moonslav59

A lot can change by then. Of course, if we keep playing like this, nobody will have much confidence going into the playoffs. I'm sure Dodger fans liked their chances, last year, going in.

We could also talk about Joe Kelly.

No, but my hope is that maybe we trade Pearce & Thornburg while paying $1.7 out of the $2.7M owed at the deadline. Maybe we throw in Shawaryn to sweeten the deal, The extra $1M helps us get a better pitcher (or two). It's not about the other team wanting or needing Pearce or Thornburg. They may DFA them after the trade, but they get Shawaryn and can afford $1M.

We may be over-rating Casas, but you may be over-rating Greene. The guy has sucked every year but 2017 and 2019. Even his 2017 season has a 1.214 WHIP fueled mostly by a 4.5 BB/9 rate. Career, he is a 4.57 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. His BB/9 has been an okay 2.7 the last year and a half, but it's not like this guy is a sure bet solid RP'er.

Here's the link to Part I https://www.talksox.com/forum/threads/19013-A-Realistic-View-at-2019-Part-I We're half way through the season and on our way to London for 2 big games with the Yanks sandwiched between 3 "days off" (travel days). No doubt, the first half has been a disappointment. We started very slow, showed signs of snapping out of it here and there, but then seemed to stumble back into out struggles again and again. Blame has been thrown around by us posters, and certainly much of the criticism is well-warranted, but we can probably all agree that no one area is our clear weakness. One can even argue that our weaknesses are not really a weakness, since they may still be at or above league average or mean. Here is where each position ranks among the 15 AL teams at the halfway point: WAR (fangraphs) Area: 3rd Positional Players 14.1 (5th in runs scored/ 4th in OPS) 3rd Pitching 11.2 (6th in ERA-/ 7th in WHIP/ 1st in K/9) 5th Defense (3rd in UZR/150/ 6th in DRS) Position: 2nd SS 3.7 (1st OPS) 3rd SP 8.2 (7th ERA-/ 7th WHIP) 3rd C 2.0(8th OPS) 4th 3B 2.8 (1st OPS) 5th RP 3.0 (3rd ERA-/ 5th WHIP) 7th RF 2.4 (2nd OPS) 7th LF 1.3 (7th OPS) 9th DH 0.2 (13th OPS) 10th CF 0.5 (8th OPS) 11th 1B 0.1 (10th OPS) 12th 2B 0.4 (8th OPS) While RF and DH looklike major disappointments and declines from 2018, 3B and C have seen great improvement. Here is my own individual report card based on what I perceived their 2019 expectations were- not on just the numbers. A+ Bogaerts, Devers A Vazquez, Price, Walden (due to very low expectations) A- Chavis, Holt, Workman B+ Hembree (until injury) B Taylor B- Porcello C+ JBJ, Leon C Brewer, Smith, Weber C- Beni, JD, Moreland (injury) D+ ERod, Velazquez, Eovaldi (injury) D Betts, Sale, Barnes D- Brasier, Johnson, Thornburg (an F but my expectations were low) F Pearce, Nunez Going forward, I think we need to make 2 trades. We need 2 pitchers. I'd like to see us get a closer and a decent set-up man, but a starter and closer would be fine with me. I think our offense and defense will have to work through their issues and improve. I think we win the home field for the WC game and have a very good shot at winning it all. We won't be the favorites going into the playoffs, but we've won it all before without being faves. C- Cora D+ DD Let's keep this thread about the Sox. Let's keep it real. Let's keep it non-personal. Go Sox!

Depends on at least 2 things we may not have a clue about: 1) Does the Detroit GM covet any of the guys on this list? 2) Does anyone else offer better?

Ideally, I'd like to see if someone would take some salary dumps off our hands, even if we pay 40-80% of their remaining contracts, so we can have more money to spend on someone else's "better" salary dump. That's the best way to get a decent pitcher without giving up top prospects. Possible salary dumps from our side: (Luxury Tax Dollars) 13.8 Pedroia (Maybe 100% untradeable) 6.5 Moreland or 6.25 Pearce 5.0 Nunez (Close to untradeable, even if we pay 80-90% of his deal) 3.6 Holt (I'd avoid trading him.) 2.5 Leon (I would not tarde him.) 1.8 Thornburg

I'd give any one of Dalbec, Duran or Chatham plus two from Johnson, Lakins or Shawaryn. 3 for 1 (I'd push the out of options Johnson as a way to free up the roster squeeze.)

Now, I realize Eovaldi was somewhat of a lucky acquisition, last year, but he only cost us Beeks. Yes, I realize Beeks is doing very well, but realistically, what was his trade stock value last July? My thought is D Hernandez or Duran should get us something better. We should not need to part with Casas to get a couple solid RP'ers. We may not even need to part with Casas, DHern or Mata. Dalbec should get us a solid arm. Groome or Houck another. Maybe we trade Chatham now that Bogey is locked up, although Chatham might be a future 2B low-cost, option.

I didn't know Greens had 1.5 years. In thinking more about Smith, I'd say no, if Casas is needed.

Maybe the "rest" Moreland has gotten with his most recent injury can help him stay strong through the end of this season. Both he and Pearce were getting hot before their injuries. Assuming Moreland and Pearce return, I think Chavis plays 2B near FT, gets some rest vs tough pitchers and plays 1B a few times- maybe when JD is in the OF, he DH's. I don't see a problem getting him PAs as long as he keeps hitting. I kinda hate sitting Holt almost totally, as he seems to be out only timely hitter this year.

Me? No. Maybe as a headliner for Wil Smith, but even then, I'd think long and hard about emptying out the farm further.

I still think there will be more sellers than buyers, but some teams may trade for 2 RP'ers (like the Rays & Sox might). I can't see why the price will be higher than we paid for Addison Reed and Eovaldi over the last 2 years, especially if we trade for a salary dump type pitcher or two. We'll see.

We'd probably go with a mix of JD (who DH's? Pearce when he returns?) Holt, Pearce and maybe Nunez. Not pretty.

I was going to do one as we approach the trade deadline, but a trade is needed soon, so I'll get on it. Batter up!

It's also important to keep a team in a games for as long as 17 innings. Also, if a game is tied when the pen takes over, there may end up being no save recorded, but a win is as good as a save in that situation. Saves and BS's do not capture those situations. Also, if a starter lets up 7 runs in 2 innings, and the pen goes 6 innings with no ERs as the offense gives us a 1 run lead, I don't hold it against the pen, if it lets up 2 runs in the 9th for a BS and a loss. The starter went 2 IP with 7 ER and the pen went 7 IP with 2 ER, but all we hear about is how the pen sucks because of their BS amount. Our pen has serious issues. I am not in denial, but they have done an excellent job way more than they have done poorly. We have 8 losses due to blown saves, but we have over 20 wins due to good to excellent pen work. Saves vs BS misses a lot.

Isn't the jury still out? What if we win a ring while all our starters look fresh and strong in October? Would that change you (and other's) mind?

In my opinion, our pen has over achieved. They have done better than I expected. Maybe they have slightly more blown saves than I expected but way more good outings

We need to replace our worst 2 pen arms with 2 solid ones. Move Barnes, Workman and Walden down 2 pegs and they'll be fine in those roles.

I don't disagree. We need a closer and set up man. Yes, the 7th, 8th and 9th have been a problem, and so has timely hitting and SP'ing.

Who would he put out instead? Name two guys, because Workman cannot pitch every game.

Last night on the farm... http://news.soxprospects.com/2019/06/cup-of-coffee-de-la-guerra-homers.html

Most starters do not go 7. Six is more like it, and the average is about 5. The O's and Jays rarely lead after 7, so that'sone reason they have less than us.i 8 losses after 7 is a big problem. We need a closer. We could probably use a closer and decent set up man as well. While the pen blew yesterday's game, Sale actually did worse than the pen.

Our pen is not underachieving. To date, it has done better than it should have, despite the high blown save totals that have led to 8 losses.

We've only lost 8 games with blown saves in them. Half of that would be 4 games.