moonslav59

We aren't basing our defensive projections on any ST'ing games. These guys have been around a while.

I'll bet he will be a plus in RF for Boston, this year. The large RF will allow him to make more plays, and he's a plus already, IMO. He might be average in CF, but if Renfroe is in RF, he may make more plays.

I'm well aware of these numbers and have argued the Bogey is a bottom tier SS on defense. One can argue he is one of the worst FT SS's on defense since Jeter. I do believe that Devers has the skills to be a plus, and he showed signs of that in 2019. He could also continue being a minus. https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=3b&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=y&type=1&season=2019&month=0&season1=2019&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=&enddate=

Nice memories.

Dalbec could end up being a plus on defense. Verdugo is a plus in RF- I'm not sure about CF. Renfroe is okay in LF, and Devers could be a plus, this year at 3B, but it's hard to count on that. Many feel Vaz is a plus, and he probably is, if you don't count how much he gets out of the staff. Bogey and Arroyo are not pluses. EHern shows minus at 2B and plus in CF with the metrics, but Cora thinks he's great at 2B. Cordero is a wild card. He has all the tools, but has yet to have a long enough look to see what he can do. If Chavis is playing, it's a minus. There is a chance our defense could be better than expected, but expectations are very low.

Good one!

Tiny Sample Sizes Sox ST OPS after today's game: 2.144 Kiki 1.462 Chavis 1.418 Munoz 1.333 Downs 1.167 Vedugo .801 Renfroe .700 Gonzalez .647 Devers .500 Vazquez .500 Arroyo

Didn’t Cora say he wanted to focus on defense. That might have meant in terms of drills and practice - not roster construction, which is more on the GM?

He's the kind of "gem" Bloom often found with the Rays.

I'd prefer EHern in CF and Arryo-Chavis-Marwin at 2B, but Cordero in CF fixes the LF and RF issues. He also may not be as bad as you make him out to be. He has a small sample size and the top skills needed to be a plus CF'er.

...and people bashed Sox management for extending Sale, Eovaldi and Pearce. Damned if you do-damned if you don't. MLB GMs can never escape bashing.

When you say "below average hitter," what are you thinking average is? Average MLB player, starter, center fielder? He's close to average, but I think JBJ was a plus hitter. Yes, he had horrific streaks and some amazing hot streaks. He had some "off years," which were actually very close to "average" among his peers. The guy was a plus hitter, but those frustrating and long slumps burned themselves into many a memory bank. It's fine calling him "average," but I view him as being above average. If you cut him some slack and not count his first 520 PAs, or so, his OPS from 2015-2020 (6 years) was .769 (101 OPS+). That ranks him 22nd among 59 CF'ers from 2015-2020 with 1,000+ PAs. That's close to being top third. His wRC+ was 102 for those 6 years. That ranked him 25th out of top 59 OF'ers in CF.

1. We didn't lose the whole OF overnight. It took two seasons. 2. We often lost 4-5 star players within a 1-2 year span, and we often lost much more over a 3 year span (sometimes near total roster make-over in 3-4 years). 3. I remember the "holy crap- a brand new rotation," which was followed up by a ring not long afterwards. My point was that our teams have been in near constant flux for two decades and with fantastic success. I felt you were saying this turnover is something new and not good.

True, but there are time when doctors present two or more options for treatment, and the player often chooses the one that does not involve surgery. I don't blame the player, but the results often end up where the players gets the surgery, later, anyway.

Exactly. Why even try? Plus, why even wait. The sooner he has it done, the sooner he's back.

Maybe, like many other pitchers, his other pitches improved greatly and he would have always been a better pitcher than a thrower. It's always hard to know anything like this, for sure, but your point is well taken.

He did have higher K rates in years afterwards and one season with a higher ERA+. It's hard to judge how much better he was in the sample size you speak of, because ut was rather small, and it was before batters had a chance to learn how to hit him.

True. It's actually more than a third better.

Apparently, he did it to "challenge himself."

He should just go under the knife, now. Mark my words.

Santana had a fantastic 2019 season, so I assumed you felt he might be in the running. He may very well get a chance in 2021, if he does well for a few weeks or months.

He'd have to be added to the 40 man roster. I'm not saying I'm in love with our #40 or even 39, 38 or 37, but I think Chavis is ahead of Santana. Arauz might be, too. Munoz and Santana are later in the season options.

That pretty much slots Arroyo into the three. The choice comes down to do we go with 4 (13 pitchers) or just 3 (14 pitchers). Chavis will get a chance at some point, but I feel a need to get his chance to shine over and done with as soon as possible. If he continues to rake in ST'ing, and never ends up getting a long look, there will always be those lingering "what ifs?" I've been rather down on Chavis from the start, but I have not given up on him. He has true power. He deserves at least one more long look. When, is the question, to me. If everyone is healthy, this might be my starting 9 and bench of 4: C Vaz 1B Dalbec 2B Chavis 3B Devers SS Bogey LF Cordero-Renfroe platoon CF EHern RF Verdugo DH Martinez Bench: Plawecki, Gonzalez, Arroyo, Renfroe or Cordero

First, the April schedule is not like "the old days." Yes, we have the day off after opening day and then another a week later, but that is followed by 16 straight days with games, assuming no rainouts. I don't see the need for 14 pitchers, even with a pretty full schedule, but I guess they may want to start pitchers off very slowly. Second, Munoz and Santana are not even on the 40 man roster, so unless we add them, they will not be chosen. If anyone is place on the 60 day IL, God forbid, then maybe. So, your nine plus 3-4. Gonzalez has to be one. If Cordero is ready to play, he's a clear #2. That leaves 1-2 slots (I hope 2.) My guess is Arroyo has the inside track, as of now. He can play SS, 2B and 3B, and Chavis cannot. Arauz can, too, and he's off to a nice start, but I think Arroyo is #3. To me, Chavis needs to get a long look, so we can decide his future with the Sox. I get the excitement and hype over Duran, but I've thought all along that he could use a little more time in the minors, but since AAA does not start until May, I'd hate to think he's not playing. #4 is a tough call. I think it's all about Cordero. If he looks like he can play everyday, that would squeeze Duran out of playing time, and I like Chavis as a PH'er and back up 1B, 3B and 2Bman- maybe even LF. I'd start Duran, Munoz, Santana and Arauz in AAA and go with 13 pitchers. (Sale on 60 day IL) SP1 ERod SP2 Eovaldi SP3 Richards SP4 Pivetta SP5 Perez (Houck starts in AAA) RP1A Ottavino RP1B Barnes RP3 D Hern RP4 Brasier RP5 Sawamura RP6 Andriese (spot starter) RP7 Brice (out of options) RP8 Whitlock (Rule 5) (Taylor & Valdez in AAA)

Why not? His rehab is going to advance to throwing hard at some point.