How will this team finish the season?

[mvp 78]

We're almost half way through the season and now is probably a good time for updated projections from you all.

[User Name]

88-93 range. The offense picks up steam again, the top three SP continue to be solid, and they upgrade with an SP and RP at the deadline.

 

If they upgrade, upper range, if they don't, lower range.

[Slasher9]

88-93 range. The offense picks up steam again, the top three SP continue to be solid, and they upgrade with an SP and RP at the deadline.

 

If they upgrade, upper range, if they don't, lower range.

 

100% agree with this.

[harmony]

89-90 wins, AL East champs, lose in AL Divisional Series

 

My prediction is not worth the cyberspace it's written on.

[mvp 78]

I know you're going to be mad about this, but it should say "Above .500" but some dingus came into my office and I got distracted. Sorry all.

[Jack Flap]

High 80's/low 90's wins sounds about right. The offense will be neither as good as it looked a few weeks ago or as bad as it has looked the last few games, but not a concern over the long haul, and the big D will bring in pitching help one way or another. (Hug your favorite prospects a little tighter tonight, folks.)

[Kimmi]

High 80's/low 90's wins sounds about right. The offense will be neither as good as it looked a few weeks ago or as bad as it has looked the last few games, but not a concern over the long haul, and the big D will bring in pitching help one way or another. (Hug your favorite prospects a little tighter tonight, folks.)

 

I'll stick with 90 wins. I agree 100% with your statements about the offense and Dombrowski adding some pitching help.

[Kimmi]

I know you're going to be mad about this, but it should say "Above .500" but some dingus came into my office and I got distracted. Sorry all.

 

The nerve of some people, interrupting you while you're trying to goof off!

[mvp 78]

The nerve of some people, interrupting you while you're trying to goof off!

 

It's ok. He's getting laid off at the end of August.

[Spudboy]

My selection would be "At or about .500".

 

So I selected above .500

[iortiz]

I still believe. I want to believe. There's no way another year without playoffs.

 

DD better grab another arm. I don't care the the W-L, We are going to win the division.

[mvp 78]

I still believe. I want to believe. There's no way another year without playoffs.

 

DD better grab another arm. I don't care the the W-L, We are going to win the division.

 

!!!

 

Considering how much you've crapped on the team in the past, this post made my day. (no sarcasm)

[User Name]

I am changing my selection to "Below .500. These guys stink!", let hell freezeth over because of my agreement with iortiz.

[Maxbialystock]

Tough call right now after losing three straight at Fenway against the ChiSox, but I'm pretty confident they will finish over .500 despite the ongoing June swoon. Because of that, I also think the Sox will be contenders for the playoffs and could get in.

 

But right now, as someone else said on a game thread, the Sox seem to be looking for ways to lose. When the pitching is good, the hitting sucks. When the hitting is there, the starter or the bullpen blows it.

[Kimmi]

I still believe. I want to believe. There's no way another year without playoffs.

 

DD better grab another arm. I don't care the the W-L, We are going to win the division.

 

That's the spirit Iortiz! Believe!

[Kimmi]

There is no way that I can believe that this is a .500 team. They will get it back together.

[devildavid]

I see a playoff run in this teams future. But I don't think they are championship caliber.

[Kimmi]

I see a playoff run in this teams future. But I don't think they are championship caliber.

 

A lot of posters have been saying something similar, about how this is not a championship caliber team. Does the team have weaknesses? Sure. All teams not named the Cubs do. But even a team like the Cubs, who look like a championship caliber team, are by no means a shoe in to win the championship. Most people felt that we looked like a championship team in April and May.

 

As much as we've scuffled in June, we are still 2nd in baseball in run differential. That says something. We are not getting blown out by the competition. Also, the Sox, the Cubs, and the Guardians are the only teams that haven't lost 4 games in a row. The point there being that all teams have rough patches and mild losing streaks. As the old saying goes, you are never as bad as you look when things are going bad.

[User Name]

Jacko's always theorized that you need three solid starters, a good bullpen, and above-average offense to win in the playoffs. I think if this team beefs up its bullpen and makes the playoffs it'll be a threat.

[jacksonianmarch]

UN?, the wild card changes things. You need to win your division. To do that, you need to get more pitching. Also, while Wright has been the balls and Price has turned the ship around, I doubt Porcello inspires much faith. Since April, he's pitched to a 4.54ERA 1.23WHIP and 6.6K/9IP. April, he was 2.76ERA 0.92WHIP and 9.9K/9IP. The WHIP is still good, but he isn't striking people out like he was, which is translating to a much higher BAA and hence more runs

[User Name]

That's why I said "If" it makes the playoffs.

[jacksonianmarch]

The team could make the playoffs as a WC team and after 162, they could be on their asses after one.

[User Name]

....or win the WS.

[jacksonianmarch]

They could. They need another starter and another reliever to be a true contender, though. Porcello is not a 3rd starter on a world series team

[Bellhorn04]

They could. They need another starter and another reliever to be a true contender, though. Porcello is not a 3rd starter on a world series team

 

Porcello being our #3 starter isn't really the problem.

[jacksonianmarch]

You need one more starter

[Jasonbay44]

You need one more starter

 

At least. There is two guys in our rotation who most of their starts don't even give us a chance to win.

[Navafan29]

I think a WS win is in the top 3 most likely scenarios, but realistically not the most likely. Assuming we don't sit on our butt at the deadline, I feel like we're going to make the playoffs, and not take our playoff position for granted since we had this mid-season slump and will have to fight hard for a playoff spot. Will we win the ALDS? The odds depend on whether or not we have to play in the infamous Wild Card Game. Having to burn through our #1 starter before the ALDS will stop us from having an easy 2-0 series lead. In the scenario where we win the WC game, we'd have like a 55% chance of winning the ALDS. If we win the division, then we're "definitely" winning the ALDS. Now as far as the AL Championship Series goes, this is what I'm worried about. In a 7 game series, you're not going to be as dominant with only 2 great pitchers as you are in a 5 game series. Our weakness will be glaringly more apparent in the 7 game AL Championship series. Beyond that, something about it just shouts "this is where we might lose" to me. However, if we look at the World Series, things get brighter. If we do get past the scary AL Championship series, then that means we'll have figured out our pitching enough to beat anyone, even the best. Our very likely World Series opponent is the Chicago Cubs, who always have something dumb happen to them to ruin their championship.

 

Overall:

Most likely Scenario: Red Sox lose in AL Championship Series.

Second most likely Scenario: Red Sox WIN World Series

Third most likely: Red Sox lose Wild Card Game

 

So not bad at all. I'll take these "odds" that I came up with in my head any day! Let's hope for a championship, but not expect it like spoiled fans do.

[User Name]

Porcello being our #3 starter isn't really the problem.

 

^This.

[Examiner]

Second or third place unless they fix some of these problems, especially the pitching.