The #1 problem plaguing this team last year was the bullpen. They were so deficient at the end of the year that they didn't even bother to carry a lefty. Rookie relievers were the only ones who showed anything and despite taking their lumps, they looked like usable parts. Hahn rebuilt the bullpen from the back with a legitimate closer and two lefty relievers to go with the rookies. I don't think there offense helped themselves yet. The offense was competitive, ranking in the upper part of the middle last year. I think a large part of that was due to injuries as they seemed to be better when Eaton was not hurt.

I see this team as a mid 80 win team, able to compete with the receding Tigers and Royals. I say 85 right now with a chance of upper 80s with another bat or two.

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85

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

86

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@audioidkid

Whatever Baseball Prospectus tells me

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-- source

84-93

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GO BEARS!!!

92 wins. This team will be really good.

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87.

Same as the Cubs. It should be a fun summer.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

92 if the 3 starters stay healthy.

85.

Abreau regresses slightly. Still good, just not MVP discussion. Sale misses a few weeks due to an injury. Competes for a wild card.

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Team Cutler.

I think you have to understand that the Sox are still throwing out shit at 4-5 with Noesi and Danks. You have to anticipate Sale will miss a month of starts. That will make things rough.

Hahn's biggest mistake as a GM was not cashing in on Danks when he had that hot streak that brought his ERA into the 3.75 range in the middle of the year

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Everybody seems to be talking about the offseason like it's over. I don't think Hahn is done yet.

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I hope you're right. I would like another bat or 2 and some more bullpen help.

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I'd much rather them see about getting a more reliable 4th starter than adding more to the bullpen. If Duke and Robertson don't significantly improve that unit as is, then adding another arm isn't going to help.

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77

Still lot of holes

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83-88

Samardjiza's TWTW is below replacement level. 75 wins.

I want 7th, 8th and 9th inning guys like the Royals had. Duke may become a situational guy. I expect that .245 average against righties to rise in the AL. He really struggled after the break too.

Edit: It was only August. He gave up more runs that month than he did in every other month of the year combined.

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Not worried. A guy is allowed a bad month.

Even in the current pitching market, isn't $5 million for a situational reliever absurd? I would think he's better than that based on his numbers.

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It is. If his average vs righties creeps up to .260+ then he will become one. The AL is a tougher league. Hopefully Coop can fix that.

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Probably market rate, my thing with relievers is the multi-year deals. Crain, Linebrink, probably a few guys I'm forgetting were around probably at least a year too long, and RP are so damn fungible you can find some guy in the low minors and he can be situationally effective for a month or two.

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

$5M is a HUGE amount for a situational lefty who will throw around 50 innings. Last year they paid Scott Downs $3.75M and when he sucked out loud Hahn was so hamstrung he couldn't replace him. The more I think about it the more I absolutely hate that contract.

Was Duke used as a LOOGY last year? Does Coop intend to deploy him as a LOOGY? I thought he was a guy who can pitch to both sides of the plate. And I have no idea how often he goes to the side action vs. RHB.

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

I'm not sure how he was used last year but I'm sure they will try to get a little more out of him. I'm not buying the arm slot stuff as much as the increase he had in velocity. I just hope they don't think they can use him like he's Matt Thornton.

81

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I understand not wanting to pay that much for a guy like Duke, but you have to fix that bullpen. It was horrible. Id rather them actively try to get proven guys then throw a bunch of shit at the wall with minor leaguers and have it be just as bad.

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I don't understand Shark being a real game changer. I mean, he's ok but he's not like an ace or anything. He's like Romo. Just not a real winner.
78 wins.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Sox have an ace. He just needs to be a good 2nd/3rd starter. It seems like that's what he is, which is fine.

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He's more like a servicable 4th. He doesn't win games. JORR says that's the only way to judge a starter.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Are you JORR? His peripheral stats indicate he's way better than a 4th.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

The Sox would have been 10 wins better last year if they had kept Reed as closer. Using 83 as a baseline I am looking for a 10 win improvement. Dunn and Paulie not weighing down the lineup with pitching staff improvements, the Sox will be playing meaningful baseball in September.

93-69

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