2019 Starting Pitching thread

[OH FOY!]

I always factor Ballparks that Pitchers come from.
http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/parkfactor

[Kimmi]

Have to love all of these depth signings . Just hope we don't wind up in " the depths ."

What do the depth signings have to do with whether our team will stink or not? These guys are likely going to be our 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th starters, etc. If we're lucky, which is the hope in signing these guys, one of them will come through for part of the season like Buccholz did last year.

If we have that many injuries to our starting pitchers where we're depending on our depth starters to carry us through the season, then you're right, we'll probably wind up in 'the depths'.

[Kimmi]

I think it all starts with the health of our starting pitchers.

Price and Porcello should be ok.
Rodriguez is primed for a break out season if he can stay healthy.
Eovaldi’s arm looked strong at the end of the season. We will have to keep our fingers crossed.
Sale is a wild card. If he is right and pitching for his next contract, we are gold! If the shoulder has issues, we are in for a tough year.

The bullpen will cause us consternation, but really talented help is on the way!

Benintendi and Devers are ascending players. Betts, Martinez and bogey should continue to produce all star stats. Bradley, the cast of characters at second and the first base platoon of Moreland/Pearce could backslide. Catcher remains a black hole offensively, but our pitchers love throwing to them and happy pitchers are productive pitchers,

Two really good free agent relievers signings and I like this team to go all the way again, if sale’s shoulder is right!

Our starters, outside of Porcello, all have some question marks health-wise. As you said, their ability to stay healthy will be the key. If they are healthy, we have one of the best rotations in baseball.

I have no doubt that Dombrowski is not finished with our bullpen.

Maybe I'm being overly optimistic, but I think Jackie will have a good and more consistent season. I don't think we'll see the long slides that we've seen in the past.

[Kimmi]

If our catchers hit their career norms, we'll see a 100 point gain from 2018.

The catchers are not on my list of concerns for the 2019 season.

[Kimmi]

If the Sox do, it won’t be because of any of these signings...

Amen brother Notin.

You said this much more concisely than I did.

[Kimmi]

The best we can probably expect is a Doug Fister type.

Clay Buccholz!!!

[moonslav59]

The catchers are not on my list of concerns for the 2019 season.

Me, too.

They could hit 50 points lower than 2018, and I'd be fine.

I just mentioned them as a possibility of picking up some slack we may see from someone else declining.

[moonslav59]

Clay Buccholz!!!

The best we can expect from Buch is 2-3 months of an uindetermined performance level.

[oldtimer]

Me, too.

They could hit 50 points lower than 2018, and I'd be fine.

I just mentioned them as a possibility of picking up some slack we may see from someone else declining.

DD did signal that it is unlikely that the club will carry 3 catchers on the 25 man roster in 2019. What he didn't make clear is which of the 3 will not be there next season. After that is resolved, comments about our catching situation will be more meaningful.

[moonslav59]

DD did signal that it is unlikely that the club will carry 3 catchers on the 25 man roster in 2019. What he didn't make clear is which of the 3 will not be there next season. After that is resolved, comments about our catching situation will be more meaningful.

I'm almost certain it will be Swihart.

If we trade Vaz or Leon, I think the other will catch way more than Swihart, so our offense from the catcher position will never be something we can expect much of.

[Larry Cook]

Bullpen options:

kimbrel
Robertson
Ottavino
Britton
Allen
sipp
Tawaza
Duke

Which if any of these or any others would you make a case of us signing.

I would welcome me back kimbrel (4 years and 70mm). He regressed in the second half of 2018 but I think that was a case of command and control issues.

In addition to replace Kelly, I would sign Britton (3 years and 42mm) his work in the second half of 2018 showed that he is regaining his stuff and just needs to regai his command and control.

[moonslav59]

Bullpen options:

kimbrel
Robertson
Ottavino
Britton
Allen
sipp
Tawaza
Duke

Which if any of these or any others would you make a case of us signing.

I would welcome me back kimbrel (4 years and 70mm). He regressed in the second half of 2018 but I think that was a case of command and control issues.

In addition to replace Kelly, I would sign Britton (3 years and 42mm) his work in the second half of 2018 showed that he is regaining his stuff and just needs to regai his command and control.

Kimbrel or Britton is a pipe dream. Both are impossible.

[Kimmi]

Me, too.

They could hit 50 points lower than 2018, and I'd be fine.

I just mentioned them as a possibility of picking up some slack we may see from someone else declining.

Agreed.