July 21 Sox at Dodgers

[Bellhorn04]

I am just trying to be helpful. Keep things in perspective. The randomness and just plain luck involved in baseball cuts both ways. We should not get too high or too low over the outcome of any one game or short series. I have certainly expressed my dissatisfaction with many of the things that have happened since 2018. But I do think it is odd to be sky high over the team one day, then become disgusted because they lost on the road to a team like the Dodgers.

 

It's not about one series, not for me anyway. I think our pitching staff is in the process of unraveling and that it has a lot to do with the blunders and lack of commitment of the guys who run things. I'm not blaming the players or the manager. I think they're doing their best.

[mvp 78]

As a fan, I would hope the Chief Baseball Officer of the entire franchise knew...

 

Why do you think he would not have known?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Why do you think he would not have known?

 

Never said I did, was replying to another poster's question of "Who knew?" and subsequent corresponding move of calling up someone else who can close... unless they're acquiring one; either way, let's hope there are no microsoft issues that prevent expedited travel to Coors.

 

Transportation and Coors really was once an issue last century. Supposedly, it had to be kept cold, which made it more expensive when only "shipping" in a refrigerated truck. Rich kids in the dorm still paid $5 a six to retain their elite status... while the rest of us peasants grabbed for the gusto of Schlitz, at about 35 cents a bottle.

 

Then when I went to New Mexico in 1980, they served 25 cent Coors drafts. All the local cowboys drank Bud.

[Dipre]

The Dodgers are a really good team. And they will get better. Mookie, Muncy, Yamamoto, Glasnow and Kershaw will return. Couple of relievers as well. And they surely will be in on the bidding for Skubal and Crochet. The Sox got swept by them but played them pretty tough. It's not the end of the world. Things will be much easier against the Rockies. The chances of making the playoffs are still very good. The mood swings are not good for you. Relax.

 

Well goddamn. Didn't expect you to be the voice of reason.

[Dipre]

It's not about one series, not for me anyway. I think our pitching staff is in the process of unraveling and that it has a lot to do with the blunders and lack of commitment of the guys who run things. I'm not blaming the players or the manager. I think they're doing their best.

 

"The sky is falling"

[vegasbob]

As a fan, I would hope the Chief Baseball Officer of the entire franchise knew...

 

Internally they did know. According to Cora, he had discussed this with Kenley even before the season started . Is there any evidence of the FO assisting in some way especially after Slaten and Martin got sore elbows several days ago? Not apparent to the FANS if Breslow planned on this shortfall.

[Bellhorn04]

"The sky is falling"

 

This is lame stuff and adds nothing to any discussion. At least I tried to articulate my position.

[notin]

Who knew Jansen couldn't go to Colorado for heart health reasons, leaving the Red Sox short yet another reliever in a critical series. And cannot call up another without making a corresponding demotion, maybe like Weissert

 

Actually, this makes sense as to why Jansen pitched last night. Once again, Cora knows the staff better than me.

 

Although why he blatantly refuses to use Horn and Anderson while relying heavily on Weissert is still unexplained…

[Bellhorn04]

FanGraphs has our chances at making the playoffs at 38.9% now.

 

So we have a 61.1% chance of missing the playoffs for the third year in a row.

 

But sure, forget about the nasty facts and wave the pom-poms.

[Bellhorn04]

Actually, this makes sense as to why Jansen pitched last night. Once again, Cora knows the staff better than me.

 

Although why he blatantly refuses to use Horn and Anderson while relying heavily on Weissert is still unexplained…

 

When he starts using Horn and Anderson in higher leverage situations, you'll find out.

[dgalehouse]

FanGraphs has our chances at making the playoffs at 38.9% now.

 

So we have a 61.1% chance of missing the playoffs for the third year in a row.

 

But sure, forget about the nasty facts and wave the pom-poms.

 

Fangraphs odds mean nothing. They change like the weather. Sweep the Rockies and the odds will change again.

[notin]

James Paxton is not an unreasonable comp for Sale. Similar age and innings history since 2019. Not as good quality innings as Sale.

 

The Dodgers are probably just fine with their investment in him.

 

But Paxton is only worth 0.4 bWAR so far this year, which is not comparable to Sale. In fact, he still has more bWAR from 2020-2023 than this year, which is also unlike Sale.

 

Paxton has reduced IP over the past 3 seasons, but he hasn’t bounced back to All Star/Cy Young levels like Sale. Not even close…

[notin]

Fangraphs odds mean nothing. They change like the weather. Sweep the Rockies and the odds will change again.

 

 

I would hope so

[notin]

When he starts using Horn and Anderson in higher leverage situations, you'll find out.

 

Find out what? That they’re at least as capable of blowing it up as Weissert?

 

The bar is pretty low here…

[notin]

FanGraphs has our chances at making the playoffs at 38.9% now.

 

So we have a 61.1% chance of missing the playoffs for the third year in a row.

 

But sure, forget about the nasty facts and wave the pom-poms.

 

Damn straight I’m waving them. The joy is in the journey, not reaching the destination…

[Dipre]

Fangraphs odds mean nothing. They change like the weather. Sweep the Rockies and the odds will change again.

 

That's actually how they're supposed to work. If they beat the Rockies and the teams closest to us lose 2 out of 3 or get swept, they'll go way back up.

[Dipre]

This is lame stuff and adds nothing to any discussion. At least I tried to articulate my position.

 

Exactly like whining, which is the point I've been trying to make.

[Dipre]

Damn straight I’m waving them. The joy is in the journey, not reaching the destination…

 

No one thought this team would be even in the hunt, honestly.

[dgalehouse]

That's actually how they're supposed to work. If they beat the Rockies and the teams closest to us lose 2 out of 3 or get swept, they'll go way back up.

 

Thanks for explaining to me how it works. Actually, I am very familiar with gambling. And I know that if I get a bet down on a football game, I don't care if the point spread changes at halftime. And I definitely don't care what Fangraphs thinks. Or you, for that matter.

[dgalehouse]

No one thought this team would be even in the hunt, honestly.

 

I guess you missed my pre-season prediction.

[mvp 78]

Damn straight I’m waving them. The joy is in the journey, not reaching the destination…

 

Through 7/22, this season has been better than 20, 22 and 23 IMO. I'm good with it.

[vegasbob]

Through 7/22, this season has been better than 20, 22 and 23 IMO. I'm good with it.

 

It has been better because of the progress and maturation of some players ( Duran, Houck ,Crawford) and the chance to see some of the young guys ( Rafaela, Hamilton , Abreu) to see where they may fit in. OTH, they young guys are in the games because several presumed starters were significantly injured. Can't have it all cake and ice cream.

[Bellhorn04]

But Paxton is only worth 0.4 bWAR so far this year, which is not comparable to Sale. In fact, he still has more bWAR from 2020-2023 than this year, which is also unlike Sale.

 

Paxton has reduced IP over the past 3 seasons, but he hasn’t bounced back to All Star/Cy Young levels like Sale. Not even close…

 

Right. Of course Paxton was never in Sale's league. All it shows is that teams are willing to roll the dice on guys with that kind of injury history, because starting pitching with any kind of credentials is just such a precious commodity.

[Bellhorn04]

Through 7/22, this season has been better than 20, 22 and 23 IMO. I'm good with it.

 

I think they've done a great job lowering our expectations for what constitutes success.

[notin]

Right. Of course Paxton was never in Sale's league. All it shows is that teams are willing to roll the dice on guys with that kind of injury history, because starting pitching with any kind of credentials is just such a precious commodity.

 

Please don’t compare rolling the dice on Paxton at $7mill to rolling the dice on Sale at $27.5mill.

 

Not to mention, they just DFAd Paxton. That low risk dice role came to a premature conclusion…

[Bellhorn04]

Please don’t compare rolling the dice on Paxton at $7mill to rolling the dice on Sale at $27.5mill.

 

They're paying $17 million of the $27.5 million, so it would only have cost an additional $10.5 million to keep him. If they saved the whole $27.5 million it would be a different conversation.

[Bellhorn04]

The fact they didn't replace the long gone Giolito even though he was supposed to be an innings eater tells you all you need to know. They were being cheap and doing the bare minimum (if that) to upgrade the rotation, just like they did in the Bloom years. There's some bad luck involved with Sale and Giolito, sure, but it's the underlying philosophy that really sucks.

[notin]

The fact they didn't replace the long gone Giolito even though he was supposed to be an innings eater tells you all you need to know. They were being cheap and doing the bare minimum (if that) to upgrade the rotation, just like they did in the Bloom years. There's some bad luck involved with Sale and Giolito, sure, but it's the underlying philosophy that really sucks.

 

Not replacing Giolito was definitely a poor choice that has very, very likely already negatively impacted this season…

[Old Red]

I think they've done a great job lowering our expectations for what constitutes success.

 

So true it is. 2019 an 84 win season was deemed a big failure, but today an 84 win season would be deemed a big success. Of course all the sham, sham, sham talk ALL offseason has lowered those expectations for some on here, and now those same ones it doesn’t take much to impress. There is nothing wrong with having fun, and doing a Cyndi Lauper impression. Some live game by game, and even pitch to pitch, which shows up big time on the game threads. I look at the standings every day, but I don’t put to much importance on them until Sept 1. Every game counts the same from Mar-Apr to Sept-Oct every year, and the things that counts the most is the final standings, which to me is when the final judgement come in,and not on 22 Jul.

[Maxbialystock]

So true it is. 2019 an 84 win season was deemed a big failure, but today an 84 win season would be deemed a big success. Of course all the sham, sham, sham talk ALL offseason has lowered those expectations for some on here, and now those same ones it doesn’t take much to impress. There is nothing wrong with having fun, and doing a Cyndi Lauper impression. Some live game by game, and even pitch to pitch, which shows up big time on the game threads. I look at the standings every day, but I don’t put to much importance on them until Sept 1. Every game counts the same from Mar-Apr to Sept-Oct every year, and the things that counts the most is the final standings, which to me is when the final judgement come in,and not on 22 Jul.

 

You have a faulty memory of 2019. Mine is that the Sox were paying top dollar--the biggest payroll in MLB--for a team that couldn't make the playoffs. In fact, most of the 2018 best Sox team ever players were on the 2019 team. The problem was the Sale and Price turned sour. Price stayed that way but was still paid $30M/year. Sale stayed that way basically until this year, by which point he had moved on to the Braves with the Sox paying his salary.