9/8 Orioles at Fenway

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

There’s nothing worse than being mediocre.

 

For entertainment value a team should either be very good or very bad. Mediocrity equals boredom. However, there's enough tough games remaining for the SOX to sink below mediocrity and level off in 'bad' territory.

[moonslav59]

There’s nothing worse than being mediocre.

 

No. It sucks more to be 10 or more games below.500.

 

There has been some fun games to watch, and some exciting players, mostly the young ones, although Turner was a real treat to watch, too.

 

It's about the mindset.

[Randy Red Sox]

For entertainment value a team should either be very good or very bad. Mediocrity equals boredom. However, there's enough tough games remaining for the SOX to sink below mediocrity and level off in 'bad' territory.

 

it is not going to happen Splinter. Sox will win enough meaningless games over the final 3 weeks to mess up their draft position and next June Bloom will draft another HS SS with our 1st rd pick and his apologists on here will praise his selection.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

For entertainment value a team should either be very good or very bad. Mediocrity equals boredom. However, there's enough tough games remaining for the SOX to sink below mediocrity and level off in 'bad' territory.

 

When one looks at the different aspects of this SOX team, the very bad defense, the bad starting pitching, the overused BP, and the inconsistent offense, it's actually surprising the SOX are as high as the mediocre level, so far.

[moonslav59]

When one looks at the different aspects of this SOX team, the very bad defense, the bad starting pitching, the overused BP, and the inconsistent offense, it's actually surprising the SOX are as high as the mediocre level, so far.

 

With a s***** manager, we might have had 90 wins.

 

[moonslav59]

it is not going to happen Splinter. Sox will win enough meaningless games over the final 3 weeks to mess up their draft position and next June Bloom will draft another HS SS with our 1st rd pick and his apologists on here will praise his selection.

 

I'd be rooting for any Sox GM to draft the best player avaiable.

 

It's not about Bloom or your fixation on thinking a bunch of us think of him as a "hero."

 

DD's last two highest picks were SSs: 1. C Cannon SS & 2. Lugo SS in 2019.

 

Just about every GM picks best available and not by position. It's not an apology. It's a winning strategy.

 

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

With a s***** manager, we might have had 90 wins.

 

 

Finishing at 18-3 will allow the SOX to win 90. Stranger things have happened( the Rockies in 2007), but this would have to be filed under 'strangest.'

i

Edited September 9, 2023 by SPLENDIDSPLINTER

[illinoisredsox]

it is not going to happen Splinter. Sox will win enough meaningless games over the final 3 weeks to mess up their draft position and next June Bloom will draft another HS SS with our 1st rd pick and his apologists on here will praise his selection.

 

Are you complaining about picking high school shortstops or high school players in general? Surely you do realize that virtually the only high school players drafted are pitchers, catchers, shortstops and center fielders, with the latter two in far smaller numbers than the first two.

 

College is a different matter, though the vast majority of high school guys who play in college were, wait for it, high school pitchers, shortstops, catchers and centerfielders.

[illinoisredsox]

I'd be rooting for any Sox GM to draft the best player avaiable.

 

It's not about Bloom or your fixation on thinking a bunch of us think of him as a "hero."

 

DD's last two highest picks were SSs: 1. C Cannon SS & 2. Lugo SS in 2019.

 

Just about every GM picks best available and not by position. It's not an apology. It's a winning strategy.

 

 

And high school players who are playing anywhere except shortstop, pitcher, catcher or centerfield seldom get drafted.

[vegasbob]

It's getting weary watching the games and then seeing the postgame comments by Cora and the pitcher of the day speak of how they just need to get better. Paxton is a pro at it, as is Sale and now Houck is spouting the line.

 

I appreciate their intent and effort , but why not, just once, actually do it ? Get better, think, execute, do whatever to be successful. I'm personally tired of listening to why you were almost good . Get over the hump or find a new line of highly paid work.

[redsoxrules]

Houck along with Whitlock should have stayed in the bullpen. Houck is great until about 4-5 innings and then turns into a pumpkin. We need starters that can last 6-7 innings

[Bellhorn04]

Houck along with Whitlock should have stayed in the bullpen. Houck is great until about 4-5 innings and then turns into a pumpkin. We need starters that can last 6-7 innings

 

As I posted in another thread:

 

Tanner Houck is a 3 inning pitcher. Not many things have been more obvious in the history of the world.

 

Innings 1-3 this year 2.12 ERA

Innings 4-6 9.26 ERA

 

He'd be good in the bullpen.

 

But he's in the rotation, because of Bloom's malfeasance.

[mvp 78]

Lots of 4 inning starters on this team.

[mvp 78]

Houck was a known issue for a while but a lot of posters on here still wanted to roll him out there. I see him as trade bait.

[Bellhorn04]

Houck was a known issue for a while but a lot of posters on here still wanted to roll him out there. I see him as trade bait.

 

If he's really good for 1-3 innings why would you trade him? It's pitching we need.

[Old Red]

Houck was a known issue for a while but a lot of posters on here still wanted to roll him out there. I see him as trade bait.

 

I’ve been saying Houck, and Whit should have stayed in the pen for 2 years now, but they are cheap options for the rotation along with one of Blooms $10M man, and I think Bloom likes that.

[mvp 78]

I’ve been saying Houck, and Whit should have stayed in the pen for 2 years now, but they are cheap options for the rotation along with one of Blooms $10M man, and I think Bloom likes that.

 

I was hopeful that Whitlock could be a 3 because of his pitch mix, but his body just can’t do the wear and tear of starting. He’s relief only going forward IMO. If they yoyo him back to the rotation it’s a mistake.

[mvp 78]

If he's really good for 1-3 innings why would you trade him? It's pitching we need.

 

We have enough 3 inning guys to fill the roster. We need legitimate starters and Houck has trade value.

 

Houck is not significantly better than Murphy/Winck/Whitlock/Crawford. He’s expendable.

[Bellhorn04]

We have enough 3 inning guys to fill the roster. We need legitimate starters and Houck has trade value.

 

Houck is not significantly better than Murphy/Winck/Whitlock/Crawford. He’s expendable.

 

For 3 inning stints he's been better than those guys.

 

They're all expendable, though.

[moonslav59]

We have enough 3 inning guys to fill the roster. We need legitimate starters and Houck has trade value.

 

Houck is not significantly better than Murphy/Winck/Whitlock/Crawford. He’s expendable.

 

I agree.

 

I might also add Pivetta to this list, but he does not fall apart after 50 pitches or the third time through a line-up like Houck. (He's not as good over the first 50 pitches, either.) In his career, he does better 51-75 than 1-25.

 

1-25, 26-50, 51-75 pitches

Pivetta: .820, .697. .784

1st PA, 2nd... AS SP'er only

.769>,747>,870

 

Houck

By pitches: .644, .654, .920

By PAs: .626>,792>.938

 

Whitlock

Pitches: .692, .612, .831

PAs: .760>,692>1.122

 

Crawford 2023

Pitches: .617, .739, .760

PAs: .612>.820>1,159

 

I'm not sure if you can have an 8 man pen with 2 short guys and 6 long guys, but we have at least 4- 5 if you count Murphy.

 

[vegasbob]

The stats do tell a story on all of these 4 pitchers. The top of rotation types get stronger as the game progresses and their pitch mixes vary to keep hitters from timing them.

 

I do wonder as to what extent conditioning and pitch calling may have to do with their significant decline after 50 pitches. One thing they all have in common is pitching middle-middle and up in zone vs. commanding the corners. Also lack of a definitive 2 strike pitch to close out a batter.

[moonslav59]

The stats do tell a story on all of these 4 pitchers. The top of rotation types get stronger as the game progresses and their pitch mixes vary to keep hitters from timing them.

 

I do wonder as to what extent conditioning and pitch calling may have to do with their significant decline after 50 pitches. One thing they all have in common is pitching middle-middle and up in zone vs. commanding the corners. Also lack of a definitive 2 strike pitch to close out a batter.

 

I think it's a combination of conditioning and lack of extended repertoires. Some more of one than the other.

 

If we can't ever get these guys to go 75 pitches in a game, then we have to maximize their chances to do the best they can by not putting them in those situations, anymore.

 

I've been ringing the bell for adding two major studs at the TOTR, but in reality we probably need 2 plus some rotation depth to insure we never have to start Houck, Whitlock and probably Crawford, too. I think Pivetta can be handed the 5th slot, but we need more depth than Sale to make sure those 3 stay in the pen 100%. Sure, use them as openers, if needed, but never let them go beyond about 50 pitches or 18 batters- EVER!

 

SP1 FA

SP2 FA

SP3 Bello

SP4 FA

SP5 Pivetta & Sale

(Add SP ML ready depth to minor leagues)

 

Closer Jansen

Set Up Martin, Wink, Schreiber, Joely/Bernardino

Long Relief Houck, Crawford, Whitlock

 

Minor league depth:

SP: FA, FA, Gambrell, Hagenman, Wikelman, Drohan

SR: Kelly, Robertson, Guerrero, Mills

LR: Murphy, Walter, Van Belle, Song