Red Sox 2025 Season Review/Offseason Preview Thread

[mvp 78]

4 minutes ago, notin said:

Their fielders are 10th in DRS.  And interestingly, 28th in OAA…

Yup, 

Duran '25: 11 DRS, -4 OAA in LF

The range will get you every time. 

[notin]

8 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Yup, 

Duran '25: 11 DRS, -4 OAA in LF

The range will get you every time. 

But probably good throwing …

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

TBR hitters are 26th in fWAR, 19th in runs scored

They are 9th in pitching fWAR, so despite what Fred says, you can win with better pittchig and bad offense.

[Old Red]

8 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

They are 9th in pitching fWAR, so despite what Fred says, you can win with better pittchig and bad offense.

They can also scratch out runs like they did this weekend against Fred’s Flops. Quite refreshing to watch actually.

[Kimmi]

3 hours ago, Old Red said:

They can also scratch out runs like they did this weekend against Fred’s Flops. Quite refreshing to watch actually.

I hate the Rays, so it wasn't refreshing for me to see them scratch out runs against the Red Sox.  That said, I think Kevin Cash deserves a lot of credit.  Things will likely change a lot by the end of the season, but who would have thought the Rays would have the 2nd best winning % in all of baseball at this point?

It has been refreshing to watch some other teams play, and watch other teams be able to overcome 3, 4, or 5 run deficits.  

[JoeBrady]

22 minutes ago, Kimmi said:

I hate the Rays, so it wasn't refreshing for me to see them scratch out runs against the Red Sox.  That said, I think Kevin Cash deserves a lot of credit.  Things will likely change a lot by the end of the season, but who would have thought the Rays would have the 2nd best winning % in all of baseball at this point?

It has been refreshing to watch some other teams play, and watch other teams be able to overcome 3, 4, or 5 run deficits.  

26th in HRs, but 9th in OBP.  OBP, pitching and defense.  Who'd have thought that was a winning combination?

[Kimmi]

7 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

26th in HRs, but 9th in OBP.  OBP, pitching and defense.  Who'd have thought that was a winning combination?

Amen, brother Joe, amen.

[moonslav59]

4 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

26th in HRs, but 9th in OBP.  OBP, pitching and defense.  Who'd have thought that was a winning combination?

The league context is needed, and the TBR ranks this in the AL, but yes-- WOW!

14th in HRs (Ahead of BOS) 15th in fWAR everyday players

10th OPS

3rds OBP

3rd Pitching fWAR (2nd ERA- and 6th in FIP)

3rd Defense DRS

[mvp 78]

15 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

26th in HRs, but 9th in OBP.  OBP, pitching and defense.  Who'd have thought that was a winning combination?

28th in OAA and FRV. They can't blame the Monster for an OAA variance either. 

The OBP point is a pretty good one though. It worked for a long time. Not sure why MLB dropped it for launch angle. They used to score more runs back when OBP was cool too. HR's may have gone up per game, but the runs didn't increase. Weird! 😎

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

42 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

28th in OAA and FRV. They can't blame the Monster for an OAA variance either. 

The OBP point is a pretty good one though. It worked for a long time. Not sure why MLB dropped it for launch angle. They used to score more runs back when OBP was cool too. HR's may have gone up per game, but the runs didn't increase. Weird! 😎

When two batters K in front of the home hitter, you get a lotta solo shots.

[mvp 78]

5 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

When two batters K in front of the home hitter, you get a lotta solo shots.

Yeah, strike outs have steadily increased over the past 40 years or so. Is pitching just getting better and better? Are hitters just changing how they are approaching their at bats too much? 

HR's are up, but H's aren't. 2B's aren't. Runs aren't. Hitters are just trying to hit flyballs and if they don't go out, OFers just catch them for easy outs. 

If it really is just the pitching is too good, they'll need to adjust the mound again. 

[Old Red]

Just now, mvp 78 said:

Yeah, strike outs have steadily increased over the past 40 years or so. Is pitching just getting better and better? Are hitters just changing how they are approaching their at bats too much? 

HR's are up, but H's aren't. 2B's aren't. Runs aren't. Hitters are just trying to hit flyballs and if they don't go out, OFers just catch them for easy outs. 

If it really is just the pitching is too good, they'll need to adjust the mound again. 

Did I hear the other day that the leagues BA is at the lowest point in the modern day era?

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, Old Red said:

Did I hear the other day that the leagues BA is at the lowest point in the modern day era?

1968 was lower. It's also early May. I'd expect it to get higher as the temps increase. 

Since 2018, the BA has been below 250 8 of 9 seasons. The last time it had been below 250 was 1972. It was low from 63-72. 1968 was the year of the pitcher (afterwards they adjusted the k zone and the mound). 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

9 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Yeah, strike outs have steadily increased over the past 40 years or so. Is pitching just getting better and better? Are hitters just changing how they are approaching their at bats too much? 

HR's are up, but H's aren't. 2B's aren't. Runs aren't. Hitters are just trying to hit flyballs and if they don't go out, OFers just catch them for easy outs. 

If it really is just the pitching is too good, they'll need to adjust the mound again. 

They can't make it much lower and they won't push it back, so we all know MLB will revert to their tried and true solution -- especially if there's another obnoxious lockout and they're desperate to bring back fans:

JUICED balls (that batters hit).

[mvp 78]

7 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

They can't make it much lower and they won't push it back, so we all know MLB will revert to their tried and true solution -- especially if there's another obnoxious lockout and they're desperate to bring back fans:

JUICED balls (that batters hit).

The juiced balls are the easiest solution TBH. "We got a new supplier." 🫠

[notin]

20 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Did I hear the other day that the leagues BA is at the lowest point in the modern day era?

How am I supposed to know what you heard?

[mvp 78]

12 minutes ago, notin said:

How am I supposed to know what you heard?

It was either at the bar, at the corner or on sports radio. Just use your imagination. 

[illinoisredsox]

57 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

It was either at the bar, at the corner or on sports radio. Just use your imagination. 

Maybe it was at the corner bar and you had your headphones on listening to sports radio?

[Old Red]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

It was either at the bar, at the corner or on sports radio. Just use your imagination. 

Bar, corner, Sports radio, or here? Which has the best pulse of RSN?🤔

[mvp 78]

23 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Bar, corner, Sports radio, or here? Which has the best pulse of RSN?🤔

Which corner? All four spots are limited in scope and have their own problems connecting with the base of RSN. The problem with TS is that we are way too hyper focused on the Sox day to day. Majority of fans are much more casual. I'd say a lot of Sox fans wouldn't know who Andruw Monasterio is.

[Old Red]

Just now, mvp 78 said:

Which corner? All four spots are limited in scope and have their own problems connecting with the base of RSN. The problem with TS is that we are way too hyper focused on the Sox day to day. Majority of fans are much more casual. I'd say a lot of Sox fans wouldn't know who Andruw Monasterio is.

Good assessment, and describing being hyper focused day to day on here is spot on.

[Old Red]

2 hours ago, Old Red said:

Did I hear the other day that the leagues BA is at the lowest point in the modern day era?

Let me try again. Did anyone else hear this?

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Let me try again. Did anyone else hear this?

I didn't, but did you see my response above? 

[Old Red]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

I didn't, but did you see my response above? 

I do now. Thanks for the info.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Which corner? 

The Yes man corner.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 hour ago, Old Red said:

Bar, corner, Sports radio, or here? Which has the best pulse of RSN?🤔

This year it's the bar (Sox are driving more fans to drink) -- or at my recliner, because I don't drink and drive.

Second would be at the cororner.