moonslav59

I'm not hearing the board saying they don't want the extra year. I hear one guy saying maybe it's not worth as much as some of us think it is.

Here is a look at some AL contender's line-up balance and make-up based on batters with 100 or more PAs. Batters over .900+, 800-899, 700-799, 600-699, 500-599, under 500 11 BOS 2-2-2-3-2-0 12 TBR 0-3-2-5-2-0 11 NYY 1-1-4-5-0-0 10 CWS 0-5-3-1-1-0 11 OAK 1-2-1-5-1-0 10 HOU 1-6-1-1-1-0 We have the most over .900 (2), but HOU (7) and CWS (5) have more than our 4 over .800. How about pitchers with 90+ PAs against and OPS Against: 11 BOS: 1-1-3-4-1-1 11 TBR: 0-3-4-4-0-0 11 NYY: 0-5-4-2-0-0 11 CWS: 0-5-3-1-2-0 11 OAK: 1-2-4-2-2-0 11 HOU: 0-2-7-2-0-0

April and May Sox OPS April >> May 1.175 JD .801 .958 Devers .933 .915 Bogey .961 .862 Verdugo .755 .763 Arroyo .513 .671 Kike .728 .638 Vaz .678 .619 Dalbec .672 .589 Marwin .537 .485 Renfroe .938 .452 Cordero .558 Is there anything about the April and May numbers that point to the idea that what you did recently is a good indicator of what you will do in the future? (Like from one month to the next? Only one player stayed within 25 points of his April OPS (Devers) and only 2 players stayed within 40 points (Devers & Vaz). 6 of the 11 stayed within 100 points-so basically 50-50. 3 of the 11 saw a change or 250 or more points: Renfroe+453 Arroyo +250 JD -.374

Yes, fix it by enforcing the rules.

I get the point but 2 Hrs per 9 games is 36 per 162. That's a mind full.

It baffles my mind how they never address the real and very simple problem: too much time between pitches. Fix that and not much else needs fixin'.

2 Hrs in 9 road games is pretty good, too.

I like the 3 years of control for Floro, but I think they'd want more than Chavis.

The all star game has always sucked, so trying something different may not have been a bad idea. I love interleague play and wish there would be more. I also think there should be a massive realignment of the divisions based on geography- something like this: 5 divisions TOR BOS NYY NYM PHI BAL WSH ATL TBR MIA HOU TEX PIT DET CIN CLE CWS CCubs MN MIL STL KC COL AZ SEA OAK SFG LAD LAA SDP 6 divisions BOS NYY NYM BAL WSH ATL TBR MIA HOU TEX TOR PHI PIT CLE CIN DET MN MIL CWS CC STL KC COL AZ SDP SEA OAK SFG LAD LAA Add 2 team and go with 8 x 4: TOR BOS NYY NYM PHI PIT BAL WAS NC ATL TBR MIA HOU TEX STL KC DET CLE CIN IN CWS CC MN MIL COL AZ SEA OAK SFG LAD LAA SDP

I'm not so sure. Had keeping him at 2B speeded up his arrival to the bigs by a year, the timing would be just about perfect.

You don't have to go to arb with a player. I think a player who's value is greater as an arb player than a FA is usually let go or traded for peanuts, and it's a very rare thing, too. Look at the JBJ case. Many felt giving him that last arb was overpaying him, myself included, but who knows what he'd have gotten as a FA, especially if it was a 1 year deal. I think we were mostly all surprised at what he got as a FA a year older than his last arb year, here.

Maybe Sox brass thought this would be a useful season to give several players a very long look to better determine who is a keeper and who is not. Dalbec Chavis Cordero Arroyo/Arauz/Munoz Winning more games than expected out of the gate has made finding playing time for some of these guys much more difficult. Only Arroyo has increased his value, and although Arauz has not lessened his, the rest seem to have. If we keep winning, we may not allow enough ML playing time for some of these guys. I can't see Chavis and Dalbec on the 40 by opening day 2022. Perhaps both are gone. I think Cordero, Arroyo and Arauz will be, if they are not traded. It's still early to know for sure.

Maybe. I guess they moved him for aa reason.

No doubt, but a 30 to 31 year old good player has higher team value in an arb year than as a FA. Look what people pay 30 and older players as free agents. Surely, if Duran ends up being a very good player, having him another year would be a good thing. Maybe valuable enough to tip the balance of the choice made on when to call up.

I get where you are coming from, and we've touched on this a couple times already. I don't see stating my differing opinions as bashing Cora (or Bloom). Yes, it is calling into question certain issues, but I think I do it in a constructive way. Some of my suggestions and comments end up happening shortly afterwards, so I don't think some of my ideas are all that different than Cora's- like trying Arroyo at lead-off. I'm thrilled we have Cora and Bloom as our leaders. They are the best, in my opinion. I knw I am walking a thin line, when I criticize other posters for being so negative, as one could view many of my comments as negative or critical. To me, this board is about expressing your opinions. I don't think having a different opinion diminishes my view on Sox management. I'm not sure if you agree with everything or not, since you don't "question" him/them. You don't have to be specific, but do you agree with everything Cora does? (Past managers, too?) I still think, when all is said and done, Cora will be viewed as the greatest Sox manager of all time. No disrespect to Tito. He was a great one, too, but Cora is my guy. No manager is perfect, and they'd admit that, too.

Too many people believe what you've done in your last 50-100 PAs is the best predictor of what is to come. Sure, it matters, but context is needed in big decisions like this. Duran is learning a new position. He changed his batting approach very recently. Either one of these alone could be reason enough not to promote a 24 year old prospect. If the choice is close, the extra arb year might have been the deciding factor. Now, that that is gone, we'll see how long it takes. I still view Chavis, Wilson, a pitcher and maybe even another look at Cordero as possible moves we make before calling up Duran. I doubt Casas is even being talked about, in terms of a mid summer promotion. Again, I'm not against calling Duran up. The day it happens, I'll be excited as anyone here. It will mean he's likely as ready as he should be.

It still matters enough. It's not like most good players suck at 30 or 31.

I totally agree, and that's why I once called him the greatest Sox manager of all time.

The Astros only look great against us. Their pen is a serious weakness. They are surely a very good team, but they are mortal- like us and every AL contender.

I agree. I must have had him as part of a BTV trade dozens of times. I still think he should be called up, but maybe they are afraid that might hurt his trade value. I could see us trading Chavis and Groome for a better pitcher than Groome- hopefully with several years of team control. I guess he could also be traded for a salary dump-type player.

Singing to the choir. It was nice seeing Kike get on base 3 times and Arroyo get 3 rbi from the end of the line-up, so it's hard to complain, tonight.

Yup!

He had quite a run.

Allis well. The Twins have announced they will face Chapman in the next 98 games!

Chapman finally met his match. 4 runs allowed in the bottom of the 9th, including 2 dingers.