2018 Boston Red Sox

[dbecks 442]

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 K

Pitching
2017 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:

Sale
Price
Porcello
Hector Velazquez
Brian Johnson

Tentative 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, 2018 by dbecks

[spystud13 2371]

Man, that was a fucking lazy cut-&-paste on the lineup, you’re usually better than that. 

[dbecks 442]

Sorry, I'm new around here.

[txhorns 2413]

48 minutes ago, dbecks said:

Sorry, I'm new around here.

That is no excuse for lollygagging.

[InkaUtexas 26172]

My last post on the site to never be named was this....   

[dbecks 442]

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.

[InkaUtexas 26172]

Nunez! inside the park.

 

And Fuck Joe Kelly. 

 

 

[dbecks 442]

So, apparently our bullpen isn’t as strong as previously thought.

[NHKeith 53]

Kimbrel looked great tonight.  

[dbecks 442]

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.

[dbecks 442]

Matt Barnes is in mid-season form.

[InkaUtexas 26172]

Home Opener. GO SOX! 

 

[dbecks 442]

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.

[InkaUtexas 26172]

Yep, but the bats will warm hat. Was cold today. need to get them hats. 

 

[Murfdogg21 4431]

I have tickets to the game tomorrow at 1:05. It has been snowing for the past two hours. Should be a hoot. 

[InkaUtexas 26172]

Enjoy. Make sure you have a few hot toddies so you do not freeze. 

[dbecks 442]

Fucking Michael Chavis.  

Sox #1 prospect suspended 80 games for testing positive for dehydrochlormethyltestosterone... whatever that is. 

[NHKeith 53]

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.

[InkaUtexas 26172]

Great win! Love seeing the team come back and get the sweep. 

[dbecks 442]

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.

[dbecks 442]

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, 2018 by dbecks

[dbecks 442]

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.

[InkaUtexas 26172]

Dammit. Did not see how he got hurt but sounded kind of like a freak accident. 

[dbecks 442]

Yankees suck.  Literally. 

[InkaUtexas 26172]

Bats woke up! Nice game all around. 

[ousuxndallas 65]

Hai from Fenway. First time to be there tonight, great win!

[Captain Ron 12931]

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.

[InkaUtexas 26172]

Sounds like someone needs to cancel a flight. 

[ousuxndallas 65]

Ha, ha.  Last minute business trip.  Someone needs to turn the heat on up here!

[dbecks 442]

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.

[Captain Ron 12931]

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.

[Bullneck 19215]

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.

[ousuxndallas 65]

Is it, like, 12 degrees or something.  That's a crowd of 16,500.

35 degrees, 8th inning, up 14-1, on a Tuesday.

[Bullneck 19215]

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.

[Bullneck 19215]

And yet, the Monstah seats are damn near full.

[Captain Ron 12931]

Those seats are expensive too.  I think they are all over $300.

[InkaUtexas 26172]

13-2 record. 

Just announced Ohtani faces us on Tuesday. Won't miss that game! 

Edited April 15, 2018 by InkaUtexas
MLB corrected me.

[NHKeith 53]

VS Price. Best start by a Red Sox team evah. 

[dbecks 442]

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, 2018 by dbecks

[dbecks 442]

Not getting ahead of myself or anything... but the Red Sox might be good this year.

And Mookie definitely is good.

[InkaUtexas 26172]

Yep, pretty damn good. 

 

 

[dbecks 442]

The Sox already have five grand slams this year.  

 

They had only three in all of 2017. 

[dbecks 442]

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. 

[dbecks 442]

Losing TWO in a row?!?  WTF is this shit?

(This is when the wheels fall off...)

[InkaUtexas 26172]

Shhhhhhhhhhhhh..... Just keep kicking ass in the East. 

[dbecks 442]

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.

[dbecks 442]

Fuckin’ Devil Rays...

[wood 11283]

On 3/28/2018 at 8:50 AM, txhorns said:

That is no excuse for lollygagging.

Lollygaggers!

[wood 11283]

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.

[spystud13 2371]

Feels like the Rangers always beat up on Price.