A Realistic View of the 2025 Red Sox: Part II

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 hour ago, Nick said:

We actually wasted Mayer's talent for almost two months, arriving on 5/26.

We can all gloss it over but no one her can convince me that Mayer should have broken camp out of spring training.

"seeing good baseball" if you are being honest has coincided with Mayer playing the infield.

Shouldn't it say Shouldn't?

I watched every televised Spring Training game and often commented how much better the Sox looked when Mayer was in the game.

I also said several times that Mayer outplayed Campbell in Florida, and definitely in the field. 

But there were posters who stood by management's decision to give second base to KC, because he supposedly earned the job last season as Minor League Player of the Year -- and let's face it, that award was because of his bat (which also happened to swing righty).

The quiet part out loud: in the Spring, when Campbell got sporadic starts in the outfield, management lauded his versatility... but how many fans were thinking the Sox were actually just trying to find a way to keep his bat in the line-up? Maybe they still are...

[Bellhorn04]

56 minutes ago, Larry Cook said:

I heard the beat writers in Texas were speculating on whether or not eovaldi would be made available?????

Eovaldi would be an excellent target.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 minute ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Eovaldi would be an excellent target.

He was last winter, too, and two years before that.

[Nick]

13 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Shouldn't it say Shouldn't?

I watched every televised Spring Training game and often commented how much better the Sox looked when Mayer was in the game.

I also said several times that Mayer outplayed Campbell in Florida, and definitely in the field. 

But there were posters who stood by management's decision to give second base to KC, because he supposedly earned the job last season as Minor League Player of the Year -- and let's face it, that award was because of his bat (which also happened to swing righty).

The quiet part out loud: in the Spring, when Campbell got sporadic starts in the outfield, management lauded his versatility... but how many fans were thinking the Sox were actually just trying to find a way to keep his bat in the line-up? Maybe they still are...

Sorry, hopefully everyone understood what I was trying to say.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 minute ago, Nick said:

Sorry, hopefully everyone understood what I was trying to say.

I did, I'm on your side.

It's ludicrous to think any intelligent front office baseball exec wanted Mayer demoted instead of Hamilton.

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Plus, you might basically tread water in the "important stretch" and have no change at all in the outlook.

There are just certain things people love to say, over and over. 😄 

I'm as guilty as anybody on  that.

"One game at a time!"

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 minute ago, moonslav59 said:

I'm as guilty as anybody on  that.

"One game at a time!"

There's no i in team, but there is me in time.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

I did, I'm on your side.

It's ludicrous to think any intelligent front office baseball exec wanted Mayer demoted instead of Hamilton.

Agree 100%, but I'll add, it's more ludicous to have Mayer on the 26 and riding the Bench, probably close to the same level if just vs LHPs (30% missed starts.)

[Nick]

10 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Agree 100%, but I'll add, it's more ludicous to have Mayer on the 26 and riding the Bench, probably close to the same level if just vs LHPs (30% missed starts.)

According to Cora, he is going to get more playing time. I read that to mean batting against left handers. Cream rises to the top.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Just a reminder to curb some of the enthusiasm around here. This will be the 4th straight year the Sox have been over .500 in mid July. Do I believe this is a better team than the previous 3 years? Yes, I do, but the FO has to avoid dumpster diving before the TDL like they'd done in the past.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

19 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

There's no i in team, but there is me in time.

There's also 'me' in team.

[Soxlover]

After these 9 we play, not in order:

6 vs HOU, 3 v KCR, at SDP, at MIN, 

no real cupcake until AUG 15th v MIA!

[Soxlover]

2 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

There's also 'me' in team.

And Ate, Eat, Meat, At, Tam, Tame and gasp… Mate!

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

2 hours ago, Maxbialystock said:

Yep. 

The Sox could stumble over the next 9 games (@ Cubs, @ Phillies, Dodgers), but so could any team.  So it would be great if they could go, say, 5-4.  

Even 4-5: wouldn't be too damaging in this weak AL.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

1 minute ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Even 4-5: wouldn't be too damaging in this weak AL.

I believe I'd heard that the Sox have the toughest remaining schedule in the AL.

[Soxlover]

12 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

I believe I'd heard that the Sox have the toughest remaining schedule in the AL.

They do but after August 14th I think it will be middlish 

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

1 hour ago, Soxlover said:

And Ate, Eat, Meat, At, Tam, Tame and gasp… Mate!

The Sox got rid of their 'me.'

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, Nick said:

According to Cora, he is going to get more playing time. I read that to mean batting against left handers. Cream rises to the top.

Agreed. I think it was the plan, all along- to ease him into FT play.

Anthony started off slowly, but it was also the result of some bad luck on hard hit balls. He needs to play FT, NOW!

I'm fine with Yoshida being benched, but Cora and maybe Brez are not.

I'm not a Masa hater. I think he can hit .800. I just think all the others can, too.

[moonslav59]

13 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

The Sox got rid of their 'me.'

The "Me" and the "Meat" (of the lineup)

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

The "Me" and the "Meat" (of the lineup)

For the Giants he's been the "Meatloaf" (of the lineup)

[moonslav59]

42 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

For the Giants he's been the "Meatloaf" (of the lineup)

Maybe liverwurst.

 

[moonslav59]

Houck is set to be activated, soon. Who gets demoted? Fitts (as we trade for a solid #2?) Alcala, Murphy, Bernardino? (Trade Hicks?)

I'm pulling for Sandoval's return, but who knows?

[Hitch]

5 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Houck is set to be activated, soon. Who gets demoted? Fitts (as we trade for a solid #2?) Alcala, Murphy, Bernardino? (Trade Hicks?)

I'm pulling for Sandoval's return, but who knows?

I'm not so sure Houck doesn't stay down and spend some time in AAA re-working his delivery. 

[cp176]

On 7/14/2025 at 7:00 PM, Duran Is The Man said:

Wong is not fine. he is literally one of the worst catchers in MLB. he has 1 rbi. he's 0-28 with RISP and his OPS+ is 11. LOLOL.

He is a backup catcher.  He gets a few starts here and there.  He keeps the ball in front of him.  He does his job as a (say it again)backup catcher.  When you have a backup catcher and you think a backup catcher is  any kind of primary need, then I guess we will just agree to disagree.  lol lol lol

[Yaz Fan Since 67]

On 7/14/2025 at 9:32 PM, Maxbialystock said:

I'm with you.  Wong is a good defensive catcher and knows this pitching staff well.  With him behind the plate, in his last 2 starts Bello has been sharp.  Plus hitting is not exactly a weak suit for the Sox right now.  

I had argued for Wong all offseason.  I figured a catcher who hit .280 with good speed for a catcher worked for me.  But then I was presented with the facts. Wong is not a good defensive catcher, he is actually terrible.  I could live with that at .280, now he can't hit and remains a poor defensive catcher.  He really may be the worst catcher in MLB and whenever he is in the lineup the Red Sox are at a disadvantage before the first pitch is thrown.  

[Bellhorn04]

Regarding Wong, I have to trust Breslow on this one.  I think he has given me enough reason to trust him.  

[notin]

1 hour ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Regarding Wong, I have to trust Breslow on this one.  I think he has given me enough reason to trust him.  

That backup catcher is on wish lists strikes me as too picky..  I’m ok with Wong.  I’m ok with replacing Wong.  Wong has pros and cons, but it’s unlikely anyone brought him to replace him will only have pros…

[Duran Is The Man]

5 hours ago, cp176 said:

He is a backup catcher.  He gets a few starts here and there.  He keeps the ball in front of him.  He does his job as a (say it again)backup catcher.  When you have a backup catcher and you think a backup catcher is  any kind of primary need, then I guess we will just agree to disagree.  lol lol lol

yes, for a backup he is ok. nevertheless, he is the worst catcher in the league.

[Nick]

5 hours ago, cp176 said:

He is a backup catcher.  He gets a few starts here and there.  He keeps the ball in front of him.  He does his job as a (say it again)backup catcher.  When you have a backup catcher and you think a backup catcher is  any kind of primary need, then I guess we will just agree to disagree.  lol lol lol

How many more games could we have won just with couple of hits with runners in scoring position?

To simply dismiss him as a oh well he's just a back up catcher is awful. You would never manage anything for me. You're only good as your 26th man.

How come many of us have the time to think about Wong but no one in the Sox organization don't as you are implying? That makes no sense.

[notin]

18 minutes ago, Nick said:

You're only good as your 26th man.

 

Not even remotely true.  And seriously melodramatic.

I live in Chicago and see lots of Cubs games.  The Cubs have the worst (non-catcher) bench Ive ever seen.  Two light-hitting pinch runners (Brujan and Berti) who primarily play infield and a 40yo corner infielder (Justin Turner) whose best days are in the rear view mirror.  Also no outfielders.

And yet the Cubs are one half game behind the best record in the NL and 1.5 games behind the best record in MLB.  Why doesn’t their bench drag them down, as you say it should?  And their weird thing is - their pitching really isn’t that good, either. But their bench is atrocious.

Wong is having a bad year.  But if you’re blaming him for any part of the Sox record, you’re putting far too much on him…