Fire Bloom .

[redsoxrules]

Devers has been struggling since coming off the IL. Maybe he has some lingering issues with the hamstring.

 

Or perhaps he's just in a bad slump. If he was that injured he wouldn't be playing. Especially considering he's producing at JBJ level since August 3rd.

[jad]

Probably. I don't watch enough games to know.

 

He was being blamed by some for not hustling or running out grounders, but he was clearly under orders not to do so (I believe Cora said as much in one of his pre-game interviews.)

[mvp 78]

He was being blamed by some for not hustling or running out grounders, but he was clearly under orders not to do so (I believe Cora said as much in one of his pre-game interviews.)

 

It's like complaining that players don't play pepper before games anymore.

[Old Red]

5-7-11

 

5 games from 500

 

7 games in the L column from LAST PLACE in the Div.

 

11 games in the L column from the LAST Wild Card Spot

 

These numbers keep getting bigger, bigger, and bigger, and yet No one has lost their job. Unbelievable!

[Bellhorn04]

5-7-11

 

5 games from 500

 

7 games in the L column from LAST PLACE in the Div.

 

11 games in the L column from the LAST Wild Card Spot

 

These numbers keep getting bigger, bigger, and bigger, and yet No one has lost their job. Unbelievable!

 

Do you really find it unbelievable? If so, I find that amusing.

[Old Red]

Do you really find it unbelievable? If so, I find that amusing.

 

A team with this payroll, and with this record. Only in Boston?

[Bellhorn04]

A team with this payroll, and with this record. Only in Boston?

 

So maybe they shouldn't have spent so much this year. Maybe they should have gone full-on tank and fire sale.

 

Trying to please the fans had a lot to do with this combination of high payroll and suckitude.

 

I was one of the fans who wanted them not to tank or fire sale, so I'm willing to live with the results.

[Old Red]

So maybe they shouldn't have spent so much this year. Maybe they should have gone full-on tank and fire sale.

 

Trying to please the fans had a lot to do with this combination of high payroll and suckitude.

 

I was one of the fans who wanted them not to tank or fire sale, so I'm willing to live with the results.

I was with you on the No tanking, or fire sale, which to me should never happen in Boston with fans having to pay such high ticket prices that all the ones on here who did want a fire sale probably don’t do.

[redsoxrules]

I was with you on the No tanking, or fire sale, which to me should never happen in Boston with fans having to pay such high ticket prices that all the ones on here who did want a fire sale probably don’t do.

 

That's a great point. Fenway park is the second most expensive for ticket prices. I know I certainly wouldn't be going to any games right now with the ridiculous price they have and their play. If they want to keep charging these ticket prices then they need to ensure the team is in the mix just about every year.

[notin]

5-7-11

 

5 games from 500

 

7 games in the L column from LAST PLACE in the Div.

 

11 games in the L column from the LAST Wild Card Spot

 

These numbers keep getting bigger, bigger, and bigger, and yet No one has lost their job. Unbelievable!

 

They’re not firing anyone after one bad season. Especially when they had multiple objectives and only one went sour….

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

They’re not firing anyone after one bad season. Especially when they had multiple objectives and only one went sour….

 

...mora? Or lessa?

[dgalehouse]

" They had multiple objectives and only one went sour." That is hilarious. Good job, Chaim. Give that man a raise.

[moonslav59]

They held onto Ben through 3 last place finishes. Had HRam and Porcello had their 2016 seasons in 2015, he might have last several more seasons.

[moonslav59]

So maybe they shouldn't have spent so much this year. Maybe they should have gone full-on tank and fire sale.

 

Trying to please the fans had a lot to do with this combination of high payroll and suckitude.

 

I was one of the fans who wanted them not to tank or fire sale, so I'm willing to live with the results.

 

Having a fire sale of FAs-to-be would have pissed off a lot of fans, but sometimes the time is right to just bite the bullet. Are the fans happy, now? Would they have been much happier, even if we had 6- more wins?

 

Playing it halfway gets you nowhere. Fans may not realize that, but management should.

 

Bloom & Co. appeared to try and improve the long term outlook more than the 2022 outlook at the deadline, but they had the choice to do much more, and I do think the projected fan reaction was part of the reason they chose not to do that. (I said it at the time, in much harsher words, but it's what I feel is the reality of being a Sox GM. It's walking on egg shells trying to deal with fans, Henry's fickle wallet and what you were left with on the roster and farm.

 

To me, the task handed to Bloom was immense. I was one who firmly believed a "cliff" was upon us. I know that word seems to be a trigger for some, but it was the word used at the time, so I'm re-using it. In terms of what I thought the Sox faced after 2019, I happen to think we've done better than I expected and built the farm and system up much more quickly than I thought could happen within the new structure of MLB's draft, IFA system and the lux tax. That's probably the main reason I am not so critical of Bloom. I expected a long road. I expected a difficult time rebuilding the farm without high draft picks and the inability to overpay lower draft picks and IFAs. I realize the farm looks much better on paper, but we don't really know, for sure, how good it is. We thought the farm DD inherited was better than it turned out to be. That could be true, now. We have yet to see a Bloom acquired prospect even get called up and do well, unless you count the Rule 5 Whitlock as coming from Bloom's farm. Is Wink the only one even called up, yet?

 

I think Ben's situation was somewhat similar to Bloom's. He was asked to rebuild the farm, and made way less blackbuster prospects deals than Theo and DD. JH gave him a pretty long leash (3 last place finishes,) and I think he gives Bloom, at least one more season- probably two, as long as we show progress. BTW, our farm did progress further, this season. Sure, one reason was getting such a high draft pick, because we sucked in 2020, but the fact is, Bloom seems to be doing well in one of his given high priorities.

 

Next year's budget will show where JH's mindset is after 2022. If he opens the wallet, the pressure will rise on Bloom. If he forces a reset, I'll be thinking he's still in rebuild mode and Bloom will likely be given more than one season to continue what he's been doing with the farm and end of the 40 man roster.

[notin]

" They had multiple objectives and only one went sour." That is hilarious. Good job, Chaim. Give that man a raise.

 

Or, fire him because too many Sox fans can’t handle one bad season or one bad trade.

 

Even you said he’s not doing a good job. Did you have that same feeling 12 months ago?

[notin]

They held onto Ben through 3 last place finishes. Had HRam and Porcello had their 2016 seasons in 2015, he might have last several more seasons.

 

Had Hanley not banged up his shoulder on the monster. His first month back in Boston was the road to an MVP trophy.

 

And maybe if they never signed Sandoval, then Hanley doesn’t have to play LF….

[dgalehouse]

Or, fire him because too many Sox fans can’t handle one bad season or one bad trade.

 

Even you said he’s not doing a good job. Did you have that same feeling 12 months ago?

 

I would say that 2020 went into the books as a very bad season . Mercifully a short one.

[Bellhorn04]

Having a fire sale of FAs-to-be would have pissed off a lot of fans, but sometimes the time is right to just bite the bullet. Are the fans happy, now? Would they have been much happier, even if we had 6- more wins?

 

Playing it halfway gets you nowhere. Fans may not realize that, but management should.

 

I think tanking and fire sales are bad for the game.

[Old Red]

I think tanking and fire sales are bad for the game.

 

And bad for the PAYING customer who have every right to see the best possible product on the field. The paying customer is paying for what’s happening now, and not what might happen in the future, or the end of the 40 man roster.

[dgalehouse]

A day at the ballpark can be a lot of fun , even if the team is losing. Unfortunately, many teams are making it a very expensive one. Too expensive for a lot of folks. And the Red Sox are one of the biggest offenders. It just makes it worse when they claim that they cannot afford Mookie Betts. And apparently can't even afford a decent bullpen.

[moonslav59]

I think tanking and fire sales are bad for the game.

 

Maybe, but as a Sox fan, I'm willing to sacrifice a season or two to get to the promiseland more often.

 

Also, I actually think it would have been more entertaining to watch a bunch of call-up prospects without the expectation that we have to win every game, because we have a .001 chance of making the playoffs.

 

This has not been all that much fun, since the deadline, despite not having a firesale of tank plan. So, it doesn't always work when not doing that.

 

To me, the best part about the post trade deadline Sox has been watching Bello, McGuire, Pham and the return of Story & Kike.

[moonslav59]

And bad for the PAYING customer who have every right to see the best possible product on the field. The paying customer is paying for what’s happening now, and not what might happen in the future, or the end of the 40 man roster.

 

Trying to get the best product on the field might entail taking one step back to take two steps forward, next season on beyond.

 

Trying to win every game of every season takes either a strong and deep farm with a commitment to keep it that way or continued mega spending- maybe a tight balance between the two.

[Bellhorn04]

Maybe, but as a Sox fan, I'm willing to sacrifice a season or two to get to the promiseland more often.

 

Also, I actually think it would have been more entertaining to watch a bunch of call-up prospects without the expectation that we have to win every game, because we have a .001 chance of making the playoffs.

 

This has not been all that much fun, since the deadline, despite not having a firesale of tank plan. So, it doesn't always work when not doing that.

 

Of course it doesn't always work.

 

But when you're 3 games out with 2 months left and you expect to have Chris Sale and some other guys ready to come back, do you write it off?

 

In retrospect the answer would be yes. At the time it isn't that easy.

 

I do understand your point. We just have a philosophical disagreement, I think.

 

In a sense you can blame the expanded playoffs for giving so many teams a potential chance to get in.

[Old Red]

Maybe, but as a Sox fan, I'm willing to sacrifice a season or two to get to the promiseland more often.

 

Also, I actually think it would have been more entertaining to watch a bunch of call-up prospects without the expectation that we have to win every game, because we have a .001 chance of making the playoffs.

 

This has not been all that much fun, since the deadline, despite not having a firesale of tank plan. So, it doesn't always work when not doing that.

 

To me, the best part about the post trade deadline Sox has been watching Bello, McGuire, Pham and the return of Story & Kike.

You are not a paying customer, so I would go by what they say, and think over those who aren’t. Watching prospects are what the minor leagues are for. I don’t think it’s been that pleasant an experience watching tryouts at the ML level this year for the most part.

Edited September 10, 2022 by Old Red

[dgalehouse]

Maybe, but as a Sox fan, I'm willing to sacrifice a season or two to get to the promiseland more often.

 

Also, I actually think it would have been more entertaining to watch a bunch of call-up prospects without the expectation that we have to win every game, because we have a .001 chance of making the playoffs.

 

This has not been all that much fun, since the deadline, despite not having a firesale of tank plan. So, it doesn't always work when not doing that.

 

To me, the best part about the post trade deadline Sox has been watching Bello, McGuire, Pham and the return of Story & Kike.

 

It really hasn't been all that much fun watching McGuire , Pham, Story and Kike. If that is the best part , I would hate to see the worst.

[notin]

I would say that 2020 went into the books as a very bad season . Mercifully a short one.

 

That’s great.

 

Of course that wasn’t 12 months ago…

[Old Red]

That’s great.

 

Of course that wasn’t 12 months ago…

 

And neither is this year.

[notin]

And neither is this year.

 

Once again you missed the point…

[Old Red]

Once again you missed the point…

 

I get the point you are trying to make, but that point just doesn’t matter to some as it does you. This year with this record is what matters to many.

[moonslav59]

You are not a paying customer, so I would go by what they say, and think over those who aren’t. Watching prospects are what the minor leagues are for. I don’t think it’s been that pleasant an experience watching tryouts at the ML level this year for the most part.

 

I am a paying customer. I go to games, every year. I pay to watch the Sox on TV.

 

I enjoy watching the future unfold. Others don't.

 

Okay with me.

 

I've lived through decades of futility, and it was pure futility because we knew it would never get better.

 

It's not that way, now. A few losing seasons sucks, bigtime, but it's not futility.