mvp 78

That's what years of an apathetic ownership will do. There was excitement around the team last year, then they traded away Mancini and their best bullpen piece rather than even pretending to go for a WC birth. Embarrassing. The owner spent the whole offseason looking like an entitled idiot (even more than Henry did) in front of the fanbase too.

Sox aren't acting like a large market franchise anymore, but the tickets will still be $$$. Thanks, Henry! Enjoy that checkbook!

As of today, Masa is: 789 OPS 119 wRC+

The Sox are a .500 team with a dumpster fire rotation. If everything went right, they'd be much better.

With Henry in charge, they will never be that organization.

"I'm going to have some cap room and I'm going to get really weird with it."

Who are the Bloom apologists? So many people on here tilting at windmills these days. I don't understand it.

Whitlock and Bello's could easily trend in the other direction after a few starts. Sale and Kluber's?

Trade him for a s***** middle reliever, STAT!

Maybe they shouldn't be pitching all of those innings! Pull the plug, Alex!

Was that before or after Masa's SSS HR's?

I'm not against it.

BOS: 10th in relief ERA 7th in relief FIP 29th in starters ERA 6.61! 27th in starters FIP 29th in starters fWAR -0.3

https://soxprospects.com/players/drohan-shane.htm Drohan's scouting report was updated this morning. Fastball: 92-94 mph. Tops out at 96 mph. Showed increased velocity in spring training 2023; previously sat 88-92 mph, topping out at 94 mph. Pitch shows natural sink and has a good spin rate. Has life up in the zone; hitters pick up the ball late. Has the delivery and athleticism that lend to a solid command and control profile in the future, and has improved in that area over time having once graded out as below-average. Potential above-average command and control profile. Potential above-average offering. Changeup: 83-86 mph. Pitch shows fade down and away from right-handed hitters. Throws with deceptive arm speed and does a good job of not telegraphing the pitch. Pitch improved in college and took a massive jump forward in 2022. Developed into his go-to out pitch and showed bat-missing ability. Has the ability to throw it in the zone or start it at the bottom and land it down and out of the zone when looking to induce swinging strikes. Velocity increased from 78-81 mph at the same time his fastball velocity jumped in 2023. Potential plus offering. Curveball: 75-78 mph. Power breaking ball with a plus spin rate. Pitch has 1-to-7 break and will flash depth and tight rotation when he finishes it. Solid feel. Will start at-bats with it or use it to put hitters away. Throws to hitters on both sides. Does a good job utilizing the pitch in conjunction with the rest of his arsenal, which allows it to play up. Potential average offering. Cutter: 86-90 mph. Short, horizontal break with bite. Able to get in on the hands of right-handed hitters and likes to go to it early in the count. Already shows advanced feel for the pitch after adding it during the 2022-23 offseason. Potential average offering. Career Notes: Father, Bill, was a pitcher in the Royals organization from 1987 to 1990. Was selected in the 23rd round of the 2017 draft by the Phillies. Successful quarterback in high school and did not commit fully to baseball until he was in college. First professional experience came in the 2020 Fall Instructional League. Participated in the Fall Performance Program in 2021. Was among the top 20 minor league leaders in strikeouts in 2022. Was set to participate in the 2022 Fall Performance Program that was canceled due to Hurricane Ian. Was among the most impressive pitchers in minor league camp in 2023 after his stuff took a big step forward over the offseason, showing increased velocity and a new cutter. Summation: Potential back-end starter. Ceiling of a mid-rotation starter. Even that projection might be light as there is a chance he takes another step forward with his stuff in the future. Already took a massive step forward during the 2022-23 offseason adding a cutter and increasing his velocity by a full grade. Now profiles as an athletic left-hander who will show four average-or-better pitches and a solid command and control profile. Strong pitchability and pitch utility. Can show hitters four unique pitches in distinct velocity bands that move in different directions. Changeup is a major league-quality out pitch and gives him a weapon against right-handed hitters. Cutter and curveball both are effective also and will flash bat-missing ability. Fastball is very effective at generating weak contact.

Yeah, neither pitch was over 85 mph. It was slop. He was right to pull it and do some heavy lifting. However, per Statcast, he has a Run Value of +5 vs 4 Seamers (480 SLG, 13.7 Whiff).

You do understand how a tiny vial and plastic cup a DR is working with is not the same as a 23 game sample from an MLB season, right? It's not analogous in any way.

I would never.

It's a game where you get out 6 to 7 times out of 10 when you step to the plate, so yeah...

BTV accepted: Devers Xander Machado Cronenworth Snell

Dice-K was good for 2 years. His arm was gone after then. There have been lots of good players to come from over there. The talent level doesn't have the disparity that there once was especially when we are talking about velo.

Good thing his 2 HR's yesterday still counted and aren't imaginary as some posters are seemingly suggesting today.

Devers is having his best defensive season since 2019 when he had 17 OAA. 1 DRS 7.7 UZR/150 2 OAA https://twitter.com/tylermilliken_/status/1650506438664417288

They sucked last year. Bloom had a weird offseason. They started off bad this season. I can't fault anyone who was has been frustrated so far.

Yikes... Well, my rule has always been not to get too worked up until Memorial Day. Even if I'm saying DFArroyo, I think a guy like him has another month to pull out of it. Overall, I want to see what the Sox look like at the end of May before I freak out either way. Two months should also be a good trial period for Masa to work out a new approach and get over some of the bumps and bruises he'll have early on. The numbers may not be great this first year, but I think there should be some really solid stretches. And if you have to rain on the parade after 2 HR's in one inning, I don't know what to say.

To me, it depends on who is playing in the other positions. Verdugo has had a STRONG season in RF (1 DRS, 2 OAA, 9 UZR/150). If Verdugo is sitting, you are almost forced to play Duran in CF because of how bad his arm is.