A Realistic View of 2024: Part II

[dgalehouse]

I get the L-R balancing act.

 

But I was thinking we could live with Duran/Rafaela/Abreu in the OF.

 

My problem is can we find a ss better than Rafaela? Just not coumting on Story. He looks like Chris Sale injury wise. Not sure how dependable he will be going forward.

 

Presumably, Mayer will be the shortstop in the very near future. Story would move to second . At least I think that is the plan.

[notin]

I get the L-R balancing act.

 

But I was thinking we could live with Duran/Rafaela/Abreu in the OF.

 

My problem is can we find a ss better than Rafaela? Just not coumting on Story. He looks like Chris Sale injury wise. Not sure how dependable he will be going forward.

 

This year they’ll role with Rafaela because it clears up the OF logjam. Story won’t not back until next year, where he probably pals SS until he gets hurt and Mayer steps in…

[notin]

Presumably, Mayer will be the shortstop in the very near future. Story would move to second . At least I think that is the plan.

 

If Grissom continues to flounder, they might return Story to 2b. If Grissom can establish himself, then it gets more complicated. Some think Story to 3b. More likely, him and the bulk of his owed salary gets shipped somewhere else…

[notin]

I’m not worrying about it, because I think there is no chance of that happening. Once Notin starts beating the drum he’s all in. Gallo, Chapman were others he beat the drums for that didn’t happen either. He was all for JBJ though. If O’Neill stays healthy, which is a big if I agree more likely he gets traded.

 

Some of us value the importance of defense and like to see these Gold Glove outfielders come to Boston. Others think defense is assessed watching highlight films and measured in RBIs and then get pissy because the Sox let Justin Turner go despite there clearly being nowhere for him to play in Boston any more…

[dgalehouse]

I think Rafaela has a lot to prove before he can be seen as a rising star. His defense has drawn raves, but the fact is that he has already committed eight errors. You can't just ignore that. Offensively, he is struggling to keep his average above the dreaded Mendoza line. He is young and has potential , but he certainly has a long way to go to achieve that potential.

[notin]

I’m not worrying about it, because I think there is no chance of that happening. Once Notin starts beating the drum he’s all in. Gallo, Chapman were others he beat the drums for that didn’t happen either. He was all for JBJ though. If O’Neill stays healthy, which is a big if I agree more likely he gets traded.

 

Some of us value the importance of defense and like to see these Gold Glove outfielders come to Boston. Others think defense is assessed watching highlight films and measured in RBIs and then get pissy because the Sox let Justin Turner go despite there clearly being nowhere for him to play in Boston any more…

[notin]

I think Rafaela has a lot to prove before he can be seen as a rising star. His defense has drawn raves, but the fact is that he has already committed eight errors. You can't just ignore that. Offensively, he is struggling to keep his average above the dreaded Mendoza line. He is young and has potential , but he certainly has a long way to go to achieve that potential.

 

Rising star or not, he’s already been extended. His errors don’t bother me because he’s not going to be the shortstop going forward. And he’s much, much better in CF than at SS…

[dgalehouse]

He is key this year, but the OF is getting crowded and Duran's best position is LF. Even if they let O'Neill walk, they extended Rafaela so he is a guarantee. Abreu is also not going anywhere anytime soon.

 

The Sox do need a right-handed bat with some pop. If they can't put one in CF or RF or 1B or 3B or DH, where do they add it? SS? And move Mayer (who bats LH)? 2B? Not a lot of power hitting second basemen out there; sign Gleyber Torres? Is he even a power hitter anymore? Catcher?

 

The OF is getting crowded. And right now they have too many LHH in the lineup...

 

Any team , especially a team playing half it's games in Fenway would love a couple of right-handed power bats in the lineup. However, I think it is wise to have a few good left- handed bats in there . Baseball is made to order for left hand hitters. I would be fine with adding Mayer to a group of Devers, Casas, Duran and possibly Abreu.

[Old Red]

Some of us value the importance of defense and like to see these Gold Glove outfielders come to Boston. Others think defense is assessed watching highlight films and measured in RBIs and then get pissy because the Sox let Justin Turner go despite there clearly being nowhere for him to play in Boston any more…

 

NNN wow! When you talk about some of us value the importance of D are you including Cora, and Brez, and before that Bloom? Like I keep saying, and you can’t get around your pounded thumb is that the Red Sox are playing the cards (players) they have dealt themselves, and it’s as simple as that, but obviously not for you, because you keep whining, and crying about. I’m sure Cora would love it if Raffy could play 3B like Lowell, and Casas could play 1B like Boomer Scott, but they can’t. Get over the fact too that all these things you suggest hasn’t, and won’t happen, and it hasn’t, and won’t for reasons that you just can’t understand.🙈🤭

[Old Red]

I think Rafaela has a lot to prove before he can be seen as a rising star. His defense has drawn raves, but the fact is that he has already committed eight errors. You can't just ignore that. Offensively, he is struggling to keep his average above the dreaded Mendoza line. He is young and has potential , but he certainly has a long way to go to achieve that potential.

 

Cora, and the NESN Yuckers have both praised the RAF Man for great plays he almost made. He didn’t make them. Two of the catchers he almost made I believe JBJ would have made one if not both of them. Yes it’s great that Raf can play both SS, and OF, but I don’t think it helps him moving back, and forth especially playing SS.

[notin]

NNN wow! When you talk about some of us value the importance of D are you including Cora, and Brez, and before that Bloom? Like I keep saying, and you can’t get around your pounded thumb is that the Red Sox are playing the cards (players) they have dealt themselves, and it’s as simple as that, but obviously not for you, because you keep whining, and crying about. I’m sure Cora would love it if Raffy could play 3B like Lowell, and Casas could play 1B like Boomer Scott, but they can’t. Get over the fact too that all these things you suggest hasn’t, and won’t happen, and it hasn’t, and won’t for reasons that you just can’t understand.

 

You are even dumber than I thought. And I thought I set the bar pretty low…

[moonslav59]

I get the L-R balancing act.

 

But I was thinking we could live with Duran/Rafaela/Abreu in the OF.

 

My problem is can we find a ss better than Rafaela? Just not coumting on Story. He looks like Chris Sale injury wise. Not sure how dependable he will be going forward.

 

Rafaela and Ref bat RH'd.

 

It would be nice to be more balanced, but we should be okay.

[Old Red]

You are even dumber than I thought. And I thought I set the bar pretty low…

 

NNN the more you post you add an N. No one has said they don’t value Defense, but you can’t get through your head why the Red Sox are doing what they are doing, and never do any of your suggestions. Why do you suppose that is NNNN?🤭🙈🤮

[Nick]

Rafaela and Ref bat RH'd.

 

It would be nice to be more balanced, but we should be okay.

 

I was saying 2 lefties and one righty works for me.

Do you think I didn't know that Ref and Rafaela bats right?

[notin]

NNN the more you post you add an N. No one has said they don’t value Defense, but you can’t get through your head why the Red Sox are doing what they are doing, and never do any of your suggestions. Why do you suppose that is NNNN?

 

I don’t expect them to do my fitting suggestions. Not sure why that’s so difficult for you to grasp. But that seems to be a theme with you. You also don’t seem to grasp that Cora isn’t playing “the hand he’s dealt.” He’s in on the dealing. Breslow and Cora probably talk a lot more than you realize about this stuff. Cora did it with the Astros and he wasn’t even the manager there. So Dombrowski/Bloom/Breslow are not making any moves Cora doesn’t know about beforehand and probably has input on in many cases. With the money involved, Henry definitely wants everyone on the same page.

 

And Cora has absolutely shown he prefers offensive metrics to defensive ones. Most if not all of the stuff you complain about Bloom for is more Cora than you think. He never had to play Arroyo in right field; Cora chose to because he wanted Arroyo’s bat in the lineup over Bradley. Really, he never had to play Franchy at 1b either. Dalbec was always there. And it’s even possible Cora requested Shaw get DFAd. It’s very doubtful that just got dropped on him. And no way Bloom forced Cora to play Arroyo and Franchy out of position. One thing well known about Cora - massive ego. No way he sticks around for that. Not to mention, if Bloom wanted to run the show, he never had to hire Cora back.

 

Certainly Cora doesn’t always get what he wants, a good example being Carlos Santana. But it’s an extremely safe bet nothing gets dropped in his lap either…

 

And I didn’t say they don’t value defense

[Hugh2]

NNN the more you post you add an N. No one has said they don’t value Defense, but you can’t get through your head why the Red Sox are doing what they are doing, and never do any of your suggestions. Why do you suppose that is NNNN?🤭🙈🤮

 

I’m not quite sure we understand these emojis. Are you trying to tell us you have Monkey Pox???

 

Take care of that bro

[Randy Red Sox]

Looking like Whitlock will be shut down again with elbow soreness . Hope it’s not a 2nd TJ upcoming

[a700hitter]

Looking like Whitlock will be shut down again with elbow soreness . Hope it’s not a 2nd TJ upcoming

Not a starter. Too fragile.

[Larry Cook]

Looking like Whitlock will be shut down again with elbow soreness . Hope it’s not a 2nd TJ upcoming

 

Is eovaldi the only guy to come back from 2 ucl injuries????

[moonslav59]

I was saying 2 lefties and one righty works for me.

Do you think I didn't know that Ref and Rafaela bats right?

 

No, I did not think that, but with 3 OF'ers, as "balanced you can get is 2-1 or 1-2. I brought up Ref to show it can be viewed as 2-2, if we find a way to start and PH him vs LHPs.

[Duran Is The Man]

And as I said earlier, the Dodgers have 6 guys with more than 23 RBI.

 

well...the Dodgers brass knows how to build a winning team. the bloated Sox FO, not so much.

[moonslav59]

I don’t expect them to do my fitting suggestions. Not sure why that’s so difficult for you to grasp. But that seems to be a theme with you.

 

I suggest to my students to study for a test.

 

They don't and do poorly.

 

I guess I am wrong.

 

Red suggested the Sox not hire Bloom, but they did.

 

Red was right.

 

Got it.

[moonslav59]

Falling below .500 sucks, bigtime. It's been a while, and hopefully tomorrow we get back to .500.

 

We are still 2 up on TOR, but that offers very little solace, to me.

 

We are 2.5 from the last WC slot, but we'd have to pass 4 teams to be in that seat..

24-24-20 MIN (3rd slot)

24-22 TBR -1.0 (We had a shot at keeping them in the mirror and blew it.)

23-23 TEX -2.0 (Could be harder to pass than MIN & TBR)

22-22 DET -2.0 (Might be the only team we can pass by season's end.)

22-23 BOS -2.5

 

20-25 HOU -4.5 (Won 5 in a row, before tonight's loss.)

19-24 TOR -4.5 (I'm thinking they finish 5th in the ALE.)

 

[Nick]

Latest Whitlock setback has me in the category of "Whatever I don't give a damn".

[Old Red]

I suggest to my students to study for a test.

 

They don't and do poorly.

 

I guess I am wrong.

 

Red suggested the Sox not hire Bloom, but they did.

 

Red was right.

 

Got it.

 

Red did not suggest to not hire Bloom, but did predict it would not be a good signing. Red didn’t suggest to not extend Sale, but did predict it would be a bad move. Red didn’t suggest to to not resign Kike, but did predict it would be a waste of $10M. All wasn’t that hard to predict. Red did suggest the Red Sox resign Turner, and he’s fallen off after a decent start, but still would have probably been better than the Bobby D/Cooper/Smith contingent. Red suggested the Red Sox resign Bogey, which many fans did, but it looks like now it wouldn’t have been a good move, but still better than what they’ve had at SS the last two years. Red suggested the sign Jansen TWO years ago, which they did a year later. You on the other had a brown nose from Bloom, and the overrated Kike was your Boy Toy, and Hero. None of your suggested BTV trades have never happened, nor has your suggested signings. That’s why you pay NO Attention to the man behind the curtain, because Mr. Wrong, Mr. Wrong they keep playing your song.

[Old Red]

Falling below .500 sucks, bigtime. It's been a while, and hopefully tomorrow we get back to .500.

 

We are still 2 up on TOR, but that offers very little solace, to me.

 

We are 2.5 from the last WC slot, but we'd have to pass 4 teams to be in that seat..

24-24-20 MIN (3rd slot)

24-22 TBR -1.0 (We had a shot at keeping them in the mirror and blew it.)

23-23 TEX -2.0 (Could be harder to pass than MIN & TBR)

22-22 DET -2.0 (Might be the only team we can pass by season's end.)

22-23 BOS -2.5

 

20-25 HOU -4.5 (Won 5 in a row, before tonight's loss.)

19-24 TOR -4.5 (I'm thinking they finish 5th in the ALE.)

 

 

The Red Sox are back in familiar territory under 500, and most likely where they belong. With the C’s, and B’s being in the postseason, and all the draft talk surrounding the Pats the Red Sox have been for the most part on the back burner in Boston, and have been for a few years now. It didn’t used to be the Red Sox were #4 in Boston, but that’s where they reside now, and deservedly so. The diehards are still there, but most likely that number gets fewer everyday.

[Hugh2]

Some people are only happy when it rains

[Bellhorn04]

When your team is en route to another s***** season you have to find a way to cope with it.

 

This season has no real chance of getting better, unfortunately.

 

The only positive may be that that there won't be any uncertainty about whether to sell at the deadline or not.

[Old Red]

Some people are only happy when it rains

 

It’s rained a lot on the Red Sox the last 3 years. Even pouring at times in case you haven’t noticed. As 1 poster has repeatedly said Sham!, Sham!, Sham! I don’t think any let’s go Sox isn’t going to cut it even though some have tried.🤫

[Old Red]

When your team is en route to another s***** season you have to find a way to cope with it.

 

This season has no real chance of getting better, unfortunately.

 

The only positive may be that that there won't be any uncertainty about whether to sell at the deadline or not.

 

Agree, and luckily there are other, and better things to watch.