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Looking Back On Preseason Predictions

Some were closer than others

By Mike Carlucci
/ new
Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

At the start of every season the OTM crew and community make predictions about the season. For various reasons no one followed up on this after 2022. I can’t imagine why. As I write this up on Festivus it feels somewhat charthatic as an airing of grievances. If you’ve forgotten, the Red Sox finished in last place in the AL East for the third time in the Chaim Bloom era. Without further adieu...

Record

Team Wins

Writer Wins Playoffs
Writer Wins Playoffs
Keaton DeRocher 88 Second Wild Card
Bayleigh Von Schneider 95 First Wild Card
Avery Hamel 90 Second Wild Card
Mike Carlucci 88 Second Wild Card
Phil Neuffer 83 Missing
Brendan Campbell 90 Second Wild Card
Matt Collins 85 Missing
Average 88 -
Actual 78 Missing

That wasn’t pretty. Only Matt and Phil predicted the team would be outside the playoffs looking in - despite 2 Wild Cards - and no one had a losing season on their ballot.

MVP

MVP Voting Results

Community Matt Collins Bryan Joiner Mike Carlucci Phil Neuffer Jake Devereaux Keaton DeRocher Shelly Verougstraete Bob Osgood Bayleigh Von Schneider Brendan Campbell Stephen Thompson
Community Matt Collins Bryan Joiner Mike Carlucci Phil Neuffer Jake Devereaux Keaton DeRocher Shelly Verougstraete Bob Osgood Bayleigh Von Schneider Brendan Campbell Stephen Thompson
Rafael Devers (71%) Rafael Devers Rafael Devers Xander Bogaerts Xander Bogaerts Trevor Story Rafael Devers Rafael Devers Rafael Devers Rafael Devers Rafael Devers Rafael Devers

You can’t really go wrong here (unless you picked Trevor Story) as both Xander and Devers had fantastic seasons. Bogaerts did pick up some extra WAR but Devers missed some time and took a few weeks to really get back into the swing (literally) of things.

Best Pitcher

Best Pitcher Voting Results

Community Matt Collins Bryan Joiner Mike Carlucci Phil Neuffer Jake Devereaux Keaton DeRocher Shelly Verougstraete Bob Osgood Bayleigh Von Schneider Brendan Campbell Stephen Thompson
Community Matt Collins Bryan Joiner Mike Carlucci Phil Neuffer Jake Devereaux Keaton DeRocher Shelly Verougstraete Bob Osgood Bayleigh Von Schneider Brendan Campbell Stephen Thompson
Nathan Eovaldi (48%) Nathan Eovaldi Nathan Eovaldi Nick Pivetta Nathan Eovaldi Chris Sale Nathan Eovaldi Nathan Eovaldi Nathan Eovaldi Nathan Eovaldi Nathan Eovaldi Nathan Eovaldi

Well this was a clean sweep disaster. Sale pitched 5.2 innings. Eovaldi was off and on the IL. Pivetta was mediocre at best. By WAR you’re looking at Michael Wacha and John Schreiber. Probably not the names anyone imagined being the bright spots on the staff.

Defensive Wizard

Defensive Wizard Voting Results

Community Matt Collins Bryan Joiner Mike Carlucci Phil Neuffer Jake Devereaux Keaton DeRocher Shelly Verougstraete Bob Osgood Bayleigh Von Schneider Brendan Campbell Stephen Thompson
Community Matt Collins Bryan Joiner Mike Carlucci Phil Neuffer Jake Devereaux Keaton DeRocher Shelly Verougstraete Bob Osgood Bayleigh Von Schneider Brendan Campbell Stephen Thompson
Jackie Bradley Jr. (42%) Enrique Hernández Trevor Story Trevor Story Enrique Hernández Trevor Story Trevor Story Trevor Story Enrique Hernández Enrique Hernández Enrique Hernández Jackie Bradley Jr.

I’ve got nothing. Still Story maybe? He had some pretty good plays. Wasn’t traded. He (94) and Kiké (93) both missed a lot of games. Maybe Xander Bogaerts for turning enough heads in 2022 that he cashed in for an enormous deal in San Diego?

Biggest Surprise

Biggest Surprise Voting Results

Community Matt Collins Bryan Joiner Mike Carlucci Phil Neuffer Jake Devereaux Keaton DeRocher Shelly Verougstraete Bob Osgood Bayleigh Von Schneider Brendan Campbell Stephen Thompson
Community Matt Collins Bryan Joiner Mike Carlucci Phil Neuffer Jake Devereaux Keaton DeRocher Shelly Verougstraete Bob Osgood Bayleigh Von Schneider Brendan Campbell Stephen Thompson
Bobby Dalbec (27%) Christian Vázquez Christian Arroyo Jake Diekman Tanner Houck Alex Verdugo Tanner Houck Kutter Crawford Bobby Dalbec Jackie Bradley Jr. Nick Pivetta Darwinzon Hernandez

Heck of a run up to the deadline for Christian Vázquez. Chalk up a point for Matt.

Biggest Disappointment

Biggest Disappointment Voting Results

Community Matt Collins Bryan Joiner Mike Carlucci Phil Neuffer Jake Devereaux Keaton DeRocher Shelly Verougstraete Bob Osgood Bayleigh Von Schneider Brendan Campbell Stephen Thompson
Community Matt Collins Bryan Joiner Mike Carlucci Phil Neuffer Jake Devereaux Keaton DeRocher Shelly Verougstraete Bob Osgood Bayleigh Von Schneider Brendan Campbell Stephen Thompson
Chris Sale (28%) Chris Sale Chris Sale Chris Sale Michael Wacha Bobby Dalbec Matt Barnes Tanner Houck Matt Barnes Chris Sale Matt Barnes Matt Barnes

Tanner Houck was ok. Michael Wacha was legitimately good. Sale probably still wins this, even if he wasn’t expected to do too much.

Unsung Hero

Unsung Hero Voting Results

Community Matt Collins Bryan Joiner Mike Carlucci Phil Neuffer Jake Devereaux Keaton DeRocher Shelly Verougstraete Bob Osgood Bayleigh Von Schneider Brendan Campbell Stephen Thompson
Community Matt Collins Bryan Joiner Mike Carlucci Phil Neuffer Jake Devereaux Keaton DeRocher Shelly Verougstraete Bob Osgood Bayleigh Von Schneider Brendan Campbell Stephen Thompson
Bobby Dalbec (26%) Hirokazu Sawamura Kevin Plawecki Rich Hill Christian Arroyo Jackie Bradley Jr. Matt Strahm Kevin Plawecki Garrett Whitlock Matt Strahm Christian Arroyo Alex Verdugo

...

...

Christian Arroyo? I guess?

Definitely not Dalbec, Sawamura, Plawecki, or Verdugo. Whitlock was rather sung, if hess heroic than 2021. Strahm or Hill?

Well this was mostly a disaster. Let’s hope 2023 is better. In the meantime start thinking about your superlative voting!

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