2023 Red Sox Season Thread

[Goldstar88]

How about them Red Sox… Only 7.5 games out of first and most importantly, they are ahead of the Yankees. 

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I'm surprised they've made it to 3 games above .500! And the offense is actually ... good.

[Vermont Green]

Sale has been pitching well and James Paxton has pitched well in the minors with no signs of injury.  Those 2 are the key to any real success.  Hard to put much stock in either as they have both had so many injuries over several seasons, but...., with them, our rotation would become:

Sale
Paxton
Pivetta
Kluber
Bello/Houck

I had said way back in this thread that I was not worried about the team hitting or scoring runs (currently 3rd in MLB in runs, 2nd in OPS).  The bullpen is actually pretty good, or at least could be pretty good.  The big question mark was the starting rotation, and still is.  Not going to be able to keep winning games 7-6.

[Phantom255x]

If the season ended today, the Red Sox are in the postseason 

[BudweiserCeltic]

Sale has been pitching well and James Paxton has pitched well in the minors with no signs of injury.  Those 2 are the key to any real success.  Hard to put much stock in either as they have both had so many injuries over several seasons, but...., with them, our rotation would become:

Sale
Paxton
Pivetta
Kluber
Bello/Houck

I had said way back in this thread that I was not worried about the team hitting or scoring runs (currently 3rd in MLB in runs, 2nd in OPS).  The bullpen is actually pretty good, or at least could be pretty good.  The big question mark was the starting rotation, and still is.  Not going to be able to keep winning games 7-6.

This is still a bad rotation.

Pivetta sucks, Kluber hasn't pitched well in about 5 years, Houck hopefully gets back into form though. Bello a young non factor for the time being. We also have Garrett Whitlock to consider.

I question of whether we'll see Mata this season and if he'll be any good.

Also I just noticed that we had lost Thad Ward to the Nationals... what the heck!? I don't understand that rule, though it's worked in our favor in the past.

All this to say, nothing about this rotation gives me confidence at the moment even if the top 2 shape up as we hope. Plenty has to change for for the rest in the rotation to get back on track.

[Goldstar88]

Also, looks like they made the right call signing Yoshida. He’s currently batting .298 with 5HR and 19RBI. ESPN projections at this pace have him finishing with 26HR/99RBI. It’s still early, but the signing is looking like a good one.

[Redz]

If the season ended today, the Red Sox are in the postseason 

Party on!

[Vermont Green]

Sale has been pitching well and James Paxton has pitched well in the minors with no signs of injury.  Those 2 are the key to any real success.  Hard to put much stock in either as they have both had so many injuries over several seasons, but...., with them, our rotation would become:

Sale
Paxton
Pivetta
Kluber
Bello/Houck

I had said way back in this thread that I was not worried about the team hitting or scoring runs (currently 3rd in MLB in runs, 2nd in OPS).  The bullpen is actually pretty good, or at least could be pretty good.  The big question mark was the starting rotation, and still is.  Not going to be able to keep winning games 7-6.

This is still a bad rotation.

Pivetta sucks, Kluber hasn't pitched well in about 5 years, Houck hopefully gets back into form though. Bello a young non factor for the time being. We also have Garrett Whitlock to consider.

I question of whether we'll see Mata this season and if he'll be any good.

Also I just noticed that we had lost Thad Ward to the Nationals... what the heck!? I don't understand that rule, though it's worked in our favor in the past.

All this to say, nothing about this rotation gives me confidence at the moment even if the top 2 shape up as we hope. Plenty has to change for for the rest in the rotation to get back on track.

Right now, the Red Sox starters are 29th in the league with an ERA of 6.13.  I am not suggesting that they are going to have a top rotation in the league, but they are 17-14 with about the worst starters.  If they can get the group up to average for the league (which would be about 4.50 ERA), that would be a major improvement. 

And I don't think Pivetta "sucks".  Over the last two seasons, he has had 63 starts with an ERA around 4.55.  If we can get that from the middle of the rotation, that is fine.  And Kluber is well past his prime for sure but last season 31 starts, 4.34 ERA.  We don't need Pivetta or Kluber to be any better than that to put us in a pretty good position (much improved over the current anyway).

The team is a 0.500 club (actually a little better than that right now) with all the starters pitching bad.  Sale looks as though he might be settling in where he can be a better than average starter (not asking him to be a Cy Young candidate).  There is some hope for the same from Paxton.  10 games over 0.500 or so probably gets you into the playoffs.

[Phantom255x]

If the season ended today, the Red Sox are in the postseason 

Party on!

Cue the duck boats! 

[Silas]

If the season ended today, the Red Sox are in the postseason 

Party on!

Cue the duck boats! 

Another win tonight.

[Redz]

If the season ended today, the Red Sox are in the postseason 

Party on!

Cue the duck boats! 

Another win tonight.

What’s the magic number?

(I did put a futures wager on over 78 wins for the season!)

[kraidstar]

Let's say this team is playing. .600 ball by the all-star break but the starting pitching is still mediocre.

Does Bloom actually go out and land us a stud pitcher at the trade deadline or does ge do nothing and stay the course for future seasons?

[Redz]

Let's say this team is playing. .600 ball by the all-star break but the starting pitching is still mediocre.

Does Bloom actually go out and land us a stud pitcher at the trade deadline or does ge do nothing and stay the course for future seasons?

Wacha ain’t wacha-ing through that door lol
I just don’t see them doing that. But who knows. 

Just keep winning and see what happens.

[Vermont Green]

Let's say this team is playing. .600 ball by the all-star break but the starting pitching is still mediocre.

Does Bloom actually go out and land us a stud pitcher at the trade deadline or does ge do nothing and stay the course for future seasons?

Wacha ain’t wacha-ing through that door lol
I just don’t see them doing that. But who knows. 

Just keep winning and see what happens.

I don't think they would go "all in" for a rental, but that doesn't mean they won't make improvements.  Last season, everyone was up and arms that we traded Vazquez.  But Reece McGuire has turned out to be a great catcher.

It will always be debatable whether it is smart to bring in a vet starting pitcher as a rental (for example).  Sometimes it works, a lot of times it doesn't.  That is likely going to be our need.  Maybe first base again.  Every team can use another arm for the bullpen.  I don't see them being the team making the big splash, doesn't seem like their style, and that may not be a bad thing.

[kraidstar]

Let's say this team is playing. .600 ball by the all-star break but the starting pitching is still mediocre.

Does Bloom actually go out and land us a stud pitcher at the trade deadline or does ge do nothing and stay the course for future seasons?

Wacha ain’t wacha-ing through that door lol
I just don’t see them doing that. But who knows. 

Just keep winning and see what happens.

I don't think they would go "all in" for a rental, but that doesn't mean they won't make improvements.  Last season, everyone was up and arms that we traded Vazquez.  But Reece McGuire has turned out to be a great catcher.

It will always be debatable whether it is smart to bring in a vet starting pitcher as a rental (for example).  Sometimes it works, a lot of times it doesn't.  That is likely going to be our need.  Maybe first base again.  Every team can use another arm for the bullpen.  I don't see them being the team making the big splash, doesn't seem like their style, and that may not be a bad thing.

Yeah,  I think it's more likely we go all in next year. But a few modest tweaks wouldn't hurt just to let these players know that they're not doing this for nothing.

On a side note, I love how yoshida is playing.  He's back to raking like he was in the WBC, he really impressed me in that tournament. He really just has such a compact and disciplined swing.  And when he sees the ball he just slices the bat through the zone effortlessly. Just incredible focus and coordination.