A Realistic View at 2021: Part II

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Nobody talks about barrels any more.

 

We've been calling them kegs since high school (but never "keggers"; keg-parties -- quarter-keg or half-keg).

[cp176]

The screws term originated from golf though, referring to the screws in the face of wooden clubs.

 

Are you telling me here that as a youngster you never had to save a broken bat with a few well placed screws covered with that good old black tape that we always had plenty of? Oh and most of us golfer guys still call our metals woods. lol

[mvp 78]

The screws term originated from golf though, referring to the screws in the face of wooden clubs.

 

The use of the expression in baseball showed up in the 1970s. The earliest baseball example we’ve found is a comment by Reggie Jackson in the Sept. 15, 1977, issue of the New York Times:

 

“The night before, I met George Steinbrenner in P. J. Clarke’s and he told me I’d win the next game with a home run. He also picked up my tab, so that’s another 30 dollars in the package. I hit the ball on the screws and I knew it was gone.”

[mvp 78]

Moon may remember this one:

 

The earliest Oxford citation (from the May 20, 1883, issue of Sporting Life) has a baseball for the target: “He hit the ball fairly on the nose, sending it clear to the right field fence.”

[moonslav59]

Moon may remember this one:

 

The earliest Oxford citation (from the May 20, 1883, issue of Sporting Life) has a baseball for the target: “He hit the ball fairly on the nose, sending it clear to the right field fence.”

 

I used to get the Sporting News back then, so maybe I read that.

[notin]

We've been calling them kegs since high school

 

My point. When was the last time you bought a keg? Has anyone of legal drinking age ever bought a keg?

[moonslav59]

My point. When was the last time you bought a keg? Has anyone of legal drinking age ever bought a keg?

 

We used to buy kegs, at legal ages and before, and haul them out to an island, we called "Kegger Island." It was an island in the middle of a nature preserve with a wooden bridge going to it. It was far enough away from houses, so people didn't call the cops on us. (It was also too far away for any cop to try and catch us, and we could see anyone coming from a mile away.

 

Those were the days.

[mvp 78]

My point. When was the last time you bought a keg? Has anyone of legal drinking age ever bought a keg?

 

My roommate bought a keg in 2001 for a going away party. We already had a fridge full of beer. He stated "I told everyone there would be a keg, so we need a keg." When I moved out, he had taken all the shelves out of the fridge and thrown the keg in there so that it wouldn't go to waste.

 

The last time I drank out of a keg was 2010 for the Saints Superbowl as my friends were doing a Superbowl Beer Olympics.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

My point. When was the last time you bought a keg? Has anyone of legal drinking age ever bought a keg?

 

Whenever someone did, it was for a party they were hosting. Guests didn't have to pay two bucks to get in, lest the football lineman at the entrance bounce their heads.

[mvp 78]

@SoxNotes

Xander Bogaerts’ rankings among shortstops in 2021:

 

.351 AVG – 1st

.385 OBP – 1st

.604 SLG – 1st

.988 OPS – 1st

16 XBH – 1st

10 doubles – 1st

39 hits – 1st

 

Since Apr. 20, he leads the AL with 6 HR (in only 13 games). He has homered in 3 of his last 4 games.

[mvp 78]

Whenever someone did, it was for a party they were hosting. Guests didn't have to pay two bucks to get in, lest the football lineman at the entrance bounce their heads.

 

[Swiharts Ghost]

Franchy and Renfroe suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck

[Swiharts Ghost]

I would honestly love to see Renfroe and Franchy released tonight.

[moonslav59]

I would honestly love to see Renfroe and Franchy released tonight.

 

Renfroe is our hottest hitter.

 

I thought you loved tiny sample sizes.

[Swiharts Ghost]

Please DFA these clowns what an absolute disaster

[Swiharts Ghost]

Renfroe is our hottest hitter.

 

I thought you loved tiny sample sizes.

 

No that’s my asshat cat

[Swiharts Ghost]

Enough is enough bring up the replacements

[Swiharts Ghost]

Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuiickkkkkkkkks

[Swiharts Ghost]

Sawamora looks like a bartender in Tiajuana

[illinoisredsox]

Renfroe is our hottest hitter.

 

I thought you loved tiny sample sizes.

 

May I surmise that the Ghost is advocating releasing the entire team? Again.

[oldtimer]

May I surmise that the Ghost is advocating releasing the entire team? Again.

 

You may want to belittle Ghosts comment but he has a point. Verdugo has to sit due to soreness and we have little punch on the bench. Dalbec is struggling while Codero is 1 for his last 36 and made an error last night. Codero should have been send down days ago. It's in his interest and that of the team. Maybe Dalbec could use a rest as well. Could Chavis and Duran be any worse? We need some help with pitching as well. Moon indicated one or two. Brice could go and perhaps Taylor. Lets not lose winnable games for lack of management moves.

[Maxbialystock]

A Realistic View at 2021 is currently dismaying. Since the 9 game winning streak, the Sox have played subpar baseball, winning 9 and losing 10.

 

The first two games of the Detroit Tigers series is confirmatory of that trend. The Tigers are 2 and 8 in their last 10 games, but won last night and could have won the night before were it night for Cabrera's two GIDP's, including the crucial one in the 8th with the bases loaded and just 1 out.

 

The bottom part of the lineup is a real problem these days. The starting pitching is better than I expected, but the bullpen keeps springing leaks. And the defense is kind of weak across the board.

 

The outfield looks like strangers in the night: opposing outfields look more comfortable at Fenway and make better plays. Three years ago the Sox outfield was Beni, JBJ, and Betts at least 2/3 of the time and the latter two were gold glove contenders. The infield is at least as weak as the outfield. And opposing baserunners steal with impunity in an era when stealing bases is deemed foolhardy.

 

Today at 1:10 it's Turnbull vs. Eovaldi for the series win. Based on the first two games and the Sox steady slide downward, I'm taking nothing for granted.

[Bellhorn04]

Chaim may have gone one step too far with the revamping and rebuilding when he unloaded Beni. We didn't really shed much payroll in the deal. We did get back prospects.

 

But right now it's a move that left us with a very shaggy outfield.

 

Duran is 0 for 7 in the first 2 Worcester games.

[moonslav59]

You may want to belittle Ghosts comment but he has a point. Verdugo has to sit due to soreness and we have little punch on the bench. Dalbec is struggling while Codero is 1 for his last 36 and made an error last night. Codero should have been send down days ago. It's in his interest and that of the team. Maybe Dalbec could use a rest as well. Could Chavis and Duran be any worse? We need some help with pitching as well. Moon indicated one or two. Brice could go and perhaps Taylor. Lets not lose winnable games for lack of management moves.

 

His point is to DFA struggling players who have options.

 

Nobody would make a big deal out of someone saying Cordero and Dalbec should be demoted to AAA.

[moonslav59]

A Realistic View at 2021 is currently dismaying. Since the 9 game winning streak, the Sox have played subpar baseball, winning 9 and losing 10.

 

The first two games of the Detroit Tigers series is confirmatory of that trend. The Tigers are 2 and 8 in their last 10 games, but won last night and could have won the night before were it night for Cabrera's two GIDP's, including the crucial one in the 8th with the bases loaded and just 1 out.

 

The bottom part of the lineup is a real problem these days. The starting pitching is better than I expected, but the bullpen keeps springing leaks. And the defense is kind of weak across the board.

 

The outfield looks like strangers in the night: opposing outfields look more comfortable at Fenway and make better plays. Three years ago the Sox outfield was Beni, JBJ, and Betts at least 2/3 of the time and the latter two were gold glove contenders. The infield is at least as weak as the outfield. And opposing baserunners steal with impunity in an era when stealing bases is deemed foolhardy.

 

Today at 1:10 it's Turnbull vs. Eovaldi for the series win. Based on the first two games and the Sox steady slide downward, I'm taking nothing for granted.

 

This team was projected to be about a .500 team. How is going 9 and 10 all that dismaying?

 

I get that many of the losses were to bad teams, but to me, the 9 game winning streak was more dismaying.

 

We will lose some games to good and bad teams. We will have a nice winning stretch, again- maybe several. The team will likely end up with 80-86 wins.

 

After how bad we were, last year, and having a restricted winter spending budget, I'm actually thrilled we got to where we are, right now. The team has over achieved, but from the sound of several posters, we are bums. Management sucks from top to bottom. Our saviors were being held back at the alt site, and now should be called up after 2 live games.

 

Yes, we have a weak defense. Is that a newsflash?

 

Yes, our pen has sprung some leaks, but for the love of God, they have carried this team beyond anyone's expectations, and now after about a week of struggles, the sky is falling.

 

Our rotation has been solid, especially for 5 innings. With 9 pen arms, of which 7 have done well, you'd think that would be enough for a team leading the league in runs scored.

 

We won some tough games a few weeks back: now, we are losing some.

 

It sucks. No doubt, but the weaknesses we all saw and wrote about, this past winter, are still there, but don't expect us to spend big, both in cash or in prospects, to plus the holes that have been known to be there for at least a couple years.

 

Our defense will lose us more games.

Our pen will be far from perfect.

A starter or two will struggle or get hurt.

Our offense, unbalanced as it is, will keep scoring more than most teams, but with such a weak bottom 3-4 slots, it's hard to expect consistency. When Cora tries to lengthen the line-up by slotting someone else in the top 4 slots, he's crucified.

 

Cora and Bloom are just what this team needed as they bridge to future greatness. It will take time, but patience is no longer a virtue, these days.

[jacksonianmarch]

This team was projected to be about a .500 team. How is going 9 and 10 all that dismaying?

 

I get that many of the losses were to bad teams, but to me, the 9 game winning streak was more dismaying.

 

We will lose some games to good and bad teams. We will have a nice winning stretch, again- maybe several. The team will likely end up with 80-86 wins.

 

After how bad we were, last year, and having a restricted winter spending budget, I'm actually thrilled we got to where we are, right now. The team has over achieved, but from the sound of several posters, we are bums. Management sucks from top to bottom. Our saviors were being held back at the alt site, and now should be called up after 2 live games.

 

Yes, we have a weak defense. Is that a newsflash?

 

Yes, our pen has sprung some leaks, but for the love of God, they have carried this team beyond anyone's expectations, and now after about a week of struggles, the sky is falling.

 

Our rotation has been solid, especially for 5 innings. With 9 pen arms, of which 7 have done well, you'd think that would be enough for a team leading the league in runs scored.

 

We won some tough games a few weeks back: now, we are losing some.

 

It sucks. No doubt, but the weaknesses we all saw and wrote about, this past winter, are still there, but don't expect us to spend big, both in cash or in prospects, to plus the holes that have been known to be there for at least a couple years.

 

Our defense will lose us more games.

Our pen will be far from perfect.

A starter or two will struggle or get hurt.

Our offense, unbalanced as it is, will keep scoring more than most teams, but with such a weak bottom 3-4 slots, it's hard to expect consistency. When Cora tries to lengthen the line-up by slotting someone else in the top 4 slots, he's crucified.

 

Cora and Bloom are just what this team needed as they bridge to future greatness. It will take time, but patience is no longer a virtue, these days.

 

Having the winning streak reset expectations.

[moonslav59]

Chaim may have gone one step too far with the revamping and rebuilding when he unloaded Beni. We didn't really shed much payroll in the deal. We did get back prospects.

 

But right now it's a move that left us with a very shaggy outfield.

 

Duran is 0 for 7 in the first 2 Worcester games.

 

Beni's super slow start would have driven this board nutty. We'd still be hearing calls for Duran and wild signings.

 

While the hopes for Cordero were certainly a major part of the trade, I think the PTBNL's were always the focal point.

 

To me, the most questionable winter move was the Ottavino trade.

 

It helped the Yanks get under the tax line, while taking up a lot of budget space on our ledger. We don't need to trade Beni, if we aren't paying Ottavino.

 

Anyway, I still like the Beni trade, since I'm looking longer term.

[moonslav59]

Having the winning streak reset expectations.

 

No doubt, but the reality is this is the same team we knew had too many holes to expect greatness.

 

The one thing I said all along, and what made me have some hopes, is the fact that every other AL team has major holes, too, and that has been shown to be true.

 

We'll probably have another good stretch of games that will raise hopes again, but we are also going to lose our fair share of games- sometimes to really bad teams.

 

I still expect we win between 84-86 games, but a lot can happen to make it more or less.

[Bellhorn04]

To me, the most questionable winter move was the Ottavino trade.

 

It helped the Yanks get under the tax line, while taking up a lot of budget space on our ledger. We don't need to trade Beni, if we aren't paying Ottavino.

 

You think the trade for Ottavino is what prompted the trade of Beni?

[Bellhorn04]

Beni's super slow start would have driven this board nutty. We'd still be hearing calls for Duran and wild signings.

 

And how does that matter to anything?