Maybe that was part of the decision, but Pivetta has way more experience than Houck, and it seems like the perfect time for him to prove he belongs in a rotation.
He’s always been promising but has yet to deliver. 2021 is the year of finding out for many Sox players.
I think once his clock is set, he’ll be called up, if needed. If we are way out of it, and they think being in AAA will help him develop more than being in MLB, maybe he’ll stay down longer than the clock indicates.
Why is it only worth messing with “the clock” with upper echelon players?
I get how it matters more, but getting one more year of cheap control from just decent players is worth something.
That would be fantastic! Much shorter than I expected, but 82 wins for a team spending right up to the line could still be viewed as being in the “cliff” window.
(Hard not to use the word when others do.)
1.what criteria are we using?
I’d say maybe average out WAR, OPS against, xFIP and maybe ERA+
2. Certainly #21-24 is highly possible, maybe even likely, but I look at other teams pens and see a lot the are worse than ours- on paper and assuming decent health. Even with a starter down all year long, we may be able to use Houck or Pivetta in the pen.
3. I’ll project #13-19.
This shows the change in the pen from 2020’s IP totals from those not here anymore or expected not to pitch much and those expected to pitch a lot in 2021:
Returning in 2021 & expected to pitch a lot:
25 Brasier
23 Barnes
20 Brice
8 DHern
7 Taylor
(30 Valdez)
(26 Brewer)
Added:
Ottavino
Andries
Sawamura
Houck or Pivetta
Seabold & others
Gone
43 Weber
30 mazza
29 godley
20 Springs
16 osich
14 Covey&Kickham
13 Stock&Walden
11 Hart
10 Hembree
9 Hall
8 Triggs
7 Workman
5 Lever
4 Tapia
246 innings! +56 Brewer & Valdez is over 75% of the pen IP in 2020!
DHern & Workman combined for 15 IP for the Sox, last year, so I think it’s safe to say Ottavino & the 2021 DHern looks to be a vast improvement over 2020.
I’m 61 and falling apart. I just had an MRI in my left shoulder, which was actually supposed to be on my mid to upper back. The results showed 4-5 things wrong but no tears. I’ve been in extreme pain for almost a week and have had to put off treatment and an MRI on my back for a week as we are in Mexico now. I may get an MRI here.
I can’t find a comfortable position to sleep. Doc says I have swelling that is pinching a nerve tha runs into my shoulder and down to my index finger.
I’m a mess! (Was in pretty good health for 60 years.)
Agreed, and I’d put Munoz ahead of him, too. Then, there might be Downs moving up the depth charts, this summer.
That being said, you know how things go, including multiple injuries or massive implosions by players higher on the depth charts.
I kinda liked what I saw from him last year, considering his age and experience level during his rule 5 season. I’m glad he’s in our system, but I’m thinking longer term.
It would be great if he plays well enough to win the 2B job sometime this year.
Nobody is “declaring victory on Brasier,” and I’m not even sure how one does such a thing.
If you enjoy watching Brice over Brasier, you may be the only one.
Yes, we have several more pressing issues than Brasier, but we weren’t the ones singling him out.
Big difference between starting a Brasier club and being glad he’s on the IL.
If he’s better than our 7&8 guys it makes us worse by replacing him with someone even worse than 7&8.
Also, most teams go through 10 or so pitchers trying to fill the last 2-3 slots in the pen. The more you have the better chance one will do fairly well.
I have Brasier as our 4-6 pen arm. I realize that is not something to brag about, but it is what it is. Sometimes being not all that bad vs horrible is enough to win a few games.
He’s above average the last 2 years combined. 10K/9, 4.03 FIP and 105 ERA+. With a pen of 8 pitchers he’s better than most team’s 7-8th men and better than our 5 or 6 to 8 pen arms.
Being happy he’s out is puzzling to say the least
Since most RPers are hit or miss, it’s usually a good thing to keep as many as you can healthy, so you can trial and error until you find a few keepers. Of course, you want types with some sort of good history or promising attribute. It’s not like Brasier has been awful all the time.