Guardians (Messick) @ Sox (Bello), 1 Sep 25 (labor Day), 1:35 pm

[moonslav59]

53 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I'm fine with him hitting 800 with above average defense for the next few years. I think 900 was a nice hot stretch that the team really needed at the time. Some fans just need to reset expectations. Some people thought he'd come in and jack 30 bombs because of the Monster (5 home, 11 away). 

He's on pace for 26 in 650, so that's not far off.
 

I expected a better 2B pace of about 40 per 650.

[mvp 78]

6 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

He's on pace for 26 in 650, so that's not far off.
 

I expected a better 2B pace of about 40 per 650.

My point was that he's not hitting those bombs at home and people thought he would be. 

[Bellhorn04]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

I think that .795 OPS is what scared HOU from extending/re-signing him.

Houston reportedly offered him 6/156 or something like that.

My Pollyanna take is that he really wanted to play for the Red Sox and Cora.

[Bellhorn04]

7 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

My point was that he's not hitting those bombs at home and people thought he would be. 

Fenway fools everyone again!

[mvp 78]

5 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Fenway fools everyone again!

Well, according to his spray chart! 

[Maxbialystock]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Breggie

OPS since 8/2 720

OPS since 8/23 310 (10 games)

His current 864 OPS is his highest since 2019 and still may be a little inflated. He had a 795 OPS from 20-24. 

True.  The Sox team OPS is 9th in MLB vs 5th a month or so ago.  We have all seen too many recent examples of weak scoring, RISP disease, etc.  

Nevertheless, the sky is not falling because of the Sox pitching, the best in a long time--as is the defense backing them up. 

In just the last 10 days, the Sox won 7 of 8 on a road trip to Yankee Stadium and Camden Yards (home of the Orioles who won both games at the Fens on Aug 18 and 19).  

When Devers left, his OPS with the Sox was freaking .905--and the Sox have improved without him despite Yoshida, our current lefty hitting DH, having an  execrable OPS of .609. 

Indeed, the addition of Bregman at 3b and moving Devers to DH and then to SF has fundamentally changed the Sox. So have the additions of Crochet and Chapman and even Narvaez.  

Don't get me wrong.  I get as mad as anyone at the so-so hitting, the latest example being yesterday's 14 hits and 6 measly runs.  

On the other hand, without Bregman (on the IL) and with just Devers as our big bat, the Sox were 30-35 on June 6. Then came 2 wins at Yankee Stadium, a loss to the Rays, and a sweet 6 game winning streak, thanks largely to the Sox pitching, to which Devers, our best hitter with Breslow on the IL, contributed almost nothing.  Since June 6 the Sox have gone from 30-35 to 77-62, mostly because of pitching and defense. 

The scoring drought notwithstanding, the Sox still have good bats with Bregman, Anthony, Duran, Ref, Gonzalez, Lowe, Abreu, Duran, and Story.  On defense, Narvaez, Wong, Duran, Rafaela, Abreu, Anthony, Bregman, Story, and Hamilton all have plus DWAR's.  Narvaez leads all MLB catchers, Rafaela is 2d among CF's, Abreu is 3d among rightfielders, and Hamilton is 4th among 2d basemen.  

 

 

 

 

[Bellhorn04]

13 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Well, according to his spray chart! 

I know.  For some reason Fenway seems to foil the spray charts.

[mvp 78]

Just now, Maxbialystock said:

When Devers left, his OPS with the Sox was freaking .905--and the Sox have improved without him despite Yoshida, our current lefty hitting DH, having an  execrable OPS of .609. 

 

Prior to the Devers trade: 103 wRC+

Post Devers trade: 103 wRC+

Roman Anthony should have been on the Opening Day roster. Sox would be in first place. 

[mvp 78]

Just now, Bellhorn04 said:

I know.  For some reason Fenway seems to foil the spray charts.

He's also a PULL AIR guy too! 

The only thing pulled was the wool over our eyes. 

[Maxbialystock]

23 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Well, according to his spray chart! 

What a stupendous chart.  The dots are great, but so is the outline of the very irregular dimensions of the playing field.  

[Maxbialystock]

3 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Prior to the Devers trade: 103 wRC+

Post Devers trade: 103 wRC+

Roman Anthony should have been on the Opening Day roster. Sox would be in first place. 

Succinct and informative. 

Anthony came up because Abreu went on the IL.  Once Abreu returned, the cries of "too many dadgum outfielders" were incessant.  

[mvp 78]

4 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

Succinct and informative. 

Anthony came up because Abreu went on the IL.  Once Abreu returned, the cries of "too many dadgum outfielders" were incessant.  

They have 4 OFers with 3 bWAR. Anthony clearly has the highest ceiling. Rafaela is one of the top CFers in MLB. 

Number of times Jarren Duran as been above 800 OPS this year: zero. Abreu has had a few injuries this season and seems to be a streaky guy. 

If they are comfortable playing Roman in RF, I'm fine with trading either Abreu or Duran this offseason if they want to. The return may be less exciting than people on here think though. I'd consider trading them for prospects too. 

[drewski6]

20 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

They have 4 OFers with 3 bWAR. Anthony clearly has the highest ceiling. Rafaela is one of the top CFers in MLB. 

Number of times Jarren Duran as been above 800 OPS this year: zero. Abreu has had a few injuries this season and seems to be a streaky guy. 

If they are comfortable playing Roman in RF, I'm fine with trading either Abreu or Duran this offseason if they want to. The return may be less exciting than people on here think though. I'd consider trading them for prospects too. 

I think you trade Duran and the brass lose the clubhouse.

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

My point was that he's not hitting those bombs at home and people thought he would be. 

Got it.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

They have 4 OFers with 3 bWAR. Anthony clearly has the highest ceiling. Rafaela is one of the top CFers in MLB. 

Number of times Jarren Duran as been above 800 OPS this year: zero. Abreu has had a few injuries this season and seems to be a streaky guy. 

If they are comfortable playing Roman in RF, I'm fine with trading either Abreu or Duran this offseason if they want to. The return may be less exciting than people on here think though. I'd consider trading them for prospects too. 

I am pretty sure we trade Abreu or Duran plus some others for a solid SP'er.

I can see the plusses and minuses with both.

Abreu plays an excellent RF at Fenway and has power this team lacks.

Duran has speed and excitement, but also one less year of control.

I doubt we trade Rafaela, but we would still have a very nice OF.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

7 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

That foul pole dinger was shocking.

The inside the park Duran homer was awesome, the game before.

What's in store for tonight? 

No HR will ever top the one where the long fly ball bounced off the top of Canseco's head and went over the fence.

[Bellhorn04]

4 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

No HR will ever top the one where the long fly ball bounced off the top of Canseco's head and went over the fence.

And very fitting that it happened to the all-time roid king.

[moonslav59]

5 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

No HR will ever top the one where the long fly ball bounced off the top of Canseco's head and went over the fence.

Indeed, and it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

The best OF DP of all time was Manny's catch, fan high-five, and then throwing out the runner.

[moonslav59]

7 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

No HR will ever top the one where the long fly ball bounced off the top of Canseco's head and went over the fence.

We all know the most famous foul pole homer ever...

1975...

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

5 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

And very fitting that it happened to the all-time roid king.

Bonds, Sosa, A-rod and Clemens were also a major part of Roid royalty.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

5 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Bonds, Sosa, A-rod and Clemens were also a major part of Roid royalty.

Clemens even threw his wife under the bus. What a lowlife. It's fitting that he and the other lowlife Boggs became members of the Yankems.

Edited September 2, 2025 by SPLENDIDSPLINTER

[mvp 78]

39 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Clemens even threw his wife under the bus. What a lowlife. It's fitting that he and the other lowlife Boggs became members of the Yankems.

100% agree.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

48 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Bonds, Sosa, A-rod and Clemens were also a major part of Roid royalty.

How the heck could I forget McGuire?