Nick

Some updates on IL players 1. Rodriquez maybe activated Monday game vs Mariners. 2. Withlock to start for AAA affiliate on Tuesday. Cora thinks he'll need at least two starts. 3. Kutter is expected to return on May 19th when the Sox travels to San Diego. We really need this guy. It's not stated as such but looks like Trevor Story is ahead of Mondesi. I don't get the feeling Mondesi will return in June.

Do you continue to think Houck belongs in the bullpen? I'm a Whitlock fan but Houck has better stats. Game 7 of the World Series, would you pick Pivetta over Houck? If not, I don't see your logic here. Isn't the whole idea as Sox management, fulfilling their fiduciary responsibility to put out there your top 5 starters? Don't they owe it to the fans? But especially to the position players? This has been a difficult year for the starters particularly with all the injuries. With Paxton returning, things should get clearer. If this was the Rays, they'd trade Pivetta in July.

Intra Division Play - rest of May We have chance to gain some grounds. Sox (0)....NONE Rays (8)....@Yankees (4), Jays (4) Jays (11)....Yankees (4), Orioles (3), @ Rays (4) Orioles (6).......@Jays (3), @Yankees(3) Yankees (11).....Rays (4), @Jays (4), Orioles (3)

I seriously doubt that Sox will spend additional $100M for 2024. With the tax payroll limit increase of $4M, accounting for bump in the contractual obligation to Devers ($11.6M), letting Kike ($10M) and Duvall ($7M) go to free agency, and not accounting for other arbitration raises (mainly Verdugo and Pivetta), I only see $50M available. Now the Sox may break the first thresh hold (set at $257M) for additional $20M, I doubt they would go another $20M (set at $277M), bringing the spending increase to $90M. You are correct about much of payroll burden coming off the books for 2025. We can even alleviate that somewhat by trading away Story if a suitable replacement can be found. We may not be released 100% of his obligation but with Mayer, Yorke and others on the horizon, it maybe something Sox will think about. He's not at 10 year and I don't see a no trade clause in his contract. It pays to have short term deals and developing young players. Bloom can target couple of expensive replacements.

https://www.overthemonster.com/2023/5/10/23717980/an-open-letter-to-nick-pivetta-red-sox This is a very good read. An Open Letter To Nick Pivetta Couple of my favorite passages "I’ll still always be on your side because you are my favorite player after all and I’m just loyal like that, but I really would appreciate it if you stopped having a Hard Hit % of over 50 on three out of four of your main pitches." "Still, you’ve got time! Sure, you have a 6.09 ERA in your last 24 starts, but hey man, I know what you can do." My last words on Nick Pivetta.....HELL I WANT HIM TO BE AN ALL-STAR. I'm a Red Sox fan. I never root against a Sox player. I may not like a player, but would never root against him.

Obviously he has to do it over a longer period. But, I love his hard contacts right now. He must be seen the ball better or something. Cora had to move him to #5, similar spot as Duvall. He has handled the pressure well so far....last night's single turned double was fun to watch. PS I just wished someone can help Dalbec.....I just like him.

A must see TV when Bello pitches. Great to see positive contribtions from Duran and Casas. This team is fun to watch.

I prefer Sale's approach. "I SUCKED". 6 innings, 2 runs, a quality start. What is Bello going to learn pitching in AAA? “And it's not only my decision, it’s the organization’s decision of what we’re going to do, putting everything on balance and seeing what benefits us now and in the future.".....My guess is this is why Bello, Whitlock and Houck are all in the mix. Pivetta is under team control only through 2024.

6 innings, 2 runs. A quality start. What is Bello going to learn in AAA? I'm listening.

Moon I suggest you read Cora's comments. I'm just surprised Pivetta doesn't think he's part of 'auditioning'.

Here's Cora's comment per MLB.com There could be a lot of deliberating in the coming days. “There's a lot of stuff that comes into play,” said Cora. “And it's not only my decision, it’s the organization’s decision of what we’re going to do, putting everything on balance and seeing what benefits us now and in the future. We'll all sit down, we’ll talk about it. There’s going to be people that are thrilled they're going to be in the rotation, and others are going to be upset. “At the same time, you’ve got a job to do, and you’ve got to get people out and you’ve got to contribute for us to get to where we want to go. So that's part of this.” I'm not trying to be an ass.....this is a business.

https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2023/05/nick-pivetta-doesnt-want-move-to-bullpen-but-red-sox-likely-considering-it.html I've been off the computer ever since I alluded to this article. My point was that it appears to me Pivetta thinks he's owed a spot in the starting rotation. But I disagree. He has to show it on the field. The team is fighting for a playoff spot. I get it that we're only at the beginning of this journey. Based on last year and with our injury situation, Cora and his team collected multiple starting arms. Paxton will start this Friday and Whitlock should return soon. That gives us seven starters. We didn't sign Kluber to NOT to start. The same goes for Paxton. I'm as anxious as Cora to see what we have in Paxton. I doubt either goes to the pen, at least not now. They would have to pitch themselves to the pen by faltering as a starter. I think Pivetta is very close to that. My guess is things will work itself out but Pivetta should be more concerned about his own performance. Right now, Houck has better stats. Sox will NOT give up on Whitlock until it's proven he can't do it. Bello maybe sent down but won't be if he's pitching better than Pivetta. It's all about the team and I don't give a damn what Pivetta thinks. Like the article says, he's been very mediocre for almost a year now. JUST f***IN PITCH BETTER.

So Pivetta thinks there should be no consequence for pitching poorly? Not a big fan of him. I hope we can do better.

Thanks to Pivetta, this thread is only 4 pages long. Everyone decided not to hang around.

Never been a big fan of Pivetta. But he will start 33 times for us. Oh goodie.

Early look at 2024 money..... I see $46M available AFTER paying Devers pay increase and not accounting for arbitration raises, big ones being Verdugo and Pivetta. We'll need to replace Kike, Duvall and Tapia in the field. We'll need to replace Kluber, Paxton and Brasier essentially in our pitching department. Assuming Casas works out at 1B and Duran becomes a replacement in CF, we'll have every position covered except for SS. I'm hoping Mondesi shows us something and returns at a cheaper salary than Kike. We'll have Chang, Refsnysder, Valdez, Hamilton, Abreau, Dalbec and maybe bring back Tapia (I like his athleticism) for the utility role. We can go with Sale, Pivetta, Bello, Houck, Whitlock and Kutter in the rotation. Assume we eat up $6M of $46M for arbitration raises (it's probably more than that), how would you spend $40M to make the team better?

All Left Handed Core Group Lineup. C.. McGuire 1B Casas 2B Valdez 3B Devers SS Hamilton LF Tapia CF Duran RF Verdugo DH Yoshida Utl Fitzgerald Utl Abreau Utl Sogard Utl Allen Utl Palka Utl Goodrum Bunch of switch hitter in AAA (Sogard, Allen and Goodrum) Geez, we're only Hamilton away from all lefty lineup RIGHT NOW.

Shane Drohan looks like Sale clone weighing only 175lbs? He's certainly having a good year and I look forward to his promotion to AAA at some point. He turned 24 in January by the way. I like this new thread, get the feel for our pipeline. One thing we all agree on here is how difficult it is to develop a starting pitcher. That said, that is exactly why we don't dispatch Whitlock, Tanner and Kutter to the pen on a whim. They are all only 27 years old. Their prime pitching days are here or just around the corner. Whitlock's issue is his health. Tanner came into the year with only 2 pitches. Now he has enough in his arsenal to be a starter. The drum beat against him remaining in the rotation is his 'third' time around the lineup. Perhaps that's something he'll overcome. As I've said often, he and Kutter have kick ass look about them. Very unlike Mr. Barnes as an example. Down the line, Luis Perales, despite his small frame seems to have the highest ceiling, already throwing at 95-98, topping out at 99 and with a good curveball and work in progress change up. Who knows, maybe Winckowski will reinvent himself again.

Hopefylly St Louis stays down.

Hopefylly St Louis stays down.

Interesting regression analysis on Overthemonster site. They expect Verdugo to have his career year but the implication is he's peaked. If he played for the Rays, he would be traded this winter.(my opinion)

Who gets sent down?

Anyone have our rotation schedule for this week?

Worthless MLB's power ranking has the Sox at #6. Top 4 out of 6 comes from AL East.

Losing Kutter is hurting our pen. When we used both Martin and Winckowski in the same game, it just felt we were thin the following game. When will the other lefty be available? We'll still need reinforcements in July. Unless we have 5 dependable starters and dispatch the other two to the pen.