Mojo Dojo Casas House: Boston Red Sox 2024

The right side of the infield is just going to be bro central

Alex Cora suggested that he sees a full season of Story as a reason to expect a significant defensive upgrade this year. His range to his right and cross-body arm strength are both in an obviously excellent place at the start of spring training. pic.twitter.com/Je8xh9e5Ru

— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) February 13, 2024

Lucas Giolito didn’t know that former White Sox teammate Liam Hendriks was signing with the Sox until this morning when Hendriks texted him asking where he was and told him “I’m in the breakfast room.”

— Gabrielle Starr (@gfstarr1) February 19, 2024

Spring training gives us the best Content

Tanner Houck and Garrett Whitlock: Tigger/Eeyore/Bird of Prey/Koala/Black Bear/Winnie the Pooh/Dug

Houck deviated from the pack with his initial answer. “Honestly, I’m more like a cartoon character,” he said. “I’m like Tigger.”

If Houck is Tigger, then what would his closest friend on the team, Whitlock, be?

“I think he’s Eeyore,” Houck said with a chuckle. “I’m all over the place and he’s just kind of like –”
Whitlock chose that exact moment to amble over. The pitchers’ lockers are next to one another.
“I’m saying how I’m Tigger and you’re Eeyore,” Houck told Whitlock. “Especially at 7 o’clock in the morning, I’m definitely Tigger and he’s definitely Eeyore. Until you get coffee in him, he’s definitely Eeyore.”

“Eeyore?” Whitlock exclaimed, equal parts outrage and amusement.

“Until you get coffee in you, yes!” Houck responded.
“I mean, yes, Tigger is right for you,” Whitlock said.
Then, Martin walked over and told them he was a giraffe.

“Giraffes makes sense,” Whitlock said. “I’m a bird of prey.”

Because he’s going to be feasting on batters this season? “Oh jeez,” Whitlock said.

“I mean, that’s what you said you were,” Houck said with a grin.

“Birds of prey, they’re sometimes solitary, but huge family values and they always mate for life,” Whitlock said. “I’ll go red-tailed hawk, because that’s what we have in Georgia.”

“Wow, you really went deep on that,” Houck said.
Then, another pivot. “Now that I think about it, honestly I might be more of a koala,” Whitlock said. “I love these questions.”

“I’m a bear, because a bear always wants honey,” Houck said, pivoting as well. “I like sweets, I like Sour Patch Kids, Mike ‘n Ikes –”

“I think he’s a good black bear, because they’re not scary,” Whitlock said of Houck. “Grizzlies, you run away.”

Or perhaps Houck is Yogi Bear.

“Hey there, Boo Boo! I think I found a pic-a-nic basket!” Whitlock said, mimicking the cartoon character’s voice perfectly.

“I don’t know what I am,” Houck said.
“You said I was Eeyore,” an affronted Whitlock replied. “What the heck? I’m a depressed donkey?”
“He’s just low-energy sometimes,” Houck said. “Like you, before you have your coffee.”
“I mean, that’s true,” Whitlock agreed.

Postscript: The following morning, Whitlock told the Herald that after much discussion between the pitchers, Houck was the golden retriever Dug, from the movie “Up.”

Let’s hope he doesn’t get called up till next year

.@RedSox top prospect Marcelo Mayer spoke with @SamDykstraMiLB about rebounding from last year's shoulder injury and the adjustments he's made. #MLBTonight | @MLBPipeline pic.twitter.com/x6yLw7UphZ

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 5, 2024

I love him

Red Sox born & raised. pic.twitter.com/gzQodZjDUg

— Red Sox (@RedSox) March 7, 2024

TIL it’s bay-o

You should watch this, it’s the canonical Bello video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNuOnnQNPk8

https://i.postimg.cc/SsVRQhJK/IMG-6603.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/zvBBVcgF/IMG-6604.jpg

Proud dad Pedro

https://i.postimg.cc/65qjdz7W/IMG-6774.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/hGLpS5Yr/IMG-6775.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/q7V1HT1q/IMG-6776.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/JzBpFncS/IMG-6777.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GJCWRenXMAA2djm?format=jpg&name=large
Cook!

at Seattle! What a day for you. :)

Don’t even talk to me about split loyalties here, it was hard enough being simultaneously happy and sad (ok mostly happy) when Casas hit that Barry Bonds home run in SF last year.

at 24 years & 316 days old, Brayan Bello will be the 4th-youngest Opening Day SP for the Red Sox in the last 85 seasons, older than only:

1979 Dennis Eckersley: 24 y, 184 d
1961 Bill Monbouquette: 24 y, 243 d
1995 Aaron Sele: 24 y, 305 d https://t.co/oXXZUNZ5R9

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) March 19, 2024

Also, please let Trevor Story be great, he’s been making plays like this since he came back from injury

.@Tstory2 makes it look easy 😎 pic.twitter.com/rjtu6VQ1R8

— MLB (@MLB) March 19, 2024

That 'thing' on Isaiah Campbell's face is a thing of beauty. Can't even focus on his pitching when he's got that thing staring at you. That's a +1war stache

Doesn’t look like Bello had his best stuff last night but he still pitched five innings and gave up 2 earned runs (off a Haniger home run). No walks.

Stats was talking last year that Bello’s fastball was unusually hittable:

Last season, Bello threw 362 four seam fastballs to left-handed batters. They batted .333 with 8 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, and a .704 SLG against that pitch.

In his final spring training start, 1 of his 91 pitches was a four seamer.

— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) March 29, 2024

No four seamers from Bello tonight. pic.twitter.com/QZmW2x2z8v

— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) March 29, 2024

The season is officially back pic.twitter.com/34Y3CX5pXv

— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) March 29, 2024

Also, Joely remains TERRIBLE, I have no idea why he made the roster over Bernie and I hope they cut bait on him sooner rather than later.

yeah i do not understand that either

i was reading that about bello’s fastball a couple of days ago. on the one, great that he’s adjusting, on the other hand, major league pitchers without a fastball are kind of a rare bird these days. the 0 walks is probably my favourite stat of the night

https://x.com/alexspeier/status/1773536959840834013?s=20

We need a full ⁦biomechanical analysis of Tyler O’Neill’s throw from RF. pic.twitter.com/UZnJUCzk4j

— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) March 29, 2024

I saw that, hilarious. He made a similar acrobatic throw in his spring training micd up video.

that's beautiful

yeah i do not understand that either

i was reading that about bello’s fastball a couple of days ago. on the one, great that he’s adjusting, on the other hand, major league pitchers without a fastball are kind of a rare bird these days. the 0 walks is probably my favourite stat of the night

Watching it back both NESN and WEEI were saying Duran was distracting Casas and he didn’t look happy if you watch the bottom of the ninth back. Story’s like, you’re on your own bro, if he wants to eat you I can’t do anything about that.
https://i.postimg.cc/QdkyfGMK/IMG-8213.jpg

And that Rafaela triple! Ceddy/Story/Duran/O’Neill are going to be menaces on the basepaths and it’s fun. Especially impressed cos Cal Raleigh really is good at throwing runners out.

Yes, this. pic.twitter.com/CEQYoA07Sx

— Red Sox (@RedSox) March 29, 2024

- get Joely Rodriguez off this team and Bernie back ASAP
- Casas & Story both have timing slightly off, feelsbadman.jpg (though it’s literal March)
- need Grissom off the IL ASAP
- Cora’s continued inability to manage a bullpen in high leverage
- Devers pls don’t be out too long
- Abreu nightmare game :(

However:

+ can this team actually defend now? The starters look good!
+ the pitching. The pitching! 3 ER over 16 innings.
+ Trevor Story in the field
+ Ceddy just incredibly special
+ the speed on the basepaths is night and day
+ provisional YES on Tyler O’Neill

However

The Dunedin Police Department’s scanner on February 7, 2020 pic.twitter.com/IwJ8uzFjX7

— Pod On Lansdowne (@PodOnLansdowne) March 31, 2024

This is so cute, sorry if this offends. Masa is so loved, I’m always seeing guys hugging him

what is happening lol pic.twitter.com/YaQ2bw8o17

— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) April 2, 2024

Kenley doing Kenley things

(unable to throw strikes against the *checks notes* bottom of the A's lineup)

Kenley is playing through a back strain atm iirc and also closed out the first game last night which was like 16 hours between outings for him. It was ugly but the man got it done. I don’t think they put him in there if they didn’t use most of the pen yesterday.

I have no idea how people suffer a full season of baseball. I couldn’t even look at gameday during the bottom of the ninth; I was sitting on the bed checking my phone’s lockscreen for a message from my friend telling me the game was over, while my husband* was following on his iPad and gleefully going “oh no he’s walked someone, double play? Oh no force out…” It’s rough, man, but an ugly scraped out win still counts just the same.

* he also watched my Spanish flu era king George Kirby get knocked around by the Guardians before turning to me and going “What is this, an all-hitter?” Who’d follow this fucking game?!

I love this trend, keep going Craig

Red Sox are in agreement with Ceddanne Rafaela on a contract extension, source tells MassLive.

— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) April 8, 2024

interesting look at the red sox consciously reducing fastball usage: https://blogs.fangraphs.com/not-so-fast-red-sox-cut-fastballs-in-new-approach/

Didn't reduce quickly enough to prevent Pivetta from hitting the IL. :-(

I’m glad you’re happy, Steve

:-( <> :-)

story out for the season

We know

I’m at opening day! I accidentally bought a ticket to tomorrow’s game first, so I guess I’m going to that one too

lol

This game is very boring to watch, I’m just glad Grissom will be back soon and I hopefully never have to see Valdez play 2nd again. If they move Rafaela to short they might be cooking. Nice to see Bello doing well, especially in the day.

*Sox commentator talks about Columbe having a teal glove and whether or not it goes with the Orioles’ black and orange.*

User Sharivari, as bored by this game as I am: teal and orange is a classic combo, man doesn’t know what he’s talking about

teal and black...the color combo that launched 1,000 expansion team unis in the 90s.

Tbf they then brought up in a latter inning the teal glove is because his child is autistic and he is active in autism awareness and education(teal being associated with that), which I liked learning.

I love Story so much, this hurts. I wanted a great year for him more than anyone.

Trevor Story just spoke for about 5 minutes. He was in tears, and had to pause several times to collect himself.

— Gabrielle Starr (@gfstarr1) April 9, 2024

teal and black...the color combo that launched 1,000 expansion team unis in the 90s.

― j.q higgins, Tuesday, April 9, 2024 2:37 PM bookmarkflaglink

San Jose Sharks have entered the chat.

Scenes from the postgame clubhouse: Trevor Story in tears at the thought of missing the year, Jarren Duran punching his locker and pronouncing repeatedly that he (expletive) sucks for dropping the flyball.

— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) April 9, 2024

We're all like Jarren Duran sometimes fr fr

Hard watch. I feel so bad for him.

Anyone who rips players for getting hurt or is ripping Trevor Story today ... watch this. If you're still unsure after, you'd score a N/A on an EKG https://t.co/dM4lmWoIDp

— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) April 10, 2024

just in case tracer didn't see dayo post this on the broadcasters thread:

IT'S HERE
IT'S FOUND

21 yrs ago I was a NESN truck intern watching Jerry relentlessly roast Don over what a lunar eclipse is. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard to this day. Enjoy the best six min of your week. (Enormous h/t to @sidsethupathi)

--> https://t.co/OCzRzDL0ak

— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) April 9, 2024

I definitely giggled at the tone shift from Devers’ hugely professional answer (about Tyler O’Neill being walked to get to him) to LMAO YEAH I WAS SURPRISED

"We've been trying to make the adjustment. We know we haven't been able to bring a lot of runs in but, that's baseball and today was a different story."

Rafael Devers on today's win over Washington | #RedSox pic.twitter.com/V95XMg6Lmz

— NESN (@NESN) May 11, 2024

I love my tiny king
https://i.postimg.cc/L6Hbr09C/IMG-1062.jpg

Raffy is forever

"In the moment I wasn't thinking about that... When I got to the dugout and I saw my teammates it was a special moment for sure."

Rafael Devers on breaking the franchise record for most consecutive games with a home run | #RedSox pic.twitter.com/aZFyvbm2az

— NESN (@NESN) May 21, 2024

So reliable

Really did not have Tanner Houck breaking out as a bonafide stud on my bingo card for this year but it's something to see

If Giolito was healthy he probably isn’t even in the rotation

He’s a right handed Chris Sale

No, really

Tanner Houck vs. Righty Chris Sale, Sliders (individual pitches + overlay) pic.twitter.com/31tEWpLksb

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 23, 2021

I was thinking about that. If Giolito’s magically healthy tomorrow, who do you even move?

I mean Whitlock is probably out rest of the season? I bet you didn’t think we’d be saying thank God for the Criswell signing

he's been lights out!

Bello
Tanner
Pivetta
Kutter
Criswell

I don't know who I'd move tbh

https://i.postimg.cc/dQTbZ0td/IMG-1070.jpg

Oppo-taco tank. pic.twitter.com/6jYaYS6zo3

— Red Sox (@RedSox) May 21, 2024

Criswell would be very good in that Winck long reliever role who can do the odd spot start, no?

Probably so but I hate moving guys back and forth like that

I’m so happy they’re playing him in CF again

Ceddanne Rafaela is a human highlight reel. pic.twitter.com/i4QJyL6PSD

— Red Sox (@RedSox) May 28, 2024

That throw!!!!!

That’s our 95% percentile arm strength shortstop/CF hybrid!

I mean that is a no-hop throw to 1B from the deepest part of left center field.. astonishing

best throw i've seen since laureano's

The Braves just picked him up so I’ve seen that throw around today! Thank you for respecting Ceddy 🫡