Red Sox Acquire Curtis Mead for Connelly Early

[Old Red]

19 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Well, if you have only one trick in your bag of tricks, it's what you do. That's why the bunting was so exciting the other day. They need to be more well rounded and try to score in a bunch of different ways. 

That’s something I brought up many times with Cora that when the team was struggling to score runs the team didn’t try to manufacture them like bunting. Cora was stubborn that way.

[Hugh2]

2 minutes ago, Old Red said:

That’s something I brought up many times with Cora that when the team was struggling to score runs the team didn’t try to manufacture them like bunting. Cora was stubborn that way.

No one likes bunting anymore because statistically it’s a bad decision.  However, it also means teams are expecting it less.  Sometimes you gotta do the opposite of what they say.  If you’re not overplaying your hand you’re going to get better results.  

[mvp 78]

9 minutes ago, Old Red said:

The difference is no one is questioning the Cro Man’s ability, and what he brings to the table. Big difference between him, and Marshmallow/little a. I don’t think it’s any big surprise that the Cro Man had some problems this year after having his first heavy workload of innings last year.

If anyone is questioning Anthony's ability, they aren't paying attention. He makes good swing decisions and hits the ball very hard. He's not Rafaela or Abreu in the OF, but he's better than Gomes. 

 

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

No one likes bunting anymore because statistically it’s a bad decision.  However, it also means teams are expecting it less.  Sometimes you gotta do the opposite of what they say.  If you’re not overplaying your hand you’re going to get better results.  

Bunting is a bad decision in most cases only if you are intentionally sacrificing. If you are trying to reach base, it's not a bad decision. 

[harmony]

12 hours ago, notin said:

I can promise you zero GMs would not want Mayer.  Now, the number willing to give up something good to acquire him is up for debate…

One-time No. 6 overall draft pick Jarred Kelenic keeps getting signed (although he’s currently searching for a home).

[Old Red]

5 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

If anyone is questioning Anthony's ability, they aren't paying attention. He makes good swing decisions and hits the ball very hard. He's not Rafaela or Abreu in the OF, but he's better than Gomes. 

 

Everyone remembers what little a looked like last year before he got hurt, and that’s why he had so much hype, and expectations put on him this year. Then after playing in the. WBC the hype, and expectations went higher. When the season started he looked like a completely different player, and outside of drawing some walks he stood at the plate many times with the bat on his shoulder taking strike three not to mention his girly throwing from the outfield.🤭

[Old Red]

16 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

No one likes bunting anymore because statistically it’s a bad decision.  However, it also means teams are expecting it less.  Sometimes you gotta do the opposite of what they say.  If you’re not overplaying your hand you’re going to get better results.  

No one? Tracy seems to.

[a700hitter]

Any word on the severity of Mead’s injury.

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Everyone remembers what little a looked like last year before he got hurt, and that’s why he had so much hype, and expectations put on him this year. Then after playing in the. WBC the hype, and expectations went higher. When the season started he looked like a completely different player, and outside of drawing some walks he stood at the plate many times with the bat on his shoulder taking strike three not to mention his girly throwing from the outfield.🤭

This is why the eye test doesn't always work.

 

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, a700hitter said:

Any word on the severity of Mead’s injury.

Day to day.

[Old Red]

3 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

This is why the eye test doesn't always work.

 

That may sound good to you, but 1 HR, and 4 RBI along with all his K’s is more telling to me, along with lack of throwing arm in the OF. That’s what counts, and the old eye test showed plenty in this case.

[Hugh2]

14 minutes ago, Old Red said:

No one? Tracy seems to.

Figure of speech

[Hugh2]

12 minutes ago, a700hitter said:

Any word on the severity of Mead’s injury.

X-Ray came back negative.  

[JoeBrady]

14 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

I can see giving up on Mayer. Some GMs might not even want him, but Anthony still has a lot of value, even if mostly specultaive.

I have no hope of you understanding this, but the here and now is the result of yesterday and the day before.  Guys don't show up in a RS uniform fully formed.  The idea that players should be in their prime as a rookie, is not worthy of discussion.

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, Hugh2 said:

X-Ray came back negative.  

Negative? Oh no...

[moonslav59]

29 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

If anyone is questioning Anthony's ability, they aren't paying attention. He makes good swing decisions and hits the ball very hard. He's not Rafaela or Abreu in the OF, but he's better than Gomes. 

Yup, and at worst, he can/should DH better than Yoshida & Romy.

[moonslav59]

Just now, JoeBrady said:

I have no hope of you understanding this, but the here and now is the result of yesterday and the day before.  Guys don't show up in a RS uniform fully formed.  The idea that players should be in their prime as a rookie, is not worthy of discussion.

Why wouldn't I understand this? I've said it myself in the past.

[Hugh2]

31 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Bunting is a bad decision in most cases only if you are intentionally sacrificing. If you are trying to reach base, it's not a bad decision. 

I agree.  I wonder what the "stats" say on it when a guy who is a good bunter sees the thirdbaseman playing deep and the batter is a burner. 

[JoeBrady]

35 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

No one likes bunting anymore because statistically it’s a bad decision.  However, it also means teams are expecting it less.  Sometimes you gotta do the opposite of what they say.  If you’re not overplaying your hand you’re going to get better results.  

The macro statistics are bad.  But the Tango charts don't differentiate between a #5  hitter bunting or a #9 hitter bunting.  I'd bet real money that the results from the #9 hitter bunting in the the 1-2-3 hitters, is a lot more productive than the #6 hitter bunting into the 7-8-9.

[JoeBrady]

3 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Why wouldn't I understand this? I've said it myself in the past.

Blah!  That was meant for Red.  Whoops.

[notin]

23 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

This is why the eye test doesn't always work.

 

Especially if you only saw those two bad throws against the Reds and Brewers…

[notin]

9 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

I agree.  I wonder what the "stats" say on it when a guy who is a good bunter sees the thirdbaseman playing deep and the batter is a burner. 

They say he isn’t giving himself up for an out, which is why the statement is limited to sacrifice bunting…

[JoeBrady]

40 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Bunting is a bad decision in most cases only if you are intentionally sacrificing. If you are trying to reach base, it's not a bad decision. 

One of my favorite plays is bunting for a hit with 1st & 2nd and no outs.  The downside is a modest downgrade on expected runs, with the upside being bases juiced and no outs.

My 2nd favorite is trying to pad a small lead, like 2-run or 3-run leads.  Every run puts on a lot more pressure on the other team, and allows our pitcher to pitch to contact.

[mvp 78]

6 minutes ago, notin said:

Especially if you only saw those two bad throws against the Reds and Brewers…

The only important parts of the season are the lowlights featured on TWIB. 

[notin]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

The only important parts of the season are the lowlights featured on TWIB. 

Or the deeply insightful complaints from Michael Holley..,

[Old Red]

13 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

I have no hope of you understanding this, but the here and now is the result of yesterday and the day before.  Guys don't show up in a RS uniform fully formed.  The idea that players should be in their prime as a rookie, is not worthy of discussion.

Huh? I agree with you that suspects shouldn’t have all the hype, and expectations heaped on them, because as you say players don’t show up in their prime as a rookie, so I would never do such a thing. Here’s the thing though that in the here, and now games still count in the standings whether suspects are ready to play, or not, and I have no hope of you understanding this, and that we can agree on.😉

[notin]

5 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

One of my favorite plays is bunting for a hit with 1st & 2nd and no outs.  The downside is a modest downgrade on expected runs, with the upside being bases juiced and no outs.

My 2nd favorite is trying to pad a small lead, like 2-run or 3-run leads.  Every run puts on a lot more pressure on the other team, and allows our pitcher to pitch to contact.

You might not even be downgrading expected runs if you get the infield to come in…

[Old Red]

Just now, notin said:

Or the deeply insightful complaints from Michael Holley..,

 

1 minute ago, notin said:

Or the deeply insightful complaints from Michael Holley..,

Insightful analysis. Michael Holly, or NNN? That’s an easy win for Holley. What about all the other fans who said the same thing Holley did on all the other different venues?

[Old Red]

8 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

The only important parts of the season are the lowlights featured on TWIB. 

You guys crack me up that you are so protective of the Suspects on here compared to all the other different venues.

[moonslav59]

22 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

I have no hope of you understanding this, but the here and now is the result of yesterday and the day before.  Guys don't show up in a RS uniform fully formed.  The idea that players should be in their prime as a rookie, is not worthy of discussion.

The whole idea that everyone had super high projections for all our top prospects in year one or even two is a strawman position.

Of course we hoped they would do great right out of the gate, and almost all of us expected more than we've gotten, so far from Anthony, Mayer and KC. Injury has been a major factor on Anthony and injuries to Mayer surprised nobody. Many were upset we rushed KC- some wanted Mayer over KC to start the '25 season on the 26.

It's just plain hogwash that the hype was way too high. The fact that we did not trade Duran is evidence enough that Anthony was not penciled in as a sure bet. The trade of pitchers and DHam for 3 infielders is evidence enough that we were not counting on Mayer as a 100% lock on a FT job. Cora and other repeatedly stated he has not yet earned a FT role. He barely won a platoon role as it was. KC was demoted pretty quickly and never given  another chance in the bigs- rightfully so. Not a single poster suggested he be given a chance at the 26 to start 2026, so where were the lofty expectations for the big 3 to start this season? Anthony- yes to maybe, but the others were clearly not too high.

Look at Early and Tolle- the prospects every team wanted last summer, last winter and even now. They were probably listed as 8th or 9th on the all healthy SP'er depth chart and maybe even lower. I don't think anyone, especially in Sox management overly counted on them. Hell, we added Suarez, Gray and Oviedo specifically so we wouldn't have to.

There simply is very little evidence to support we put too much hope on the kids. Anthony comes the closest to a yes, and certainly Tolle and Early were expected to get 2026 IP, but for those two- not out of  the gate.