moonslav59

There is also a possibility of translation issues and expressions used in other languages that are not easily translated -sometimes giving off an unintended vibe. If you look at his first statements, he did say enar the end a conciliatory statement, 'I’m open to listening. I’m not close to those conversations.”

In 2024, he was on his way to easily top his career high OPS, before the shoulder issue kicked into high gear. His rbi's were down, but what the hey.

He very well may win that role, but currently DHam & Romy are better fielders. As a platoon, they may be hard to pass on offense, but Grissom may be able to do that, and then we won't need a platoon infield utility tandem. DHam's speed also plays into the choice.

Sox by age. (Note how many are pre-prime, nearing prime of in prime.) Everyday players: 24: Rafaela, Grissom 25: Casas, Abreu 26: Narvaez 27: Wong, DHam 28: Devers, Duran, Romy 30: Bregman 31: Yoshida 32: Story 34: Rafsnyder Pitchers: 24: Priester 25: Crochet, Bello, Wink, Fitts 27: Slaten 28: Houck, Crawford, Whitlock, Criswell, Sandoval 30: Buehler, Weissert, Kelly 31: Giolito 33: Bernardino 36: Hendriks 37: Chapman, Wilson

Good read on the future Catcher market.... https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/02/the-long-term-catching-trade-market.html

Kyle Finnegan to Nats for $6M/1.

Not being very good on defense does not help, although poor defensive utility players have been common of past Sox teams. Maybe he can improve his 2B defense to respectability. Maybe 3B would work for him, but we already have two of those.

I'm not fussin' and certainly not gushing, but no MLB team has a 6th starter with a 1.3 projected fWAR. Only these teams have a 5th starter better than 1.3 projected: (I think before injury issues) lAD: Ohtani 2.0 PHI: Luzardo 2.0 SEA: Woo 1.8 NYY: Schmidt 1.7 TEX: Mahle 1.6 CIN: Abbott 1.6 AZ: Kelly 1.5 TOR: Francis 1.5 (HOU's Arrighetti & MIL's T Myers tied at 1.3) About 1/3 of MLB has a better or equal 5th SP to Crawford- our 6th SP'er... according to STEAMERS.

Not even close. He's not ML ready. He's not good enough. We have Grissom, Romy and DHam. Rafaela played 620 innings at 3B. Campbell could play 3B. Hell, we might try Wong or Casas at 3B, before Jordan, Casas played 3B in the minors.

I predict Arias jumps into the top 3, as one graduates. Cespedes is at #4 by EOY. Fitts graduates and does well in the pen at the ML level. JH Garcia moves to top 6 or 7, and his brother to top 9 or 10. Castro fall below #30. Jordan below #45. I like Valera, Reyes and Delzine to make major gains. I have doubts about Dobbins and don't know much about Cason and Tolle to have an opnion.

I'd love to see both Anthony and Campbell make the opening day roster and then go nutty.

These types of pitchers seem to be recycled from team-to-team, and often end back with a team that already gave up on them once.

Hoping Devers has a career year. (I keep saying that.)

In all likelihood, injuries and poor showings by a few players will help make some of the roster choices easier to make for Cora and Brez, but we could see some difficult decisions having to be made. One could be optioning Yoshida to AAA or some "rehab" assignment. The biggest logjam seems to be at 2B, although many "contenders" are not going to break anyone's hearts if demoted, traded or otherwise. If Bregman plays 3B 90+% of the time, then the choices get tougher. It gets tough (or easy, however you want to look at it) if Campbell is raking this spring. Even if he is added to the 40, 26 and starting line-up, the choices for back-up infield could get difficult. It helps to have Rafaela able to play SS & 2B on the 26. I figure a catcher and refsnyder take 2 of the 4 slots on the 26, so (assuming Campbell wins the 2B job) the last 2 slots could come down to.... DHam: Maybe the best defensive 2Bman of this group and a decent batter vs RHPs, but our need is vs LHPs. He is a minus on D at SS and 3B. He could steal 60+ bases per 650 PAs, if given the chance and a decent OBP. Romy: Maybe the best bat vs LHPs on the team, behind Ref. He can also play 1B and a decent 2B, SS and 3B. Word is he can play some OF, too, but I doubt we need him there. He might have the best shot. Grissom: Two years ago, he looked very promising. A slump and then an injury soured many against him, while he'll be forever known as the guy we got for Sale, but we should not write this just turned 24 year old. (He's 3-4 years younger than DHam & Romy.) He's not good on D at SS, and looked bad at 2B, in the limited time he played there in '24. He bats RH'd but unless he shows he can hit, that might not matter. Yoshida: His injury could be used as an excuse to delay the choice, especially if Devers is looking like the near FT DH in '25. He can hit better than Rafaela L & R, and better than Duran & Abreu v L, but his D is so much worse, it looks like the best he can do is come out equal to Rafaela (and better than Abreu vs lefties.) I'm not sure even the $18M a year is enough to give him the nod. Anthony may win a slot, but it might take an OF injury. That's not to say he's not as good as Rafaela and Abreu v lefties, but they may hold back this choice to see how the OF starts the season. He could gain that extra year of control by waiting, too, so maybe that plays into the choice. Seeing if Yoshida can build back value or earn a slot in the line-up may be the biggest factor in choosing Anthony for the 26. (He will not be on the 26 in a bench role.) I don't see Sogard as a choice, unless we see multiple injuries, and he won't be a longtime fix, anywhere.

Likewise.

Nary a peep.

Fussin's what makes the world go 'round. (I'm gonna write a song titled that.)

Not much to report on today's 6-1 loss. Jap Stock looked awesome... NOT! DHam with 2 of the team's 5 hits. He also stole his 2nd base of the spring.

We've been told to stop fussin'.

Watch how many articles will be written about these latest non controversial comments by Devers.

148 pitchers had 70+ IP from 2023 to July 18, 2024. Bernardino's 1.1 fWAR placed him top 60. He placed 41st in FIP at 3.33. 19th in ERA- at 63. (105th in WHIP at 1.32 is not good.)

ERA-, it's better to be lower. Last I checked 101 is lower than 102- not below average.

He may not. He sounded pretty sure of himself and his position. He kinda reminds me of Manny, without all the drama, until maybe, now. Happy-go-lucky. Loves playing the game and has fun doing it. Extremely focused and studious on hitting. I'm just saying my gut says he's not a prolonged pouter.

I based it on my opinion that Devers seems easy-going and is not a hot head. Tell me what you think and what your opinion is based on.