Sox Fan In NYC

Behind Enemy Lines. Craig Breslow stinks but the Yankees are worse.

[Sox Fan In NYC @SoxIn212]

Do I like Craig Breslows process? No.

Could the team be even better than it’s slated to be in 2026? Yes.

Is this an improved 2026 Red Sox team? Big Time.

🧵See summary below in terms of impact to 2026 roster.

[Sox Fan In NYC @SoxIn212]

Red Sox might’ve lost but at least Bobby Dalbec is a hero in Japan

[Sox Fan In NYC @SoxIn212]

I fear the Red Sox might be legitimately bad

[Robert Stock @RobertStock6]

Of course that’s your contention. You’re a first-year analytics intern. You just got finished reading some Sabermetric historian—Bill James, probably. You’re gonna be convinced of that ’til next month when you get to the latest Pitching+ update, and then you’re gonna be talkin’ about how SIERA is the only "true" measure of skill because it accounts for the complexity of the batted ball profile to CSW rates.

You have no thoughts of your own. You’re just looking at a movement plot and trying to sound smart. You’re gonna realize in a couple of years that you spent all that time calculating "Expected FIP" based on a "Skill-Interactive" ghost, when you could’ve just looked at the K/BB ratio and seen the whole picture.

The sad thing is, in about five years, you’re gonna realize you’re not that bright. You’re gonna be talkin’ about Skenes’ "Expected ERA" while the real experts are just looking at a box score and realizing that if a guy doesn't walk people and he misses bats, he's gonna be fine.

You dropped $100,000 on a Data Science degree to learn how to run a regression on a pitcher's "luck," when you could’ve gotten the same predictive value for five cents in late charges by looking at a K/BB leader board at the public library.

[Sox Fan In NYC @SoxIn212]

The entirety of the Red Sox offseason discussed moving Yoshida with a prospect (not a move the Red Sox should ever be making unless it’s Jordan Hicks).

Am I crazy to be positive about his 2026 season?

Yes, he isn’t a perfect fit and could have used the payroll elsewhere. But he provides great bat to ball skills, puts the ball in play and was the best hitter on the team in September (.818 OPS). Based on current roster construction he is a nice compliment to the rest of the lineup, and should get regular ABs one way or another.

We have to get past it, this team isn’t going to hit a ton of HRs, but last year was infuriating watching K after K last year. Let’s put the ball in play.

[Sox Fan In NYC @SoxIn212]

@TolleEnthusiast Personally this “log jam” is over hyped to me. I was in on trading Duran for the right price. But injuries happen, basically any injury to any position besides 1B and Catcher opens up a path for both of these guys to play everyday.

[Sox Fan In NYC @SoxIn212]

IN SUMMARY, 2026 Red Sox should be:

Top 5 Rotation / Bullpen (CONSERVATIVELY)
Top 10 Defense (Everyone a + defender except Story)
Top 12-15 Offense

That’s a GOOD Team. Better than 2025.

Should it be better? For sure. But an AL contender whether we want to believe it or not.

[Sox Fan In NYC @SoxIn212]

Do I like Craig Breslows process? No.

Could the team be even better than it’s slated to be in 2026? Yes.

Is this an improved 2026 Red Sox team? Big Time.

🧵See summary below in terms of impact to 2026 roster.

[Sox Fan In NYC @SoxIn212]

However, I think you make up for his glove at 3rd with all the defensive first additions and Contreras gets you (most?) of the way there with the bat. Pitching is 5x better than last year at the expense of pitching depth only.

PLUS you got rid of Jordan Hicks

[Sox Fan In NYC @SoxIn212]

I hate how we got here, but the Red Sox are a better team today than they were yesterday.