moonslav59

I see this as a major area of possible improvement, despite us raiding the pen of multiple arms to become starters. Not counting Reyes, we used 27 pitchers in relief in 2023. We used 23 for over 6.2 IP. If can bring both of these numbers down, significantly, it might allow for some slight improvement. The area for big improvement will be improving on the numbers from these guys: IP/ERA 48 Murphy 4.91 (on IL) 45 Schreiber 3.83 31 Bleier 5.28 30 Lloveria 5.46 25 Jacques 4.26 (still in the system but hopefully will not pitch in '24) 23 Walter 6.26 (still in the system) 21 Brasier 7.29 19 Ort 6.27 17 Garza 6.23 13 Kluber 9.45 11 Robertson 6.55 9 Weiss 2.08 8 Barraclough 12.91 7 Sherriff 2.70 Moved to rotation:(These are the hard 100 IP to replace.) 56 Pivetta 3.07 22 Crawford 1.66 20 Whitlock 4.95 Who takes their places or pitches more than 2023? Campbell Slaten Anderson Weissert Criswell Mata Fitts, Luetge, Guerrero, Gambrell (not on 40) More IP: Joely Bernardino Z Kelly

Even if we saw him pitch 10 times, would that matter much?

I don't think the Sox sign Monty. BTW, cots has us $29.5M under, so we could squeak him in- maybe with a minor tweak. If we sign him, it might be more like $25M x 4 with a 5th year option and $4M buy-out making it $26M x 4 or something like $25M x 5, with no opt-out.

Agreed. Bernardino will have plenty of chances to earn a slot.

I think there should be a marked improvement. I'm guessing from #30 to maybe #14-19th. Most importantly, our up-the-middle defense should be way better: By projected innings: SS: 2024: 1300 Story, 140 Reyes 2023: 480 Kike, 310 Story, 260 Chang, 210 Reyes, 90 DHam, 90 Rafaela/Arroyo/Dalbec 2B: 2024: 1200 Grissom, 140 EValdez, 100 Reyes 2023: 440 Arroyo, 360 EValdez, 210 Urias, 200 Reyes, 130 Kike, 50 Turner, 50 DHam/Rafaela/Wong CF: (Hard to project with rafaela's offense in question) 2024: 1000 Rafaela, 240 Duran, 200 Abreu 2023: 560 Duran, 480 Duvall, 120 Rafaela, 90 Kike, 90 Abreu 70 Refsnyder, 40 Tapia C: (not sure we can expect improvement, here, but normally catchers reach their defensive prime after age 26-27) 2024: 900 Wong, 500 McGuire, 30 Heineman 2023: 950 Wong, 430 McGuire, 50 Alfaro/C Hamilton Corner positions? 3B: same (We can hope this is an up year for devers) 1B: same (I think casas will improve, but with no Turner as back-up, call it a push.) LF: Better (No Yoshi has to make this a plus over 2023. Duran looked okay in LF.) RF: same? (Will it be Abreu, O'Neill or both? I hope it's not Duran.) Let's say a slight improvement on corner D.

He did, and so did Bernardino... ST 2024: Weissert: 8.1 IP, 5 H, 3 BB, 10 K: 1.08 ERA Bernardino: 6.2 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 K: 0.00 ERA 2023 MLB: Weissert: 20 IP, 21H, 8BB, 22K: 4.05 ERA Bernardino: 50.2 IP, 48 H, 18 BB, 58K: 3.20 ERA Career: Weissert: 31.1 IP, 27H, 13B, 33K: 4.60 ERA Bernardino: 53 IP, 51H, 20BB, 58K: 3.23 ERA

I kinda felt Ben was all set to make some trades, right before he left Boston, too. I guess we'll never know. Brez made trades for Fitts, Weissert and Judice (Verdugo) Campbell (Urias) Slaten (Ammons + Cash)

Who is Kennedy?

I'm not sure why Weissert got the nod, here.

The most optimistic part of those "glimmers" is the fact that there are many of them, and we might just need 16-20 to come through with full and healthy seasons 7 vets: Devers, Story, Yoshida, Jansen, Martin, Pivetta, O'Neill 7 entering prime: Whitlock, Crawford, Houck, Duran, Wong, McGuire, Bernardino 8 pre-prime: Casas, Bello, Grissom, Winckowski, Campbell, Slaten, Abreu, Rafaela That's 22 with role players like Criswell, Refsnyder, Reyes, Weissert, Joely, Kelly and others.

You had to go back 6 years to include Bard. Here are the 4 year breakdowns (best 4): Draft/IFA/Rule5/MiLFA/Trade for prospect Theo 2004-2007: Buchholz Doubront Masterson (traded) Bard Theo 2008-2011: Montas (traded) Barnes Workman Wilson (traded) Ben 2012-2015: ERod Brian Johnson Jalen Beeks (traded for Nate) Kopech (part of Sale trade)/ Espinoza (traded for Pom-Pom)/G Bautista DD 2016-2019: Bello Crawford Houck Wikelman/ Perales/ Murphy/Walter/Monegro/Bastardo/Mata/H Velazquez Bloom 2020-2023: Whitlock Winckowski Bernardino Z Kelly/ Drohan/ Gambrell/ Guerrero/ Dobbins/ E R-C/ Paez/Hoppe Breslow (1/2 year) 2024 Fitts Slaten Sandlin Judice Let me know if I missed a top 4 pitcher, somewhere. Pre-2004: Lester Papelbon Anibal Sanchez ______? (Fossom in '99)

Stroy could be the STORY of the season!

Maybe ... $29M $27M Opt out $25M $23M 5th year option: $21M with $4M buyout. $56M/2 if opts out ($28M x 2) $108M/4 if bought out ($27M x 4) $125M/5 if no buy out ($25M x 5)

So, 4 years with an option wth hefty buyout? He would likely get an opt out, too.

To me, it's never been about his stuff. It's always been about his healthy and durability. Once he had that hip surgery, I figured he should stay in the pen and maximize his changes at making meaningful contributions. He looked really good, yesterday, and pretty much all spring.

I hope Whitlock can keep it going. He's always had the stuff.

I'm not so sure any of these guys would have rocked it with other systems, but certainly they had no favors done for them. I think our pitching selection decisions are half the issue.

Whit went 6 and his only BB was a bad call. 3 H 1 ER 1 BB- 6 K His change-up was awesome, tonight.

He turns 24, this July. He began playing in the Sox organization since 2018. (5 years.) On soxprospects.com he reached #4 in the fall of 2019. #5 in fall of 2020. #9 end of 2021, but #18 to start 2022. Out of the top 30 by the end of '22.

Agreed, but for some reason the middle and last years of Theo seemed to kick it all off. Theo's last drafts and IFA signings, working backwards from 2011: #19 Barnes (1st Spx pick) #36 Owens #143 Noe Ramirez IFA J Aro 2010: #39 Ranaudo (3rd pick taken) #57 Workman IFA Frank Montas 2009: #77 Wilson (1st selection) IFA Wm Cuevas 2008: #30 Kelly (1st selection traded for AGon) #45 Bryan Price (see Hagadone) #85 Stephen Fife #108 Kyle Weiland 2007: #55 Hagadone (1st selection and part of Masterson & B Price deal for VMart) 2006: #28 Daniel Bard (2nd selection) #40 Kris Johnson #44 Caleb Clay # Masterson (was a good pick but not great) 2005: #26 Craig Hansen #42 Buchholz #47 M Bowden IFA Doubront 2004: 95 Dobies 125 Hottovy 185 Cla Meredith Lester was drafted in 2002. Anibal Sanchez was signed as an amateur FA in 2001. One could argue that after Buch, Theo was not much better than the next 3 GMs.

And Anibel Sanchez (w HRam) for Beckett (w Lowell) and Kopech (w others) for Sale. Beeks for Nate.

LeMahieu to start season on IL.

Yes, this goes back about 2 decades, if you count the years we drafted Lester and Buch. (Also Anibel Sanchez and Masterson)

Adding guys like Whitlock, Slaten, Schreiber, Bernardino and Winckowski is not costly. Dumpster dives like Hill, Wacha, Kluber, Richards and maybe even Gio are more costly and have been mostly unhelpful. If our system of finding and developing young pitchers does not improve, or even if it does, we won't see instant results in a meaningful way for a while, we will have to add outside pitchers one way or another. Dumpster diving should just be part of that process, as hitting on some makes it worthwhile. We need to invest in real talent, at some point- either by trading everyday players/prospects or spending big on a FA and hoping we don't swing and miss. I'm not sure when or if this happens, anytime, soon.

Yes. Half way to opening west coast trip