I think Hahn is gone by the end of the year. Because this is going to be a s**t show and Hahn let everything get out of hand. Maybe we need a Cuban refugee crisis to round out this squad. If Jose isn't going to lead this team through the playoffs that leaves TA to step up. I am dubious that this group has the mental makeup for success.

Just now, maxjusttyped said:

I'm not sure what Katz specifically could have done differently. Determining how long Rodon or Lynn's IL stints should have been during the 2nd half last year, or how they should have managed those guys' innings leading up to the playoffs strikes me much more as a medical staff decision rather than a pitching coach one.

Most contending teams had health issues on their pitching staff last season anyways. It happens. That's baseball. We saw McCullers break in game 4 against the Sox. Obviously they didn't have Verlander for all of last season because of TJS. Does Brent Strom deserve blame for some of the Astros pitchers not being available in the ALCS/World Series? What about Mark Prior for the Dodgers because they weren't able to get Kershaw all the way through the playoffs? The Rays do a great job developing pitchers, but Glasnow broke, so maybe their pitching coach should be criticized too. I don't know. There is no way to keep every pitcher healthy and strong for what you're hoping is a 7 month season. The Sox had one of the best pitching staffs in baseball last season. Giolito, Cease, and Rodon all made huge leaps under his tutelage. Without Katz, I don't think any of those 3 pitchers would be at the level they are now. It's just very difficult for me to spend much time criticizing him when there are 3 glaring examples of him making pitchers better in such a relatively short amount of time.

The pitching coach determines the innings, schedule,  between game throwing and basically everything to do with pitching. They really bring the medical staff in when issues arise.

Just now, ptatc said:

The pitching coach determines the innings, schedule,  between game throwing and basically everything to do with pitching. They really bring the medical staff in when issues arise.

I wish it were easier to find data on IL days last season. My understanding is the Sox were one of the healthiest pitching staffs in baseball last year.

Maybe you can quibble with how they managed Rodon, but they still got him to a point where he was hitting 99 against the Astros. Lynn's knee seems like it would be awfully difficult to pin on Katz, but maybe they overworked him or handled him in a way that was irresponsible. I don't know. If you were trying to be as a critical as possible, those are the only 2 examples I can think of you can say they got wrong from a health perspective. But as I said, basically every contending team had something going on with 1 of their best arms during the playoffs last season.

On 3/28/2022 at 2:51 PM, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Hahn has honestly been telling us this was the plan since November. 

 

Looking back, this was my favorite Hahn quote:

 

“We made some improvements [with Hernandez], but there’s still a chance to potentially get better in that regard, too,” Hahn said.

The improvement was signing a guy who is worse lol

Josh is going to make you forget Keppy. 

15 minutes ago, pcq said:

I think Hahn is gone by the end of the year. Because this is going to be a s**t show and Hahn let everything get out of hand. Maybe we need a Cuban refugee crisis to round out this squad. If Jose isn't going to lead this team through the playoffs that leaves TA to step up. I am dubious that this group has the mental makeup for success.

Not a chance unless they win 70 games and miss the playoffs.

Edited March 30, 20224 yr by ptatc

10 minutes ago, maxjusttyped said:

I wish it were easier to find data on IL days last season. My understanding is the Sox were one of the healthiest pitching staffs in baseball last year.

Maybe you can quibble with how they managed Rodon, but they still got him to a point where he was hitting 99 against the Astros. Lynn's knee seems like it would be awfully difficult to pin on Katz, but maybe they overworked him or handled him in a way that was irresponsible. I don't know. If you were trying to be as a critical as possible, those are the only 2 examples I can think of you can say they got wrong from a health perspective. But as I said, basically every contending team had something going on with 1 of their best arms during the playoffs last season.

I think towards the end they all seemed gassed. The knee injury was not on Jatz unless you want to stretch it to say he may have injured it due to fatigue, I wouldn't.

I would put kopech in that group. They were trying to ramp up his innings but probably started to early.

Overall it's wasn't that they were all injured but more that their performances all tailed off toward the end of the season. They even tried to decrease the innings and skip starts at the end of the season but it was too late by then.

Overall I'm all for increased work for starters but last year and this year are exceptions where the preseason preparation isn't there and alteration to the typical program need to occur. 

45 minutes ago, pcq said:

I think Hahn is gone by the end of the year. Because this is going to be a s**t show and Hahn let everything get out of hand. Maybe we need a Cuban refugee crisis to round out this squad. If Jose isn't going to lead this team through the playoffs that leaves TA to step up. I am dubious that this group has the mental makeup for success.

Hahn has a comfy job. He got his wings clipped by JR for reasons unknown (Harold implied awhile back something happened but didn't tell us what) but he's still cashing checks and prolly has very good job security (even if TLR stole his juice) since this will likely be 3 playoff appearances in a row and they seem to like how he performs in PR settings especially when he uses thoughtful and lawyerly words to make stupid decisions sound like they were thought out and well considered when we know it's just either one guy being cheap or another dude thinking its 1990. 

He does have to take the arrows in the media for TLRs stupid decisions and JRs cheapness but in the big picture it's a small price to pay for a gig and paycheck like that. 

57 minutes ago, ptatc said:

The pitching coach determines the innings, schedule,  between game throwing and basically everything to do with pitching. They really bring the medical staff in when issues arise.

Who determines when a pitcher comes out of a game?

Still waiting on the sox to pick from all those multiple kimbrel offers they had on the table we heard so much about. 

On 3/26/2022 at 11:57 AM, Squirmin' for Yermin said:

I'd argues strongly they need RF more than SP.  In the playoffs you start 4 starters max.. Of those that actually get to start, it's rare anyone makes it past 4 innings now.  First sign of trouble and they're out.  Give me the guy who will start every game.  That being said.. We still need another starter lol

While you're right that the starters have more consistent baseline talent, it was a stroke of pure luck that the Sox got through the season without substantial injuries to their staff last year, and not much less than pure luck that they got 150 innings and 4+ fWAR out of Rodon. You can't bank on that happening again -- especially with the questions marks with Keuchel's performance and Kopech's ability to handle a full year of a starter's workload. Falling off to Lopez and then... whatever comes after Lopez *shudder* will hurt MUCH more than a couple dead spots in the lineup.

Even though a couple dead spots in the lineup do definitely hurt.

14 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Who determines when a pitcher comes out of a game?

Depends on the situation and team from the ones I worked with. Typically the pitching coach will know more about the mechanics and fatigue signs so he is usually the first one.  But sometimes the Manager was a pitching coach so it may be him.

If it's just performance than the manager may go first. But most often it's the pitching coach suggestions. Guys like TLR whose background is not pitching tend to let the pitching coach do his thing.

Edited March 30, 20224 yr by ptatc

6 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Still waiting on the sox to pick from all those multiple kimbrel offers they had on the table we heard so much about. 

I'm still in denial that he's going to start the season on the south side....what a shitty analysis of the market by Hahn and company.

14 minutes ago, wegner said:

I'm still in denial that he's going to start the season on the south side....what a shitty analysis of the market by Hahn and company.

Every insider told us the entire off season there was a 0% chance he was on the team opening day. Anyone who implied otherwise was an idiot.

The clock is ticking. I hope I'm an idiot before the season starts.

21 minutes ago, wegner said:

I'm still in denial that he's going to start the season on the south side....what a shitty analysis of the market by Hahn and company.

If the Sox are not getting what they want in return then hang onto him. There will be a team who will panic because their closer will implode at the start of the season.......

 

Have to be smart here.

I also don't think Kimbrel will be as bad as he was for us last season. His track record is too good. 

10 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Every insider told us the entire off season there was a 0% chance he was on the team opening day. Anyone who implied otherwise was an idiot.

The clock is ticking. I hope I'm an idiot before the season starts.

Me and you both, pal.

5 minutes ago, 2Deep said:

If the Sox are not getting what they want in return then hang onto him. There will be a team who will panic because their closer will implode at the start of the season.......

 

Have to be smart here.

I also don't think Kimbrel will be as bad as he was for us last season. His track record is too good. 

I hope you're right....but if he wasn't traded because the Sox refused to pay some of the salary that is just ridiculous imo.

Edited March 30, 20224 yr by wegner

2 minutes ago, wegner said:

Me and you both, pal.

What would you call Buddy Biancalana?  Pal or "Buddy" Buddy?

3 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

What would you call Buddy Biancalana?  Pal or "Buddy" Buddy?

I like Buddy but would probably go with Old Building and Loan Pal.

Manaea looks awesome and has dominated a strong Dodgers lineup tonight. If by some miracle the Sox trade for him, he's definitely ready to start the season.

Manaea with 5 scoreless innings vs dodgers

2 minutes ago, wegner said:

I like Buddy but would probably go with Old Building and Loan Pal.

Okay, Jimmy Stewart.

1 minute ago, Whisox05 said:

Manaea with 5 scoreless innings vs dodgers

The anti-jinx worked tonight, but wouldn't hold up if he was on your fantasy team during the regular season as a member of the Sox.

1 minute ago, caulfield12 said:

Okay, Jimmy Stewart.

Its James to you.

Does Foxy know something?

 

Some first class trolling by the A's beat writer.