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Who should the Sox get to replace Myers?


Big Hurt35

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QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 10, 2012 -> 10:37 AM)
Upgrading the pen with a more experienced arm isn't a bad thing, but it should be way down the list of priorities.

 

I disagree. I posted something awhile back arguing that the bullpen is likely the place where the Sox could make the biggest difference between 2012 and 2013. I think our bullpen lost 23 games, 10 by Thornton alone. The Tigers were almost as bad, but Oakland, Baltimore, NY, and Texas were all far better. You could argue that the difference between the Oakland and Baltimore pens and the Los Angeles and Tampa pens put the former in the playoffs and kept the latter two teams out.

 

Most of the rest of the team is set at this point. If you added a veteran arm who might close, you could jettison Thornton and use the young guys to set up, especially now that they have a year under their belts.

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QUOTE (VAfan @ Dec 11, 2012 -> 12:03 AM)
I disagree. I posted something awhile back arguing that the bullpen is likely the place where the Sox could make the biggest difference between 2012 and 2013. I think our bullpen lost 23 games, 10 by Thornton alone. The Tigers were almost as bad, but Oakland, Baltimore, NY, and Texas were all far better. You could argue that the difference between the Oakland and Baltimore pens and the Los Angeles and Tampa pens put the former in the playoffs and kept the latter two teams out.

 

Most of the rest of the team is set at this point. If you added a veteran arm who might close, you could jettison Thornton and use the young guys to set up, especially now that they have a year under their belts.

 

If you have those 10 games, or if it isn't too much trouble, I'd like to see the games you believe Thornton lost. I was at a game in Minnesota in which Thornton induced a double play with the bases loaded and no outs that one could argue won the Sox the game.

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QUOTE (VAfan @ Dec 11, 2012 -> 01:03 AM)
I disagree. I posted something awhile back arguing that the bullpen is likely the place where the Sox could make the biggest difference between 2012 and 2013. I think our bullpen lost 23 games, 10 by Thornton alone. The Tigers were almost as bad, but Oakland, Baltimore, NY, and Texas were all far better. You could argue that the difference between the Oakland and Baltimore pens and the Los Angeles and Tampa pens put the former in the playoffs and kept the latter two teams out.

 

Most of the rest of the team is set at this point. If you added a veteran arm who might close, you could jettison Thornton and use the young guys to set up, especially now that they have a year under their belts.

I think you're completely right that the Bullpen is a place where the Sox can seriously improve their year over year performance.

 

I disagree with you that the Sox are going to significantly improve the performance of their bullpen by trading away a piece like Thornton and then spending his money on the FA market. Even though Thornton was at best iffy last year...$5-7 million for 1 year buys you a reliever who is occasionally iffy these days. If you want to spend >$10 million on Soriano, then you're talking a serious upgrade...but that's just not in the cards.

 

If the Sox are going to significantly improve the bullpen, it will happen because guys like Reed, Jones, Veal, Omo, etc., are no longer rookies.

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QUOTE (VAfan @ Dec 11, 2012 -> 12:03 AM)
I disagree. I posted something awhile back arguing that the bullpen is likely the place where the Sox could make the biggest difference between 2012 and 2013. I think our bullpen lost 23 games, 10 by Thornton alone. The Tigers were almost as bad, but Oakland, Baltimore, NY, and Texas were all far better. You could argue that the difference between the Oakland and Baltimore pens and the Los Angeles and Tampa pens put the former in the playoffs and kept the latter two teams out.

 

Most of the rest of the team is set at this point. If you added a veteran arm who might close, you could jettison Thornton and use the young guys to set up, especially now that they have a year under their belts.

 

Our bullpen was almost entirely rookies for good chunks of the season as well. I am also curious who this mystery "veteran arm who might close" is?

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QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 11, 2012 -> 07:59 AM)
If the Sox are going to significantly improve the bullpen, it will happen because guys like Reed, Jones, Veal, Omo, etc., are no longer rookies.

 

Thank you - that is what I was getting at. I see lots of reason to believe the bullpen improves - because it was the most rookie-heavy pen in all of baseball.

 

 

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 11, 2012 -> 08:02 AM)
Our bullpen was almost entirely rookies for good chunks of the season as well. I am also curious who this mystery "veteran arm who might close" is?

 

Adams is the guy I've seen talked about, but who knows who else they may be shopping for. I just don't see it as a good use of resources, unless they are just not able to upgrade elsewhere at all.

 

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QUOTE (VAfan @ Dec 11, 2012 -> 07:03 AM)
I disagree. I posted something awhile back arguing that the bullpen is likely the place where the Sox could make the biggest difference between 2012 and 2013. I think our bullpen lost 23 games, 10 by Thornton alone. The Tigers were almost as bad, but Oakland, Baltimore, NY, and Texas were all far better. You could argue that the difference between the Oakland and Baltimore pens and the Los Angeles and Tampa pens put the former in the playoffs and kept the latter two teams out.

 

Most of the rest of the team is set at this point. If you added a veteran arm who might close, you could jettison Thornton and use the young guys to set up, especially now that they have a year under their belts.

 

Every year people think the Sox will have a good bullpen and it annually sucks. Sox don't have any reliable relievers who get on a roll where they are unhittable. We're dead if our starters come out in the sixth cause that means way too many relievers will pitch that night. If the Sox go with 4 relievers on a given night you can bet one or two of them will suck.

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QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 11, 2012 -> 05:27 PM)
Every year people think the Sox will have a good bullpen and it annually sucks. Sox don't have any reliable relievers who get on a roll where they are unhittable. We're dead if our starters come out in the sixth cause that means way too many relievers will pitch that night. If the Sox go with 4 relievers on a given night you can bet one or two of them will suck.

The latter 2 clauses are pretty much the case with most teams, and it seems like several of our guys went on unhittable rolls at different points in the season last year (Reed, Veal, and Jones immediately come to mind as having them).

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