5/07 SOX @ Braves 7:20PM ET

[Dipre]

yeah....1B is a shitshow. too bad the FO didn't listen to us and move Raffy to 1B/DH and sign Matt Chapman to play 3B.

 

No one knew Casas would get injured. Revisionist history.

[mvp 78]

I'm sure I missed some missed chances, but this kind of untimely hitting seems to plague the Sox.

 

Duran gets a lead off DBL and a 1 out 3B, but with men on base- nada.

Devers walked and singled with no men on but K'd twice with men on.

O'Neill almost got the big hit on that lineout (nice catch) but K'd and hit into a DP with other chances.

Abreu walked a couple times, but fleew out when he needed a hit.

Grissom just walked once and made 2 key out, when a hit was needed.

I expected Cooper and Smith to do nada, and they complied.

McGuire 1-3 w BB but made an out with man on 2B.

Rafaela got the big hit and made an out with a man on 1B,

 

It started early and often where they had runners on and nothing happened.

 

Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Duran, Ja; O'Neill 2; Cooper; Devers 2; Grissom.

 

Braves only left 1 in scoring position with 2 out.

[notin]

No one knew Casas would get injured. Revisionist history.

 

Well, except that some of us called for that months ago

[Maxbialystock]

It started early and often where they had runners on and nothing happened.

 

Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Duran, Ja; O'Neill 2; Cooper; Devers 2; Grissom.

 

Braves only left 1 in scoring position with 2 out.

 

As I pointed out earlier in during the 5th inning, Devers was a disaster last night. Duran led the game off with a double, and Devers popped out to 1b on the first pitch. In the 5th with 1 out Duran tripled, and Devers K'd by swinging at the same exact slider in the dirt he had not swung at on the previous pitch. And in the 6th with the bases loaded Devers repeated his 5th inning folly by again swing at a below the zone breaking ball (a sweeper this time) he had not swung on the previous pitch.

 

In Devers' defense, he has a very respectable OPS of .906, so I honestly have to give a ton of credit to the Braves pitching staff who gave up exactly 1 ER in 9 innings. The so-called big rally in the 6th inning was the result of 3 freaking walks and an error--and a ground single, mishandled by the Braves pitcher, by Rafaela, the Sox Mr. RBI. The next two batters, Duran and Devers, both struck out.

 

The Sox scored 17 runs in one game vs the Cubs--and still are ranked just 13th in runs scored. Get rid of 12 of those runs, and the Sox would rank 19th in MLB in runs scored. Thus does the #9 hitter, Rafaela, he of the .611 OPS, have 20 rbi's, 5 more than 2d most Duran's and 6 more than Wong's 14 (in just 23 games played). O'Neill has a paltry 13 rbi's and Devers 12.

 

In other words, the hitting stinks. It's just that simple.

 

The only thing this team does well is pitch, and the pitching has been hit hard by injuries. It's a freaking miracle the Sox still lead MLB in ERA, now 2.65.

[Dipre]

Well, except that some of us called for that months ago

 

That Casas would get injured? Also, Chapman sucks (offensively)

[Old Red]

Well, except that some of us called for that months ago

 

Most importantly Brez didn’t.

[Dipre]

I'm actively losing brain cells over here.

[dgalehouse]

As I pointed out earlier in during the 5th inning, Devers was a disaster last night. Duran led the game off with a double, and Devers popped out to 1b on the first pitch. In the 5th with 1 out Duran tripled, and Devers K'd by swinging at the same exact slider in the dirt he had not swung at on the previous pitch. And in the 6th with the bases loaded Devers repeated his 5th inning folly by again swing at a below the zone breaking ball (a sweeper this time) he had not swung on the previous pitch.

 

In Devers' defense, he has a very respectable OPS of .906, so I honestly have to give a ton of credit to the Braves pitching staff who gave up exactly 1 ER in 9 innings. The so-called big rally in the 6th inning was the result of 3 freaking walks and an error--and a ground single, mishandled by the Braves pitcher, by Rafaela, the Sox Mr. RBI. The next two batters, Duran and Devers, both struck out.

 

The Sox scored 17 runs in one game vs the Cubs--and still are ranked just 13th in runs scored. Get rid of 12 of those runs, and the Sox would rank 19th in MLB in runs scored. Thus does the #9 hitter, Rafaela, he of the .611 OPS, have 20 rbi's, 5 more than 2d most Duran's and 6 more than Wong's 14 (in just 23 games played). O'Neill has a paltry 13 rbi's and Devers 12.

 

In other words, the hitting stinks. It's just that simple.

 

The only thing this team does well is pitch, and the pitching has been hit hard by injuries. It's a freaking miracle the Sox still lead MLB in ERA, now 2.65.

 

That is a very comprehensive recap. I believe the " Express written consent " of MLB to required to post that.

[notin]

Most importantly Brez didn’t.

 

Not looking like his best move, is it?

[notin]

That Casas would get injured? Also, Chapman sucks (offensively)

 

Just called for Chapman to aid the weak infield defense. Devers and Casas were the worst pair of corner infielders in MLB.

[Old Red]

Not looking like his best move, is it?

 

We’ve gone over this a 100 times. The Red Sox already had a $18M DH. They already had a $300M 3B, and a young 1B who most likely will be there for a long time. There was no room for Chapman, and more importantly no room in the Budget for Chapman. It was NEVER going to happen. The Red Sox are playing the cards they have dealt themselves. Injuries happen, and have happened, but Chapman was Never coming to Boston.🤭🙈

[Maxbialystock]

Just called for Chapman to aid the weak infield defense. Devers and Casas were the worst pair of corner infielders in MLB.

 

Vehemently disagree. I don't disagree both are lousy on defense because they certainly are.

 

But everyone of the 9 lineup players is expected to hit first and field second. Thus, for example, the creation of the DH because pitchers were easy outs. Indeed, pitchers are far and away the most important defensive players on any team and way, way, way, way more important than any other defensive player. That's why almost every MLB team has 13 pitchers and 13 non-pitchers on their active rosters. Those 13 non-pitchers do all the hitting and 90% of the fielding.

 

The minors are chock full of good field no hit players. In fact, isn't Marcelo Mayer, who at age 21 is already a polished and skilled SS, currently stuck in Portland because he can't yet hit AA pitching?

 

So right now I personally am fine with Casas at 1b and Devers at 3b as long as they keep hitting better than most of the rest of the Sox lineup. Casas' problem ain't his fielding, it's being on the IL until at least June and probably later.

 

The current Sox have exactly 2 players with positive DWAR's--Duran +1.0; Abreu + 0.4.

[moonslav59]

No one knew Casas would get injured. Revisionist history.

 

Well, the idea was Casas would DH, and with Yoshida MIA, it's not really a revision.

[moonslav59]

Vehemently disagree. I don't disagree both are lousy on defense because they certainly are.

 

But everyone of the 9 lineup players is expected to hit first and field second. Thus, for example, the creation of the DH because pitchers were easy outs. Indeed, pitchers are far and away the most important defensive players on any team and way, way, way, way more important than any other defensive player. That's why almost every MLB team has 13 pitchers and 13 non-pitchers on their active rosters. Those 13 non-pitchers do all the hitting and 90% of the fielding.

 

The minors are chock full of good field no hit players. In fact, isn't Marcelo Mayer, who at age 21 is already a polished and skilled SS, currently stuck in Portland because he can't yet hit AA pitching?

 

So right now I personally am fine with Casas at 1b and Devers at 3b as long as they keep hitting better than most of the rest of the Sox lineup. Casas' problem ain't his fielding, it's being on the IL until at least June and probably later.

 

The current Sox have exactly 2 players with positive DWAR's--Duran +1.0; Abreu + 0.4.

 

notin was talking about D not overall sucktitude.

[Old Red]

Well, the idea was Casas would DH, and with Yoshida MIA, it's not really a revision.

 

🙈🤭🤮

[Old Red]

notin was talking about D not overall sucktitude.

 

I will bet you that Chapman wasn’t on the Red Sox radar, or even discussed this past offseason.

[dgalehouse]

Matt Chapman is doing a great job for the Giants. He is batting .204 , with a .595 OPS. However, he has also chipped in with six errors at third base so far this year. Sox sure missed the boat with this guy.

[moonslav59]

Matt Chapman is doing a great job for the Giants. He is batting .204 , with a .595 OPS. However, he has also chipped in with six errors at third base so far this year. Sox sure missed the boat with this guy.

 

LOL.

 

This was notin's baby... the Chapman part. Others joined in on moving Devers to 1B or 1B/DH and Casas to DH or 1B/DH.

 

It was just a suggestion not a prediction.

[Old Red]

LOL.

 

This was notin's baby... the Chapman part. Others joined in on moving Devers to 1B or 1B/DH and Casas to DH or 1B/DH.

 

It was just a suggestion not a prediction.

It may have been Notin’s baby, but you held that baby more than once. Prediction, or suggestion it was never gong to happen.

[Maxbialystock]

Matt Chapman is doing a great job for the Giants. He is batting .204 , with a .595 OPS. However, he has also chipped in with six errors at third base so far this year. Sox sure missed the boat with this guy.

 

I'm no fan of his, not at all, but his overall WAR is +0.5, 3d highest on the Giants, tied with Yastrzemski. On the Sox, his would be 6th highest.

[moonslav59]

I'm no fan of his, not at all, but his overall WAR is +0.5, 3d highest on the Giants, tied with Yastrzemski. On the Sox, his would be 6th highest.

 

I argued with notin against signing him, as I wanted 90% or more of all money spent on the rotation.

 

I was okay with the O'Neill trade as it basically evened out the money from the Dugo trade.

 

How do those two deals combined look, now?

 

Alex Verdugo .275 5 17 (.812 OPS) in 141 PAs ($8.7M)

Nick Robertson (AAA 6.1 IP & 5.2 IP MLB at 0.00 ERA/1.56 FIP)

Victor Santos (AAA 27.1 IP 6.59 ERA

 

for

 

O'Neill .292 9 13 (1.023 OPS leads AL) in 113 PAs ($5.85M)

Weissert (15.1 IP in MLB 1.17 ERA/3.34 FIP)

Fitts (29 IP in AAA 3.72 ERA/ 1.241 WHIP)

Judice (Has not pitched, this year)

Edited May 8, 2024 by moonslav59

[Old Red]

Where are the posters poo-pooing Devers, earlier?

 

Like I said when you go giddy things turn s*****. Nevers has 10 LOB the last 2 games.