moonslav59

You know we had a wink-wink deal with AGon, and announced it after the season started, so we could save taxes. I'm not even talking "wink-wink" though. Would it really be outrageous for the Sox to sign Pedey to a $12M lifetime services deal? Or, to sign him to a 24 year $14M deal as a consultant? I could see them doing that without him retiring early. How can anyone prove that is circumventing the system, if Pedey chooses to retire a year early. Nobody acted crazy when Dempster gave up his last year for nothing. Look, I admit it probably won't work, but in all honesty, I wouldn't be surprised, if the Sox sign Pedey as a coach after he retires, anyways.

I doubt like the level we have now.

Well, take into account that we barely saw Lynn play after he left Boston. He was injured a lot, and as we know, Lynn played injured, unlike guys like Ellsbury and JD Drew. While I think +2.3 while with Boston looks low, the system back then was probably not as good as the one we have now, and all systems have flaws. Lynn had Dewey in RF, who maybe took some plays away from him or allowed him to shade more towards LF than RF. The short wall in LF may have taken a few "playable" balls away. Who knows. I'm not sure anyone is strongly defending the pre-2003 system, and most of us current WAR users admit it is flawed but not beyond usefulness.

What was that system based on? Is it comparable to UZR/150, DRS and the current dWAR metrics?

It sure feels good, doesn't it? For decades we were their bitch. We're getting close to 2 decades of reversed roles. Gotta love it!

It never ceases to amaze me how so many people assume we are only as good as our last 10 games, 3 games or even one game, unless we are doing well, then there still are nay-sayers. We started off 17-2 last year, and then the Yanks took over first place by May 9th. You'd have thought the sky was falling. This year, we went 8.5 games behind the division. Now, we are just 3 back. We currently hold the second wild card slot, if the season ended today. Cleveland seems to be the stiffest competition for that last slot, and they lost Kluber. It's a 162 game season. Every team looks good for a while- some much longer than others- and bad for a while- some much longer than others. I don't know why some people assume a team will only continue to repeat what they look like in their most recent sample size, despite countless examples that prove them wrong. Sure, every now and then, a blind squirrel finds a nut, but come on! This team is essentially the same as last year's team. No way losing Kimbrel turns us into a non-contender. Yes, teams return almost in full and have major swings in wins and losses, but it is rare, unless there are injuries or major aging issues. Our team is young and almost all in prime or near prime. Our oldest players have marginal roles or have capable back-ups. We should not see a steep decline. We are making the playoffs- barring major injuries. When October comes, I like our team's experience, coaching, leadership, offense, defense, pitching, base-running and overall chances. Our oldest players: 36 Steve Pearce (short platoon 1Bman with Chavis as back-up) 35 Pedroia (who counted on him anyways? Holt/Nunez/Chavis/Lin in reserve) 33 Moreland (barely past prime. Pearce & Chavis is reserve) 33 Price (currently on a cautionary IL, but has looked good for over a year) 32 Nunez (currently hobbled, but he's just a sub.) Everyone else is 31 or younger! We aren't declining. We could get even better.

Have players ever retired and then signed with their team as a coach? The only issue would be that Pedey gave up money by retiring, and if it was an obvious overpay for a coaching salary afterwards. If it is not so obvious, then maybe...

I'm not so sure. Pedey may retire- like Dempster did, and if we sign him as a coach/consultant/whatever for more than what he is probably worth in that role, it may be hard to prove anything in a grievance or court of law. (BTW, I said "maybe" a "slight chance" when talking about this idea long ago. I doubt it can work, but I also doubt it's an impossible dream.)

His "statistical line" in Boston, when we saw him, was a solid +2.3.

I'm not dodging the point. I was the one who made the point. I'm just saying that if you are going to use the pre- total zone system dWAR as a measuring stick, then Lynn was a plus in Boston- just as we remembered. True, I remember him being plus-plus, but at least I'm not thinking I saw plus-plus and the numbers showed minus. (That was my second point.) I don't have an answer on how they can determine dWAR before the system was in place. oWAR, I can understand, since it is based solely on hitting stats... not observations of where balls were hit and how playable they were.

At times, the 'Stros looked unbeatable, last year- as did the Yanks. We're looking good, now, and I'm not worried.

Lynn was a plus with the Sox (+2.3). Most of his negatives came post-Sox (-5.4). It was hard to watch much of him after he left.

I'm done with any hope for Travis.

Dalbec dings da dinger toDay. (7th) Chatham 1 for 2 with a BB. Some guy, I never heard of, named Harco Mernandez, went 3 for 5. (.838 OPS) Duran 3 for 3 with 2 BBs! He's batting .412. (1.011 OPS) Castellanos with 3 hits, too. Scherff with 5 IP, 2 ER, 5 K and 2 solo blasts allowed in the 2-0 loss.

One never knows.

How could they calculate dWAR before they had the total zone system set up?

I suggested this long ago. If it's possible, we should try, butb that will only possibly happen when Pedey decides he's done trying.

The Raptors are damn good.

It's not like we have obvious better choices, but I'm at my last straw with both of them. I'd probably have already cut both, but if they have 1 or 2 more bad outings in their next 2-3 appearances, I'll be calling for their DFA.

He's got more "breaks" than he's earned. .651 with AZ (no games as a catcher.)

Truth. The guy can't hardly move. (He DH'd yesterday as Chavis played 2B, so there's the proof.)

Forget the platoon talk with Holt. His career splits are almost identical.

Key words: "right now."

Nunez is hobbled.

They also did not have zone rating and UZR/150/ DRS. He did win 4 GGs, for what that's worth (very little IMO). He was fearless out there- maybe a bit reckless, but I loved his style of play- all out- all the time.