Well, it's also that they've lost 5 of 6, they're back to .500, they have about a 10% projected chance of making the playoffs, the rotation is a shambles, stuff like that, too, I think...
Yoshida missed last night's game with forearm soreness.
Hate to say it, but this signing could prove to be a bust.
Yoshida is a good hitter, but he's a pretty expensive DH without elite power, right now projecting at a 2 fWAR season.
And he's not young, and he's been missing games with various aches and pains.
To be brutally objective about it, the only one who looks 100% legit right now is Bello.
The others have shown flashes and that's it. Even Wink has been struggling lately. His FIP stands at 4.50 now.
And what happens if we have to remove Whitlock from the win column?
Looks more and more like he should have stayed in the bullpen.
Which means we have one less starter.
Personally, I think any strategy is questionable that puts this kind of product on the field in Bloom's 3rd and 4th seasons.
Maybe next year will be awesome, but every year should be important. 2020 didn't bother me, but 2023 bothers me, because it's two years in a row that they really weren't a playoff-caliber team. This makes tanking look good.
One thing that people tend to overlook about Sale's extension, though, is that in 2019 he pitched 147.1 innings and struck out 218 batters. He had a 3.39 FIP, a 1.09 WHIP and a 5.89 K/BB.
(Cue the inevitable "Yeah, but you knew it was only a matter of time before..." )
Yeah, it will always be a mystery. I don't understand how they could have conducted a thorough medical on Sale and pronounced him good to go. And yet he did pitch in 2019 and very well at times.
moonslav's theory that DD assumed Sale would need TJ surgery during the contract but was still worth it for 4 years and 145 mill (128 mill for tax purposes) does make some sense.
Well of course, there's that well-worn sports cliche about "playing to the level of the competition". And it's not really a positive trait of a team. And the 2023 Sox seem to be giving it validation...
Well of course, there's that well-worn sports cliche about "playing to the level of the competition". The 2023 Sox seem to be giving it some validation...