ptatc

Agreed

Look what happened to Sale when he left the Sox, and Boston let him do what he wanted.

Very true. One of the best predictors for future injuries is specialization of sports too early. Smoltz is a good example as he was a great basketball player through most of high school. COVID really hurt the kid as he didn't get that season of starting in college to build a base for pro ball. However, comparing any player to an HOF player really isn't fair.

Probably just a negotiating ploy then.

Unfortunately, we don't train them the way we used to. That's the issue.

Can't see the a number one pick QB and fields coexisting. Maybe they are taking a QB later and that what he is hearing.

I don't have an issue with them stretching him out to some type of hybrid starter/opener/piggyback pitcher. I just don't think going past 80 innings is physically feasible. As I've always said with him or any other pitcher. He has an innings limit. I don't care if he throws them in the minors or majors, starting or bullpen. Innings are innings and he'll need to stick to it. He hasn't shown he can go 50 without injury so I don't know why anyone would push his innings into regular starter workload.

The getting injured part is the issue otherwise I agree. I think they need to cap innings around 80 based on his history. If he makes it that far without injuries it's a major win.

With the scarcity of good pitching and even starters not going more than 5 innings, there needs to be some kind of innovation.

Yeah, I added that later. If they limit him to 3-4 innings he could. I can't see much more than 80 innings.

Not physically possible for more than 15 starts. I guess a caveat would be if they limit him to 3-4 innings.

Because they don't need to pay for another surgery.

You need really consistent pitchers then. Pitching staffs are usually 13. That means you are scheduling 10 of them. If 2 have back to back bad days, there is no one left for the 3rd day.

They could do that. But even then he would be limited to 20 appearances or so.

That's true but he can't go from 12 innings to 150 in a year. He probably can't go more than 80 or so.

I would doubt that. He hasn't thrown enough to start more than once every few weeks.

Crochet is not ready to be a full time starter this year. He had 12 innings last year.

Cancel culture is not limited to religious fanatics.

Correct. I would say the same with the OC. Whoever it is next year they need to keep consistency for the QB for a couple of years.

It has always been tough to evaluate college QBs. There are plenty of number one picks who have busted.

I think it's more of a second due to the upcoming contract they'll need to sign him to if they keep him.

Agreed. I wonder if he knows something about NE and wanted out.

I agree, I don't tie the decision to fire Eberflus only to the performance of the QB. Just like I don't hold 2022 against him as the GM pretty much traded away any impact player on defense and they hadn't addressed the OL If he is currently retained it's because of how he handles the team and runs the team. This won't change if the primary issue is the QB struggling. If they retain him, he needs to be here for at least the next 3 years.

I thought you meant for the next few years not just isolated to next year. I agree that a rookie QB may keep them from the playoffs but I don't think it's a given with the progress they've made with the roster.

You play him and live with the inconsistency with the goal that he will be better for it in 2025. In this scenario they trade Fields so it's not an option. If they draft a QB at 1, they need to trade Fields. They may not be playoff ready next year but I think they are on a path for sustained success soon.