August 27: Dodgers at Red Sox

[moonslav59]

Interesting. First time I've read anything this comprehensive/detailed, and I think you just might have nailed it.

 

The "CBO" for the Dodgers also came from the Rays system. The Dodgers currently have the best attendance in MLB, 48K/game, and it's 6K/game more than the 2d place Yankees. So their owners are capable of spending a whole lot of money for players--just like JH could and has for the Sox. But in fact the Dodgers payroll is currently 6th in MLB and $104M less than the Mets.

 

The reason we haven't won in the last 4-5 years is not all about reduced sending; it's the near total lack of farm infusion until this year.

 

Only Houck has given us anything useful since Devers in the summer of '17. (OK, Whitlock, too in 2021.)

 

We need both to work. A steady farm and spending above the mean. This year is the first year we got both, and it was a reset year. Maybe next year the spending goes up some and we add Rafaela, Abreu, Kelly and some sleeper.

[vegasbob]

Lots of current players played fo each other, too.

 

Could that be because Bloom was Friedman's man servant in Tampa ?

[vegasbob]

A different thought lightly touched on here is the concept of a team that supports each other in the field and the clubhouse. Players who have matriculated through a team's MiLB system and then to the parent club may have good friendship's... or not but they do know their strengths and weaknesses on/off the field. They also were trained , or not, by the same group of coaches who supposedly have a common thread, such as the Red Sox way, if such a thing exists. You know, win one, lose one.

 

In this apparent reset year, and for many reasons, the clubhouse has had a revolving door with free bus tickets to Worcester. There is little continuity to the batting order, fielding positions are reversible jackets, and predictability is at a premium.

 

I wonder if any of the shortcomings including defense, baserunning and plays-not-made come from poor communication, and unfamiliarity. Some have pointed out that our players are not "units" with plug and play characteristics. They are real live people who are looking for some consistent direction. This is more Bloom's issue of building a team than to Cora's use of them, but both have their foibles.

[Bellhorn04]

A different thought lightly touched on here is the concept of a team that supports each other in the field and the clubhouse. Players who have matriculated through a team's MiLB system and then to the parent club may have good friendship's... or not but they do know their strengths and weaknesses on/off the field. They also were trained , or not, by the same group of coaches who supposedly have a common thread, such as the Red Sox way, if such a thing exists. You know, win one, lose one.

 

In this apparent reset year, and for many reasons, the clubhouse has had a revolving door with free bus tickets to Worcester. There is little continuity to the batting order, fielding positions are reversible jackets, and predictability is at a premium.

 

I wonder if any of the shortcomings including defense, baserunning and plays-not-made come from poor communication, and unfamiliarity. Some have pointed out that our players are not "units" with plug and play characteristics. They are real live people who are looking for some consistent direction. This is more Bloom's issue of building a team than to Cora's use of them, but both have their foibles.

 

I think you may be correct, the revolving door approach probably does cause some of the issues.

[moonslav59]

A different thought lightly touched on here is the concept of a team that supports each other in the field and the clubhouse. Players who have matriculated through a team's MiLB system and then to the parent club may have good friendship's... or not but they do know their strengths and weaknesses on/off the field. They also were trained , or not, by the same group of coaches who supposedly have a common thread, such as the Red Sox way, if such a thing exists. You know, win one, lose one.

 

In this apparent reset year, and for many reasons, the clubhouse has had a revolving door with free bus tickets to Worcester. There is little continuity to the batting order, fielding positions are reversible jackets, and predictability is at a premium.

 

I wonder if any of the shortcomings including defense, baserunning and plays-not-made come from poor communication, and unfamiliarity. Some have pointed out that our players are not "units" with plug and play characteristics. They are real live people who are looking for some consistent direction. This is more Bloom's issue of building a team than to Cora's use of them, but both have their foibles.

 

I think there is some truth to this, and it seems we saw more3 multi year deals than one year deals, last winter, so maybe a change is coming.

 

Maybe that's just wishful thinking.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Mookie did NOT kill OJ's wife.

 

And OJ never received an offer from the SOX. Yuck Yuck.

[Maxbialystock]

A different thought lightly touched on here is the concept of a team that supports each other in the field and the clubhouse. Players who have matriculated through a team's MiLB system and then to the parent club may have good friendship's... or not but they do know their strengths and weaknesses on/off the field. They also were trained , or not, by the same group of coaches who supposedly have a common thread, such as the Red Sox way, if such a thing exists. You know, win one, lose one.

 

In this apparent reset year, and for many reasons, the clubhouse has had a revolving door with free bus tickets to Worcester. There is little continuity to the batting order, fielding positions are reversible jackets, and predictability is at a premium.

 

I wonder if any of the shortcomings including defense, baserunning and plays-not-made come from poor communication, and unfamiliarity. Some have pointed out that our players are not "units" with plug and play characteristics. They are real live people who are looking for some consistent direction. This is more Bloom's issue of building a team than to Cora's use of them, but both have their foibles.

 

Meh. Baseball is almost unique among the five big USA team sports--football, baseball, basketball, hockey, and soccer--in not having to rely heavily on great teamwork.

 

Indeed, the center of every freaking game is the confrontation between pitcher and batter, which is all about individual skills. Half of every roster is freaking pitchers, most of whom can't even spell teamwork.

 

And the most important skill among the position players is the ability to hit a round ball with a round bat squarely. If you can hit, you can play. "Good field, no hit" is for guys in the minors.

 

And you better believe that Cora is not unique in shaping his lineup to get the right bats--with some defense--into the lineup. Casey Stengal was renowned for "platooning," and Cora right now has about an even mix of good righty and good lefty bats.

 

I agree the defense stinks, but I also think hitting comes first, so I'm fine living with Devers and his errors--same with Casas.

 

I completely agree that the Sox have used a lot of players this year, but blame that mostly on the injuries. On the other hand, it's also true that most of the 2021 roster is gone, so no question Bloom has been moving guys in and out at a rapid pace--and that does make it harder on Cora and his coaches, but not nearly as hard as it would be in other sports.

 

However, it's also true that the entire talksox board was clamoring for Bloom to bring in new blood--better arms, mainly--to the Sox for the stretch run. This is made easier--even for the position players--by the reality that you can in fact plug players into different positions without risking much.

 

My favorite example on this year's Sox was Turner playing 2b because it put a very good bat where there usually was an awful one--and also allowed Casas to play 1b and Yoshida to DH.

Edited August 28, 2023 by Maxbialystock

[moonslav59]

Meh. Baseball is almost unique among the five big USA team sports--football, baseball, basketball, hockey, and soccer--in not having to rely heavily on great teamwork.

 

Indeed, the center of every freaking game is the confrontation between pitcher and batter, which is all about individual skills. Pitching is all about individual skills and is so important that half of most teams are pitchers.

 

And the most important skill among the position players is the ability to hit a round ball with a round bat squarely. If you can hit, you can play. "Good field, no hit" is for guys in the minors.

 

And you better believe that Cora is not unique in shaping his lineup to get the right bats--with some defense--into the lineup. Casey Stengal was renowned for "platooning," and Cora right now has about an even mix of good righty and good lefty bats.

 

I agree the defense stinks, but I also think hitting comes first, so I'm fine living with Devers and his errors--same with Casas.

 

I completely agree that the Sox have used a lot of players this year, but blame that mostly on the injuries. On the other hand, it's also true that most of the 2021 roster is gone, so no question Bloom has moving guys in and out at a rapid pace--and that does make it harder on Cora and his coaches, but not nearly as hard as it would in other sports.

 

However, it's also true that the entire talksox board was clamoring for Bloom to bring in new blood--better arms, mainly--to the Sox for the stretch run. This is made easier--even for the position players--by the reality that you can in fact plug players into different positions with risking much.

 

My favorite example on this year's Sox was Turner playing 2b because it put a very good bat where there usually was an awful one--and also allowed Casas to play 1b and Yoshida to DH.

 

Had we just had 1-2 durable and competent pitchers, we likely could have not had to try 10 others.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Abreu has gone on paternity leave and Rafaela has been called up.

[moonslav59]

Abreu has gone on paternity leave and Rafaela has been called up.

 

Our guys and their gals need to plan their pregnancies better.

[a700hitter]

Brasier goes to LA and becomes Sandy Koufax.

Pitching coach?

 

Kike goes from .220 average to .290.

Hitting coach?

 

I thought Brasier was well past his expiration date and should be moving furniture, but little did I know that he just needed a pitching coach to show him how to throw a cutter so he can perform like an All Star!

[a700hitter]

But, but our coaching staff is not the problem.

Our coaching staff is great. They never mix up anyone’s elbow or batting shin guards.