And sometimes the guys with more wins just play on better teams.
In 2005, Bartolo Colon had a 21-8 W-L record and used it to win the Cy Young Award. Why? Johan Santana beat him in every single pitching star except wins. Better ERA, better WHIP, better K/9, better BB/9. Basically was a better pitcher. But he was only 16-7.
A big factor there is Santana pitched for a Twins team that simply wasn’t very good, finishing 83-79. While Colon won more games for the 95-67 Angels.
So was Colon really the better pitcher in 2005? Or did he just pitch for a better team?
Yeah it’s appalling that these fans refuse to put aside their entertainment needs because the unrealistic expectations of others are not being met. f***ing selfish…
The problem with signing Bregman is that Breslow can see him as a third baseman until the end of time, but Cora puts the lineup together. So if Cora want him at 2b, he’s playing 2b…
The right pitcher getting the win being correct “most of the time” isn’t real useful considering most pitchers get less than 10 wins per year.
A century ago, when the starting pitcher threw all 9 innings, pitching wins were more useful. But the advent and growing use of bullpens has made them a useless evaluation tool. Especially since they did nothing to tell you how good relief pitchers were, which is why ERA was devised in the first place.
fWAR and bWAR are good ones today, whether or not you know how to calculate them. And someday, they’ll be replaced, just like VORP and WARP and Win Shares all were.
I like Profar as a LF. He did crush LHP last year to the tune of a .865 OPS (I think). He occasionally plays a recent LF and has the ability to get on base. And only wants a 3 year deal.
But if the Sox just want to put Anthony in LF and get a platoon partner for Abreu, Ramon Laureano is a good plan.
I don’t like the free agent catchers since Jansen and Kelly both signed. Sox NEED a good defensive catcher…
f*** Arenado. He doesn’t make sense unless the Sox can unload Yoshida. And still not much even then, as his low -.700s OPS could probably also be replaced by Grissom. Bregman makes more sense except that Cora sees him as a 2b solution for some reason.
I still think Abreu gets moved before April. Hopefully a good defensive catcher is part of the return. Pitt certainly could use Abreu and has catchers to spare, but unless they renew their lust for Henry Davis, I don’t see them sending Boston help behind the dish. Joey Bart doesn’t float anyone’s boat.
1. It does feel premature to call it a 21st century record with 76 years still remaining this century. In 1919, the Sox had a 20th century “record” of 5 titles. Did it last? Do we ever even think of them as holding that “record?”
2. Of the 4 WS titles this century, one (2013) was built on shorter deals given to mid-tier and above players while avoiding long term deals for superstars. It’s not “going cheap” but it’s also not the alternative anyone wants, either…
3. Not every record can still be topped. For example, the Yankees hold the record for most WS titles in the 20th century. I think that’s going to stand…
I think the reason is simply because it’s harder to get six reliable starters than five.
This is a slight modification of the rationale Earl Weaver used for employing 4 man rotations…
Personally I think the Sox rotation is likely set, with Crochet, Houck, Giolito, Crawford, Buehler and Bello. Not to mention Fitts, Priester, Dobbins, Fulmer, and Criswell…