Red Sox all alone with worst record again

[notin]

4 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

And I thought there is no fourth place in the AL, just the ALE. Silly me.

Really? You can’t rank AL teams from 1-4 based on record?

[FredLynn]

1 minute ago, notin said:

Really? You can’t rank AL teams from 1-4 based on record?

You can do whatever you want, but you also realize that is not what I meant. 

Fourth place....ALE. We should be able to contend for that.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Are we really nitpicking the use of the ABS system now?

Noooo -- let the Red Sox burn theirs in the early innings with no outs and nobody on base on the first pitch of an at bat...

... not late in the game when a challenge could mean the difference in a winning rally, like everyone praised Anthony on Opening Day for in the Sox only win of the year.

Instead, let's mock the Yankees for having too many team meetings on how and when to use their challenges. Those idiots are only 5-1 so far.

[notin]

36 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Noooo -- let the Red Sox burn theirs in the early innings with no outs and nobody on base on the first pitch of an at bat...

... not late in the game when a challenge could mean the difference in a winning rally, like everyone praised Anthony on Opening Day for in the Sox only win of the year.

Instead, let's mock the Yankees for having too many team meetings on how and when to use their challenges. Those idiots are only 5-1 so far.

So the Yankees are 5-1 because of their use of the challenge system?

I’m ok if the Sox want everyone to try the system out.   It shouldn’t be for select hitters or pitchers…

 

[Deja Doh]

Happy Easter!

And now we are all alone with the worst record in baseball, 2-7.  

[moonslav59]

On 4/2/2026 at 8:29 PM, mvp 78 said:

The FA players were overrated and old.

True, but some had decent bonafides.

So many fail, and the odds of picking the right one are not great, but signing zero was a bit surprising.

Our biggest FA everyday signing was $6M for IKF.

We did spend bigly on Suarez, but the other 3-4 most significant additions were all trades:

Contreras, Gray, Durbin and maybe Oviedo was viewed as more important than IKF or Coulombe.

Suarez FA

Contreras trade

Gray trade

Durbin trade

Oviedo trade

IKF FA

Monasterio trade

Coulombe FA

(Bennett prospect trade)

 

 

[Deja Doh]

Well, we are back to being all alone in last place, 4-9.  Only the White Sox have scored less runs than us.  Our lineup is a Who's Who's That of nobodies without power.  Our relief pitchers aren't getting it done.

[moonslav59]

3 hours ago, Deja Doh said:

Well, we are back to being all alone in last place, 4-9.  Only the White Sox have scored less runs than us.  Our lineup is a Who's Who's That of nobodies without power.  Our relief pitchers aren't getting it done.

Yup. Our pen is 23rd in fWAR at -0.3. (23rd in FIP and 16th in xFIP.)

We are 25th in OPS (.646.) 23rd in wRC+ (87.)

It's interesting to note that the Phillies are tied with us at 46 runs scored.

[jdc69]

On 4/3/2026 at 11:19 AM, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Noooo -- let the Red Sox burn theirs in the early innings with no outs and nobody on base on the first pitch of an at bat...

... not late in the game when a challenge could mean the difference in a winning rally, like everyone praised Anthony on Opening Day for in the Sox only win of the year.

Instead, let's mock the Yankees for having too many team meetings on how and when to use their challenges. Those idiots are only 5-1 so far.

Sox are still "me try hit ball."

[moonslav59]

10 minutes ago, jdc69 said:

Sox are still "me try hit ball."

Big surprise of 2026.

[notin]

59 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Yup. Our pen is 23rd in fWAR at -0.3. (23rd in FIP and 16th in xFIP.)

We are 25th in OPS (.646.) 23rd in wRC+ (87.)

It's interesting to note that the Phillies are tied with us at 46 runs scored.

The Sox .646 OPS is a frightening .002 behind the Yankees (.648)…

[moonslav59]

8 minutes ago, notin said:

The Sox .646 OPS is a frightening .002 behind the Yankees (.648)…

SEA is #29 at .607!

SDP #27 at .633

NYY #22 .648

PHI #21 .663

NYM #20 .665

CHC #19 .670

DET #16 .673

[notin]

28 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

SEA is #29 at .607!

SDP #27 at .633

NYY #22 .648

PHI #21 .663

NYM #20 .665

CHC #19 .670

DET #16 .673

The Yankees .201 team batting average is eye-opening, too.  Last year, this team was one Volpe HR away from having a lineup where all nine starters hit 20hrs…

[Duran Is The Man]

6 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Yup. Our pen is 23rd in fWAR at -0.3. (23rd in FIP and 16th in xFIP.)

We are 25th in OPS (.646.) 23rd in wRC+ (87.)

It's interesting to note that the Phillies are tied with us at 46 runs scored.

the Sox and the Reds are the only teams to have not scored at least 8 runs in a game. something the Dodgers have now done six times.

[moonslav59]

36 minutes ago, Duran Is The Man said:

the Sox and the Reds are the only teams to have not scored at least 8 runs in a game. something the Dodgers have now done six times.

Those Dodgers pad their run totals.

LMAO.

Hey, we scored 5 in one inning!!!

[moonslav59]

Crazy how all ALE teams are within 3 games of each other.

All ALW teams are within 2 games, pending the HOU-SEA late game.

If someone said we were 3 GB first place and 2 GB the 4th best record in the AL on April 11th, nobody would be upset.

Crazy start to MLB.

[notin]

10 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Crazy how all ALE teams are within 3 games of each other.

All ALW teams are within 2 games, pending the HOU-SEA late game.

If someone said we were 3 GB first place and 2 GB the 4th best record in the AL on April 11th, nobody would be upset.

Crazy start to MLB.

Hitting in the AL is down, so many look at the Sox output as a stand-alone and not where they are amongst the league.

Boston needs to improve, and some games can make this team look hopeless.  But they are not as bad as many think.

I worry more about the bullpen than the lineup…

[moonslav59]

The NL has 13 of 15 teams between 9-6 and 6-9. The worst and 3rd best are 3 games apart. The Pirates are 9-5, so really 14 teams are in a 3.5 game range.

Only the Dodgers at 11-3 stand out.

The AL has the top 13 teams all between 9-6 and 6-9 with nobody standing out. The Sox are 5-9 and the CWS are 5-10. All teams are within 4 games of each other.

We are about one game away from the 1/10 point of the season.

[moonslav59]

4 hours ago, notin said:

Hitting in the AL is down, so many look at the Sox output as a stand-alone and not where they are amongst the league.

Boston needs to improve, and some games can make this team look hopeless.  But they are not as bad as many think.

I worry more about the bullpen than the lineup…

With Slaten out, we really need Whitlock and CHapman to be as great as 2025 plus someone like Weissert to turn it around.

So far, Moran has  looked really good, despite 3BBs in 8 IP. He has 10 Ks and has allowed only 4 hits (0.875 WHIP.)

Slaten (IL) and Samaniego (1.2 IP) have not allowed an earned run to score (6 IP total.)

Watson, Coulombe & Uberstine have looked shaky. Kelly & Weissert have sucked, although Weissert's 1.222 WHIP is better than some others I listed as being just "shaky."

I'm wondering if Sandoval or Crawford can fill a void or two. At some point, we may try Tolle in a pen role.

OPS Against at WOO:

.077 Guerrero (4 IP)

.289 Bennett (13.1 as SP)

.317 Uberstine (7.0)

.363 Martinez (9.2)

.567 Sandoval (3.1)

.572 Anderson (9.2)

.609 Olds (7.1)

.610 Webb (7.1)

.689 Tolle (10.0)

Only Bennett & Tolle are already on the 40

 

[notin]

9 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

With Slaten out, we really need Whitlock and CHapman to be as great as 2025 plus someone like Weissert to turn it around.

So far, Moran has  looked really good, despite 3BBs in 8 IP. He has 10 Ks and has allowed only 4 hits (0.875 WHIP.)

Slaten (IL) and Samaniego (1.2 IP) have not allowed an earned run to score (6 IP total.)

Watson, Coulombe & Uberstine have looked shaky. Kelly & Weissert have sucked, although Weissert's 1.222 WHIP is better than some others I listed as being just "shaky."

I'm wondering if Sandoval or Crawford can fill a void or two. At some point, we may try Tolle in a pen role.

OPS Against at WOO:

.077 Guerrero (4 IP)

.289 Bennett (13.1 as SP)

.317 Uberstine (7.0)

.363 Martinez (9.2)

.567 Sandoval (3.1)

.572 Anderson (9.2)

.609 Olds (7.1)

.610 Webb (7.1)

.689 Tolle (10.0)

Only Bennett & Tolle are already on the 40

 

Tolle should be in the bullpen NOW.  
 

I get he has more value as a starter, but the Sox have 7 starters under contract this season.  Only two can leave after.  But even once they go, Kyson Witherspoon and Juan Valera and others keep getting closer to MLB.

Tolle can pitch relief now.  Boston needs someone that can.  This should have already happened…

[moonslav59]

52 minutes ago, notin said:

Tolle should be in the bullpen NOW.  
 

I get he has more value as a starter, but the Sox have 7 starters under contract this season.  Only two can leave after.  But even once they go, Kyson Witherspoon and Juan Valera and others keep getting closer to MLB.

Tolle can pitch relief now.  Boston needs someone that can.  This should have already happened…

I don't disagree, but we had as many or more SP'ers under contract to start 2025 and barely used any starters in the pen. Injuries (and the Priester trade) forced us to trade for Dustin May. We should have kept Newcomb for the pen, as he did very well there, after we traded him.

I do think Sandoval and Crawford offer enough depth, and Bennett is looking good, too. It might be hard moving Tolle back to the rotation, if we need him later, but our need for pen help is too overwhelming to ignore, right now.

I'd do it. Tolle looked really good, today, for WOO.

[Larry Cook]

On 4/2/2026 at 3:39 PM, notin said:

Valera wouldn’t be a big surprise if he made it by 2027…

Valera’s stuff is amazing!!  The velocity, the movement, and the hitters struggling to pick up the spin on the ball!!

but until he learns to harness command and control, he is never getting close to Boston!  He literally has no clue where the ball is going when he releases it!!! 
 

i think the Red Sox are working with him on locating the fastball! But the secondaries are all over the place!  The command and control of the secondaries are more unrefined than winkleman was at this level!!! 
 

but don’t get me wrong, the stuff is amazing!!!  His stuff is so dynamic, he should be the 3rd ranked pitcher behind early and Tolle!!!!

I am concerned about the effort to the delivery and if the ulnar collateral can hold up through this season!  
 

 

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Larry Cook said:

 His stuff is so dynamic, he should be the 3rd ranked pitcher behind early and Tolle!!!!

And, he's 4 years younger than both.

(He's 2 years younger than Witherpsoon, who sp.com has ranked above Valera.)

[mvp 78]

16 hours ago, notin said:

Tolle should be in the bullpen NOW.  
 

I get he has more value as a starter, but the Sox have 7 starters under contract this season.  Only two can leave after.  But even once they go, Kyson Witherspoon and Juan Valera and others keep getting closer to MLB.

Tolle can pitch relief now.  Boston needs someone that can.  This should have already happened…

We can HOPE that Valera/Witherspoon/Eyanson will be MLB starters, but right now they are still just A ball guys that we are projecting. We spent a few years saying that Perales would be a starter and it looks like he'll most likely be a reliever for a different org. 

[mvp 78]

16 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

I don't disagree, but we had as many or more SP'ers under contract to start 2025 and barely used any starters in the pen. Injuries (and the Priester trade) forced us to trade for Dustin May. We should have kept Newcomb for the pen, as he did very well there, after we traded him.

I do think Sandoval and Crawford offer enough depth, and Bennett is looking good, too. It might be hard moving Tolle back to the rotation, if we need him later, but our need for pen help is too overwhelming to ignore, right now.

I'd do it. Tolle looked really good, today, for WOO.

We know Tolle can dominate AAA with one pitch as he did it all last season. He still needs to get his secondaries down before he's ready to be an MLB guy even just as a reliever. 

[mvp 78]

12 hours ago, Larry Cook said:

Valera’s stuff is amazing!!  The velocity, the movement, and the hitters struggling to pick up the spin on the ball!!

but until he learns to harness command and control, he is never getting close to Boston!  He literally has no clue where the ball is going when he releases it!!! 
 

i think the Red Sox are working with him on locating the fastball! But the secondaries are all over the place!  The command and control of the secondaries are more unrefined than winkleman was at this level!!! 
 

but don’t get me wrong, the stuff is amazing!!!  His stuff is so dynamic, he should be the 3rd ranked pitcher behind early and Tolle!!!!

I am concerned about the effort to the delivery and if the ulnar collateral can hold up through this season!  

A+ 

Wikelman: 

age 20, 17 IP, 3.18 bb/9

age 21, 63 IP, 6.00 bb/9

Valera:

age 19, 38 IP, 2.37 bb/9

age 20, 8 IP, 3.24 bb/9

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

We know Tolle can dominate AAA with one pitch as he did it all last season. He still needs to get his secondaries down before he's ready to be an MLB guy even just as a reliever. 

While I agree, some of the guys we have in the pen, now are still working to perfect their primary pitch.

[mvp 78]

31 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

While I agree, some of the guys we have in the pen, now are still working to perfect their primary pitch.

Sure, but they don't have the ceiling of Tolle. Let Tolle grow in AAA and mess around with the other guys. Tolle will be up by the ASB most likely, he just doesn't need to be up only because Kelly can't pitch. We already knew that. DFA Kelly. Call up Guerrero. Keep churning some relievers and find a guy that sticks. 

[moonslav59]

12 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Sure, but they don't have the ceiling of Tolle. Let Tolle grow in AAA and mess around with the other guys. Tolle will be up by the ASB most likely, he just doesn't need to be up only because Kelly can't pitch. We already knew that. DFA Kelly. Call up Guerrero. Keep churning some relievers and find a guy that sticks. 

I'm not sure ow long we can keep pitching lesser guys, in hopes that one does well enough to bridge us to the next attempt.

[mvp 78]

4 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I'm not sure ow long we can keep pitching lesser guys, in hopes that one does well enough to bridge us to the next attempt.

I think Tolle's career is more important than April/May 2026. Breslow just needs to cycle through some depth options.