Blooms moves or lack thereof

Started by elktonnick, November 27, 2022, 04:29:54 PM

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Sea Dog 23

They updated the terms on the Matt Barnes trade.  Sox will pay $5mil of his contract this year, which I think is between $7.5-8m. Bleier’s numbers for 2013 are$3.5. So the Sox lose a little cash on the deal.

They also DFAd Frank German to open up Bleier’s slot.

MongoLikeSox

Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on January 30, 2023, 06:33:27 PM
They updated the terms on the Matt Barnes trade.  Sox will pay $5mil of his contract this year, which I think is between $7.5-8m. Bleier’s numbers for 2013 are$3.5. So the Sox lose a little cash on the deal.

They also DFAd Frank German to open up Bleier’s slot.
So basically, this was a trade that had to include a risky DFA move due to the strange 40-man Roster management & subsequent situation.

And now almost as big of a surprise - Franklin German? Does he clear? Is this a situation like with Ramon Hernandez who got DFA'd earlier this off-season and Outrighted to Worcester?

All this ain't over yet, either. There's still opening day hole(s) to fill in MI situation. We only have one guy we can stick onto the 60-day IL. I mean, give them a little time on that end.

Sea Dog 23

#227
Mongo, I can see that going into Spring the bullpen is Bloom’s strong suit.  He can shuffle and deal from the 40 man from all those AAAA pitchers he has stockpiled. But how do the Sox get to the bullpen, he should be thinking.  The starters are still a mixed bag.  From the top 6, Sale and Paxson are untested as wounded warriors.  Kluber  will have to have great command with a 88mph fastball.  Pivetta is healthy but a punching bag.  Bello has added 15 LBs of muscle but can he find the plate?  Both Whitlock and Houck were shutdown in Sept last year with major injuries.  I would sign Wacha for insurance, but what do I know?

At the end of the day, I still think this is a bridge year, and any bargaining chips will all be dealt at the deadline.

longgame

Looking at this Sox team coming up, and assuming at least one of the two gaping holes - 2B, but really SS, and C - gets filled, I'm trying to be objective with this team at least at a macro level since at a positional level there is little good news.

The bullpen is better.  I think that's unequivocal.  Last year's bullpen was awful save a couple of good performances at times by some younger guy, and there was little consistency.  This year's model has a better overall skill level and past success.  It's also old, but I'm only looking at this year.  Health will be important and these older guys will be more subject to damage from overuse.  Which brings us to.....

Starting Pitching.  I don't know what to say.  Last year's starters weren't very good.  A few well played games but that's about it.  I couldn't find stats on starting pitching innings pitched but I imagine it was low.  Sox were next to last in the AL in nearly every starting pitching stat, thank you KC for keeping them out of the bottom.  To me that means this team needs two things from this staff - consistency and quality.  The hard part is it's a challenge to say that this team will be better, but they do win some upside potential awards.  Frankly I can't see the starting pitching being worse than last year.  Not if Sale and Kluber can be at least average and with Bello being the ace of the future.  But it would take a lot to imagine this bein an impactful pitching staff.  Better than last year, but the question is how much better and is it enough to overcome the...

Position players.  This may be the worse defensive team I've seen anywhere.  Kike is a backup player.  Verdugo is very average.  Yoshida wasn't a plus defender in Japan.  Duval, well he can hit.  Casas is Casas, we'll see what we get, hoping the kid gets his swing.  Devers isn't in there for his defense.  We have second string guys for C and 2B.  Some oft-injured guys to round them out?  Plus where does the offense come from?  Teams could walk Devers every at bat and shut us out every night.  A poor team last year seems worse on paper this year without Bogey and Story whose production hasn't been replaced.

Hard to make a prediction out of this mess.  I can't see a big improvement over last year's record, maybe a handful of games.  Of course that doesn't take into account the opposition.

Truck leaves tomorrow so things are getting close.   

SeaBeachFred

Quote from: longgame on February 02, 2023, 11:01:18 AM
Looking at this Sox team coming up, and assuming at least one of the two gaping holes - 2B, but really SS, and C - gets filled, I'm trying to be objective with this team at least at a macro level since at a positional level there is little good news.

The bullpen is better.  I think that's unequivocal.  Last year's bullpen was awful save a couple of good performances at times by some younger guy, and there was little consistency.  This year's model has a better overall skill level and past success.  It's also old, but I'm only looking at this year.  Health will be important and these older guys will be more subject to damage from overuse.  Which brings us to.....

Starting Pitching.  I don't know what to say.  Last year's starters weren't very good.  A few well played games but that's about it.  I couldn't find stats on starting pitching innings pitched but I imagine it was low.  Sox were next to last in the AL in nearly every starting pitching stat, thank you KC for keeping them out of the bottom.  To me that means this team needs two things from this staff - consistency and quality.  The hard part is it's a challenge to say that this team will be better, but they do win some upside potential awards.  Frankly I can't see the starting pitching being worse than last year.  Not if Sale and Kluber can be at least average and with Bello being the ace of the future.  But it would take a lot to imagine this bein an impactful pitching staff.  Better than last year, but the question is how much better and is it enough to overcome the...

Position players.  This may be the worse defensive team I've seen anywhere.  Kike is a backup player.  Verdugo is very average.  Yoshida wasn't a plus defender in Japan.  Duval, well he can hit.  Casas is Casas, we'll see what we get, hoping the kid gets his swing.  Devers isn't in there for his defense.  We have second string guys for C and 2B.  Some oft-injured guys to round them out?  Plus where does the offense come from?  Teams could walk Devers every at bat and shut us out every night.  A poor team last year seems worse on paper this year without Bogey and Story whose production hasn't been replaced.

Hard to make a prediction out of this mess.  I can't see a big improvement over last year's record, maybe a handful of games.  Of course that doesn't take into account the opposition.

Truck leaves tomorrow so things are getting close.   

Thanks Ted for starting my day off with some roten news, but, then again, the truth hurts.  I just hope your miserable predictions don't impact my nine holes of golf I plan on playing at Noon, Pacific  Time.  My game goes hot and cold too many times as it is so I hope you didn't bum me out.  My take and question is just when is our team going to be a solid contender again.  Doesmn't look like it will be this season does it, especially when you have a cheap bastard of an owner and a Baseball Ops Director is about the worst one in the Major Leagues.  But wish we luck on the course anywyay.

elktonnick

Quote from: longgame on February 02, 2023, 11:01:18 AM
Looking at this Sox team coming up, and assuming at least one of the two gaping holes - 2B, but really SS, and C - gets filled, I'm trying to be objective with this team at least at a macro level since at a positional level there is little good news.

The bullpen is better.  I think that's unequivocal.  Last year's bullpen was awful save a couple of good performances at times by some younger guy, and there was little consistency.  This year's model has a better overall skill level and past success.  It's also old, but I'm only looking at this year.  Health will be important and these older guys will be more subject to damage from overuse.  Which brings us to.....

Starting Pitching.  I don't know what to say.  Last year's starters weren't very good.  A few well played games but that's about it.  I couldn't find stats on starting pitching innings pitched but I imagine it was low.  Sox were next to last in the AL in nearly every starting pitching stat, thank you KC for keeping them out of the bottom.  To me that means this team needs two things from this staff - consistency and quality.  The hard part is it's a challenge to say that this team will be better, but they do win some upside potential awards.  Frankly I can't see the starting pitching being worse than last year.  Not if Sale and Kluber can be at least average and with Bello being the ace of the future.  But it would take a lot to imagine this bein an impactful pitching staff.  Better than last year, but the question is how much better and is it enough to overcome the...

Position players.  This may be the worse defensive team I've seen anywhere.  Kike is a backup player.  Verdugo is very average.  Yoshida wasn't a plus defender in Japan.  Duval, well he can hit.  Casas is Casas, we'll see what we get, hoping the kid gets his swing.  Devers isn't in there for his defense.  We have second string guys for C and 2B.  Some oft-injured guys to round them out?  Plus where does the offense come from?  Teams could walk Devers every at bat and shut us out every night.  A poor team last year seems worse on paper this year without Bogey and Story whose production hasn't been replaced.

Hard to make a prediction out of this mess.  I can't see a big improvement over last year's record, maybe a handful of games.  Of course that doesn't take into account the opposition.

Truck leaves tomorrow so things are getting close.   

Devers may not be in there because of his defense but  Bloom has so screwed up the infield that Raffy is probably the best defensive infielder on the team. 

MLB changed the rules to encourage more hits through the infield so what does Bloom do he gets a SS with bad wheels.  The Sox pitching is perhaps better but that does not mean that they won't give up more hits because of Boston's questionable defense.

MongoLikeSox

That's a fair view in my estimation, Longgame. Defense, offense, starting pitching and relief pitching each deserve their own threads. This team has more question marks than a bad Joker Halloween costume.

A standard issue pre-Bloom Red Sox defense is not what we're getting. That said, start penciling in the starters if we get Iglesias. He sort of fixes it all.

C - WTFE
1B - Casas
2B - Arroyo
SS - Iglesias
3B - Devers
LF - Duvall (2021 GG OF'er)
CF - Kike (became a very capable CF'er in 2021)
RF - Verdugo (was a better RF'er than LF'er)

Move Kike to SS and it makes SS/CF/LF all weaker. Yes, Duval is supposed to be a capable CF'er, but I think Kike's got the better legs for it unless I remember Duval all wrong.

Offense I am not worried about. Maybe not a top-5, but not bottom either. Plug in Turner and Yoshida to DH and various OF/IF day off iterations and you've got a solid 1-8 and a more than capable #9 hitter in Wong/McGuire. Some depth with Dalbec. Maybe even Duran if his head gets screwed on straight. Add Mondesi and Story to the mix if they contribute anything more than infections.

Pitching - ugh! The ultimate Bloom fail coming back for year #4.   

Sea Dog 23

As far as pitching, I was hoping we’d entertain bringing Wacha back.  I think he went 11-2 last year. 1.13 WHIP.  But his agent is asking for a 2 yr deal @$15m.  That would surely break what’s left of Bloom’s piggy bank.

I think MGT is looking for the farm to provide some pitching up in Boston later this year, like Mata or Murphy, as one of the starters is likely to throw a gasket in his skinny body.

elktonnick

Re the farm:  Read John Tomase latest.  Sox farm is rated 23rd and last in the ALE.  One analyst of all farm systems doubts Boston has any pitcher currently in the lower minors who ever pitch in the major leagues. Ouch

MongoLikeSox

Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on February 02, 2023, 05:49:40 PM
As far as pitching, I was hoping we’d entertain bringing Wacha back.  I think he went 11-2 last year. 1.13 WHIP.  But his agent is asking for a 2 yr deal @$15m.  That would surely break what’s left of Bloom’s piggy bank.

I think MGT is looking for the farm to provide some pitching up in Boston later this year, like Mata or Murphy, as one of the starters is likely to throw a gasket in his skinny body.
I'm surprised Wacha has not gotten signed. I guess maybe he's gotta put up a couple of 20+ start and sub 4.00 ERA combined seasons before lowering both the injury and consistency reputations he has working against him?

Quote from: elktonnick on February 02, 2023, 06:16:42 PM
Re the farm:  Read John Tomase latest.  Sox farm is rated 23rd and last in the ALE.  One analyst of all farm systems doubts Boston has any pitcher currently in the lower minors who ever pitch in the major leagues. Ouch
Yeah, the top-30 is dramatically low on Salem (low-A) and below pitching. Two guys with "40" overall ratings. Imagine this farm system had Rafaela, Murphy and Walter not emerged from the rubble in 2022? We can only hope that a few more emerge this year. Who will be that surprise MLB top-100 prospect coming out of no-where? 

Does anyone disagree that Bloom's rebuild plan is built around Marcelo Meyer and has been since before he even got out of Rookie ball? That's a lot to pin on one kid.

The intertwined list of fails that Bloom has authored is going to cost us for years.

Sea Dog 23

Quote from: MongoLikeSox on February 03, 2023, 08:33:24 AM
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on February 02, 2023, 05:49:40 PM
As far as pitching, I was hoping we’d entertain bringing Wacha back.  I think he went 11-2 last year. 1.13 WHIP.  But his agent is asking for a 2 yr deal @$15m.  That would surely break what’s left of Bloom’s piggy bank.

I think MGT is looking for the farm to provide some pitching up in Boston later this year, like Mata or Murphy, as one of the starters is likely to throw a gasket in his skinny body.
I'm surprised Wacha has not gotten signed. I guess maybe he's gotta put up a couple of 20+ start and sub 4.00 ERA combined seasons before lowering both the injury and consistency reputations he has working against him?

Quote from: elktonnick on February 02, 2023, 06:16:42 PM
Re the farm:  Read John Tomase latest.  Sox farm is rated 23rd and last in the ALE.  One analyst of all farm systems doubts Boston has any pitcher currently in the lower minors who ever pitch in the major leagues. Ouch
Yeah, the top-30 is dramatically low on Salem (low-A) and below pitching. Two guys with "40" overall ratings. Imagine this farm system had Rafaela, Murphy and Walter not emerged from the rubble in 2022? We can only hope that a few more emerge this year. Who will be that surprise MLB top-100 prospect coming out of no-where? 

Does anyone disagree that Bloom's rebuild plan is built around Marcelo Meyer and has been since before he even got out of Rookie ball? That's a lot to pin on one kid.

The intertwined list of fails that Bloom has authored is going to cost us for years.

Of Sox top 30prospect s Bloom did not dangle one for trade bait. He seemed to protect them.   He did dfa #22 German.  I think Sox next big star is OF Bleis.  But he is two years off, and more likely three yeears.  And  yes Bloom  will  be adios before they  arrive.

Sea Dog 23

#236
The Sox dealt Frank German to the Chisox for Theo Dedlinger. He has a good fastball, but hasn’t done much above A ball, now 26 yo.  Not on the 40 man, so a depth move.

Bizarre thing he is a qualified blacksmith, and his favorite sport in high school was football.

MongoLikeSox

It was another 40-man roster emergency trade. I can't believe the Sox are giving up on German. I know he pitched ugly in his debut stint, but that was a choke job. We'll see. That was our top reliever prospect.

We don't have to "protect" the new guy for another year. I think it's just one year instead of two because of the age he was drafted. I could be wrong. It's strange to look at his college numbers and see that he was drafted in the 7th round by Chicago in 2021.

longgame

Good piece on the rotation and some of the other players on the team.  Nothing earth-shattering, just an honest assessment of the pitching staff and the fact that there is a lot of upside potential or it could be a total mess. 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/02/the-volatile-red-sox-rotation.html

Sea Dog 23

For one, missing from the spring drama is ERod.  He is now the Tigers problem (AWOL?)  Of the top 3 at the top of Sox rotation, the older arms, I see one coming out of the spring strong and making the mgt. happy.  One will look competitive but still needing work, and one with a “sore “ shoulder or elbow requiring the 10 day IL.  That leaves Pivetta, Bello and Whitlock.  We all know what their upside is and what their limitations are.  Can those three manage 5 innings?

The additions are not named Rodon or Eovaldi or Wacha.  But less those talents, Bloom is looking for a couple surprises to make mgt even more happy.