A Realistic View of 2023: Part II

[Nick]

Injury had nothing to do with Barnes.

 

His decline came right after the extension.

 

Of course he was always soft mentally.

 

Give me Bello clones with an attitude anytime.

[Bellhorn04]

Injury had nothing to do with Barnes.

 

His decline came right after the extension.

 

Of course he was always soft mentally.

 

How the hell would any of us know he's soft mentally?

 

If anyone here has pitched in major league baseball, their opinion might count.

 

Don't take that as an attack, I'm just talking in general terms, about the way we all talk about players.

 

Like I said, it's easy to judge here in the armchair.

[Nick]

Kike back at short.

 

Paxton asks Cora if he can pitch Sunday instead.

 

I had a coach that batted his son clean up and he sucked.

[moonslav59]

Injury had nothing to do with Barnes.

 

His decline came right after the extension.

 

Of course he was always soft mentally.

 

Give me Bello clones with an attitude anytime.

 

My statement about GMs and player injuries was not meant to be related to Barnes.

[Bellhorn04]

Kike back at short.

 

Paxton asks Cora if he can pitch Sunday instead.

 

I had a coach that batted his son clean up and he sucked.

 

We're on a great run, man.

 

I did not expect to sweep the Jays.

 

I did not expect to take 2 of 3 from Texas, and I was pretty sure we'd lose when Eovaldi pitched.

 

I was also concerned about the A's series because of our pattern of playing down to the competition.

 

Maybe Cora is doing something right.

[vegasbob]

Just keep winning series, split any 4 gamers and that will be the path to the playoffs. They do need to play about .600 +- level to move up on the other ALE teams. With 70 to go, that is 42-28 , tall order with only 3 starting pitchers, but thew schedule through July 31 does include 14 games ( 2 West Coast trips, A's, Giants, Mariners) and 3 off days .

[notin]

Injury had nothing to do with Barnes.

 

His decline came right after the extension.

 

Of course he was always soft mentally.

 

Give me Bello clones with an attitude anytime.

 

Barnes had a few solid outings after the extension. His decline just came from nowhere. That home run from Semien seemingly changed him..

[Larry Cook]

Just keep winning series, split any 4 gamers and that will be the path to the playoffs. They do need to play about .600 +- level to move up on the other ALE teams. With 70 to go, that is 42-28 , tall order with only 3 starting pitchers, but thew schedule through July 31 does include 14 games ( 2 West Coast trips, A's, Giants, Mariners) and 3 off days .

 

Blier, scribner and sale could be back soon!!!!

[Maxbialystock]

Injury had nothing to do with Barnes.

 

His decline came right after the extension.

 

Of course he was always soft mentally.

 

Give me Bello clones with an attitude anytime.

 

You could be right, but I though the decline coincided with the umps checking pitchers for foreign substances. I thought that big curve was key to Barnes' success and that it wasn't quite so sharp after the umps started checking.

[dgalehouse]

Matt Barnes was slotted into a role that was a notch above his skill level. He did his best and was actually a good closer for a short time. But it was not a good plan and it caught up to him after a while. But to say that he was weak mentally is way off base and unfair.

[dgalehouse]

I am a believer in momentum. The Sox have plenty of it right now. They are playing with a lot of confidence. It's like they expect to score every inning.

[Nick]

We're on a great run, man.

 

I did not expect to sweep the Jays.

 

I did not expect to take 2 of 3 from Texas, and I was pretty sure we'd lose when Eovaldi pitched.

 

I was also concerned about the A's series because of our pattern of playing down to the competition.

 

Maybe Cora is doing something right.

 

I would even tell my best friends, and I have great respect for you and Moon, but please shut the f*** up when I'm talking trash about Kike.

 

Yep, no fault but Paxton's for hitting and walking #7-#9 batters.

 

With bases loaded, a ground ball to Kike and you'll see it on replay that Kike took a false step towards second. You guys can make all excuses for Kike but both Hamilton and Chang would have made that play.

 

So there should have been one out, runners on first and third with one run in.

 

Then there's a ground ball to Devers. Had there been runners on first and third, the runner probably would have stayed at third and I'm confident there would have been a second out.

 

Paxton proceeded to walk the next batter, loading the bases. But with two outs, there was a chance Paxton would have escaped the inning with one run, never having to throw the grand slam.

 

Facts

 

Kike leads the majors in errors at shortstop. He's made two more errors this week.

 

Cora mentioned before July that Kike would no longer play short.

 

But in the MassLive article today that Cora thought Kike has improved at short, despite playing short only half the games.

 

Bellhorn

 

I don't give a flying f*** how the team is playing in terms of how the lineup is made. Cora could be wrong at times. I know that Kike has not helped the team during that streak. So you insert Kike because the team is playing well despite Kike not helping that cause? Okay.

 

His f***ING OPS is almost below .600.

 

Why the f*** is he still in the lineup?

 

Play him in f***ING center field if he must.

 

I thought getting Chang back was to move Kike off the f***ING shortstop position.

 

Play Arroyo at short. He's better than Kike at short.

 

You and Moon can come up with every f***ING reason to have Kike at short.

 

I can't come up with one f***ING reason to play him at short.

 

You two know that I'm right.

 

I want what's best for MY TEAM and Kike ain't getting the job at f***ING short.

 

Do you read other sites? There's lots of talk about Kike being a bad teammate. Self-centered, it's all about himself. Flashy shoes, dye your hair. I see it.

 

PS. MY BAD, APPARENTLY KIKE DID NOT MAKE AN ERROR TODAY. A BASE HIT.

Edited July 15, 2023 by Nick

[Nick]

You could be right, but I though the decline coincided with the umps checking pitchers for foreign substances. I thought that big curve was key to Barnes' success and that it wasn't quite so sharp after the umps started checking.

 

You have a good point. I had forgotten about THAT.

 

So he was cheating. Great.

[notin]

You have a good point. I had forgotten about THAT.

 

So he was cheating. Great.

 

Well, he had a good stretch after the ban, too. But that doesn’t mean he stopped cheating the day of the ban…

[moonslav59]

I usually cut Cora some slack, thinking he knows more than I do, but there is one thing we all know that he can’t seem to grasp.

 

Nick is right: there is no reason to play Kike at SS. If there is nobody on the roster that can okay SS, instead, insist on getting one or play Areoyo or Turner there- anybody but Kike at SS!

 

He’s got incurable yips!

[cp176]

I tried hard to watch the game yesterday but I lost control. Paxton, who I would love to see them resign, walks three. This stuff happens. he got squeezed a bit but he was still throwing well and then... I think that Kike's days in boston should be numbered. Playing him anywhere right now is a gamble. The players may like Cora, I'm not so sure that I do. The two errors(even though one was was called a hit) sealed the deal. Tells me that defense is not valued like it should be and that is a surprise considering that Cora was a field first kind of guy. Those mistakes should not have happened. Also, imagine my surprise when I saw Turner (who I also really like) at second base Friday night. They got lucky on a pop fly that would have been easily caught by Verdugo if Turner had not been in the way. It is a classic clown show with Cora's attempts to keep everybody happy.

[Bellhorn04]

I usually cut Cora some slack, thinking he knows more than I do, but there is one thing we all know that he can’t seem to grasp.

 

Nick is right: there is no reason to play Kike at SS. If there is nobody on the roster that can okay SS, instead, insist on getting one or play Areoyo or Turner there- anybody but Kike at SS!

 

He’s got incurable yips!

 

Probably time for Bloom to DFA Kike.

[Bellhorn04]

I tried hard to watch the game yesterday but I lost control. Paxton, who I would love to see them resign, walks three. This stuff happens. he got squeezed a bit but he was still throwing well and then... I think that Kike's days in boston should be numbered. Playing him anywhere right now is a gamble. The players may like Cora, I'm not so sure that I do. The two errors(even though one was was called a hit) sealed the deal. Tells me that defense is not valued like it should be and that is a surprise considering that Cora was a field first kind of guy. Those mistakes should not have happened. Also, imagine my surprise when I saw Turner (who I also really like) at second base Friday night. They got lucky on a pop fly that would have been easily caught by Verdugo if Turner had not been in the way. It is a classic clown show with Cora's attempts to keep everybody happy.

 

Turner wasn't at second base to keep everybody happy. It's the one way to get every good bat in the lineup.

[Bellhorn04]

Do you read other sites? There's lots of talk about Kike being a bad teammate. Self-centered, it's all about himself. Flashy shoes, dye your hair. I see it.

 

Now that's f***ing ********. No way Chaim Bloom brings the guy back if he's a bad teammate. Showing a little individuality in your appearance doesn't make you a bad teammate.

 

The guy is playing bad and probably should be DFAd, but there's no need to trash him.

[Bellhorn04]

I usually cut Cora some slack, thinking he knows more than I do, but there is one thing we all know that he can’t seem to grasp.

 

Nick is right: there is no reason to play Kike at SS. If there is nobody on the roster that can okay SS, instead, insist on getting one or play Areoyo or Turner there- anybody but Kike at SS!

 

He’s got incurable yips!

 

Hey, if players can get the yips, doesn't that kind of prove players can choke? There's arguably a very fine line between the two. They're both about the brain affecting the body.

[cp176]

Turner wasn't at second base to keep everybody happy. It's the one way to get every good bat in the lineup.

 

You obviously have a point. I don't know whether or not you agree with Cora using players out of position or not. I don't. I value defense too much. I know what is likely to come next but probably not from you. Someone will either take what I am saying to mean that no one else values defense - that would be a joke - I know that most do. I might even have to listen to how many times Turner who I happen to think is one hell of a ball player has played second base in the past and that he should be able to do this. It won't change my opinion of what I have seen Cora do for years now.

[moonslav59]

Probably time for Bloom to DFA Kike.

 

We don’t need him in CF anymore. 2B is still an option, as we all know Arroyo is a healthy sneeze away from the IL.

 

Reyes is raking in rehab. You might be right.

[Bellhorn04]

You obviously have a point. I don't know whether or not you agree with Cora using players out of position or not. I don't. I value defense too much. I know what is likely to come next but probably not from you. Someone will either take what I am saying to mean that no one else values defense - that would be a joke - I know that most do. I might even have to listen to how many times Turner who I happen to think is one hell of a ball player has played second base in the past and that he should be able to do this. It won't change my opinion of what I have seen Cora do for years now.

 

In my opinion the playing guys out of position thing comes more from Bloom's roster construction. A lot of injuries also contributed to Kike playing short this year. But Bloom could have headed that off by signing Andrus or Iglesias.

 

But I certainly get the criticism that Cora has gone too long with Kike at short. And it's natural to suspect that he's doing it because he and Kike are close.

 

Bloom could end the whole thing by DFA'ing Kike. He's the one who has the ultimate say on these things.

[moonslav59]

Hey, if players can get the yips, doesn't that kind of prove players can choke? There's arguably a very fine line between the two. They're both about the brain affecting the body.

 

I’ve never said the brain does not control the body. My point is that “clutch “ is not a sustainable skill.

[notin]

Now that's f***ing ********. No way Chaim Bloom brings the guy back if he's a bad teammate. Showing a little individuality in your appearance doesn't make you a bad teammate.

 

The guy is playing bad and probably should be DFAd, but there's no need to trash him.

 

Are you saying Internet forums aren’t a glimpse inside the locker room?

 

Kike’s ostentatious sneakers and hair are viewed as a sign of rebellion. Why? .600 OPS and 16 errors. Of course, if Kike had 3 errors and a .900 OPS, these same traits would be signs of leadership…

[Bellhorn04]

I’ve never said the brain does not control the body. My point is that “clutch “ is not a sustainable skill.

 

That's fair. I'm just saying that "yips" and "choke" are in the same family...ugly little half-brothers.

[moonslav59]

That's fair. I'm just saying that "yips" and "choke" are in the same family...ugly little half-brothers.

 

It’s a great point.

[cp176]

I’ve never said the brain does not control the body. My point is that “clutch “ is not a sustainable skill.

 

If "clutch" was a repeatable on demand type of skill so to speak, then I don't think that it would be called clutch. That would define damned good. when said player took his damned good game to another level when the situation called for it then that would be called clutch in my big book.

[cp176]

In my opinion the playing guys out of position thing comes more from Bloom's roster construction. A lot of injuries also contributed to Kike playing short this year. But Bloom could have headed that off by signing Andrus or Iglesias.

 

But I certainly get the criticism that Cora has gone too long with Kike at short. And it's natural to suspect that he's doing it because he and Kike are close.

 

Bloom could end the whole thing by DFA'ing Kike. He's the one who has the ultimate say on these things.

 

You are probably right but my question would be was Chang available to play ss yesterday?

[moonslav59]

If "clutch" was a repeatable on demand type of skill so to speak, then I don't think that it would be called clutch. That would define damned good. when said player took his damned good game to another level when the situation called for it then that would be called clutch in my big book.

 

And who does that consistently?

 

Even Papi had almost identical numbers in clutch situations vs non clutch. In some areas he was worse.