What will be the 2017 greatest weakness for the Sox?

[a700hitter]

Looks like 12 of us may have been right.

This one was a slam dunk.

[Jack Flap]

I don't remember if I ever posted in this thread, but I voted for the loss of Papi and have been concerned about what this offense would look like for some time. It's still extremely early and far too soon to claim "victory" on that point (I'd much rather be wrong), but the early results are concerning to say the least. One has to hope this is just a cold spell and the bats will warm up along with the weather.

 

It's worth noting that although many wanted a "power bat" to replace Ortiz and felt the Red Sox didn't do enough to replace him, Mitch Moreland is off to a better start at present than Encarnacion, Bautista, Beltran, Napoli, Trumbo, Morales, Holliday, or any of the other free agent DH types who were mentioned as candidates, so none of those guys would have made us better thus far. What's really needed is for the lineup, top to bottom, to step up. Only Moreland, Benintendi, and Betts are really hitting as expected or better right now.

[oldtimer]

Am I the only one who never understood that whole "needs to figure out an identity" thing? I don't mean to single out Dojii here; I hear that line all the time every year in the media about one team or another.

 

What is a "team identity"? Why is it essential? In a game that us largely composed of cumulative individual efforts as opposed to synchronized team play, I find it confusing. Will players on a team that hasn't figured out their identity hit worse or pitch worse? Is a team identity like "team chemistry", in that you can argue that teams that play better establish their identity as opposed to teams need an identity to play better?

 

I voted for coaching which is also along the line of team chemistry. There doesn't seem to be that hate to lose feeling about the team. They just parade up to bat and down they go. Someone needs to create that atmosphere. Of the players, Pedroia is the only one who fits that bill but nothing is happening there as yet. Mookie might but he tends to be the nice guy type. Farrell also shares some of the blame or credit for the atmosphere in the clubhouse. Francona had a knack for keeping the chemistry positive and the old cowboy up types are gone.

[S5Dewey]

I voted for coaching which is also along the line of team chemistry.

 

You know you're venturing into the minefield of those things that can't be statistically proven, don't you?

[Kimmi]

I voted for "Other", as in no major weakness or concern.

 

I am confident that I will be proven right by the end of the regular season.