Sept. 16: Familia cleared waivers and rejected an outright assignment in favor of free agency, tweets Cotillo.
Sept. 13: The Red Sox have designated reliever Jeurys Familia for assignment, the hurler himself told reporters (including Chris Cotillo of MassLive). The club has not officially announced the move. Boston’s 40-man roster tally drops to 39.
Familia spent around a month on Boston’s big league roster. He opened the season with the Phillies but was released by Philadelphia in early August after posting a 6.09 ERA across 34 innings. Within a few days, Familia signed a minor league deal with Boston and was quickly promoted back to the big leagues. He’s continued to struggle, though, allowing eight runs (seven earned) with seven walks and eight strikeouts over 10 appearances in a Boston uniform.
That included a tough outing during tonight’s matchup with the Yankees. Called upon in the tenth inning, Familia issued a leadoff walk to Aaron Hicks. After inducing a Marwin González double play and intentionally walking Aaron Judge, he unintentionally walked Giancarlo Stanton to load the bases. Familia then coughed up a three-run double to Gleyber Torres before recording the final out. He took the loss in a 7-6 Yankees win.
In the wake of that disappointing outing, the Red Sox elected to move on. The 32-year-old is headed for free agency at the end of the season regardless, and any faint hope the Sox had of making a playoff push a month ago has long since been dashed. Rather than continuing to devote a bullpen spot to a scuffling veteran, Boston will turn elsewhere. Cotillo reports that the Sox will go with 13 pitchers for the time being, with the recently-claimed Yu Chang taking the vacated active roster spot.
Familia will land on waivers in the next few days, but his struggles in both Philadelphia and Boston make it a virtual lock he’ll clear. With only a few weeks remaining on the schedule, he plans to turn his attention to the upcoming offseason and opportunities for 2023 (relayed by Jahmai Webster of NESN).
While Familia’s 2022 results have been subpar, he’s only a season removed from being an effective reliever. Familia posted a 3.94 ERA across 59 1/3 innings with the Mets in 2021, striking out 27.5% of batters faced that year. His strikeouts are well down this season, but he’s averaged north of 95 MPH on his fastball. At the very least, he figures to find minor league offers this winter as a result of his relatively recent success and extant arm strength.
Thank goodness
I think a more appropriate headline would read, “Free Agency Elects Jeurys Familia”.
Thank You
What took so long?
I don’t understand why they are not replacing Familia with another bullpen arm. The bullpen is the achillies heel of this team and they need more help there. This is the perfect time to take a look at Frank German to see how he fares against major league hitters. German should be a part of next year’s bullpen so why not give him some experience now so he can build off that in the offseason? The Sox should already know what Yu Chang brings (or does not bring) to a major league club based on his prior experience. Boston is out of the playoff race so they should be bringing rookies up to get them some much needed experience to prepare for the 2023 season.
Mets it’s not too late to resign him again
Thankfully they kept him long enough to give the Yankees a win tonight
Cora gave the yankees the win by pitching to judge with a 1 run lead and the bases empty
Nah, our pitching is just terrible. You play for that out most of the time.
Judge is on a historical pace and currently has the second most homers by a player in this milleniam (Bonds had 73 in 2001). Let’s not pretend Judge is having a normal season. Does Familia stink?? YES. But it’s on Cora! The Yankees have a fine lineup bit I’d rather pitch to anyone else over Judge in nearly any scenario. Even if you don’t want to intentionally walk Judge, you sure as anything don’t give him a pitch over the plate.b
I respect that decision by managers though. They know Judge is having a historical season. It hasn’t escaped them. They know it’s good for baseball. They know Judge is likely clean and presents an image that resonates with current and future fans.
I believe they’re pitching to Judge because they don’t want to intentionally ABs away from him and potentially yank his chances at passing *61. As you see, if it’s the eighth or ninth, they walk him. And, it’s during a dead ball season, which makes it so much more impressive.
I respect that.
“intentionally ABs away from him”
——-
Judge’s only has 16 IBBs in 611 PA. That isn’t that many.
Considering the rest of the Yankees batting order. Its obvious they should be IBBing him regularly, but arent. Barry Bonds once had a season with 120 IBBs. Let the player fight through it, instead of making it easier for him.
Yeah, that’s what I was saying. Although, I notice it should’ve read, “Intentionally [take] ABs away from him”, that’s my point; the opposing managers obviously don’t want to take the bat out of his hands for every AB, and interfere with a historical season, just to win one game because, imo, they understand the bigger picture & benefit to MLB to have a guy in this anti-PED era who can do this.
It’s more important to the sport to pitch to him than to walk him.
I understood your sentence, just didn’t want to misquote you.
And, I agree 100% that is whats going on. I just don’t like it.
Its like when a bad NFL team is playing a playoff bound team and doesnt try to win so they can get a better draft pick. Earlier in the season, a separate team may have played the bad team back when the they were trying to win, and lost to them. Now, that third team has no chance to make up ground in the playoff race, because the bad team is throwing games to their opponents for better draft picks.
Yeah, I understand…lol. I knew you quoted me directly, I was correcting my mistake. I completely understand your point on that too. It’s the unintended consequences of all these moves that one simply can never predict. It’s all a ripple effect to other teams like the Rays/Jays, etc.
I also agree that if not for Judge, the Yankees are not winning the games they are winning. So, if you take the bat out of his hands, they’re relatively easy to beat right now, imo. I also think that will be demonstrated in the playoffs too. Take Judge out of the equation and the Yankees offense is demonstrably worse.
Good talk, let me finish with this story, I found while trying to find a baseball comparison:
sabr.org/journal/article/the-way-the-game-is-suppo…
Its a long story, and doesn’t get to the point until toward the end. But, to summarize George Kell could’ve left the last game of the season, and been guaranteed a Batting Title over Ted Williams. The pitcher could’ve walked him (pitcher says he was aware of the situation). Yet, he still batted, and the pitcher pitched to him, and he got a hit. — Its the way it should be.
Judge’s only has 16 IBBs in 611 PA. That isn’t that many.
====================================
That just shows how ridiculous the comments about walking him every time are. IBBs, even for the best, are fairly unusual, and usually done in specific circumstances. Of Judge’s 16 IBBs, there were 11 with -2-, 2 with –3, and 3 with -23.
The opposing managers wanna win the game and don’t give a damn about his historical season. Totally biased comments.
I disagree. You saw it play out shading the Twins and Baldelli too. Unless you’re telling me that you would’ve continued pitching to Judge over and over. Even the Yankees announcers were baffled that both teams continued to pitch to Judge with players on base and the score so close. It’s not about his historical season, it’s about baseball in general and what it will do for MLB. They all know what a record-setting year from Judge will do. It makes everything more competitive. I’m not surmising that’s the only reason, but it’s certainly one of their considerations.
Unless you meant yours was the biased comment, perhaps?
You make it sound like it’s the end of the world. We are not going anywhere this season, so why does it matter?
pwndroia – Whitlock is not terrible, he’s actually quite good. I would have confidence in him against any Yankee EXCEPT Judge. It’s simply inexcusable to pitch to him in that situation. And even Cora admitted it was idiotic by waving his four tiny fingers the next time Judge stepped to the plate. If he had waved his four tiny fingers the time before, Sox win.
Another blunder was assuming it would be a 9-inning game by pulling Schreiber after just 10 pitches and pulling Whitlock after just 15 pitches and even pulling Barnes, who has been pitching well in the second half, after just 15 pitches. Those dumb decisions forced him to rely on Familia for 25 pitches in extra innings.
The game was horrifically managed and is yet another example of how the Sox would be better off without Cora.
If you were the Blue Jays, you don’t walk Judge. If you were the Ray’s, you don’t walk Judge. If you were the Orioles, you probably don’t walk Judge. The reason you’re talking about walking Judge with no outs and bases empty is not because of his ability but because of how bad the Sox handle situations like this and have handled them all year poorly. That’s the bigger problem at hand, not Judge himself. Get a team that can actually play and you don’t walk Judge. It’s that simple.
Giving an IBB to someone with -0- outs and no one on is never done.
“Giving an IBB to someone with -0- outs and no one on is never done.”
Its been done many times. Barry Bonds was IBBed 41 times with the bases empty, Im sure some of those were with no outs. Shoot, once Bonds was IBBed with the BASES LOADED.
It usually only happens when the game is on the line and the player is on a tear:
Judge, stats during the last 10 games:
.514 BA, .609 OBP, 1.089 Slug, 1.690 OPS
Add in how futile the rest of the Yankee lineup has been lately. It would be sound strategy to walk him in the 8th with a 1 run lead.
In 3,143 PAs in which Bonds batter with -0- on and -0- outs, he had 5 IBBs, so that’s extremely unusual (B-R).
Or working backwards, how many times has Judge received an IBB this year with -0- on & -0- out? Never, and never in his career. So is every manager making a mistake by not giving him an IBB?
There is no way around it; it just virtually never happens. Number of times Mantle, Mays, and Aaron, collectively, received an IBB with -0- outs and -0- on? -0-.
– “Bonds had 5 IBBs” in that situation. So is it unusual or “never”? I agree with unusual because it has to be such as specific situation. I was disagree with your “never” because it was wrong.
-“every manager making a mistake” Is every manager facing him with a 1.690 OPS in his past 10 games, after hitting a homerun in his last at bat, with a 1 run lead late in the game, with the rest of the lineup behind him hitting lousy for the past 2 months? Every situation is different and this is where your “extremely unusual” situation is happening.
-Mantle, Mays, Aaron? Come on. They barely used relief pitchers back then. Fans considered defensive shifts a crime against humanity. It was a different game. Strategies are much more fundamental to the game now.
My original “never” was only going back to 2010. So it hasn’t happened in 12 years. Most of the time, I feel comfortable interchanging “virtually never” with “never”. Going back to 2000, I see that it has happened 5x, in roughly 1 million PAs, that’s the equivalent of changing the calculation from 99.9995% to 100%.
IRT to “unusual”, lots of players get hot. None get an IBB with -0- outs and no one on base. Trout has an OPS of 1.509 in his last 8 games with -0- IBBs of any sort. Goldschmidt had an OPS of 1.464 over 16 games earlier this season, and not a single IBB of any kind. Alvarez had a 1.471 over 9 games and one IBB with two outs. Freeman with a 1.754 over ten games with one IBB with a guy on 2nd and two outs.
It “virtually” never happens.
Joe – Instead of following baseball through FG, how about actually watching broadcasts or attending games? If you did, you’d know there’s been thousands of instances where a pitcher has refused to aim for the strike zone when a solo homerun by an elite homerun hitter can cause him to lose a lead or a game. He will try to get the hitter to chase pitches that are entirely unhittable. If the batter chases and gets a foul ball or swinging strike, great. If not then he walks. Either way, the pitcher isn’t dumb enough to allow himself to get beat by one of the best sluggers in the game.
Can’t believe I have to explain this, do you actually think that every pitch thrown outside the strike zone was intended to be inside the strike zone? Seriously?
It’s been done but I agree, it’s not a smart move. Logic gets the out unless there are sure outs behind him Pitch better or make better managerial changes. It’s not like it’s a steroided Barry Bonds at the plate.
We shouldn’t be talking about one stupid decision. It’s forest for the trees. This team is pathetic, plain and simple.
He will try to get the hitter to chase pitches that are entirely unhittable.
===============================
You’re saying ‘pitch carefully’? Sure. But some of the commenters were saying IBB. Like I said, only one batter this century has received an IBB with bases empty and -0- outs. Don’t hate Baseball Reference. They just post the numbers. And I just tell you what the numbers are.
But now that you moved the goal posts from “IBB” to “pitch carefully”, let’s take a look at those numbers, In 112 PAs, with no one on and no one out, he has only 8 walks. So again, all you’ve done by moving the goal posts is to go from something that virtually never happens to something that rarely happens.
I’m saying the Sox’s season is over so it really doesn’t matter. If it did, have better pitching. It’s that simple.
Joe – You’re not accounting for context, which is everything. Judge has been batting leadoff, foolish as that is, so of course he’s starting every game with nobody out and nobody on base. And of course no team would intentionally walk him to start a game.
That has nothing to do with him stepping to the plate with nobody on and nobody out and his team trailing by a run in the 8th or 9th inning, which is what happened the other night.
If you can provide Judge’s walk numbers in the 8th inning or later with no runners on base and no outs and with his team tied or trailing by one run, THAT is something I’d be interested in knowing.
If you can provide Judge’s walk numbers in the 8th inning or later with no runners on base and no outs and with his team tied or trailing by one run
==================================
Too much research without anyone tracking it like that. The close as I can come without spending a day on it is that he has had 563 PAs with -0- on and -0- out, with 58 walks. he has had 17 PAs leading off a game.
So assuming that he has not gotten a walk in those 17 PAs, then he has 58 walks in 546 PAs that were not leading off a game.
And just another slant on that, not only are there -0- IBBs with -0- on and -0- outs, it is virtually unknown that anyone gives an IBB with -0- on even with 1 out or two outs. Out of the 412 IBBs issued this year, one occurred with -0- on and one out, and one occurred with -0- on and two outs.
And I’d guess both of those IBBs occurred when the pitcher fell behind 2-0 or 3-0. If no one issues an IBB with no one on, then it is pretty likely they aren’t issuing an indirect IBB.
Unless your name is Barry Bonds.
And even with Bonds, it was only 5x in 3,143 PAs. Intentionally walking a guy to lead off an inning is virtually unheard of. But some people still want to blame Cora for not doing the same thing that no one else does either.
FWIW, I use to hear the same thing from the guys that hated Tito. I actually heard one complaint when Papi into a DP in Colorado. More than one person blamed Tito for not having Papi sacrifice with runners on 1st & 2nd with one out.
Change for Hicks
I noted in another thread that Xander has really picked up his game defensively. But tonight something occurred to me: the change in shifting rules will reward defenders who have the most range. That’s not Xander, and that complicates the analysis of his value. On the other hand, it remains to be seen how much weight front offices put on defense when a player mashes like he does. It’s going to be a very interesting offseason.
Think about how the new shift rule will effect Xander at the plate too, though. Also, a few notes. Xander has always been good going to his forehand. The issue has always been going toward third base. With Devers incredible improvement defensively too, there is less pressure on Xander going to his back hand.
I agree with both of you.
To 123redsox point: “going toward third base”
The sooner he accepts a move to third base permanently the better his defense will be. You don’t have to go to your right much at all. Im sure some GMs would think the same thing. Bogaerts wasn’t open to a move to 2B, lets see if a team convinces him a move to 3B. The sooner the better for both him and his future team.
If, as I expect, the Yankees let Judge walk (I think he signs with the Giants), I could see them pivoting to Bogaerts, although having added $50M for Donaldson and having passed up on the pitcher they should’ve gotten (Castillo) because they held onto their supposed future shortstop Anthony Volpe, I don’t know where they’d play Xander. Maybe they could trade Donaldson and persuade Xander to move to third. I think acquiring him would be a mistake though. Fenway is doubles heaven while Yankee Stadium suppresses doubles, and doubles are a big part of Xander’s production. But if he could unload Donaldson (unlikely, I think) I could see Cashman making another costly blunder in an attempt to be cheap, the way he acquired Ellsbury after letting Cano walk.
Fink: I see Judge going to SF & the Yankees not making *any* big FA acquisitions because they were “waiting for Judge.”
If they do make any FA acquisitions, I foresee pitching. I think Cash will triple down on his IF (IKF/Peraza/Volpe/Torres/DJL/Donaldson) and with Bader, won’t spend big on the OF. Maybe Benintendi? But, I just don’t see them spending.
I think the only FA position player the Yankees will consider will be Judge.
It’s not hard to imagine that outcome, Clipper.
Duran becomes more valuable with the rule changes… speed is going to be more important next year…
He’ll be back pitching for some team somewhere in 2023.
In a beer league.
He could be back in 2022 for another pitcher-needy team.
Considering that he has great stuff but control issues, teams tend to give these guys lots of chances.
About one inning too late…
Or……right on time, my friend! It’s all perspective. He was a blessing for the Yankees though.
Always happy to help
*Ticket sales sky rocket.
49m in career earnings at age 32 sounds like a decent Dominican retirement.
True, but I doubt that he’s done.
he still throws 95mph..
Can not find the strike zone
Why did we even sign this guy? Our season was over before we signed him and now he’s released. Makes no sense. I thought he was just here to mop up and give us innings in a failing season but management doesn’t even want that? What were they expecting?
We signed him to see if we could fix him. Why not pick him up if our season was over? Either he continues to struggle and all we get is someone to eat a couple innings or he figures something out and we get a very good bullpen piece. It didn’t work out, that’s a bummer but it makes sense to try.
I suppose, that is true. Just seems like a very short leash when we still got guys like Brasier.
I’d say it is identical to Brasier. There are no small amount of fans that want to see Brasier axed. But with the season over, it makes some sense to see if they can still pitch.
The point is that you can’t use Brasier in situations with a high credit shoulder because in most cases it is fraught negative consequences.
Then I bring up my main point- why DFA Familia after just signing him?
Another game blown by one of Cora’s people. Familia, Valdez, Robles, etc. I wonder what their record would be if Cora didn’t manage with his heart?
He can only use those that are at his disposal. All 26 guys are Cora’s people.
Bobby – Explain to us then why Cora used Schreiber for only 10 pitches, and Whitlock for only 15. The team was off the day before, and between Sept 7th and last night Schreiber pitched a grand total of one inning. Between Sept 3rd and last night Whitlock pitched a grand total of one inning.
Anybody who says Cora is using his best relievers to win games is full of crap. He hasn’t all season, where were you when he kept throwing Brasier and Robles and Diekman out there in high leverage situations.
In 2018 he used his guys to win. He makes gutsy moves but he’s using who he has.
pwndroia: Exactly. In general, I think Cora does an ok job – no better or worse than other managers.
Another comment by the John Rocker Society.
Agreed. another dog whistle comment that finds a way to slip past the mods if they actually pay attention to such things.
Milt is still mad that Cora is using Whitlockez too often.
the red sox easilly win that game if they don’t pitch to judge, simple as that, Cora is not trying anymore
David Cone was saying last night that Cora believes that you should pitch to guys like Judge. As a player, he watched how teams would regularly get into trouble after intentionally walking Bonds.
And, why should a team that has no chance for the playoffs this year pitch around a player having a historic season? It’s a really bad look for a manager who does that.
Also, as an ex-player, Cora understands that he should play it straight up and have his pitchers challenge Judge.
“why should a team that has no chance for the playoffs this year pitch around a player having a historic season? It’s a really bad look for a manager who does that.”
———-
Because the game effects other team’s standings. It’s wrong to change your gameplan, for “player having a historic season”. So they should just loft up 80 mph fastballs to Judge? No, play every game like you mean it, because even if it doesn’t matter to your team, it matters to other teams and the fans in the stands.
I never said anything about lofting up 80 mph fastballs. These are major league pitchers who like to, you know, compete.
Cora wants his pitchers to go after Judge – It’s called challenging a hitter.
I haven’t seen any pitcher pitching that way to Judge. Either they challenge him with their best or they stay away from the plate, often resulting in the unintentional/intentional walk. Judge leads baseball in intentional walks. Cora walked Judge intentionally in the 10th inning and Judge ended up scoring Also, Stanton has better numbers than Judge at Fenway. It made sense not to put Judge on in front of Stanton.
Another possibility to consider is that baseball is an entertainment. MLB wants big moments to happen in games to generate fan interest and to create dramatic, promotable story lines. After the last strike, MLB never tired of gushing about the competition between McGwire and Sosa as “the home run race that saved baseball.” Walking Judge has no entertainment value; but a serious attempt to pitch to him does.
Lars – Why should the Red Sox hand the division to the Yankees instead of trying to beat them? Did you attend the Pete Rose School of Managing?
I was stunned he pitched to him. Maybe Cora wants to make Bloom look really bad with this championship roster he put together this year.
That’s not real BB strategy. No one walks the lead-off hitter with no one on base. Only people that hate Cora think that’s a logical move.
Mets should take a flier on him
Nooo
They’ve seen him stink enough already
Dodgers will sign him to a minors deal. He will be a reclamation product turned in to a key contributer for the another division title in 2023. See ya next October!
awe c’mon….couldn’t have let him pitch one more time against the Yankees before cutting him.
His “assignment” is to locate the strike zone.
The first thing you tell a bass player is “play time”.
The first thing you tell a pitcher is “throw strikes.”
Love to watch the Red Sawx reduced to a last place train wreck. Schadenfreude is such a dark…yet delicious pleasure.
Yankees have 1 championship this century to the Red Sox 4. With their payrolls blowing everyone away most of those years, that must be a huge let down. And now, seeing the way they’re playing this year (Judge followed by 8 automatic outs), they’ll be lucky to get out of the first round of the playoffs. I’d be jealous too.
Also, the Royals Front Office thanks you for the prospects.
Sometimes the lion sleeps.
But he’s still the king of the jungle.
And so it is with the Red Sox.
Maybe, but not with bargain basement Bloom unless he changes his stripes.
hahahahha…oh how the worm has turned.
Red Sox fans used to whine like babies and tell Yankee fans to stop living in the past whenever we brought up our WS records, now here we are reading broken down Red Sox fans clinging to history. Oh, it is a wonderful day.
Red Sox fans will always be beneath us, and that’s the way it should always be.
“the worm has turned” and “Red Sox fans used to whine like babies”
So you admit Yankee fans have become a bunch of whining babies. Nice. — I know that wasn’t what you were going for, but you said it loud and clear.
Evilempire, I have to hand it to the Yankees though and I hear you. Have they ever finished in last place? Second to last?
They continually roll through the American League East year after year after year. Definitely a team that has earned its reverence from me, a lifetime Red Sox fan.
I’m all about the jousting as well because even though the Red Sox Blow Away the Yankees numbers on CHAMPIONSHIPS in the last 20 years, these last place finishes are embarrassing. Hoping next year will be different and the Red Sox can battle with the Yankees again for preeminence. But excellent rivalry and tip of the cap to the Yankees “so far” this year.
GaryWarriorsRedSox;
I’d suggest that since the Yankees were in a WS in 2009, the Tampa Bay Rays have been just as competitive in the AL East as the Yankees other then 2014-16 when they were in a rebuild.
I’d argue that the past 5 years the Rays have been better than the Yankees…..at maybe 30-40% of the payroll. (And to me they’re much more fun to watch play.)
How many championships have the Rays won since being in existence?
AL34: For John Henry, I think the question is: How much money have the Rays wasted vs. the amount the Red Sox have obviously wasted in recent years? The Rays have wasted a lot less and I’d bet John Henry has had enough of wasting money. Hence he hired a guy from the Rays. By the way, how many championships had Theo Epstein won when he was hired? I’m not blindly defending Bloom. Just saying I think this is the big picture logic behind it all and I find it hard to fault hiring a guy from the Rays. We shall see if it succeeds.
Who cares about their payroll? They have the money but set their own lower budget and keep the rest for themselves. That’s nothing to admire because they set up their own situation. They got good after they tanked for years.
“Who cares about their payroll?”
—————–
I care. I care not to get into the situation the Red Sox had due to being repeatedly over the Threshold, costing Draft Picks and International Bonus Money. No team, except the Dodgers, uses the philosophy you speak of anymore, not even the Yankees. And when the Red Sox sign their own 8.35 BILLION television deal, like LAD, I’ll join your camp.
“Who cares about their payroll?” doesn’t sound like a successful approach .
Agreed. Sting Ray fans get all juiced and giddy about having a low payroll. Not really sure why? They have ZERO championships out of that, so it really hasn’t worked out for them.
Regarding the Rays “they have ZERO championships”
Rays lost in the 2020 World Series. At one point the series was 2 to 2. They ended up losing to the Dodgers with a payroll that was 25% of the Dodgers. They beat the #1 and #19 payrolls before losing to the #2 payroll. This was done with the #28 payroll. Those playoffs were epic. I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the ‘Davey and Goliath’ similarity, but I for one rooted for TB all the way.
The Red Sox have the second winningest percentage in the AL since 2000. So they aren’t some terrible team when they’re not winning championships.
Quick quiz:
Since 2000
1) What National League Team has the most championships?
2) What place does the question 1 team fall for winning percentage?
Bet you get question 1, doubt you get question 2. Because people dont remember beyond the Championship team, and maybe the team it played.
champsorchumps.us/records/most-mlb-wins-since-2000
You are right but it tends to be feast and starve. When they are bad, they are awful. You are as good as tomorrow’s starter. That is how baseball is.
When they are bad, they are awful.
================================
Not really. Their four sub-.500 records (not including the Covid year) were:
.426
.438
.481
.486
.426 & .438 are bad, but not awful. .481 & .486 are virtually .500 seasons.
This year was a total embarrassment and it will carry into the off season. The trade of Christian Vazquez was bad but lowballing Boggarts was a new low point for this team. It reminds me of what Luciano did to Jon Lester. Another embarrassing negotiation.
Red Sox got two studs for Vazquez. . And Vazquez has hinted at re-signing with the Red Sox. So for 3 months of Vazquez being gone, Red Sox received a Triple A second baseman with a .573 SlugPct and 28 HRs, also a Double A outfielder with a .399 OBP with 30 SBs.
AL34;
Alright, you hate everything about the Red Sox under Bloom.
Got it.
By they way – the Red Sox “lowballed” Bogaerts because he’s not worth he money he’s after on a long-term contract. Carlos Correa didn’t get it last year and won’t get it this year. And Correa is a terrific defensive SS which Bogaerts is not….and since the shift goes way next year Bogaerts is questionable as both a SS and 2B without others helping him cover less ground. He’s a clutch hitter and team leader……like Pete Alonso is to the Mets….but neither one is going into the HOF.
The trade of Christian Vazquez was bad
==============================
If you want to include the McGuire trade as part of a package, since he replaced Vazquez. this has been a huge win for us. Diekman has stunk, McGuire has outperformed Vazquez, and we have 3 more years of control. Even without considering the prospects we received, we are substantially ahead so far.
AL34 cant talk about the McGuire, Broadway trade, or the Seabold, Pivetta trade, or the Whitlock Rule V move, or the Wacha signing, or the Arroyo waiver claim.
Don’t know why, he hated them all when they happen, but only wants to talk about the JBJ, Binelas, Hamilton trade and the Paxton signing after the fact.
The RS writers are the same way. Always take the side of the established player over the prospect, and you will be right 100%, at least in the beginning. Until you’ve had a chance to see these prospects play out a little, no one will know.
Prospects are simply that, prospects. Give me an established player anytime over a maybe prospect. More often than not prospects do not develop into squat.
Over the long term we shall see about McGuire. The season was Over when they picked him up. There is no pressure now. His track record for hitting is not great. He is a backup catcher at best. I agree Diekman was bad.
If the season was over, then why not trade Vazquez for anything useful? Would we better off with having kept Vazquez of having two prospects that might or might not amount to anything>
Bout time.
Awful signing. Bloom needs to build a better Roster. Chaim you’re on the clock…….tic toc……
He’s got all winter. Stop looking at your watch.
Chaim keeps taking Hail Marys instead of building a good roster. Chaim you are on the clock……tic toc
I have the utmost respect for a GM who listens to his players that say, “please give us a shot, we feel like we can do this as this roster stands.”
Bloom gave this roster that shot and that is an incredible move by a GM who perhaps would received the Fallout of any failure. Someone who stands by their team of guys has my support all day long !!
Now let’s see what he does this off season. Gazillion dollars comes off the payroll.
Dedicated to all devoted Haim Bloom lovers, haters of Dave Dombrowski and Xander Bogaerts.
Epic about Bloom, of 44 million dollars aborted in a garbage bucket and much other.
When an offseason came 2022, many fans of red socks were expectant what actions will be accomplished by a main chief on the baseball operations of Haim Bloom.
For me obviously, that it was first of all needed to work out problems with pitching, we needed an ace in a starting rotation and couple of adequate pitchers of middle hand, to replace G.Richards and E.Rodriguez, it was required to renew bullpen and help on the first base.
4 transactions were November, 27 and December, 1, 2021 accomplished to the lock-out – M.Wacha (SP), R.Hill (SP), Bradley Jr. (OF), J.Paxton (SP). If the first two signing were logical Wacha and Hill 12 million better, than Richards for 10 million, then next two transactions entered me in an easy bewilderment .
To exchange it the best attacking outfielder H.Renfroe on protective outfielder below than level of replacement in 2 times, though and with two prospects into the bargain ( A.Binelas 3B/1B and D.Hamilton SS/2B).But yet more I was surprised by this transaction with Paxton for 10 million ( I thought, why to give pitcher 10 million, if he won’t help us in theory in 2022 ), it was possible to add 10-12 million and take C.Rodon, but perhaps Bloom had other looks.
Next transactions were accomplished already after a lock-out: on March, 15 2022 – M.Strahm (RP), on March, 16 – J.Diekman (RP),
on March, 18 – T.Show (1B), March, 19 – H.Robles (RP), 23 – T.Story (2B).
I hoped to the last moment, that we would get ace, but on March, 23, when Т.Story purchased I understood that it’s the last transaction on an offseason 2022.
Statistical data are added:
J.Diekman (RP)
2021 – 3.86 ERA , 4.46 FIP, WHIP 1.34, ERA+ 107, WAR +0.4 Oakland.
2022 – 4.47 ERA, 4.87 FIP, WHIP 1.61, ERA+ 93, WAR +0.1 Boston/White Sox 4 mil. AAV.
August 1, 2022: Traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Chicago White Sox.
H.Robles (RP)
2021 – 4.43 ERA, 4.30 FIP, WHIP 1.38, ERA+ 100, WAR -0.1 Minnesota/Boston 2 mil AAV.
2021 Postseason – 5.06 ERA, 6G, 5.1 IP, WHIP 1.5 , .333 AVG. Boston
2022 – 5.84 ERA, 5.76 FIP, WHIP 1.58, ERA+ 72, WAR -0.8, 2SV8, Boston 2.25 mil AAV.
July 9, 2022: Released by the Boston Red Sox.
A.Ottavino (RP)
2021 – 4.21 ERA, 3.96 FIP, WHIP 1.45, ERA+ 111, WAR +0.8 Boston 8 mil. AAV.
2022 – 2.06 ERA, 3.14 FIP, WHIP 0.97, ERA+ 191, WAR +2.1 Metz 4 mil. AAV.
J.Paxton (SP)
2021 – TJS.
2022 – DID NOT PLAY, 10 mil. AAV.
M.Perez (SP) LH
2021 – 4.74 ERA, 4.82 FIP, WHIP 1.51, ERA+ 98, WAR +0.5 Boston 5 mil. AAV.
2022 – 2.77 ERA, 3.22 FIP, WHIP 1.23, ERA+ 142,WAR +4.7, AS, Texas 4 mil. AAV.
C.Rodon (SP) LH
2021 – 2.37 ERA, 2.65 FIP, WHIP 0.96, ERA+ 185, WAR +5.1, AS, CYA-5, White Sox 3 mil. AAV.
2022 – 2.93 ERA, 2.33 FIP, WHIP 1.05, ERA+ 139, WAR +4.9, AS, Giants 2 yrs/44M, 22 mil. AAV.
J.Bradley Jr. (OF)
2021 – 387 AB, 6 HR, .163 AVG, .497 OPS, WAR -0.7, OPS+ 35 Milwaukee 12 mil. AVV.
2022 – 318 AB, 3 HR, .204 AVG, .565 OPS, WAR -0.6, OPS+ 57 Boston/Jays 12 mil. AVV.
December 1, 2021: Traded by the Milwaukee Brewers with Alex Binelas (minors) and David Hamilton (minors) to the Boston Red Sox for Hunter Renfroe.
August 4, 2022: Released by the Boston Red Sox.
A.Binelas (3B/1B) 22 Age
2022 (A+/AA) – 418 AB, 25 HR, 146 KK !!!, .201 AVG!!!, .737 OPS.
D.Hamilton (SS/2B) 25 Age
2022 (AA) – 441 AB, 12 HR, 66 SB, .240 AVG, .729 OPS.
H.Renfroe (RF)
2021 – 521 AB, 31 HR, .259 AVG, 816 OPS, WAR+2.3, OPS+ 114, 16 A, 12 E, (0 rDRS).
Boston 3.1 mil. AAV.
2022 – 398 AB, 25 HR, .251 AVG, 805 OPS, WAR+2.0, OPS+ 123, 10 A, 4 E, (+1 rDRS).
Milwaukee 7.65 mil. AAV. 2 Arb.
T.Story (2B/SS)
2021 – 526 AB, 24 HR, 20 SB, 139 KK (23.8 %), .251 AVG, .801 OPS, WAR+4.2, OPS+ 103.
Colorado 18.5 mil. AAV. 3 Arb.
2022 – 357 AB, 16 HR, 13 SB, 122 KK (30.8%), .238 AVG, .737 OPS, WAR+2.4, OPS+ 102,
(+5 rDRS) Boston 6 yrs/140M, 23.33 mil. AAV.
J.Iglesias (SS/2B)
2021 – 483 AB, 9 HR, 5 SB, 75 KK ( 14.7%), .271 AVG, 701 OPS, WAR -0.7, OPS+89.
Angels/Boston ( 59 AB, 1 HR, .356 AVG, .915 OPS, WAR+0.4, OPS+144, (0 rDRS) 2B for Boston).
2022 – 423 AB, 127 H, 3 HR, 54 KK (12 %!!!), .300 AVG, 729 OPS, WAR +1.3, OPS+94.
Colorado 5 mil.AAV.
C.Arroyo (INF)
2021 – 164 AB, 6 HR, 1 SB, 44 KK ( 24.3% ), .262 AVG, 769 OPS, WAR +1.5, OPS+103,
(+5rDRS) for 2B Boston min. of league.
2022 – 239 AB, 6 HR, 5 SB, 42 KK ( 16.3%!!!),.285 AVG, 755 OPS, WAR+ 0.8, OPS+108,
(+4rDRS) for 2B Boston 1.2 mil. AVV. 1 Arb.
X.Bogaerts (SS)
2021 – 529 AB, 23 HR, 5SB, 156 H, .295 AVG, 863 OPS, WAR +4.9, OPS+129, (-5rDRS),
AS, SS, MVP-12 Boston 20yrs/120M opt out after 2022, 20 mil. AVV.
2022 – 495 AB, 13 HR, 8 SB, 158 H, .319 AVG, 860 OPS, WAR +5.6, OPS+138, (+2rDRS),
AS, SS-? MVP-? Boston 20 mil. AVV, opt out after 2022.
T.Story, J.Paxton, J.Bradley Jr., J.Diekman, H.Robles costed to Boston in a season 2022 44 million dollars and have general WAR +1.1.
If Boston took advantage of club option on M.Perez, prolonged A.Ottavino, H.Renfroe didn’t exchange, transactions concluded with J.Iglesias and C.Rodon that was costed by the same 44 million dollars, but the general pitch of these players made approximately WAR +15 !!!!
P.S.
Addresses to the adequate fans Boston Red Sox, who really is ill the soul and heart, able to use analytic and statistical data.
Do you think until now, that Bloom does correct steps?
What did stand task before Bloom, when did he come? To bring down threshold balance and build a farm.
This his third season in Red Sox and what he obtained for this period – we have a team from 240 million balance and on the last place, hole in the right field, conflict situation with the face of deductible Xander Bogaerts, that will go away probably…
Mr. Henry you it won’t read exactly, but can will look closely more attentive to Mr.Bloom, and then he was hammered together from a way to that you put him.
Why it was needed to discharge Dave Dombrowski, if Haim Bloom with 240 millions occupies the last place and wants to build Boston Rays?
With Dave there was a plan of development, with Bloom I it don’t see.
Who does he want to build, round if Bogaerts will go away?
Pay to the fellow what he deserved and build a team round him, he is the real leader, only Bloom it doesn’t see.
I, as a fan e, I don’t want to see the next curse of Bambino.
Listen to Big Papi,he talks correct things.
With kind regards!
He’ll start getting ready to pitch for the DR in the WBC.
Ha Ha Familia See Ya
Familia looked great last night. When players are released there is usually a reason. Bloom thinks he is going to discover a diamond in the rough every time. He stockpiles and picks up “prospects” and there are no guarantees with these players. More often they flip then pan out. Another bullseye for Chaim Bloom. I wish the season would end tonight already with this guys lousy pickups and roster that he put together. I hope the people on this site have confidence in Bloom going forward. I do not and the eyes of management and the fans are on him now.
I think Zack Kelly already would have been the better choice for this spot, but at the same time, I totally understand not wanting to rock the kid’s confidence only a few games into his career. If he makes it, he’ll settle in as a strong middle reliever. You don’t need an extra innings Sox-Yankees game in the balance with Judge looming, for his 7th big league appearance.
Kelly/Ort/Bazardo are the guys you need to make decisions on this offseason re: 40-man. Frank German is going to be Rule 5 protected but it might be his turn anyway. AJ Politi if you still don’t want to try German, and instead want more of an information gathering type to get a tester.
Yeah, I thought of Kelly too.
When the sox score 6 + runs they win 88% of the time. When they score 5- runs the only win 33%. Pitching (not AAA warm bodies) is needed! Connie Mack once stated pitching is 70% of baseball. Bloom needs to read history not stat sheets!
We have some pitching, but most of it was on the IL. 52 starts given to guys that weren’t part of the intended rotation.
The Red Sox are 24th in MLB in team ERA.
Red Sox fans don’t understand – anymore than Theo Epstein did – that you don’t buy pitching, you have to develop it and keep recalibrating the individual pitchers throughout the season.
To do that a franchise needs a pitching infrastructure from the coaches to the analytics to video analysts. Especially with its minor leagues teams. It takes years to build that infrastructure. Bloom is doing that.
Samual – agreed. You “buy” free agent “bats” and develop pitching. The Red Sox have been last to first, last to first,…. As you stated correctly, the only way to be sustainable good is to develop lots, and lots, and lots of pitching.
Signing free agent pitchers does not work long term. Sale (re-sign) almost $90,000,000 for 47 innings. Price (free agent) packaged with Betts and $48,000,000 to LA, Beckett (re-sign) and packaged to LA in 2012,….have not gone well…..
Bello, Mata, Ward, Crawford, Winckowski, Murphy, German, Politi,… should all be arriving in Boston at some point next season in the bullpen or rotation. I hope they make as smooth a transition as possible.
JC#1
Samual – agreed. You “buy” free agent “bats” and develop pitching.
================================
IMHO, you need development anywhere you can get it. If you manage to develop one good hitter, and one good SP every year, then you shouldn’t ever have to worry about buying pitchers or hitters.
If, and this is a best-case scenario, Casas, Duran, Bello, Crawford & Winc become decent regulars, and Wong is good enough to platoon with McGuire, we could spend $40M on DeGrom without destroying our future.
But without a pipeline, big spending is unsustainable.
Joe – I agree with you on this. Where would the Sox be if not for the development of Mookie, Xander and Devers. Probably no 2018 championship, and certainly no package of prospects from the Dodgers (granted the package isn’t l0oking that great so far, but still).
Joe
They have to cut Paxton loose too. He is as brittle as kindling wood. I do not know what they are going to do with Eovaldi. There is not a whole lot of free agent pitching available and I do not see them getting a top notch guy like DeGrom. You also cannot depend on Sale too much either. That is just the pitching. Wacha although good will not make it through a whole season. Is Bloom going to trade his much cherished prospects, I don’t know. The more you bring them up to the major league level and they struggle, their value goes down
sportsnaut.com/top-mlb-free-agents/
Updated FA rankings. Plenty of pitching on that list. They only need to add 1 or 2 starters. They have plenty of backend starters.
Croagnut;
LOL
See my post above.
How come teams like Cleveland, Tampa Bay, Dodgers, Brewers, Astros, and now even the Yankees (read up on Matt Blake) have great bullpens every year made up primarily of guys no one heard of, as well as above average starters? How come the Orioles are ranked 11th MLB wide when all of their pitchers are were pretty much rejects / failures from other organizations? How come the Angels – that have a reputation (from the national baseball media – of having no pitching other than Ohtani are ranked 9th in MLB and 6th in the AL for pitching?
You Red Sox fans are so baseball-challenged, you’re like spoiled rich kids that demand Dad get you the best uniform that money can buy, and are upset that you finish last in your league when you have to go out and play the other teams.
From what I’ve read/heard from the national baseball media led by ESPN-MLB and the Boston media over the years, it’s a group of people that think it’s the 1990’s and the Yankees and Red Sox get to sign all the best free agents and make one side trades for established players whose teams can’t afford to pay them the inflated salaries you guys set? It’s like hearing about a guy on a Pacific island that think WWII is still going on.
Most Yankees and Red Sox fans are somewhere between pathetic and comical. You have no respect for other teams, their FO’s, managers, coaches, fans……and the game.
This may shock you, but the overwhelming majority of MLB players that can get the money elsewhere don’t want to play in Boston or NYC.
Samuel:
Whats your issue with me? AL34 said “There is not a whole lot of free agent pitching available ”
To which I said “Plenty of pitching on that list. They only need to add 1 or 2 starters. They have plenty of backend starters.”
I made a 2 sentence response to someone else and you make a 5 paragraph response? Calling me “baseball-challenged” Youre a DBag.
If you hate Red Sox fans so much, why you did you click on a Red Sox article? Just to throw insults around. Wow, and you think theres something wrong with Red Sox and Yankees fans.
Paxton has the player option, which I’d like to see him take. It’s a small enough gamble.
IRT Eovaldi, I’d offer him a QO and either the pay the $19M or get a 2nd round pick.
I agree on Wacha. He’s been a great gamble by Bloom, and I’d like him back. But I also not overrate his 2022 results either.
Joe – Can you please give a breakdown of the 52 starts by pitcher.
I know the intended rotation to start the season was Hill-Houck-Eovaldi-Wacha-Pivetta.
But the intention was always to eventually move Sale and Paxton into the rotation, with two of Hill-Wacha-Houck moving to the bullpen or helping to form a 6-man rotation.
Sale was supposed to be the starter, until he cracked a rib.
Can we DFA Alex Cora? His understanding of his roster players is terrible, where and when to use them, The WORST in game manager you will find anywhere in MLB. Disaster! His record shows the incompetence. Nice guy…a few things he does well. Cheat for one…but seriously…he never put our best combination of offense & defense on the field 1 time all year…not 1 time! Batting order wrong, Defensive alignment wrong, pitching assignments & usage horrific. Yes injuries, but the organization is an embarrasment at this point.
What do you want Cora to do ? This team absolutely blows chunks. Bloom has needed relief help since last year and a dedicated closer and has not addressed the issue. The bullpen stinks, the starting pitching is all hurt, first baseman has anemic production, JD Martinez has lost all his power. He traded away Renfro to pick up a brutal JBJ who was awful. He has jerked around Boggarts who will most likely leave. He kept Dalbac on the roster when he should have been sent down in May. Story is a Coors field hitter and killed this team early. He traded away Vazquez to a team we were playing that night. He then picks up Hosmer which is okay as long as we do not have to pay him. He gets hurt or had a injury when he came here. I have to question a guys heart about dedication when he goes on the disabled list right away like that. He hangs on to JD Martinez and Eovaldi which looked like he wanted to compete but does not pick up any bullpen help. He picks up released players all year.
Does Bloom look like he knows what he is doing? I don’t want to hear about how he is picking up unproven prospects either. Is this Cora’s fault ? You cannot make chicken salad with chicken feathers. No the fault of this team is on Dumpster Diving Chaim Bloom not Cora.
There was talk on Boston sports radio that Cora does not see eye to eye with Bloom on a lot of things. I truly believe there were times this year that Cora brought bad relievers into a game on purpose just to show Bloom that these guys are not good enough to win with. 2023 will be a huge season for Bloom; if he doesn’t start showing some progress with either some youngsters or with new FA acquisitions then his job may be in jeopardy. Cora is on record saying that he doesn’t want to coach much longer; he wants a front office job that will allow him to spend more time with his family. I wonder if Boston would fire Bloom and move Cora upstairs. Not sure they would make Cora POBO right away, but they could give him a GM title.
Cora brought in bad relievers because that’s what he had.. None of the draft choices signed in the time Bloom has been POBO are ready to cut their teeth at the major league level. I share your frustration, but his hiring was viewed as a long term rebuild. They’re likely to allow 23 to be a lost season and reevaluate Bloom’s performance and farm progress at the end of 24. If 24 is a cluster, he’ll be shown the door for certain. All speculation on my part to be sure. .
I just think Cora doesn’t use his guys properly. Yes all the things AL34 sighted are relevant BUT you still need to manage IN-GAME and AC is not good at it! Who knew their role this year? Only a few on the team Bogey, Devers, Dugie…the entire BullPen didn’t! The defensive alignment was terrible…arguabbly our best ALL AROUND infielder/hitter Cora sits a ton! Arroyo…& yes he is the best all around we have…either start him every day as a utility resting all of our infielders & corner outfielders or start him at 2b at put Story in the OF or at SS or DH the solution possibilities are plenty using the DH, infield spots and resting 6 of the 9 positions on the field. He had Houch, Whitlock & Schrieber in the middle innings closing with guys who should never sniff the 8th or 9th in the same game…or used our best up by 3 or more runs…when you’re bullpen stinks as a whole you have to use your best guys in the later innings. If AC is purposely failing to screw Bloome then he needs to go…not sure I buy that but the guy did condone cheating and was suspended. Bloome has a rebuilding task! It is, we are, in a rebuild! Bloome counted on Sale & Paxton to be there & way better health to be in position to fix a shaky bullpen shiftong starters to the pen and solidify it with the trade deadline. The injuries ruined that plan…so why would he invest in a pen when your playoff top 3 where Wacha, Pivetta & Eavoldi? You wouldn’t because that isn’t going to work! We do have talent on this team & it was largely misplayed, in game action, by AC…the rebuild is going very well to me…there will be a year & time Bloome will spend $ to solidify this new core…not sure keeping Bogey is the solution, Turner & Correa are out there…Story will be way better year 2 now settled, our biggest needs are mound related…so Degrom, Bassitt, Verlander, Rondon available Diaz closer, we need an outfielder Judge, Haniger,Nimmo, Brantley available, extend Raffy or get Arenado. We are real close…Casa & Bobby with Hosmer is fine at 1b, 2b Arroyo, Story, Kiki, SS Arroyo, Story, Bogey if signed or Turner/Correa, 3b Devers or Arenado. Let JD go…we need 1 legit OF Judge would transform the rebuild. I am ready to wait a max to the end of 2023 but it could be done that year…no later than 2024 however…we have money to spend this winter.
JD is bat only. when that eluded him these last couple of months, his time in Boston will be short. He is however, one of the best FA signings in recent memory. Thanks JD for taking us on an incredible journey for the last five years.
Dang. Bigger bases and JD is safe at first.
Like that would matter.
They suck.
Texas Rangers should pick this guy up as soon as possible!!!!!!
The Jeurys officially back out again
Alex Cora…just 1 game…can you put our best offensive & defensive alignment on the field? Just 1 day please?
2b-Story
3b-Devers
SS-Bogey
1b-Casas
LF-Arroyo
RF-Duggie
CF-Kiki
C-McGuire
DH-JD/Refsnyder
Just 1 game…trust me
This our best batting order & defensive alignment & it hasn’t happened once
Alex Cora…just 1 game…can you put our best offensive & defensive alignment on the field? Just 1 day please?
LF-Arroyo
==========================================
I’m curious how you came to the conclusion that Arroyo is our best defensive option in LF, since he has not played a single inning in LF in his career.
He’s only 32? He’s been around a long time.
Was he the player that tested positive for PEDs?