moonslav59

Same with Bogey, Nate, JD and others last year, but you would never say that.

Indeed. I think Fenway helps lefties more than righties, except for "MAYBE" HRs. Pitchers can pitch to RHBs with a certain strategy that does not work for LHBs.

Since we sucked, this year, none of it counts as "highlights," because it was all "garbage time." Plus, it's a "watered down league," so nothing should count.

QS% 2023: 54 Bello 42 Paxton (Gone) (League AVG 34%) 31% Pivetta 30% Sale (can't be counted on) 24% Houck 17% Crawford (the guy you want over Pivetta, because Pivetta can't get enough QSs.) 2022: 40% Nate 39% Wacha 36% Pivetta (36% MLB AVG) 33% Crawford 23% Hill 2021: 41% Nate (31% league avg) 29% ERod 27% Pivetta 18% Perez 18% Richards 0% Houck Nice try.

First of all, needing to go down to 200 IP over the last 3 years combined, just to get a sample size of 150 SP'ers (5 teams x 5 in the rotation,) should tell you something about the state of innings eaters in MLB. Let's see where Pivetta places out of the top 150 SP'ers by IP: 42 GS at 49 (more than most #2 SP'ers) 45 IP at 421 (middle of road 2nd starter amount) 77th fWAR at 4.7 (about like a middle of the road 3rd starter) 90 xFIP at 4.17 (worst 3rd SP'er in MLB- better than all 4th and 5th SP'ers.) 120 in ERA at 4.58 (worst 4th SP) 105 in ERA- at 105 (middle of the road 4th SP) 73 in SIERA at 4.08 (middle 3rd SP) 107 WHIP at 1.32 (middle 4th SP) 67 K-BB% at 16% (near top 3rd SP) I'm not seeing a SP'er not worthy of a rotation slot, until we add 4 SP'ers with Bello. Sure, if Sale is healthy... Sure, if Houck can learn to go more than 4-5 IP.... Sure, if Crawford can prove 2023 was not a fluke and improve on his 4.51 ERA as a SP, including 5.40 over his last 6 starts.... Look, I hate building rotations from the 5 slot, but right now, I think he looks more likely to give us 28 GS, 160+ IP and an ERA around .425 or better than anyone else on the team, other than Bello. He's really our #2, right now. I'd like to make him share the number 5 slot with Sale, and I get grief.

As a SP'er, Pivetta has proven he can go longer than Houck, Whitlock and Crawford. He also has had some very long stretches of doing well as a SP'er, unlike most of those other 3 listed. Would I rather have a better SP'er as our #5 than Pivetta, yes! But, I'm already getting "that will never happen," when I say we need 3 SP'ers. With no Pivetta, we'd need 4! (BTW, I technically want Sale/Pivetta as the #5, and Bello as the #3, with 3 added SP'ers.)

But many LHB's thrive in Fenway due to the huge RF and RF/CF areas that allow for more base hits, and when they go the other way, they get more 2Bs due to the wall. We have a long history of LHBs doing very well in Fenway. Just not many with HRs, unless they go to LF, a lot or hit around the pesky pole.

Red slams us for trying to psychoanalyze players.

Yes, a total bloop his by Posada to bring in the 4th and 5th runs to tie the game. Scroll to 9:30 of this video, then get back to me...

He has played some 1B, and could be that RHB we may need. With Duvall, I would think we would have to trade a LHB OF'er (Duran or Verdugo.) We DFA (or trade) Dalbec and let JT walk. If Rafaela makes the opening day roster, I could see us trading Refsnyder, despite his nice splits and our need for hitting vs LHPs. With Yoshida at DH and back-up LF, we can't have too many OF'er on the 26.

We disagree, a lot, but I have always respected you and your opinions. Well said.

Yes, that is an issue. If both Rafaela and Abreu don't work out, we'll need to add a platoon bat for Ref at minimum and 1 or two more OF'ers, unless... We move Yoshi back to LF Anthony is ML ready Rosier surprises (or someone else) On this front, trading Dugo makes more sense. It's widely believed Duran would bring back a better return, due to his years of control, speed and upside potential. I think most of us think we will need a major trade to go along with some key signings, but nobody agree on who that might be. If you look at our roster and system, to me, it seems like the OF is the deepest.

There were certainly reasons to pull Pedro, but to me it was Pedro freaking Martinez, and we lost on a bloop hit. I know all the talk on Pedro thinking his day was over. I get it. We'll never know what might have happened had they yanked Pedro. We know what happened leaving him in.

I get the sneaky feeling they feel they can come up with 4 decent starters from what we roll over. We've beaten this to death, but jerking RP'ers into the rotation and then back and forth doesn't seem like a winning plan. I think we will decide to keep Whitlock in the pen, so that might work out well. (It did for Wink.) Bello is a lock for one slot. My guess is Pivetta is for another. Signing one makes it 3. That means we would need 2 from these guys: Sale Houck Crawford (Murphy, Walter, Gambrell, Wikelman, Mata, Drohan) Personally, I'd keep Houck and Crawford in the pen and have a viable option as back-up to Sale, so we don't have to slide Houck or Crawford back to the rotation. I'm not downplaying the talent of Houck and Crawford. I like both, a lot, but they seem like great pen arms and questionable starters.

I'm sure he loves the tax brackets in CA.

My point was none look like we should be trading them. We are likely to lose Turner and have 3 candidates on the 26, already, to take his place. I don't want to jettison any of the 3- just make one the next DH.

Yes, but Kluber was maybe worse, in that area.

It seems a year ago, everyone and their uncle would have rushed at the chance of getting anything of value for Duran. Now, some think he's borderline untouchable. I do think we should see what we can get for Dugo or Duran but not both. I'm not for handing anyone away.

Probably not much will happen until this question is answered.

I think the talk is about moving a current poor defender to FT DH or near FT DH, not jettisoning one or more. My choice is Yoshida at DH FT with Casas playing there on his off days. That will give Casas some "rest" without losing his bat in the line-up. Others suggest Casas to DH and Devers to 1B, which I think might happen, someday, but I would not do it in 2024. Other Sox players who are poor defenders might fit the bill, but their bats or profiles don't quite fit the DH profile. EValdez (LHB) & Refsnyder (RHB) but who wants to use two roster spots for marginal platoon bats? Duran (LHB) Seems to have a chance to become a decent LF'er.

I hope so, too. They might leave one slot open for Rafaela or Abreu, and allow the other to try and oust Refsnyder from his back-up/platoon role.

Thanks. You, too. Let's hope it is an eventful one with lots of encouraging events.

Many fans are about as fed up as can be. I'm not sure, if that is enough to light a fire under the current team ownership and management group, but a fire is likely what we need to seriously compete in 2024. We'll be talking Rule 5, options and arbs, trades and signings before we know it. Most of us agree our top need is the rotation, and not just one top starter, but two or three. LH'd relief has been mentioned as has a big RH'd bat. Improving the D has been a topic, too. The budget is a big question mark, again. Here is what I think the foundation will be for 2024. I'm leaving 4 slots for additions via free agency or by trade: SP1 _____ SP2 _____ SP3 Bello SP4 Sale (Houck or Crawford) SP5 Pivetta Closer Jansen RP2 Martin RP3 Houck RP4 Crawford RP5 Whitlock RP6 Winckowski RP7 Schreiber RP8 ______ (LHP) C Wong & McGuire 1B Casas 2B Reyes & Urias 3B Devers SS Story LF Duran & Refsnyder CF ______ (RHB) Rafaela or Abreu RF Verdugo DH Yoshida 40 Man Roster on the Farm C S Scott (Rule 5) 2B/DH EValdez SS DHam OF RaFaela or Abreu SP Wikelman (Rule 5), Gambrell (Rule 5), Perales (Rule 5), Drohan (Rule 5) P Murphy, Walter, Mata, RP Bernardino, Kelly, Robertson Gone from 40: 1B/RF Dalbec RP Joely, Mills, Garza, Jacques, Llovera, Weiss, Gillaspie I like the foundation. I know others don't. I know other teams have better and deeper foundations, as of now, but things can change over a winter. I'm hopeful about 2024, but we will need to see some major additions for me to be optimistic about our chances. Let's see what the new GM brings to the equation.

I'm eternally grateful for the last two decades. I'll take all the bumps and potholes. 4 rings is about 3-4 more than I ever imagined.

The option is not player friendly. Bloom waited until the last minute several times. He should have, here.