 10-12 teams, but then we have a game like yesterday.

We are not going anywhere with Avg-Avg-Avg, across the board. Losing Devers made us near Avg on O. Losing a ton of our rotation and having an overworked pen looks Avg, to me. The D has looked near Avg, so far.

We need to make an area or two a clear plus, and losing Devers makes having a plus O very difficult and too heavy on hopes and prayers on many players with potential for higher ceilings than we've seen, so far.

I think I am justified in worrying about all areas and topics.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 hour ago, Maxbialystock said:

 But I suspect we are worrying about the wrong topic, maybe because we have all been mesmerized by the bombardment of all things Devers.  We miss him, and the known universe agrees it was the dumbest deal since France let got of the Louisiana Purchase for a song.  

I Noah Song.

"50 Ways to Leave Your Loafer"

"Dont gimme no mora, Cora"

"No need to be Prez, Brez"

"I wanna be gone, John"

"Just tap the keg, Breg!"

        (... and set yourself free...")

[Hitch]

4 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

At what point do they stop being "young" though? With this org, they will continue to keep churning the roster it feels like. 

Duran 28

Narvaez 26

Abreu 26

Casas 25

Toro 28

Hamilton 27

Romy 28

Refsnyder 34

Wong 29

Sogard 27

Sabol 27

Eaton 28

Is 25 even young anymore? That's the prime of most careers. 

I don't think looking at it age wise is helpful. If you look at it time wise.

Rafaela - 2nd season

Abreu - 2nd season

Anthony - just up

Mayer - just up

Campbell - just up

Narvaez - 1st full season

That's over half your line up at times that is now very inexperienced. When Duran and Hamilton are seen as more experienced than half you lineup, I think it causes issues. Which is fine, these kids will grow, but it will lead to ups and downs. Which I have no problem with as long as it is built on at some point soon.

But I agree with your point in that the churn often feels like we're stuck in a cycle of not being anywhere. 

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

I Noah Song.

"50 Ways to Leave Your Loafer"

"Dont gimme no mora, Cora"

"No need to be Prez, Brez"

"I wanna be gone, John"

"Just tap the keg, Breg!"

        (... and set yourself free...")

"The problem is all inside your head," Brez said to me
"The answer is easy if you take it logically
I'd like to help you in your struggle from this team
There must be fifty ways to leave beloved"
Cora said, "It's really not my habit to intrude
Furthermore, I hope my meaning won't be lost or misconstrued
But I'll repeat myself at the risk of being crude
There must be a way for you to change positions"
Fifty ways to change positions

You just slip out the back, Chap
Make a new plan, Jarren
You don't need to be coy, boy
Just get yourself free
Hop on the bus, Dev
You don't need to discuss much
It's off to San Fran, man
You got yourself free...,

 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Just cut out the scam, Sam

Your words are just spam, man

No need for more flim flam

Why don't you all scram...

          ... and set ourselves free

 

[notin]

7 hours ago, Maxbialystock said:

I prefer Mayer at SS because we know Story can be good at 2b and Mayer at SS.  

 

I thought it was interesting that Story favorably compared Mayer at 3b to his former teammate and Gold Glove hoarder Nolan Arenado.  Does he really think Mayer is that good?  Or was he planting a seed about keeping Mayer at third as opposed to taking Trevor’s job?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

4 minutes ago, notin said:

I thought it was interesting that Story favorably compared Mayer at 3b to his former teammate and Gold Glove hoarder Nolan Arenado.  Does he really think Mayer is that good?  Or was he planting a seed about keeping Mayer at third as opposed to taking Trevor’s job?

Has he seen his crappy minor league fielding percentage???!!!!???!!!???!

And I'm talking at third base... in 48.1 innings, Mayer's % is .933! He made an error in Portland!

Even Raffy was higher at the hot corner, with a career .944 -- in the big leagues! And he only led the league in Es for all seven straight full seasons of his MLB life.

The Sox are doomed with Clank Mayer flashing his leather like Swiss cheese.

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Just cut out the scam, Sam

Your words are just spam, man

No need for more flim flam

Why don't you all scram...

          ... and set ourselves free

 

Get off the first base bus, yah must.

No need to discuss much,

Just drop off your keys and leave

Set your fat butt free....

[Larry Cook]

Which is the lesser of two evils, buehler or houck????

[Thomas Healy]

23 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

I don't sign up for this kind of thing, sorry.

What thing? It's an article buddy--will literally take u 5 mins to read it if u even had that time.

[dannycater]

Probably a good time to start firing the staff--pitching coach and manager...Breslow's short time as GM could get shorter too. Cora lost the clubhouse, oh wait, did he ever have the clubhouse?

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Thomas Healy said:

What thing? It's an article buddy--will literally take u 5 mins to read it if u even had that time.

It sent me to a link that asked me to join a membership.

No offense, but it was more than just reading it.

[oldtimer]

We are loaded in the outfield and even have another prospect in line for call up there. Time to trade one for a pitcher or first baseman. Duran might bring the return we need.

[mvp 78]

12 hours ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Has he seen his crappy minor league fielding percentage???!!!!???!!!???!

And I'm talking at third base... in 48.1 innings, Mayer's % is .933! He made an error in Portland!

Even Raffy was higher at the hot corner, with a career .944 -- in the big leagues! And he only led the league in Es for all seven straight full seasons of his MLB life.

The Sox are doomed with Clank Mayer flashing his leather like Swiss cheese.

I'm going to retroactively agree with all the people that were calling on the Sox to move Mayer to 1b! 

[Hitch]

Carrabis in the latest Section 10 pod categorically stated Story is not moving off SS this year, and that Mayer is going to 2nd. Stated it as if he had been told. 

Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me but there you go. There's lots that don't make sense to me right now.

[mvp 78]

4 minutes ago, Hitch said:

Carrabis in the latest Section 10 pod categorically stated Story is not moving off SS this year, and that Mayer is going to 2nd. Stated it as if he had been told. 

Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me but there you go. There's lots that don't make sense to me right now.

His scoop shop isn't always right. We just pretend it is. 

[Hitch]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

His scoop shop isn't always right. We just pretend it is. 

I rarely listen to his pod to be honest. But I was out on a hike and fired it up yesterday. I don't see him as someone that has the skivvy on a lot of things, but he's obviously quite well connected and seemed insistent on this one. 

[mvp 78]

8 minutes ago, Hitch said:

I rarely listen to his pod to be honest. But I was out on a hike and fired it up yesterday. I don't see him as someone that has the skivvy on a lot of things, but he's obviously quite well connected and seemed insistent on this one. 

When Jared says stuff like "I never got too high on this team or believed in the hype of vibes until this year" he's lying. He's not a guy that looks in the mirror very well. He definitely talks to a lot of people in the organization, but I don't believe he's speaking with Cora anymore. I know he's friendly with some current Red Sox players (Gio, Breggie), but I'm not sure that means he has inside knowledge of what the Sox will or won't do a month from now. A lot of times, he says there's a scoop and never reveals it down the road, so we rarely get the scoops that don't ever come about. I'm not sure how often he speaks with Sam Kennedy, who he's had on the pod previously and who people believe he's friendly with.