Yes, we will be a playoff team this year

[Slasher9]

Get your playin tickets. It’s happening

[bosoxmal]

In rooting for Cleveland now, your really rooting against Tampa Bay/

[bosoxmal]

We go into the meat grinder after the Angels.

 

We have a lot more games against weaker teams than we have left against the stronger teams.

[mvp 78]

We have a lot more games against weaker teams than we have left against the stronger teams.

 

So do the Rays

[Bellhorn04]

The strength of schedule stuff doesn't even mean that much at this stage. The Rays recently had a hard time with both the Tiggers and the Birds.

[dgalehouse]

We have reached the point in the season where the pressure amps up . It's something that can't be quantified, so there are going to be those who don't believe it . The strength of schedule doesn't mean everything. All the stuff about if the Rays go 16 and 12 , we have to do this , etc . means nothing. You grind it out . Take it day by day . And see who survives .

[notin]

Right. Just win as often as possible and know you won’t win them all...

[Bellhorn04]

Can the freakin' Yanks beat the A's once?

[moonslav59]

Can the freakin' Yanks beat the A's once?

 

I'm hoping the Yanks have to face the A's first round.

 

Anybody but the Twinkies.

[harmony]

Can the freakin' Yanks beat the A's once?

yes

[dgalehouse]

I'm hoping the Yanks have to face the A's first round.

 

Anybody but the Twinkies.

 

The Yankees facing the A's in the first round means that the Sox didn't make it . How can you be hoping for that ?

[moonslav59]

The Yankees facing the A's in the first round means that the Sox didn't make it . How can you be hoping for that ?

 

1) We're out of it already.

2) The Astros may end up with the best record and face the wild card winner.

3) The A's have a better chance of beating NY than CLE or MN.

 

Once the Sox are out, it's all about the Yanks losing.

[Bellhorn04]

The Yankees facing the A's in the first round means that the Sox didn't make it . How can you be hoping for that ?

 

Here's my way of phrasing it:

 

I would prefer that the Yankees beat out Houston for first overall. That means they would not be playing Minnesota in the first round. They would be playing the Wild Card winner. Which could be Cleveland, Oakland, Tampa or us. If it's not us, Oakland looks like the matchup that could give the Yankees the most trouble.

[jacksonianmarch]

Oakland has always been a paper tiger when the lights go bright. I’ll take them in a five gamer if it means we have home field throughout. We don’t need to hope for the favorable matchup in round 1 if that matchup means our chances of a title are diminished. I don’t like our chances of winning an away series in Houston.

[dgalehouse]

Here's my way of phrasing it:

 

I would prefer that the Yankees beat out Houston for first overall. That means they would not be playing Minnesota in the first round. They would be playing the Wild Card winner. Which could be Cleveland, Oakland, Tampa or us. If it's not us, Oakland looks like the matchup that could give the Yankees the most trouble.

 

In that scenario, should the Yankees beat Oakland in the ALDS , which would certainly be likely , they would have home field for at least the ALCS , if not the whole post season . That would give them a better shot at going all the way .

[dgalehouse]

1) We're out of it already.

2) The Astros may end up with the best record and face the wild card winner.

3) The A's have a better chance of beating NY than CLE or MN.

 

Once the Sox are out, it's all about the Yanks losing.

 

I have to disagree .

1 - The Sox are by no means out of the running as yet .

2 - The Yankees would really not have much trouble beating the A's .

3 - Home field throughout would give the Yankees a leg up on winning it all .

You are a ( somewhat ) influential poster . You have followers. Don't lead them astray.

[notin]

Get your playin tickets. It’s happening

 

So its going to be a home game?

[harmony]

I have to disagree .

1 - The Sox are by no means out of the running as yet .

2 - The Yankees would really not have much trouble beating the A's .

3 - Home field throughout would give the Yankees a leg up on winning it all .

You are a ( somewhat ) influential poster . You have followers. Don't lead them astray.

Nothing has changed. The Red Sox will play to win every game. The Sox could advance to the postseason but their chances are slim.

[moonslav59]

I have to disagree .

1 - The Sox are by no means out of the running as yet .

2 - The Yankees would really not have much trouble beating the A's .

3 - Home field throughout would give the Yankees a leg up on winning it all .

You are a ( somewhat ) influential poster . You have followers. Don't lead them astray.

 

I'm not attempting to lead anyone anywhere.

 

We have to pass 2 teams by gaining 6 on both. I'm fine with people thinking that will happen, and I can understand their faith. I've often been the last one believing over the years.

 

I want to see the Yanks lose.

 

Of course, they will be favored over the A's, if they play them, but I like the A's chances better than TB or CLE in the first round. That's all my post was about.

 

I wasn't the one who brought up the fact that for the A's to beat the Yanks, we'd have to be eliminated.

 

[jacksonianmarch]

The sox are currently tied for 19th worst record in baseball, which means they're in a pretty rough draft position as is. I said a month ago that the worst thing for the sox would be to narrowly miss the POs. They're either better off clearly in it or way behind that. The reasoning is restocking their horrid farm system and tempting fate with the management team. At the time of my comment, being as high as 14th was reasonable. Now, it looks more like a Sept swoon could get the sox into that range, but more likely they're locked in. They're 8 games up on Texas in the AL, so they aren't swapping spots with them. They're 3 games up on the Phillies and 4 up on the DBacks, Brewers and Mets. So 15th is possible if they fade heavily.

 

The bigger reason than team building for narrowly missing is the fact that this could prompt Henry to keep on DD which would mean one more whack at the piñata. This would lead to a FAR higher likelihood that the sox spend themselves into a hole that it could take 5 years to crawl out from.

[devildavid]

Gotta win tonights game. Both Oakland and Cleveland lost. This WC race could tighten up in a hurry. Sox have a pretty good outside chance of backing into a WC spot.

[devildavid]

Gotta win tonights game. Both Oakland and Cleveland lost. This WC race could tighten up in a hurry. Sox have a pretty good outside chance of backing into a WC spot.

 

Sox blow it. Their chances are over. They had me going there for a minute.

[mvp 78]

It’s been ovah for a while. They’ll be better in 2020.

[mvp 78]

@redsoxstats

 

The A's are projected to get to 93 wins. To match that the Sox have 6 losses to play with in September. 20-6.

[notin]

The sox are currently tied for 19th worst record in baseball, which means they're in a pretty rough draft position as is. I said a month ago that the worst thing for the sox would be to narrowly miss the POs. They're either better off clearly in it or way behind that. The reasoning is restocking their horrid farm system and tempting fate with the management team. At the time of my comment, being as high as 14th was reasonable. Now, it looks more like a Sept swoon could get the sox into that range, but more likely they're locked in. They're 8 games up on Texas in the AL, so they aren't swapping spots with them. They're 3 games up on the Phillies and 4 up on the DBacks, Brewers and Mets. So 15th is possible if they fade heavily.

 

The bigger reason than team building for narrowly missing is the fact that this could prompt Henry to keep on DD which would mean one more whack at the piñata. This would lead to a FAR higher likelihood that the sox spend themselves into a hole that it could take 5 years to crawl out from.

 

If the Sox are going to rebuild the farm, it's not going to be through the draft...

[jacksonianmarch]

If the Sox are going to rebuild the farm, it's not going to be through the draft...

 

Getting a high first rounder doesn’t hurt if you’re rebuilding, especially if you can eek into the top 15. Doesn’t just help the higher first round pick, but absolutely helps with the bonus pool thereafter.

 

And if the Sox rebuild, who do they use to restock their farm? Mookie on a one year deal? He’ll bring back some, maybe not as much as you think. ERod probably is the most useful chip since he’s got two years left. Would the Sox package someone of import to an overpriced faded star to get cash off their hands? Is there a taker for Devers if the Sox can offload the contracts of Pedroia, Sale and Price? They can go many ways, but the draft is the best way to restock for when the rebuild would be expected to complete. Remember, if the Sox draft like s*** and trade for top talents who make an impact, they’ll still have no depth, which is the problem plaguing your team right now. There’s absolutely no pitching depth in the pen or the rotation. That’s the deathknell of 2019 and seasons thereafter

[jung]

 

We have to pass 2 teams by gaining 6 on both. I'm fine with people thinking that will happen, and I can understand their faith. I've often been the last one believing over the years

 

This was the dynamic developing that one could see weeks ago. A team that seems utterly incapable of putting together a significant run is stuck behind two teams. So I think the Sox record for the last 13 games is 9-4 and I think 15-12 for August. Where has that gotten us....a couple game closer? when trailing two teams and unable to make a run, how many times will one of the two win and the other lose and you win.....How many time will one of the two win and the other lose and you lose. Worst case, how many times will they both win and you lose.

 

We can watch the number of games in the loss column every day thinking we are closing in because that is of course what the Sox and NESN want us to think (get those ratings up). But it is such an uphill pull again mainly because this team cannot go on significant win runs. Hasn't done it all year and certainly shows no signs of doing it now.

[bosoxmal]

As of Sunday AM

1 September

 

MINN-----83-52

 

CLEVE----79-57

 

TBAY-----79-58

 

OAK------78-57

 

SOX------73-63

 

Lose today, and that’s it. It won’t make any difference who we play in RF and1B.

[notin]

Getting a high first rounder doesn’t hurt if you’re rebuilding, especially if you can eek into the top 15. Doesn’t just help the higher first round pick, but absolutely helps with the bonus pool thereafter.

 

And if the Sox rebuild, who do they use to restock their farm? Mookie on a one year deal? He’ll bring back some, maybe not as much as you think. ERod probably is the most useful chip since he’s got two years left. Would the Sox package someone of import to an overpriced faded star to get cash off their hands? Is there a taker for Devers if the Sox can offload the contracts of Pedroia, Sale and Price? They can go many ways, but the draft is the best way to restock for when the rebuild would be expected to complete. Remember, if the Sox draft like s*** and trade for top talents who make an impact, they’ll still have no depth, which is the problem plaguing your team right now. There’s absolutely no pitching depth in the pen or the rotation. That’s the deathknell of 2019 and seasons thereafter

 

Sure getting a high first rounder helps.

 

Assuming you don’t draft a bust, and work with him properly. And then in 3-5 years you have a player!!!

 

If the Sox are rebuilding, the draft is NOT the way to go. Oh they have to do it and do it right. But it’s too long of a process.

 

I’m not sure what Mookie might bring back (and I wouldn’t start by dealing him), but a year of him might be worth more than 3 months of Aroldis Chapman.

 

ERod isn’t the Sox most useful chip, FYI. Devers is. Followed by Benintendi...

[Bellhorn04]

In that scenario, should the Yankees beat Oakland in the ALDS , which would certainly be likely , they would have home field for at least the ALCS , if not the whole post season . That would give them a better shot at going all the way .

 

Anything is better than another Yankees-Twins series.