lospunchados

Thank-you for posting this. Shields is a legitimate front of the rotation starter with the numbers to back it up.

Are you saying at the beginning of 2013 we had a legitimate rotation 1-2-3?

Really that's what you need. You try to get what you can in the offseason, and they did pretty well landing Sandoval and Hanley. They got three decent pitchers who all have either expiring contracts or good cost control contracts and didn't give up too much in players or prospects. If they remain competitive there will be players to be traded for mid season to make a good playoff push and hopefully a good playoff run.

They all peaked around when most ball players who are healthy do. Encarnacion, Bautista, and Ortiz have similar paths and numbers and all hit power peaks at the same time. There Slugging chart by age is even closer.

Though not saying any of these pitchers are great, but they are all ok. Santana on fangraphs , is actually projected to have a worse era next season than all three of the pitchers we acquired. His problem is he really inconsistent.Since 2009 he had two years over a 5.00 era, two at around 4, and two very good years at around 3.30. He is like a better version of Masterson but with a longer commitment. Masterson in the same time frame has had two years at 3.30. Masterson each year has had FIP and XFIP era's lower than his actual era and Santana has been the opposite. With health and better defense Masterson should put up Santana numbers next year.

Exactly. And who did they beat in the playoffs? A team that has two #1 starters and former #1 starter. The goal is to get to the playoffs and hope you get good performances from your guys for October. Having a number 1 guy doesn't do anything. How did having a number 1 pan out for the Dodgers? . KC and Baltimore both did fine with a #2 at best and #3's and 4's, with a lights out bullpen. Many different ways to win. I'm not saying these are the best moves ever, but, I think they aren't nearly as bad as everyone thinks. Tons of people complained about the moves made in 2013 and it worked out. You never know. It gives the team flexibility for next year, when there are more top caliber pitchers available, and if needed, to make a trade mid season for a "number 1".

That not true necessarily. He signed a contract for less last time. He was scheduled to make 11 million this year but had a stipulation in his contract that if he missed less then 20 days due to his Achilles injury. I think he would sign for 15 million right now. On January 29th in an interview with weei Ortiz said he wanted a one year extension, that's it. He has also said that after that (in 2016) he would see if he felt he could still play the game or retire.

Yeah he really under performed in 2012, 3.38 era, 153 k's and 1.20 whip.

That's a great move as a teammate. He has always been a classy guy and it seems crazy to leave that much money on the table but i respect what he is doing a lot.

FOr JBJ i was talking about his minor league stats (.383 obp vs. lefties). I didn't make up an argument, you said that Nava can't hit lefties,I was saying you are right, but he actually hit lefties better than a number of players on the team. Nava is a below average right fielder but as I said i think they hop he will only play there sparingly. Manny only had one season for the redsox above -20 in leftfield ( and i know manny was a way better hitter than nava ) . If you believe he can't that's fine but who do you want to get rid of then, and who do you want to add?

But it's the best available stat. He doesn't pass the eye test either, or the scouting report. Let's not kid ourselves, he's not adequate to play any games in RF, specially at Fenway. Notice how also most of the talk has been about getting a guy who can hit lefties well. That's because Nava can't hit lefties, Carp can't hit lefties, and JBJ is likely to have his share of struggles against them. Bradley had a higher obp against lefties than righties last year. We should be about as good against lefties this year as last year. It's hillarious that we need a back up outfielder to hit against lefties. Nava had a higher average than gomes against lefties last year ( it wasn't good bt it was higher) though gomes had a slightly higher obp. We will be vastly improved against lefties simply if JBJ doesn't fall on his face against lefties as we lost Drew and salty who against lefties hit - Salty .218 avg .309 obp Drew .196 avg .246 obp A.J had a higher had a higher obp and average against lefties and Xander has killed lefties his whole career. Yes Nava is a below average right fielder but he improved a lot from two years ago and I do think he passes the sight test as a competent back up for short periods of time. As it has been stated he played 50 games in right last year and managed fine. If they didn't think he did a good enough of a job as a fill in they would have signed Rajai Davis. If he can't do the job they won't let him ( remember Mirabelli getting a police escort in because people couldn't catch Wakefield). I am all for getting depth but as i stated part of our depth is the 40 man roster and signing someone else means dropping someone off there and probably getting rid of Carp on the ML roster.

Defensive WAR is far from perfect and isn't the end all be all. Nava is not a great defender, but is he adequate enough to play 15-25 games in right if needed, i think so. And if not then Hassan and Brentz have played right. Victorino can shift to center for a while. Is it worth getting a below average hitter and forcing them onto the roster in case something goes wrong? How many teams right now would have enough depth to replace to above average defenders at a field like Fenway?

The back up plan is nava in right, victorino in center. If there is a need for a long period of time to replace someone and they are really concerned with the defense the can try Brentz or Hassan. I understand everyone wanting depth but that is depth. The redsox have a 40 man with a lot of talent and getting someone to come in would require someone accepting to not be on the 40 man roster and just be in the minors waiting for some failure or an injury, then releasing someone on the 40 man to bring them up. Maybe Brentz or Hassan can fill in if something goes wrong. It's so terrible that our biggest lineup problem is if Victorino gets injured or bradley sucks we have a below average defensive right fielder.

It's pretty simple, Ben believes in JBJ. If he thought he really needed a platoon he would have signed Rajai Davis who signed a very reasonable 2 years 10 million dollars contract to platoon in Detroit. He wants JBJ to get at bats at the major league level and to see if he can hit major league pitching. Last season he had a higher on base percentage against lefties than right handers so the redsox probably want to see how well that can carry over before making him a complete platoon player.

I don't understand why so many people think JBJ will never hit major league pitching.He has about the same line as Pedroia had on his first call up Avg. OBP SLG Pedroia .191 .258 .303 Bradley .189 .280 .337 For Pedroia that was 98 plate appearances and JBJ it was 107. They both were 23 at there call-up and Pedroia also came up the next year and didn't find his way till after the first month and a bit. I'm not saying he will be a star but it is way to early say he will never hit MLB pitching. The only real concern for Bradley is he has a very high strikeout percentage (especially for a guy with moderate power potential/projection) which he needs to come down.