Much Improved!!!

[MongoLikeSox]

It says the very words in the caption on the Red Sox MLB page. "Led by star slugger, Rafael Devers, the Red Sox have a much improved roster that features several newcomers."

Much improved? Only two of the guys are currently injured, so there's that.

I'll reserve comment for now. Whatchyu guys think? Where are we better, worse, same, etc.

[markj]

A nicely finished basement is still the basement.

[longgame]

It says the very words in the caption on the Red Sox MLB page. "Led by star slugger, Rafael Devers, the Red Sox have a much improved roster that features several newcomers."

Much improved? Only two of the guys are currently injured, so there's that.

I'll reserve comment for now. Whatchyu guys think? Where are we better, worse, same, etc.

Let the gaslighting begin.  Baghdad Bloom doing his best propaganda job.   Too bad for the Sox that they actually count wins and losses at this level.

As I said before, I can make a case that the bullpen is improved, that the SP is a work in process with some upside potential and that the lineup is definitely not improved, and in fact is weaker in every aspect across the board.  I wish this were not the case as do we all, but being lied to makes it suck even more.

[MongoLikeSox]

I think the offense has two different ways of looking at it from what I see.
#1: Heading into Spring Training 2023 vs 2022, or
#2: Heading into Spring Training 2023 vs the end of 2022.

I'm actually bullish on the 2023 team scoring more runs. The Sox were 4th in the AL with the big-3 laying an egg in the RBI department. To match last year's RBI losses(XB, JDM, Story), 3 of the 4 new guys will have to under-perform to their own past few years' stats to match. Something like 67RBI each.

Pitching? Yeah, I mean, league worst again? I dunno. It can happen. We did lose our best 2 starters. Still, that was only 45 starts or so.

78 wins? I think that was actually decent considering what we had to work with. We could actually look better out there and wind up with less.

[elktonnick]

Sox may put more men on base, but I am doubtful that they will score more.  However, that may not translate to more runs scored.  There is no protection for Raffy who every team will pitch around.  Apart from Raffy there seems to be a lack of power.

Furthermore with the new rules, I see the sox giving up more hits because a lack of range in the infield and the effects of no shifts. 

In my mind this is an 80 win team at best.

[MongoLikeSox]

I agree with your 80-win team at best. At least at the moment. My question is, if it all goes well, how many wins can this team get? I mean, at least without getting into a 5th grader fantasizing of Red Sox greatness at every spot in the order. 

Anyhow, where my offense assessment fails is the big question mark. Will it survive too many big, legitimate questions? Instead of can the big 3, Verdugo and Vasquez to anchor the lineup with 3 big questions, we now have legitimate questions all around. Look at the last two years.
2023
C: Can McGuire/Wong fill in Vasquez's numbers?
1B: Can Casas stay healthy and learn to hit MLB pitching this year?
2B: Can Arroyo and Mondesi at least survive the season not being injured at the same time?
SS: Can Kike stay healthy and endure a full time MI gig?
3B: Can Devers survive without having a big name behind him?
LF: Can Yoshida figure out MLB pitching?
CF: Can Duvall stay healthy - and - can his numbers rebound to his old slugging self yet again?
RF: Verdugo is solid.
DH: Can Turner continue to age gracefully - and - was his early 2022 season his big adjustment period like they all have?

2022
C: Vasquez - solid
1B: Can Dalbec learn to hit MLB pitching this year?
2B: Can Story play 2b and stay healthy?
SS: Bogey - Solid
3B: Devers - Solid
LF: Verdugo - Solid
CF: Kike - Solid
RF: Can JBJ hit anything at all?
DH: JDM - Solid

Seeing how 2022 was a massive under-achievement driving in runs, matching that total number of runs should not be formidable. While it survive enough of the question marks?

btw - that big slew of questions is have the reason I thought adding Iglesias instead of Mondesi would have been the right move. Iglesias is one element we do not have in the MI. Stability and reliability. (The other half is that him being SS would chain-react to a solid to even very good overall defense. (Bloom's defensive fails are unfathomable)

[elktonnick]

What I find incredible is Bloom's reliance on players with a history of injuries.  It is a proven fact that players with a history of injury have an increased frequency of going on the IL as time goes on.  Bloom seems to have a case of wishful thinking.

[SeaBeachFred]

What I find incredible is Bloom's reliance on players with a history of injuries.  It is a proven fact that players with a history of injury have an increased frequency of going on the IL as time goes on.  Bloom seems to have a case of wishful thinking.

Better yet Bloom seems to have a bigger case of moronic decision making and a total lack of knowledge about talent.  Now we lose Wacha because he and his cheap a-hole of an owner will not loosen their wallets anymore since they believe we will all be tranquilized by the Devers extension.  Just who the hell is going to give Raffy protection in the lineup at this point?  And our pitching quality leaves a lot more than desired to give us any chance of competing this season short of a miracle from above----and right now the BIG GUY up there probably winces like the rest of us when he sees what we are going to put on the field this year.  Some smart aleck salesman should start a business outside of Fenway selling large grocery bags for fans to put over their heads. Maybe something like that would finally wake some people up in the front office, but like you and Mongo and Sea Dog and Ted, odds of even that happening is a long shot.