If the final offseason roster looks like another punted year, then I pull back on the Chris sale reigns a bit and have him got for it around the ASB. If the Sox make additions and look like they’re ready to compete, then I’d let his progress dictate a timeline.
None of this should make a difference: he should only start when good & ready.Originally Posted by jacksonianmarch
When you say it's gonna happen now
When exactly do you mean?
One might think that the continued positive reports on Sale and E-Rod would move the Sox in the direction of not punting 2021. I never really thought they would punt it, but doubts do begin to creep in.
Championships since purchase by John Henry group: Red Sox 4 Yankees 1
The Red Sox are 8-1 in their last 9 postseason games against the Yankees.
There’s ready and able and then there’s most likely to be effective. He should be healthy enough to pitch in May (14 months or so post surgery). Unless Bloom’s goal is to shed his contract, I’d hold him back if 2021 doesn’t look like a banner year. He’s got a lot of miles on his arm, a recent surgical procedure and a shoulder injury that sapped effectiveness before hand. I’d avoid having him burn through in a year that the Sox seem destined to finish lower in the standings. I’d treat 2021 as the year to get him right so he can take the ball opening day 2022
ERod is another story entirely. His issue will be recovering his conditioning and repeating his mechanics. He’s got the better chance between he and Sale of having a fully productive 2021, but I do wonder if there will be extra precautions taken. Very few players play after an episode of myocarditis. With covid being a new disease, I bet he’s monitored to the hilt
The Sox shouldn't let Sale make more than 12 starts and maybe 60 innings.
Of course, there is no guarantee he joins the rotation immediately after coming back, either.
I think the plan is to try and improve for 2021 with an eye towards 2022 and beyond. These two priorities need not be conflicting in many decisions.
Hopefully, we get good enough to make a run at the playoffs. If it looks like we might be in the hunt, we may be buyers at the deadline. If not, we may try and move all free agents to be- like Barnes & ERod amd maybe even some who may become FAs after 2022: Vaz, JD & Eovaldi.
When you say it's gonna happen now
When exactly do you mean?
I agree. If they are in the hunt in September, but Sale is still not quite there, Sale must still be held back.
To think people used to get upset if the roster wasn't completed by Thanksgiving...
Unless we make some radical additions, I can't see us winning in the next few years without a healthy Sale.
I trust Sox brass knowing that.
When you say it's gonna happen now
When exactly do you mean?
The Sox won in 2018 without a healthy Sale for the entire second half...
Yes, but they had Betts, Price, Moreland, Kimbrel...
Unless we make some radical additions, we need Sale more than we did in 2018.
(BTW, Sale helped "set the tone" for greatness in 2018.)
When you say it's gonna happen now
When exactly do you mean?
Price fWAR 2018: 2.4
Moreland fWAR 2018: 0.7
Kimbrel fWAR 2018: 1.3
Betts is irreplaceable, but those other guys could be replaced without much effort at all.
Barnes provided about the same value as Kimbrel did in 2018 and most people on here think he's dog shit.
Dalbec provided almost the same value as Moreland in just over one month in 2020.
Mookie's 10.4 fWAR is really the big difference maker.
They can but haven't been, yet.
I don't see us getting another ace this winter, so until we do, I'm thinking we can't win it all without Sale being healthy and near top form.
Ask me, later, after we've made half a dozen meaningful moves.
When you say it's gonna happen now
When exactly do you mean?
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