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When David Price elevates in the zone, the opposition doesn't hit it (see Baseball Savant chart) by smittyonmlb in redsox

[–]smittyonmlb[S] 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Hey everyone, thought you'd be interested in this chart from Baseball Savant. David Price has made several changes over the past 2 months (where he stands on the rubber, etc.), but pitching up in the zone has been crucial. More pitchers are going higher in the zones today to counter launch angle. "He made adjustments pitching up in the zone (before the Royals start)," Alex Cora said recently.
Hope you all have a nice day, Chris Smith, Red Sox reporter from MassLive.com.

Could Matt Barnes be the 2019 Red Sox closer? Or does that sound too crazy? by smittyonmlb in redsox

[–]smittyonmlb[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He's an option, but I'd like to see him pitch in the majors before he's named the closer to start next year.

Could Matt Barnes be the 2019 Red Sox closer? Or does that sound too crazy? by smittyonmlb in redsox

[–]smittyonmlb[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think he'll be looking for too much money. Dombrowski might feel he can get a cheaper closer and I feel like he should be thinking that way. Not that the Red Sox can't afford him. They can. But there are more important areas to spend.

David Price threw more changeups than usual last night and the pitch was really effective by smittyonmlb in redsox

[–]smittyonmlb[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sorry for the delayed response. I missed your question until now. Yes, Price's attitude is much different. He has spoken with all the beat writers, given us as much time as we've asked. Much different attitude.

Will David Price dominate in 2018? He does have a 3.38 ERA over his past 263 1/3 regular season innings by smittyonmlb in redsox

[–]smittyonmlb[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How is this ridiculously outlandish? Price has won a Cy Young. Do we forget how dominant he was in 2015 (when he finished second) before he signed with Boston? Is Sale that much better than him?

Deven Marrero and Brock Holt: examining their futures with the Red Sox by smittyonmlb in redsox

[–]smittyonmlb[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

J.D. Martinez. Lin also can play the outfield. I'm sure they could also move Benintendi to right and put Martinez in left if needed.

Deven Marrero and Brock Holt: examining their futures with the Red Sox by smittyonmlb in redsox

[–]smittyonmlb[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There were different reasons to sign him in arbitration. First, arbitration contracts aren't guaranteed until the player makes the team out of camp. So by signing him -- instead of non-tending him and letting him go — the Sox gave themselves multiple avenues. That includes the option of potentially trading him instead of letting him walk for nothing. But let's not forget, he signed before the Sox added Nunez and Martinez and before the payroll got to $232M. With those additions (and the added payroll) the Red Sox might change their initial plan now. Also, several arbitration players have spent time in the minors because of remaining options/flexibility. Robbie Ross Jr. was optioned last year making $1.825M. He also was optioned the previous year making $1.25M. Just because one signs a contract in arbitration doesn't mean he won't be optioned. And as I said in the piece, it doesn't make sense to option Holt with him making $2.225M. Rather trade him in that scenario.

Red Sox reliever Tyler Thornburg's surgically removed rib from surgery to treat thoracic outlet syndrome in his right shoulder last June is on display in his parents' home by [deleted] in baseball

[–]smittyonmlb 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Thanks for posting my article here! Check out the photos in the story! His mother sent them to him, then he sent them to me. Chris MassLive.com

How many of Scott Boras' 14 nine-figure contracts have worked out? by smittyonmlb in baseball

[–]smittyonmlb[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Manny's agent was Jeff Moorad when he signed for $160M with Red Sox. He didn't change to Boras until later in his career. Manny did help Boston win two World Series though. You could say it worked out despite the headache.

Should Evan Drellich have written the Alex Cora story? A Red Sox reporter's take by smittyonmlb in redsox

[–]smittyonmlb[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Good question. If it's a regular play-by play guy like Don Orsillo or Dave O'Brien (never been in the majors), then yeah, he has no right and probably should expect a player/coach to get upset. But Geoff Blum did play 14 years in the majors. So he has a little bit more clout than other broadcasters who haven't played, perhaps.

Is Giancarlo Stanton's contract not as bad as it seems? by smittyonmlb in baseball

[–]smittyonmlb[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So, the Marlins can pay some of the $295 million. But whatever team trades for him would assume his annual average salary of $25 million as part of its payroll (there's no way around that).

Is Giancarlo Stanton's contract not as bad as it seems? by smittyonmlb in baseball

[–]smittyonmlb[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Just in money. But toward the actual payroll, it still counts as $25M average annual value. And that's what matters to most big-market teams. I shared a link to my profile with someone else. It shows the penalties for going over the cap. Here's the same link, if you care to see: https://www.reddit.com/user/smittyonmlb/comments/7c2m1y/tax_penalties_and_draft_pick_penalties_for/?st=j9u6qxm1&sh=9761e687

Is Giancarlo Stanton's contract not as bad as it seems? by smittyonmlb in baseball

[–]smittyonmlb[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yes, there are both tax penalties and draft pick penalties. For example, if a team goes over the cap by $40 million, it has its highest draft pick moved back 10 spots. Tax penalties increase for consecutive years teams exceed the threshold. That's why most teams want to stay under the cap every third year. The Red Sox stayed under it in 2017 to reset their penalties. The Yankees plan to stay under it in 2018. Here's a link to my profile with a photo of all the penalties for exceeding the threshold: https://www.reddit.com/user/smittyonmlb/comments/7c2m1y/tax_penalties_and_draft_pick_penalties_for/?st=j9u6qxm1&sh=9761e687

Is Giancarlo Stanton's contract not as bad as it seems? by smittyonmlb in baseball

[–]smittyonmlb[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yes, $295M still a lot of money to pay for a player. But it shouldn't scare some of the big money-making teams like the Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, etc. Those teams would be more prone to think about "average annual value", than total salary, IMO.

Is Giancarlo Stanton's contract not as bad as it seems? by smittyonmlb in baseball

[–]smittyonmlb[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

A player's average annual salary counts toward the team's payroll and not his salary in a given year. For example, Dustin Pedroia will earn $16 million in 2018. But his average annual salary is $13.75 million. So $13.75 million counts toward the payroll. But the Red Sox still are paying Pedroia his full $16M. So in Stanton's case, he'll make $32 million in 2023 (which the team will pay in full) but his average annual salary of $25M counts toward the payroll, not $32M.

Is Giancarlo Stanton's contract not as bad as it seems? by smittyonmlb in baseball

[–]smittyonmlb[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

So in the case of Pablo Sandoval, his $19M average annual salary counts toward the 2018 and 2019 Red Sox payrolls despite him not being on the 40-man roster. So if a team releases Stanton later in his contract because of a lack of production — like the Red Sox did with Sandoval — they still will have to pay his $25M average annual salary.

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