We need a closer bad. The 22 bullpen blew about half their save opportunities. We can not have another year of that type incompetence,Originally Posted by moonslav59
Hang’em Chaim has proven completely incompetent in two areas:
1.) building competent bullpens.
2.) drafting pitchers early in the draft.
He needs to fix number 1 this offseason or we are so screwed for 23.
If he isn’t going to go big with any players in this draft - and that might not be an good idea - maybe he can sign a slew of relievers and deal Houck and Schreiber for SP or OF or C or whatever…
I honestly think this has been an actual plan for some franchises. Which commodity is always at a premium at the trade deadline? Since bullpens rule the modern game, it makes sense that good relief pitchers -- because the very definition changes with faces and names yearly -- is always in demand... for contenders.
Watch how Tampa uses Eflin, who was more effective as a reliever last year. Starter, opener, set-up man... I just hope Boston crushes him every time they face him until the Rays dump his contract on a desperate Seattle-type team in an upcoming July.
Agree, and I’ve been sounding the closer alarm since last offseason when I did offer 2 solutions in Jansen, and Bard. Going with Houck is risky to me just as counting on Schreiber to be as good as last year, and hoping that Barnes can get back to his good days, which I believe are gone forever.
You believe are gone forever? What do you base this on? He’s just 32 and was looking very good at the end of last year. Actually he was really good from August 1st on. Finally healthy again, not giving up home runs and keeping guys from scoring.
If he looks like that, he can set up and spot close.
Do people remember that Martin came up through the Red Sox system? He was an Indy ball guy too!!!!
We traded him, Ben did, so you remember for who????
Chris Major Move Martin? Or is someone else coming?
He was good last year, but it seems like an awful lot of money for a late blooming reliever who will be 37 this year. He also won’t be the closer, right?
Franklin Morales, who we traded back to the Rockies like a year later.
He's not a closer, no. And it is a lot of money, but prices are clearly inflated this offseason by a lot of money chasing a small pool of players.
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.
And $37mill AAV for FIVE YEARS seems like a lot of money for a guy whose pitched 156 IP total in the past two seasons. But here we are…
This is probably a very unpopular opinion after last years abysmal bullpen performance, but I do t have a problem with acquiring a lot of 7th/8th inning talent and seeing who emerges as an option. Martin was the 7th inning guy on the most stacked team in baseball.
He was good enough to be the 8th inning guy on that team or any other team. He’s performed well in the post season. He is in the 100% percentile for walk rate. He would have been the best reliever in the this teams bullpen last year; maybe that’s not saying much but when you add a guy who would have been your best relieve your bullpen just got a lot better
Seems like Martin is a good addition to the BP, but he’s basically taking the place of Whitlock, so more help is definitely needed.
Because he drafted the best player in the draft, Mayer, and highly regarded Romero, that makes him incompetent?
When you say it's gonna happen now
When exactly do you mean?
Good to see two names, this time. I totally disagree on trying to trade for Bard, but he could be a good closer next year. So could Houck or Barnes. So might Martin.
2021-2022 xFIP
9. Chris Martin 2.87
14. Whitlock 3.06
30. Houck 3.43
50. Jansen 3.76
51. Bard 3.77
60. Barnes 3.84
When you say it's gonna happen now
When exactly do you mean?
I mean, If you were hired by an organization to be director of operations/GM and you looked at the teams history of developing pitchers vs developing hitters wouldnt you go position player too?
You can always trade from depth, early reports on Romero is he’s a stud, oh no big problem. If Mayer is the real deal too you can always trade Romero for something you need OR move him to another position.
I’m actually very optimistic about the bullpen, almost never does everything break right but here are a few things that could happen only looking inside the organization.
Barnes, from August 1st on last year he looked like his old self. If that carries into 2023 the bullpen looks much better.
Josh Taylor is back and healthy and a very effective LHRP.
Schreiber has a 2023 that looks very much like his 2022.
Zach Taylor looks good and showed a lot of promise during his call up to Boston. Does he emerge as a guy?
Houck - what is he? We know he is good, but If ge can take one more step forward as a 26 year old in a defined role could he become a lights out late inning arm? All the ingredient’s are there.
The young arms looking to come up mid season intrigue me much more this year than last year, minus Bello of course. Mata could be really really good in a pen, I’d also like to see the Sox transition some of these grungy starters into bullpen roles (like wink and Crawford).
This is NOT an argument against more bullpen moves. I just believe there is plenty of room for internal growth and that’s a good thing.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote