With Mediocrity at Stake for both, RS @ George's House, 4/16, 7:05

[Jasonbay44]

4 hours ago, Kimmi said:

It is fair to be frustrated with him.  I am frustrated with him.  I don't think we should give up on him though (not saying that you are, but I've been reading posts about Yoshida at first base.)  

I'm frustrated with him, but I definitely don't want Yoshida at first lol. I think most of those people are knee jerk reacting in game threads. Yoshida is not the answer, especially at 1B.

[Jasonbay44]

What a dominant pitching performance, especially by the Pen. Whitlock and Slaten were nasty and Weissert was absolutely huge.

 

Offense definitely needs some work!

[vegasbob]

50 minutes ago, vegasbob said:

Narvaez lives up to his rep as no hit.  

Sox really are duplicating 2024 in the sense of K's and leaving men on base.  

Recipe for an unlucky loss.    But when you have a 1-0 lead, all you need is a shutout to win.

Enough said

[mvp 78]

6 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

I don't want to say how I feel about this lineup today. 

It was not a good one.

[jdc69]

It's good to finally win a pitchers duel without Garrett Crochet.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

That was a great bullpen win, and not just because everyone knew it would be a Whitlock night, and he rocked.

It was also a defining moment for Weissert (the Betts trade keeps on giving), and Slaten gave Chappy a break.

Was Slaten talking to himself on the mound, or issuing subtle threats to batters and umps? Either or, when a guy's stuff is that efficient, it makes for an intimidating at bat...

[mvp 78]

Slaten leaning into that big curve. His curve has more vertical break than 2015 Kershaw. 😍

[moonslav59]

A rare Sox 1-0 win. Gotta keep this Jad mojo risin'!

[Hugh2]

11 hours ago, vegasbob said:

Seeing Danny Jansen playing for Tampa Bay, reminds me how he was a trade deadline acquisition last year , in return for 3 really young prospects.   The Sox were about 7  games over .500 at the deadline., and  thinking they would be competitive.

Over their final 60+- games they played to a negative 6 and went home.  So i hope the 3 players given for Jansen were not part of a grand plan to rebuild the farm system

Gilberto Batista, Eddison Paulino, and Cutter Coffey were the three given up.   All were middling prospects at the time, I don't think any would be top 20 guys now, I think all three of these guys might have dropped in this system, maybe not Batista as much who is still very young. 

[mvp 78]

32 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Gilberto Batista, Eddison Paulino, and Cutter Coffey were the three given up.   All were middling prospects at the time, I don't think any would be top 20 guys now, I think all three of these guys might have dropped in this system, maybe not Batista as much who is still very young. 

Coffey had started off the season really hot, but played a premium position that was a strength for the org. 

'24 GRE 784 OPS

post trade

'24 VAN 581 OPS (High A)

'25 VAN 509 OPS

Paulino used to be a highly regarded prospect who now is a light hitting utility guy who hasn't OPS'd above 650 in AA since the trade. 

Batista is a 20 year old pitcher in low A who is now in a piggyback role. He may get further than the other two, but it's really hard to tell as he he's far away. 

[Maxbialystock]

Great game to watch.  Both teams had opportunities they did not capitalize on, but the pitching on both sides was pretty tough.  

I was frankly stunned the Sox pitching could be this good without Crochet starting, but, as others have commented, Weissert, Whitlock, and Slaten were especially tough for 4.1 innings.   13 K's in 9 innings.  

Could be Casas's weird injury (from swinging a bat) last year is carrying over.  

Last year's Sox were also 10-10, but I like this team more, despite the early issues in pitching and hitting and errors (which I think are misleading because the Sox lead MLB in double plays).  

[moonslav59]

26 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

Great game to watch.  Both teams had opportunities they did not capitalize on, but the pitching on both sides was pretty tough.  

I was frankly stunned the Sox pitching could be this good without Crochet starting, but, as others have commented, Weissert, Whitlock, and Slaten were especially tough for 4.1 innings.   13 K's in 9 innings.  

Could be Casas's weird injury (from swinging a bat) last year is carrying over.  

Last year's Sox were also 10-10, but I like this team more, despite the early issues in pitching and hitting and errors (which I think are misleading because the Sox lead MLB in double plays).  

Last year, our rotation was off to a shockingly fantastic start to a season. This year, the pen, Crochet and 2-3 batters are carrying the team.

Maybe it has to do with expectations, but I felt better about last year's 10-10 team than what I've watched, so far. It's still early, and I'm still confident the "on paper" improvement to the roster will translate to more wins, and maybe something special in October.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

14 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Last year, our rotation was off to a shockingly fantastic start to a season. This year, the pen, Crochet and 2-3 batters are carrying the team.

Maybe it has to do with expectations, but I felt better about last year's 10-10 team than what I've watched, so far. It's still early, and I'm still confident the "on paper" improvement to the roster will translate to more wins, and maybe something special in October.

As is often the case, the team that ends the season may have different faces (and arms and legs) than the one that opened the season.

If there is an October...

'04: Cabrera, Roberts, Mienkietwicz

'07: Ellsbury, Lester, Bobby Kielty

'13: Bogaerts, Koji, Peavy

'18: Pearce, Eovaldi, Kinsler

'21: Schwarber, Sale (really?)

[moonslav59]

3 hours ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

As is often the case, the team that ends the season may have different faces (and arms and legs) than the one that opened the season.

If there is an October...

'04: Cabrera, Roberts, Mienkietwicz

'07: Ellsbury, Lester, Bobby Kielty

'13: Bogaerts, Koji, Peavy

'18: Pearce, Eovaldi, Kinsler

'21: Schwarber, Sale (really?)

Yes, indeed. That '21 team also saw Robles, A Davis, Iggy and Shaw help out down the stretch.

I could see Anthony, Sandoval, Hendriks and others add to the team, later this year- plus maybe a trade pick-up.

[mvp 78]

25 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Yes, indeed. That '21 team also saw Robles, A Davis, Iggy and Shaw help out down the stretch.

I could see Anthony, Sandoval, Hendriks and others add to the team, later this year- plus maybe a trade pick-up.

Sandoval will be where Gio currently is in August. Hard to really get excited about him coming back this year. I'd rather him be ready for next year and just work on the side. 

[moonslav59]

22 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Sandoval will be where Gio currently is in August. Hard to really get excited about him coming back this year. I'd rather him be ready for next year and just work on the side. 

I should know better, after the waits for Paxton in '22, Hendriks in '24, Sale in __, __, __... I'm sure there are more.

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I should know better, after the waits for Paxton in '22, Hendriks in '24, Sale in __, __, __... I'm sure there are more.

I'm not falling for pitching TJS timeline again. Even the internal brace procedure takes a long while to come back from it seems. Story had his brace surgery over 2 years ago and his arm doesn't seem back.

[moonslav59]

5 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I'm not falling for pitching TJS timeline again. Even the internal brace procedure takes a long while to come back from it seems. Story had his brace surgery over 2 years ago and his arm doesn't seem back.

Good point.

This team seems to fall for it, though. 

Hendriks was close to being ready, last AUG/SEPT, and we still wait...

[mvp 78]

4 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Good point.

This team seems to fall for it, though. 

Hendriks was close to being ready, last AUG/SEPT, and we still wait...

That's my worry with TJS. It's not a magic cure all like some people believe. It was my concern about signing Fried long term. That arm is ticking each time he throws another pitch. And the second surgery is even harder to come back from!

[moonslav59]

36 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

That's my worry with TJS. It's not a magic cure all like some people believe. It was my concern about signing Fried long term. That arm is ticking each time he throws another pitch. And the second surgery is even harder to come back from!

Is that a separate concerns?

1. It takes longer to regain form than many think it does.

2. One never comes fully back to form?

3. The risk of a second or third major injury is too high.

(All three can be true.)