Ventura "I expect us to make the playoffs"

[AlSoxfan]

While I expect Robin to say as much I honestly think we have as good a chance if not better than anyone else in the div.

[Jerksticks]

If my manager continually gave canned bulls*** answers like that, I'd lose a hell of a lot of respect very quickly.

No offense man but that's way off. In my opinion, your job as a public personality is to give canned responses and keep the real news in house under wraps. Be humble; avoid putting pressure on your men, that's what a real manager does; it's what Robin has done exceptionally well so far during his tenure. He doesn't give the whiny bloodthirsty reporters (who can't wait to spin your quote into a story and crucify you) a single quote to spin. That's real leadership, to bite your tongue for the greater good, sparing yourself and the business you represent from the lynch mobs of reporters ready to swarm at the drop of one slip.

 

Anthony Rizzo spouting off a few weeks ago about winning was not leadership even though he thought so. Media can't wait for somebody to write a check with their mouth, wouldn't you agree?

[Reddy]

Kinda silly of RV to set himself up for failure like this. Be optimistic and all... but man... it would literally take career years out of a number of our guys for us to reach the playoffs. It would take a 2005-style feat.

[chitownsportsfan]

Robin is saying this because Hahn has told him he expects to make the playoffs and Hahn because JR expects to make the playoffs.

[LDF]

Robin is saying this because Hahn has told him he expects to make the playoffs and Hahn because JR expects to make the playoffs.

 

ahh the trickle down affect.

[LDF]

If Rodon's halfway as good as most are projecting, then we have four for the playoffs. That's all you need. Look at what the Giants survived with after Bumgarner...Peavy, Hudson and Vogelsong.

 

You can't seriously think that Quintana, Shark and Rodon aren't better than those three?

 

With the Royals, you had Shields, Ventura (who really was their ace in the playoffs), Vargas and Guthrie. Same comment as above.

Now they have Ventura, Volquez, Vargas, Guthrie and Duffy/Medlen/Finnegan/Hochevar.

 

That rotation has more overall depth but the only "sure thing" is Ventura, and his arm was tender at times last year (same with Duffy) and they'll both have to deal with innings ceilings in all likelihood to protect their arms.

all of what is written is true and i will continue to spout about this team, regardless of the advance stats break down, is a playoff team. how many wins i will never guess, i guess i am not too good to predict.

[Reddy]

all of what is written is true and i will continue to spout about this team, regardless of the advance stats break down, is a playoff team. how many wins i will never guess, i guess i am not too good to predict.

 

lol yes it's possible we make the playoffs, and I'm hoping we do, but it's still moooooore likely that we don't. It's not even advanced stats. Good ole regular stats show that our bullpen is pretty mediocre, our lineup is average, and our 4/5 pitchers are suspect at best.

 

using normal stats.

 

like era and whip.

 

That said, clearly we're much, MUCH improved from last year, and I'm excited about the team. I know Robin's saying what he has to, in order to get butts in the seats this year, but I worry that now he's set up his own departure should we fail to reach the postseason.

 

 

[hi8is]

Vegas says we're a .500 team and u better believe Vegas is right most all the time.

I'm seriously considering putting 10k on our win odds in Vegas.

[LittleHurt05]

Judging by this thread, it's gonna be a LONG spring training.

[greg775]

As expected, his comments stole the headlines today. So we'll see if it was smart or not later.

I don't see how in this day and age anybody anywhere is a shoo in for the playoffs because of the use/overuse of bullpens.

I mean if our bullpen is trash, our team will be trash. Same with everybody, including KC. They are now banking on the same formula every night. They want to get to 7/8/9 inning guys every night. No law says those 3 have to be as effective as they were late last season/postseason.

 

I personally would love if baseball/Sox brass would allow its starters to go seven full innings. It's a lot easier to navigate two innings than 3 or 4 IMO. If our closer is as good as expected, we'd be in great shape just getting through the eighth. I realize that is an impossibility; starters only go six nowadays or six and change.

Edited February 21, 2015 by greg775

[Kyyle23]

As expected, his comments stole the headlines today. So we'll see if it was smart or not later.

I don't see how in this day and age anybody anywhere is a shoo in for the playoffs because of the use/overuse of bullpens.

I mean if our bullpen is trash, our team will be trash. Same with everybody, including KC. They are now banking on the same formula every night. They want to get to 7/8/9 inning guys every night. No law says those 3 have to be as effective as they were late last season/postseason.

 

I personally would love if baseball/Sox brass would allow its starters to go seven full innings. It's a lot easier to navigate two innings than 3 or 4 IMO. If our closer is as good as expected, we'd be in great shape just getting through the eighth. I realize that is an impossibility; starters only go six nowadays or six and change.

 

The Sox brass doesn't set inning limits on pitchers over the season, at least not how you are suggesting

[LittleHurt05]

As expected, his comments stole the headlines today. So we'll see if it was smart or not later.

I don't see how in this day and age anybody anywhere is a shoo in for the playoffs because of the use/overuse of bullpens.

I mean if our bullpen is trash, our team will be trash. Same with everybody, including KC. They are now banking on the same formula every night. They want to get to 7/8/9 inning guys every night. No law says those 3 have to be as effective as they were late last season/postseason.

 

I personally would love if baseball/Sox brass would allow its starters to go seven full innings. It's a lot easier to navigate two innings than 3 or 4 IMO. If our closer is as good as expected, we'd be in great shape just getting through the eighth. I realize that is an impossibility; starters only go six nowadays or six and change.

 

If every starter went seven full innings, your closer would probably not have as many leads to save.

[SoCalSox]

I love the Sox, but there's no way Robin should be expecting playoffs with this club. Sox have to come out and play ball and reverse the mojo from the last few horrific seasons.

 

What should they expect then? They spend a ton of money and check almost every box of the checklist and they should expect to be a 90 win team?

[caulfield12]

Kinda silly of RV to set himself up for failure like this. Be optimistic and all... but man... it would literally take career years out of a number of our guys for us to reach the playoffs. It would take a 2005-style feat.

 

 

I'm not sure about that, but Verlander/Sanchez having more health problems and another bullpen implosion there wouldn't hurt.

 

As it is, Victor Martinez won't be 100% on opening day in terms of his timing and rhythm, it's quite possible he ends up having his own version of a Kendrys Morales 2014 or Adam Dunn 2011 season.

[Reddy]

I'm not sure about that, but Verlander/Sanchez having more health problems and another bullpen implosion there wouldn't hurt.

 

As it is, Victor Martinez won't be 100% on opening day in terms of his timing and rhythm, it's quite possible he ends up having his own version of a Kendrys Morales 2014 or Adam Dunn 2011 season.

 

So you're looking at the Central being winnable with fewer than 90 wins?

[LittleHurt05]

So you're looking at the Central being winnable with fewer than 90 wins?

 

I think so. 87 or 88 wins should do the trick.

[caulfield12]

So you're looking at the Central being winnable with fewer than 90 wins?

 

 

Yeah, all four teams beat on each other and get the majority of their +.500 factor against Minny, Texas, Houston, TB and the NL.

 

87-89, 86 is really pushing it, but not impossible to conceive.

Edited February 21, 2015 by caulfield12

[Balta1701]

I'm seriously considering putting 10k on our win odds in Vegas.

That's a whole lot of money to wager on Chris Sale's left elbow's health.

[gatnom]

Kinda silly of RV to set himself up for failure like this. Be optimistic and all... but man... it would literally take career years out of a number of our guys for us to reach the playoffs. It would take a 2005-style feat.

 

I think it's more accurate to say that it would take an unusually healthy year because I think the Sox are fairly solid outside of a few positions but have practically nothing in terms of depth anywhere.

 

 

[dewssox79]

I can buy that. I'll take it. We'll see how it plays out. The Vegas thing concerned me when I read their low expectations for the Sox.

 

they are a playoff team if everyone stays healthy.

 

Detroit and KC lost a lot this offseason. Plus Detroits Vmart probably wont repeat his numbers and Miggy is getting a tad bit worn with a suspect rotation that really needs verlander to be verlander.

 

Id like another starter and also a either a real 3bmn or 2bmn

[fathom]

they are a playoff team if everyone stays healthy.

 

Detroit and KC lost a lot this offseason. Plus Detroits Vmart probably wont repeat his numbers and Miggy is getting a tad bit worn with a suspect rotation that really needs verlander to be verlander.

 

Id like another starter and also a either a real 3bmn or 2bmn

 

Something that's been interesting in reviewing MLB stats from last year is that Gillaspie was top 30 in OPS in the AL. To me, 2nd base is way more of a concern than 3rd is, especially since there are platoon options now for Gillaspie.

[Reddy]

I think it's more accurate to say that it would take an unusually healthy year because I think the Sox are fairly solid outside of a few positions but have practically nothing in terms of depth anywhere.

The Sox have been the healthiest team in baseball over the last decade. Health is obviously important, but looking at the cold hard stats, we would need a lot of overachievement out of our bullpen especially to put us at the upper 80s to 90 wins.

[Reddy]

To put it in perspective, the difference from 2005 (and our overachieving bullpen) and 2006 (bullpen regression to the mean) was 9 wins.

 

That's the kind of output we'd need this year to hit 90 wins based on our players' track records IMO.

[dewssox79]

Something that's been interesting in reviewing MLB stats from last year is that Gillaspie was top 30 in OPS in the AL. To me, 2nd base is way more of a concern than 3rd is, especially since there are platoon options now for Gillaspie.

 

gillaspie played well I agree. I would go with 2b being more of a concern.

[Jake]

To put it in perspective, the difference from 2005 (and our overachieving bullpen) and 2006 (bullpen regression to the mean) was 9 wins.

 

That's the kind of output we'd need this year to hit 90 wins based on our players' track records IMO.

 

2006 was more about terrible years from the rotation than it was about the bullpen, IMO. Of course, we had truly fabulous years from our offense in 2006, too.