Blake Swihart an option?

[Jammer7]

On 4/17/2019 at 8:03 AM, Frobby said:

Where is the objective evidence that Sucre is helping our staff?    Our staff has a 5.98 ERA.

Don’t have objective evidence for you at the moment. But take out the two best games and the two worst games, and I’d bet the team ERA is more appetizing. However, I don’t think Yadier Molina himself, even in his prime, would do much better than we have had from Sucre and Severino in regards to defense and team ERA. Our pitching is what it is. Better than last year, and cheaper too. 

I pass on Swihart. Never seen what all the hype was about. And arb eligible next season...nah, we’re good.

[mdbdotcom]

Extend Dempsey!

[Frobby]

19 minutes ago, Jammer7 said:

Don’t have objective evidence for you at the moment. But take out the two best games and the two worst games, and I’d bet the team ERA is more appetizing. However, I don’t think Yadier Molina himself, even in his prime, would do much better than we have had from Sucre and Severino in regards to defense and team ERA. Our pitching is what it is. Better than last year, and cheaper too. 

I guess I don’t understand how a 6.05 ERA and 1.552 WHIP is better than last year’s 5.18 ERA and 1.496 WHIP.     To be clear, I’m not necessarily blaming the fact that the pitching is worse on Sucre.    I’m just saying I see no evidence that he’s made the pitching better.   

[mdbdotcom]

4 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I guess I don’t understand how a 6.05 ERA and 1.552 WHIP is better than last year’s 5.18 ERA and 1.496 WHIP.     To be clear, I’m not necessarily blaming the fact that the pitching is worse on Sucre.    I’m just saying I see no evidence that he’s made the pitching better.   

Or that the pitching is better with him than it would be without him.

[jamalshw]

I like Sucre's arm and he has a good presence behind the dish. Because of that, it's easy to buy into the narrative that he's good for the young pitchers (what ones of those we have) back there and that may be true, but I also tend to believe that can be a bit overrated at times.

I won't be heartbroken either way, but if Swihart isn't dealt and the O's get a chance to grab him, I would. I would also offer the Sox something small (some international money that we don't intend to use, perhaps?) to get him. I wouldn't advocate giving up an actual piece.

I would be interested to see what a Swihart/Severino pairing behind the dish does and if one or the other can emerge as a useful piece either as an all around utility bat off the bench in Swihart's case or a back up catcher in Severino's.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

1 hour ago, Jammer7 said:

Don’t have objective evidence for you at the moment. But take out the two best games and the two worst games, and I’d bet the team ERA is more appetizing. However, I don’t think Yadier Molina himself, even in his prime, would do much better than we have had from Sucre and Severino in regards to defense and team ERA. Our pitching is what it is. Better than last year, and cheaper too. 

I pass on Swihart. Never seen what all the hype was about. And arb eligible next season...nah, we’re good.

The hype is he wears a Red Sox uniform. If Swihart came up through the Twins organization no one would care about him. 

[Can_of_corn]

5 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

The hype is he wears a Red Sox uniform. If Swihart came up through the Twins organization no one would care about him. 

Odd that with that level of hype the Red Sox Farm system is ranked so poorly right now.

 

[MurphDogg]

5 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

The hype is he wears a Red Sox uniform. If Swihart came up through the Twins organization no one would care about him. 

Yes, I too remember how Miguel Sano was completely ignored as a minor leaguer.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

2 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Odd that with that level of hype the Red Sox Farm system is ranked so poorly right now.

 

The farm system has been gutted now. Swihart hasn’t produced at any level in over three years. I just don’t get the infatuation with the guy. 

[Frobby]

8 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

The farm system has been gutted now. Swihart hasn’t produced at any level in over three years. I just don’t get the infatuation with the guy. 

You don’t have to be infatuated with Swihart (.679 career OPS, 0.3 rWAR) to think he might be better than Sucre (.564, -0.2) or Severino (.557, -0.5).   As I said, I’m ambivalent about whether we claim him, but it’s not like there’s no case that he’d be an upgrade.   

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

4 minutes ago, Frobby said:

You don’t have to be infatuated with Swihart (.679 career OPS, 0.3 rWAR) to think he might be better than Sucre (.564, -0.2) or Severino (.557, -0.5).   As I said, I’m ambivalent about whether we claim him, but it’s not like there’s no case that he’d be an upgrade.   

If Elias and Sig believe in Swihart I’ll go along with it, but recent years have been injury plagued and poor production at the plate. 

[Jammer7]

23 hours ago, Frobby said:

I guess I don’t understand how a 6.05 ERA and 1.552 WHIP is better than last year’s 5.18 ERA and 1.496 WHIP.     To be clear, I’m not necessarily blaming the fact that the pitching is worse on Sucre.    I’m just saying I see no evidence that he’s made the pitching better.   

Well, that’s fair. Let’s have this discussion at the end of the season. We’ll have real numbers to compare. My opinion is subjective, certainly. And they certainly are cheaper.

ERA and WHIP are great numbers to look at, WHIP in particular. Last year’s pen had much more back end talent, and there was an endless shuttle of marginal arms going to and from Norfolk. Those numbers are not the whole story.

We were 5-14 last year on this date. 8-12 this year, with a limited offense. So, I suppose in that way the pitching is better...lol.

[BohKnowsBmore]

1 hour ago, Jammer7 said:

Well, that’s fair. Let’s have this discussion at the end of the season. We’ll have real numbers to compare. My opinion is subjective, certainly. And they certainly are cheaper.

ERA and WHIP are great numbers to look at, WHIP in particular. Last year’s pen had much more back end talent, and there was an endless shuttle of marginal arms going to and from Norfolk. Those numbers are not the whole story.

We were 5-14 last year on this date. 8-12 this year, with a limited offense. So, I suppose in that way the pitching is better...lol.

Whether or not you think the offensive talent is limited, they are right at the MLB average for runs scored per game.  The team is third-worst in runs allowed per game, despite improved defense.

So, I don't think it makes sense to conclude that the pitching is better as the explanation for improvement in y-o-y record.

[Roll Tide]

This may be a change of scenery guy.....only 300 MLB ABs since 2015. Poorer AAA numbers with each return to the minors. Morale and lack of playing opportunities could be the issue.

[BohKnowsBmore]

I'm not infatuated with Swihart nor will I be super disappointed if we don't sign him, but I think it would be a good move for this team.  I imagine Sucre would make it to the minors on a DFA.  Severino and Swihart would be a decent battery and there's an outside chance that one of them could be of interest to someone at the deadline.