March 28, 20187 yr Hey, I get to start this one! 2017 record: 93-69 (1st in AL East)Lost the ALDS (4 games) to the eventual World Series Champion Houston Astros.Key additions:Alex Cora (manager)J.D. Martinez (!) (.303/.376/.690, 45 HR, 104 RBI, 26 2B -- in 119 games in 2017)Key losses:Chris Young: 2017 -- 7 HR, 25 RBI, .709 OPS (in 90 games)Addison Reed: 2017 stats -- 27 IP, 1-1, 3.33 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 28 KPitching2017 team stats (and MLB rank): 3.70 ERA (4th... 2nd in AL), .245 BAA (9th), 465 BB (3rd), 1580 K (3rd), 88 QS (2nd... 1st in AL)Tentative rotation & 2017 numbers:Chris Sale (214 IP, 17-8, 2.90 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 308 K)Drew Pomeranz (173 IP, 17-6, 3.32 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 174 K)Rick Porcello (203 IP, 11-17, 4.65 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 181 K)David Price? (74 IP, 6-3, 3.38 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 76 K)Eduardo Rodriguez (137 IP, 6-7, 4.19 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 150 K) -- probably won't be ready by Opening Day, so...Rotation for the first five:SalePricePorcelloHector VelazquezBrian JohnsonTentative bullpen & 2017 numbers:Craig Kimbrel (69 IP, 5-0, 1.43 ERA, 0.68 WHIP, 126 K, 35 saves)Joe Kelly (58 IP, 4-1, 2.79 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 52 K)Carson Smith (6 IP, 0-0, 1.35 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 7 K... 2015: 70 IP, 2.31 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, & 92 K)Brandon Workman (39 IP, 1-1, 3.18 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 37 K)Robby Scott (35 IP, 3-1, 3.79 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 31 K)Heath Hembree (62 IP, 2-3, 3.63 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 70 K)Matt Barnes (69 IP, 7-3, 3.88 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 83 K) Tyler Thornberg (2016: 67 IP, 8-5, 2.15 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 90 K)(Obviously the rotation is very lefty-heavy, and the bullpen is very righty-heavy. Not sure if it's a major problem, though...)The so-called "offense"2017 team stats (and MLB rank): .258 AVG (13th), .329 OBP (11th), .736 OPS (22nd), 785 runs (10th), 168 HR (27th -- dead fucking last in the AL)Tentative lineup & 2017 numbers:Mookie Betts, RF (.264/.344/.459, 24 HR, 102 RBI, 46 2B, 26 SB)Andrew Benintendi, LF (.271/.352/.424, 20 HR, 90 RBI, 26 2B, 20 SB)Xander Bogaerts, SS (.273/.343/.403, 10 HR, 62 RBI, 32 2B, 6 3B, 15 SB)Hanley Ramirez, DH (.242/.320/.429, 23 HR, 62 RBI, 24 2B)Rafael Devers, 3B (.284/.338/.482, 10 HR, 30 RBI, 14 2B, 3 SB)Mitch Moreland, 1B (.246/.326/.443, 22 HR, 79 RBI, 34 2B)Jackie Bradley, Jr., CF (.245/.323/.402, 17 HR, 63 RBI, 19 2B, 3 3B, 8 SB)Christian Vazquez, C (.290/.330/.404, 5 HR, 32 RBI, 18 2B, 7 SB)Marco Hernandez, 2B (58 AB)Injured -- Dustin Pedroia (.293/.369/.392, 7 HR, 62 RBI, 19 2B, 4 SB)... could *possibly* be back by Opening Day, but it sounds like they obviously don't want to rush him back.Bench -- Brock Holt, Deven Marrero, Bryce Brentz, Blake Swihart(!)Prospects?Jay Groome, LHP -- should make the move to AA this year, but is still a ways away. Apparently has front rotation potential, though. ETA 2020.Michael Chavis, 3B -- most likely will start the season in Pawtucket. Great bat, average glove. Doesn't have the size to move to 1B (which could signal trying out Devers at 1B here and there), so eventually might play corner OF. He'll get some playing time in Boston this year, almost guaranteed.Bryan Mata, RHP -- 18 year old Venezuelan. Likely in A-ball all year. Still a major project.Tanner Houck, RHP -- 1st round draft pick last year, hopefully sees some time in AA this year.Sam Travis, 1B -- had 76 AB in the big leagues last year, will likely see more this year. Had a solid season in Pawtucket (.765 OPS, 12 HR), but doesn't seem to have the power to ever be a starting 1B in the bigs.My prediction: win the AL East again (fuck the Yankees), lose in the playoffs against the Astros or Indians. Whoop-t-do. Go Sox. Opening Day is Thursday @ Tampa. 3:00pm central (only on NESN) Edited March 28, 20187 yr by dbecks
March 28, 20187 yr Man, that was a fucking lazy cut-&-paste on the lineup, you’re usually better than that.
March 28, 20187 yr 48 minutes ago, dbecks said: Sorry, I'm new around here. That is no excuse for lollygagging.
March 28, 20187 yr Author Ok, here's my pick for a tentative (real) lineup: 1. Betts, RF 2. Benintendi, LF 3. JD Martinez, DH (it's maybe worth mentioning that JDM batted 2nd in several spring training games) 4. Ramirez, 1B (having Moreland start anywhere from 25-50% of the time, depending on Hanley's streaks & slumps) 5. Bogaerts, SS 6. Devers, 3B 7. Nunez, 2B (obviously until Pedroia comes back) 8. Vazquez, C 9. Bradley, CF Bench: Moreland, Holt, Swihart, Leon But it sounds like there will be a considerable amount of flexibility when it comes to lineups, due to inevitable injuries, streaks, platoons, and much-needed rests. I hope this team is built for ~180 games, not just 162.
April 2, 20187 yr Author Gatdammit... I didn't even notice there were two threads. I'm still new around here, apparently. 3-1 (should be 4-0 if the bullpen didn't shit the bed on Opening Day), two games in Miami, then a day off before the Fenway opener (vs the Rays again) on Thursday. Brian Johnson on the bump tonight, in his home state.
April 5, 20187 yr Author Nice extra-innings walkoff win today. The bats have been mediocre so far, but I’ll still take the W any day. The Red Sox rotation now has an ERA of 0.88 through seven games.
April 6, 20187 yr I have tickets to the game tomorrow at 1:05. It has been snowing for the past two hours. Should be a hoot.
April 7, 20187 yr Author Fucking Michael Chavis. Sox #1 prospect suspended 80 games for testing positive for dehydrochlormethyltestosterone... whatever that is.
April 7, 20187 yr Defense: No errors through 8 games. Starters have looked great. Best start by a Red Sox team since 1920. Too bad we can't play Tampa every week.
April 9, 20187 yr Author Holy shit... saw it was 7-2 and stopped following the game. What a helluva 8th inning! Finally playing a non-Floridian team on Tuesday. Apparently they're slightly better than the Rays and Marlins.
April 9, 20187 yr Author Xander to the DL, out 10-14 games. A “non-displaced crack” in his ankle... whatever that means. It could be worse, obviously. Edited April 9, 20187 yr by dbecks
April 10, 20187 yr Author Dr. David Chao: ”10-14 days would be the absolute best case scenario for any fracture of the talus. I hope this optimism is realized and not just a precursor of 60 day disabled list.” Fuck.
April 11, 20187 yr The fuck dude? you didn't even say call or write to say you were in town! I have tickets to the 3rd game in the series on Thursday, not much further out than these.
April 12, 20187 yr Author So... David Price didn’t look good tonight. Leave it to the MFYs to get him to revert back to his “old, but not old-old” ways. Initial rumors say blisters are the culprit.
April 13, 20187 yr Solid game tonight with two big early innings. Sucked that the rain was coming down. Yankees put a scare in them in the 9th, but Kimbrel did a nice job shutting the door.
April 14, 20187 yr On 4/10/2018 at 11:04 PM, ousuxndallas said: Hai from Fenway. First time to be there tonight, great win! Is it, like, 12 degrees or something. That's a crowd of 16,500.
April 14, 20187 yr Is it, like, 12 degrees or something. That's a crowd of 16,500.35 degrees, 8th inning, up 14-1, on a Tuesday.
April 14, 20187 yr Just now, ousuxndallas said: 7 minutes ago, Bullneck said: Is it, like, 12 degrees or something. That's a crowd of 16,500. 35 degrees, 8th inning, up 14-1, on a Tuesday. sounds like a good time to be watching the game while at home on TeeVee.
April 15, 20187 yr 13-2 record. Just announced Ohtani faces us on Tuesday. Won't miss that game! Edited April 15, 20187 yr by InkaUtexas MLB corrected me.
April 16, 20187 yr Author Sad there's no game on Patriots Day. First time since 1995. Hopefully they keep it going tomorrow in Anaheim... (game is on MLBN out of market, btw). Edited April 16, 20187 yr by dbecks
April 18, 20187 yr Author Not getting ahead of myself or anything... but the Red Sox might be good this year. And Mookie definitely is good.
April 21, 20187 yr Author The Sox already have five grand slams this year. They had only three in all of 2017.
April 21, 20187 yr Author 8 hours ago, dbecks said: The Sox already have five grand slams this year. They had only three in all of 2017. Correction: they had ZERO in 2017. I like this team better already.
April 23, 20187 yr Author Losing TWO in a row?!? WTF is this shit? (This is when the wheels fall off...)
April 27, 20187 yr Author Mookie Betts is good at baseball. More importantly... won the series in Toronto, back home for two series vs the Rays & the Royals. Xander returns to the lineup tonight, and not a moment too soon -- Brock will have to sit out a few for a minor hamstring issue. Let's keep this party going. 19-5, with a 4 game lead in the East. April has been a fun month.
April 29, 20187 yr On 3/28/2018 at 8:50 AM, txhorns said: That is no excuse for lollygagging. Lollygaggers!
April 29, 20187 yr On 4/13/2018 at 10:45 PM, Bullneck said: Is it, like, 12 degrees or something. That's a crowd of 16,500. Hey, cool. I can see the seats we sat in last July... /csb. Place is amazing.
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