Predictions 2023 Season

Started by elktonnick, March 29, 2023, 02:32:13 PM

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longgame

Yet another position Bloom didn't think he needed to address and could go with substandard defense even with changes that make it easier to steal bases.  Go figure.

MongoLikeSox

Quote from: longgame on April 03, 2023, 08:18:20 AM
Yet another position Bloom didn't think he needed to address and could go with substandard defense even with changes that make it easier to steal bases.  Go figure.
The whole organization has an inconsistent streak recently when it comes to Catcher. I know it's slim picking out there, but their depth acquisitions are offense minded. Alfaro and then Ronaldo Hernandez a couple Springs back. I don't know anything about Caleb Hamilton beyond the stats.

As far as McGuire's concerned, I don't think there is any way that Bloom got him to be #1. I think Bloom convinced himself he was going to land Murphy from the A's as part of that bigger series of moves between trade deadline and the off season. 

Sea Dog 23

Quote from: MongoLikeSox on April 03, 2023, 11:10:33 AM
Quote from: longgame on April 03, 2023, 08:18:20 AM
Yet another position Bloom didn't think he needed to address and could go with substandard defense even with changes that make it easier to steal bases.  Go figure.
The whole organization has an inconsistent streak recently when it comes to Catcher. I know it's slim picking out there, but their depth acquisitions are offense minded. Alfaro and then Ronaldo Hernandez a couple Springs back. I don't know anything about Caleb Hamilton beyond the stats.

As far as McGuire's concerned, I don't think there is any way that Bloom got him to be #1. I think Bloom convinced himself he was going to land Murphy from the A's as part of that bigger series of moves between trade deadline and the off season.

Bloom also came up short bidding for catcher Jacob Stallings in 2022, now with Marlins.  As we all said over the winter, he is a day late and a dollar short on all the key players that would be good fits. 

longgame

If only they had a guy who was a good signal caller and a clutch hitter who played for them for years and was a free agent....

MongoLikeSox

Quote from: longgame on April 04, 2023, 07:49:51 AM
If only they had a guy who was a good signal caller and a clutch hitter who played for them for years and was a free agent....
He's 4 for 9 and nobody's tried to steal off him yet. 3 years, $30M looks rather nice right now. Grrrrr

longgame

Quote from: MongoLikeSox on April 04, 2023, 08:30:52 AM
Quote from: longgame on April 04, 2023, 07:49:51 AM
If only they had a guy who was a good signal caller and a clutch hitter who played for them for years and was a free agent....
He's 4 for 9 and nobody's tried to steal off him yet. 3 years, $30M looks rather nice right now. Grrrrr

The total inability to throw out runners is going to be a big issue this year. 

Sea Dog 23

Quote from: longgame on April 05, 2023, 08:18:33 AM
Quote from: MongoLikeSox on April 04, 2023, 08:30:52 AM
Quote from: longgame on April 04, 2023, 07:49:51 AM
If only they had a guy who was a good signal caller and a clutch hitter who played for them for years and was a free agent....
He's 4 for 9 and nobody's tried to steal off him yet. 3 years, $30M looks rather nice right now. Grrrrr

The total inability to throw out runners is going to be a big issue this year.

The good catchers have the arm and peripheral vision to throw behind the runner on 1st to make sure the runner keeps that in his head.  i.e. Realmuto, Contreras, also Vaz.

MongoLikeSox

I just looked up McGuire's career CS numbers. Limited action, of course, but since 2018:
           SB - CS -   CS%
2018    13 -  2   -  13%
2019    14 -  5   -  26%
2020     4  -  4   -  50% 
2021    20 -  11  -  36%
2022    32  - 16  -  33%   (Note Vasquez had 37SB and 16CS for the Sox in 653 innings. McGuire caught 658 total innings.)
2023    12  -  0   -  0%
Career  95  -  38  - 28.5%

Obviously so many things factor in to that one including pitchers, baserunner fear of catcher, game use, limited innings, etc. His one year that he had a good load of innings under his belt was last year and it was within reason. I think I only saw 2 od his throws this year and I think one was something awful.

It could be that the Orioles were on to the Red Sox strategy for holding runners on with this new clock & throws over limitation thing. Perhaps they suspected his throwing arm was tweeked somehow.

So who knows? The only thing I do know is that I hope it doesn't stay like this for McGuire and for us.


Sea Dog 23

The first critical injury for Sox has happened, apparently.  For starters Sox have put Dalbec on the plane to Tampa.  He would be a backup at SS and a bench piece.  Kike' is the next CF, and that may be some good news, if you can call all that good news, with all the errors he's making at SS.

Sea Dog 23

"Duvall suffered a distal radius fracture. Cora says they don’t know if he’ll need surgery or what the timetable is yet. Dalbec will be activated. Hernandez is leading off and playing short today w/ Refsnyder in CF Cora said there will be movement in lineup in days to come."

In layman's terms distal radius fracture means a broken wrist.  If it's a clean break/crack, early guestimates say 2.5 to 3 months away.

SeaBeachFred

Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on April 10, 2023, 03:56:49 PM
"Duvall suffered a distal radius fracture. Cora says they don’t know if he’ll need surgery or what the timetable is yet. Dalbec will be activated. Hernandez is leading off and playing short today w/ Refsnyder in CF Cora said there will be movement in lineup in days to come."

In layman's terms distal radius fracture means a broken wrist.  If it's a clean break/crack, early guestimates say 2.5 to 3 months away.

For a four game series coming up against the unbeaten Rays this is not what we needed, was it?????

elktonnick

One of the truisms of baseball is that a player once injured is more likely to be repeatedly placed on the injured list than a player who has never been injured..  This is  period on the IL.the risk you run when you staff your club with injury prone players.  Perfectly predictable.  Duvall will not be the last Sox player to head for an extended period on the injured list.

longgame

I broke my wrist in college and was in a cast for months.  Let's hope that's not the case here.

Sea Dog 23

More injuries cropping up.  Last night it was Zach Kelly.  Listed as a serious injury to his elbow.  He had a UCL on his elbow three years ago.  Pitching is our weakest component.  Kelly is a long man.  But all those pen guys are going to be overworked with the starters only doing 5 innings on a good night. 

Bloom had the opportunity to add a couple good rotation guys, but he thought aging starters in Sale and Kluber  passed the smell test.  That will come to be Bloom's Waterloo, or should in most other organizations.  The young guys Whitlock and Bello will have to perform well if we are to come out of the tailspin,

elktonnick

Right now I am having trouble finding one thing Bloom has done right this past year other than signing Devers.