5/31 Reds @ SOX 7:10PM ET

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

My prediction was about 10 feet wrong.

 

OTOH, I did predict that Devers would bat with no one on base. So I was half right.

[redsoxrules]

Sox defense is s***. They have lost a few games for the team this year. MLB ranked 29th in DRS.

[Maxbialystock]

I have to say this again about last night. The Sox big rally depended heavily on the Reds dragging out their worst relievers once they had the 8-0 lead and then again in the 9th when they had a 9-3 lead.

 

Tonight we saw the lineup that has been struggling since May 21.

 

We again saw the lousy defense.

 

We again saw a pretty good start--5 IP, 1 run but Paxton.

 

And we again saw a putrid bullpen. How bad is the bullpen capable of being? How about screwing up Sale's 8 IP, 1 run masterpiece. How about Jansen back to back absolutely horrendous blown saves?

 

I would be wrong if I didn't also say there have been games when the hitters hit, the bullpen preserved wins, the starters had quality starts, and/or even the defense made good plays.

 

The problem is that these Sox do nothing consistently well. Plug one leak, another one shows up. Tonight everything stunk except Paxton's 5 inning start, which still gave the bullpen 4 innings to give away runs, the defense 4 innings to make the Big Error, and the lineup 12 outs to roll over and play dead.

Edited June 1, 2023 by Maxbialystock

[Old Red]

Imagine that some on here were salivating on playing these teams with a losing record. How do you like them now? Luckily there’s another bad team coming in this WE.

[moonslav59]

Back to the ALE cellar.

 

Damn, this sucks!

[moonslav59]

I have to say this again about last night. The Sox big rally depended heavily on the Reds dragging out their worst relievers once they had the 8-0 lead and then again in the 9th when they had a 9-3 lead.

 

Tonight we saw the lineup that has been struggling since May 21.

 

We again saw the lousy defense.

 

We again saw a pretty good start--5 IP, 1 run but Paxton.

 

And we again saw a putrid bullpen. How bad is the bullpen capable of being? How about screwing up Sale's 8 IP, 1 run masterpiece. How about Jansen back to back absolutely horrendous blown saves?

 

I would be wrong if I didn't also say there have been games when the hitters hit, the bullpen preserved wins, the starters had quality starts, and/or even the defense made good plays.

 

The problem is that these Sox do nothing consistently well. Plug one leak, another one shows up. Tonight everything stunk except Paxton's 5 inning start, which still gave the bullpen 4 innings to give away runs, the defense 4 innings to make the Big Error, and the lineup 12 outs to roll over and play dead.

 

Needing to get 4 outs hurts many a pitcher.

[Maxbialystock]

Back to the ALE cellar.

 

Damn, this sucks!

 

Agree. But we got there completely on merit. No bad luck involved.

[Maxbialystock]

Needing to get 4 outs hurts many a pitcher.

 

I know. Poor baby. No wonder he gave up that dinger--his own defense disrespected him.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Imagine that some on here were salivating on playing these teams with a losing record. How do you like them now? Luckily there’s another bad team coming in this WE.

 

Tampa is 26-6 under the circus tent. They're 14-12 on the road.

[Old Red]

Tampa is 26-6 under the circus tent. They're 14-12 on the road.

 

And the Red Sox are 15-13 at home.

[Maxbialystock]

And the Red Sox are 15-13 at home.

 

Which speaks volumes and explains low attendance this season, which is lower than last season.

[notin]

And the Red Sox are 15-13 at home.

 

And that 15-13 includes going 0-8 vs the NL Central…

[notin]

Sox defense is s***. They have lost a few games for the team this year. MLB ranked 29th in DRS.

 

It really is.

 

Injuries have played a part…

[Bellhorn04]

Not really sure why Cora liked playing Refsnyder vs RHP…

 

I think that was more about giving Casas a night off. Also Ref had a double.

[Hugh2]

5 innings is NOT a quality start, and once again the BP has to go at least 4 innings.

 

By definition of a quality start you are correct here. Not sure what I was thinking yesterday.

[Bellhorn04]

OF course the correct defensive alignment was to go for the DP. That was basic . I honestly try to stay out of the personal BS that flies all over this site but I can't help some of you who take following this team quite so seriously. If you can't get some amusement out of them, what's the point. They are entertainment at best. They make millions in many cases for playing a kid's game . I rarely comment on Cora because I don't find him particularly interesting . I hope the team finds a comeback way somewhere in this mess of an ill composed team, which I lay on Bloom primarily

 

On a linguistic note, "ill composed" is an excellent variation on "poorly constructed".

[moonslav59]

I think that was more about giving Casas a night off. Also Ref had a double.

 

Plan a day off vs a lefty. Plus, we've had 2 days off in a week, already.

[Bellhorn04]

Plan a day off vs a lefty. Plus, we've had 2 days off in a week, already.

 

The fact Casas K'd 5 times in his last 2 games might have had something to do with it. I don't know. I think Cora generally does things for a reason.

 

Also, haven't you argued before that Ref should play more against righties?

Edited June 1, 2023 by Bellhorn04

[Bellhorn04]

And that 15-13 includes going 0-8 vs the NL Central…

 

This kind of leaves one speechless.

[moonslav59]

The fact Casas K'd 5 times in his last 2 games might have had something to do with it. I don't know. I think Cora generally does things for a reason.

 

Also, haven't you argued before that Ref should play more against righties?

 

No, I said last year he played against RHPs more than LHPs and di okay.

 

With so many lefties on this team, it seems like a perfect platoon situation.

 

I'm not trying to make a big deal out of this, but players with wide splits should get planned days off vs the wrong handed pitcher. Just my opinion.

 

I'm fine with Cora.

[Old Red]

The fact Casas K'd 5 times in his last 2 games might have had something to do with it. I don't know. I think Cora generally does things for a reason.

 

Also, haven't you argued before that Ref should play more against righties?

 

Oh, what a problem to have so many good players you don’t know what to do with them all. Too much quantity, or tomuch quality? Add Duvall to the mix, and then is 6 to many, or is 6 not enough?

[notin]

This kind of leaves one speechless.

 

On the bright side, 15-5 at home vs everyone else…

[moonslav59]

On the bright side, 15-5 at home vs everyone else…

 

Can we play more against "everyone else?"

[mvp 78]

Which speaks volumes and explains low attendance this season, which is lower than last season.

 

This year's low attendance has more to do with how poorly with how they played last year than how they are playing this year. For comparison, the stadium was packed to the gills in 2018 when they had the greatest Sox team of our lifetime. It was actually LESS than 2017 and 2019.

[Dipre]

This team is bad, and they should feel bad. I'm single handedly increasing the revenue of every beer-producing company in the Dominican Republic

[Maxbialystock]

This year's low attendance has more to do with how poorly with how they played last year than how they are playing this year. For comparison, the stadium was packed to the gills in 2018 when they had the greatest Sox team of our lifetime. It was actually LESS than 2017 and 2019.

 

I agree the Sox attendance is down this year because of poor play last year. Same goes for 2018, the Sox best season ever, but the attendance for 2019--36,106--was actually higher than for 2018--35,747.

 

I went to back to 2004 when the 86 year curse ended and found that the peak years started in 2008--37,632--after the second WS win. It stayed above 37,500 for five straight years--helped, the story goes, by a little padding (free tickets) by Sox management. It dropped in 2013 and stayed below 37,000 in 2014, the year after that unreal 3d WS win. And it hasn't returned to 37,000, let alone 37,700 in any season since 2013.

 

Covid hit in 2020, but at the same time John Henry made the decision to stop paying top dollar, especially for starters. The MLB standard for attendance belongs to the Dodgers, and in 2022 they averaged their normal, pre-covid attendance of 47,671. The Sox, who in 2021 made it to the ALCS (where they lost to Houston), averaged 32,408.

 

I think 32,000 is the new normal attendance for the Sox and it could drop further than that from a combination of not very good teams on the field and an absence of marquee players. I am absolutely not an expert on this topic, however.