Countdown to Playoffs - 2019 edition

[oldtimer]

Of course the pitching is the reason we are where we are, but it seems like our offense has done very well when needed the least and not too well when needed most.

Again, this is not meant to lessen the blame on the staff. Our pitching sucks.

 

We don't have the budget room to have quality hitters up and down the lineup. When we put up Chavis, JBJ and Leon down the bottom, we give away innings all too often. Whether we can make some improvements in the bottom of the order for 2020 remains to be see. We have a very solid core, just need to recognize areas of weakness and make an attempt to improve them each year.

 

Of course it's really the pitching that is hurting us now and we are contractually committed to stay with Sale, Price and Eovaldi. Their contracts make it difficult to improve the pitching staff in general when in addition we have 3 position players raking in $20 mil or more.

[notin]

If the offense puts up 5 or more runs they're doing their job. It's not their fault that they're still behind 7-5 going to the 9th and can't pull it out of the fire.

 

The attitude of “we don’t need to improve the offense and we can’t improve the pitching” is why DD needs to be fired...

[OH FOY]

Rays and A's gained a half game without playing, 4 losses behind both teams. Now the Sox and the Rays are even in games played. 4 games behind last WC. Cannot get swept today, Split we might lose another half game, depending on how the Rays and A's do.

Scoreboard watching.

[devildavid]

Place Porcello, Moreland, Pearce, Price & JD on waivers and pray someone claims one and takes them off our hands (and budget).

 

 

Pearce is done. Never should have been signed for 2019. Moreland is productive, but has been injured too much. Sad to say he must go as Sox got great contributions from him. Porcello had one fluke great season but was always a very hittable pitcher. He can go. I think they should find a way to keep JD. He is a positive presence on this team.

[devildavid]

This is how old, decrepit and stuck in the mud DD is:

- On average, innings from starters is going in the tank. Has been for years. There are a few starters that can go 7 on occasion and thats it. Never mind the starters I grew up with went 7 regularly and completed 1/3rd to half their games. That appears to be done and will STAY DONE for at least 10 years even if approaches to pitching spins on its heels this very minute

- Now I don't like how this is going with starters and innings and I particularly don't like the reasons behind it. But if I were a Pres of Baseball Ops my business is not about what I like or don't like. Its about how to build a team that can succeed in the game as it is played in this period.

- What does DD do? Relies on his tried and true formula, spending big money on starters right in the face of a watershed shift in ML pitching approach. Worse than that, he had a stay of execution in that you could say that when he first took the job here, there was still time to work it out HIS way. But now that time is waaaaaayyyyy gone. What does he do? He extends struggling Sale to 2024. Leaves us with both Price and Sale in transition and even if their transition efforts succeed, will they be able to go 7 per start. Doesn't look like it.

 

So IMO, if I wanted to buy the argument that DD is learning from his 40 years of experience I would have to see DD enhancing his ability to build pens, something he has never done well and still can't do well and I would have to see him recognizing that he is standing right now in the middle of the road and the road grader is headed straight for him in the way he views starting pitchers as assets and relievers as assets. The road grader is about to make him part of the pavement but DD just keeps on keepin' on as if its 1991 and he is still in Florida with the Marlins.

 

I think you are right. The Sox starters did the job last season but it does look like the trend to heavy bullpen use is accelerating. Time to get on board the new way of putting together a pitching staff.

[kenmeister]

I think Hyun-Jin Ryu of the 11-2 record 1.53 ERA will be a free agent this offseason.

[OH FOY]

5 game losing streak, those 5 games Sox Starters have a 9.00 ERA. You better hit .400 with RISP to make that up. Edited August 3, 2019 by OH FOY!

[notin]

I think Hyun-Jin Ryu of the 11-2 record 1.53 ERA will be a free agent this offseason.

 

And is also over 20 starts for the second time in the last 5 years.

 

He is a legitimate injury concern...

[oldtimer]

I think Hyun-Jin Ryu of the 11-2 record 1.53 ERA will be a free agent this offseason.

 

He is also on the IL

[notin]

He is also on the IL

 

He’s always on the IL...

[Kimmi]

To me, there is no light shining anywhere. I suppose we can get back in this thing, but I see no indication that this team will pull together to do what needs to be done for any meaningful stretch of time.

 

We are flat. We bitch at the umps, and get no favors by doing so. We hit when we don't need it and don't hit when we should.

 

On paper, it looks like we should be good enough to compete, but on the field, we just plain suck.

 

It's getting hard to defend this team anymore. I am very disheartened by them right now.

 

That said, don't give up. It's not over yet.

[devildavid]

Begin the countdown until mathematical elimination.

[moonslav59]

It's getting hard to defend this team anymore. I am very disheartened by them right now.

 

That said, don't give up. It's not over yet.

 

They are toast.

 

Burnt.

[jacksonianmarch]

No fight. They gave up once punched in the face

[illinoisredsox]

This has all the potential of the September 2011 collapse.

[jad]

PLAYoffs????!!!!!!!

[Bellhorn04]

This has all the potential of the September 2011 collapse.

 

We had a lead that year, though.

[moonslav59]

This has all the potential of the September 2011 collapse.

 

The July-August collapse.

[jad]

The collapse began in April.

[Kimmi]

Once again, you guys are killing me.

 

I hate baseball right now. LOL

 

The fat lady has not sung yet!

[Kimmi]

What a difference a week makes.

[Bellhorn04]

What a difference a week makes.

 

Seriously. The thing about baseball is, you often play 7 games in a week. In football that would be almost half a season.

[Kimmi]

Seriously. The thing about baseball is, you often play 7 games in a week. In football that would be almost half a season.

 

I can't imagine what it must be like being a die hard football fan like I am with baseball. For one, the importance of each game and the magnitude of each loss is so much larger. Having to wait a whole week (usually) between games, especially after a tough loss, would be hard to bear.

 

FTR, I have said to myself several times that I am done with team, as I'm sure we have all said. But then, there I am again the next night getting my heart yanked out once again. LOL

[OH FOY]

What Fans don't realize is counting today we play 11 more straight games without day off. That's brutal, when pitching is day to day, and failing. I feel that will put the final nail in the Coffin.

[Bellhorn04]

What Fans don't realize is counting today we play 11 more straight games without day off. That's brutal, when pitching is day to day, and failing. I feel that will put the final nail in the Coffin.

 

We've had a nutty schedule this year. And some of it is our own doing. The London series added more off days that would not normally be there - and right before the All Star Break.

[OH FOY]

At this moment we have 2 teams with 6 less losses, pretty hard for 2 teams to start to struggle, and we have no control of it. We have to win, and they have to lose, for 2 teams.

[Kimmi]

Here's some really sobering news from Boston Sports Info:

 

Boston Sports Info

 

@bostonsportsinf

·

1h

 

Since June 22nd

Toronto - (18-19)

Boston - (17-19)

Baltimore - (16-18)

 

Red Sox are losing ground to the tankers, never mind trying to gain on the playoff contenders

 

Ouch.

[notin]

Here's some really sobering news from Boston Sports Info:

 

Boston Sports Info

 

@bostonsportsinf

·

1h

 

Since June 22nd

Toronto - (18-19)

Boston - (17-19)

Baltimore - (16-18)

 

Red Sox are losing ground to the tankers, never mind trying to gain on the playoff contenders

 

Ouch.

 

To be fair, the main reason Toronto and Baltimore have better records than Boston is they got to play and beat up on Boston...

[FredLynn]

At this moment we have 2 teams with 6 less losses, pretty hard for 2 teams to start to struggle, and we have no control of it. We have to win, and they have to lose, for 2 teams.

 

Its probably more productive right now to focus on what the team can do to become relevant again next year. While the pitching has sucked all year I think that our SPs still have something in the tank for next year. Sale, Price, and Porcello have all underachieved this year. I can see a modest comeback year next year. I do not think that they will be the dominant forces they were in 2018, but they will probably be better in 2020. I think that the focus has to be on building a top notch bullpen, even if we have to trade away some of our offensive chips. Our bullpen this year was simply horrible. And I am tired of hearing that its because the SPs didn't go deep enough into games. The fact of the matter is that the Rays and the Yankee RPs have worked more innings than our RPs, and the A's RPs only worked 27 fewer innings. Its not because our pen was overworked relative to the playoff contenders: its because they simply sucked. And that must change.

[dgalehouse]

We are now 15 games behind the Yankees in the loss column. That is incredible. And when you think how decimated by injuries the Yankees are and have been , it is mind boggling.