Is it time for the Fulmer start where his stuff is working and gets guys out and gets people excited?  I love that start even though it’s followed by crap starts. 

I just wanted to say that Fulmer's tendency to smack the ball into his glove 3-4 times as he grips to release the pitch is so infuriating. As if he didn't already have trouble with his delivery ?

6 minutes ago, Jerksticks said:

Is it time for the Fulmer start where his stuff is working and gets guys out and gets people excited?  I love that start even though it’s followed by crap starts. 

and usually its a first inning implosion.  Nothing long and dragged out, just destroyed and here comes the pen

Barring another scratch, excited to see Moncada as a RHH

8 minutes ago, Jose Abreu said:

Barring another scratch, excited to see Moncada as a RHH

I would love to see him go 3-4 again today.

38 minutes ago, Jose Abreu said:

Barring another scratch, excited to see Moncada as a RHH

He's quickly turning in to must see TV for me.  I do admit I watch his ab's and then work around the house for a bit--come back to see his next ab--repeat.  Something about his swing is just fascinating.  May be the beginning of a man crush.  

Edited May 18, 20187 yr by FT35

Going after the elusive 2 game winning streak.

6 minutes ago, FT35 said:

He's quickly turning in to must see TV for me.  I do admit I watch his ab's and then work around the house for a bit--come back to see his next ab--repeat.  Something about his swing is just fascinating.  May be the beginning of a man crush.  

I like how quickly he's adjusted to pitchers trying to get ahead in the count by using his patience against him. Last night he was looking dead read fastball in his first AB, got fooled with a changeup, but he put it into the Texas pitching staff's mind the rest of the game that they couldn't just cheat and throw him a fastball down the middle to get ahead like earlier in the year.

Also his strike zone judgement is elite.  Sometimes, like Joey Votto or Frank, it appears better than the ump's on any given night.   Agree that he's must watch TV.

Edited May 18, 20187 yr by chitownsportsfan

26 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

I like how quickly he's adjusted to pitchers trying to get ahead in the count by using his patience against him. Last night he was looking dead read fastball in his first AB, got fooled with a changeup, but he put it into the Texas pitching staff's mind the rest of the game that they couldn't just cheat and throw him a fastball down the middle to get ahead like earlier in the year.

Also his strike zone judgement is elite.  Sometimes, like Joey Votto or Frank, it appears better than the ump's on any given night.   Agree that he's must watch TV.

Absolutely!  Forces the pitcher to nibble--which will ultimately lead to more hitter's counts.  He'll strike out a lot still--but he's swinging at strikes--that's a good sign for sure.  And it sure didn't take long for him to get back into the zone coming off the DL.  I would NOT want to pitch to him right now.  

11 minutes ago, Tony said:

For those of us that have tried to watch most games, it’s fun to actually see the evolution, you can really see it from where he was at the end of last year to now, he’s a different hitter. I expect that to continue as well.

The swing mechanics were there last year, but this year he's really made the jump.  Making consistently hard contact when he puts it in play.  The guy just hit rockets all over the park.  

Is this game going to be played?  Forecast is calling for rain starting around 7pm.    Going to tailgate but don't have tickets yet and debating whether or not to pick up some cheapies on stubhub or just play it by ear.  

1 hour ago, chitownsportsfan said:

I like how quickly he's adjusted to pitchers trying to get ahead in the count by using his patience against him. Last night he was looking dead read fastball in his first AB, got fooled with a changeup, but he put it into the Texas pitching staff's mind the rest of the game that they couldn't just cheat and throw him a fastball down the middle to get ahead like earlier in the year.

Also his strike zone judgement is elite.  Sometimes, like Joey Votto or Frank, it appears better than the ump's on any given night.   Agree that he's must watch TV.

This is the key. He had adjusted to them. It will change again. The really successful players continually make adjustments. This is what someone like Beckham couldn't do.

Moncada leads the Sox in runs picked up on the bases (1.3), runs saved in the field (2.1) and is 2nd in wRC+ at 135.  He has played 32 games and has produced 1.5 fWAR.  He is "on pace" even with his injury, to put up 5+ fWAR in his 1st full season, 1/3 of which will be played before he turns 23.

He's pretty much singlehandedly saving interest in this season, at least for me.

Edited May 18, 20187 yr by chitownsportsfan

26 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

Moncada leads the Sox in runs picked up on the bases (1.3), runs saved in the field (2.1) and is 2nd in wRC+ at 135.  He has played 32 games and has produced 1.5 fWAR.  He is "on pace" even with his injury, to put up 5+ fWAR in his 1st full season, 1/3 of which will be played before he turns 23.

He's pretty much singlehandedly saving interest in this season, at least for me.

Would Moncada accept an extension right now? Say, 8 years/$150M?

14 minutes ago, soxfan49 said:

Would Moncada accept an extension right now? Say, 8 years/$150M?

Are you counting this year? Because that might have a shot at getting done since it's more than he'd make during these 8 years Guessing some not-unreasonable numbers:

2018 Pre Arb
2019 pre Arb
2020 Pre Arb
2021 Arb 1 ~$12 mil
2022 Arb 2 ~ $17 mil
2023 Arb 3 ~ $22 mil
2024 FA Year 1 - $32 mil
2025 FA Year 2 - $32 mil

Give or take a little bit, right now he'd be on pace to earn about $115 mil-ish over that 8 year time period. If you're counting next year as year 1, I don't think so, he'd be better off going to free agency.

11 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Are you counting this year? Because that might have a shot at getting done since it's more than he'd make during these 8 years Guessing some not-unreasonable numbers:

2018 Pre Arb
2019 pre Arb
2020 Pre Arb
2021 Arb 1 ~$12 mil
2022 Arb 2 ~ $17 mil
2023 Arb 3 ~ $22 mil
2024 FA Year 1 - $32 mil
2025 FA Year 2 - $32 mil

Give or take a little bit, right now he'd be on pace to earn about $115 mil-ish over that 8 year time period. If you're counting next year as year 1, I don't think so, he'd be better off going to free agency.

Maybe he would take it, though. For me it's almost a toss up. Could it hurt to try? Sale took his deal. Anderson took his deal. Trout took his. Maybe Moncada would.

33 minutes ago, soxfan49 said:

Would Moncada accept an extension right now? Say, 8 years/$150M?

He'd be an idiot not to take that, and the players association would fucking love him for that.  Consider this.  Anderson's 6 year $25 million deal can push to 8/$50.5 if the Sox pick up the options, and that was a record for players with one year or service or less.

4 minutes ago, soxfan49 said:

Maybe he would take it, though. For me it's almost a toss up. Could it hurt to try? Sale took his deal. Anderson took his deal. Trout took his. Maybe Moncada would.

There is a huge difference between all of those guys and Moncada. Sale, Anderson, Trout - they only had first round guaranteed money, they had less than $5 million guaranteed in the bank when they took their contracts. Yoan got a $31.5 million signing bonus with the Red Sox, so you can't do the "He's guaranteeing himself a millionaire for life" when he already is one, and that's a big difference from everyone you mentioned.

1 hour ago, ptatc said:

This is the key. He had adjusted to them. It will change again. The really successful players continually make adjustments. This is what someone like Beckham couldn't do.

Which is why Palka could be headed south. 

34 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

There is a huge difference between all of those guys and Moncada. Sale, Anderson, Trout - they only had first round guaranteed money, they had less than $5 million guaranteed in the bank when they took their contracts. Yoan got a $31.5 million signing bonus with the Red Sox, so you can't do the "He's guaranteeing himself a millionaire for life" when he already is one, and that's a big difference from everyone you mentioned.

Bingo. Was just about to post this.

1 hour ago, Balta1701 said:

Are you counting this year? Because that might have a shot at getting done since it's more than he'd make during these 8 years Guessing some not-unreasonable numbers:

2018 Pre Arb
2019 pre Arb
2020 Pre Arb
2021 Arb 1 ~$12 mil
2022 Arb 2 ~ $17 mil
2023 Arb 3 ~ $22 mil
2024 FA Year 1 - $32 mil
2025 FA Year 2 - $32 mil

Give or take a little bit, right now he'd be on pace to earn about $115 mil-ish over that 8 year time period. If you're counting next year as year 1, I don't think so, he'd be better off going to free agency.

He'd be stupid to take that IMO because if he's really good the Sox are going to be working on something like 10 years 300 million coming off what is hopefully a successful, 90+ win season in 2021.  

5 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

He'd be stupid to take that IMO because if he's really good the Sox are going to be working on something like 10 years 300 million coming off what is hopefully a successful, 90+ win season in 2021.  

If he took that deal starting right now, this year, he'd have $150 million in the bank and he'd hit free agency again at age 30, so he'd have a shot at a good paycheck after that based on when Cano hit free agency, so he could still pull off the same amount of money, give or take, with a greater guarantee up front, if it started right now.

7 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

If he took that deal starting right now, this year, he'd have $150 million in the bank and he'd hit free agency again at age 30, so he'd have a shot at a good paycheck after that based on when Cano hit free agency, so he could still pull off the same amount of money, give or take, with a greater guarantee up front, if it started right now.

I shouldn't have used the word "stupid" but maybe "sub optimal".  As mentioned he's already got enough money to live rather comfortably.  It's not a situation where he wants to guarantee an absolute floor for his career earnings and take away that downside risk (like TA or Q or Sale or Eaton) who had never gotten paid anywhere near the 30 or so million Moncada got to come over.

Maybe guaranteeing that 150 million would be tempting but maybe he'd be tempted to play a few years in the prime of his  physical condition (if not quite the prime of his baseball career) and perhaps double his earnings over that next decade instead.

From the Sox' POV I don't think there's any incentive to buy him out so early in his arb.  Especially not until they  know what the new CBA is going to bring.