A Realistic View at 2019: Part I

[notin]

A big hefty clean-up hitter.

 

Prince Fielder, for example, might say no...

[moonslav59]

We'll see where Betts hits when Beni returns.

[Kimmi]

We'll see where Betts hits when Beni returns.

 

Cora said today that he will not be flip flopping Beni and Betts anymore.

 

Once Beni returns, he will be in the leadoff spot permanently.

[vegasbob]

We'll see where Betts hits when Beni returns.

 

Even if Beni returns in a few days to a week, I'm thinking the foot will hurt like hell ( a la Mitch Moreland in '17) and affect Beni's approach AB and when running. This could be a problem at lead off where the ability to steal is a real plus .

[devildavid]

For starters , put Mookie back at leadoff . I know it seems like a small thing , but he wants to lead off , does well there and the team won it all that way . Stop letting analytics call the shots . Start playing good , aggressive, winning baseball . Don't be hesitant to run , stolen bases were a good part of the offense last year . As for Cora , it's okay to be a " player's manager " , but sometimes you have to get tough as well . These guys deserve a kick in the butt right now . Time to snap out of this daze .

 

You have to get on base first. Aggression won't do that. Kicking butts won't do that. Getting tough won't do that. If Betts is a superstar then it is up to him to perform like one. I would think that winning a championship and seeing huge contracts signed by other superstars would be sufficient motivation. No manager can change that.

 

Sometimes player performance is a mystery.

[Larry Cook]

Come July if our record 20 plus games under 500, do we become trade deadline sellers?

 

Porcello, Pearce and Bradley will probably not have much, if any value.

 

But, we could probably get decent prospects for Moreland and Martinez. And we could probably get very nice prospects for Betts!

[jacksonianmarch]

As much as I’d love that scenario, it isn’t happening. You guys will be in the playoff picture by Memorial Day. There’s just too much talent. The Sox problem is that from management down to the players, they got cocky. They decided to walk through ST, do the celeb touring rounds, and basically consider the regular season as a prep course for the playoffs. Heck, JD was quoted as saying it’s hard to get excited when you already know which teams are gonna make the playoffs. You cannot discredit your opponents as a whole at the big league level. The Sox have done that and are learning a valuable lesson. My bet is they turn it on come May 1, after the starters get the innings they sorely needed in March, then are back to .500 at Memorial Day or sooner

[moonslav59]

Cockiness could certainly be a major factor in our slow start, but it's hard to know for sure.

 

I'm thinking it's a lot of little things that have added up (or subtracted down) to this miserable start.

 

As the sample size grows, so does my concern, but jacko is right, this team has too much talent to miss being highly competitive this fall.

 

I'm still firmly on the band wagon, but it's getting harder to stay optimistic.

[Hitch]

I was at the game last night and very close to the players. I think we have problems. There was a real lack of energy and enthusiasm. Everyone looks really lacking in belief. None of that is surprising when we started the way we have, but it's first game against the Yankees. I thought I'd see more energy.

 

Something feels very wrong at the moment.

 

That said there's too much talent for us to carry on being this bad, but it wouldn't be a massive surprise to me if we carry on being this bad long enough for it to cost us this year.

 

I'd move back Betts to the lead off spot, too. Less players on base for him to hit in front of but he is also capable of attacking the pitcher from the first pitch and that can help destabilise them. Sometimes you just need to not mess around with a winning formula.

[Kimmi]

As much as I’d love that scenario, it isn’t happening. You guys will be in the playoff picture by Memorial Day. There’s just too much talent. The Sox problem is that from management down to the players, they got cocky. They decided to walk through ST, do the celeb touring rounds, and basically consider the regular season as a prep course for the playoffs. Heck, JD was quoted as saying it’s hard to get excited when you already know which teams are gonna make the playoffs. You cannot discredit your opponents as a whole at the big league level. The Sox have done that and are learning a valuable lesson. My bet is they turn it on come May 1, after the starters get the innings they sorely needed in March, then are back to .500 at Memorial Day or sooner

 

As much as I hate to say it, I mostly agree with this post.

[Kimmi]

Cockiness could certainly be a major factor in our slow start, but it's hard to know for sure.

 

I'm thinking it's a lot of little things that have added up (or subtracted down) to this miserable start.

 

As the sample size grows, so does my concern, but jacko is right, this team has too much talent to miss being highly competitive this fall.

 

I'm still firmly on the band wagon, but it's getting harder to stay optimistic.

 

The Sox will make the playoffs. No doubt in my mind.

[Kimmi]

I was at the game last night and very close to the players. I think we have problems. There was a real lack of energy and enthusiasm. Everyone looks really lacking in belief. None of that is surprising when we started the way we have, but it's first game against the Yankees. I thought I'd see more energy.

 

Something feels very wrong at the moment.

 

That said there's too much talent for us to carry on being this bad, but it wouldn't be a massive surprise to me if we carry on being this bad long enough for it to cost us this year.

 

I'd move back Betts to the lead off spot, too. Less players on base for him to hit in front of but he is also capable of attacking the pitcher from the first pitch and that can help destabilise them. Sometimes you just need to not mess around with a winning formula.

 

Interesting observations Hitch. This team does seem to be lifeless right now. I was hoping that a series against the Yankees would get them fired up, but no such luck. It's not just that we lost last night's game, but it wasn't even close. What did we have, 3 hits?

[Slasher9]

I was at the game last night and very close to the players. I think we have problems. There was a real lack of energy and enthusiasm. Everyone looks really lacking in belief. None of that is surprising when we started the way we have, but it's first game against the Yankees. I thought I'd see more energy.

 

Something feels very wrong at the moment.

 

That said there's too much talent for us to carry on being this bad, but it wouldn't be a massive surprise to me if we carry on being this bad long enough for it to cost us this year.

 

I'd move back Betts to the lead off spot, too. Less players on base for him to hit in front of but he is also capable of attacking the pitcher from the first pitch and that can help destabilise them. Sometimes you just need to not mess around with a winning formula.

Moon....cue up FIRE & DESIRE asap

[Hitch]

Interesting observations Hitch. This team does seem to be lifeless right now. I was hoping that a series against the Yankees would get them fired up, but no such luck. It's not just that we lost last night's game, but it wasn't even close. What did we have, 3 hits?

 

I had a pretty good view into the dugout for most of the night. 'Lifeless' is right. As I say, it's no surprise really, they're hardly likely to be jumping around for joy, but I think there's a real lack of belief in their own abilities right now. Too many people are struggling at the same time.

Edited April 17, 2019 by Hitch

[dgalehouse]

I mentioned during spring training that the team needed to pick up the pace and start playing better baseball. I was drowned out by the chorus , telling me that spring training was " meaningless " , everything was going according to plan and the boys would be ready to rumble come opening day . Now , I keep hearing that the lousy start is a carry over from a lackadaisical spring training. The tune from the chorus has changed .

[moonslav59]

Moon....cue up FIRE & DESIRE asap

 

It's hard to notice "Fire & Desire" when you are losing 8-0 to your biggest rival, but you are right.

 

I was critical of JF for seeing very little "Fire & Desire" back in 2017, so I should be fair, despite my admiration for Cora.

 

This team looks lackluster. Their energy level looks very low. Maybe they need a bench-clearing brawl or something to snap them out of this dazed & malaised look. (Liked this new phrase?)

[moonslav59]

I mentioned during spring training that the team needed to pick up the pace and start playing better baseball. I was drowned out by the chorus , telling me that spring training was " meaningless " , everything was going according to plan and the boys would be ready to rumble come opening day . Now , I keep hearing that the lousy start is a carry over from a lackadaisical spring training. The tune from the chorus has changed .

 

How players perform in ST'ing has very little to do with how they start out of the gate. Not playing enough is another matter altogether.

 

Your point is well-taken, however.

 

It did matter.

[notin]

I mentioned during spring training that the team needed to pick up the pace and start playing better baseball. I was drowned out by the chorus , telling me that spring training was " meaningless " , everything was going according to plan and the boys would be ready to rumble come opening day . Now , I keep hearing that the lousy start is a carry over from a lackadaisical spring training. The tune from the chorus has changed .

 

 

Winning ST games means nothing. Not actually preparing for the season is another matter.

 

If the Sam Travis and Domingo Tapia and Bobby Dalbec types managed a better March W-L record, would you feel better about this team?

[dgalehouse]

Winning ST games means nothing. Not actually preparing for the season is another matter.

 

If the Sam Travis and Domingo Tapia and Bobby Dalbec types managed a better March W-L record, would you feel better about this team?

Winning spring training games would have been incidental to better preparation and better focus and effort . All of that was lacking . The actual game results are not important.

[Slasher9]

daze & Malaise it is...

[Maxbialystock]

Winning spring training games would have been incidental to better preparation and better focus and effort . All of that was lacking . The actual game results are not important.

 

I'm with you. As ST progressed and we saw more and more of the regulars, including starters, the team looked worse and worse, including the losses.

 

I'm not absolutely sure the completely lackluster ST was/is to blame, but it's pretty hard to ignore.

 

I also recall a chorus saying that the MLB schedulers were/are a bunch of meanies and virtually guaranteed the Sox would get off to a bad start because, horror or horrors, they started out on the dreaded west cost. Unfair, unfair came the cries from TalkSoxers.

 

Then the return to Fenway and a 3-3 home stand against the dregs of the AL East--the very teams the Sox destroyed last season. Finally, last night's debacle with our ace getting pounded by a Yankees lineup weakened by injury and a shutout by a pitching staff that has also struggled.

 

So far, in fact, the Boston Red Sox right now are welcomed by every ballpark in America because they bring with them sure victories for the home team. The Orioles split 4 immediately after losing 4 straight on the road, so maybe the Sox won't be quite so welcome at Fenway.

[Hitch]

Winning ST games means nothing. Not actually preparing for the season is another matter.

 

If the Sam Travis and Domingo Tapia and Bobby Dalbec types managed a better March W-L record, would you feel better about this team?

 

There's truth in both arguments I think. ST means little in terms of results, but Cora was big on saying ST last year was a big part of why they hit the ground with such a hot start. He said, 'it started in Spring Training'. This year we kind of stumbled into the season and haven't pickup any rhythm or energy since.

[Bellhorn04]

I mentioned during spring training that the team needed to pick up the pace and start playing better baseball. I was drowned out by the chorus , telling me that spring training was " meaningless " , everything was going according to plan and the boys would be ready to rumble come opening day . Now , I keep hearing that the lousy start is a carry over from a lackadaisical spring training. The tune from the chorus has changed .

 

I was putting my trust in Cora over fellow posters on a message board. I don't really have any qualms about doing that.

[kenmeister]

 

I'm still firmly on the band wagon, but it's getting harder to stay optimistic.

 

I'm sticking to my mid-May prediction for the turnaround, but given the size of the hole they may have dug until then, they may not get back to .500 until the middle or end of June. In that case, the best we can hope for by the all-star break is a team just getting into wild card contention.

[jacksonianmarch]

It's hard to notice "Fire & Desire" when you are losing 8-0 to your biggest rival, but you are right.

 

I was critical of JF for seeing very little "Fire & Desire" back in 2017, so I should be fair, despite my admiration for Cora.

 

This team looks lackluster. Their energy level looks very low. Maybe they need a bench-clearing brawl or something to snap them out of this dazed & malaised look. (Liked this new phrase?)

 

I thought the same thing and was really hoping Gardner's drilling didn't incite something. Don't wake the sleeping giant. I wouldn't retaliate at all, even if Eovaldi hits 4 guys today

[dgalehouse]

I expect the Sox to win tonight. Paxton, when he is on , has great stuff. He can dominate. But Happ is different. He is very average . He will not dominate the way Paxton did . He will give up runs . Now , it's up to Eovaldi to justify his contract.

[Kimmi]

I had a pretty good view into the dugout for most of the night. 'Lifeless' is right. As I say, it's no surprise really, they're hardly likely to be jumping around for joy, but I think there's a real lack of belief in their own abilities right now. Too many people are struggling at the same time.

 

As they say, the true test for a championship team is how they respond to adversity. They had it so easy last year for most of the season and postseason. I'm sure the losing is playing on their minds and they are pressing a bit. It's on Cora to figure out how to get the team back into it mentally and emotionally.

[Kimmi]

I mentioned during spring training that the team needed to pick up the pace and start playing better baseball. I was drowned out by the chorus , telling me that spring training was " meaningless " , everything was going according to plan and the boys would be ready to rumble come opening day . Now , I keep hearing that the lousy start is a carry over from a lackadaisical spring training. The tune from the chorus has changed .

 

You and Oldtimer were right Denny.

 

Good on you.

[SoxnCycles]

As they say, the true test for a championship team is how they respond to adversity. They had it so easy last year for most of the season and postseason. I'm sure the losing is playing on their minds and they are pressing a bit. It's on Cora to figure out how to get the team back into it mentally and emotionally.

 

It's not going to be easy.

For every game they drop, the pressure is going to build and the tendency to press is going to be tougher to fight off.

[Bellhorn04]

daze & Malaise it is...

 

We're on to Dazegate, Slasher.