Red Sox/MLB 2023 Regular Season II - 140-22 still possible - RIP Vida Blue

[GatorMike]

I read this thread constantly but I need to get my real fan status back with posting more to pass the grade.

 

[N o o d l e s]

I am officially declaring us not bad

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

I will get there. Just have to stop concentrating on playoff hockey I guess.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

More pitching progressing. Lefty!



And David Hamilton is crushing it at AAA. He was in the Renfroe deal to MIL with Alex Binelas and JBJ.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

f***ING MASA = E L I T E

 

[Mione134]

f***ING MASA = E L I T E

*Yoshi

 

[Mr Cartmenez]

More pitching progressing. Lefty!

The farm giveth, the farm taketh away.

Drohan somewhat switched spots with Walter (and Mata, but many thought he was ultimately going to be a RP anyway). And Walter was older to begin with. If Drohans velocity spike is for real, then we may have something there on our hands.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

The farm giveth, the farm taketh away.

Drohan somewhat switched spots with Walter (and Mata, but many thought he was ultimately going to be a RP anyway). And Walter was older to begin with. If Drohans velocity spike is for real, then we may have something there on our hands.

Walter always projected as a back end starter at this level. Not sure how it’s a “farm giveth and taketh” situation. Drohan coming on just adds depth to the system, which is why Walter and Mata have slid down.

Not sure anyone was expecting this from Drohan.

 

[Mr Cartmenez]

Bello is not a SP, he can't get through the order 3 times.

Walter always projected as a back end starter at this level. Not sure how it’s a “farm giveth and taketh” situation. Drohan coming on just adds depth to the system, which is why Walter and Mata have slid down.

Not sure anyone was expecting this from Drohan.

Walter was on the rise last year and is now trending downwards, while some other prospect rises. That's the point. Drohan is another back end SP until proven otherwise.

 

[CDJ]

Bello is not a SP, he can't get through the order 3 times.



Walter was on the rise last year and is now trending downwards, while some other prospect rises. That's the point. Drohan is another back end SP until proven otherwise.

Bello didn’t have ST and didn’t have the same issues Houck has in the minors, I’m not willing to make declarations like that. There’s definitely reliever risk- that’s true of most pitchers- but to me he has the arsenal to do it and has the track record of being able to go a few times through in the minors.


feel bad for the boycotters right about now! Anybody wanna tell @BruinsFanSince94 how he should enjoy his summers now?

 

[Mr Cartmenez]

Bello didn’t have ST and didn’t have the same issues Houck has in the minors, I’m not willing to make declarations like that. There’s definitely reliever risk- that’s true of most pitchers- but to me he has the arsenal to do it and has the track record of being able to go a few times through in the minors.

Sure, Bello didn't have a legit ST and could very well be fatigued. He'll be fine. But the same goes for Houck. That was meant in the sense that small sample sizes really are not telling. Both are fine and will be in our rotation for years to come.

I don't even necessarily think that Bello has better stuff than Houck. The slider is just devastating. Probably a better/more consistent third pitch.

 

[CDJ]

Sure, Bello didn't have a legit ST and could very well be fatigued. He'll be fine. But the same goes for Houck. That was meant in the sense that small sample sizes really are not telling. Both are fine and will be in our rotation for years to come.

I don't even necessarily think that Bello has better stuff than Houck. The slider is just devastating. Probably a better/more consistent third pitch.

Right but I’m telling you with Houck it’s not a small sample size, he gets lit up the 3rd time through in A ball, in AAA ball, and now the majors. Again, it’s been the knock on him for like 5 years now.

Still time for him to prove every report on him wrong- the splitter has taken another step for him and that will be big. But it hasn’t happened yet.

 

[Mr Cartmenez]

Right but I’m telling you with Houck it’s not a small sample size, he gets lit up the 3rd time through in A ball, in AAA ball, and now the majors. Again, it’s been the knock on him for like 5 years now.

Still time for him to prove every report on him wrong- the splitter has taken another step for him and that will be big. But it hasn’t happened yet.

We can go back and forth on this. Sometimes I am a slave to stats which are not be all end all, but tell me how Houck is NOT a SP when he has already proven it in 2021, 2022* and now 2023. His FIP and xFIP even of 2023 are completely fine, the IP averages is a little below 6 IP, which many SP don't reach nowadays.

If you were to say that he needs to be better and more durable to be a frontline SP, I'd absolutely agree with that premise, but as of today he's a clearcut SP. Pro-rated, he's going to reach 2+ fWAR in 2023. Not many RP exceed that, only the best of the best and not even that on a yearly basis.

 

[GatorMike]

Red Sox fans to the Blue Jays:

 

[DKH]

If Jarren Duran never does anything else he can play the lead in the Grady Sizemore Story.

I’m kind of sad to learn that baseball front offices - multiple, are run by incompetent scouting and GMs who I can no longer trust.

@LouJersey and moi had several conversations preseason how Buster Olney and Jon Heyman reported several baseball industry people laughed at the Red Sox signing of Yoshida.

Maybe he busts and they are correct but after 20% of season he looks good

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

The only games I’m comfortable seeing Brasier. Hurry back, Joely!!!

This guy is a f***ing bum!

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

 

[Mione134]

Which spouse did Braiser have an affair with?

Who is he blackmailing?

What insider trader info on the owners does he have on them?


I have many theories and more questions as to why the f*** Ryan Braiser is still on this team.

 

[DKH]

Sox games 11-5 and over at 9 PM

Incredible what baseball has done

I hope Sox keep up and can get Duvall & Story back with a winning record

 

[CDJ]

We can go back and forth on this. Sometimes I am a slave to stats which are not be all end all, but tell me how Houck is NOT a SP when he has already proven it in 2021, 2022* and now 2023. His FIP and xFIP even of 2023 are completely fine, the IP averages is a little below 6 IP, which many SP don't reach nowadays.

If you were to say that he needs to be better and more durable to be a frontline SP, I'd absolutely agree with that premise, but as of today he's a clearcut SP. Pro-rated, he's going to reach 2+ fWAR in 2023. Not many RP exceed that, only the best of the best and not even that on a yearly basis.

I’d rather have a 2-3 inning dominant reliever multiple times a week than a 5 and dive guy once a week. I feel that’s the way the league is trending

Houck is absolutely already a 5 and dive guy so he can start, I just think if he’s not going to be more than that he’s more valuable to the team in an elite bullpen weapon role who can be deployed in key spots multiple times a week every week- especially when they have a bunch of 5 and dive guys who I don’t think would bring as much to the pen as Houck

 

[Mr Cartmenez]

I’d rather have a 2-3 inning dominant reliever multiple times a week than a 5 and dive guy once a week. I feel that’s the way the league is trending

Houck is absolutely already a 5 and dive guy so he can start, I just think if he’s not going to be more than that he’s more valuable to the team in an elite bullpen weapon role who can be deployed in key spots multiple times a week every week- especially when they have a bunch of 5 and dive guys who I don’t think would bring as much to the pen as Houck

1. I think the league is trying to get back from these roles. Look at what they did to LOOGYs. They may try to make the SP more relevant again. It appears that they are testing the rule that attaches the DH to the SP (minimum IP per game to keep the DH).

2. It's not a given that Houck would be a dominant CP or MI-RP. It's possible that his shaky control would hold him back. It's not like he has proven it already and that's always something we can fall back on.
What we already know is that he can be a SP despite some struggles. But that's good enough by me considering that - as I said - multi Inning RP or CP are unlikely to exceed the value of even a backend SP. Look at for how long pitchers like Rich Hill can survive in this league. These guys are wanted.

 

[CDJ]

1. I think the league is trying to get back from these roles. Look at what they did to LOOGYs. They may try to make the SP more relevant again. It appears that they are testing the rule that attaches the DH to the SP (minimum IP per game to keep the DH).

2. It's not a given that Houck would be a dominant CP or MI-RP. It's possible that his shaky control would hold him back. It's not like he has proven it already and that's always something we can fall back on.
What we already know is that he can be a SP despite some struggles. But that's good enough by me considering that - as I said - multi Inning RP or CP are unlikely to exceed the value of even a backend SP. Look at for how long pitchers like Rich Hill can survive in this league. These guys are wanted.

Definitely a fair point in re:Rich Hill, there’s no doubt Houck will be a major league pitcher for awhile given health. 5 and dive guys certainly have staying power- they’re valuable guys to have. 130-150 innings from somebody is nothing to sneeze.


I will say this about Houck- he’s pitching more consistently than the rest of the starters. He obviously has some warts but so do the other guys, and if a playoff series started tomorrow I would certainly pitch him over Kluber and Pivetta. I would just get him out of there after 4 or 5

 

[Johnnyduke]

Mr Overpaid and Overrated with another hit and a homerun to straight center field. MASA BABY

Let the record show that MLB executives were apparently saying this, not just the hfboards haters. So that is a grand slam for Chaim. As I keep saying I am a slave to the scoreboard. This needed to be a team in playoff contention for Chaim to keep his job and so far the team has delivered.

 

[Johnnyduke]

feel bad for the boycotters right about now! Anybody wanna tell @BruinsFanSince94 how he should enjoy his summers now?

We are all still wondering who these people are

 

[CDJ]

Bernardino seems to be a nice low leverage find


Baseball is starting to become like football where the “winner of the off-season” doesn’t mean dicky mcgeezax. PLAYER DEV STAYS GOATED