Wacha or Eovaldi?

Bring him back?

  • Eovaldi

    Votes: 18 9.3%
  • Wacha

    Votes: 61 31.6%
  • Other

    Votes: 11 5.7%
  • Why not both?

    Votes: 103 53.4%

  • Total voters
    193

Sandy Leon Trotsky

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 11, 2007
6,347
https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/red-sox/post-deadline-malaise-clarifies-futures-nathan-eovaldi-jd-martinez-red-sox?cid=Yahoo&partner=ya4nbcs
Tomase makes sense to me on this 100% with JDM. Do not offer that guy a QO.
Eovaldi I'm not so sure. The Sox likely will pick up Paxton and then with Sale, have two guys that, while possibly a great 1,2 combo... have pitched a total of 6 combined innings this year. Add in Eovaldi and/or Wacha and you're looking at a possible replay of this season.
I'm apologetic for Bloom on how he put together the rotation this season. You can't get an ace on the FA market (and I was both against trying to trade for one and also thought they didn't have the chips to do it anyhow) without paying less than $20M. Not here to look at the options that were available that ended up having ace-like seasons either.
But for '23 the Sox HAVE to assume that Sale will be ready on Opening Day. Paxton will be in the mix. Bello deserves to be on the opening day roster. Whitlock is in there. I think they need either Eovaldi or Wacha. Out of the two, who do you prefer? Or do you think neither?
I don't think Crawford will be part of the rotation to start the season but he's great depth. I'm also much more bullish on Seabold than I think anyone else here (his K/BB ratio is elite). That, to me, is very good depth.
 

jwbasham84

New Member
Jul 26, 2022
132
South Bend, IN
I voted for why not both...

For me it all comes down to what the contract entails... I like Wacha, but he is never signing another deal like we have him on this year... Could we get him for 2/25 or 3/30? I mean he's an injury risk the entire time, but his stuff looked good all season and against tough competition. He succeeded in a loaded AL East, I think you have to want him back if it's not cost prohibitive or too long of a deal. Eovaldi on the other hand all comes down to the drop in velocity due to his injury. He throws a pretty flat 4-seam fastball with decent break... that fastball at 97 - 98 is tough... at 95 not as much. I mean the Sox know what exactly his injury is and if he should come back full strength. A QO for him seems fine, maybe a deal in the 2/35 - 3/50 range if he is fully healthy.
 

Philip Jeff Frye

Member
SoSH Member
Oct 23, 2001
10,229
The Sox likely will pick up Paxton and then with Sale, have two guys that, while possibly a great 1,2 combo... have pitched a total of 6 combined innings this year.
Why restrict yourself to this year? Paxton has thrown 20 2/3 innings in the last three seasons. Chris Sale has thrown 48 1/3 in the last three seasons. That's quite a 1,2 combo.

Its inconceivable to me that the Red Sox could enter 2023 relying on these two guys to lead the rotation.
 

Sandy Leon Trotsky

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 11, 2007
6,347
I'd rather they don't pick up Paxton's option..... but I suspect they will. It's a complete loss at 1 year. But not picking him up is basically admitting it was a mistake when it was pretty much sold as a "pick up for '23" If they "get anything from him in '22, it'll be just an unexpected plus"!
It's always been about '23 and '24 with him
 

RG33

Certain Class of Poster
SoSH Member
Nov 28, 2005
7,199
CA
I voted for “why not both” — of course, under the circumstances we could get them at reasonable deals. I could see both wanting to stick around in Boston, Eovaldi because of his history and perceived leadership in the clubhouse, and Wacha because he has said he has loved Boston and the team and has obviously had a great run here.

With that said, factoring in Sale for anything other than a 4-5th starter or potential bullpen arm at this point is crazy. Factoring in Paxton (if they pick up the option, which I would be fine with) as anything other than a 5th starter, is just as crazy. L

I am definitely on Team Chaim and think this organizational/player development rebuild is going to take some time, but from a planning purpose standpoint, thinking about Sale/Paxton as top-of-the-rotation starters for 2023 would be nothing short of negligence at this point.

Houck, Whitlock, and Bello — along with 2-3 of Eovaldi (FA), Wacha (FA), Sale (INJ), Paxton (INJ), Hill (FA) would be a solid starting point — but they need to plan for 2-3 more SPs either via trade, call-ups, or FA in my opinion to have a reasonable shot at the playoffs in 2023.
 

Harry Hooper

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jan 4, 2002
34,368
How can Houck still be considered a candidate for the 2023 rotation as him carrying out that role would be a massive IP increase?
 

Petagine in a Bottle

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 13, 2021
11,921
Right now we’ve got Sale, Pivetta, Bello, and then I guess maybe Houck and Whitlock? And then a bunch of guys who should probably be in the minors (you could make a case for Bello starting in AAA too, I think). A lot of this really comes down to what they plan to do with Whitlock and Houck. If they stay in the pen, I guess they could bring back Eovaldi and Wacha. We’d basically be counting on the same guys as this year, and it would be a more expensive rotation. I guess it’s a plan, but it’s pretty risky for Bloom to basically run it back- if it doesn’t work, I think he’d be gone.
 

chrisfont9

Member
SoSH Member
God, Tomase and Pete Abe are such Monday Morning QBs, I hope the Sox bring all these guys back just to piss them off.

I prefer Wacha just based on where his career is trending. His FIP is 3.62 so some of his performance is luck this year, but that change to his pitch mix from last year (can't remember the details) was clearly real, and the team was in the running for the wild card until he missed a month.

Then I'd pick up Paxton's option, which is 2x$13m -- obviously a risk but since he's on the team the Sox will have extensive medical info in order to make this decision. If they don't pick it up, they probably know something.

Then I would see what Nate's market is -- probably can be had for 1x$12? Bello can be waiting in the wings, and they'll probably need him most of the season regardless. If that sounds extravagant, I'll just say that they not only have over $100m coming off the books, they also have the ability to extend Devers and re-sign Bogaerts with contracts that push a bit more of the money further out past the end of Sale's deal.
 

moondog80

heart is two sizes two small
SoSH Member
Sep 20, 2005
8,094
I'd rather they don't pick up Paxton's option..... but I suspect they will. It's a complete loss at 1 year. But not picking him up is basically admitting it was a mistake when it was pretty much sold as a "pick up for '23" If they "get anything from him in '22, it'll be just an unexpected plus"!
It's always been about '23 and '24 with him
I think the organization understands the concept of a sunk cost and in the unlikely event they do pick Paxton's option, it will be because they somehow came to the conclusion that he was worth it, not to prove they were right or anything like that. As to the question at hand -- I'd rather have Eovaldi on the team next year than Wacha (peripherals suggest Eovaldi has been quite a bit better), but as always it depends on the money and years involved.
 

AB in DC

OG Football Writing
SoSH Member
Jul 10, 2002
13,622
Springfield, VA
Neither. Eovaldi's injury history is a dealbreaker and I suspect Wacha on the open market will get offers far more than his actual worth.
 

Sandy Leon Trotsky

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 11, 2007
6,347
Neither. Eovaldi's injury history is a dealbreaker and I suspect Wacha on the open market will get offers far more than his actual worth.
Perhaps I should add “offer a QO” to.
Wacha would likely reject it in your scenario but the Sox would get a pick.
I suspect Eo would accept?


Perhaps I should also add in a QO
 

Daniel_Son

Member
SoSH Member
May 25, 2021
1,684
San Diego
I voted "Other" because I think Wacha is going to get a bigger contract than Bloom will be willing to give. Good for him, but given that his last "good" year before this one was 2018, in which he threw only 84.1 innings, I don't think it'll be worth it.

I wouldn't be upset if they brought Eovaldi back, and he's certainly proven he can succeed in Boston, but the drop in velocity coupled with his injury history makes me think that he won't have the same success going forward. If he accepts a QO, great. I'd rather role with what we've got in-house though.
 

RedOctober3829

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
55,298
deep inside Guido territory
I voted Eovaldi. If you could get him on the QO, that would be a good use of resources without tying him up long-term. Wacha has been good, but at this point I'd rather have someone else pay him. They definitely should decline the option on Paxton. That's the problem with Bloom's approach since being here. These boom or bust guys have a high bust rate.
 

Philip Jeff Frye

Member
SoSH Member
Oct 23, 2001
10,229
I voted "Other" because I think Wacha is going to get a bigger contract than Bloom will be willing to give. Good for him, but given that his last "good" year before this one was 2018, in which he threw only 84.1 innings, I don't think it'll be worth it.
This is a problem with the short term contract for scrap heap players. If they're bad, you wasted money in them. If they're good, somebody else gives them more money and they leave. The Sox have hopefully helped Wacha turn his career around, but they are probably not going to get the benefit of this next year. Instead they have to roll the dice on the next reclamation project.
 

chrisfont9

Member
SoSH Member
This is a problem with the short term contract for scrap heap players. If they're bad, you wasted money in them. If they're good, somebody else gives them more money and they leave. The Sox have hopefully helped Wacha turn his career around, but they are probably not going to get the benefit of this next year. Instead they have to roll the dice on the next reclamation project.
Well their budget this offseason is going to be totally different than in the past two.
 

chawson

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
4,660
I voted why not both. I think you should QO them both, and the benefit of that is that you can tell very early in the offseason whether they want to stay, either by accepting the QO or signing a restructured 2/$26 type deal or something. It’s very good to have a negotiating window with both early on, because there are more pressing matters.

It seems like a stretch to assume Eovaldi’s hip injury has diminished his velocity forever, but who knows. Even if he’s the guy he was in the four starts after the Toronto blowout (3.81 FIP), which clued him into which pitches he could actually get away with, that guy’s worth a QO. But he’s not old, and it seems likely an offseason of rest helps a ton. And I don’t think Wacha’s revival is a fluke. Whatever the Sox tweaked, the new book’s been out on him long enough, and no one’s figured it out. They both seem like solid #3s or better to me, though I wouldn’t go past three years with either.

Regardless, I’d see if deGrom or Rodón want to play here, and if they do, go very hard on the former and decently hard on the latter, who seems poised to sign a 5-year deal that’ll end up like Sale 2.0. Maybe it’s our turn to sign Kluber to a one-year deal next year? If you end up with a surplus, move Pivetta for something useful.
 

nvalvo

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
21,479
Rogers Park
To be clear: I love the guy, great pitcher, seems like a good dude.

I would definitely consider QO'ing Eovaldi, but I'd be very wary of extending him past 1 year.

He is already the most accomplished TJSx2 pitcher in the history of baseball by like literally hundreds of IP. It's amazing he made it through this deal without a serious injury. How many miles do we think could possibly be left on those elbow ligaments?
 

sean1562

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 17, 2011
3,620
I would rather give Carlos Rodon a big contract than give James Paxton $13 million and Eovaldi $18 million next season. What are the odds that Paxton and Eovaldi are worth more WAR than Rodon? What kind of contract do we think Rodon is looking at?
 

nvalvo

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
21,479
Rogers Park
I would rather give Carlos Rodon a big contract than give James Paxton $13 million and Eovaldi $18 million next season. What are the odds that Paxton and Eovaldi are worth more WAR than Rodon? What kind of contract do we think Rodon is looking at?
After back to back 5 WAR and 6 WAR seasons? Something like 6/$150m. Higher than Gausman's contract, in any case.
 

benhogan

Granite Truther
SoSH Member
Nov 2, 2007
20,112
Santa Monica

chawson

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
4,660
There’s a pretty good case for preferrring deGrom at 3/$120M over Rodón at 5/$120.
 

Sandy Leon Trotsky

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 11, 2007
6,347
The prediction is 6 years at $22M. That’s tough. It’s not relatively a lot of coin for the Sox but it’s a lot of years for a guy that’s been injured more often than not.
I doubt Wacha gets 6 years, and while he was on the DL this season, the difference between a 3 year Wacha deal at say….$60M
and Rodón at 6 is significant. I’d bet that Wacha would be serviceable for 2/3 of those 3 years while Rodon for 2/3 also….
Wacha proved he can pitch in the AL east which has gotten better across the board than the NL West.
First I would think it’d be no contest- for same $$ and years, I’d take Rodon but likely contracts and it’s more difficult.

If I’m Bloom I offer both a QO and try to hope that suppresses the market for Wacha then offer him a 3/$18m per, and assume Eovaldi would take the QO.

I still think they pick up the option on Paxton too
 

BravesField

New Member
Oct 27, 2021
252
After this disaster of a season, Wacha is the only bright spot. I'm hoping that Bloom has already reached out to Wacha about a contract for next year.
 

benhogan

Granite Truther
SoSH Member
Nov 2, 2007
20,112
Santa Monica
The prediction is 6 years at $22M. That’s tough. It’s not relatively a lot of coin for the Sox but it’s a lot of years for a guy that’s been injured more often than not.
I doubt Wacha gets 6 years, and while he was on the DL this season, the difference between a 3 year Wacha deal at say….$60M
and Rodón at 6 is significant. I’d bet that Wacha would be serviceable for 2/3 of those 3 years while Rodon for 2/3 also….
Wacha proved he can pitch in the AL east which has gotten better across the board than the NL West.
First I would think it’d be no contest- for same $$ and years, I’d take Rodon but likely contracts and it’s more difficult.

If I’m Bloom I offer both a QO and try to hope that suppresses the market for Wacha then offer him a 3/$18m per, and assume Eovaldi would take the QO.

I still think they pick up the option on Paxton too
Ha I posted that in response to this

What kind of contract do we think Rodon is looking at?
I agree and highly doubt Wacha is looking at a 6yr offer for $132M

Rodon would be more interesting than a Paxton/Eovaldi duo
 

Petagine in a Bottle

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 13, 2021
11,921
So if both Eovaldi and Wacha accept QO’s, your suddenly paying them a combined $38M or so, after paying them $24M this year? Add in the $3M raise to Kiki, the $8M buyout to JBJ, the $4M to Pham…a $10M bump to Devers in arb and you’ve already eaten up a significant amount of the payroll flexibility, and not added anyone new? I guess that’s part of the challenge with 1 year deals, Wacha has a good year and suddenly there’s a movement to give him a 2-3x raise. Ideally, you need to find the next Wacha but easier said than done.
 

bosockboy

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
19,863
St. Louis, MO
If 3/40 gets it done for Wacha keep him. QO to Eovaldi. If he doesn’t accept, go hard after Rodon, or try and trade for Pablo Lopez.

Sale
Paxton
Eovaldi/Rodon/trade
Wacha
Pivetta
Bello
Crawford
 

Red(s)HawksFan

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 23, 2009
20,676
Maine
So if both Eovaldi and Wacha accept QO’s, your suddenly paying them a combined $38M or so, after paying them $24M this year? Add in the $3M raise to Kiki, the $8M buyout to JBJ, the $4M to Pham…a $10M bump to Devers in arb and you’ve already eaten up a significant amount of the payroll flexibility, and not added anyone new? I guess that’s part of the challenge with 1 year deals, Wacha has a good year and suddenly there’s a movement to give him a 2-3x raise. Ideally, you need to find the next Wacha but easier said than done.
I'm not sure I agree with giving both players QOs, but as one-year expenditures, I don't see it as that big a problem. What they need to avoid doing is committing long term deals (beyond two years) to anyone other than elite-level players this winter (that list would be Bogaerts, Devers, Judge, or Turner). Otherwise, keep signing short-term deals even if they might be over-pays.
 

Max Power

thai good. you like shirt?
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
7,878
Boston, MA
Right now if you look at a combination of contract status, talent, track record, and health, the rotation next year is

1. Pivetta
2. Sale
3. Crawford
4. Bello
5. Whitlock
6. Houck
7. Winckowski
8. Seabold

Pivetta is the only one you can really count on to give you innings, but there's a lot of depth and a chance for some pleasant surprises. I think I'd rather go for one pitcher who can pitch a lot of innings versus two who are likely to be on the IL. So maybe that puts me in the neither camp?
 

Petagine in a Bottle

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 13, 2021
11,921
I'm not sure I agree with giving both players QOs, but as one-year expenditures, I don't see it as that big a problem. What they need to avoid doing is committing long term deals (beyond two years) to anyone other than elite-level players this winter (that list would be Bogaerts, Devers, Judge, or Turner). Otherwise, keep signing short-term deals even if they might be over-pays.
But if one likes Wacha and Eovaldi, why would they only want them for one more year? It’s not as if there is a ton of high ceiling SP in the system. So you give those guys QO and then do it all again the next year? Giving them one year deals is only a good move if they end up being lousy.

I think, ideally, they need to turn some prospect capital into a younger pitcher who can be here awhile.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 23, 2009
20,676
Maine
But if one likes Wacha and Eovaldi, why would they only want them for one more year? It’s not as if there is a ton of high ceiling SP in the system. So you give those guys QO and then do it all again the next year? Giving them one year deals is only a good move if they end up being lousy.
Considering the two of them are entering their age 31 and age 33 seasons, I'm not keen to give either a multi-year deal. I'm okay with going year to year with starters in their 30s in general, but add in both pitchers track records of not reaching 150 innings in a season and it seems the more prudent path.
 

Jack Rabbit Slim

Member
SoSH Member
May 19, 2010
1,304
Pivetta's ability to reliably give 150+ innings guarantees him a spot in next years rotation.

Despite all the claims about how "insane" it is, Sale is guaranteed a spot as well. He may be injury prone but he is still guaranteed big money for the next couple of years, they will give him every chance to be a starter until actual performance proves otherwise.

I am of the belief that they did not extend Whitlock to keep him in the pen, so he will also be given a spot in the rotation unless/until he shows he can't hack it.

Despite decent showings from Bello and Crawford this year, optionable starter depth is too valuable to give either of them a spot to start the year. Bello is probably the best insurance we have against another Sale injury and Crawford will be nice backup for a Whitlock innings limit or ineffectiveness as a starter.

So that leaves 2 guaranteed spots in the rotation. Any 2 of Eovaldi/Wacha/Paxton have enough upside that a (healthy) pair plus Sale/Pivetta/Whitlock would make for a competitive rotation. Of course health is an issue but it is hard to say how much of one. The FO knows so much more about the status of Eovaldi and Paxton especially that it is hard to guess their value. Alternatives on the FA market for a top of the rotation starter are Degrom and Rodon, each with major durability concerns of their own and likely to get much larger contracts.

My guess is the Sox offer a QO to both Eovaldi and Wacha, then deal with the Paxton option after they know the status of those 2 (is this possible? When does the option need to be picked up?).
 

Red(s)HawksFan

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 23, 2009
20,676
Maine
My guess is the Sox offer a QO to both Eovaldi and Wacha, then deal with the Paxton option after they know the status of those 2 (is this possible? When does the option need to be picked up?).
I believe contract options have to be exercised first thing once the off-season starts, usually within five days of the World Series ending. Qualifying Offers usually have to be made in that same time frame, but the player then gets ten days to decide whether to accept it or not. So unless there's some discussion in advance, there will be no clarity on QOs when options have to be picked up.
 

Jack Rabbit Slim

Member
SoSH Member
May 19, 2010
1,304
I believe contract options have to be exercised first thing once the off-season starts, usually within five days of the World Series ending. Qualifying Offers usually have to be made in that same time frame, but the player then gets ten days to decide whether to accept it or not. So unless there's some discussion in advance, there will be no clarity on QOs when options have to be picked up.
Well that's too bad. I would probably decline the option then. I suppose there is a possibility they try to keep all three of Eovaldi/Wacha/Paxton with Whitlock as a swing man. This would require either a significant jump in payroll or a cheaper approach to the lineup.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 23, 2009
20,676
Maine
Well that's too bad. I would probably decline the option then. I suppose there is a possibility they try to keep all three of Eovaldi/Wacha/Paxton with Whitlock as a swing man. This would require either a significant jump in payroll or a cheaper approach to the lineup.
FWIW, Paxton has a player option worth $4M he could exercise instead of the Sox exercising the 2/$26M one. If he thinks he isn't going to do better than that as a free agent, and coming off two full years without an appearance on an MLB mound it's possible, he might come cheaper than we think.
 

sean1562

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 17, 2011
3,620
I guess I don't understand the trepidation with giving Rodon a 6/125 million deal. The guy leads the NL in strikeouts, leads MLB in fWAR, is 4th in bWAR, has a MLB best 2.27 FIP, and will probably end the season with around 180 innings pitched. We have tons of money, why not go for the best starter on the market? Jacob deGrom is going to get a huge offer from the Mets and has only thrown 209.1 innings over the last three seasons. Sale/Rodon/Whitlock/Bello/Pivetta is a good rotation. Whitlock, Bello, and Pivetta aren't expensive. Eovaldi will be 33 next season, Paxton will be 34, and Wacha will be 32 halfway through next year. Wacha hasn't thrown more than 150 innings in a season since 2017 and has only done it twice in his entire career.

If we do re-sign Xander, maybe we could see what type of pitcher a package centered around Mayer would get us but I don't really know of any young, cost controlled pitchers on shitty teams that are worth a prospect package centered around a top 10 prospect.
 

BigJay

New Member
Jul 22, 2022
86
Unless you can get them on a bargain/incentive laden deal, I don't either back.

I think this year was the beginning of the end for Eovaldi, and its the start of a decline.

Wacha, I think this year is a case of almost everything breaking right for him and it working out. Remember back when he signed, how a lot of us were complaining about how much we paid? One year shouldn't change that. While he would be the lesser of the two evils, I think he's also the more likely of the two to crap the bed.

Bottom line, some team will overpay for them both and I don't want it to be us. Focus on guys that are less injury prone.
 

Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat

has big, douchey shoulders
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
I guess I don't understand the trepidation with giving Rodon a 6/125 million deal. The guy leads the NL in strikeouts, leads MLB in fWAR, is 4th in bWAR, has a MLB best 2.27 FIP, and will probably end the season with around 180 innings pitched. We have tons of money, why not go for the best starter on the market? Jacob deGrom is going to get a huge offer from the Mets and has only thrown 209.1 innings over the last three seasons. Sale/Rodon/Whitlock/Bello/Pivetta is a good rotation. Whitlock, Bello, and Pivetta aren't expensive. Eovaldi will be 33 next season, Paxton will be 34, and Wacha will be 32 halfway through next year. Wacha hasn't thrown more than 150 innings in a season since 2017 and has only done it twice in his entire career.

If we do re-sign Xander, maybe we could see what type of pitcher a package centered around Mayer would get us but I don't really know of any young, cost controlled pitchers on shitty teams that are worth a prospect package centered around a top 10 prospect.
This is the second time in Rodon's career that he has thrown more than 150 innings in a season, and the last time was 2016. He'll be 30 on Opening Day. The trepidation is about paying big money to a guy who had his best season in his walk year. And who hasn't been durable. I'm not necessarily against it, but the concern is pretty easy to understand.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
70,715
This is the second time in Rodon's career that he has thrown more than 150 innings in a season, and the last time was 2016. He'll be 30 on Opening Day. The trepidation is about paying big money to a guy who had his best season in his walk year. And who hasn't been durable. I'm not necessarily against it, but the concern is pretty easy to understand.
Very similar to Robbie Ray last year, he got 5/115 and reverted to his OK self.
 

LoLsapien

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 5, 2022
183
Unless you can get them on a bargain/incentive laden deal, I don't either back.

I think this year was the beginning of the end for Eovaldi, and its the start of a decline.

Wacha, I think this year is a case of almost everything breaking right for him and it working out. Remember back when he signed, how a lot of us were complaining about how much we paid? One year shouldn't change that. While he would be the lesser of the two evils, I think he's also the more likely of the two to crap the bed.

Bottom line, some team will overpay for them both and I don't want it to be us. Focus on guys that are less injury prone.
I'm in agreement here regarding Wacha. I would think Bloom is more likely to go hunting for the next Wacha, and if I had time, it would be interesting to have a thread predicting which overlooked or underperforming pitcher from 2021 and 2022 is a decent bet to have a bounce back year.

There's going to be someone out there who has underperformed their peripherals, could benefit from a change in pitch mix, etc. I'm excited to find out who Bloom targets for this role next.
 

Rovin Romine

Johnny Rico
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
23,679
Miami (oh, Miami!)
I guess I don't understand the trepidation with giving Rodon a 6/125 million deal.
We have tons of money, why not go for the best starter on the market?
Shit, I'd go for 6/175. And the best part of this approach is when he gets injured or pancakes or reverts to his career norms in his 30s, the fanbase will never, ever, ever turn on you for signing "the best pitcher available" on the market, even if you overpay a bit.

Because it's "just money" and the fanbase would never, ever sink to making disingenuous distinctions or engaging in revisionist history via a cottage industry centered around entitled-whining and calling for you to be fired. Totes pinky swear on that one.

Witness the amazing love we see on a daily basis here for Chris Sale and David Price.
 

sezwho

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
1,951
Isle of Plum
….
I think, ideally, they need to turn some prospect capital into a younger pitcher who can be here awhile.
Been thinking about this for a bit, and I’m afraid I still think they’re at least year away from that being the call.

I’d let the prospects simmer and wait to see if the Sox are good before cashing in any prospects.


There's going to be someone out there who has underperformed their peripherals, could benefit from a change in pitch mix, etc. I'm excited to find out who Bloom targets for this role next.
I’m genuinely curious as well. This is make or break really, another weak year won’t go over well. This is the chance to show the plan is working.
 

chawson

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
4,660
I'm in agreement here regarding Wacha. I would think Bloom is more likely to go hunting for the next Wacha, and if I had time, it would be interesting to have a thread predicting which overlooked or underperforming pitcher from 2021 and 2022 is a decent bet to have a bounce back year.

There's going to be someone out there who has underperformed their peripherals, could benefit from a change in pitch mix, etc. I'm excited to find out who Bloom targets for this role next.
An all-scrapheap rotation of recent Bloom targets — Wacha, Springs, Pérez, Heaney and Pivetta — has put up a 79 ERA- in 2022. They’re all guys who elicited hearty WTFs when they were acquired (or would have, if Heaney had accepted our $8 million instead of the Dodgers’). A 79 ERA- is also what the Astros’ top five starters (Verlander, Valdez, Garcia, Javier, Urquidy), have put up in 2022, and they’re the best rotation in baseball.

I’m sure we’ll see some surprises, and aside from some we threw out there in 2020 (which doesn’t count) Bloom’s been really good at uncovering these guys. As for next year, Zach Eflin is a guy that seems undervalued to me, and I wouldn’t forget about Corey Kluber and Rich Hill. With Wacha, I don’t know that I’d get too cute. Definitely QO him and hope to sign him for under 3/$40.
 

Sandy Leon Trotsky

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 11, 2007
6,347
An all-scrapheap rotation of recent Bloom targets — Wacha, Springs, Pérez, Heaney and Pivetta — has put up a 79 ERA- in 2022. They’re all guys who elicited hearty WTFs when they were acquired (or would have, if Heaney had accepted our $8 million instead of the Dodgers’). A 79 ERA- is also what the Astros’ top five starters (Verlander, Valdez, Garcia, Javier, Urquidy), have put up in 2022, and they’re the best rotation in baseball.

I’m sure we’ll see some surprises, and aside from some we threw out there in 2020 (which doesn’t count) Bloom’s been really good at uncovering these guys. As for next year, Zach Eflin is a guy that seems undervalued to me, and I wouldn’t forget about Corey Kluber and Rich Hill. With Wacha, I don’t know that I’d get too cute. Definitely QO him and hope to sign him for under 3/$40.
Good strategy on Wacha really. I don’t see a team beating that QO and giving up a pick and also don’t see a team offering any more than that (3/40).
 

Petagine in a Bottle

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 13, 2021
11,921
Is the plan for next year just bringing back the same guys, but paying them more money? QO’s to Wacha and Eovaldi would cost about $38M, right? So that’s like +$14M in salary over what they got this year.

Sale 27.5
Eovaldi 19.0
Wacha 19.0
Pivetta 6.0
Whitlock 1.2
Bello 0.7


Thats a pretty pricey rotation. I don’t think Eovaldi and Wacha at the QO really works.
 

chrisfont9

Member
SoSH Member
Very similar to Robbie Ray last year, he got 5/115 and reverted to his OK self.
Ray is at least a reliable innings eater. Healthy Rodón is spectacular, but the flipside is his history which includes TJ surgery and a shoulder problem before that. I guess the shoulder has been fine for several years now? And TJ is what it is, lots of guys are just fine for years to come. But for $22Mx6 or whatever, you'd want a pretty clean MRI.
 

Rovin Romine

Johnny Rico
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
23,679
Miami (oh, Miami!)
An all-scrapheap rotation of recent Bloom targets — Wacha, Springs, Pérez, Heaney and Pivetta — has put up a 79 ERA- in 2022. They’re all guys who elicited hearty WTFs when they were acquired (or would have, if Heaney had accepted our $8 million instead of the Dodgers’). A 79 ERA- is also what the Astros’ top five starters (Verlander, Valdez, Garcia, Javier, Urquidy), have put up in 2022, and they’re the best rotation in baseball.
Welcome to the discussion, Mr. Maraschino.