GDT: Red Sox in the Bronx - 7:05 PM ESPN, 93.7 WEEI-FM

[CDJ]

I think we are a 500 team at best this year. ( being optimistic)
Outside of Eovaldi, our starters are garbage.
Workman gives me the jitters every time he closes, reminds me of the days when Dick Drago / Bob Stanley were our closers.
I would move Workman into the starting rotation this year and give the closer job to Barnes or Brewer.
I would rather tank and get a top 5 pick
We are desperate to restock the farm system.

agreed

although I wouldn’t start Workman, i would probably just sell him for a decent prospect or two. He’s not gonna command top guys like his numbers last year suggest he should but he’s definitely got plenty of value


I think they have too many concerns about his durability and command to be a starter

 

[McGarnagle]

One year ago if you told me we'd be a week into the 2020 season and our first two hitters would be Jose Peraza and Kevin Pillar, my brain wouldn't be able to comprehend it.

 

[JRull86]

FOX adding virtual fans into the outfield but nowhere else is super awkward and stupid.

 

[N o o d l e s]

Martin Pérez would actually be a great 5th starter. Problem is he’s the #2

 

[McGarnagle]

Vazqy is making Matz his bitch tonight

 

[CDJ]

So some good news out of this year is that it appears Vazquez wasn’t a total fluke last year

too soon to know for sure but these bombs are a promising sign

I NEVER would have thought he would hit like this. Like not even in a best case outcome. This guy has outperformed all possible projections for him when he was a prospect

 

[Johnnyduke]

Was coming here to talk about Vazquez. What has changed this "late" in his career? What say you, nerds? Is this a launch angle thing?

 

[JRull86]

Benintendi is a freaking disaster so far this year.

 

[Johnnyduke]

Not me.

I'll take the teeth kicking in the playoffs.

Why? What is the benefit?

 

[Johnnyduke]

I remember Moncada striking out a ton when he was up here and it looked like maybe Benintendi was the better prospect. That has certainly flipped for sure.

 

[CDJ]

Was coming here to talk about Vazquez. What has changed this "late" in his career? What say you, nerds? Is this a launch angle thing?

probably a launch angle thing

he’s also completely selling out it looks like but honestly that’s not a bad thing for a guy like him who isn’t a bad contact hitter. When he hits bombs they usually travel quite a ways


Christian Vazquez changed his swing, and it made a powerful difference - The Boston Globe


^Found something

 

[Johnnyduke]

Smoltz right on there...should stuck with the heater

 

[CDJ]

Diaz is not looking great

 

[McGarnagle]

Razzle Dazzle Raffy!

 

[CDJ]

.......duckboats back on!!!

 

[Smitty93]

The Kumar Rocker tank train was slowed up yesterday, but don't worry, Martin Perez vs. Steven Matz will get us back on track tonight.

I'm not going to say this was intended to be an anti-jinx for tonight, but I'm not not going to say it wasn't either.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Why? What is the benefit?

Competitive baseball to watch.

I prefer it to watching terrible, losing baseball.

 

[Fenway]

Looks at score on phone

 

[Johnnyduke]

Competitive baseball to watch.

I prefer it to watching terrible, losing baseball.

Embrace the losing...this team blows.

 

[LSCII]

Benintendi is a freaking disaster so far this year.

That's a player I've never understood the hype about. I just don't see what everyone else appears to see for some reason...

 

[McGarnagle]

Having gone down a wikipedia rabbit hole, did you know that Aaron Judge was taken with a compensation pick in the 2013 draft, which the Yankees received for....Nick Swisher?

Also speaking of compensation picks, the Astros only got Alex Bregman because they managed to not sign the #1 pick from the year before, an injury-plagued pitcher named Brady Aiken who amounted ot nothing, and for some reason the league rewarded them with the #2 overall pick.

MLB compensation rules are weird and make no sense.

 

[Smitty93]

Having gone down a wikipedia rabbit hole, did you know that Aaron Judge was taken with a compensation pick in the 2013 draft, which the Yankees received for....Nick Swisher?

Also speaking of compensation picks, the Astros only got Alex Bregman because they managed to not sign the #1 pick from the year before, an injury-plagued pitcher named Brady Aiken who amounted ot nothing, and for some reason the league rewarded them with the #2 overall pick.

MLB compensation rules are weird and make no sense.

I remember the Brady Aiken situation well because it was a big deal at the time. He had some elbow issue pop up after the draft and the Astros lowered the signing bonus to the minimum they'd need to offer to get a "replacement pick" for the next year. It seemed super shady. Aiken has kind of disappeared since then, so clearly the Astros made the right decision.

The 1st round pick thing has been going on for a long time. Basically, if you fail to sign your pick, you get a "replacement pick" in the next draft that's one spot lower. The idea was to protect teams if a player refused to sign, but teams have taken advantage of it to get out of paying players who turn out to be damaged goods. The NHL does something similar. The most recent example I can remember is Kevin Hayes. When the Blackhawks weren't able to sign him, they got a 2nd round pick in 2015 (one round lower than where they drafted him) as compensation.

 

[JRull86]

That's a player I've never understood the hype about. I just don't see what everyone else appears to see for some reason...

He has all the tools to be a .300 avg, .380 obp, 20+ hr guy who plays good defense.

But for whatever reason he's regressed for two years now.

They need to get he the f*** out of the leadoff spot. He's shown for two seasons now that he doesn't belong there.

 

[N o o d l e s]

I remember the Brady Aiken situation well because it was a big deal at the time. He had some elbow issue pop up after the draft and the Astros lowered the signing bonus to the minimum they'd need to offer to get a "replacement pick" for the next year. It seemed super shady. Aiken has kind of disappeared since then, so clearly the Astros made the right decision.

The 1st round pick thing has been going on for a long time. Basically, if you fail to sign your pick, you get a "replacement pick" in the next draft that's one spot lower. The idea was to protect teams if a player refused to sign, but teams have taken advantage of it to get out of paying players who turn out to be damaged goods. The NHL does something similar. The most recent example I can remember is Kevin Hayes. When the Blackhawks weren't able to sign him, they got a 2nd round pick in 2015 (one round lower than where they drafted him) as compensation.

Houston did something shady?

 

[McGarnagle]

He has all the tools to be a .300 avg, .380 obp, 20+ hr guy who plays good defense.

But for whatever reason he's regressed for two years now.

They need to get he the f*** out of the leadoff spot. He's shown for two seasons now that he doesn't belong there.

Something's off with his bat. Strikeouts leaped big from 2018 to 2019. He's still working walks pretty well even in the early going of this year, so I don't think it's a pitch selection thing, I think he's just falling behind on his swing. His BAbip has been declining too. I'm no expert but that sounds like a swing mechanics issue. Hopefully just a hitch that a good hitting coach can fix and not a sign of permanent decline.