July 2024 news and notes

nattysez

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 30, 2010
9,422
Last edited:

Ale Xander

Hamilton
SoSH Member
Oct 31, 2013
80,843
Also started in the MIF for the US in the 2023 World Baseball classic just 15-16 months ago.
 

The Gray Eagle

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2001
17,780
I REALLY wanted us to sign Montgomery this offseason. I was sure that if we signed him and key players like Story, Casas, Grissom, Giolito and Whitlock all stayed healthy, we would have a winning record.

Montgomery's got a 6.44 ERA in 65.2 IP so far.

I still think he's a good pitcher, despite his bad numbers in 13 starts this year.
His contract for next year has already vested for at least $20 million, probably more, on the club end-- Montgomery could opt out if he wanted to but I highly doubt he would at this point.

If Montgomery starts 10 games this year, his 2025 contract option will vest at $20 million. If he makes 18 starts the vesting option is worth $22.5 million, and if he makes 23 starts or more it vests at $25 million.
Montgomery can also opt out of the deal for 2025 if he makes 10 starts in 2024.
If he came back healthy and Arizona wanted to dump his contract, I would still take him on the Red Sox, but I have already been massively wrong on him once this year already. Thank god Breslow didn't listen to me or other fans this winter.
 

DanoooME

above replacement level
SoSH Member
Mar 16, 2008
20,709
Henderson, NV
13 players have hit 2 grand slams in a game. 4 Red Sox have accomplished this feat. Can you name them?

Red Sox - Jim Tabor, Rudy York, Nomah, Bill Mueller
Orioles - Jim Gentile, Frank Robinson, Chris Hoiles
Everyone else - Tony Cloninger (Braves), Tony Lazzeri (MFY), Jim Northrup (Tigers), Robin Ventura (White Sox), Fernando Tatis Sr (Cardinals), Josh Willingham (Nationals)
 

joe dokes

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
32,707
13 players have hit 2 grand slams in a game. 4 Red Sox have accomplished this feat. Can you name them?

Red Sox - Jim Tabor, Rudy York, Nomah, Bill Mueller
Orioles - Jim Gentile, Frank Robinson, Chris Hoiles
Everyone else - Tony Cloninger (Braves), Tony Lazzeri (MFY), Jim Northrup (Tigers), Robin Ventura (White Sox), Fernando Tatis Sr (Cardinals), Josh Willingham (Nationals)
I know 2 RedSox and one other who was a pitcher.
 

nattysez

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 30, 2010
9,422
Completely random, but Javy Baez came to mind today and I decided to check in on him. Turns out he's been on the DL since June 11, but is nearing a return. Here's a tough paragraph explaining why "the Tigers need him back:"

Báez is hitting .183 with one home run and a .456 OPS in 53 games this season, but in his absence, the replacement shortstops — Ryan Kreidler and Zach McKinstry — have a .145 batting average with one homer and a .431 OPS in 20 games. Also, Báez is the best defender of the three shortstops.
3/$73m left on his Tigers deal after this season. Woof.
 

Sad Sam Jones

Member
SoSH Member
May 5, 2017
2,993
Cleveland has signed #1 overall draft pick Travis Bazzana for $8.95M. It's 1.62M under slot and $300,000 less than #2 Chase Burns and #3 Charlie Condon signed for with their respective teams. I'm interested in seeing when and to where he's assigned. If he's considered advanced enough to start at Hi-A (or AA) ball, there's at least a small chance I can attend his pro debut.
 

Omar's Wacky Neighbor

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
17,358
Leaving in a bit to the studio :)
Rachel was a sweetheart. We're so glad that suicide was ruled out, given how she was discovered.

Coincidental part is: I mentioned to my wife last week that it looked like only O went out to LV for the summer league, and Rachel stayed home.

EDIT: what stings a bit is that most of the news stories have full O bios, but very little on Rachel herself.

(I have had to pull my funeral suit out of the closet WAY too many times over the past six-twelve months)
 
Last edited:

absintheofmalaise

too many flowers
Dope
SoSH Member
Mar 16, 2005
25,590
The gran facenda
Ozzie Albies out for at least 8 weeks with a broken wrist and Max Fried on the 15 day IL with forearm neuritis. Article link.

Forearm neuritis
We don't often hear about forearm neuritis, as it is a nerve issue instead of damage to any ligaments or muscles. It occurs when the ulnar nerve -- running down the arm to the pinky -- gets irritated or even compressed, causing things like numbness, tingling, pain and can lead to a weakened grip. Fried, 30, is 7-5 with a 3.08 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 95 strikeouts against 34 walks in 108 innings this season. After finishing as the Cy Young runner up in 2022, Fried has had two injury-riddled seasons and is set to hit free agency after this season.
 

oliver888

New Member
Jul 19, 2024
4
Ugh, terrible news about Albies and Fried! Losing two key players like that is a huge blow to the team. Forearm neuritis sounds like a tricky injury to deal with, hope Fried can recover quickly and get back to form. And Albies, 8 weeks is a long time, fingers crossed he comes back strong. This season just got a lot tougher
 

joe dokes

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
32,707
Paxton's FIP is 5. WHIP is 1.5. Krate down to 6.4/9; BBrate up to 4.8. He *might* be an improvement for someone. But he also might be done (or hurt and trying to pitch through it because he doesn't want to be out...again.)
 

simplicio

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 11, 2012
9,069
The only question about Paxton is whether he could give you more than you're getting from the worst pieces of the bullpen currently.

I'm not sure that's a yes.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
74,434
Wow. I hope Cashman is on the phone.
Why? Genuine question, walk me through this. All five of the current Yankee SPs have been better than Paxton this season, plus Clarke Schmidt is due back sometime.

bWAR for 2024:

Cole 0.3 (29.1 IP)
Gil 2.5 (102.1 IP)
Rodon 0.4 (107 IP) (both numbers before today)
Stroman 1.6 (110.1 IP)
Cortes Jr. 1.4 (119.2 IP)

Schmidt 1.8 (60.2 IP)

Paxton 0.4 (89.2 IP)

Cole, Rodon and Stroman aren't losing their spots unless they get hurt (big contracts). Gil seems to be back in a groove, maybe he has innings limits issues, maybe not. Nestor hasn't been great but is Paxton an upgrade there? Seems unlikely.
 

ThePrideofShiner

Crests prematurely
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
11,633
Washington
I didn't realize Paxton's underlying numbers were so bad. Guess I got fooled by his record and strikeout totals, but in hindsight if he was doing great the Dodgers wouldn't have dropped him.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
74,434
Paxton is owed very little for the remainder of the season as his salary is only $4M, plus $10M more in a signing bonus and earned incentives, so the Dodgers paid him over $12M for his 18 starts and there is under $2M remaining.

He probably has some trade value, the Dodgers should get 1-2 non 40 man prospects back, I’d guess.
 

axx

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
8,278
Saw on Reddit that the A's sent out the WARN notice to Colosseum employees. I only posted about this because their last day is October 2nd... which is tempting fate, even if only a bit.
 

BigSoxFan

Member
SoSH Member
May 31, 2007
49,123
Mike Trout is back in action in AAA!

…and then got pulled after 1 inning. Can’t imagine that was the plan so we’ll see if something is up.
 

axx

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
8,278
He was pulled with left knee soreness.

His career is becoming a tragedy. Hopefully it was just precautionary but damn.
Last 4 years games played: 36, 119, 82, 26 (assuming that is it for this year)

Got 6 more years of this.

Edit: I know he doesn't want to be traded, has a NTC, and his contract is untradable... but I wonder if a change of scenery would help.
 
Last edited:

BigSoxFan

Member
SoSH Member
May 31, 2007
49,123
He was pulled with left knee soreness.

His career is becoming a tragedy. Hopefully it was just precautionary but damn.
He’s like 10-11 weeks removed from surgery when most people take 6-8 weeks. And then this. You have to DH him at this point to reduce the wear and tear.

Major sunk cost territory now for Angels.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
74,434
He’s like 10-11 weeks removed from surgery when most people take 6-8 weeks. And then this. You have to DH him at this point to reduce the wear and tear.

Major sunk cost territory now for Angels.
To paraphrase the old song, if it wasn’t for sunk costs, they wouldn’t have no costs at all.
 

SirPsychoSquints

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 13, 2005
6,379
Pittsburgh, PA
Last 4 years games played: 36, 119, 82, 26 (assuming that is it for this year)

Got 6 more years of this.

Edit: I know he doesn't want to be traded, has a NTC, and his contract is untradable... but I wonder if a change of scenery would help.
I don’t see what scenery has to do with his body’s inability to heal at a normal rate.
 

SLC Sox

New Member
Jul 16, 2005
551
I've got tickets to see him tonight and am bummed I might miss him. Really sad how injuries have disrupted what might have been a top five all-time player. Hopefully he's just being extra cautious and gets an AB or two tonight.
 

PC Drunken Friar

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 12, 2003
15,473
South Boston
If he doesn’t have another meaningful season…is he no longer a unanimous HoFer? First ballot? 9 dominant seasons, but no postseason success or team success. I can see some asshats leaving him off for a year or two.
 

SirPsychoSquints

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 13, 2005
6,379
Pittsburgh, PA
If he doesn’t have another meaningful season…is he no longer a unanimous HoFer? First ballot? 9 dominant seasons, but no postseason success or team success. I can see some asshats leaving him off for a year or two.
Definitely a HOF, definitely SHOULD be included on everyone's ballot, can't predict some asshats.

Edit: Despite the limited years/age/injuries, he's 5th in CF JAWS (75.6), well ahead of Griffey, DiMaggio, Snider. Similar JAWS to: Clemente, Yaz, Ripken, Boggs, Matthews, Foxx, Spahn.
 

BigSoxFan

Member
SoSH Member
May 31, 2007
49,123
Angels owe like $225M on that contract. He is a great CF but they need to give serious thought about making him DH or trying out 1B.
 

Sad Sam Jones

Member
SoSH Member
May 5, 2017
2,993
Yeah I bet those small market owners are just itching to spend that money on players.
Several teams spent less last off-season than previous years while they were getting completely ****ed over by Bally Sports and MLB sat silently by, but sure, try to paint this as a bad development.
 

SemperFidelisSox

Member
SoSH Member
May 25, 2008
34,003
Boston, MA
Several teams spent less last off-season than previous years while they were getting completely ****ed over by Bally Sports and MLB sat silently by, but sure, try to paint this as a bad development.
Fair enough. I’m probably just more cynical about the Fishers and Nuttings of the world. In a perfect world, both sides agree to mandate a salary floor so this money is actually used as intended.