A Realistic View at 2018: Part II

[mvp 78]

I never said he'd become a running joke. You're the only one who used that term.

 

Nice back-peddle on Buck and your so-called Sox fandom and player support. We all know now, you think of him as a joke.

 

Wow, what a bogus fan!

 

 

 

Oh f*** off. You were the one who was inferring that Devers could have a Buckner moment in regards to his defense. I'm sure you didn't infer that he'd have an in the park homerun. The logic of your argument is just horrible. Seems like the worms in your brain are eating well today!

[moonslav59]

Oh f*** off. You were the one who was inferring that Devers could have a Buckner moment in regards to his defense. I'm sure you didn't infer that he'd have an in the park homerun. The logic of your argument is just horrible. Seems like the worms in your brain are eating well today!

 

Typical to revert to name calling when you get cornered.

 

Yes, I have had concerns about his defense and worried he might end up making a crucial error at a bad time.

 

You twist that into I'm not a Devers supporter and that I think he WILL make a big error at the wrong time. Both are so far from the truth, yet you cling them as givens.

 

Your mental gymnastics are not showing a superior brain.

[dgalehouse]

Being human, fans tend to have their favorite players, whom they tout and praise . The flip side is that they often have their " not so favorites " whom they tend to scapegoat and , at best , give faint praise. This happens even with a team as good and successful as this year's Red Sox. Fortunately, the players don't fall into that trap. They all seem to support each other 100%.

[moonslav59]

Being human, fans tend to have their favorite players, whom they tout and praise . The flip side is that they often have their " not so favorites " whom they tend to scapegoat and , at best , give faint praise. This happens even with a team as good and successful as this year's Red Sox. Fortunately, the players don't fall into that trap. They all seem to support each other 100%.

 

Good points, and often a person's favorite players don't match up with who is the best.

 

My favorite player since 2012 or 2013 has been JBJ. He's had a lot of rough patches over those years, but he's still my fave.

 

I'm a big Sale fan, but I don't really feel the same about him as JBJ, when clearly he is better and more valuable to the team.

 

I'm a big Devers, Leon, Betts and Porcello fan as well. Those are probably my top 5 favorite players.

 

Although I love what Bogey brings to us on offense, I haven't felt like he's one of my favorites, probably due to his slow defensive improvement. (Now, I'll catch more grief for that statement and be called a non-Bogey supporter.)

 

I doubt anyone here loves every player equally. I doubt everyone here has no criticisms on some players on the team, even if just on one facet of that players game.

 

There's nobody on this team I don't root hard for every time they play. Both Bogey and Devers have looked sharp on defense recently, and I'm thrilled they have done great in areas I worry about.

 

 

 

[dgalehouse]

Good points, and often a person's favorite players don't match up with who is the best.

 

My favorite player since 2012 or 2013 has been JBJ. He's had a lot of rough patches over those years, but he's still my fave.

 

I'm a big Sale fan, but I don't really feel the same about him as JBJ, when clearly he is better and more valuable to the team.

 

I'm a big Devers, Leon, Betts and Porcello fan as well. Those are probably my top 5 favorite players.

 

Although I love what Bogey brings to us on offense, I haven't felt like he's one of my favorites, probably due to his slow defensive improvement. (Now, I'll catch more grief for that statement and be called a non-Bogey supporter.)

 

I doubt anyone here loves every player equally. I doubt everyone here has no criticisms on some players on the team, even if just on one facet of that players game.

 

There's nobody on this team I don't root hard for every time they play. Both Bogey and Devers have looked sharp on defense recently, and I'm thrilled they have done great in areas I worry about.

 

 

 

 

Baseball is a difficult game to play at a high level all of the time. There are no perfect players. Sometimes guys strike out with men on. Sometimes guys make an error , maybe a costly one. Sometimes pitchers don't have their best stuff. If those things happen too often , you will have a losing team and changes will have to be made. But they will happen sometimes, even to the best of them. Sometimes it is hard for fans to understand that. Devers is not Brooks Robinson, JBJ is not Willie Mays , David Price is not Sandy Koufax , and so forth. But along with the others, they all are contributing factors in making this a great team. We need to appreciate that.

[moonslav59]

Baseball is a difficult game to play at a high level all of the time. There are no perfect players. Sometimes guys strike out with men on. Sometimes guys make an error , maybe a costly one. Sometimes pitchers don't have their best stuff. If those things happen too often , you will have a losing team and changes will have to be made. But they will happen sometimes, even to the best of them. Sometimes it is hard for fans to understand that. Devers is not Brooks Robinson, JBJ is not Willie Mays , David Price is not Sandy Koufax , and so forth. But along with the others, they all are contributing factors in making this a great team. We need to appreciate that.

 

Agreed, and I love this team. You're right. Today's society seems to only want to harp on what is wrong or needs to be fixed, even in areas where things are looking great.

 

I love this team. I've been super confident about our chances from day one. If anything, I've been accused more for being a homer or wearing pink glasses than for being too critical.

 

I do point out areas of concern now and then, but overall I have been very positive about this team, its chances of winning it all, its manager and just about anything associated with the Red Sox.

 

I stopped going to the game threads for a long time, because the level of negativity was absurdly extreme and wrong. (I did go off on Kimbrel at the end of one game thread I joined late, so I am not blameless.)

 

I appreciate the Sox. I'm obsessed with them, to tell you the truth.

 

You are right. Baseball is a difficult game to play at a high level. Hell, I couldn't hit the ball at the college level and got cut on the first cut.

[cp176]

Hey not to change the subject but to change the subject, I must have missed all of the posts on here talking about what Mookie and his cousin did following the game the other night. Feeding the homeless and just hoping no one would find out about it. This is just one of the reasons this kid deserves the keys to the city. I love him as we all do but this makes him extra special. I would sign him for whatever it takes and for the number of years that it takes. These are the types of people not just players that you can't afford to lose. Understand though I'm one of those guys who thinks JH can afford to sign him as well as most of his friends.

[moonslav59]

Hey not to change the subject but to change the subject, I must have missed all of the posts on here talking about what Mookie and his cousin did following the game the other night. Feeding the homeless and just hoping no one would find out about it. This is just one of the reasons this kid deserves the keys to the city. I love him as we all do but this makes him extra special. I would sign him for whatever it takes and for the number of years that it takes. These are the types of people not just players that you can't afford to lose. Understand though I'm one of those guys who thinks JH can afford to sign him as well as most of his friends.

 

I would also give Betts whatever it takes to keep him in Boston until retirement.

 

He's the best at just about everything he does.

[dgalehouse]

I would also give Betts whatever it takes to keep him in Boston until retirement.

 

He's the best at just about everything he does.

 

Pretty sure the team will do everything possible to keep Mookie. Then , the decision will be his. If he stays , I think he will be remembered as one of the all time greats in Sox history.

[moonslav59]

Pretty sure the team will do everything possible to keep Mookie. Then , the decision will be his. If he stays , I think he will be remembered as one of the all time greats in Sox history.

 

Yes, and I have no way of knowing what he wants, but winning a ring here in Boston and seeing all the love he's been getting, I'm hopeful he chooses to stay here, all other things being equal.

[cp176]

I brought this up for a different reason though. I hope by now everyone has seen this article. There are lots of things far more important in life than the games we play and certainly the things we tend to argue over here. We don't hear enough about the good that some of these people do. What I admire most about Mookie is that he did not want or expect any recognition for his genuine act of kindness. Regardless of his skill on the field, this truly sets him apart from others. You want a role model, there he is. He looks like a gentleman, he acts like a gentleman, he cares about real things. Being possibly the best player in the game today is somewhat fitting because he certainly is among the better people. You win with people who act and do things like Mookie Betts. 2 to go for the face of this franchise.

[cp176]

Let's hope we never have to discuss a "Buckner type moment" with Rafael.

 

i regret responding to your comment a little because I do think that you know enough about baseball to know that if we had not had Buckner playing for us on his broken down wheels it is likely we would not have been playing for a title in '86. I realize what a heartbreak it was for fans but I can't even imagine how deeply that one play must have affected him. Billy Buck was one hell of a baseball player who had a career that we can only hope that young Mr. Devers can come close to matching.

[Slasher9]

give him a blank contract and tell him to fill in the numbers....

[cp176]

give him a blank contract and tell him to fill in the numbers....

 

Pretty close I'd say!

[Bellhorn04]

Mookie was the 172nd pick in the 2011 draft. How lucky is that, that no one else took him before that?

[oldtimer]

Baseball is a difficult game to play at a high level all of the time. There are no perfect players. Sometimes guys strike out with men on. Sometimes guys make an error , maybe a costly one. Sometimes pitchers don't have their best stuff. If those things happen too often , you will have a losing team and changes will have to be made. But they will happen sometimes, even to the best of them. Sometimes it is hard for fans to understand that. Devers is not Brooks Robinson, JBJ is not Willie Mays , David Price is not Sandy Koufax , and so forth. But along with the others, they all are contributing factors in making this a great team. We need to appreciate that.

 

Excellent post and so true.

[moonslav59]

i regret responding to your comment a little because I do think that you know enough about baseball to know that if we had not had Buckner playing for us on his broken down wheels it is likely we would not have been playing for a title in '86. I realize what a heartbreak it was for fans but I can't even imagine how deeply that one play must have affected him. Billy Buck was one hell of a baseball player who had a career that we can only hope that young Mr. Devers can come close to matching.

 

I was a huge Buckner fan. He was a class player. It killed me how much he was demonized by fans and the media.

 

It breaks my heart to think how much he and his family must have suffered.

 

I brought it up as a worst case scenario and always have said I hope it doesn't happen. I never have felt it will happen, but certainly the chances of him making a key error is greater than anyone else.

 

I shouldn't have responded to the post at a time like this. We should all be thinking of winning another World Series and have confidence in all of our players. Again, I am thrilled to see Devers in the line-up. I even called his HR (an AB too early) in the playoffs. I think he will become a top hitter in MLB at some point. He's one of my favorite players.

 

I am 99.9% sure we'd never have made the '86 WS had we not had Buckner. He was a huge part of that team.

 

I wasn't the one who disparaged Buckner. I just was hoping what happened to Buck did not happen to Devers, and for that I was accused of saying I felt it would happen and that Devers would be some sort of goat like Buck was.

 

1) Buck was not a goat, and it sucked what happened to him.

2) I do not want anything like what Buck had to go through to happen to any Sox player ever again.

3) I blame the manager not Buck for what happened. My love for Buck did not lessen one bit due to that play.

4) I'm just being truthful, when I say, I stop breathing when a ball is hit to Devers at crucial points in a game. (I don't think I'm alone on the one.)

5) I don't think #4 makes me any less of a Devers supporter or Sox fan.

 

 

[moonslav59]

Mookie was the 172nd pick in the 2011 draft. How lucky is that, that no one else took him before that?

 

Nobody else gave him a twitch test or even knew what it was.

[Larry Cook]

Nobody else gave him a twitch test or even knew what it was.

 

It’s all about scouting!

[moonslav59]

Sure glad Cora chose JBJ tonight.

 

The Moreland choice looks iffy, now.

[oldtimer]

This has been one heck of a thrilling season which will be concluding very soon. No matter what happens, and it does look like we will win it all, we have to thank ownership, front office management, the manager and his coaches and of course the players for these great results. This has been an example of a team effort, with everyone pitching in.

 

JH made the money available to put tgether a solid team despite some prior spending mistakes.

 

DD has traded away assests, but also got Cora and his coaches on board and a number of key seasoned players who have come through when it counts.

 

The coaches abilities have shown up with better hitting and pitching results. Results count.

 

Cora has the group playing aggressively and they seem to have one goal, and that is to win it all. Lots of guys have shown improvement this year and Cora keeps encouraging guys and they seem to respond.

 

What a group of players! A mix of young home grown talent, experienced FA's and role players. All seem to accept their roles and volunteer to do more.

 

This has been a great year for the team and I appreciate what they did and are doing. My dad would have loved this team but never got to see any as good as he passed in 1978.

[S5Dewey]

This has been one heck of a thrilling season which will be concluding very soon. No matter what happens, and it does look like we will win it all, we have to thank ownership, front office management, the manager and his coaches and of course the players for these great results. This has been an example of a team effort, with everyone pitching in.

 

JH made the money available to put tgether a solid team despite some prior spending mistakes.

 

DD has traded away assests, but also got Cora and his coaches on board and a number of key seasoned players who have come through when it counts.

 

The coaches abilities have shown up with better hitting and pitching results. Results count.

 

Cora has the group playing aggressively and they seem to have one goal, and that is to win it all. Lots of guys have shown improvement this year and Cora keeps encouraging guys and they seem to respond.

 

What a group of players! A mix of young home grown talent, experienced FA's and role players. All seem to accept their roles and volunteer to do more.

 

This has been a great year for the team and I appreciate what they did and are doing. My dad would have loved this team but never got to see any as good as he passed in 1978.

 

Nice post with a great perspective, OT. I lost my mom (who was responsible for my obsession with the Sox ) in 1999 so she never got to see this string of successes either. What a shame that so many people of that generation never got to see it.

[moonslav59]

This has been one heck of a thrilling season which will be concluding very soon. No matter what happens, and it does look like we will win it all, we have to thank ownership, front office management, the manager and his coaches and of course the players for these great results. This has been an example of a team effort, with everyone pitching in.

 

JH made the money available to put tgether a solid team despite some prior spending mistakes.

 

DD has traded away assests, but also got Cora and his coaches on board and a number of key seasoned players who have come through when it counts.

 

The coaches abilities have shown up with better hitting and pitching results. Results count.

 

Cora has the group playing aggressively and they seem to have one goal, and that is to win it all. Lots of guys have shown improvement this year and Cora keeps encouraging guys and they seem to respond.

 

What a group of players! A mix of young home grown talent, experienced FA's and role players. All seem to accept their roles and volunteer to do more.

 

This has been a great year for the team and I appreciate what they did and are doing. My dad would have loved this team but never got to see any as good as he passed in 1978.

 

Very well said, Oldtimer.

Very well said.

[cp176]

This has been one heck of a thrilling season which will be concluding very soon. No matter what happens, and it does look like we will win it all, we have to thank ownership, front office management, the manager and his coaches and of course the players for these great results. This has been an example of a team effort, with everyone pitching in.

 

JH made the money available to put tgether a solid team despite some prior spending mistakes.

 

DD has traded away assests, but also got Cora and his coaches on board and a number of key seasoned players who have come through when it counts.

 

The coaches abilities have shown up with better hitting and pitching results. Results count.

 

Cora has the group playing aggressively and they seem to have one goal, and that is to win it all. Lots of guys have shown improvement this year and Cora keeps encouraging guys and they seem to respond.

 

What a group of players! A mix of young home grown talent, experienced FA's and role players. All seem to accept their roles and volunteer to do more.

 

This has been a great year for the team and I appreciate what they did and are doing. My dad would have loved this team but never got to see any as good as he passed in 1978.

 

heartfelt - ++

[sk7326]

I was a huge Buckner fan. He was a class player. It killed me how much he was demonized by fans and the media.

 

It breaks my heart to think how much he and his family must have suffered.

 

I brought it up as a worst case scenario and always have said I hope it doesn't happen. I never have felt it will happen, but certainly the chances of him making a key error is greater than anyone else.

 

I shouldn't have responded to the post at a time like this. We should all be thinking of winning another World Series and have confidence in all of our players. Again, I am thrilled to see Devers in the line-up. I even called his HR (an AB too early) in the playoffs. I think he will become a top hitter in MLB at some point. He's one of my favorite players.

 

I am 99.9% sure we'd never have made the '86 WS had we not had Buckner. He was a huge part of that team.

 

I wasn't the one who disparaged Buckner. I just was hoping what happened to Buck did not happen to Devers, and for that I was accused of saying I felt it would happen and that Devers would be some sort of goat like Buck was.

 

1) Buck was not a goat, and it sucked what happened to him.

2) I do not want anything like what Buck had to go through to happen to any Sox player ever again.

3) I blame the manager not Buck for what happened. My love for Buck did not lessen one bit due to that play.

4) I'm just being truthful, when I say, I stop breathing when a ball is hit to Devers at crucial points in a game. (I don't think I'm alone on the one.)

5) I don't think #4 makes me any less of a Devers supporter or Sox fan.

 

 

 

a little - that was a hell of a play he made last night ...

[Dojji]

They're terrible. Cant hit cant pitch cant field. Cant win. We're doomed, doomed i tell y'all

[notin]

So can we all forgive Ian Kinsler now?

[Larry Cook]

So can we all forgive Ian Kinsler now?

 

No, not yet!

[notin]

No, not yet!

 

Are you waiting for Amazon to deliver your Inflatable Kinsler doll?

 

Yes, the Inflatable Kinsler. Blow it up and it throws itself away...

[Slasher9]

Kinsler is forgiven by me.

it would have only been forever hate if we lost the series.