vilehoopster

We don’t work in the same office, so don’t see a bet here. Did you mean to say $100 dollars? I would never go that high; I’m a poor teacher. But if you were at my school and we hung out in teachers’ lunch/ lounge, I’d be glad to make a handshake bet for $10 or $20 at 10 to 1 odds. Really, I’d feel I was taking your money. Surprised you’re so confident. I mean Sox made offers to Harper, Machado, and Wheeler, but they were never gonna happen. Believe me, I could be wrong. I would never have guessed that the Sox would make a bold move like trading for Kimbrel. No matter how that trade turned out, it was bold and shows Sox are capable of making a move to win in this window. Also, Sox grabbed Grandal while we still had McCann, so they can make moves. So signing Conforto is possible, I just think the odds of it happening, by all the signs I mentioned, seem really small

I think this “going to sign Conforto thing” is a wishful thinking fantasy, like Sox we’re gonna sign Harper or Machado. Not going to happen. Of course I could be wrong, but if we worked in the same office I’d bet you it wouldn’t happen and give you 10 to 1 odds. Every sign says it’s not gonna happen: Boras is his agent All talk of finding Vaughn at bats. No way Vaughn is going to Charlotte, no way. Anyone who suggests this, loses credibility as a poster in my opinion. Sheets is staying, so far . . . seems to be the feeling, he needs and will get at bats Eloy is the starting LFer, it isn’t even being discussed, so Vaughn not playing there. Abreu wants (Probably “insists upon” is more true) to play everyday and doesn’t like to DH, so not a lot of Vaughn time there. Just my opinion, but I see Grandal DHing a lot as season progresses. Sox want to use money and resources to get another pitcher and sign Giolito long term. Biggest bottom line is the cost; I don’t see it happening. As I type this the now, it seems even more than 10 to 1 against signing Conforto.

Except we don’t have a giant hole in RF. We have an outstanding young talent with the very real possibility (I would use the term, likely) to produce a line of .280 to .290 with 30 home runs. A player who has shown he can be adequate, especially considering the bat he will supply, as a defensive outfielder. It’s Vaughn’s. I’ve said before and repeating. I believe the Sox can absolutely believe Sox can win World Series with a RF of Vaughn, Sheets, Engel. What they need to get is another good starting pitcher.

This is 100% true. Put Vaughn there and use that money to resign Giolito.

I love that baseball is back. Coming home from work, watching video highlights and reading comments on here. I got all the windows open; it’s 70 here in northern Indiana. Damn life is good.

During that “healthy” three year stretch, Conforto averaged about 29 homer, 80 rbis, and batted about .270. If that comes out to a wRC+ of 133, then yes, I expect the Sheets/ Vaughn RF platoon to easily reach that, easily. I already said I expected at least 30 homers and we’ll over his career BA of .255. Of course, Conforto has only hit 23 homers the last two years total. I guess he wasn’t healthy.

With this overloaded bullpen, what is the possibility of turning Crochet into a starter? Isn't it time? Send him down to AAA and carefully (I said carefully) start building his innings with the goal of bringing him up in August and/ or September as a five-inning starter. The problem with that, is that leaves Bummer as the only lefty in the bullpen. Keuchel? Maybe but I don't see that. If we could get another bullpen lefty, I really think it's time to turn Crochet into a starter. That will go a loooong way to solving future problems.

I just said this on another post, so saying it here. I believe that the Sox will gain so much with the offense from a RF of Vaughn/ Sheet/ turning-it-over to Engel during late innings, that they will more than compensate for however bad they might be defensively. I see that platoon having, at least, 30 home runs and batting batting way over Conforto's .255 batting average. Score a ton of runs and catch the ones you can get to (however much people will exaggerate the low quality of Sheet's and Vaughn outfield defense). RF isn't shortstop, 3rd base, center field, or catcher. With all the offense the Sox will gain, the defense will be plenty to take care of business. I'll say it again, I totally believe the Sox can win a World Series with a right field of Vaughn/ Sheets/ and Engel. What the Sox need is another starting pitcher, a good one.

This is my first time stating this, but I feel I'm going to be repeating it over and over. I believe completely that the Sox can win the World Series with a RF of rotating Vaugh, Sheets, and Engel. I completely believe that. I have said this before, I don't start to get the Comforto love on here. Career .255 hitter, batted .232. last year with a War of 0.8. What does he bring that would be worth the cost to get him? I can't start to believe that Vaughn and Sheets can be so terrible defensively that the tons more we're going to gain on offense won't faaaar and away be an advantage over having Conforto's defense. Look at the huge jump Moncada and Robert had their 2nd years, and that's with minor league seasons behind them. Vaughn is going to make a major leap offensively this year, regardless of batting against lefties or righties. How are people not seeing that? Sheets was outstanding last year. Yes, the Sox put him in favorable spots to succeed; so, just do it again this year. That's why you want to platoon him with Vaughn. Yes, Vaughn needs to face righties; he can do that DHing. People keep talking about this or that person DHing. Am I the only one who thinks that Grandal is going to be DHing a lot this year? I would guess that it will average out to one day a week by the end of the season. It will happen less early, but become more common in August and September. Now, what I don't believe is that the Sox can win the World Series with this current pitching rotation. The Sox need another GOOD starting pitcher, not a 5th level pitcher, but a 3rd level pitcher or better. I have no confidence in Keuchel, none. I don't have a ton of confidence in Kopech. I think he will be okay, average, but not great yet. I strongly think the Sox have to trade for a quality pitcher. Again, I'm fine with the platoon in RF; I'm okay with 2nd base. But we need another starting pitcher.

In their 1st top five power rankings, MLB.com has Sox at # 2 behind Dodgers. That sounds very good to me.

Please explain to me the universal love for Conforto. I just looked him up. He hit .232 with 14 homers last year. He’s a career .255 hitter. Are we so in need of a left-handed bat that we’re excited to get a crappy left-handed bat. I really don’t understand his appeal. Explain it to me.

All I hear is how far apart they are and how acrimonious both sides are. I have no optimism. May 10th settled. First game on June 1st.

The guy was MVP two years ago. He had 30 hrs and 2nd in majors with 117 RBIs last season. This board was having discussions about putting Abreu out to pasture years before his MVP season. Why don’t we wait for production to actually begin to drop before we put him on the bench as a coach. How many people on this board wanted Sox to get 40 yr. old ‘roider Nelson Cruz last year. I don’t get people who want to replace Abreu.

That's funny, middlecoastbias answered my question and posted while I was typing out the above reply. That's why my comment seems of order.

Are 2nd base and RF weak spots, or are they the only places where Sox don't have an all-star or Silver Slugger candidate? Potential all-stars/ Silver Sluggers: Catcher, check: 1st base, check; shortstop, check; 3rd base, check; LF, check; centerfield, check. So that leaves only RF and 2nd. Vaughn had an OPS of .938 vs lefties last year (rookie year) and Sheets had an OPS of .900 vs. righties last year, also as a rookie. Both were competent in the field. Again both were rookies and should show significant improvement in 2nd year (You know like Moncada and Robert). So, to label a RF hybrid of those two as a weakness going into next year is just not true. Are they all-star/ Silver Slugger candidates? No, but far from weaknesses. Well, maybe defensively, but as someone said earlier on this thread, the move now is to sacrifice defense to get big offense in the line up. I agree with that. Now as for maybe Burger at 2nd base, that's a pretty electric bat, so far from all indications. He might struggle there on defense (let's fine out), but again, is 2nd base really that more difficult than 3rd; let's get that bat in the line up; it has a much higher ceiling than Garcia or anyone else I can imagine the Sox getting.

From what little I saw last year, right-handed or not, I want the Burger bat in the Sox line up. I think 2nd base is possibly a great way to make that happen. I can’t believe 2nd base is that much more difficult than 3rd base. Get that bat in the line up. I’m sure when Moncada was moved to 3rd, people were complaining about how that was a cheap fill-in that would never work. Turn out pretty well. Another thing, I am confident that the Sox can get to the World Series with some sort of Sheets/ Vaughn/ Engel hybrid in RF. That’s not where I think money should be spent. Pitching, especially starting pitching, is where the Sox need to spend FA money. I have no confidence in Keuchel, and little confidence in Kopech.

Oh my God! Didn’t I start with stats? Sox LAST in baseball in passed balls and wild pitches. Sox LAST in baseball in throwing out runners. Those are stats! You guys quote this stat or that stat as empirical proof. Isn’t often the difference between a hit and a error an “eye test”, an opinion. Doesn’t that opinion affect offensive and defensive war? Isn’t the weight given to offense vs. defensive stats in war, and how war was created based on the values attributed to this or that based completely on opinion. Quote any stat you want, You cannot watch Grandal catch a week’s worth of games and claim he is anywhere near the defensive catcher McCann was. You guys making fun of the “eye test” are like the guy standing in the rain while everyone else is under an umbrella insisting that the radar on your phone says it’s not raining.

Simple way to check this. Were the Sox last in baseball at throwing out base runners two years ago when McCann was the primary catcher? Again, last in baseball. still haven’t heard comment on passed balls stat.

There is truth to that. But doesn’t a catcher tell a pitcher to throw to 1st? Certainly, our pitchers deserve blame but not all the blame. Again, last in baseball. And let’s talk passed balls/ wild pitches.

Sorry but have to get back on Grandal topic. You can quote war or whatever stats you want, but Grandal is absolutely horrible on defense, horrible. This didn’t become clear until we heard other announcers beyond Steve and Jason not just telling the management line. Didn’t I hear, pretty sure I did, that this year Sox were last in the majors in both passed balls and wild pitches (in other words, pitches in the dirt that Grandal didn't block). Last in baseball. Also, didn’t I also hear that Sox were worst in majors at throwing out base stealers. Pretty sure I heard that too. Now I know pitchers have to hold runners close, but still most of that is still on the catcher. Last in pass balls/ wild pitches and last in throwing out runners, last; but yet somehow according to war or some other stat, Grandal is a good defensive catcher. How is that possible? When we complain about bad trade or signings, signing Grandal and chasing out McCanns has to be near the top.

If Goodwin sees any action whatsoever in the playoff, I am going to freak out at my TV. He's triple threat awful: with the bat, with in the glove and on the bases.

Fucking DFA Goodwin!!!

Can we please DFA Goodwin. I am so sick and tired of seeing him come up during important at bats and, again, doing what he did tonight, a shit ground out. He had that one walk off, so that makes him . . . . 1 for 100 in big at bats this season.

Did the TV feed turn down the crowd noise so that the boos for Keuchel wouldn't sound so loud? I think so, the volume of crowd noise dropped suddenly as the boos came up.

Seriously, is Keuchel's contract over after this year, or does he still have another expensive year left with the Sox?