mvp 78

I think you're forgetting about the third group of ticket purchasers that will never go away: big business monkeys who use tickets to shmooze clients. I bet pink hats are much more likely to go to a Red Sox game no matter what than a true fan who is pissed that the ownership gave up on this season and traded Mookie.

To be fair, we don't know what JBJ or JD's fWAR will be this ASB either.

Adult diapers are probably more hygienic. Good for you!

@SoxProspects Mata often uses his heavy 2-seam fastball to generate ground outs. Nonetheless, that was a nice strikeout he got on Kyle Garlick (looking with his slider) with one out and two men on. He then got Deivy Grullon swinging on a curveball. Good job pitching himself out of trouble.

Being politically correct by helping to stop the spread of infectious disease! So you're the guy who pisses all over the bathroom seat in a public stall and storms out without washing his hands!

Adrian Gonzalez 2011: 6.2 fWAR JD Martinez 2019: 3.2 fWAR Beckett 2011: 3.8 fWAR JBJ 2019: 1.4 fWAR Beckett was a postseason hero and a frontline starting pitcher. AGon was being lauded as the 2nd best offensive weapon and a great defensive wiz at 1b. People on here were freaking out prior to the AGon trade with the Padres when they thought Theo botched it. We may not think of him fondly now, but he was of more importance to that team than JD is to this one.

@alexspeier Benintendi with a single on a 1-2 curveball from Pivetta to lead off the first. He’s 3-for-4 with a HR in that first AB of the game so far.

@SoxProspects Nice 1st inning for no. 3 on the #SP60, Bryan Mata. Gets Scott Kingery to pop out on one pitch, then gives up a Josh Harrison single before Rhys Hoskins lines into a 5-3 double play. Just 20 years old, Mata spent the second half of 2019 at Double-A Portland.

I guess it really was "or not" harmony! And the Sox have jumped 6 places in the prospect rankings thanks to Bloom.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/02/red-sox-trade-rumors-padres-wil-myers-unlikely.html The Red Sox have been linked to various permutations of trades involving Padres outfielder Wil Myers this offseason — including as recently as last week. However, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe now reports that the two sides are “unlikely” to line up on an agreement. The Red Sox’ interest in working out a trade was largely a means of attempting to purchase some minor league and/or controllable MLB talent by absorbing part of the remaining three years and $61MM on Myers’ contract. It’s not a surprise to see the Red Sox seeking creative ways to bolster their farm and their stock of MLB-ready rotation options. Boston’s farm landed 22nd of 30 in Baseball America’s February ranking of the game’s best minor league systems, and the back of their rotation looks perilously thin. Beyond Chris Sale, Eduardo Rodriguez and Nathan Eovaldi, the Red Sox will likely rely on reclamation project Martin Perez and an unproven internal option (or options). Among the candidates vying for the fifth starter’s job are Hector Velazquez, Matt Hall, Chris Mazza, Mike Shawaryn, Ryan Weber and Kyle Hart. A clear winner might not be declared, as the Sox could shuffle a number of names through that spot or even deploy an opener every fifth day. And, of course, Sale and Eovaldi were far from 100 percent healthy in 2019. The added depth such a move would bring about would be particularly valuable in Boston. As for the Padres, while it’s logical that they’d want to get out from some of the remaining Myers money, Speier indicates that the club isn’t interested in depleting its depth just to save money at this time. Shipping a Cal Quantrill or Joey Lucchesi to Boston thins out their starting depth, and there’s no real means of improving the roster quality right now outside of an additional trade. Bringing a third club into the mix — as has been previously rumored — would give the Padres more options but obviously comes with additional layers of complexity. With Opening Day just one month away, the time to put together a deal of that magnitude is waning.

JD and JBJ in 2020

Why wouldn't they?

We know.

Once the tickets are sold, they don't have to field a viable product especially if they are selling to the fans that they need to rebuild the farm. The Red Sox NATION has already accepted fire sales. Have you forgotten 2012? 2014?

^^^

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/new-pickoff-rule-coming-to-minors-after-indy-ball-success-in-2019/ Major League Baseball is in the final stages of finalizing a plan that will change pickoff rules for a significant portion of the minor leagues. Two farm directors confirmed that they have been told that when the 2020 season begins, MiLB pitchers will be required to step off the rubber before they can throw to a base on a pickoff attempt. As such, the new rule will eliminate the Andy Pettitte-style pickoff move where a lefty hangs on his back leg before either stepping toward first base and throwing over or stepping toward home to pitch. Inside moves at second base are also prohibited by the rule change. Deciding at which levels the rule will be enforced has not been finalized, although the expectation is that it will at least cover Class A and below, and it is possible it will include Double-A. The Florida State League is set to use automated ball-strike calls (ABS) at a majority of its parks for 2020, and there is some thought that the pickoff rule is at least tangentially related to ABS. This pickoff rule was enacted for the independent Atlantic League (which implemented rule changes at MLB’s request) last season at that league’s all-star break, at the same time that the league began using an automated strike zone fueled by Trackman data to call balls and strikes. MLB officials said at the time of the rule change in the Atlantic League that they hoped such a move would encourage more basestealing. It also was seen as having a balancing effect. Since catchers no longer have to worry about framing pitches with a computer calling balls and strikes, there has been some concern that they can set up and receive in a better position to throw. In the Atlantic League last year, the pickoff rule change did lead to a dramatic increase in stolen base attempts. Stolen bases attempts went from 1.03 per game in the first half of the season before the rule change to 1.69 per game in the second half of the season with the rule change. The success rate also increased. Atlantic League basestealers were successful 75 percent of the time in the first half and 81 percent of the time in the second half. Double plays also dropped from .82 per game to .63 per game with the new rules. According to coaches in the Atlantic League, runners could almost always get enough of a lead to make it much harder to turn two on anything other than a ball hit right at an infielder.

Why ride a horse if you're out of contention (which was my original assertion)?

@alexspeier With the return of a 15-day injured list for pitchers, and the ability to backdate spring training injuries to 3/23, the earliest Sale could be activated would be 4/7 vs Tampa Bay.

Sox are having some of their pitchers (including Sale) wear high tech sleeves that relay information to staff. The hope is that this tech can help prevent injury. Link: (subscription required) https://theathletic.com/1627501/2020/02/22/chris-sale-high-tech-sleeve-red-sox/

If he's solid and healthy, there could be a market for him. If not, they are stuck with him.

Lineup today vs. PHI: Benintendi LF Bradley Jr. CF Martinez DH Moreland 1B Vázquez C Pillar RF Lin SS Dalbec 3B Arauz 2B Mata RHP

I bet Bloom thinks he could find a better way to spend 17M.

Left in FA this year? No. I'm not advocating moving Eovaldi today, just that it could be a midseason deal.

@alexspeier Roenicke says Sox could consider opener for two spots while Sale is on injured list, but team interested to see if someone emerges for a starting spot. Tanner Houck.

At least they'll be able to avoid pitching Webber on the first homestand.