moonslav59

On our catchers and how well pitchers do with them. 1. This pitching staff has so many new to the team pitchers, that no Sox catcher had any history with them, before this year. 2. McGuire joined the team in August and Wong did not see much action in the majors prior to this year, soe evn the returning pitchers had very little history with these two catchers. (Some may have seen Wong in the minors, here and there.) 3. McGuire has been getting criticism for how badly many pitchers are doing with him, and perhaps some or all of it is well-founded, but some aspects of the balance of who catches who comes into play. McGuire has not caught Houck or Whitlock, at all, and they were two of our best ERA pitchers over the last two years. I don't see people comparing their 2021-2022 numbers vs their 2023 numbers with Wong. Wong has hardly caught Kluber, at all. Is that why Kluber has sucked, or has not catching Kluber helped pad his CERA numbers? 4. There is likely a different learning curve with each pitcher and catcher. Maybe most pitchers have already decided who they want as their binky, and that may never change. My guess is most prefer Wong, and who can blame them? When comparing how each pitcher does with Wong vs McGuire, Wong has a big advantage, but most sample sizes are small and or highly unbalanced. I've shown those numbers before, but I want to show something else, now: 2022 vs 2023: 2022>2023 (Listed in order of most IP in 2022) Sox>Sox 4.56 > 6.17 Pivetta 6GS w Wong 5.17 (27 IP)/4 GS (16 IP) w McGuire 6.75 3.45 > 6.19 Whitlock All IP w Wong 5.47 > 3.58 Crawford 14 IP w Wong 6.08/ 13 IP w McGuire 1.26 5.89 > 2.15 Winkowski 18 IP w Wong 2.50/ 11 IP w McGuire 1.59 2.22 > 2.12 Schreiber 9IP w Wong 1.93/ 8 IP w McGuire 2.35 5.78 > 7.29 Brasier 3.15 > 4.99 Houck All IP w Wong 4.71 > 4.45 Bello 6.35 > 7.30 Ort (Sale's 2022 sample size was too small to count.) (Paxton did not pitch in 2022.) Other > Sox 4.34 > 6.26 Kluber 8 GS McGuire (37 IP)/ 1 (5 IP) Wong (Unbalanced) 3.55 > 5.85 Bleier 3.38 > 3.95 Jansen 3.05 > 1.38 Martin 3.86 > 3.65 Bernardino

It's not just weaker teams, it's almost all non ALE teams with the Sox, at least when looking at what happened in 2022. There is nothing that says history will repeat itself, but the Sox struggled with their own division, last year but did very well vs non ALE teams. Playing more non ALE teams, could, in theory, help the Sox more than other ALE teams. 2022 Records: vs ALE 47-29 NYY 43-33 TOR 40-36 TBR 34-42 BAL 26-50 BOS vs Non ALE Teams 52-34 BOS 52-34 NYY 49-37 TOR 49-37 BAL 46-40 TBR I'm not sure, if there has ever been such a wide discrepancy like this in MLB history.

He did sign it. The $5.3M x 3 is what the cost was above the Kluber $10M/1 deal. That was my point about the long term risk of his deal. It was only $16M more but 3 more years than Kluber, which amounts to the difference of $5.3M x 3. Also, to me $26M/4 looked better than nate's $34M/2 deal.

Something about the Heat. It's not the first time they have beaten much higher seeds. Jimmy Butler is ruining my position about the non-existence of "clutch players."

Sorry for implying you were down on McGuire. It's funny how early in Wong's minor league career, there was talk he might not stick as a catcher, due to his defense, and McGuire was hyped as a very good defensive catcher.

LeBron still has the fire, but he certainly doesn't need to keep playing for the money. I think he will only comeback, if he thinks the team can win. Maybe, if the lakers can find a way to add another really good player, that would tip the balance. The Nuggets sure look like a championship team. I doubt Jimmy Butler's magic show can top them, but it should be a fun series. And, yes, I'm writing off the Celtics. Is Tatum the next James Harden?

Well said. Houck has stayed as a starter more out of need and the abundance of failures by his competitors, but he took a nice step forward, last night, on earning a slot, on his own. I feel like the slots are being filled- one by one, and it's too bad it has taken nearly a third of the season to fill 4 of the 5 slots, but things are looking up. First, Sale nailed down a slot. Technically, he owns the one slot, but I'm not sure I'd call him an ace, at this point. Paxton seems to have nailed down the 2/3 slot, but it's only been 2 starts. One blow out and this board will be calling for his DFA. Bello seems to have found a groove, espite still walking too many batters to solidify a 2 or 3 slot. Houck is looking like he won the 4 slot, but he still needs to show he can get into the 3rd time through the line-up, a few more times, to claim that slot for the rest of the season. Whitlock has the inside edge on the 5 slot, but he has a lot to prove. It's hard to know how much that injury has affected him, or if he is over it, but my hope is, he can return to near the form he showed in 2021 and 2022. If he does, we have our 5th starter. Kluber will likely be given a shot at the pen, before thoughts of DFA'ing are considered. Pivetta looks like a long man , the rest of the way, and might be the first guy chosen, if a spot start is needed. Crawford and Wink should remain as long men. Mata and Walter have lost their chance for 2023, IMO. Perhaps Drohan could make an appearance, late in the year, if he shows he can handle the higher levels of the minors. A trade could occur to bring us a SP'er.

I doubt he'd make their top 10, anyway.

Also, blocking bad pitches (and minimizing WPs) and building up the confidence & comfort level of the pitcher.

Tough loss. We had some chances. Nice to see Houck break some norms and work towards solidifying the 4 slot. Houck got to 4.99. Finally, a SP'er with 3+ GS'd with an ERA under 5.00. (Sale is at 5.01.)

Me, too. McGuire was known for good D, before. I think he's either going through a tough time, a learning curve or whatever. I'm far from giving up on him, but with Wong doing so well, I'm not seeing the rush to give McGuire a long look, right now.

Almost half the games McGuire has started have been with Kluber on the mound.

Crawford is the only guy with a lot of innings, I know- not a starter- who does better with McGuire, but it's still early. What's not to like about Wong. The kid has done very well. It's okay to like Wong a lot and still think McGuire is fine or will get better.

Meeting at the mound: Cora: “Reese, what kind of stuff does Houck have tonight?” McGuire: “How would I know, I haven’t caught him yet.” or Meeting at the mound: Cora: “Reese, what kind of stuff does Whitlock have tonight?” McGuire: “How would I know, I haven’t caught him yet.” ...Oh wait... that's true!

Refsnyder is pure platoon. Tapia bats lefty, but I'd have started Turner, too. Someone pointed out that he had previous success vs Barria.

We stuck with Brasier for years. I think we'll try Kluber in the pen, for a while, even if he looks good in his next start. Whitlock is going to get more than one start, so this whole, "Let all 6 go one round, and then we'll decide" is likely just something said to keep Kluber's hopes and morale high. If Houck can fill the 4 slot, we've slowly chipped away at filling 4 slots, one at a time. Things could be falling into place, finally. It would be great if the 5th slot is filled by Whitlock in the next couple weeks.

Houck is breaking all his own rules.

Worst Sox ERA seasons since 2003: 5.58 '20 4.83 '06 4.81 '23 4.74 '05 4.72 '12 4.70 '19 4.53 '22 4.49 '03 4.35 '09 4.34 '15 4.27 '21 4.20 '11 4.19 '04 4.19 '10 4.01 '08 4.01 '14 4.00 '16 3.87 '07 3.79 '13 3.75 '18 3.73 '17 SP ONLY 5.54 2023 5.34 2020 5.19 2012 5.00 2006 4.95 2019

I think this will change over time. Probably the worst in a couple decades: 2012 4.82 Lester 33 GS 4.56 Buch 29 4.86 Doub 29 5.23 Beckett 21 5.65 Cook 18 8.28 Dice-K 11 6.22 Bard 10

We haven't played the 7th worst, either- the Cubs. (Neither has any ALE team.) (We are 0-3 vs the 8th worst- STL.)

No, that's why I said "slump."

You think a $5.3M x 3 contract is big risk? You are for DFA'ing about that much in Kluber and Bleier, right now.

13 pitchers is the limit, so no Garza. I think Kluber beats out Bernardino, for a while anyway. See how he does from the pen. I'm assuming you DFA'd Kluber and Bleier.

Yes, Enmanuel Valdez, 2B Boston. I doubt they move him up past 9th or 10th.

So, this has just been a fielding slump by McGuire? Maybe we can get something for Alfaro via trade. (nothing all that great.)