|
Post by umassgrad2005 on Aug 9, 2018 13:01:41 GMT -5
Hembree is the perfect example of how much better Cora is at managing a bullpen than Farrell was. I really don't think Hembree is any different, he's just being put into spots were he can succeed. Mainly facing tons of below average to really bad hitters. He's also not being used for those 2-3 inning long stints that was rather common his first two years. While I agree with this, Cora's roster having an actual long reliever on it has helped there. Hembree was the last guy in the bullpen, and the last guy in the bullpen basically is rarely getting used in a way that's set up to maximize his individual talents. He's usually out there because they don't want anyone better pitching. Though given the Brentz situation at the end of last year, it sounds like Farrell had a decent amount of input as to who was on his roster, too. Velazquez could have been that guy last year. Farrell just didn't want that, where Cora seems to love having that option. Like you said Farrell seemed to have a ton of input and got the players he wanted. Heck I had been saying Johnson should have been in the bullpen for like two years now also. He had options, he just went in another direction and that caused him to keep over using our relievers. I also have to point out that Cora has had it easier in regards to the competition. The AL sucks this year, we can play a crappy lineup and still win a ton of games. I'm not sure even as good as this team is, if that would have been the case in past years when there weren't so many really crappy teams. I really love this team, I just think that needs to be taken into consideration. I just can't remember the last time the AL was this bad overall. There are 3 teams in the AL that make the Marlins look good! A team that sold off almost everyone to rebuild.
|
|
ericmvan
Veteran
Supposed to be working on something more important
Posts: 9,007
|
Post by ericmvan on Aug 9, 2018 13:35:54 GMT -5
Hembree is the perfect example of how much better Cora is at managing a bullpen than Farrell was. I really don't think Hembree is any different, he's just being put into spots were he can succeed. Mainly facing tons of below average to really bad hitters. He's also not being used for those 2-3 inning long stints that was rather common his first two years. Actually, as I explained in detail, the below average hitters have killed him, likely because he gets sloppy and overconfident, and the really bad hitters have hit him like they hit everyone else.
He's been excellent against average hitters, completely dominant against good hitters, and terrible against great ones.
I do agree with you that most of his improvement is Cora using him correctly, but Cora's not matching him up the way you think he is.
|
|
ericmvan
Veteran
Supposed to be working on something more important
Posts: 9,007
|
Post by ericmvan on Aug 9, 2018 13:54:39 GMT -5
Fun facts: the Sox have to play at a 93-win pace to win 108 games and finish with a .667 WP%, which to me is a nice objective marker for team greatness: two wins for every loss (which you can sing to the tune of "Surf City" if you're as old as me).
Now, they've had about 20% of the starts made by guys outside the rotation proper. It's not a precise number because we don't know whether Wright would won the 5th starter job over Pomeranz in ST if they'd both been healthy, or, at the other extreme, replaced him after 4 bad starts. If you split the difference it's exactly 20% at present, with 23 starts.
I wonder how many .667 teams averaged 1 of their starters on the DL all season. The '98 Yankees had 20 (12.3%) of their starts by backups. The '01 Mariners replaced John Halama with rookie Joel Pineiro just after the ASB, but both were healthy all year, and otherwise needed just 7 starts from backups.
And I also wonder how many .667 teams were last in MLB in WAR (or close to it) at a position because they thought their star player would be back from an injury in late May or early June.
|
|
|
Post by voiceofreason on Aug 9, 2018 14:08:46 GMT -5
Fun facts: the Sox have to play at a 93-win pace to win 108 games and finish with a .667 WP%, which to me is a nice objective marker for team greatness: two wins for every loss (which you can sing to the tune of "Surf City" if you're as old as me).
Now, they've had about 20% of the starts made by guys outside the rotation proper. It's not a precise number because we don't know whether Wright would won the 5th starter job over Pomeranz in ST if they'd both been healthy, or, at the other extreme, replaced him after 4 bad starts. If you split the difference it's exactly 20% at present, with 23 starts.
I wonder how many .667 teams averaged 1 of their starters on the DL all season. The '98 Yankees had 20 (12.3%) of their starts by backups. The '01 Mariners replaced John Halama with rookie Joel Pineiro just after the ASB, but both were healthy all year, and otherwise needed just 7 starts from backups.
And I also wonder how many .667 teams were last in MLB in WAR (or close to it) at a position because they thought their star player would be back from an injury in late May or early June.
Fun facts for sure, it has been a magic carpet ride. Now they just need to finish!
|
|
|
Post by jimed14 on Aug 9, 2018 14:22:00 GMT -5
Fun facts: the Sox have to play at a 93-win pace to win 108 games and finish with a .667 WP%, which to me is a nice objective marker for team greatness: two wins for every loss (which you can sing to the tune of "Surf City" if you're as old as me).
Now, they've had about 20% of the starts made by guys outside the rotation proper. It's not a precise number because we don't know whether Wright would won the 5th starter job over Pomeranz in ST if they'd both been healthy, or, at the other extreme, replaced him after 4 bad starts. If you split the difference it's exactly 20% at present, with 23 starts.
I wonder how many .667 teams averaged 1 of their starters on the DL all season. The '98 Yankees had 20 (12.3%) of their starts by backups. The '01 Mariners replaced John Halama with rookie Joel Pineiro just after the ASB, but both were healthy all year, and otherwise needed just 7 starts from backups.
And I also wonder how many .667 teams were last in MLB in WAR (or close to it) at a position because they thought their star player would be back from an injury in late May or early June.
Meanwhile the Astros have used exactly 5 starters this season.
|
|
|
Post by James Dunne on Aug 9, 2018 14:28:59 GMT -5
Fun facts: the Sox have to play at a 93-win pace to win 108 games and finish with a .667 WP%, which to me is a nice objective marker for team greatness: two wins for every loss (which you can sing to the tune of "Surf City" if you're as old as me). Now, they've had about 20% of the starts made by guys outside the rotation proper. It's not a precise number because we don't know whether Wright would won the 5th starter job over Pomeranz in ST if they'd both been healthy, or, at the other extreme, replaced him after 4 bad starts. If you split the difference it's exactly 20% at present, with 23 starts. I wonder how many .667 teams averaged 1 of their starters on the DL all season. The '98 Yankees had 20 (12.3%) of their starts by backups. The '01 Mariners replaced John Halama with rookie Joel Pineiro just after the ASB, but both were healthy all year, and otherwise needed just 7 starts from backups.
And I also wonder how many .667 teams were last in MLB in WAR (or close to it) at a position because they thought their star player would be back from an injury in late May or early June.
Meanwhile the Astros have used exactly 5 starters this season. That will change within the next couple days though. There's an element of luck to that, but getting Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, and Dallas Keuchel into the same rotation is good planning, too.
|
|
|
Post by kevfc89 on Aug 9, 2018 14:47:43 GMT -5
Devers had one really bad stretch (with a really low babip), but other than that he's been really consistent every other month and right in line with what he did last year. His offensive year doesn't look as bad when you see it in that context.
|
|
|
Post by soxfansince67 on Aug 9, 2018 14:54:08 GMT -5
Here's another interesting factoid. We are currently 8th in fielding, with 55 errors. Arizona leads with only 42 - in the AL, Houston has 48. Take away Devers 20 errors - add back a reasonable number (10, say - Bogaerts is second in errors with 7!) - we would have only 45 errors, best in the AL and second in all of baseball.
D hasn't gotten all of the attention it deserves (and Nunez at second is best not even pondered) - but we're pretty damned good!
|
|
|
Post by philsbosoxfan on Aug 9, 2018 15:08:12 GMT -5
James: Has that cutter suddenly made Nathan Eovaldi a $12M guy? Is he worth even more than that? Keith Law: He’s worth more. And it all seems very real.
|
|
|
Post by philsbosoxfan on Aug 9, 2018 15:13:09 GMT -5
Not Sox but still worth a read:
brian: Didi Gregorius can’t hit a pitch on the outside part of the plate. Also swings at everything. EVERYTHING. You can get him out by pitching up and away and down and away. He had a great April – then every single pitcher saw the same thing and he hasn’t hit much since. Can the Yankee announcers stop referring to this as a “slump?” It;s not a slump. And Boone batting him 3rd or 4th everyday is just plain pandering to the left/right crowd.
Keith Law: Since May 1st: .246/.297/.397. I didn’t realize his OBP was that bad; he’s still walking a bit so I thought he was at least providing more value there. That’s bottom of the order shit right there.
|
|
|
Post by jimed14 on Aug 9, 2018 15:15:01 GMT -5
James: Has that cutter suddenly made Nathan Eovaldi a $12M guy? Is he worth even more than that? Keith Law: He’s worth more. And it all seems very real. The durability issue didn't just disappear though. He has still had two TJS. His contract will be quite interesting, similar to Rich Hill a few years ago.
|
|
|
Post by incandenza on Aug 9, 2018 15:15:03 GMT -5
Devers had one really bad stretch (with a really low babip), but other than that he's been really consistent every other month and right in line with what he did last year. His offensive year doesn't look as bad when you see it in that context. He's actually a good tick better with the K rate and the overall wRC+ in the recent stretch. Maybe he's made it to the adjustment-to-the-adjustments phase that young hitters always seem to go through?
|
|
|
Post by philsbosoxfan on Aug 9, 2018 15:35:56 GMT -5
No Carita Chris Cotillo Verified account @chriscotillo 44m44 minutes ago Full list of Red Sox’ Players Weekend nicknames:
|
|
|
Post by jimed14 on Aug 9, 2018 15:39:26 GMT -5
They weren't too creative with Butler.
I can't stand this weekend. Can never figure out who players are on the other team.
|
|
|
Post by incandenza on Aug 9, 2018 15:40:57 GMT -5
LOL @ "Butler"
EDIT: Actually, woulda been great if it was just "Dan."
|
|
|
Post by jimed14 on Aug 9, 2018 16:01:02 GMT -5
LOL @ "Butler" EDIT: Actually, woulda been great if it was just "Dan." Great news! They're for sale!
|
|
|
Post by Canseco on Aug 9, 2018 16:02:19 GMT -5
Players’ weekend? Ugh. Eyewash.
|
|
|
Post by maxwellsdemon on Aug 9, 2018 16:02:50 GMT -5
Had to dig deep for Mookie too. If they'd used Markus it might have been better.
|
|
|
Post by jimed14 on Aug 9, 2018 16:07:33 GMT -5
Had to dig deep for Mookie too. If they'd used Markus it might have been better. Brasier is also nicknamed "Brasier".
|
|
nomar
Veteran
Posts: 11,497
|
Post by nomar on Aug 9, 2018 16:22:49 GMT -5
Late lightning
|
|
|
Post by kingofthetrill on Aug 9, 2018 16:26:10 GMT -5
I'd have loved it if they went with Laser-Tag like usernames such as "Arctic Slayer" or "Dragon's Breath" or "Aqua Toxic" that could lowkey also be 80's bands. If you're going to be outrageous, might as well go all the way with it.
Edit: I could only wonder what Kevin Millar and the rest of "the idiots" would have done with this power.
|
|
|
Post by dirtdog on Aug 9, 2018 16:47:36 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Chris Hatfield on Aug 9, 2018 16:54:25 GMT -5
Players’ weekend? Ugh. Eyewash. Yeah who needs fun? Bleh.
|
|
|
Post by classylefthander on Aug 9, 2018 16:55:13 GMT -5
Come on.
“The Butler”
Or T. Butler on the jersey
|
|
|
Post by kingofthetrill on Aug 9, 2018 17:12:17 GMT -5
That will give us two days to pick a random country in the world and say that Pomeranz has the flu from that country and has to go on the DL. My money's on "East Namibian Flu"
|
|