8/20 SOX @ O's 4:05PM ET

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

The clubhouse leaders let him know how things are done around Boston.

 

I believe 15 day and 60 day IL players should be placed on Workers Comp.

Edited August 20, 2022 by SPLENDIDSPLINTER

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Maybe Bogey calling him "Captain" put undo pressure on him.

 

Maybe, the Story signing put undo pressure on Bogey and sapped his power.

 

 

 

Maybe, I'm just BS'ing...

 

Maybe the 'Captain' thing made Raffy swing harder.

[Old Red]

Maybe Bogey calling him "Captain" put undo pressure on him.

 

Maybe, the Story signing put undo pressure on Bogey and sapped his power.

 

 

Maybe, I'm just BS'ing...

Raffy called Bogey Capt. Not the other way around.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

At least the SOX will have Plawecki leading off the top of the 3rd.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Keep in mind that Bradish has a 6.19 ERA, but that should have little effect on the SOX offense.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Here's a thought. Maybe the SOX FO priority right now s/b to try to sign Dugo to a long extension. He's the 2nd best hitter on the team and he's only going to get better. It wasn't his fault that he was part of the irreplaceable Betts' trade. Edited August 20, 2022 by SPLENDIDSPLINTER

[illinoisredsox]

Bogaerts has hit into his DP; JD’s turn now.

[moonslav59]

Here's a thought. Maybe the SOX FO priority right now s/b to try to sign Dugo to a long extension. He's the 2nd best hitter on the team and he's only going to get better. It wasn't his fault that he was part of the irreplaceable Betts' trade.

 

I hope you are being sarcastic.

[moonslav59]

Wacha is making a strong case for a QO.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

I hope you are being sarcastic.

 

Nope, serious as hell. Of course, you didn't like VAZ either, so I don't know where you're coming from.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

If only Arroyo could stay healthy, the SOX FO could save a lot of money on a 2nd baseman in 2023. Edited August 20, 2022 by SPLENDIDSPLINTER

[vegasbob]

The Plawecki-Arroyo-Dugo show carries the team.

[vegasbob]

Devers totally missed a medium fastball cookie and he knows it. But why doesn't he do something about it ?

[Maxbialystock]

Just stunning that the Sox take two from KC, then lose 8-2, followed by losing last night 15-10, a game in which no matter how much the Sox finally, finally showed they could score runs--10 runs, the most this moribund lineup had scored since July 10 (an 11-6 win over the Yankees)--the pitching staff showed there was no limit on the number of runs they could give up.

 

Now Wacha is again off to a splendid start, 4 shutout innings so far, and this wretched lineup is determined not to score first.

 

I am always appreciative of moonslav's accentuating the positive, but these guys just keep making it harder and harder.

 

After last night's game the Sox ERA was 4.46, next to worst in the AL to KC's 4.66.

 

Amazingly, the Sox have scored 541 runs, 4th best in the AL. Their team OPS is .737, 5th best in the AL.

 

I try to cling to the fact that the pitching staff has been hit hard by injuries.

 

And guess what? Everyone now seems to believe that with Schreiber and Whitlock, our closer problems are behind us. That's true, but good closers can't help if you don't have that lead going into the 9th inning. And to get to the 9th, you normally need some pretty decent pitching, both starters and middle relievers--and some hitting of course.

Edited August 20, 2022 by Maxbialystock

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

The Plawecki-Arroyo-Dugo show carries the team.

 

Arroyo and Dugo have been the SOX best hitters for quite a while. Dugo since early May.

[Old Red]

Nope, serious as hell. Of course, you didn't like VAZ either, so I don't know where you're coming from.

 

Only The Shadow Knows!

[Maxbialystock]

I can't watch because of the blackout restrictions. But did Verdugo just drive in a run, followed by Bogey and Devers once again both crapping out with a man on 3b?

[Maxbialystock]

Nope, serious as hell. Of course, you didn't like VAZ either, so I don't know where you're coming from.

 

I'm the culprit on Vazquez and said categorically he would not be missed. So far the Sox are 8-9 without him.

[Old Red]

Good to see Kike back, and producing.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Kike loves to pull.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

I'm the culprit on Vazquez and said categorically he would not be missed. So far the Sox are 8-9 without him.

 

That's fine, because I would feel the same about Cora.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Mazz mentioned the SOX had hit only one HR in the last couple of weeks and then along comes Kike.

[Maxbialystock]

Arroyo and Dugo have been the SOX best hitters for quite a while. Dugo since early May.

 

Arroyo has had a good August (plus the last two days of July). Dugo's been great in August (OPS .999) and June (.905), but not in April (.653), May (.552), or July (626). His overall WAR only recently claimed back to +0.5 and is always dragged down by his DWAR of -0.9. Arroyo's DWAR is now an OK -0.1 (it was a lot worse in the outfield), and his overall WAR is +0.6.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

No reason the SOX shouldn't re-sign Kike. His plusses, imho, outweigh his minuses by a big margin.

[Old Red]

Just stunning that the Sox take two from KC, then lose 8-2, followed by losing last night 15-10, a game in which no matter how much the Sox finally, finally showed they could score runs--10 runs, the most this moribund lineup had scored since July 10 (an 11-6 win over the Yankees)--the pitching staff showed there was no limit on the number of runs they could give up.

 

Now Wacha is again off to a splendid start, 4 shutout innings so far, and this wretched lineup is determined not to score first.

 

I am always appreciative of moonslav's accentuating the positive, but these guys just keep making it harder and harder.

 

After last night's game the Sox ERA was 4.46, next to worst in the AL to KC's 4.66.

 

Amazingly, the Sox have scored 541 runs, 4th best in the AL. Their team OPS is .737, 5th best in the AL.

 

I try to cling to the fact that the pitching staff has been hit hard by injuries.

 

And guess what? Everyone now seems to believe that with Schreiber and Whitlock, our closer problems are behind us. That's true, but good closers can't help if you don't have that lead going into the 9th inning. And to get to the 9th, you normally need some pretty decent pitching, both starters and middle relievers--and some hitting of course.

Congrats that you, and Bloom think alike, and didn’t think a reliable closer was needed on day 1. It helped the Red Sox get off to a 10-19 start.

[Maxbialystock]

If Kike's dinger does indeed augur well, he can help a ton both in the outfield and the lineup.

 

Wacha is absolutely, positively the most consistent player on this team. Not the best--Devers is--but the most consistent. In his case, a won-lost record of 7-1 is meaningful.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Can't help but wonder when Yankems' FO goes into full panic mode and fires Boone.

[Maxbialystock]

Congrats that you, and Bloom think alike, and didn’t think a reliable closer was needed on day 1. It helped the Red Sox get off to a 10-19 start.

 

On day one he had two experienced closers in Barnes and Robles. He also had a dire need for Whitlock and Houck to pitch more than 1 inning every so often as is the norm for closers. When they pitched, they helped minimize the other teams' scoring.

 

Try this on for size. In the games in which Whitlock pitched this year, the Sox are 14-6. In the games in which Houck has pitched, the Sox are 20-11.

 

Get back to me when you can explain that success rate on how Cora used them.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

If Kike's dinger does indeed augur well, he can help a ton both in the outfield and the lineup.

 

Wacha is absolutely, positively the most consistent player on this team. Not the best--Devers is--but the most consistent. In his case, a won-lost record of 7-1 is meaningful.

 

My only concern about Wacha is his durability. No doubt he's a very good pitcher, but will he be available every 5th day? He's definitely worth taking a chance on going into the future. It ain't like the SOX have a closet full of talented young pitchers waiting in the wings.

Edited August 20, 2022 by SPLENDIDSPLINTER

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Credit where credit's due: Kudos to Bloom for acquiring Wacha; he's been excellent.