Rounding_Third

"No" to both. For the most part, Sox will go with the pitching they have. Also, with both Cespedes & Colas in the org and maybe just a year or two away, there's no big, long term money on a RF now. Will go with Vaughn, Sheets, Engel patch work. However, both positions will get reviewed at trade deadline; if improvement is needed then hopefully Hahn deals.

RHP's historically get ~70% of the starts. Gavin and his .900 RHP OPS has to be the DH for all of them in 2022 until he shows he can no longer get it done or the Sox find a better LHB for DH. He can also sub at 1B & RF and be a late inning LH PH. He's just too valuable right now on a team with so little LH punch.

Given the fact that the team payroll is going up by ~28.5m before the FO can blink means they're probably not going to do much. And that's before Giolito's arb raise and doesn't include any team option pick ups. Add to that, the prep for the upcoming Arb1's for Cease and Kopech after next year. There's also a few other important arb reviews/decisions such as Engel and Lopez. With my expectations being low, I realistically hope they can resign Leury, Hamilton, and Tepera (& ofc Giolito). And I hope they can option/trade Garcia and Kimbrel (deserves to be closer anyway) for decent prospects. Leury can be our every 2B with Romy as the super sub (or visa versa). What they actually do might be quite depressing given the financials.

I think as a late inning PR/D-replacement, Hamilton has it over Goodwin by a wide margin. However, if needed, Goodwin should be called up over Williams. But I'm also wondering just what else does Mendick have to do to prove he's so much more valuable than Lamb. I sense it too. Yermin needs to sharpen his discipline and focus like he was in April. He's swinging at a lot more junk lately; too aggressive.

Not sure if I understand what you mean. But don't I think control really plays a role in that decision. They wouldn't risk his career because they're outside of that window.

Not to throw water on the fire, but isn't it likely the Sox have an innings limit on him this year if he keeps keepin' on? If they're doing it for Kopech, why not Rodon? Has anyone asked about it with TLR or Katz? I may have missed it but haven't heard of their Rodon plans. Its makes sense to me that the Sox trade for another starter as insurance for the entire rotation & Kopech. If there're no issues, a 6 man rotation would be a good idea anyway. So far, there's no starter in the org that can be trusted but that could change by the deadline.

Yikes!

I had an issue with my crapular stabilzer. A little Imodium and I was fine.

So my regression opinion is based on a 2019 projections window at the time of his signing; predicting regression vs $'s offered. How likely was he to match his 2019 Brewer stats or his previous LA season....unlikely. Or that he would catch 153 games or the 140 in 2018...again, unlikely. Or that he would begin to physically regress along with possible injuries as a 31-34 C ...likely. Predicting regression can be a crap shoot but there were enough factors and 2019 was so lofty for him that it was a probability and, in fact, he did (for whatever 2020 stats are worth). But that's moot, I 'm talking about 2019 FO vision before the signing. All the while with a very solid McCann who could have been signed then for tens of $M's less. Oh what they could have done with that cash and still be very strong at the C position! If he had earned his new contract based on Sox performance for those years then, yeah, reward him. But the Sox rewarded him for what he did for other teams. For example, Realmuto earned a big deal this winter with the Phillies because he got there with them. Yeah, they signed him in 2018 (for just 2 years) based on a Mia career. But he was only 27 and most likely to progress or at least maintain. He progressed as a Philly and got rewarded. What's done is done, He's a Sox and can't be replaced. Hopefully, he plays well from here on out. Since he's been playing more this past week or so, hopefully that knee is healing and he can begin to turn it up,

No disrespect to Grandal; he's still a very good C and was a great one in 2019. But in 2019, C was not a position of weakness; McCann was very good and deserving of a longer deal. A 2 or 3 yr deal then for McCann at ~$10 or ~$18 ($4,6,8m - was making $2.9m in 2019) and then spent the tens of $m's of savings elsewhere would have been much more prudent. Grandal's regression from 2019 could have easily be expected but was not anticipated by the FO, especially switching leagues and his age. This isn't hindsight, the Grandal signing was a big time head scratcher for me then. He wasn't $14m or $12m or even $10m better than McCann from a 2019 offseason perspective.

One reason may be that baseballs are somewhat "deadened" this year. Not only is it designed to travel less far, its a little smaller and lighter probably allowing pitchers to do more with it. Slightly smaller = harder to hit, too; contributing to higher K-rate. Chicks dig the popup!

If it was like Blackhawks, I would give the C to Jose and the two A's to Tim & Lucas with Carlos/Yoan next in line.

Couldn't agree more. Have a few Jack & Cokes last night, did ya? ? Thanks for not answering my question.

I keep hearing that but numbers don't lie. Somewhat true, but not entirely, relative to his final seasonal stats. Mostly false, except for 2016, relative to 2021 March/April vs career March/April. Not even close. Not sure where that "slow start" perception comes from. I guess 2016 sticks in people's minds. Still has some games to match April history, though.

Maybe still being affected by Covid?

Send him to alt site then Charlotte until he he learns to hit MLB pitching dammit! Seriously, wondering if his earlier bout with Covid is still affecting him. He had a bad ST in warm AZ, too.

But still only as a spot starter, right? It shouldn't be anything more than that for this year. That pitch limit would come fast. Don't want him shut down before the end of the season.

Yeah, he's done a nice job; nothing's fooled him. Looks like he's been playing out there his whole career. At the plate, teams figured him out halfway though ST. He's pretty confused right now. Overmatched.

Agree. Give him until AAA opens with full season there. Then hope that Engel truly has turned the corner. If not, start the trade discovery.

Keuchel vs Green Monster! Yikes! Kopech starts game 2???

My biggest concern right now is what's happening at C. What's the deal with Grandal? Is that knee much worse than reported? He runs 3/4 speed to 1st. He's only caught 9 of 14 games. That works out to just 104 for the season. With Collins struggling at the plate again, and no proven depth, catcher is a big red flag. $18m AAV for what so far?

That's very small window of that specific opportunity and its not worth him sitting on the bench game after game with no other usage. Doubtful that Madrigal or Engel would even come out of a late inning close game. They both can hit and you turn the chance over to the next power hitter in order. Are you really going to pinch hit Lamb for a .280- .320 hitter? Anyway, Lamb's not the same bat from 2016 & 17. He wouldn't have been available if he was.

Lamb lacks LH power, too, for last 3 years. And his ability to actually the ball safely at all is very limited. Besides, who would Lamb really pinch hit for? The situational need for LH power off the bench are very minimal. In extras, all you need is a base hit.

Same. But its Lamb's only position really. Mendick so much more versatile; more options for TLR even with Leury. If TLR had experienced Medick's Sox career first hand, I doubt if Lamb would even be here. And I don't see a real need for Lamb's PH bat except for NL road games. That's not a big enough need especially since Mendick hits righties much better. And right now, DH is in good hands. He's a Lamb Duck! Sorry!

lol yeah! The shitter/no hitter!