Zelda Zonk
2022 Iggy Winner: ACC Tourney Record
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2011
- Messages
- 11,021
- Like
- 27,042
Slumping. I blame you. Get rid of him so he can start slaying again.
2018 Defending WS champion 2019 Red Sox season thread
- Thread starter Alsacs
- Start date
Interesting to see the offense take off this way. It will be interesting to see where they settle in b/c the tear they're on right now is insane. 100 runs in 13 games is (7.7 rpg), obviously, not what they're going to do all season. But, by the same token, JBJ and Pierce have been atrocious even during this stretch, Mookie's numbers (as good as he's been lately) are still down in terms of his overall pace from where they were last year, JD hasn't hit for much power, etc. Obviously a bunch of that has been offset by Moreland hitting homers on a pace to put up 40 for the season (won't happen), Chavis going off (won't continue to hit at this pace), Devers blowing up (he could even get better when we see the power come around, which it will), and Vazquez quietly putting up decent numbers at the bottom of the lineup.
The key to any good lineup is how much depth you can muster. I have to think Pierce and even JBJ will get a little better and you've got four legit bats in X, Beni, Betts and JD and you may be seeing the emergence of a fifth in Devers -- he certainly has the pedigree and resume to be a really good player. If Moreland/Pearce is a solid combo at 1B, and JBJ can at least improve while Vazquez at least functions as a non-black hole at catcher ... this is an interesting lineup. Not sure what to expect long-term from Chavis. I'm a little skeptical once the book is out on him but I see him as Middlebrooks per se in that he was productive at every level whereas Middlebrooks always had potential but was underwhelming until catching fire the year before he got called up. But who knows, really?
The interesting thing is that as crazy as the offense has been, this team has actually gotten back to playing good all-around baseball. In the past 13 games, the pitching has given up two runs or fewer 7 times and that's even with Thornburg giving up 5 runs in 5 innings over 4 appearances in mopup duty in that stretch.
Sale has come around, Eduardo has pitched well after his first two starts (even his bad start in oakland was basically one bad inning), Porcello has put up five straight solid-to-good starts (even the last one against seattle was a bad first 2/3 of an inning and then 18 excellent outs after).
Bullpen has been OK -- Brasier has been hurt by the HR but has a WHIP of under 1, Workman has one of the weirdest statlines I've seen with just 2 hits surrendered in 18 innings but 14 walks (?!) for a WHIP of under 1, Hembree is prone to the HR but he will give them decent innings, Barnes was solid before the injury and Marcus Walden has been outstanding.
And defensively, Chavis has (surprisingly?) helped out at 2B, X has played solid at SS, JBJ continues to shine in center and the outfield defense in general has been great. Moreland/Pearce are good at 1B and Vazquez/Leon are good behind the plate. The question of course is Devers but otherwise it's really good all-around baseball.
I also think Dombrowski, who takes a lot of heat for always being in GFIN mode, has shown a lot of restraint in free agency and trades -- not re-signing Kimbrell was smart, really sort of had to take the gamble on Eovaldi, the X extension makes sense b/c where else do you go at SS?, he smartly cut bait on Hanley, all the trades have been small moves with big returns (Pearce, Eovaldi, Eduardo Nunez in 17, etc.). He's also been pretty solid at finding under-the-radar solutions to issues. Walden, Ryan Weber, Brasier, Chavis ... a bunch of guys have been big contributors from mostly out of nowhere.
donniesyracuse
Hall of Fame
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2011
- Messages
- 8,895
- Like
- 14,651
I bet the “keep politics out of my sports” crowd loves this.
I am just happy the jersey they gave to
Trump wasn’t number 45 because Pedro Martinez said don’t put his name on my jersey.
Your fanbase includes DJT though so
you guys can keep him.
donniesyracuse
Hall of Fame
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2011
- Messages
- 8,895
- Like
- 14,651
He is one of many that I would like to subtract from the fanbase.
donniesyracuse
Hall of Fame
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2011
- Messages
- 8,895
- Like
- 14,651
Are you feeling better?
Sale threw 7 innings in spring training.
The team didn’t want him to waste bullets thus his arm wasn’t ready to start the year.
The more he has thrown the more velocity he has gotten.
Sale doesn’t need 96-100 on his fastball but he needs mid 90s and he has thrown 94-96 his last 4 starts and now his slider works with that velocity.
Sale will be fine.
Sox aren’t as good as last year but the 3 AL East teams will likely make the playoffs and 2 of them will battle in the one game playoff.
The Astros are likely going to get the 1 seed so the AL East Wild card winner will play them best of 5.
Zelda Zonk
2022 Iggy Winner: ACC Tourney Record
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2011
- Messages
- 11,021
- Like
- 27,042
A bit, yes. Still not ‘confident’ with those two other teams.
Hope Cora doesn’t manage preseason like that again. Surely there’s a better way.
Zelda Zonk
2022 Iggy Winner: ACC Tourney Record
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2011
- Messages
- 11,021
- Like
- 27,042
He’s consistent. Taking credit for that which began before him.
The master of self-congratulations.
It's amazing how predictable the AL is. I would suggest that perhaps Cleveland/Minnesota will be at least in contention for one of the wild cards at least into August and maybe to the end, but ultimately you already know that there are basically six teams in play (TBR, NYY, BOS, MIN, CLE, HOU) and maybe, just maybe, someone from the west makes a strong run at some point like OAK last year.
But ultimately you really know from mid-May who the six teams are in contention and you probably know that the AL champion ultimately will HOU or potentially BOS/NYY if they can stay healthy. Not saying Tampa couldn't do it, but they have to prove their regular season can translate to the postseason (although Snell and Glasnow give them a much better shot than a constant string of openers with middling starters after that).
According to OttoinGrotto you're being a troll.
Since Chavis was called up the Red Sox 2b OPS went from dead last in baseball to 7th overall.
Chavis is the starting 2b. No more Pedroia. The energy and power Chavis has brought is needed.
Can’t afford to have a dead weight offensively at 2b and CF in the every day lineup.
Chavis is the starting 2b. No more Pedroia. The energy and power Chavis has brought is needed.
Can’t afford to have a dead weight offensively at 2b and CF in the every day lineup.
Chris Berman on the Red Sox radio broadcast is John Sterling 2.0.
He called Moreland “Mitch This Land Is Your Land, This Land Is Moreland.”
And on the Leon HR called it “ Sandy Kings of Leon’ed one out.
This is like the twilight zone.
He called Moreland “Mitch This Land Is Your Land, This Land Is Moreland.”
And on the Leon HR called it “ Sandy Kings of Leon’ed one out.
This is like the twilight zone.
Julio down by the schoolyard Cruz
Bert be home Blyleven.
He's been doin' this shtick for years.
Zelda Zonk
2022 Iggy Winner: ACC Tourney Record
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2011
- Messages
- 11,021
- Like
- 27,042
So, Pedroia:
He’s owed like 65 million for the next three years, right? 15/25/25? If he continues to try to come back, he gets paid? If he retires, all that money comes off the books/cap/luxury tax limits? Beginning when? If he suspends his comeback for the rest of this season, do we get any of that 15 mil towards getting Kimbrel after June 2?
Or... what/who would you spend the money on?
He’s owed like 65 million for the next three years, right? 15/25/25? If he continues to try to come back, he gets paid? If he retires, all that money comes off the books/cap/luxury tax limits? Beginning when? If he suspends his comeback for the rest of this season, do we get any of that 15 mil towards getting Kimbrel after June 2?
Or... what/who would you spend the money on?
The chances of Pedroia retiring are 0%.
I haven’t been a fan of Pedroia and even I would say don’t give back the money you negotiated.
The team is going to DFA him once he isn’t officially injured.
Sox aren’t bringing Kimbrel back he isn’t happy with the organization.
He declined to comeback on opening day and with the team at the WH.
He is going to go to an NL East team or Milwaukee.
I wonder if they could do something off the books. They’re not going to take his money and I don’t know if the players union would approve a situation like this but could he be a special assistant who happens to make a ton of dough? The only thing the team wants is the money under the luxury tax. Paying him the money won’t even be a question.
This guy seems to disagree with you about Pedroia:
Mariano Rivera Praises Dustin Pedroia, Blasts Robinson Cano In Book - NESN.com
Former New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera’s new book, “The Closer,” hits bookstores Tuesday, and Boston Red Sox fans might be surprised by some of the praise he gives to one of his old team’s rivals. In the book, Rivera says he would rather have Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia on his...
nesn.com
Pedroia was a great player.This guy seems to disagree with you about Pedroia:
Mariano Rivera Praises Dustin Pedroia, Blasts Robinson Cano In Book - NESN.com
Former New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera’s new book, “The Closer,” hits bookstores Tuesday, and Boston Red Sox fans might be surprised by some of the praise he gives to one of his old team’s rivals. In the book, Rivera says he would rather have Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia on his...
He did a lot.
I disliked the guy after the chitstorm he caused in 2012 when he went overboard destroying Bobby Valentine and that was selfish.
Most of the fanbase hated the Bobby V hiring but Pedroia was wrong for the comments he made early in the season and it turned the clubhouse into fractions.
Pedroia apologized after the season.
From 2007-2011 he was a great player who didn’t say anything bad.
He helped destroy the 2012 season.
Then for the rest of his career he always was cranky and had an attitude. I get you don’t live in New England but he was a d@ck after 2012.
The stuff with Machado and Barnes was the final straw for me. The little leader is a Red Sox HOF but I am glad the team called up Chavis and Pedroia can have his earned money and move on.
Pedroia was a good player. Who was a tough dirt dog type player but his act got tiresome. He was a better version of Trot Nixon/Bill Mueller type player.
Nixon/Mueller were what Rivera described as well.
Last edited:
I don't need to live in New England to know the Red Sox. I've followed them very closely for 40+ years. Have all the same access to them that somebody who lives in Boston has. Probably seen at least 100+ games in person either at Fenway or on the road. Btw I thought u said u lived down south somewhere.
I can't get too worked up about Bobby V. He was a dumpster fire and one of the worst hires in MLB history.
For a long stretch DP was the best second baseman in MLB. To earn that kind of praise from Rivera speaks volumes. Personally I think you're worked up over little to nothing but that's your deal.