sk7326

Williamson had settled in as the closer at this point too

It was a terrific season. Farrell did fine - considering the Sox game plan was built around their top 2 starters at least being durable - not a lot you can do. It's a good experience for the kids. I am bummed though - only natural.

I did not have the time to read the full original post - but if you want to break down some of the activities of the offseason which are - if not realistic at least plausible. 1. Get some stability at 3B. I am not actually sure we should bail on Shaw - or for that matter Sandoval. If either of them are the team's 8th best position player, that is not shabby at all. Perhaps see if you can bring Aaron Hill back on short money as a right handed caddy (I am of course assuming this past year was a fluke as midseason trades often are). Either way, whether you are a believer in Moncada or Devers - this is not a position which will get a huge FA commitment 2. DH - Encarnacion will require a big commitment, although his power is pretty special. But if they wanted to go after a more "pretty good" sort of alternative like say Carlos Beltran, it would make sense as well. Another option could be Ian Desmond. Desmond's ability to fake multiple positions can be useful here as well. 3. Getting relievers with stuff is always an idea. 4. The Sox have prospects - the Sox have young big league studs. I do not expect the Sox to land a stud starter via trade (because that is not the sort of thing you should expect anyway). But there are packages which could work for a really good starter - and we know Dombrowski has the license to go there.

You can probably describe a lot of three outcome hitters that way (and yes, I know Bradley does not have Mike Napoli power). The fact is a .317 OBP with good defense is a reasonable starter - not a great one, but a perfectly acceptable one. Have that plus 30 games where he is much more than that and that is what Bradley is - a darn good CF.

And as noted before, with Grady it was the 2nd TIME THAT POSTSEASON he tried to ride Pedro much too far.

You can never blame a loss on a manager - since Ubaldo could have gotten him out. But this was a one game season - and instead of managing to get him a save, you need to take the best reliever in the league (if you believe he is) and deploy him to keep the game going. Nobody would have blamed him for burning Britton for the 9th and 10th and then seeing what happens. This was not an ordinary time. Showalter's decision uncontroversially lowered their probability of escaping that situation. In terms of doing his job, Showalter blew it.

Given how high his hands are to begin with it sometimes feels like it takes him a bit to load ... it's nothing that just sticking with it cannot fix some - but obviously time is not on our side here.

They won 89 games and were not eliminated until the final weekend in a season where Ellsbury, Pedroia and Yook (the latter only two of the ten best offensive players in the league at that point) all had season ending injuries. They played 53 players and had to give important at-bats to Darnell McDonald, Daniel Nava and Bill Hall. Adrian Beltre was damn near MVP but the team was the walking wounded all season.

i suspect his acknowledging him made that $500 guy's day

This team did not build its run total up just feasting on 4s and 5s. They have hit good pitching too this year. I wish we had won Game 1, but I am not worried. (or any more worried than any short series would make me)

I am always amused that he could "lose the clubhouse" the year after his best managing job. I think things might have run their course anyway - but he is the best manager in the league, given what the job description is (to me) in 2016.

Like when he sat on his hands and never brought Keith Foulke in before the 9th inning during that postseason. Or how he never brought Papelbon in for 6 out saves.

The story of the game was Porcello not being sharp at all - even early when he struck the side out, he was leaving everything high. Cleveland made him pay. Francona saw a chance to steal a game he was not expecting and he maneuvered the bullpen accordingly. He pulled Bauer before the Sox big bats could get a third look at him, used his best reliever in a vulnerable part of the game (as opposed to a garden variety "middle reliever") and called on his closer for a 5 out save. He is betting on Kluber to hold up his end of the deal. Quietly ironic the Red Sox development people who saved Miller's career helped create this monster. For the Sox, it's one game closer to elimination - but really no big worries - just have to get it done.

It makes things urgent. I think last night once Porcello spit the bit, Guardians saw a chance to steal a game and they did. If Boston wins tonight (totally reasonable possibility) - series is tied and can close out at Fenway. Things always change very quickly and dramatically.

He did - but he is also placing a very large bet on Kluber (I don't blame him - if you are going to wager, do it on your ace). Using Miller and Allen for stretches which limit their availability tonight. Also a quiet hat tip to Pomeranz who allowed Farrell to keep the pen on schedule ... you could see right away Porcello was in trouble - strikeouts yes, but everything was high in the zone

Last night was frankly pretty good tactical work across the board - really Porcello stunk and that was the extent of it. Francona clearly managed that game like a man betting on his ace in Game 2. We'll see if it works. He pulled Bauer before the Sox big bats got that crucial third look at him - and used his best reliever to get through the most vulnerable stretch of the game.

the fans made him do it

color guys are fine - Darling in particular. EJ is better in his spot as the world's best studio host

everything high in the zone so far - Porcello getting some swing and miss, but the location not sharp at all

i meant to type everything I don't expect WAR's precision to be so great that say a 1-win difference is definitive proof of a better season - but a 2 or 3 win difference gets you more in that direction. Trout and Betts stand alone in bWAR. (though Trout ran away with fangraphs version - basically the defensive measurement is the differential)

It's not whether he starts - but whether they use him as a matchup lefty or a "2012 Lincecum" 6-out option

Because WAR does not capture anything and a difference of 1 win can be explained away - but it captures a lot.

No real issues here - Hernandez vs Merrero is a matter of taste and Hernandez can at least MAYBE be useful with the bat. Barnes over Hembree I also have no real issue with - although Hembree's outstanding numbers against righties made him more interesting to me in this sort of setting. The real question will be how they plan on using Pomeranz - keep him for long relief/mop up (like they did with Dempster in 2013) or deploy him more meaningfully.

My guess is they look for a reliable right handed corner sort so they have some ways to build a good jobshare at 3B. Could be as simple as keeping Aaron Hill, who probably would be better with a bit more run. Or go for somebody like a Luis Valbuena. Between him and Sandoval (or Shaw), you could assemble a very effective 3B.

The comeback from 2-0 down in 2003 against Oakland including SURVIVING Grady's first attempt to do that thing he did in that game against that team in the next series deciding game ... and there was always something wobbly about watching Derek Lowe try to get a save like that