5/24 @ Houston

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Applying the same logic, so should have Franconia. But does 2007 happen without him?

 

 

2007's SOX team was a great team. I believe it would have happened with or w/o Tito.

[Station 13]

Nunez. Do they owed him anything?

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

The dumb ass Houston announcer credited that homer to Sandy. Where do they find these idiots?

[FredLynn]

Awful effort. Gave this one away.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

The SOX are due to hit a HR with a runner on base. Just don't ask me when. Also, in regards to blind squirrels, well they're blind.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Nunez. Do they owed him anything?

 

 

Nope. He got his WS ring, which now means he has two rings, if one counts the one in his tub.

[Station 13]

You wouldn't pinch hit Devers for Nunez? WTF Cora

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

You wouldn't pinch hit Devers for Nunez? WTF Cora

 

Cora from now on will be referred to as WTF CORA. Btw, the SOX best pitcher is now 1-6 (not all his fault) so it's really amazing this underachieving team is still over .500.

[harmony]

The Red Sox, who stranded six runners, were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.

 

The Astros, who stranded eight runners, were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

 

MLB Gameday: Red Sox 3, Astros 4 Final Score (05/24/2019) | MLB.com

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[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

You wouldn't pinch hit Devers for Nunez? WTF Cora

 

Devers is 22. He needs his rest.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

If losing to the Astros wasn't bad enough, I just discovered that Bill Maher isn't on HBO tonight. Now that really sux.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Dick Williams was a one year manager for the SOX in 1967, when he took the SOX to the WS. He didn't retire; he was fired by Tom Yawkey because YAZ didn't like Mr Williams.

[moonslav59]

We had our chances.

 

I was at the game. Seemed like the guys who needed to get the big hit got the big one at the wrong time (JBJ & Bogey solo blasts).

 

Errors ruined Sales decent outing, although the pen looked good.

 

We could use a couple W's this weekend.

 

[illinoisredsox]

Dick Williams was a one year manager for the SOX in 1967, when he took the SOX to the WS. He didn't retire; he was fired by Tom Yawkey because YAZ didn't like Mr Williams.

 

Williams wasn’t fired until 1969.

[d-money]

Bring on the B’s!!!! Also the pats. This season is going nowhere and quickly. The skankees will run away with this division. Sox are too inconsistent and crappy.

[jad]

Farrell should also have retired after 2013. He, too, would have been a legend.

 

Daniel Nava should have retired after the first MLB pitch he saw.

[jung]

Yup, I guess great defensive CF's aren't that rare.

 

They are't ....CORRECT!!! JBJ is a construct of the greatest MLB PR machine in history short of the PR team the LAD now bring to the table. I'm not saying there are buckets and buckets of really good CFers in MLB. However I would have taken Kiermaier in his prime (might take him now), Marisnick, Jones in his prime, maybe even Kevin Pillar in his prime over JBJ and other than Marisnick the other 3 are just CFers that have done significant time in the AL East. Just give me a guy that does not have a hole in his bat for 400 AB's a season and then shockingly has this 2-3 week run of cosmic hitting that comes from nowhere that neither he nor I can understand or explain!

 

And yes, "swing hard in case he hits it" is the only recognizable hitting posture this guy assumes even if it means he starts his bat on Wednesday and it finally arrives in some portion of the hitting zone on Friday. He swings hard......AT THE AIR.

 

Now they are stuck with him. JD would last about three nanoseconds playing steady OF. Beni is no CFer and neither is a RFer in Fenway Park. Mookie is not good enough in CF to play there steadily either. We will have balls falling all over the place on a team that wins or loses with its Rotation. Anybody here want to make the case that we win or lose on 1-6 in the batting order? Does anybody really want to make the case that we win or lose on 7-9 in the batting order when 1-6 is performing so inconsistently?

 

Vaz is hitting! if we end up playing Sandy 3 games of 5 and Vaz only 2, that will be the coup de grace for me. I am going to have a heart attack! But the comparisons between the 2014 team and this one are striking including all the whining at umps from the bench. SHUT UP and play the game.

[Bellhorn04]

The FOM is in great form.

[mvp 78]

Can't believe Wade Miley is still relevant. Was this the same pitching matchup as Sunday? I missed that one. Win. Dance. Repeat. x3

 

Gonna be weird seeing us play Houston again so soon, especially since I have family ties in the Houston area, and because

Of the "controversy" that happened on here last week

 

Gotta hand it to the Astros here. They're turning into a Warriors-esque sort of team

Everybody in their lineup can beat you and everybody in their rotation can strike you out. Even

Orbit, their mascot, is a pain in the ass. 3 years now, they've established themselves as the kings of the AL, and while we're in the group of 3-4 teams that

Remain on the same level as them, that doesn't make them any less scary to play. They're even more terrifying at home. In order to

Give ourselves a fighting chance, we can't afford to leave men on base, and our bullpen needs to bring their A game.

Everybody must contribute this weekend, because we absolutely need to win this series

 

Straight to the IL

[a700hitter]

They are't ....CORRECT!!! JBJ is a construct of the greatest MLB PR machine in history short of the PR team the LAD now bring to the table. I'm not saying there are buckets and buckets of really good CFers in MLB. However I would have taken Kiermaier in his prime (might take him now), Marisnick, Jones in his prime, maybe even Kevin Pillar in his prime over JBJ and other than Marisnick the other 3 are just CFers that have done significant time in the AL East. Just give me a guy that does not have a hole in his bat for 400 AB's a season and then shockingly has this 2-3 week run of cosmic hitting that comes from nowhere that neither he nor I can understand or explain!

 

And yes, "swing hard in case he hits it" is the only recognizable hitting posture this guy assumes even if it means he starts his bat on Wednesday and it finally arrives in some portion of the hitting zone on Friday. He swings hard......AT THE AIR.

 

Now they are stuck with him. JD would last about three nanoseconds playing steady OF. Beni is no CFer and neither is a RFer in Fenway Park. Mookie is not good enough in CF to play there steadily either. We will have balls falling all over the place on a team that wins or loses with its Rotation. Anybody here want to make the case that we win or lose on 1-6 in the batting order? Does anybody really want to make the case that we win or lose on 7-9 in the batting order when 1-6 is performing so inconsistently?

 

Vaz is hitting! if we end up playing Sandy 3 games of 5 and Vaz only 2, that will be the coup de grace for me. I am going to have a heart attack! But the comparisons between the 2014 team and this one are striking including all the whining at umps from the bench. SHUT UP and play the game.

I thought the Red Sox should have sold high on Bradley a few years ago after he broke out of his horrendous year and a half slump. Now, he has been completely exposed as a guy who will always be a below average offensive player who will suffer through prolonged droughts.

 

I disagree about Beni and Betts. I think that Beni could be more than adequate in CF and Betts would be excellent anywhere.

[jung]

I thought the Red Sox should have sold high on Bradley a few years ago after he broke out of his horrendous year and a half slump. Now, he has been completely exposed as a guy who will always be a below average offensive player who will suffer through prolonged droughts.

 

I disagree about Beni and Betts. I think that Beni could be more than adequate in CF and Betts would be excellent anywhere.

 

Betts has already proven not to be excellent in CF where he simply does not get good reads on the ball. He plays too deep in CF, a clear sign that is is leery of his reads going back in CF while at the same time being tentative coming. This year alone in limited duty he as allowed three balls to drop at his feet in CF for hits. Getting good reads in the toughest OF position to get reads is the very talent that distinguishes the CFer from the Corner OFer. However Beni can play "average" CF as well as Mookie can and Mookie is an "excellent" RFer playing in the hardest RF to play in all baseball. In other words, it it illogical to take Mookie out of RF. It might be logical to take Beni out of LF if we had somebody to play LF regularly. We don't.

 

JD is now clearly past playing even corner OF on a regular basis. JD is a spot corner OFer now. Pearce is a joke. Holt can give us some time out there if we ever see him again. But I actually prefer Holt in very very short OF stints, mostly splitting time with Chavis at 2nd while Chavis also splits time with Mitch at 1st. I no longer hold out hope of any significant contribution from Pedey at 2nd.

 

Why do we think JBJ gets so much playing time? Do we think he has video of Cora boinking DD? He gets the playing time because there is literally no other option of any merit for a team that wins games with its pitching and most specifically its Rotation and needs defense to pull that off. We can't afford to suddenly have balls dropping in all over the OF and haphazard throws. Can't afford it and Management at all levels knows it.

 

Should they have found their way to any of a dozen ML CFer's years ago that can play standout CF while not presenting the multitude of offensive issues JBJ presents dumping JBJ when they could? No question.

 

By the way, I should have added to my last post that Beni is ALSO a construct of the best PR operation in all MLB other than the current LAD's PR operation.

Edited May 25, 2019 by jung

[notin]

Daniel Nava should have retired after the first MLB pitch he saw.

 

 

Naval had a good career. Go look at any Top 100 prospects list from any year. I guarantee you, 40 players on any list you choose either had or will have careers significantly worse than Nava.

 

Maybe even 50 players...

[moonslav59]

They are't ....CORRECT!!! JBJ is a construct of the greatest MLB PR machine in history short of the PR team the LAD now bring to the table. I'm not saying there are buckets and buckets of really good CFers in MLB. However I would have taken Kiermaier in his prime (might take him now), Marisnick, Jones in his prime, maybe even Kevin Pillar in his prime over JBJ and other than Marisnick the other 3 are just CFers that have done significant time in the AL East. Just give me a guy that does not have a hole in his bat for 400 AB's a season and then shockingly has this 2-3 week run of cosmic hitting that comes from nowhere that neither he nor I can understand or explain!

 

And yes, "swing hard in case he hits it" is the only recognizable hitting posture this guy assumes even if it means he starts his bat on Wednesday and it finally arrives in some portion of the hitting zone on Friday. He swings hard......AT THE AIR.

 

Now they are stuck with him. JD would last about three nanoseconds playing steady OF. Beni is no CFer and neither is a RFer in Fenway Park. Mookie is not good enough in CF to play there steadily either. We will have balls falling all over the place on a team that wins or loses with its Rotation. Anybody here want to make the case that we win or lose on 1-6 in the batting order? Does anybody really want to make the case that we win or lose on 7-9 in the batting order when 1-6 is performing so inconsistently?

 

Vaz is hitting! if we end up playing Sandy 3 games of 5 and Vaz only 2, that will be the coup de grace for me. I am going to have a heart attack! But the comparisons between the 2014 team and this one are striking including all the whining at umps from the bench. SHUT UP and play the game.

 

Marisnick? The guy with a career .667 OPS? The one with a .674 OPS just last year and .588 in 2016?

 

You're joking, right?

[moonslav59]

Betts has already proven not to be excellent in CF where he simply does not get good reads on the ball. He plays too deep in CF, a clear sign that is is leery of his reads going back in CF while at the same time being tentative coming. This year alone in limited duty he as allowed three balls to drop at his feet in CF for hits. Getting good reads in the toughest OF position to get reads is the very talent that distinguishes the CFer from the Corner OFer. However Beni can play "average" CF as well as Mookie can and Mookie is an "excellent" RFer playing in the hardest RF to play in all baseball. In other words, it it illogical to take Mookie out of RF. It might be logical to take Beni out of LF if we had somebody to play LF regularly. We don't.

 

JD is now clearly past playing even corner OF on a regular basis. JD is a spot corner OFer now. Pearce is a joke. Holt can give us some time out there if we ever see him again. But I actually prefer Holt in very very short OF stints, mostly splitting time with Chavis at 2nd while Chavis also splits time with Mitch at 1st. I no longer hold out hope of any significant contribution from Pedey at 2nd.

 

Why do we think JBJ gets so much playing time? Do we think he has video of Cora boinking DD? He gets the playing time because there is literally no other option of any merit for a team that wins games with its pitching and most specifically its Rotation and needs defense to pull that off. We can't afford to suddenly have balls dropping in all over the OF and haphazard throws. Can't afford it and Management at all levels knows it.

 

Should they have found their way to any of a dozen ML CFer's years ago that can play standout CF while not presenting the multitude of offensive issues JBJ presents dumping JBJ when they could? No question.

 

By the way, I should have added to my last post that Beni is ALSO a construct of the best PR operation in all MLB other than the current LAD's PR operation.

 

1) Betts played most of his CF innings in his first years in MLB and his first innings as an OF'er in his life.

2) He was still a plus defender in CF (+3.0 UZR/150 and +2 DRS'd in over 1500 innings).

3) Just because he is better in RF, and he is, does not mean he could not be great in CF, once given the time to adjust.

 

That being said, I love Betts in RF, especially in Fenway, where his speed and instincts are essential.

[moonslav59]

I keep hearing about our "black holes" in our line-up, and it makes me think "context."

 

Is it really a big weakness to have 2-3 black holes when almost every team has 3 or more?

 

Here is where we rank in bottom order slot OPS from 2018-2019:

 

9 Slot

.727 HOU

.714 TOR

.704 TBR

.692 NYY

.688 BOS (5th in MLB)

#15: .578

 

8 Slot

.860 OAK

.800 Cubs

.796 MN

.777 LAD

.729 TBR

#15: .682

#23: .613 BOS

 

7 Slot

.818 STL

.814 MN

.770 ALT

.748 LAD

.732 LAA

#15 .690

#25: .649 BOS

 

The mean OPS for the 7-9 slots are:

.690 (7th)

.682 (8th)

.578 (9th)

 

AL Only OPS by slot:

2019 Slot 2018

.694 7th .689

.729 8th .682

.634 9th .638

 

Black Holes are a common part of MLB Line-Ups.

 

[Station 13]

Devers is 22. He needs his rest.

 

Nunez is 42 he needs force retirement.

[Bellhorn04]

Marisnick? The guy with a career .667 OPS? The one with a .674 OPS just last year and .588 in 2016?

 

You're joking, right?

 

And Kevin Pillar is also just as offensively challenged as JBJ.

 

The other man's grass is always greener...