Athletics (Ginn) vs Red Sox (Bello): 9/18/25, 1:35pm

[FredLynn]

33 minutes ago, bkzwhitestrican said:

I'll assist since I know the Yankees' injuries this year:

1. Gerrit Cole - out for season
2. Luis Gil - missed first 3 months
3. Clarke Schmidt - pitched 2 1/2 months, then out for season
4. Giancarlo Stanton - missed first 2 1/2 months of season
5. Jake Cousins - out for season
6. Jazz Chisholm - missed 1 month
7. Fernando Cruz - missed 2 months
8. Jonathan Loaisaga - pitched 2 months, then out for season
9. Oswaldo Cabrera - played 1 1/2 months, then out for season
10. Ryan Yarbrough - missed 2 1/2 months
11. Aaron Judge - missed 2 weeks
12. Mark Leiter - missed 1 month
13. Luke Weaver - missed 3 weeks
14. Austin Slater - missed 1 month

Also DJL and Stroman missed a bunch of time, but that was probably a positive. 

Thanks. Flops fans are entirely too willing to play the injury card to apologize for guys stinking. The fact is that the regulars out there with few exceptions simply haven’t sucked it up and played well. I’m not going to let anyone excuse their performance and blame injuries. That’s BS. 
It is the culture of the Boston Red Flops to choke down the stretch. I don’t see that changing until Henry sells the team and new management is put in place. 
This is by far the worse run franchise in the Boston area.

[notin]

6 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

The problem is not the injuries. The problem is that the guys who ARE in the lineup aren’t performing. Bregman. Gonzalez. Rafaela. Yoshida. Refsnider. To a lesser extent Narvaez. Etc

if you asked the manager and the players about why the team isn’t going to make the playoffs I doubt very much that they would excuse their performance by playing the injury card..

I won’t either. 

Bergen has been awful since returning.  Ditto Yoshida.  
 

But when you start listing the bench guys as “not doing their jobs,” you have to remember Theyre not supposed to be starting.  Cora isnt playing a minimum of two from Eaton, Ref, Romy and Hamilton in every game because he is trying to rest thr starters; Hes playing them because they’re all that’s left.  These guys are getting about 25-30% of the plate appearances now.

Maybe the Sox could call up Campbell and Password and hope their higher ceilings show up.  But that is the only other option he has.

Well, he could not bat Duran 8th anymore.  Maybe try to get one of the few actual starters Thats hitting more plate appearances…

[FredLynn]

4 minutes ago, Duran Is The Man said:

hard to win games when the best part of your lineup belongs in AAA.. 

And those who are ML capable are stinking. Fact is, this team simply doesn’t have the talent to deserve the playoffs. 
And that’s Breslows fault. He needs to be fired.

[FredLynn]

1 minute ago, notin said:

Bergen has been awful since returning.  Ditto Yoshida.  
 

But when you start listing the bench guys as “not doing their jobs,” you have to remember Theyre not supposed to be starting.  Cora isnt playing a minimum of two from Eaton, Ref, Romy and Hamilton in every game because he is trying to rest thr starters; Hes playing them because they’re all that’s left.  These guys are getting about 25-30% of the plate appearances now.

Maybe the Sox could call up Campbell and Password and hope their higher ceilings show up.  But that is the only other option he has.

Well, he could not bat Duran 8th anymore.  Maybe try to get one of the few actual starters Thats hitting more plate appearances…

Bregman, Yoshida, Gonzalez, Rafaela-they all have been stinking. So has our starting catcher to a lesser extent. I’m not asking Eaton and Hamilton to lead the team to October. It’s the regular players I expect more from. And I DEFINITELY expected more from Breslow at the TD. He whiffed.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, bkzwhitestrican said:

I'll assist since I know the Yankees' injuries this year:

1. Gerrit Cole - out for season
2. Luis Gil - missed first 3 months
3. Clarke Schmidt - pitched 2 1/2 months, then out for season
4. Giancarlo Stanton - missed first 2 1/2 months of season
5. Jake Cousins - out for season
6. Jazz Chisholm - missed 1 month
7. Fernando Cruz - missed 2 months
8. Jonathan Loaisaga - pitched 2 months, then out for season
9. Oswaldo Cabrera - played 1 1/2 months, then out for season
10. Ryan Yarbrough - missed 2 1/2 months
11. Aaron Judge - missed 2 weeks
12. Mark Leiter - missed 1 month
13. Luke Weaver - missed 3 weeks
14. Austin Slater - missed 1 month

Also DJL and Stroman missed a bunch of time, but that was probably a positive. 

The Astros have also had a ton of injuries, especially to the rotation and star batter, Y. Alvarez.

I do think you have to look beyond just the numbers of injuries and days missed, and many on this Yankee list are key players and some missed significant time, such as your ace being out all year, but I still think the significant injuries to the Sox are more influential than those to the Yanks. Yes, even two weeks missed by Judge, an 1.100+ batter, is likely worse than 4 weeks lost by Bregman, but Bregman missed more than 4 weeks. Our best hitter might have been Anthony, so it's hard to gauge how much missing him to injury is valued. Losing Mayer, Abreu for significant time and Casas (career .800 batter) for 5 months is pretty damn consequential. A little missed time by Narvaez, Ref and some other everyday players adds a little to the total numbers lost on O and D, but the big kaboom on the Sox injury front was with the rotation. 

You may argue with how I rank our starting pitchers, but I'm looking at what I feel their pre-season rotation slot would have been, if they we totally healthy:

1. Crochet- no missed time (Cole was the opposite- missed the whole season)

2. Houck- last year's #1- missed 23 GS

3. Crawford- last year's IP leader- missed 32 GS

4. Giolito- missed 4 starts

5. Buehler- missed 0 GS

6. Bello- missed 3 GS

7. Sandoval- missed the whole season.

8. Fitts- 10 GS- missed about last 1-2 months.

9. Dobbins- 11 GS- missed over half the season.

10. Criswell- 1 GS- missed the last month.

We ended up using Newcomb, D May, some pen starts and then a couple rookies not even considered depth back in March.

The pen has been pretty healthy, but Hendriks was considered in the running for the closer or top set-up man, He missed the whole season. Slaten was widely viewed as our top 4 RP'er and missed a couple months. Other lesser arms missed some time.

Your Yankee list is significant, too. I'm sure you could justify the value lost as being close to the Sox, but I'm not sure it would top ours, and since ours was concentrated in the rotation, which I consider most important to a team's success, I'm probably biased on that point, too.

[FredLynn]

10 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

The Astros have also had a ton of injuries, especially to the rotation and star batter, Y. Alvarez.

I do think you have to look beyond just the numbers of injuries and days missed, and many on this Yankee list are key players and some missed significant time, such as your ace being out all year, but I still think the significant injuries to the Sox are more influential than those to the Yanks. Yes, even two weeks missed by Judge, an 1.100+ batter, is likely worse than 4 weeks lost by Bregman, but Bregman missed more than 4 weeks. Our best hitter might have been Anthony, so it's hard to gauge how much missing him to injury is valued. Losing Mayer, Abreu for significant time and Casas (career .800 batter) for 5 months is pretty damn consequential. A little missed time by Narvaez, Ref and some other everyday players adds a little to the total numbers lost on O and D, but the big kaboom on the Sox injury front was with the rotation. 

You may argue with how I rank our starting pitchers, but I'm looking at what I feel their pre-season rotation slot would have been, if they we totally healthy:

1. Crochet- no missed time (Cole was the opposite- missed the whole season)

2. Houck- last year's #1- missed 23 GS

3. Crawford- last year's IP leader- missed 32 GS

4. Giolito- missed 4 starts

5. Buehler- missed 0 GS

6. Bello- missed 3 GS

7. Sandoval- missed the whole season.

8. Fitts- 10 GS- missed about last 1-2 months.

9. Dobbins- 11 GS- missed over half the season.

10. Criswell- 1 GS- missed the last month.

We ended up using Newcomb, D May, some pen starts and then a couple rookies not even considered depth back in March.

The pen has been pretty healthy, but Hendriks was considered in the running for the closer or top set-up man, He missed the whole season. Slaten was widely viewed as our top 4 RP'er and missed a couple months. Other lesser arms missed some time.

Your Yankee list is significant, too. I'm sure you could justify the value lost as being close to the Sox, but I'm not sure it would top ours, and since ours was concentrated in the rotation, which I consider most important to a team's success, I'm probably biased on that point, too.

The Astros have more lost WAR than the FLOPS yet they are in first place 15 games over .500. They seem to have managed well enough. Our guys simply didn't suck it up. Instead they just sucked.

Not  single player on the injured list got an AB since they went on the list. Its up to the players who ARE playing to perform. Obviously they have not. Instead they have AGAIN folded at crunch time. Its who this franchise is. Chokers.

[moonslav59]

5 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

The Astros have more lost WAR than the FLOPS yet they are in first place 15 games over .500. They seem to have managed well enough. Our guys simply didn't suck it up. Instead they just sucked.

Not  single player on the injured list got an AB since they went on the list. Its up to the players who ARE playing to perform. Obviously they have not. Instead they have AGAIN folded at crunch time. Its who this franchise is. Chokers.

Yes, I mentioned the Astros having more key injuries.

You praise a team 1 game ahead of the Sox and call your favorite team the "flops." 

Think about that.

BTW, I would not bet on the Astros winning the ALW or even making the playoffs. I'm not sure how clutch a team that is 9-9 int their last 18 is. They are also 29-34 since July 6th.

The Astros could always use one more fan. Let's hear you say it, "Go Astros!"

[mvp 78]

1 hour ago, Duran Is The Man said:

down to 83% now. 😟

If one loss can lose you 7%, I don’t know how I feel about their system TBH.

[moonslav59]

6 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

If one loss can lose you 7%, I don’t know how I feel about their system TBH.

We're one more loss and 2 CLE wins from being near 50%.

[FredLynn]

29 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Yes, I mentioned the Astros having more key injuries.

You praise a team 1 game ahead of the Sox and call your favorite team the "flops." 

Think about that.

BTW, I would not bet on the Astros winning the ALW or even making the playoffs. I'm not sure how clutch a team that is 9-9 int their last 18 is. They are also 29-34 since July 6th.

The Astros could always use one more fan. Let's hear you say it, "Go Astros!"

Nah

Go Guardians! They deserve the playoffs more than the FLOPS do. This team, this franchise, is a bunch of chokers. At one point recently they were nearly a lock to make the playoffs. Now its less than 50-50. How many times in the last 10-15 years has this group of bums choked away a significant lead......more than any other team I think. 1978, 1986, 2003, and 2011...is there more? You can add 2025 to the list.

Worse franchise in the Boston area by far.

[notin]

2 hours ago, FredLynn said:

And those who are ML capable are stinking. Fact is, this team simply doesn’t have the talent to deserve the playoffs. 
And that’s Breslows fault. He needs to be fired.

Curse Breslow for injuring Anthony, Abreu, Casas, Dobbins, Fitts, Casas, May, Guerrero, Hendriks.  And those are just the guys out today. And probably not all of them.

But Judge did miss 10 games and the Yankees do have 2 more wins, so it’s all even…

 

[FredLynn]

12 minutes ago, notin said:

Curse Breslow for injuring Anthony, Abreu, Casas, Dobbins, Fitts, Casas, May, Guerrero, Hendriks.  And those are just the guys out today. And probably not all of them.

But Judge did miss 10 games and the Yankees do have 2 more wins, so it’s all even…

 

That’s a post that attempts to use injuries as an excuse for poor performance. Injured players aren’t in the lineup, I don’t blame Breslow for the injuries. But I ABSOLUTELY blame him for not bringing in the talent at the TD to maximize the chances of success.

The M&M twins? Really?

👎👎👎

 

[notin]

2 hours ago, FredLynn said:

Bregman, Yoshida, Gonzalez, Rafaela-they all have been stinking. So has our starting catcher to a lesser extent. I’m not asking Eaton and Hamilton to lead the team to October. It’s the regular players I expect more from. And I DEFINITELY expected more from Breslow at the TD. He whiffed.

You keep listing Gonzalez as if Hes supposed to be a key contributor.  Hes a utility infielder that hits LHP.  We acquired him after he was released by the White Sox.

Bregman and Yoshida have been awful, but if you expect those two to carry any team, you’re going to be disappointed…

[illinoisredsox]

24 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

Nah

Go Guardians! They deserve the playoffs more than the FLOPS do. This team, this franchise, is a bunch of chokers. At one point recently they were nearly a lock to make the playoffs. Now its less than 50-50. How many times in the last 10-15 years has this group of bums choked away a significant lead......more than any other team I think. 1978, 1986, 2003, and 2011...is there more? You can add 2025 to the list.

Worse franchise in the Boston area by far.

I'm guessing math was not your best subject in second grade or whatever year one learns addition and subtraction.

What do 1978, 1986 and 2003 have to do with the last 15 years?  For that matter, in 2003, when did they ever have a significant lead?  

[notin]

6 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

That’s a post that attempts to use injuries as an excuse for poor performance. Injured players aren’t in the lineup, I don’t blame Breslow for the injuries. But I ABSOLUTELY blame him for not bringing in the talent at the TD to maximize the chances of success.

The M&M twins? Really?

👎👎👎

 

And that’s fair.  I actually expected him to be in on a 1b solution.  But I’m also glad he didn’t go crazy like some other teams that are going to miss the passion and I’m glad he didn’t get Joe Ryan, because Ryan has pitched abysmally for the last two months.

[notin]

33 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

Nah

Go Guardians! They deserve the playoffs more than the FLOPS do. This team, this franchise, is a bunch of chokers. At one point recently they were nearly a lock to make the playoffs. Now its less than 50-50. How many times in the last 10-15 years has this group of bums choked away a significant lead......more than any other team I think. 1978, 1986, 2003, and 2011...is there more? You can add 2025 to the list.

Worse franchise in the Boston area by far.

Hint: 2011 was the only time they choked down the stretch.

I mean, 1986?  They won the division by double digits.  How does that count as a choke down the stretch? We They supposed to win it by triple digits?

 

[Nick]

8 hours ago, Maxbialystock said:

To play 75% of a MLB 162 game schedule you need to play in 121 games (rounded down from 121.5).

Right now the Sox have 3 players--Duran, Story, and Rafaela--who have played in 148, 148, and 146 games.  No other Sox players will get to 121.

No other AL team has just 3 players assured of playing in 75% of the games.  The Jays, Yankees, Tigers, Astros, and Guardians, all have 6 or more players sure of playing in 75%.  And the Mariners have 5 who, however, have played in 151, 150, 149, 148, and 130 games  All 5 are very likely to play in at least 85% of the Guardians games.  

Here are the names and OPS's of 6 Sox players not playing in 75% (121 games or more) of the Sox games:  Devers .905, Refsnyder .863, Anthony .859, Gonzalez .821, Bregman .820, Abreu, .811, The top 3 OPS's will all finish having played in less than 50% of the Sox games this season.  

I think it's pretty obvious that Cora gets the blame for the lack of good hitting on the Sox.  He simply didn't play his best guys.  

Yes, but I feel good that Cora regularly rest his players to keep them fresh, until our back are to the wall.

Does Cora understand that HE ALONE WASTED CROCHET'S GREAT SEASON, because he sucked managing his personnel? If we don't make the playoffs it ON HIM.

How long are we going to baby his decision making prowess? He's a cheater and a loser.

   

 

 

 

Let Bregman walk....focus on getting Schwarber. Get a guy with a real pop.

[illinoisredsox]

2 minutes ago, notin said:

You keep listing Gonzalez as if Hes supposed to be a key contributor.  Hes a utility infielder that hits LHP.  We acquired him after he was released by the White Sox.

Bregman and Yoshida have been awful, but if you expect those two to carry any team, you’re going to be disappointed…

This.  Bregman was never THE guy in Houston.  He was a solid player and had a couple of pretty good years, but Correa and Altuve were the big cogs

[illinoisredsox]

deleted

[illinoisredsox]

8 minutes ago, Nick said:

Let Bregman walk....focus on getting Schwarber. Get a guy with a real pop.

IMO, Scwarber's not going to leave Philly; it's a much better park for him and from what I've heard, he really likes it there.

The offer that might temp him to leave will be astronomical.

[FredLynn]

19 minutes ago, notin said:

Hint: 2011 was the only time they choked down the stretch.

I mean, 1986?  They won the division by double digits.  How does that count as a choke down the stretch? We They supposed to win it by triple digits?

 

The Flops were on track to win a WS in 1986 when Buckner made his infamous error in game 6 with the flops ahead in the series 3-2. They went on to choke away a chance for a ring. 
It’s who they are. They find a way to choke.

[FredLynn]

23 minutes ago, Nick said:

Let Bregman walk....focus on getting Schwarber. Get a guy with a real pop.

Bregman isn’t going anywhere.

[FredLynn]

35 minutes ago, notin said:

You keep listing Gonzalez as if Hes supposed to be a key contributor.  Hes a utility infielder that hits LHP.  We acquired him after he was released by the White Sox.

Bregman and Yoshida have been awful, but if you expect those two to carry any team, you’re going to be disappointed…

González has 289 ABs. I guess you could call him an every day player. If he isn’t good enough to fill that role it’s up to our GM to find a better player. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

47 minutes ago, illinoisredsox said:

I'm guessing math was not your best subject in second grade or whatever year one learns addition and subtraction.

What do 1978, 1986 and 2003 have to do with the last 15 years?  For that matter, in 2003, when did they ever have a significant lead?  

Uh... 5-2 in the 8th inning of ALCS Game Seven in the Bronx... four outs away from winning the pennant?

But I hear you on the Seventies! Lived through them all: '72, 1/2 game out; '74 -- totally blew a 7-game division lead at the end of August and finished third...

... hell, my wife wasn't even born yet... for that matter, neither was Alex Cora or Craig Breslow. 

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, FredLynn said:

Nah

Go Guardians! They deserve the playoffs more than the FLOPS do. This team, this franchise, is a bunch of chokers. At one point recently they were nearly a lock to make the playoffs. Now its less than 50-50. How many times in the last 10-15 years has this group of bums choked away a significant lead......more than any other team I think. 1978, 1986, 2003, and 2011...is there more? You can add 2025 to the list.

Worse franchise in the Boston area by far.

Please, become a Guardians fan, yesterday!

[FredLynn]

22 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Please, become a Guardians fan, yesterday!

And deprive you and others here of my expert and supportive commentary?

Never!

Knowing that the Guardians are more deserving of a berth in the playoffs than the Flops is one thing. Becoming a fan of that team is another thing entirely!

[Nick]

1 hour ago, illinoisredsox said:

IMO, Scwarber's not going to leave Philly; it's a much better park for him and from what I've heard, he really likes it there.

The offer that might temp him to leave will be astronomical.

Well it can't get much higher than $40M we are paying Bregman.

[moonslav59]

18 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

And deprive you and others here of my expert and supportive commentary?

Defining a troll.

[oldtimer]

4 hours ago, notin said:

Bergen has been awful since returning.  Ditto Yoshida.  
 

But when you start listing the bench guys as “not doing their jobs,” you have to remember Theyre not supposed to be starting.  Cora isnt playing a minimum of two from Eaton, Ref, Romy and Hamilton in every game because he is trying to rest thr starters; Hes playing them because they’re all that’s left.  These guys are getting about 25-30% of the plate appearances now.

Maybe the Sox could call up Campbell and Password and hope their higher ceilings show up.  But that is the only other option he has.

Well, he could not bat Duran 8th anymore.  Maybe try to get one of the few actual starters Thats hitting more plate appearances…

They didn't develop Password and he would be a wild card if he could perform. He may have a higher potential, but it be a surprise if he was ready. Campbell has more experience but was a questionable defensive. Cora doesn't have many options, but this is four years of frustration now for the fans. New leadership is called for.

[FredLynn]

13 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Defining a troll.

I’m so sorry you feel that way

But let me correct you. A “ troll” intentionally stirs the pot just to stir the pot. Everything I write here is something I actually believe in.  For example, if I write that the game is over (and by your own admission I’m right more often than not) then I believe it’s over. If I write that Rafaela stinks or that the flops are a franchise of chokers that’s what I believe. Each to his own.
See the difference?

And frankly I don’t give a rats ass if you agree with what I write or even if you detest it. 

Why don’t you just ignore what I write. You might feel more balanced that way.
Oh-and the name calling is personal and offensive. Comment on my posts if you like but the personal s*** is beneath you. 

🙄