View: https://twitter.com/bradfo/status/1627328965772804098?s=46&t=ENwVCRKVPpl-Xed9d41teg
Aquaman (Jorge Alfaro) has arrived
Aquaman (Jorge Alfaro) has arrived
My 23 year old son has one Sox jersey - Pedroia’s. He told me recently that he doesn’t need another.Great read. Pedroia is someone who I immediately get bummed out when reflecting. With time people have forgotten just how good he was. He was unquestionably on a hall of fame path. To have that path not only ruined by injury, but by a injury inflicted from another player, it’s just a challenging pill to swallow.
Aquaman my friend, may your swing be free and easy.View: https://twitter.com/bradfo/status/1627328965772804098?s=46&t=ENwVCRKVPpl-Xed9d41teg
Aquaman (Jorge Alfaro) has arrived
You poor old sot.Aquaman my friend, may your swing be free and easy.
Best thread ever!Sitting on the Sox bench
Eying pitcher's hurls with bad intent
Honestly they had almost everything go wrong last year, from underperformance of key players (JDM) to injuries (too countless to mention). Every team needs has question marks, and I don't disagree that the Sox have more than their competition, and every team needs a more positive response to those questions than negative. It's obvious, but it seems like a lot of fans seem to forget that other teams are counting on good health, questionable back-up players playing better than expected, and expected good players living up to their expectations. The Sox seem a little more volatile- ceiling is higher but floor is lower- than others... although that's possible close proximity bias on my partI'm intrigued by the roster this year too, but it is the third straight year where they are going in with questions that pretty much all need to be answered in the affirmative if they're going to have a chance of success. They had everything go right two years ago, but last year it only took a couple of things going wrong for the whole thing to blow up. Once again, it's a roster with no room for error.
I love this team. They have personality, they have dudes who can get on base, they have dude who can hit for power, the defense is a question mark but I think might surprise some people. The starting pitching could be fun if guys have any luck with reasonable health and the bullpen should be really good.First "full squad workout" (what does that even mean???) for today. First live game at the end of this week. Seems like it's been an incredibly long off-season. I'm way more bullish on the Sox this season than is probably rational, but it's lined up to be an interesting year. I think they'll actually slip in to the final Wild Card spot. I think the Yankees are way weaker than projections. Blue Jays IMO are the top team in the ALE with Houston, obviously being the top AL team. Central is still weak... even weaker than last season. I just can't wait for actual games to start up instead. One positive is that there hasn't been an argument about Mookie Betts in over a month on the board!
I agree with this in theory, but in practice the Yankees for instance had a ton of injuries last year, especially in their bullpen. Major injuries to guys having great seasons. They had the depth to withstand almost all of it. The Red Sox had a pitching staff that became almost entirely dependent upon Chris Sale being able to show up.Honestly they had almost everything go wrong last year, from underperformance of key players (JDM) to injuries (too countless to mention). Every team needs has question marks, and I don't disagree that the Sox have more than their competition, and every team needs a more positive response to those questions than negative. It's obvious, but it seems like a lot of fans seem to forget that other teams are counting on good health, questionable back-up players playing better than expected, and expected good players living up to their expectations. The Sox seem a little more volatile- ceiling is higher but floor is lower- than others... although that's possible close proximity bias on my part
But this supports the point. The Yankees had a roster that was built to withstand a huge injury hit to their bullpen. They had starters who were not injury question marks who could go deeper into games. The Red Sox had a starting staff that was much more dependent on its bullpen staying almost completely healthy and pitching to ceilings, and a bullpen that required the same of the starting pitching staff. It looks like it's going to be the same this year.The Yankees got 751 innings from their 1-5 starters last year. The Sox got 546 (or 619 if you'd rather call Whitlock Plan A going into the season instead of Sale). I've got the world's tiniest violin for their bullpen problems.
It isn't just about total games lost to injury, it's when they're lost as well. If two teams lose their top 4 starting pitchers to injury for 15 team games each, but one loses them one at a time while the other loses all four at once, which team is likely worse off? Is it the team that has to go through 60 games missing one of their top 4 starters or the team that goes through 15 games with none of their top 4 starters?I feel like we've been over and over this BOS injuries in 2022 discussion, we always pay much more attention to our own team than to any of the others. FWIW (I honestly don't know), I googled to look for info on team injuries in 2022 and this was the top hit:
View: https://twitter.com/ManGamesLostMLB/status/1580694196372983808/photo/1
The one thing I am sure of is that TB had the biggest negative impact from injuries in the division last year, and yes, NY was down something like 10 relievers at one point.
I’m not sure if this is a typo or if you intended to write dude (singular), which I fear will be the case, but I laughed.I love this team. They have personality, they have dudes who can get on base, they have dude who can hit for power, the defense is a question mark but I think might surprise some people. The starting pitching could be fun if guys have any luck with reasonable health and the bullpen should be really good.
This I most of all wholeheartedly agree with. Every February the team starts undefeated, and it’s a reminder that we’ve gotten through another winter with warm evenings and the sounds of baseball our reward.Also, it's the Red Sox and it's baseball and I love it.
Great data, thanks for posting.The one thing I am sure of is that TB had the biggest negative impact from injuries in the division last year, and yes, NY was down something like 10 relievers at one point.
Hmm. I have a less of a feel for the 2023 Red Sox than I have for many prior versions, so I could very well be and hope I am wrong, but I don’t see it.I think they'll actually slip in to the final Wild Card spot.
I'll tell 'ya it's great to see a little bit of life being breathed back into a few of these threads. I'm in agreement with the bolded, but I have to say that one of the things that I love most about baseball is the out of nowhere ascension that we see each season where a team or three unexpectedly contend for their division crown. Fingers crossed that the Sox can stay fairly healthy, keep us engaged and overachieve with the help of some of the guys that we hope to be the future of the franchise.First "full squad workout" (what does that even mean???) for today. First live game at the end of this week. Seems like it's been an incredibly long off-season. I'm way more bullish on the Sox this season than is probably rational, but it's lined up to be an interesting year. I think they'll actually slip in to the final Wild Card spot. I think the Yankees are way weaker than projections. Blue Jays IMO are the top team in the ALE with Houston, obviously being the top AL team. Central is still weak... even weaker than last season. I just can't wait for actual games to start up instead. One positive is that there hasn't been an argument about Mookie Betts in over a month on the board!
I agree with a lot of this, including the possibly unreasonable excitement about the 2023 season, but I’d say the team is more of a “lower ceiling, lower floor” squad.Honestly they had almost everything go wrong last year, from underperformance of key players (JDM) to injuries (too countless to mention). Every team needs has question marks, and I don't disagree that the Sox have more than their competition, and every team needs a more positive response to those questions than negative. It's obvious, but it seems like a lot of fans seem to forget that other teams are counting on good health, questionable back-up players playing better than expected, and expected good players living up to their expectations. The Sox seem a little more volatile- ceiling is higher but floor is lower- than others... although that's possible close proximity bias on my part
Which dude do you think hits for power?Was definitely a typo, but I am going to leave it because I own my idiocy.
In addition to those that Niastri pointed out, Duvall and Dalbec (if he figures into Sox plans in 2023) are to others with raw power that could hit HR's for this club.Which dude do you think hits for power?
In seriousness, I agree with your intended point...
Looking at our best lineup assuming team health:
C McGuire
1B Casas
2B Story
SS Mondesi
3B Devers
LF Yoshida
CF Hernandez
RF Verdugo
DH Turner
Devers, Casas, Story, Yoshida, Mondesi, Turner and Hernandez all could be projected to hit for better than league average power at their positions. We have two other guys who should be league average offensively at their positions overall, with less emphasis on power in McGuire and Verdugo.
Unfortunately, this lineup is unlikely to happen at all this season, and only at the end if it does. The depth players will need to play up for the lineup to be great. But if they all come together and we have that best lineup playing well after we get the wild card, watch out!
Friendly piece of advice...take the 30 seconds to search Duvall's stats rather than post a response/question like that.I believe Duvall hit 39 one season??...
Yeah, I was sticking with the starters, but we'd have greater than average power at 4th outfield with Duvall, backup DH/1B/3B in Dalbec, MI in Arroyo/Valdez and Downs at C as well.In addition to those that Niastri pointed out, Duvall and Dalbec (if he figures into Sox plans in 2023) are to others with raw power that could hit HR's for this club.
He had 39 in '21 if for some reason you count the NLCS but not the World Series.Friendly piece of advice...take the 30 seconds to search Duvall's stats rather than post a response/question like that.
That’s what I keep telling the missus, but she says I should lay off the bacon.Look, physiology is a crap shoot, just leave it at that.
Story aint doing much this year, so I don't know why he's included.Which dude do you think hits for power?
In seriousness, I agree with your intended point...
Looking at our best lineup assuming team health:
C McGuire
1B Casas
2B Story
SS Mondesi
3B Devers
LF Yoshida
CF Hernandez
RF Verdugo
DH Turner
If I am reading this correctly, 24 teams actually had players miss more games than the Red Sox as a result of injury. This seems to contradict the argument that the Sox finished last because of excessive injuries.I feel like we've been over and over this BOS injuries in 2022 discussion, we always pay much more attention to our own team than to any of the others. FWIW (I honestly don't know), I googled to look for info on team injuries in 2022 and this was the top hit:
View: https://twitter.com/ManGamesLostMLB/status/1580694196372983808/photo/1
The one thing I am sure of is that TB had the biggest negative impact from injuries in the division last year, and yes, NY was down something like 10 relievers at one point.
I certainly don't and am not planning to try and figure it out ......... Just reading the graph as it was presented.Looks like it, but do we know how they calculated the Quality of lost time?
Did you want to read the whole post before snarking?Story aint doing much this year, so I don't know why he's included.
LOL'd.That’s what I keep telling the missus, but she says I should lay off the bacon.
I'm not clear on the meaning of 4-6 months (not yours, the estimates). Does that refer to when he can begin "baseball activities" such as throwing or when he might be ready to play?Also, speaking of Story specifically, estimates of his recovery amount to 4-6 months. Since he had the surgery the second week of January, if his recovery goes really well, he could be back in May. If it's 6 months, he could be back in July.
I read one article again, and it merely says return... It seems to imply to playing in games, not merely throwing soft toss, etc.I'm not clear on the meaning of 4-6 months (not yours, the estimates). Does that refer to when he can begin "baseball activities" such as throwing or when he might be ready to play?
This is Story's expectation. Seems like he is implying playing meaningful games by the 6-month markI'm not clear on the meaning of 4-6 months (not yours, the estimates). Does that refer to when he can begin "baseball activities" such as throwing or when he might be ready to play?
https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2023/02/trevor-story-outlines-best-worst-scenarios-for-timetable-to-return-to-red-sox-lineup.html“I think best case, I’m back at some point in the second half and, worst case, I don’t play this year,” Story said. “But I feel really good about the first one.”
What’s Rice advising him on?Whitlock working out/learning from the best in ST right now
View: https://twitter.com/gfstarr1/status/1628070850313302032?s=46&t=o3BfTg5_ZMHghFMMm3SS1Q
How righty hitters destroy bad curveballs, which is probably a damn good thing to learn.What’s Rice advising him on?
The mental image of Whitlock switching to El Tiante's spinning, head-tossing delivery is delightful. Make it happen.Whitlock working out/learning from the best in ST right now
View: https://twitter.com/gfstarr1/status/1628070850313302032?s=46&t=o3BfTg5_ZMHghFMMm3SS1Q
Playing left field, of course. They dont want Swihart redux.What’s Rice advising him on?