11:30AM: Yet another Boston player has been impacted by the ongoing virus situation. The team has announced that utility player Danny Santana has been placed on the COVID IL, with outfielder Franchy Cordero being recalled to take his place on the roster.
8:17AM: The Red Sox have placed starter Nick Pivetta on the COVID IL, per a team announcement. Pivetta was scheduled to start this afternoon’s game against Cleveland. Instead, 25-year-old righty Kutter Crawford will have his contract selected and start in Pivetta’s place.
Pivetta is now the 10th Boston player to land on the COVID IL in the past week as part of an outbreak that has been spreading through the team. The loss of Pivetta could potentially be a significant one for the club, as he has been one of the more reliable members of the rotation this season. As fellow hurlers such as Martin Perez and Garrett Richards have struggled enough to get moved into bullpen duties, Pivetta has held a rotation spot all year with solid, in unspectacular, numbers. Across 135 innings this season, the righty has an ERA of 4.67, with a 25.9% strikeout rate and 10.7% walk rate, both of which are within range of league average.
In more positive news, Enrique Hernandez, the first Red Sox player to hit the IL as part of this outbreak, seems to be nearing a return. According to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe, he could be activated as soon as Tuesday.
For the club, the outbreak doesn’t seem to be hurting their playoff push much. They’ve gone 7-3 over their past ten games and are sitting on a four-game win streak going into today’s action. They’re currently holding down the second Wild Card spot in the American League, four games ahead of the Athletics and Mariners.
As for Crawford, this will be his major league debut. He’s been in the Red Sox organization since being drafted in the 16th round of the 2017 draft. He climbed up the ranks of the minors, reaching Double-A in 2019. Unfortunately, he had to undergo Tommy John surgery and missed all of the 2020 season. Since returning to the mound this year, he’s thrown 75 2/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A with an ERA of 4.16. However, his rate stats are excellent, a huge 34.4% strikeout rate and a measly 4.3% walk rate. As a COVID replacement, he can be removed from the 40-man roster at a later date without being exposed to waivers.
*lame joke about his name/pitches/cutter*
Kutter out the sarcasm
This joke is a Kutter above the rest.
I would be interested to see what other names they had on the list before deciding that this was the one.
You could’ve said “welcome back Kutter” but he hasn’t been in the show yet.
Crawford.
Another disaster.
Which disaster are you referring to? Kutter or Valdez?
Rick Wise is sitting by the phone.
Nice one, Dr. Bob!
70 grade name
If Bloom doesn’t win AL Exec of the Year, I’ll be shocked. He’s spinning straw into gold.
I think Zaidi has that wrapped up already.
“wrapped up” Why?
Improvement in record: Giants +2 games – Win Giants
Free Agent Spending: Giants +3mil – Win Red Sox
Farm Syst entering: Giants 10th best, Red Sox 19th – Win Red Sox
Adversity: Covid breakout in clubhouse – Win Red Sox
Red Sox have done as much, with far less. If the Giants don’t take first place, and are a wildcard, same as Red Sox, Bloom should be Exec of Year.
Bloom should be fired, not exec of the year.
Every team has more wins this year than last. Also, I’d point to guys returning from injury, returning from opt out, or, returning to prior level of play without landscape shakeups. It’s not like bloom went out and got an ohtani or trout.
Free agent spending? Most of blooms free agents from last winter, or in season, have been a bust. He’s riding the coattails of DDs infrastructure.
Farm rankings? Do you see who is highly ranked leading to that improvement? To remind you, theres one guy bloom bought by utterly tanking and not even trying to field a competitive club in 2020. Other than that, it’s the strength of DDs draft picks in the top 100. And some outside, adding to that farm ranking. Don’t forget the beginning to appear botched mookie trade where your centerpiece downs looks utterly overmatched and over hyped in AAA. Time to right the ship? Sure. But its not blooms savvy that led to the improved ranking. Remove DDs guys and you’re staring at a bottom 10 farm system still. And bloom gets no credit for that.
Adversity? Please. The hated NYY have had far worse adversity with their own covid issues plus the immense injuries all season long. Cashman did a better job patching things together and in the face of much bigger problems. Of course we could pick other clubs on that basis too.
Bloom is a bum. Get over your man crush already.
Well said, GA.
GASoxFan you have no idea what you are talking about. He’s hardly riding the coattails of DD’s infrastructure. You’re clearly either related to Dombrowski or work for him. you have it backwards… if you removed the guys that Bloom has drafted like Yorke, Blaze Jordan etc this farm system wouldn’t be top 20 with Dombrowski’s picks because it was that when Drombroski was running the team. Drombroski’s FA have mostly been overpaid disappointments.. Bloom has hit on guys like Hernandez and Renfroe and most of busts haven’t exactly costed the Red Sox a lot in terms of money or tenure unlike Dombrowski.
All Dombrowski does is overspend for free agents and trade away all his teams top prospects that he inherited which anyone with half a brain could do.
Dombrowski blows. Get off his junk already
Don’t think there’s an accurate thing in your ridiculously long post.
1) “every team has won more” I wasn’t looking at total wins. I compared Red Sox and Giants Win/Loss from 2020 to Win/Loss from 2021. Giants have improved by two games, better than the Red Sox have.
2) Owners decide when you sign a “Trout” or am “Ohtuni” not GMs. Bloom was given a very short leash on spending, all because Dumbroski blew out the Salary Cap. And you know this.
3) When DD arrived, he inherited the #1 Ranked farm system (Aug 2015, MLB.com) he left behind the #30 Ranked (DEAD LAST) farm system (Aug 2018, MLB.com). He gutted the system
4) Bloom has done great drafts Nicke York, Blaze Jordan, Jeremy Wu-Yelland, Marcelo Mayer are all playing excellent. Also, count many many players brought in thru trades. Every Minor League team has a winning record. DD never did that.
5) You comment about “Adversity”. It was in comparison to Giants GM, read and understand the post before you comment.
By the way, what up in Philadelphia, they had a much better team coming into the season, yet DD’s Phillies suckk.
Dennyd wrote:
“If Bloom doesn’t win AL Exec of the Year, I’ll be shocked. He’s spinning straw into gold”
——————————————-
You should reread your own posts. Aside from that statement, you offered as justification for your reasoning those points I contradicted. And ONLY those points as justification. In absence of any other stated reasoning, that on its face appears to be your only evidence.
1) You ignore all my points about returning players and guys who bloom didn’t bring into the club fueling the wins improvement this season. I take it you concede the point.
2) so, I guess it was Arte that told the angels front office to draft trout as a fairly late pick in the round? Again, point lost on you.
3) you seem to fail to understand the difference between graduating and promoting from the farm and “gutting” it. We went over this in a prior thread where, aside from moncada and a questionable arm (ST fight anyone) that was given up for the way underpaid and top performer Sale with years control and team friendly deal, DD only traded chaff out of the farm system. The guys weren’t of much quality. And we covered them one by one by age and what they’ve done… so your basic knowledge of how farms and baseball work is suspect at best… when you have a sustained level of dominance without comp balance picks based on market size, your farm suffers somewhat. Also, another loss for you.
4) Tristan casas… MLB #18.. drafted by DD; Jared Duran… MLB #26.. drafted by DD; if you think the redsox would’ve jumped in the rankings without those two guys skyrocketing in rankings and regard, you’re a fool. Anyone who picks high in the draft because he tanks will add someone of quality like Mayer. No skill needed to do that. So, to say a guy gets credit for his prowess on that basis has no credibility.
5) again, you may claim now you’re only responding in terms of a misguided giants post – which, clearly the giants aren’t an AL team, meaning you must intend those criteria as the basis for your assertion bloom deserves anything but help through the revolving door.
You have given ZERO support for why bloom is better than many other GMs in the AL who have shown themselves to be more deserving. You don’t even address or defend your argument on payroll, which, bloom made poor use when you look at the number of contracts that busted and you add the value written off and compare it as a percentage to the money laid out.
What? Your doing a point system?
Ok
Point 1)
Dumbo’s players still on team: Dalbec, JD Martinez, Eovoldi, Sale. Thats it. Where are you getting this “core”theory from.
The Rest:
Pre-Dumbo: Vazquez, Bogaerts, Devers, ERod, Houck, Barnes Darwinson.
Blooms guys: Verdugo, Arroyo, Kiki Hernandez, Renfroe, Plawecki, Pivetta, Richards, Ottavino, Taylor, Whitlock, Sawamura, Perez, Schwarber
Point clearly Me.
2) What is Trout in your discussion for? You brought his name up in an earlier post. Now youre sputtering nonsense about him.
You can have this point, I don’t know what its for.
3) There are so many players Dumbro traded during his tenure. I’ll just list them:
Gone while DD was in office:
Still Playing in the Majors —–
Yoan Moncada, Travis Shaw, Marico Dubon, Michael Kopech, Victor Diaz, Jamie Callahan, Deven Marrero, Jalen Beeks, Ty Butterey
Still considered decent prospects —–
Wendell Rijo, Jose Almonte, Anderson Espinoza, Luis Basabe, Esteban Quizor, Elio Prado, Noel Romero
All those names, and we have Sale to show for it. Unbelievable
Point Me.
4) Of the top ten Red Sox prospects, 2 of them Casas (2) Duran (3) Bellow (6) are the only Dumbo picks. Meanwhile, in a much shorter time to develop Bloom has brought in Mayers (1) Yorke (4) Downs (5) Blaze Jordan (9) Jimenez (10). New flash: The only reason you tank a season, is so that you can draft Mayers, and trade vets for prospects, so thats a credit to the GM. DD would never have that kind of patience.
Point Me again
5) There is only a “MLB Executive of the Year”. Not an AL and NL.
Point goes to me for your ignorance.
Final Score 4 to 1.
“3) When DD arrived, he inherited the #1 Ranked farm system (Aug 2015, MLB.com) he left behind the #30 Ranked (DEAD LAST) farm system (Aug 2018, MLB.com). He gutted the system”
I don’t know how to find this midseason list, but a farm that graduates Devers, Benintendi, E. Rodriguez and Barnes in that general time frame should fall, considerably, from #1 (or whatever ranking it may have been). Gutting the system narrative disregards graduated talent.
Gone while DD was in office:
Still Playing in the Majors —–
Yoan Moncada, Travis Shaw, Marico Dubon, Michael Kopech, Victor Diaz, Jamie Callahan, Deven Marrero, Jalen Beeks, Ty Butterey
There’s four three win seasons from this entire list. Two of them are for the centerpiece of the Sale trade. The other two are from Shaw, which no one saw coming, and which were for a well regarded setup guy with multiple years of control remaining. Relievers get hurt or don’t work out sometimes. Every Red Sox GM has examples of those moves (Bailey, Melancon, Gagne, etc). Excluding Kopech, who has already been hurt and missed two full seasons, all of these players are depth players or fringe MLBers. You don’t really lose sleep about losing players like that. You listed Deven Marrero as a loss, who has been DFA’d several times this season and went unclaimed on waivers each time. He was traded for Josh Taylor, who is a top setup arm for this team and has control remaining. You didn’t list him as a player acquired by Dombrowski, either because you forgot or it doesn’t support your narrative.
Still considered decent prospects —–
Wendell Rijo, Jose Almonte, Anderson Espinoza, Luis Basabe, Esteban Quizor, Elio Prado, Noel Romero
Some of these players weren’t considered decent prospects while they were still in the Red Sox system. Odds are that none of these players are impact major leaguers. None of them are top 100 prospects. Esteban Quiroz is 29 and hasn’t played an inning in MLB.
How dare Dombrowski oversee a team that won a World Series title. The Red Sox should have held onto their 29yo AAA infielder instead, as well as the guy who still hasn’t gotten out of A ball four years after being traded (but has had two arm surgeries), who is also likely still the best prospect on that li’l list.
There are so many reasons why their farm system went down during Dombrowski’s years that haven’t been mentioned yet.
1) Sox were a last place team 2 of the 3 seasons prior to Dave’s arrival, losing over 90 games each time. That means very high draft picks in 2013 and 2015 to restock the farm prior to Dave’s arrival.
2) Sox finished first 2016-2018, winning 93 games twice and 108 games during their championship season. That means very low draft picks for Dave’s final 3 years.
3) Sox lost their 2019 first round pick because they were $40M over the luxury tax threshold.
4) Sox top international signing and 5th-ranked prospect DIED in 2017 at the age of 17, RIP.
I could go on, but the point is you can have a farm system go down without trading prospects or making poor draft decisions.
And y’all know Dave did exactly what ownership wanted him to do, right? Owners of every team give direction to their front office, it’s not like Dave or Bloom can make every decision on their own.
Fever Pitch Guy12 mins ago
Dave did exactly what ownership wanted him to do
======================================
I had no problem with what DD did. I thought he overpaid for Kimbrel, and maybe didn’t pay enough attention to the medicals for the two setup guys, but those trades didn’t decimate the system. We gave up a lot for Sale, but that is close to a unique property. How often does a HOF level SP, with three years of control, come around?
That said, the best way to judge a GM is by his draft and int’l signings. In four years, he drafted Dalbec, Duran, Houck, and Casas. I’d say that is roughly acceptable.
On the international side, I see very little. I don’t mind occasionally trading away talent, but you have to be able to replace it.
Also on the flip side, Bloom is no doubt doing what ownership wants him to do in terms of payroll. Henry was furious about the poor results in 2019 after all the money that was spent bringing back or extending players (Pearce, Evo, Sale, etc).
Looking back at Dave’s big money contracts, only Xander and JD worked out. The Price contract was ridiculous, he was never worth that kind of money. The Sale extension was ridiculous, Dave should have waited until at least mid-2019 to see if Sale could stay healthy.
I think that’s part of the reason why Bloom was hired, because he’s used to working for a low-budget team.
I never had a problem with the Kimbrel trade. It’s the Pomeranz trade, which the Sox had an opportunity to void, that bugged me. And while I’m glad Devers wasn’t included in the Sale trade, I always felt it should have been Benintendi instead of Moncada.
Didn’t I just give examples of why you can’t judge a GM’s drafts without taking into consideration draft position and draft picks lost? And Flores would have been a great catcher IMO.
August 2015 (Within two weeks of hiring Dumbo): Red Sox head list of Top 10 Minor League systems
August 2019 (Within two weeks of firing Dumbo): Ranking All 30 MLB Farm Systems, Post-2019 MLB Draft
Every team in the league graduated at least 4 players. They should’ve been replaced. But DD didn’t care about drafting, because he burns the building down, when he leaves.
Who drafted Casas, Duran, Houck, Groome, Dalbec?
C’mon man, you’re embarrassing yourself with the Dave-Hate.
He left just two years ago, way too soon to try and judge his drafting legacy.
Especially knowing how Covid impacted player development.
And especially after I already pointed out draft positioning was poor because of three consecutive first place finishes under Dave, not to mention the lost 2019 first round draft pick.
4 players in 4 years. And you think thats good? Are you kidding me. Nick Yorke is outplaying all of them, in his first year.
“Dave-Hate”? only in response to the “Bloom-Hate” you guys spew it, each and every post. My posts are always in response to about 5 guys dumping on Bloom. Check the posts, then check yourself.
Take your own advice and check my posts, then get back to me.
You have a problem with anybody who doesn’t always worship everything Bloom does. That’s YOUR problem, not anyone else’s.
Can you make sense please? GA Soxfan ripped on Bloom, then I ripped on Dumbo. You weren’t even in the conversations. Then you laid into me.
I think you have the REAL PROBLEM. Stay out of other conversations. Unless you’re willing to own up to it.
You must be new to public messageboards. LOL
Think of it as all of us here being in a room having a conversation. Anybody can jump in at any time, there’s no “private” conversations. If you want only one person to respond, just mute all the others:O)
What am I not owning up to?
Yes, in the NL. Be pretty impressive for an NL exec to win it both leagues.
ALL YOU CLOWNS WHO DON’T UNDERSTAND FARM SYSTEM RANKINGS
Shut the hell up!!!
My god you guys are morons. Last year the team sucked and got the fourth pick in the draft so they got 250 points for that pick. How the hell can you count that as a good thing done by Bloom to improve the farm system? That’s completely illogical and a measure of your comprehension of the farm system and how it’s supposed to work.
Did the farm system grading go up when Betts graduated to the Red Sox from the farm? No. It went down! What the hell is it measuring if it’s not the accomplishments of the organization? It’s actually measuring the failures so the more failures you have the higher your farm system ranking is!!! Yes, DD devastated the farm system by graduating nearly a man a year and some years two. That’s a feather in the cap of the farm system but the measures say DD hurt the farm system. How screwed up is that and the people who regurgitate the rhetoric without understanding it?
GET A CLUE NEXT TIME BEFORE YOU WRITE RIDICULOUS COMMENTS. Learn some baseball first then start voicing informed opinions!! DD is a legend and Bloom is a piece of crap based on performance. DD knows how a farm system is supposed to function and Bloom thinks you get points for having a higher rated system like you morons. That says volumes about Bloom’s knowledge and yours..
Next, Bloom is accountable for transactions he makes not draft picks for playing like horse manure. He acquired that piece of crap called Downs. #44 Prospect hitting under .190 in AAA. Did that raise the farm system value? NOPE it dropped it. In fact, NOTHING Bloom has done from a transaction perspective has raised the farm system worth. It’s entire ascension in the ranks comes from a horrible year and a fourth draft choice.
Dennyd you jackass get a clue. The scrubs that DD traded were over-valued and they proved it once they moved on. Moncada was a #1 prospect but hasn’t played like one and it’s now 5 years later and the White Sox have paid him much more than a controlled player. The Red Sox are light years ahead on the Sale deal. Sale STARTED back to back all-star games which is a huge indication of who won that trade!! The ring cements the vote. Red Sox win White Sox lose.
Tell me which one of those bums you pointed out that are still playing in the majors has made the all-star team? YEP NONE!! Why? Because they suck like your opinions.
KD176 hours ago
ALL YOU CLOWNS
Shut the hell up!!!
My god you guys are morons.
That’s completely illogical
GET A CLUE NEXT TIME
BEFORE YOU WRITE
RIDICULOUS COMMENTS.
Learn some baseball first
like you morons. That says volumes about Bloom’s knowledge and yours..
Dennyd you jackass get a clue.
Because they suck like your opinions.
====================================
How you doing?
Man, I do love this time of the season.
I don’t think KD is an Accountant. LOL
I’m not sure he is even numerate.
How can you NOT think drafting Mayer was a smart strategic move????
News flash: Bloom tanked 2020, to build a future. He traded off several veterans to replenish terrible farm system, and wound up with the 4th pick.
NEVER EVER would Dumbo have done the same thing. It takes patience and calculation. He believes in ‘Slash and Burn’ harvesting. If he is so wonderful, why do Phillies succck? Let me tell you: Because he hasn’t finished selling off every piece of furniture in the office.
To take the biggest prize Bloom brought in and dismiss it. Just shows youre trying to bias.
JoeBrady: you got anything insightful to add other than:
“ClOWNS” “morons” “illogical” “GET A CLUE ” “RIDICILOUS” “morons” “jackass” “get a clue”.
What are you 12 years old. Talk like an adult.
The system goes from First to Worst, in four years. Thats pathetic.
4 guys graduated. DD couldn’t replace those 4 guys in 4 years. Great leadership. People said he did the same in San Diego, and Detroit. He’s gonna do the same in Philly.
Bloom tanked 2020 to build a future? You’re a funny guy!
Every real baseball fan knows 2020 was a lost cause only because:
1) Both Sale and ERod were ruled out for the season at the very beginning
2) Ownership demanded they reset their luxury tax
3) Trading Mookie pre-season was the only way to get maximum value after ownership refused to go higher than $300M on an extension
4) Devers played with an ankle injury all season
5) JD was lost because of the rule change for in-game video usage
Bloom had absolutely NOTHING to do with any of the above.
But sure, try to give him credit for everything. You’ve got to be a relative or something. LOL
1) True
2) True
3) True, He was a salary cap casualty, this is part of #2. If their payroll was, lets say $140m, Mookie gets signed. So nothing to do with some magical 300m line. Unless John Henry told you something over lunch, or are you listening to WEEI.
These first 3 points are all well known before building the team in 2020. So how does that prove anything other than, GM knew he had to tank, to rebuild.
There was all kinds of talk about signing this big player or trading for that big player, during ’19-20 offseason. Yet they did nothing but little transactions, almost everyone for the future. How is that not tanking it????
Bloom took it on the chin for a year so that he could obtain Verdugo, Seabold, Mayer, Whitlock, Winckowiski, Cordero. Thats more players than DD brought in, in four years.
Youre so blind with hate for Bloom.
That was KD’s post. It’s something I do whenever someone’s opinion’s are falling down around them. Once they’ve run out of logical opinions, they resort to nothing but insults. And once that happens, they’ve lost.
My post was exposing KD, not aimed at you. It was decidedly the opposite.
All I’m saying is tanking last year wasn’t a decision Bloom made. He had no choice, he was forced to tank. Any other GM in the same position would have done the same thing. If you’ve got no shot at making the postseason, it doesn’t matter if you have a .500 record or a .300 record.
Your hate for Dombrowski is almost as obsessive as your love for Bloom.
I’ve already praised and criticized both. Do you have the integrity to do the same?
Are you capable of criticizing some of Bloom’s moves and praising some of Dombrowski’s? So far, you’ve done neither.
Joe that was obvious to me and everyone else.
I think Denny has some issues, I’ll leave it at that. The Doyle handle kinda tells the story I think.
dennyd – Will you understand adult talk? So far you haven’t.
The adjectives used fit the circumstance. The Clown reference fit’s since your comments are laughable. Morons fit because your comments are baseless. Illogical means they don’t make sense in case you didn’t know and most of your comments don’t make sense. Get a Clue is a suggestion to actually read about baseball so you can comprehend the brilliant comments made by GASoxFan and Fever PItch Guy.
Oh yea, the comments are repeated because it’s a technique for emphasizing something. If this response is more adult-like in your eyes, great! Either way both send the same message. I’m glad I could do it in a way that doesn’t impact your delicate feelings.
FPG – Your response with 5 parts is a bit out of sequence.
1 – Betts and Price were given away BY BLOOM and OWNERSHIP
2 – Seeing how hapless the roster was going to be in late March BLOOM told Sale to have TJ surgery nearly four months later than he should have. The attempt to avoid TJ started right after DD was fired and the four clowns took over running the show until the Bloom hiring. All wasted time that cost the Red Sox a year of productive competition. This is only partially on Bloom and partially on the four clowns who got to pretend to be significant for 3 months Unfortunately that was at a huge cost to the Red Sox fans..
3 – Trading Mookie early cost the Red Sox big time. EVERYONE knows the value is greater at the deadline and the trade was made BEFORE COVID had impacted the baseball world. It was an ill advised trade that wasn’t even necessary since ownership’s war chest could have paid the $10M in additional costs for going over in 2020. We’ll never know why Mookie wasn’t offered a fair contract so lets just say trading Mookie isn’t on Bloom but Bloom’s timing of the deal and the deal itself was terrible. The event happened too early AND the return was far less than a July trade would have reaped based on recent deadline deals. Torres is a perfect example.
4 – Devers’ ankle injury didn’t impact his defense but did impact his offense. I’m not sure why this was noteworthy since it happened so late in the year. If it happened on day 1 then there were only 59 games left and by then it would have made sense to rest him and let him fully recover because the talent level had already been depleted.
5 – JD’s season was severely impacted by the video issues caused by Cora. You remember, the guy who cheated in two locations!. Yep, he impacts the team negatively in so many ways. No Cora cheating then the video impact would have never happened!!!
Bloom is accountable for his actions whether they don’t represent his opinion or not. That’s how things work in business. Was he the patsy for the owners? Maybe. Or maybe he fully supported their terrible choices. I don’t think we will ever know but that doesn’t remove him from responsibility for the actions. He can only be judged by what he has done after signing his contract to be the GM/Head of baseball operations. Passing the buck is an old tradition but I will continue to hold his feet to the fire because he was on watch when the terrible choices were made.
Bloom can argue immunity and that he’s only a YES man if in fact that has happened. Bloom can also take credit for striping the team of so much talent that their 2020 finish was the worst in decades BUT the massive fall from grace got them a top draft pick which is the main way a team changes it’s Farm System ranking. Yes, what a completely screwed up ranking system that rewards bad play and penalizes teams for graduating farm players and does nothing for good play!! Win a ring and get the last pick in the draft which is the primary source for the ratings. Thus, when DD finished first in the Division 3 years in a row with one ring he killed the farm system. Think about how incredibly screwed up the system is.
Bloom either is the puppet so he can’t take credit for tanking the 2020 season or he’s not a puppet and he tanked the season and the future with his Betts/Price deal. Either way, is there a positive in that statement about Bloom? He’s either a patsy or inept. OK, you pick.
JB – True!
KD –
1 & 3) I appreciate Price’s performance in 2018, but it was a bad contract. He was never at that elite level with Scherzer etc.and didn’t deserve to be the highest paid pitcher in MLB history. I wish Mookie had stayed, but it made more sense trading him pre-season instead of mid-season.
More value at the trade deadline? Why would a team pay more for 2 months of Mookie instead of a full season? And a big money team would be less likely to make the trade at the deadline if they fall out of contention, right? Not to mention the risk of Mookie getting injured or having a bad first half of the season.
And regardless of whether Bloom wanted him gone or not, ownership had final say. When you’re talking a franchise player and hundreds of millions, every team’s owners have final say.
2) I don’t really get your point on Sale, but I agree 100% they waited too long for him to go under the knife.
4) Late in the year? The injury happened three weeks into the season! August 9th against Toronto to be exact.
5) LOL! Even though JD has been using in-game video for many years, I’ll go with your theory ;O)
True, we will never know what decisions were supported by Bloom. But there is no “credit” for anyone to take on 2020. Circumstances took away the possibility of anybody making a decision.
Fever Pitch Guy25 mins ago
2) I don’t really get your point on Sale, but I agree 100% they waited too long for him to go under the knife.
==================================
In retrospect, he should’ve gotten the surgery on August 18, 2019, but reality doesn’t work that way. There are other SPs that get plasma injections and it works out. In a case like this, the best we can do is to listen to the doctors.
I have a tear in my knee. My doctor said he’d be glad to fix it, but I got the impression he didn’t want me to do it. And so far I haven’t, with no problems.. But that doesn’t mean that I am not 5 minutes away from an issue. Sometimes doctors can only give you their best guess.
Good for Kutter, but I still don’t know why they won’t give Connor Seabold a chance. He’s their best AAA pitcher.
He’s not ready n too early can affect them.
I just answered my own question via overthemonster.com:
“For those wondering why Connor Seabold, who is already on the 40-man, isn’t getting called up, he pitched for Worcester on Saturday. It’s worth noting that since Crawford was brought up as a COVID replacement, he can later be taken off when Pivetta is back without having to be placed on waivers or be outrighted. That said, Crawford is also Rule 5 eligible this winter and seems like a solid bet to be protected, particularly if this start goes well.”
What is Kutter’s best pitch? If it’s not a cutter, then he was meant for sumpin else.
“Kutter has made 15 starts plus a relief appearance this year between Portland and Worcester, totaling 75 2⁄3 innings with a 4.16 ERA, 103 strikeouts and 13 walks. It’s those peripherals that make his year so intriguing despite the middling ERA. The 25-year-old throws a solid fastball to go with a cutter, curveball, and changeup.”
So yes, a cutter is certainly part of his arsenal!
The same Bloom who failed to pick up ML starting pitching depth at the trade deadline?
Or the Bloom that is forced to play Lopez because he traded Chavis for a useless relief pitcher with an ERA over 5?
Yankees, Jays and Rays haven’t had IL issues this year? Really?
And there’s something inherently wrong when Sox players continue to contract Covid. That’s on Bloom too, precautions are not being taken.
Crawford has a 5.52 ERA in Worcester, what could possibly go wrong with his start today?
Boston traced the outbreak back to its strength and conditioning coach. One would assume he was being tested daily since he had so much close contact with the players. The problem with Covid is that it can be spread during the incubation period when it doesn’t show up yet as a positive test. I assume that’s what happened here.
Understood. I believe the first positive test was Venable on August 7th. Incubation period is up to 14 days. I would think no new positives after 08/21 then. My understanding is the team is not taking it seriously, which starts at the top.
People are people, no matter what the leaders say and do. Even with do an old rump, hundreds of thousands died. Go figure.
You guys are still hating on Bloom? Red Sox have won even with the Covid outbreak. So your point mute. And as far as Chavis goes, Would he have help the Red Sox? With that fantastic .1 above replacement he’s earned with the Pirates. Do some research before you speak.
Again, the team has done quite well, in fact just as much as anyone, with far less to start. Give it a break.
That a ridiculous comment that they’re not taking it seriously.
Are you there monitoring the situation?
Bloom is to blame for covid outbreak . . .”starts at the top”: So President and CEO of the Red Sox, Sam Kennedy doesn’t count? Bloom is in charge of BASEBALL OPERATIONS. Its in his title. Next you’ll blame him for overflowing trash barrels in the promenade or relish shortage at the hotdog stand.
You asked if Mike’s. 955 OPS since the trade would have helped over Jack’s .382 OPS.
Wow.
Just wow.
Since you asked, yes I was at all 4 games in Tampa and had an up close view from BP to the end of the games. What I saw was players close talking with no masks, no social distancing, few wearing masks, and even some very close crowd interaction. But hey, you go right on defending the team’s apathy. Because all 30 teams have gone through the same thing … right?
FTR I don’t like or dislike Bloom, I don’t pick a side like most others have. He’s made some nice moves and some bad ones.
But for you to say the Sox started with much less is absurd.
Devers, JD and Xander carried the offense for nearly 4 months.
The bullpen was brilliant thru 4 months, led by proven elite relievers like Ottavino and Barnes, I’d take the Top Six relievers against any other team’s.
Evo is an All-Star starter, ERod was one the last year that he pitched. They both had a fantastic track record, when healthy.
So the Sox had a lot of talent to start the season, as one would expect with a payroll that’s near the top of the league.
You make it sound like they were the Pirates. We get it, you love Bloom, give it a rest.
Red Sox were 50-1 odds on Jan 15th to win the WS, 24 other teams had a better chance. Stop using stupid words like “absurd”. I use facts.
They definitely started with much less than Giants, and many other teams.
Reference: search for:2 favorites, 2 sleepers, 2 long shots to win the 2021 World Series heading into Spring Training
This is not on Bloom cmon really let’s get real I know a lot of people think Bloom is doing a terrible job and should be fired, newsflash he isn’t.
Bloom can’t force players to get the vaccine, Bloom can’t force grown men to socially distance themselves and police that. Bloom can’t babysit the players and make sure they do what they need too to not get Covid.
The bottom line this os not on Bloom sorry for all you Bloom haters you will have to remain upset about not getting Scherzer or Berrios or some other pitching help. You will have to remain upset at Bloom for not getting Rizzo and only getting Schwarber oh wait…
I have nothing against the team not reaching the 85% vaccine threshold. But since they didn’t reach it, more stringent precautions should have been in place. Both the NHL and NBA successfully utilized bubbles. The Red Sox should have been treated similar. The team has the right to implement whatever measures are needed for protection.
Fever Pitch Guy2 hours ago
The same Bloom who failed to pick up ML starting pitching depth at the trade deadline?
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And why would we have needed an SP at the trade deadline? That would’ve been last on my list of needs. 1B/LF was 1st, and RP was 2nd. A #6 SP isn’t anything that anyone trades for at the deadline.
Joe, I somewhat agree except never wanted a 1B.
My list would’ve been relievers. As in two of them, of QUALITY first off. Enough relievers can ocver for a subpar SP who can become opener type and just go once through the rotation.
Second would be a true CF with speed and an arm cannon. Verdugo should be in LF, not CF.
Finally I’d have looked for a good 2B capable guy, and switch Kiki to a roaming Brockstar type guy, gets his 5 out of 6 days playing by giving rest days would the IF and LF.
Did you see what Kimbrel cost? He was the best reliever available and he cost the White Sox Madrigal.
Kimbrel also wasn’t a pure rental, he has additional control.
As another example however, Bloom first undervalued Chavis in selling him, and, got fleeced on the return based on the junk he got back who had a (high for reliever) era and has performed as one would expect, and in accordance with the track record. But, if you add a second piece of value with Chavis one would imagine better returns are possible than what the team got. It couldn’t have been worse.
But bloom, as evidenced by his “throw it at the wall” approach for multiple seasons now hoping to hit on voluminous claims and signings of low dollar low quality players and busted prospects years from productivity, has some trouble managing talent evaluations. Or, doesn’t try to be judicious enough. Either way, it was a failure.
GASoxFan2 hours ago
Kimbrel also wasn’t a pure rental, he has additional control.
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Kimbrel has been pretty awful for the WS, with a 6.08 ERA. The issue with these types of discussions is that folks see what they want to see.
They (not you) see magnificent returns for trades, and that often doesn’t happen.
Toronto traded for Berrios and Hand. Berrios is 3-2 with a 3.79 and Hand has since been cut.
The WS gave up 5 years of a very good Madrigal, and Kimbrel has gotten shelled.
The NYY trade for Gallo (.641 OPS) and Rizzo (..764).
The Astros picked up Graveman (1-1 & 4.15).
Philly with Gibson (4-3 & 4.46) and Kennedy (5.73).
I could go on, but a lot of the guys, particularly the RPs, have not worked out. The combined ERA for Hand, Kimbrel, Graveman, and Kennedy is 5.67, and those might’ve been the top four trading targets.
GASox fan you do realize Michael, I can’t hit a high fastball to save my life, Chavis had very little value. Bloom didn’t get fleeced for him Michael Chavis had very little to no value and the Red Sox needing pitching traded him for a pitcher and lefty pitcher at that. I don’t why you can realize Chavis had no trade value. What did you think they were going to get Rodriguez for Chavis. My analysis of that trade is both guys have about the same chance of being good long term both are long shots. Fleecing stop it terrible comment.
“A lefty pitcher at that”.
Why not sign Moyer since he’s a lefty? Sheesh, you sound just like Cora … always assuming average lefty pitchers will be more successful than the average righties.
BTW – I would think the guy who drafted Chavis and watched him closely during his first couple years of professional ball would have a better handle on Mike’s potential than you. And coincidentally, that’s the same guy who traded for him. Chavis is only 26, he’s still got time to figure it out. And as a three-position player, he doesn’t have to be a great hitter to have value.
Like I said Chavis has the same chance as Austin Davis of being serviceable I know you think Chavis had he value he didn’t and that’s just a fact.
FPG – I agree. People don'[t understand the whole Chavis situation. People want to jump all over him but Cherington understands what happened after they drafted him. His parents went through an ugly divorce that he was in the middle of. His first season had far more personal stress than baseball stress and it showed in his numbers. He basically lost two years of development while dealing with his family crisis. Like Cherington, I cut him slack for not jumping ahead of Devers and proving he’s a comparable player. In the end, I think Chavis will be a good hitter and a far better fielder than the Butcher of Boston.
Does everyone realize that Dalbec is ahead of Devers in the development of his hitting. A few days ago I posted the comparison and Dalbec has better numbers across the board after the same number of plate appearances by both players to start their career.
Why ANYONE is thinking about moving Dalbec is beyond me. The guy will be a Tony C type hitter playing 1B for the next decade unless ownership goes even cheaper down the road than they have been recently!!.
Dalbec will not be there first baseman for the next decade that will Casas. Hopefully Dalbec takes over third.
JB – Seriously. The RED SOX didn’t need a SP at the deadline? I thought you might be trying to trick us by following the statement with they needed TWO!!!
I would have agreed with you.
Dalbec needed to be replaced? Why? Nobody was doing anything this year so why take out your future 1B? LF? I’m confused. Where is Verdugo playing when Duran is in center field? Did you really mean an outfielder to go with Renfroe and Verdugo? I agree an OF would have been useful especially if they could field!!! RP was second? You mean Closer? I agree Barnes sucks and Ottavino is most effective in the 8th. But both OF and CLOSER pale in comparison to their need for SPs.
The pitching staff pitched better than their skill level for a while and a smart baseball mind would understand that and prepare for the shortcoming that was on the horizon. You are a bit like the captain of the Titanic. You need to expect likely scenarios like Richards, Perez and Pivetta dropping off dramatically after pitching over their heads. That should have been obvious.
Also, the relievers that were hot early were also playing beyond their skills so a big drop-off in relief should have been obvious. You were living in a dream world and you bought into the dream while pragmatic realists were shouting to you to wake up and smell the stench that is the players acquired by Bloom.
KD176 hours ago
JB – Seriously. The RED SOX didn’t need a SP at the deadline?
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Sale
Eovaldi
ERod
Houck
Pivetta
LMK who you would’ve replaced, with whom, and at what cost. Like I told you at the trade deadline, I’d like to have had Scherzer, but he was going to be expensive and wanted to be traded to the west coast. Past that, give it a shot.
I’ll wait.
Joe, let’s revisit where the starting rotation was at the trade deadline:
1) Agree with you on Nate, there’s a reason why he was an All-Star
2) Agree with you on Nick, his 4.51 ERA made him a solid #4-5
3) ERod = 5.60 ERA and his last two starts resulted in 7ER over just 4 1/3 IP
4) Houck = Unproven rookie who had only 11 2/3 IP since his prior appearance on April 18
5) Sale = Huge unknown, unavailable during the crucial first two weeks of August, and nobody knew how he’d look or how many innings he could give when he finally returned
No other team planning to contend would let the trade deadline go by without picking up another proven, dependable starting pitcher.
Even if everything were to come up roses for all 5 of the guys you mentioned, Houck in the BP would have been a very valuable weapon that the Sox could have really used the past 5 weeks.
Houck in the BP would have been a very valuable weapon
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Instead, Richards went to the BP, which worked out extremely well, so far. The issue, for me, is that the trade deadline wasn’t drenched in SP talent, and the price tag was very high.
TO traded ~ the #78 prospect and the #21 prospect for Berrios.. Would you have traded say, Duran & Casas for Berrios? I wouldn’t.
I agree on SP talent at the trade deadline, but a Kyle Gibson or Tyler Anderson could have been had for a lot less than Berrios.
Absolutely Richards has been fantastic, but obviously he isn’t enough to prevent meltdowns like yesterday’s game which was very winnable if they had used ML pitchers in the game.
Anderson had a 4.35 with PT and a career 4.52. Gibson has a 4.46 with a career 4.42. Neither would replace Houck as our #4. Either might or might not be better than Pivetta as a #5, and neither would be in any possible playoff rotation.
And I said this well before the trade deadline. There were only 2 SPs that would be considered a material upgrade over Pivetta-Scherzer & Berrios. I wouldn’t give up much for a marginal replacement at #5.
It was an entirely different story for Philly & Seattle. Philly barely has 3 SPs. Seattle had no #5. Guys like Anderson & Gibson make a lot more sense when you have no #5, as opposed to a team that has a mediocre #5.
Anderson or Gibson would give us innings with a league average ERA, that’s all we needed. And that’s why the price wouldn’t have been too high. Could have always moved ERod or Pivetta or Richards into the pen instead of Houck.
Looking at the guys who have started several games for the Sox this month, it’s kinda hard to believe you’d still argue against SP depth at the trade deadline.
JB – E-Rod and Pivetta with two SPs. I also wouldn’t have sent down Houck since it was clear he was no longer in the Super 2 category.
IRT Houck or Richards, I could listen to an argument either way. The advantage of having Richards in the BP is that we don’t particularly need to worry about over-using him. He’s been pitching great, and that’s good, but if we needed a couple of 4-inning outings, in a space of 3-4 games, we can do that with Richards, and not care. Houck is too valuable to abuse him. And Houck was pitching better.
IRT ERod, there is no chance he is going to the BP. He’s been one of the best pitchers in baseball over his last 12 starts.
JB – Cherry picking – over his last 12 starts? Look at his career numbers. He’s not that good so if he’s on a 12 game hot streak what do you predict next? Regression to the mean or an unprecedented hot streak?
E-Rod would have become irrelevant if two good starters had been procured because Sale, Eovaldi and Houck would have made a run to the #1 Wildcard a real possibility .
LOL! ERod has way outpitched every traded pitcher except Scherzer.
IRT to my prediction for ERod, my guess is < 4.00.. And, as always, we can make a honor wager if you disagree.
Even if only half of them were vaccinated you would think we would be getting close to the end of this outbreak!
Exactly! What other teams kept adding so many players to the Covid Positive list a month after the positive tests began?
You guys are still hating on Bloom? Red Sox have won even with the Covid outbreak. So your point is irrelevant And as far as Chavis goes, how much further would his .1 above replacement that he’s earn with Pirates, have helped Red Sox?
Again, the team has done quite well, in fact just as much as anyone, with far less to start. Give it a break.
dennyd – Give credit to those who earned it. Bogey, JD and Devers along with Eovaldi and Houck have been the main reason for the success. They are winning despite the lack of effort on Bloom’s part and the complete lack of knowledge or common sense on Cora’s part.
And 5 of our top 9 bWAR players are Bloom guys. You can keep venting your emotions, while I can keep posting facts:)
JB – there are nine starters 5 are Bloom guys. Your fact is meaningless because the top 5 of 9 represents the portion of the starting line-up that are Bloom guys.
You need to think about your bizarre new wave stats and what they mean. bWAR is a reflection of contribution. Whoever the top 9 players are they will have the highest bWARs since the rest of the folks are bench guys.
My venting of emotions is due to your lack of understanding of the obvious. Please think about how profound it is to say a team has 9 players that hit and 5 are from Bloom and 4 are not AND 5 of the top 9 stat values are from Bloom. Of course they are.
Let me make it more obvious. If we replace bWAR with At Bats or any other stat category the same would be true. 5 of the top 9 are Bloom guys. That’s because there are only 7 non-Bloom guys left on the hitting side of the team. Two are rookies in Dalbec and Duran. Three are the best players on the team in JD, Bogey and Devers and the other two are Vazquez who is having his worst season and Chavis who can’t grow his numbers for the Red Sox since they threw him in the trash. His OPS+ as a Pirate is 155!!! So had he been given a fair chance to play he would have produced more than at least 1 of the 5 Bloom guys. Really, only Schwarber is doing better than Chavis in Pittsburgh and he costs a lot more than the sub $1M being paid Chavis as a Red Sox player.
So I love that you are providing facts. I hope you learn how to interpret the data a bit better than you have. Please feel free to hammer home the idea that 5 of 9 starters are from Bloom and that means their stats are going to be better than the guy in Pittsburgh and the Rookie Duran. Vazquez is actually performing as if he was a Bloom acquisition!!
I already gave you the numbers. Roughly half the team WAR, according to Baseball Reference, are Bloom’s guys. And roughly $38M of their payroll, which is significantly less than half.
Esa vaina del covi19 esta regadas en el camerino tienen que furmigal el camerino
I agree.
18 meses después de la pandémica debes saber que no es así como se propaga
Have the Sox considered getting vaccinated?
There were some players that confirmed they were vaccinated, but had breakthrough cases. Now, they didn’t say what vaccine so I’d assume it was the inferior but easier Johnson and Johnson one.
Yes, they didn’t hit 85% and are one of only a handful that didn’t. And yet, it’s surprising, because courts ruled probably a good 6 to 8 weeks ago employers could legally require employees to get vaccinations.
Now, as president of baseball ops could bloom have mandated it? Maybe. And the union wouldn’t have legal ground vis a vis the courts to challenge it. But what would your enforcement be? Try to void a contact? Send to minors? Nope. So it’s kinda moot.
I would like to know if the coach was required to vaccinate though, and if he chose not to, because that guy is dispensible/replaceable. And what the rules were vis a vis masking in the workout room or sanitation/ventilation systems.
Fenway is an ol girl as much as I dread the day they stop playing there – years back Henry and company did mention the upgrades they did only extended the serviceable life of the park for a set term of years. I just hope with the money the team makes they do everything needed to keep it standing and used indefinitely.
But back on point, without all those details – which we’ll never hear – I’m not comfortable calling out bloom as contributing to the mess and the covid outbreak. As much as I hate the guy, there’s some things you can’t fairly blame him for. Yet.
Anything to do with the players has to be negotiated into the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Its why the NFLPA is investing the Jacksonville Jaguars because Urban Meyer basically admitted to cutting players based on vaccination status, even though the Next day the Jaguars front office tried to back pedal and say “that’s not what he meant” (it’s exactly what he meant).
For the coaching/training staffs perhaps they can be mandated into getting the vaccine
Maybe give Johnny Damon a call. He probably still thinks he can get 3,000 hits.
Is Damon out of jail yet?
Everyone needs to stop pretending the vaccine is a cure, the vaccine ONLY stops the virus from spreading symptoms, it does NOT stop you from getting sick, it does nothing more than lessen the affect of getting severely ill, its not a cure then, its not a cure now and it never will be, why do you think people WHO ARE VACCINATED are getting covid? im sure people reading this have covid or have gotten it
As far as the red sox, this goes back to the strength and conditioning coach, it was on multiple websites that he first got covid then spread it immediately to everyone that was near him in the trainers/weight room, which is the entire team, i have no idea if hes vaccinated, he should be fired. Now bostons playing guys who simply arent ready, in positions that arent theirs, like todays starting pitcher, NOT ready for the start. This week we should start seeing guys get back atleast by next weekend
To quote you below. What a stupid comment.
You clearly don’t understand how vaccines work.
In many people it does prevent you from contracting various strains of covid-19.
In other people it gives the immune system a head start which lessens the time necessary to ramp up and fight off the virus, those are the ones it reduces severity of symptoms and/or relegated a body to being an asymptomatic carrier.
Why are people who are vaccinated getting covid?
1) the vaccine isn’t 100% effective, and various types have varied efficacy. So in those 4%-34% based on brand in which is isn’t effective they have no protective effects from taking it.
2) delta variant carries about 1000x the viral load as earlier strains. What does that mean? It’s like trying to hold 1 pound on a sheet of saran wrap versus 1000 pounds. Clearly the one pound is easier to hold back.
Leave the echo chamber and consume reporting from various outlets that have different motivations, slants, and spin. It encourages critical thinking.
and yes im sure bloom told his team to get covid,
what a stupid comment
Since you asked, yes I was at all 4 games in Tampa and had an up close view from BP to the end of the games. What I saw was players close talking with no masks, no social distancing, few wearing masks, and even some very close crowd interaction. But hey, you go right on defending the team’s apathy. Because all 30 teams have gone through the same thing … right?
Which disaster are you referring to? Kutter or Valdez?