Fire Bloom .

[notin]

Sign players to fill the holes you have. Typically teams do this in the off season. They lay out the strategy targeting possible players to fill their holes with contingencies in the event their first choices was not available. What Bloom did was create more holes to fill and then failed to aggressively pursue players to fill those holes. He was repeatedly beaten to the punch by more aggressive teams. Hence the criticism of having no sense of urgency. Bloom misread the baseball market as a whole and the demands of his local fan base.

 

 

That’s a plan for building a Yahoo! fantasy baseball team in a re-draft league, not an MLB organization. The only thing I know about building an MLB organization is you don’t do that….

[Elktonnick]

When you have many holes to fill and limited finances and resources, you have to rely on some hope, unfortunately... like Dalbec/Shaw/Casas at 1B and like Sale/Paxton/Wink/Seabold at SP'er.

 

Bloom did get a few things wrong on the choices he did make, but several worked- just not enough to counterbalance all that went wrong. Go ahead and blame Bloom for not foreseeing the declines from nearly every returning vet, but don't deny he'd have been blasted had he traded Bogey, JD, Nate, Dugo, Duran, Whitlock and others who declines from '21 to '22, last winter.

I am bashing him because he got rid of Renfroe and made no effort to retain Schwarber. Bloom failed at virtually every level. He alienated his players and his fans. He deconstructed a winning team into a pathetic collection of demoralized inept players. Yet, he still managed to exceed the lux tax. That is a record of incompetence achieved by few Red Sox GMs since Pinky Higgins.

[dgalehouse]

Bloom signed Nate, Sale, Bogey, Dalbec, Vaz, Plawecki, JD, Brasier, and many others? Are you saying he should have almost totally white-washed the team over the past 2-3 years, and known exactly which ones were about to decline and dump them for the best he could get. Then, on a limited budget for nearly the full 3 years, he was supposed to fill all the gaps by being close to 100% correct on all signings and trades.

 

That was your idea of a good plan? (I don't want to put words in your mouth, so please explain, and please, no "he should have convinced JH to spend more" as part of your suggested plan.)

 

What I am saying requires no explanation. All you have to do is watch the games or check the scoreboard. This is Bloom's third year in charge. The team is in last place. He is responsible. It is on him. No one else.

[Elktonnick]

That’s a plan for building a Yahoo! fantasy baseball team in a re-draft league, not an MLB organization. The only thing I know about building an MLB organization is you don’t do that….

 

Really the only thing I agree with you on is: you don't know anything about building a mlb team.

[moonslav59]

I am bashing him because he got rid of Renfroe and made no effort to retain Schwarber. Bloom failed at virtually every level. He alienated his players and his fans. He deconstructed a winning team into a pathetic collection of demoralized inept players. Yet, he still managed to exceed the lux tax. That is a record of incompetence achieved by few Red Sox GMs since Pinky Higgins.

 

It was barely a winning team in 2019 and then was forced to cut mega salary. You can choose to ignore fa cts and context, but it doesn't make it go away.

 

Yes, the Renfroe deal sucked, but it was one of many.

 

Had we signed Schwarber and not Wacha, Hill, Strahm and others or Schwarber for Story, we'd be no better off.

[Old Red]

When you have many holes to fill and limited finances and resources, you have to rely on some hope, unfortunately... like Dalbec/Shaw/Casas at 1B and like Sale/Paxton/Wink/Seabold at SP'er.

 

Bloom did get a few things wrong on the choices he did make, but several worked- just not enough to counterbalance all that went wrong. Go ahead and blame Bloom for not foreseeing the declines from nearly every returning vet, but don't deny he'd have been blasted had he traded Bogey, JD, Nate, Dugo, Duran, Whitlock and others who declines from '21 to '22, last winter.

The same talking points keep being made in defense of Bloom. You keeping talking about bad leadership of the players you don’t like, but you don’t mention the bad leadership starting at the top with Bloom, and Cora. Word salad after word salad does not change the standings. Heads should roll for this mess, and it should start at the top. JH should not be exempt from blame either. Kraft has won more than JH with the Pats, and he’s been getting his share of blame for where the Pats are now, which is not very good.

[moonslav59]

Sign players to fill the holes you have. Typically teams do this in the off season. They lay out the strategy targeting possible players to fill their holes with contingencies in the event their first choices was not available. What Bloom did was create more holes to fill and then failed to aggressively pursue players to fill those holes. He was repeatedly beaten to the punch by more aggressive teams. Hence the criticism of having no sense of urgency. Bloom misread the baseball market as a whole and the demands of his local fan base.

 

Richards hole: Wacha - good or bad?

Perez hole: Hill- good or bad?

Andriese/Ottavino holes: Strahm/Schreiber/Diekman- good or bad?

Marwin/Arroyo/Chavis/Arauz hole: Story- good or bad?

Santana hole: Refsnyder- good or bad?

 

We all know the Renfroe for JBJ deal was horrible, but wer eall these others? All we hear is about this one, as if it was all he did or tried to do.

 

By "more aggressive" you mean pay more, right? Where does he pay less to pay more? He didn't have an unlimited budget.

 

Non of these factors concern you, but they are part of being a real GM's factors.

[Old Red]

It was barely a winning team in 2019 and then was forced to cut mega salary. You can choose to ignore fa cts and context, but it doesn't make it go away.

 

Yes, the Renfroe deal sucked, but it was one of many.

 

Had we signed Schwarber and not Wacha, Hill, Strahm and others or Schwarber for Story, we'd be no better off.

The Renfroe deal sucked, and you were all for getting rid of him. You keep coming up with all these woulda, coulda, shouldas, and it this guy was signed we couldn’t sign someone else, which you don’t have any more of a clue than Bloom does.

[Elktonnick]

It was barely a winning team in 2019 and then was forced to cut mega salary. You can choose to ignore fa cts and context, but it doesn't make it go away.

 

Yes, the Renfroe deal sucked, but it was one of many.

 

Had we signed Schwarber and not Wacha, Hill, Strahm and others or Schwarber for Story, we'd be no better off.[/QUOl

Post all the rationalizations you want but the bottom line is the 21 team was two games shy of the world series. This team will struggle to win 70 to 75 games. They are playing like s***. Bloom is responsible. Excuses are for losers.

[Old Red]

Richards hole: Wacha - good or bad?

Perez hole: Hill- good or bad?

Andriese/Ottavino holes: Strahm/Schreiber/Diekman- good or bad?

Marwin/Arroyo/Chavis/Arauz hole: Story- good or bad?

Santana hole: Refsnyder- good or bad?

 

We all know the Renfroe for JBJ deal was horrible, but wer eall these others?

 

By "more aggressive" you mean pay more, right? Where does he pay less to pay more? He didn't have an unlimited budget.

 

Non of these factors concern you, but they are part of being a real GM's factors.

How the hell do you know what are parts of being a real GM? Come on man!

[dgalehouse]

One thing I don't really agree with is blaming Cora. I think he is getting frustrated with the whole thing. He is trying to mix and match and get the most out of what he has to work with. It is tough. The Sox just don't match up well with the good teams. And that has to fall on Bloom.

[notin]

Bloom should be judged by the results of the team and the progress toward competitiveness. So far the results have been poor and we have gotten less competitive. I would suggest 2023 will be the final year for excuses. The team will have to show real progress if Bloom is to be kept as GM.

 

It really will depend what his plan actually is. It isn’t “we need a shortstop. Get Trea Turner. If that fails, get Dansby Swanson.”

 

If the plan is some sort of 5 year reach to get a farm like the Dodgers, then why evaluate in three? Or even 5?

 

Part of this is sports fans in general are very impatient. Especially after tasting success recently…

[Bellhorn04]

Non sequitur.

 

They were the most aggressive team.

[moonslav59]

It was barely a winning team in 2019 and then was forced to cut mega salary. You can choose to ignore fa cts and context, but it doesn't make it go away.

 

Yes, the Renfroe deal sucked, but it was one of many.

 

Had we signed Schwarber and not Wacha, Hill, Strahm and others or Schwarber for Story, we'd be no better off.[/QUOl

Post all the rationalizations you want but the bottom line is the 21 team was two games shy of the world series. This team will struggle to win 70 to 75 games. They are playing like s***. Bloom is responsible. Excuses are for losers.

 

Hard to read this mashing, but yes, Bloom is certainly responsible for a lot of what went wrong.

 

Isn't blaming Bloom also just an excuse to let the players off the hook? Excuses are for losers, right?

 

The whole team failed, and stop with the Bloom constructed the whole team, because he didn't- just like every GM in charge for less than 5-7 years or so.

[moonslav59]

They were the most aggressive team.

 

Bloom was very aggressive on the Renfroe trade! (LOL)

[Elktonnick]

One thing I don't really agree with is blaming Cora. I think he is getting frustrated with the whole thing. He is trying to mix and match and get the most out of what he has to work with. It is tough. The Sox just don't match up well with good teams. And that has to fall on Bloom.

While I admit Cora bears less blame than Bloom but some of his moves last night were headscratchers. Having Kike pinch run for McGuire instead of pinch hitting for Dalbec is a puzzlement. Dalbec is anything but a contact hitter. He is a strike out waiting to happen.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

You missed the point.

 

Yes last night was frustrating. But that kind of thing does happen. Blaming it on the GM as being “poorly constructed” when this team had injury replacements at 1b, 2b, cf and RF speaks more about the frustration and desire to blame this about the team..

 

My desire isn't so much to blame, but for things to change -- not just the CBO or manager or even the roster -- but an entire organizational approach.

 

What I'm talking about is batters making contact. I know analytics shuns bunting, especially sacrifices, but other teams have gone old school since the creation of the ghost runner. Want to win in the 10th? Execute freaking fundamentals.

 

And it's not even worth looking up team sacrifice totals... how about recruiting or better yet, training, batters to hit grounders to second base. Move the runner. Touch the ball.

 

When your team can hit the '04 Red Sox, it's not so smart to give away free outs. But if your club is half-filled with minor league whiffers -- or even the 2019 Sox, who had eight guys with 100 or more Ks -- then you need to adjust to certain situations.

 

There's a reason the '22 Red Sox are so horrendous in extra innings -- in the standings and just to watch -- and it's not all because of the bullpen.

[notin]

Really the only thing I agree with you on is: you don't know anything about building a mlb team.

 

I admit I don’t. And by some massive stroke of luck, my job doesn’t require it.

 

But if you think it’s as simple as Sign Player A and if not Sign Player B, I can promise you it’s more complicated. And what you call a “plan” involved far, far more hope than anything Bloom did…

[dgalehouse]

While I admit Cora bears less blame than Bloom but some of his moves last night were headscratchers. Having Kike pinch run for McGuire instead of pinch hitting for Dalbec is a puzzlement. Dalbec is anything but a contact hitter. He is a strike out waiting to happen.

 

Part of the late game problems are the bullpens. The opponent invariably has the better bullpen. The Sox had chances to win but could not get the big hit or even sac fly. Part of the reason for that was Romano. He was really bringing it when needed. That has often been the case this year. The opponent has the better, deeper bullpen.

[notin]

My desire isn't so much to blame, but for things to change -- not just the CBO or manager or even the roster -- but an entire organizational approach.

 

What I'm talking about is batters making contact. I know analytics shuns bunting, especially sacrifices, but other teams have gone old school since the creation of the ghost runner. Want to win in the 10th? Execute freaking fundamentals.

 

And it's not even worth looking up team sacrifice totals... how about recruiting or better yet, training, batters to hit grounders to second base. Move the runner. Touch the ball.

 

When your team can hit the '04 Red Sox, it's not so smart to give away free outs. But if your club is half-filled with minor league whiffers -- or even the 2019 Sox, who had eight guys with 100 or more Ks -- then you need to adjust to certain situations.

 

There's a reason the '22 Red Sox are so horrendous in extra innings -- in the standings and just to watch -- and it's not all because of the bullpen.

 

 

Hey I’d like to see a return to OBP and jacking up opposing pitcher’s pitch counts.

 

And defense

 

OBP and defense. That’s what this team needs.

 

Remember the old days when the e Sox had a leadoff hitter?

[Elktonnick]

I admit I don’t. And by some massive stroke of luck, my job doesn’t require it.

 

But if you think it’s as simple as Sign Player A and if not Sign Player B, I can promise you it’s more complicated. And what you call a “plan” involved far, far more hope than anything Bloom did…

 

You know yours is a silly post. I was giving you a broad outline in effort to be somewhat responsive to what I sincerely thought was a sincere question. I now realize your question was neither sincere nor serious. I won't make that mistake again, of ever thinking you serious or sincere on this board.

[Elktonnick]

They were the most aggressive team.

It is a non sequitur because the Rangers owner fired the GM who had been there a very long time much longer than any Red Sox GM has been here. When he fired him he said we have been bad for a long time. So it really is apples and oranges to compare the Rangers and Red Sox situations.

[moonslav59]

While I admit Cora bears less blame than Bloom but some of his moves last night were headscratchers. Having Kike pinch run for McGuire instead of pinch hitting for Dalbec is a puzzlement. Dalbec is anything but a contact hitter. He is a strike out waiting to happen.

 

He does hit a lot of fly balls, but yes, Kike not batting was a head-scratcher. He did do great when he got to hit the next inning. He put the ball in play!

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Part of the late game problems are the bullpens. The opponent invariably has the better bullpen. The Sox had chances to win but could not get the big hit or even sac fly. Part of the reason for that was Romano. He was really bringing it when needed. That has often been the case this year. The opponent has the better, deeper bullpen.

 

Your point is valid, no denying it.

 

Here's mine (which I didn't invent, since I wasn't around when baseball was created): batter squares around in the box, slides top hand to the barrel, and holds the bat over the plate, parallel to the Earth.

 

No matter how fast a pitcher throws, he still has to throw strikes. And sometimes -- often, for our pathetic Red Sox -- all hitters have to do is put it in play...

[Old Red]

He does hit a lot of fly balls, but yes, Kike not batting was a head-scratcher. He did do great when he got to hit the next inning. He put the ball in play!

 

Kike has sucked since Day 1, and you know it, but because Kike is your Boy Toy you don’t list him as being part of the problem. He hasn’t hit before he got hurt, and he hasn’t hit since he’s been back, and has had big chances the last two nights, and has come up empty.

[notin]

You know yours is a silly post. I was giving you a broad outline in effort to be somewhat responsive to what I sincerely thought was a sincere question. I now realize your question was neither sincere nor serious. I won't make that mistake again, of ever thinking you serious or sincere on this board.

 

 

Hey I honestly have no idea what a plan looks like. I take someone like Speier’s brief summary, and I think it’s often a far-reaching philosophy.

 

And THAT is why I don’t criticize it. I only criticize short term plans that involve heavy spending and leaving nothing but destruction in their wake…

[notin]

Kike has sucked since Day 1, and you know it, but because Kike is your Boy Toy you don’t list him as being part of the problem. He hasn’t hit before he got hurt, and he hasn’t hit since he’s been back, and has had big chances the last two nights, and has come up empty.

 

Kike had a bad year. He was a good player last year. What’s the point here?

[Elktonnick]

Hey I honestly have no idea what a plan looks like. I take someone like Speier’s brief summary, and I think it’s often a far-reaching philosophy.

 

And THAT is why I don’t criticize it. I only criticize short term plans that involve heavy spending and leaving nothing but destruction in their wake…

If you carefully analyze what you just wrote that is even sillier. Just stick with you "have no idea what a plan looks like". It accurately refutes everything you previously posted on this subject.

[notin]

If you carefully analyze what you just wrote that is even sillier. Just stick with you "have no idea what a plan looks like". It accurately refutes everything you previously posted on this subject.

 

And maybe you need to do the same…

[moonslav59]

Kike had a bad year. He was a good player last year. What’s the point here?

 

Bloom was supposed to know what Red knew, and traded him before the real Kike was exposed.