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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 11, 2021 21:08:05 GMT -5
Oh, heck yeah. I wasn't intending to disparage anyone here. Someone who takes the time to post numerous issues, like we all have here is way more than a casual fan.
Main topic.. How many have noticed that the guys expected to make the opening day roster in the BP have looked pretty decent, the iffy guys.. Well iffy so far this spring and for the most part? The guys brought in on MiLB deals flat out horrendous.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 11, 2021 19:18:22 GMT -5
This really nneds to be differentiated between casual, fly by night fans.. As in those who follow a team when they win and real, hard core baseball fans Eric. "breaking" the game, to target the fly by nighters may be good from a profit standpoint and teams that used to/generally didn't draw, have good home tv deals etc.. But coming from a RS fan, which never had that issue with the team (tickets), since 1966 is a stretch and also has had -0- problems with subscriptions to it's flagship NESN, nor as remember viewership on..believe was weei when some games were there.
What you are suggesting is fixes for lackadaisical, lazy fans, which is pretty much what i referred to way above and those come and go as the winds blow. I've still go to ask.. WHY? Those are not the core, who will ride out the good, with the bad for a team, nor the game?
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 11, 2021 15:34:53 GMT -5
So continue marching forward with "boring" baseball, brought forward by numbers crunchers, even though many who played in the past decry how silly it is? I guess that's logical to some, who have short attention spans and want everything done and over with in say.. 2 hours? is that the next goal for said "experts"?
The single good idea you had is one Johnny Lowenstein often stated as an announcer for the Orioles back in the mid-late 80's.. He'd see all those HR's flying, probably early days of juicing.. Then he'd state: "they're wrapping 'em tighter in Haiti nowadays" and start on his, about weekly call to deaden the ball.
Easiest fix to stop the huge increase in HR/K/swing angle and a lot of the crap we've been bombarded with and return part of the game to normal. No need to alter any mound distance, something has stayed true for decades, lower it, which has stayed the same for 40y. The ball itself is the simple fix and it's core.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 11, 2021 14:26:07 GMT -5
Nothing good (nor bad) has a chance to happen with all these power hitters striking out 150 (or more) times is an issue, can't see why it's so accepted the last decade or so as a byproduct of hitting homeruns when it does not have to be.
The game has been so analyzed, then over analyzed this is a part where negativity has taken over in 1 area and as MANY former players have stated, still say for those watching ST baseball, where the game is not only becoming "boring", but is going backward. Danny Gladden, who remember as a decent Twins OF years back said so once again just today! Have heard it numerous times this spring from several announcers.
Stop bringing in people who really don't understand the game, just numbers to fix what does not need fixing.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 10, 2021 22:24:34 GMT -5
Carter came into the game when hacking and missing was acceptable also, so was not taking a walk, but he did know the strike zone nad usually carried around a 12-15% BB rate, which by today's rate, would be considered outstanding, his problem was that massive swing, going for the fence every time when he did unload. Dalbec is the same, know the zone or not. Gallo, Pederson. I am curious how long the faithful will put up with Dalbec if he does K 200-250 times and hit 30-35HR.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 10, 2021 21:50:30 GMT -5
Dalbec 4 HRs and 8 RBIs in Spring Training 40 hrs and 200ks with 100rbis id still take it lol. You realize that was Chris Carter 4y straight (pretty close numbers) and he had to beg for a job. 1 bad season and he was gone.. Not high on swing and miss guys like this myself, but quite a few here are. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 9, 2021 20:10:59 GMT -5
Why do baseball people use "it" to describe their players all the time? They have the Rays GM mic'd up and he's doing it. Never "he has a good arm", always "It's a power arm", instead of he's got a good bat, "It's an explosive bat". John Farrell and Cora both do it, Cherington would too. Do any of our insiders have some intel on this esoteric grammatical construct that is pervasive in baseball and non-existent outside of baseball? Have to consider the source on who your comment is intended at today.. DeWayne Staats.. Not a worse announcer in the game, nor has there been for years. Staats is of the type who sees everything, thru "rays" colored glasses and anything positive which happens for the other team, is by pure chance.. Like Chavis's 2nd hit, which he termed a dribbler thru the hole. Yes.. Staatz is either a Rays cheerleader when things go the Rays way, or a whiner when they don't and always have been. For those of us within their blackout area? Best to watch with -0- audio. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 8, 2021 21:17:13 GMT -5
Is Henry Davis too big a reach at #4, seems like the defensive profile makes him close to a lock to be a MLB catcher and the bat seems like it could be pretty good. Track record alone with Boston on high, wasted draft picks on catchers since '08 says don't do it, including stop wasting top 5 picks again at all on them as abysmal as each and every one has been since picking Vazquez/Lavarnway and Fed-x all top 10 a dozen years ago. I'm all for drafting a *power* pitcher up top and as many as they can high every year. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 7, 2021 19:46:18 GMT -5
For reference, Song is not being trained as a pilot, he grew too tall to qualify. He is being trained as a support technician; radar, weapons, mine locating, search and rescue, etc. Funny how times change. My day, "mine locating" was done with specialized ships (MSO), of which spent 3y onboard one, or technically assigned to it. Wasn't really able to go out to sea for many prolonged periods of time then, the wooden huller's were ancient when I served. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 7, 2021 14:52:30 GMT -5
Thought Sprowl was the key piece, blow up and all vs the NYY in his late season start. he was a hyped up kid back then.
Pete and I played old strat-o-matic baseball multiple times during the week before he went to the park, strat-o hockey sometimes also and he had one of those old hockey sets, where have the push-pull rods with players attached on the ends? Pete was the king on that thing!
He drove this blue, Ford panel van. He was the only one among his "roomies" (Richie Gedman, Danny Weppner, Al Nipper) who had wheels, so made a lot of trips. I lived next street over.
Eric,
Think Bob Watson would be an aging slugger. He was well past being a useful position player and let's not Forget orlando Cepeda.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 6, 2021 18:10:34 GMT -5
They think Payamps could get claimed, why not waive Schreiber, Wilson, who they now have Santana ahead of regardless. Colten Brewer, who is on last year of waiver options if remember correctly and really don't know how made it this far on the 40 man.
Mata can now go to the 60 day, so 1 spot is safe for awhile, but I worry now with Bloom, who doesn't seem to waive the obvious choice and has claimed some who make one go "huh"? (Schreiber).
Not a huge knock on him, understand he's looking for that magical "spin rate", tho do wish he'd target a cpl more guys who can throw a bit harder with only some mechanical issues instead.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 6, 2021 17:21:01 GMT -5
Not a trade, but letting Ryan Pressly go as a Rule 5 guy turned out to be a mistake. They weren't exactly known for drafting pitchers during the Epstein era were they. Sure, a Bucholz, but they did have guys drafted way down, like Pressley, Hunter Strickland escape to become successful relievers elsewhere. Pitching in general as draftees was massive black hole from Epstein until Dombrowski cam along and ditched that nonsense "big bodied pitchability" theme and went for guys who could throw past 90mph like the rest of the league and MANY of us here had been screaming about for years. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 5, 2021 18:35:13 GMT -5
So with the fourth largest bonus pool, it is a bit disappointing to not be the favorite for any of the top 20. That said, there is only one pitcher in the top 20. I would be more excited if the Sox were linked to a number of the top remaining pitchers. IFA bonus pools have nothing to do with standings. They're set based on whether a team receives revenue sharing and signed any QO free agents. Sign that they will ink a boatload of kids tho more than likely and continue to run 2 DSL teams. "maybe" 2 GCL teams as well??? I've got no issues with running thru more of these kids that throwing out a massive amount (1-3m) to a cpl, then bottom feeding on half as many. No offense, but bust rate is pretty high and I'd like to see them run more of the mid-lower kids inked and top out at the 1-300k figure. Spend the resources on coaching and extra teams at DSL and GCL support. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 5, 2021 18:06:30 GMT -5
Funny thing about Schill, is he was like the old style generic pitcher included in the Boddicker deal way back. Pete Ladd, my old buddy from his HaSox days was a "throw in" in the Bob Watson deal to Houston, then moved on to Milwaukee, but the brewers would have had a hard time winning it all in '83 without the terrific season of Sasquatch.. The gentle giant and my old dear friend.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 5, 2021 14:16:09 GMT -5
Sparky Lyle for Danny Cater. Probably the worst trade in history. Jeff Bagwell says hello and that's acknowledging that Larry Andersen gave the Sox about 20 strong innings of relief. There have been worse trades in history. Babe Ruth was a sale not a trade. But there were deals where the Cubs stole young Fergie Jenkins from the Phils for washed up Bob Buhl and they also stole Ryne Sandberg from the Phils as well. The Cards stole from the Cubs in the Lou Brock/Ernie Broglio deal. The James Shields/Fernando Tatis Jr deal isn't looking too good for the White Sox. And there are plenty I've neglected to mention because I can't think of it offhand. The Lyle deal was up there, though. Oh I can give u one and It always gets left out of horrid pitcher deals lists for some reason.. Lefty Carlton for.. Rick Wise.. Wise even added more salt to the awfulness of the deal after year 1 of the deal when lefty had an all world season with the bottom dwelling Phillies and once again.. Wise put up pedestrian, mid rotation (for those days) numbers with the Cardinals saying "sometimes, deals take more than 1 year to even out". Wise was correct, he was out of St Looie after cp years and shipped to Boston and Carlton well on his way to the HOF in Philly. What I remember of Wise, especially his last 2 yrs in Boston, was if he could get past inning number 1, he'd be ok and have a decent outing. That 1st inning was his bugaboo tho and even that lughead Zimmer finally figured it out and would have someone warming up during his starts late during his Boston tenure. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 5, 2021 9:14:03 GMT -5
Not mentioning a reliever the Red Sox traded away in Spring Training of 1972 for a light-hitting first baseman is a good way to avoid pain. I'll put the best spin I can put on this one. The trade of which you speak did yield a PTBNL as a pity gesture by you-know-who which yielded forgettable Mario Guerrero. He was then turned around for a guy who DID contribute to a pennant winning Red Sox team, a reliever by the name of Jim Willoughby, who probably should have been kept in to pitch the 9th inning of Game 7, particularly after he mowed down the Reds in order during the 8th inning. Maybe if they did, perhaps the Sox might have won. That's about as much lipstick as I can apply to that pig of a trade they made that you're referring to. Willoughby and Moret were the only 2 solid relievers that '75 team had and Willow was hurt that year.. Shoulder maybe?? He came back for the stretch run and how many evenings listened to that team on the radio, they would be in trouble and would be hoping Willoughby would be the name announced as coming in by Ned martin/Jim Woods. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 4, 2021 21:27:35 GMT -5
I know they need a lot of pitchers, but I worry about the three-man bench. Wouldn't you be hesitant to use the last non-catcher on your bench, fearing that if anything happened, you'd wind up with JD in the OF or Vasquez in the IF, and nobody to pinch run or hit for the pitcher? With a four-man bench you can use two of the utility guys every day (pinch-hitting, pinch-running, or going in for D), and still have one in your back pocket. It'd be nice to have a fourth guy like Santana on the bench if they can swing it. Think this sign knocks back Munoz a slot and does nothing but improve the odds of a short bench, which is no big deal with AAA team so close if injury happens and when may be more worried with regards to team pitching than the offense at each position. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 4, 2021 13:21:53 GMT -5
I'm a lot more annoyed at this point that Bloom didn't trade JBJ last summer than I am that JBJ is actually gone. Watching him get something for nothing in deals for Springs/Mazza and Osich, getting two legit prospects for a month of Mitch Moreland, and getting 5 players for Benintendi, and fleecing Philly in the Workman/Hembree trade, I can only imagine what Bloom could have gotten for JBJ. Bloom had to have known that JBJ wasn't coming back for peanuts and that they weren't going to have the money to sign him and fill as many needs as they had, I can only surmise that he held onto JBJ for reasons that might not have been baseball related - I'm speculating here because I don't think I'll ever find out the true answer to that. I can only imagine what caliber of prospects he could have secured with his penchant for grabbing young talent. As you can tell, I'm not upset by JBJ leaving. But don't get me wrong. JBJ is the best defensive CF I've seen on the Red Sox and for a couple of years Crisp was ridiculously great, but JBJ is the best. That said, it was time to move on. He's on the wrong side of 30. I don't see his defense improving in the coming years, although he will eventually make a really good RF in a few years, but will he hit enough? He hit well last year, but I get the sense that he hit a hot streak and the season ended before he could balance it out with one of his mega-cold streaks. Except for 2016 when he really had a torrid streak (still can't believe he had a 29 game hitting streak), he always left you wanting for more offensively. I'm glad that he saved his best for the 2018 post-season. So I'll always be a JBJ fan. And I will always applaud heartily for him when he returns to Fenway as an opponent or when they eventually put him in the Red Sox HOF and have reunions of the 2018 team. That said, I've been more than ready for quite awhile to turn the page. I really think that Jarren Duran will be a much better player than the #4 projection that was hung on him. I think he has the power to hit 20 HRs. I think he could be a .275 type hitter. And he has blazing speed. I'm hoping he'll be adequate if not better as a CF. I would think in time that Jimenez winds up in CF bumping Duran over to a corner. Best defensive CF since early Lynn and better than Rick Miller, who was probably the next best before Crisp came along and he could throw some. Only reason to think of why they didn't move him was some kind of signals from Bradley that he wanted to return, but being a Boras guy, I always say trade them regardless if they do not flat out come out and instruct him to do something regarding a contract extension. There is no such thing as goodwill/brownie points with Boras, only cold cash counts and imagine even an overpaid Bradley last season (11m over 162G schedule) was worth a fair prospect or 2. What could have happened is Bloom was another GM who fell under the spell of bradley being much better than he actually is and thinking all along he'd try to resign him this offseason, if at all possible and the price not too high.. Trading him away could make it more difficult. Kind of funny they hung onto him until time to walk, yet moved Betts and Benny isn't it? Kept the lowest upside, yet 2 guys who either could/can hit they cut ties with and both younger? |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 3, 2021 20:23:50 GMT -5
Any chance Munoz breaks camp with the big club? He just continues to look the part with every chance given. I keep thinking he is good depth and filler but then I watxh him play He would need to significantly outplay Arroyo, I think, because I think even with injuries, in the first month they'll try and stick with Chavis and Arauz if they need someone - it's not like they'd be losing AAA at-bats to come up and ride the bench. The only way they go with Munoz is if they're out on Arroyo and plan on DFA'ing him. It's the same reason having both Chavis and Arroyo on the same bench doesn't make sense - same handedness, basically same positions given that Kiké Hernandez and Marwin Gonzalez provide such versatility as well. Because of options and 40-man situation, I can't see them going with either Chavis or Munoz over Arroyo for that last bench spot, at least to start. Remember, Munoz cleared waivers this offseason. Any team could've had him (albeit at $800k in MLB rather than the minimum), and nobody took a flyer. EDIT: The more I think about it, maybe with two OF injuries he'd be the next guy up, fighting with Puello and/or Gettys for the honors. Wonder how much pressure Cora put on Bloom to sign his ex astros team mate Gonzalez? I see nothing he cannot do with the glove that Munoz cannot and Munoz was starting to last year before getting hurt. Having a super utility guy, to me that might hit from the "wrong" side of the plate isn't so important. He fights for every pitch, has energy and while he may be a free swinger.. Makes contact and fouls off bad pitches he may swing at. Keeping a defensive 2b replacement in Arroyo over someone who can play a decent 2b, fair SS,3b and OF positions makes no sense. As for why he passed through waivers earlier? Could be pertaining to some attitude going back to his not reporting to the Cardinals in 2019 think it was.. Whatever, he's not a wife beater (that i know of), drug user, nor shot down anyone in gang violence (other sports). What he is is a better overall player than is Arroyo. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 2, 2021 21:59:58 GMT -5
Here's a project for an extremely bored person (or eric): how have the Red Sox done in all trades that were primarily built around a reliever in the last 35 years? From Andersen through Slocumb to Melancon, Kimbrel, and Workman/Hembree. I feel like Workman/Hembree has a chance to put us into the black on balance. Someone else can have the project, but can tell u go to like 1990 and back and relievers were a dime a dozen unless some marquee guy. i remembered some boston had from way back, looked them up and cost was laughable. Johnny Wyatt, who was best reliever Boston had in '67 cost them pretty much nothing and was tremendous for 2 seasons, before being given away for cash. Greg Harris, some may remember as a guy who would eventually throw from both sides during a game (not with Boston), tho he did wear a 6 fingered glove while playing for them was a waiver claim. Mark Clear and Carney Lansford came in the Rick Burleson +Hobson deal. Not free, but Clear had the most wicked curve ever saw. He called it "the cleaver". I don't mind doing the 1990 back, but forget about newer ones.. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 2, 2021 19:10:08 GMT -5
Want to throw something else out that has changed in the game.. Yes, I know some of u are shaking ur heads at my always going back, but this is something batters not that long ago griped about..
Pitchers using brightly colored gloves.. Yes, some Boston guys, along with Cardinals have started using Red gloves.. used to be that would never fly, but I just saw in the replay of Cardinals-Miami game, pitcher Luis madero using some funky, bright green glove. How could that not be distracting to a hitter? they used to make pitcher's wear a long sleeve shirt for only tattoos, forget using red, much less this super bright colored glove Madero is using. Never, ever seen a glove this shade. Ugly to start with, but i wonder if it isn't to distract in the 1st place.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 2, 2021 14:52:38 GMT -5
Kiermaier has pretty eyes. He's getting quality airtime... Like everything else espn.. What a hatchet job of "coverage" this baseball game is. Nobody is covering this game, just chatting with ding dongs in the dugout/cars/field etc.. Espn is 100% useless. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 2, 2021 8:21:13 GMT -5
How many not He would implode after making what O'brian called the "shot put" error of a throw to 1b? i was impressed by Ward and he got the initial tough out in Albies, so he didn't face all 2nd stringers. I thought he looked very good myself and not really complaining, but so refreshing to see better angles of him here at ST than it was on MiLB of him in 2019.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 1, 2021 17:08:42 GMT -5
He'll be back if can find any of what got him his chance in 2019. Have been watching last cpl weeks of 2020 season on mlbtv and Walden did look bad after coming back from think was covid list. Couldn't locate his pitches , combined with hanging others in games vs Miami and a game with the NYY, that wasn't him at all in 2019. But even when he looked bad, he didn’t look hopeless. He has a good arm. I’m glad he snuck through. I don’t know if he’ll ever be back, but it’s worth a AAA slot. He was pretty brutal the 3 games mentioned above. Chris posted he was only optioned and not covid issue, so he must have just been messed up somehow parts of last season and admit some games did not watch of theirs last year, mostly late, why was going over end of year to see some of what may have missed and he did look bad, but how he went from one of the key middle relievers to losing it late last year I don't understand, his command was fair enough in 2019 and am very glad he's still a member and fairly confident he'll be back on the mlb roster during the season once works out whatever issue he was having. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Mar 1, 2021 16:13:36 GMT -5
Bingo! They hit on the guy to shuffle. That’s a good break. He'll be back if can find any of what got him his chance in 2019. Have been watching last cpl weeks of 2020 season on mlbtv and Walden did look bad after coming back from think was covid list. Couldn't locate his pitches , combined with hanging others in games vs Miami and a game with the NYY, that wasn't him at all in 2019. |
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