Spring Training game thread: Week of Feb 21

[notin]

2 hours ago, FredLynn said:

That argument fails because I really don’t care what other teams do, only that the Flops spend the money and build the roster so that the are factors in competing for a ring nearly every year. They are failing to meet those expectations.

And yet you repeatedly compare the Sox to those teams?

Also those other teams occasionally fail doing the “hey let’s throw more money at it” method of team-building.  It’s a risk that needs to be acknowledged, and no amount of due diligence removes it…

[UtahSox]

2 hours ago, notin said:

I look at it this way.   In the first series, we will very likely face two LHPs - Nick Lodolo and Andrew Abbott.   Lodolo is one of the nastiest LHPs in MLB, and Abbott looks like an up and coming star himself.   

These may not be the types of LHPs you can solve merely by adding Romy Gonzalez to your lineup.   Romy has his uses against the bulk of the LHPs in MLB.  But the creme de la creme did not get to be so elite by struggling against mediocre right-handed hitters..

After Abbott, the Sox face Houston and San Diego, both of whom appear to have no LHPs in their rotations.

I bet Romy isn’t back til after all star break FYI, which is why we signed Monasterio but the argument isn’t Romy vs Marte/ Paredes it’s Marcelo vs Marte/Paredes. 

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, notin said:

And yet you repeatedly compare the Sox to those teams?

Also those other teams occasionally fail doing the “hey let’s throw more money at it” method of team-building.  It’s a risk that needs to be acknowledged, and no amount of due diligence removes it…

I'm about done even trying to debate this.

It's endless walk backs, reframing and rehashing.

 

[moonslav59]

16 minutes ago, UtahSox said:

I bet Romy isn’t back til after all star break FYI, which is why we signed Monasterio but the argument isn’t Romy vs Marte/ Paredes it’s Marcelo vs Marte/Paredes. 

I really wanted one of those two. I like Durbin, and I think IKF was a nice but expensive utility addition, but K Marte or Paredes would have made a huge difference.

[notin]

9 hours ago, UtahSox said:

I bet Romy isn’t back til after all star break FYI, which is why we signed Monasterio but the argument isn’t Romy vs Marte/ Paredes it’s Marcelo vs Marte/Paredes. 

I have an absolutely no problem giving Mayer a chance, especially since Houston wanted Abreu for Paredes. Marte is a better short term solution, but I’m ok with keeping Mayer for long term…

[moonslav59]

24 minutes ago, notin said:

I have an absolutely no problem giving Mayer a chance, especially since Houston wanted Abreu for Paredes. Marte is a better short term solution, but I’m ok with keeping Mayer for long term…

That was the equation: 5+ years of hope (Mayer) vs 2-3 years of a more sure bet solution (Paredes or KMarte).

[mvp 78]

10 hours ago, notin said:

And yet you repeatedly compare the Sox to those teams?

Also those other teams occasionally fail doing the “hey let’s throw more money at it” method of team-building.  It’s a risk that needs to be acknowledged, and no amount of due diligence removes it…

Mets have spent and win a WS every few years, right? DD got that nice ring for the Phillies. Padres... 

[mvp 78]

9 hours ago, UtahSox said:

I bet Romy isn’t back til after all star break FYI, which is why we signed Monasterio but the argument isn’t Romy vs Marte/ Paredes it’s Marcelo vs Marte/Paredes. 

Romy is a good platoon bench bat. His defense is only good enough for the right side of the IF. Monasterio can play all over the IF. I think it's two different skillsets TBH. I think Monasterio is a cheaper version of IKF. 

[Deja Doh]

Our pitching stinks.  

[Hugh2]

5 minutes ago, Deja Doh said:

Our pitching stinks.  

Some might disagree with this take. 

[drewski6]

On 2/28/2026 at 11:01 AM, notin said:

Of course you are.  Maybe not as much as some fans like, but all you need to do is score more times than your opponent.  Sort of the simple essence of any sport (except darts)…

"Clearly, youre not a golfer" - Lebowski

[drewski6]

On 2/28/2026 at 9:17 AM, jad said:

small ball, blessedly, is not coming back.  Because not enough fans want to see it.   There's nothing quite as meh as watching a bunch of guys take a third strike.  We don't need baseball to become soccer.

Stolen bases are exciting and thats part of it.  

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Some might disagree with this take. 

You've seen those AAA guys that aren't on the 40 man roster get lit up in ST though, right? 

[drewski6]

5 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

You've seen those AAA guys that aren't on the 40 man roster get lit up in ST though, right? 

Some big names here haha

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, drewski6 said:

Stolen bases are exciting and thats part of it.  

A walk can turn into a triple with the right player. 

1985 Cardinals:

#1 fWAR

#6 R

#1 3B

#25 HR

#1 SB

#4 BB

#4 OBP

#25 GDP 

#2 TZ (defensive runs above average)

#1 Fielding %

? Bunts (not tracked)

[mvp 78]

4 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Some big names here haha

When Greenville relievers are giving up runs, you can't worry about team stats (or any ST stats). Labriola has only 0.2 IP at a level higher than Salem. 

[drewski6]

Wyatt Olds sounds like a great name for a red dead redemption character, Patrick Halligan sounds liike an oil tycoon, P.J. Lavbriola sounds like a frat bro turned OBGYN (avoid, ladies), Vinny Nittoli sounds like a fat italian baker (sign me up), Seth Martinez feels like a pitcher Ive heard before thinks hes the biggest name of the bunch.  Sweet can work at Nittoli's bakery.

[Hugh2]

9 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

You've seen those AAA guys that aren't on the 40 man roster get lit up in ST though, right? 

#1 AAA/AAAA guys

#2 it's spring training

#3 it's spring training

#4 it's like really really really early in spring training. 

 

I was wondering when we were going to get the first complaint in spring training.  Admittedly I haven't been around much the last couple weeks so maybe someone else has stolen the award. 

[drewski6]

Just now, mvp 78 said:

When Greenville relievers are giving up runs, you can't worry about team stats (or any ST stats). 

I would agree with fine print added that reserves my right to get overly excited about moon shots off opposing A/A+ pitchers though.  Who did Contreras hit that blast against and which way does is jet blue facing?  If LF is west from home plate (as in the ball is traveling west) it may have cleared the Gulf. 

[Hugh2]

This time of year, there's plenty of guys still in camp the team brought in knowing they didn't have any real shot of making it but "we need body guys" they need bodies. 

[moonslav59]

18 hours ago, notin said:

...the Sox rank 11th in percentage of revenue (per Forbes) spent on payroll (per Sportra)…

If we're not top 10, JH needs to run out of town.

Once we get to #9, the goalposts will be moved to top 5.

[jad]

45 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Stolen bases are exciting and thats part of it.  

So are called 3rd strikes, weak ground balls, double-plays, pop-ups, balks, 'sacrifices' (but GOD Forbid--NO sacrifice credited if scorer decides the bunter was doing something so outrageous to small-ball philosophy as actually trying for a hit--one of the more preposterous scoring conventions in baseball; (I suppose  by the same logic, with a runner on third and a guy hits a bomb caught at the 420 mark, he should NOT  be credited with a sacrifice fly because he was so selfishly trying for a home run).

[UtahSox]

2 hours ago, notin said:

I have an absolutely no problem giving Mayer a chance, especially since Houston wanted Abreu for Paredes. Marte is a better short term solution, but I’m ok with keeping Mayer for long term…

Yeah I’m not convinced on MM. 

if I could hand pick the next breakout bat. I WOULD CHOSE MARCELO. But alas I need to see it to believe it. I guess I can take solace in the fact that AZ really wanted him. They know a thing or two about middle infielders. 

[mvp 78]

Franklin Arias gets his first ST action. 

[mvp 78]

13 minutes ago, jad said:

So are called 3rd strikes, weak ground balls, double-plays, pop-ups, balks, 'sacrifices' (but GOD Forbid--NO sacrifice credited if scorer decides the bunter was doing something so outrageous to small-ball philosophy as actually trying for a hit--one of the more preposterous scoring conventions in baseball; (I suppose  by the same logic, with a runner on third and a guy hits a bomb caught at the 420 mark, he should NOT  be credited with a sacrifice fly because he was so selfishly trying for a home run).

I'm sorry, did you hit your head? Moving runners over and productive outs are a large part of small ball. 

[mvp 78]

29 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

If we're not top 10, JH needs to run out of town.

Once we get to #9, the goalposts will be moved to top 5.

Is this cash or luxury tax? 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

3 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Franklin Arias gets his first ST action. 

No relation to David Alias Ortiz.

But you can bet the past participle (has jogged around bases over 500 times) will be watching -- along with us -- the future tense at SS.

[mvp 78]

47 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

I would agree with fine print added that reserves my right to get overly excited about moon shots off opposing A/A+ pitchers though.  Who did Contreras hit that blast against and which way does is jet blue facing?  If LF is west from home plate (as in the ball is traveling west) it may have cleared the Gulf. 

BAL - Jeisson Cabrera - AA reliever (MiLB journeyman)

PIT - Antwone Kelly - AA starter (7th ranked prospect, on 40 man)

[mvp 78]

46 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

This time of year, there's plenty of guys still in camp the team brought in knowing they didn't have any real shot of making it but "we need body guys" they need bodies. 

With the WBC going on, there will be a lot of "need body guys" this ST. 

[UtahSox]

35 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

If we're not top 10, JH needs to run out of town.

Once we get to #9, the goalposts will be moved to top 5.

Not to overly simplify but:

Across MLB, non-player expenses are largely the same: ushers, security, concessions, front office staff, scouts, grounds crew, corporate sales, etc. Sure, there are modest cost-of-living adjustments between Boston and say St Louis, but nothing that scales with revenue.

The key point: as revenue rises, those fixed costs do not rise in parallel. That means higher-revenue teams naturally generate larger margins. The only variable that should be higher with more revenue is player payroll. 

So the analysis is simple. If you are a top-five revenue franchise—and (not a big shocker) we are, and always will be—then you should be top five in payroll. Full stop. 

That tier is Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs, Red Sox—and now, with their real estate additions, likely the Braves as well. If we’re not spending like a top-five team, it’s not because we can’t afford it. It’s because ownership is choosing not to. And for a brand of this stature, anything less than a top-five payroll is unacceptable. I don’t need to wait for Revenue #’s come out on 2025. I already know. We will be between 3-5 in top revenue. We should be 3-5 in player payroll. That’s our competition, that’s our Delta every year.