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Post by awall on Oct 18, 2018 9:47:08 GMT -5
If the Sox are fortunate enough to make it to the WS, has there been any word on Wright's knee for that series?
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Post by awall on Oct 18, 2018 7:33:43 GMT -5
with regards to Kimbrel, let's pray they seal the deal tonight and he has a few days to work with someone looking at film to find whatever flaw has crept into his mechanics.
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Post by awall on Oct 18, 2018 6:59:06 GMT -5
FYI, these games are far easier on the heart and far more entertaining if you have to get up at 5am, so you skip watching and just read this thread after seeing the score when you wake up. i don't think i would have survived last night.
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Post by awall on Oct 5, 2018 18:54:51 GMT -5
Ding dong!
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Post by awall on Sept 19, 2018 11:39:55 GMT -5
I find Dalbec's hitting fascinating in that it seems fairly rare for a guy to have really good pitch recognition for the strike zone (I'm assuming he must based on his walk rate thus far). It seems like his K rate is a function of a "going for broke" swing. I wonder if, with a bit more experience and mentoring, he will develop a more opportunistic approach that improves his avg, even if it reduces his HR/AB ratio? Could he become more like a Thome than a Dunn? Jim Thome was promoted straight from the Appy League to the Carolina League at 19 where he hit .308/.427/.462 with an 18.2% K rate, and then was in the majors a week after turning 21. Their age 23 seasons were pretty similar: Thome hit .268/.359/.523 with a 22.8% K rate. Dalbec hit .257/.361/.558 with a 32.4% K rate. Of course, Dalbec was in High-A/Double-A whereas Thome was in the majors. Of course, unlike Thome, Dalbec is actually a third baseman rather Thome, whose job was to stand near third base and not hurt himself or Omar Vizquel. And there is a LOT of space to be worse than Jim Thome and be really, really, really good. If Dalbec puts up 1/3 of Thome's bWAR total I would be ecstatic. Adam Dunn would be a really good outcome for Bobby Dalbec. He hit 38 or more home runs in seven straight seasons! And remember, Dunn wasn't a hacker either - he waited through a ton of pitches, but also had a ton of swing and miss in his game. Approach-wise, Dunn, Thome, and Dalbec were all similar. Thome just was better at not missing, which is why he's in the Hall of Fame. Dunn didn't strike out particularly frequently in the minors, which is a good illustration of what Dalbec is up against. Like Hatfield said, simply sustaining the K rate where it stands while climbing the ladder isn't easy, or even something I'd be comfortable projecting. There's a real chance Dalbec strikes out 40%+ of the time at Triple-A and never gets more than a cup of coffee in the majors. That's why a guy who has Rafael Devers-like power and can also play defense isn't in the system's top five. Oh wow, I didn't realize Dunn's OBP was that high. Serves me right for relying on memory instead of looking up his stats before including him as a contrast to Thome!
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Post by awall on Sept 19, 2018 6:31:02 GMT -5
I find Dalbec's hitting fascinating in that it seems fairly rare for a guy to have really good pitch recognition for the strike zone (I'm assuming he must based on his walk rate thus far). It seems like his K rate is a function of a "going for broke" swing. I wonder if, with a bit more experience and mentoring, he will develop a more opportunistic approach that improves his avg, even if it reduces his HR/AB ratio? Could he become more like a Thome than a Dunn?
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Post by awall on Sept 7, 2018 19:19:07 GMT -5
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Post by awall on Sept 7, 2018 19:10:02 GMT -5
I went with Granberg. I really like his swing mechanics. Howlett a close second. I just don’t see Duran’s swing being able deal with advanced level off speed stuff. But I love his speed and hope a couple of years of pro instruction can help.
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Post by awall on Sept 2, 2018 7:42:15 GMT -5
Anyone else having trouble opening the cup of coffee links? I can open links in the forum, but links in the news section freeze.
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Post by awall on Sept 1, 2018 18:20:41 GMT -5
Per McAdam on BSJ, “The Red Sox seem to be sending something of a message to third baseman Rafael Devers by not recalling him from his rehab assignment on the day that rosters expand. Eduardo Nunez has hit .306 in his last 29 games and shown solid defense at third. “One thing’s for sure, Raffy has to play better,” said Cora. “We knew that. The whole season, offensively, he’s been up and down. Defensively, he’s made his errors. But he needs to be better, that’s the bottom line. We’re here to win games and whoever’s playing best is going to play.”
I don’t think Devers is a lock for the post season roster.
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Post by awall on Aug 31, 2018 19:31:27 GMT -5
Check that bat.
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Post by awall on Aug 31, 2018 12:34:30 GMT -5
Is Devlin Granberg really graduating from prospect status on 9/1?
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Post by awall on Aug 30, 2018 13:38:51 GMT -5
Wonder why Chatham isn't going?
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Post by awall on Aug 29, 2018 6:57:43 GMT -5
I really appreciate the analysis you bring to us. But you’ve kind of been on a kick of talking down to us about how to be fans. If you believe spending time thinking about these things is a waste of time at this point in the season, why not just ignore it instead of insinuating that we are less sophisticated baseball people? I was actually not remotely insinuating that you're less sophisticated baseball people. I was insinuating that you're less sophisticated people, period.
Yeah, I was in a pissy mood when I wrote that. I actually knew I was sounding like a dick and didn't care! Sometimes you just feel like scolding people for no good reason.
The only thing I really object to is people "predicting" how people will do in the remaining days based on whether they like the guy or not. I understand that it's human nature to view things emotionally more than rationally, but I find it tiresome when it becomes all emotion.
I actually misrepresented myself: a set of guesses, presented as such, is fun and is interesting. I balk at the guesses being passed off as more than that, as what should be done or what is going to happen. Did anyone actually do that? I don't know. I was in a pissy mood!
The battles for the last spots are going to be very interesting. It would make us all feel better if the battle were being waged in terms of who's playing best, rather than who's playing least badly. Fair enough, we all have pissy days.
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Post by awall on Aug 25, 2018 9:11:23 GMT -5
I was going to start this thread about 10 day ago, and I was going to argue that it's mostly premature. Not only isn't it possible to predict who fills out the bullpen, bench, or rotation, I don't think it's possible to have a defensible opinion that isn't a guess.
For instance, it seems as if Kelly, Thornburg, Pomeranz, and Workman, together with longshots Johnson, Velazquez, Poyner, and Scott are (or will be) competing for the last two spots in the pen. Why would you spend any mental energy now trying to guess who wins that competition (or justify your guess), when you could just watch it? Having an opinion about how an inconsistent pitcher will perform in the next month is nearly 100% a reflection of whatever bias you have, and 0% rooted in reality.
I do think these things are true: They're likely to carry 12 pitchers and a 4-man bench, but they could go with 11 and 5 (in which case the above list of guys may be competing for one spot, not two).
Sale and Price are your 1 and 2 starters and Eduardo Rodriguez, if he returns to form as seems very likely, is your 3rd best starter, although matchups may put someone else ahead of him versus a specific team.
Based on their body of work this year so far, Eovaldi has the edge on Porcello for the #4, but it's too soon to make the call.
Steven Wright, if he returns to form, which seems likelier than not, is on the roster, and has a chance to be a starter. There are scenarios where they use 5 starters in a 7-game series in order to give Sale extra rest, which is why having all 6 quality starters on the roster will be a good idea.
A re-injury or failed return by either E-Rod or Wright would elevate Johnson from a bullpen longshot and put him in the top tier of the battle for the last two spots. But you don't need him in the pen if you already have two better SP there.
The bench is trickier. And no one's mentioned the possibility of a Pedroia return, which can't be ruled out and which would complicate things quite a bit.
The only locks are Pearce and Holt.
That means Vazquez, Swihart, Nunez, and a potential PR acquisition are competing for two spots. So the PR means you either leave Nunez off the roster, or go to 11 pitchers. And if you leave Nunez off, then Swihart is clearly the choice for the second catcher ... but for all we know, CV returns in September and is good that he has to be on the roster.
If Pedey returns, the logical thing to do is to have him take Nunez's spot and give him or Kinsler a crash course in 3B.
What I think they may well do, and probably ought to do, is acquire a PR on 8/31 and option Workman or Velazquez until the PawSox season ends, which is a trivial absence. Whether or not that guy ends up on your roster is TBD and may even depend on the opponent of a given series.
Right now, I think these last two bench spots are completely up in the air and will depend on how all the candidates, plus Devers, perform, and even on how the bullpen shapes up (since an an 11-man staff is still an option and would be likelier if the battle for the last two spots is uninspiring).
I really appreciate the analysis you bring to us. But you’ve kind of been on a kick of talking down to us about how to be fans. If you believe spending time thinking about these things is a waste of time at this point in the season, why not just ignore it instead of insinuating that we are less sophisticated baseball people?
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Post by awall on Aug 24, 2018 8:22:23 GMT -5
I really don't want to see Joe Kelly in any post-season games, my heart is not strong enough. I'd rather have a guy like Johnson or Velazquez who can eat innings if needed.
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Post by awall on Aug 23, 2018 7:38:19 GMT -5
Are we getting to the point where Phillips might get a call up at expansion to see if he replaces Nunez at 3rd?
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Post by awall on Aug 18, 2018 19:20:27 GMT -5
That was a gift.
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Post by awall on Aug 18, 2018 19:07:19 GMT -5
Did I ever mention that I was really really wrong about JD?
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Post by awall on Aug 18, 2018 18:59:33 GMT -5
Price is commanding it.
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Post by awall on Aug 18, 2018 18:58:22 GMT -5
Wow. That was as good as it gets, Holt.
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Post by awall on Aug 18, 2018 15:18:26 GMT -5
NO NO NO NO NO!!! The last game of our 3 pack is tomorrow. I was really stoked to see Sale in person with my 9 yr old, one of his best friends and his friend’s dad, who I’ve helped coach little league for a few years. Sigh. I hope it is more of a precaution than a major issue. Does make me wonder about the prospects of extending him after this contract though. They’ve been as careful as possible this year and he is still having shoulder problems.
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Post by awall on Aug 17, 2018 5:48:38 GMT -5
Nice! I live on the North Shore so it's much better for me and my family.
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Post by awall on Aug 15, 2018 19:44:17 GMT -5
In any event, there will almost assuredly be a bit of blocking in the next few years with Devers, Dalbec, Ockimey, and Chavis plus a full outfield. Hopefully Casas will be on their heels a few years later. I know it usually works itself out, but there aren’t a lot of positions to move to for these guys. It's too bad that none of these guys can play 2B, that's the most obvious hole in the line-up. His K% is a little higher than I’d l8ke to see in Salem, but I’m not giving up hope that Chatham could be a 2B answer some day.
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Post by awall on Aug 8, 2018 19:45:36 GMT -5
Shift oh that!
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