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Post by redsox04071318champs on May 4, 2024 8:25:57 GMT -5
Cespedes is one of BA's top FCL prospects to know. In a couple of years, once Mayer, Anthony, and Teel graduate, Cespedes will probably be the number 1 prospect. He might be, even if all 3 haven't graduated. Have a strong feeling Cespedes will rocket his wat through the system and within 3 to 4 years will be the long term 3b as Devers spends the back half of his contract DHing. My guess is Mayer comes up at some point in 2025 or 2026 and pushes Story to 3b, assuming he ever stays healthy, and then as Story's deal is expiring, Cespedes forces his way to the 3b job, an infield of Casas, Grissom, Mayer, Cespedes, the baseball gods willing. Will it happen like that? Nah, too neat, but it's certainly fun to think about. I'm just super excited about Cespedes. I think if he stays healthy he will be the real deal.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on May 1, 2024 21:18:57 GMT -5
Excellent win. Crawford had an impressive old time Houckian start - 7 innings pitched, just 2 runs.
Wong and Abreu keep contributing. Very good all around win.
They were 42-31 last season and the season still went belly up, so I'm approaching the 18-13 start with extreme caution. That said, they've been a pleasant surprise and I'm amazed the pitching has done so well. Don't know how long they can keep this up. Just hope when the pitching isn't otherworldly, the bats and the defense will be able to keep them moving in the right direction. They'll also face more tests with more AL East competition, although Toronto is being its chronic underachieving selves and Tampa is not what they were.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on May 1, 2024 15:11:00 GMT -5
I think it's pretty straight forward. Smith replaces Yoshida while he's on the IL.
I dont think Cora will play it this way, but in a week or so, the lineup against righties could look like this:
CF Duran 2B Grissom 3B Devers LF O'Neill RF Abreu 1B Cooper DH Smith C Wong SS Rafaela
Refsnyder gets in against lefties, likely in RF platooning with Abreu.
Somehow I think Dalbec survives this and perhaps platoons with Smith at DH?
I figure McGuire, Short, and Refsnyder are reserves with space for one more. I'm guessing they keep Dalbec over Hamilton?
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Post by redsox04071318champs on May 1, 2024 12:05:56 GMT -5
Guess Cooper is going on the IL to make room for Smith? Guessing Hamilton gets sent down to make room for Short. Chris Cotillo reported on Twitter: "Heard from a source this morning that Garrett Cooper is just bruised and is going to be OK after that hit by pitch." But perhaps he needs a day? I was thinking about that. It's probably Yoshida going on the IL and Smith doing some DHing
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Post by redsox04071318champs on May 1, 2024 12:02:08 GMT -5
*VermontSox trying to enjoy lunch break* Craig Breslow: "I'M GONNA MAKE 50 MOVES TODAY" Guess Cooper is going on the IL to make room for Smith? Guessing Hamilton gets sent down to make room for Short.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on May 1, 2024 11:59:07 GMT -5
It's still very early in the season. Lots of time left.
I can still see the team winning 75 games. I can still see the team winning 90.
I was certainly no fan of the Sox not adding pitching other than Giolito and Criswell and had serious reservations about the pen. And was concerned about the defense and didnt think the offense would be enough to compensate.
I'm not big on laud or blame the coaches, and it's not hard to imagine the pitching staff returning to planet Earth with a thud, but that said, how can you not think that Andrew Bailey is the team MVP?
Before he got hurt Pivetta was lights out. Houck is submitting big boy start after big boy start regularly pitching into the 7th inning. Kutter has been great. Bello was solid before his injury. And even Criswell has been damn good.
I'm surprised at how great Slaten has been. Weissert has looked very good. I'm not sure how much of Campbell's awful numbers are due to trying to pitch thru an injury so I can do a mulligan there.
One thing I am correct about so far is O'Neill. I got some snickers when I said he could bat cleanup. I dont think anybody thinks that's far fetched now.
Abreu is hitting much better than I thought he would and his emergence eases the loss of Story as all 3 of Duran, O'Neill and Abreu get to play every day and Cedanne gets to stay in the majors but as a competent SS so that works out. What they're missing is that secondary RH power bat beyond O'Neill which is why I was interested in Soler. Maybe Wong can fill that role in the lineup but as well as he played I know he can wear down so hopefully McGuire stays healthy as both he and Wong have played extremely well. Devers is coming around and Yoshida was until he got hurt and 1b is an injury a day just like SS was. Looking forward to Grissom if he ever makes it back, lol.
If they get Casas back, get healthy, don't beat themselves defensively and with bad baserunning and continue to pitch well, if not historic, then the sky's the limit.
Its encouraging, the best pitching start since 1920, their first year without Babe Ruth where they got off to an excellent start prompting people on this board to declare that the Sox didnt need that flash in the pan Babe Ruth and could win without him (just kidding!!).
The 1920 Sox werent highly regarded coming into the season, pitched lights out in Aoril, and then proceeded to finish under .500, 72-81 I think. Hopefully history doesnt repeat here! So far so good, but it is a long season.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on May 1, 2024 11:35:56 GMT -5
Took a quick look. Maybe Breslow was familiar with him from 2018 or so if he was with the Cubs then. At least Theo would be familiar with him.
I think it was 2018 or 2019 he had 94 walks in a minor league season. And he has a little bit of pop.
The only thing he can't do is hit, like at all - just a minor thing, lol.
He's probably keeping the backup role middle infield role warm until Romy returns. Maybe they didnt like Hamilton's defense and/or didnt want him sitting on the bench rather than getting regular ABs?
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Post by redsox04071318champs on May 1, 2024 5:57:38 GMT -5
You are so right, James. Boy, those names bring back memories. Saw them all except Groome and was excited about them all. Remember talking with Kelly's dad, who was in the same business, and they were torn about him being shortstop or a pitcher. Thought he was going to be a good one. You never really can tell when they are so young. Many more did over the years Steve. John Tudor, Don Aase, Bobby Ojeda and I doubt Bruce Hurst would have continued playing the game at all much longer had he not been able to escape to (then) somehat recluse area SD and much closer to his morman roots area Idaho. While never knew Tudor, nor bobby O that well. Hurst was constantly homesick each and every season and was miserable season long. found that out his 1st yr of pro ball and Boston had -0- support system in place. It was up to his fellow players and friends he met along the way to help out. Tudor I remember warming up prior to a ST game once, his very 1st. It was him and the C, who don't recall even was at the time. No coach nearby, no manager. Must have been johnny Mac at the time. Maybe ralph houck. Just don't remember, but a really young kid warming up for probably the biggest game (then) they had ever thrown and not 1 member of the coaching staff was anywhere to be found. must have bee.. 82? 83? Tudor was dealt for Mike Easler after the 1983 season. Houck managed the Sox from 1981 - 1984, so it had to be Houck. McNamara didnt take over until 1985 when Tudor har been traded again, from Pittsburgh to St. Louis where he had the best pitching season, outside of Doc Gooden, that year. FWIW, Hurst later on expressed a lot of regret about leaving Boston for San Diego.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Apr 30, 2024 20:24:11 GMT -5
And this is why you dont cut bait with Dalbec.. Meh. They could sign Cron. They could sign Belt. They all can't get injured, can they?
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Apr 30, 2024 11:32:11 GMT -5
I tend to trust my own internal "projections" known as my own opinion and evaluation of a player over system projection. I'm wrong a good percentage of the time, but then again so are the "projections" from all these systems or whatever so why trust them over my own eyes and experience?
Why treat them like its gospel when it's even more wrong than I am?
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Apr 29, 2024 19:10:40 GMT -5
There is a lot to consider here as well as Story is at SS…. Unless he isn’t next year and Mayer is ready Grissom is probably tending toward LF anyways I think between the huge roster crunch and some aging relievers and with a decisive GM I’d imagine this deadline this year will be quite active Grissom is most likely the long-term 2b.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Apr 29, 2024 11:35:34 GMT -5
Surprised by the Reyes DFA.
Reyes isn't particularly good but Hamilton has been awful at SS, so I'm surprised they chose him over Reyes, but it's certainly not a hill I'd want to die on.
Have to say, the debates over the level of suckdom, between Dalbec, Reyes, Hamilton, and to a lesser extent Valdez is kind of...interesting.
Hope they come up with better alternatives to Dalbec and Hamilton at some point as at this point it's pretty clear Valdez goes down to AAA when Grissom gets called up.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Apr 29, 2024 0:27:44 GMT -5
I'd send down Valdez and Hamilton with the idea that Dalbec handles the reserve role for the corner IF positions and Reyes handles the middle infield positions. Hopefully neither play that often.
The infield would regularly be Cooper, Grissom, Rafaela, and Devers.
If they can upgrade either Dalbec or Reyes, go for it as the bar is low.
When they get Casas back, Dalbec would fo to AAA, Cooper would back up 1b and LF and Reyes would handle SS, 2B, and 3B.
Of course who knows if Dalbec and/or Reyes are around by the time Casas returns and/or who else gets injured?
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Apr 28, 2024 18:46:35 GMT -5
Not if it helps the Yankees pass the Orioles. I want the Sox to succeed more than I want the Yankees to fail, and when any divisional rivals lose that increases the odds of the Sox making the playoffs. So, I say, enjoy your first place while it lasts, NYY, but for now it's party time!
Me, too, but it's close
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Apr 28, 2024 15:36:04 GMT -5
You gotta love watching Craig Kimbrel blowing saves for the O’s Not if it helps the Yankees pass the Orioles.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Apr 28, 2024 8:19:17 GMT -5
Good move. Guess Cron didnt overly impress them. The good thing is Cooper should get up to game speed quicker than Belt or Cron would. And with Belt, he'd he almost kind of useless once Casas returns. Cooper kind of fits better as a righty off the bench who can also play in the OF if need be. Turning 1b into average from being well below replacement level is a big step up for the 2 or 3 months Casas is out. Maybe Cooper be the best Red Sox 1b named Cooper since Cecil Cooper. Im not sure if it’s as much Cooper over Cron as it is Cooper now over Cron in one month Possible, which is why I mentioned the quicker ramping up part, but I think it's more than that. When Casas comes back, Cooper can play 1b or LF if needed while Cron is restricted to 1b, so roster wise, it's a cleaner fit.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Apr 28, 2024 8:16:29 GMT -5
It's hard to get excited about a guy who the Cubs gave away for a bag of beans. It's not that hard to get excited about upgrading from horrendous to average.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Apr 27, 2024 19:48:56 GMT -5
I think they should keep him on the roster. Having capable back up for 1st and 3rd matters more than having a 2nd back up middle infielder. The trouble with Dalbec is he only hits when he plays every day. Even a regular platoon messes up his timing. To be clear his hitting ceiling is Kyle Schwarber (currently .198 with 7 HR) or Joey Gallo but he's a much better and more versatile position player than Schwarber. He certainly would not be playing is Casas was healthy but I seriously doubt Garrett Cooper is better than Dalbec. I don't doubt Cooper is better than Dalbec. Dalbec played well during his brief rookie season and was great in August 2021 and has played like a minor leaguer the other months of 2021 and ever since Sept 2021. Cooper has managed to be average for several years, heights Dalbec has not come close to. Cooper is no star but he's light years better than Dalbec. It's not even close. The blinders with Dalbec need to come off. The dude has serious power but flat out can't hit, at all.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Apr 27, 2024 19:44:38 GMT -5
Great game all around. Games like that don't come around too often.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Apr 27, 2024 19:42:19 GMT -5
Good move. Guess Cron didnt overly impress them.
The good thing is Cooper should get up to game speed quicker than Belt or Cron would.
And with Belt, he'd he almost kind of useless once Casas returns. Cooper kind of fits better as a righty off the bench who can also play in the OF if need be.
Turning 1b into average from being well below replacement level is a big step up for the 2 or 3 months Casas is out.
Maybe Cooper be the best Red Sox 1b named Cooper since Cecil Cooper.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Apr 27, 2024 18:34:46 GMT -5
We picked a QB in the 6th round. How good could he be? Yup, they never work out. Lol.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Apr 26, 2024 13:18:17 GMT -5
Theyll probably bring back Cron but he'll need time to get back to spring training ready for the season mode. I'd prefer Belt or Cooper but I'm not sure how healthy Belt is. Either way I hope the Bobby Dalbec thing ends. He's a AAAA hitter at this point. Even mediocre would be a sizeable upgrade at this point to 0-for-the-season Bobby.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Apr 25, 2024 8:02:47 GMT -5
Rafaela will hit better at some point. I think he might manage .260 at some point. The OBP will still be sub .300. There will be some pop along the way. It'll probably take awhile to get there as long as he continues to hack away with that long swing of his.
I don't think the discipline will be there but at some point theyll shorten his stroke and he'll hit.
I still think he winds up in CF at some point as I suspect O'Neill isnt long for Boston unfortunately and I do think at some point eventually the Sox will wind up deciding to trade either Duran or Abreu when Anthony is ready.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Apr 25, 2024 5:55:14 GMT -5
By the end of the year, Rafaela, not Story or Mayer will be thought of as the shortstop of the future. No, Mayer will still be regarded as the SS of the future. Rafaela will return to being regarded as the CF of the future but will only truly be the CF when Mayer comes up to play SS at some point in the future as Rafaela will still be needed for SS as long as Story and his mounting history of injuries is penciled in to play SS.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Apr 23, 2024 17:22:28 GMT -5
What's taking the Sox so long to get on the phone to Cron or Garrett Cooper to get them to come over to a team that needs a regular 1b for the new few months?
With Cooper he's already been playing s other so there wouldn't be any real rust factor. I really hope they don't go with Dalbec until Casas is ready.
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