jung

another decent outing by Fitts. Hope springs eternal that there is actually somebody in this organization that can pitch.

1 hour ago, FredLynn said:

Abreu isn’t as bad and might be salvageable. Rafaela should be dumped like JBJ was.

The young guys needed to learn what a 162 game season is like. They are basically done but hopefully got that much out of this train wreck season.

That said, I don't see how the Sox can depend on Story staying in the lineup in 2025 and so much of the hope for 2025 appears to depend on Story.

What is Rafi still doing in these games.

Who are we kidding?

10 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Funny how this alleged 'sore shoulder' doesn't affect his throwing the baseball. 

Oh well, let's see if Cora shuts him down.

His swing is a bottom hand swing. His top hand is mostly just guiding the bat to the ball. So all the viciousness in his swing is coming by way of that front side.

21 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Like I'd posted a couple other times, he finished last season terribly, also.

Rafi is struggling to swing. You can see it. He is trying to take his usual hack and it looks like a wet noodle.

Now here is the bad part....if he has shoulder surgery, forget seeing that swing again next year IF EVER.

8 minutes ago, vegasbob said:

A 2 out soft liner combined with a slow LF'er and you give up 3 runs.   Concede the 9th.

Following these guys since the A-S break has been miserable.

I have never seen a player look more like he was running in molasses than O'Neil. 

He is a free agent after this season I believe. He is probably looking for more money than the Sox are willing to pay thank God. If he wants to take DH money and stay out of the field, that might work. Sox can move the "other slow guy" Masa .

Frankly, I want them both gone and the catcher. Get some arms. We can't pitch and if you can't pitch almost at all you won't win enough to matter.

53 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Story is approaching 162 games played. Now that's an Iron Man. What's that? The 162 games is for 3 seasons? Nevermind.

Depending on Story staying off the IL for 2025 is madness.

Heard OB say the other day "If story can play 140 games". He then went on to build a 2025 around that. Madness.....Madness

25 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

I'm impressed that all of you have been watching this bullpen all season and are still here, talking baseball.

Pen was always going to be the death of the 2024 Sox. Not all that impressed with the rotation either regardless of the hot start.

Just now, FredLynn said:

More little league baseball as the ball bounces off Story’s glove

OB perplexed by the play AS USUAL

6 hours ago, Maxbialystock said:

Yesterday was grim if only because it reconfirmed how rotten the Sox hitting has become and the bullpen has continued to be.  

The Orioles have beaten the Sox like a drum this season except the 4 game series 3+ weeks ago in Baltimore which ended at 2 games apiece.   

 

Anything that keeps OB from telling me that some player or another is batting 1000 with with a monster OPS for that last 5 games is fine by me. 

A few games ago, the Sox booth crew finally gave up. Their broadcasts are almost blissful as a result.

14 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Spent the day watching football, which I haven't done in a while. Texans played a tight game, and they look pretty good.

Just watched the Sox game, and I gotta say, they look like toast. I'm still clinging to a thread of hope, but we wasted a nice game by Fitts. The D bit us again, but the pen has just been brutal for way too long, now.

That the RS could not sweep the woeful WS when they clearly had to sort of says it all I think.

Would not be surprised if we figure out Wong is a waste of time also.

Just now, FredLynn said:

He’s got a lot of company 

Masa and he both need to go. The backup catcher we got from Toronto....gone.

The geriatric bullpen....outta here

Story stays but likely will be back on the shelf two months into next season.

44 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

I'm hoping the SOX do not re-sign O'Neill.

Can't get him outta' town fast enough for my liking.

6 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Story is the BIG IF, but him staying healthy for a full season greatly improves the SS defense AND...

CF: as not Rafaela plays FT CF.

LF: as now Duran plays FT LF, with no more Ref misjudging flyballs, there.

2B: might be improved as DHam and Romy no longer need to play SS, and are better at 2B than EValdez and Grissom were in 2024.

I hope we can improve Catcher D, but that depends on Wong improving as he turns 29 and or Teel or whoever the back-up catcher is does better than McGuire/Jansen.

Corner IF looks to be the same, although Devers and Casas are wildly inconsistent, so it could go either way.

Abreu in RF looks to stay the same... kinda meh, IMO. If Anthony plays RF, instead of Ref, we might gain some there.

C: bottom 5-10

1B: bottom 20-25

2B: average

SS top 5-10

3B: bottom 20-30

LF: top 5

CF: top 5

RF: top 10-20

Overall: maybe neat average.

Correct me if I am wrong but your outlook appears to hinge on Story staying healthy. I would not bet the house on that. You might end up out in the cold.

I actually do not think Story can stay healthy and  don't think 2025 hinges on it either. Our pitching SUCKs and it SUCKS right where ML baseball as played today can't SUCK....the bullpen. 

We have plenty of developing everyday players IMO. We do not have a team leader. Its not Rafi and its not going to be Casas or Duran. This team will need a team leader that plays every day, wants the roll and can fit into the roll. IMO we should get rid of our current DH and get a new DH to both fill the role of DH and be the team leader.

16 hours ago, jung said:

Which we could all see with our own eyes. I suspect the Sox front office could see it as well.

If Cora is playing in game shenanigans which is what you are suggesting, that is not helpful.

As I said, if he wanted to pull this crap, he should have just moved on from the Red Sox. It would have been easy for him to do. Instead he took chump change to stay. I don't know why. But shenanigans from the dugout and taking chump change in a new contract don't jive.

Oh and there were a couple of comments about O'Neil made during this game that I could not respond to because I was so irritated as it was.

But, O'Neil cannot get outta here fast enough for my liking. He is a jackrabbit in the field and unless the pitcher does not pipe a ball right down main st....he is meh at the plate.

38 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

I don't agree.  There are 26 players on the roster, of whom 13 are pitchers.  If there is one truth about this Sox team it's that Cora has been forced to use every arm a lot because so many of them are unreliable.  

Did we not just watch the best (or at least the highest paid @ $16M) reliever on the team walk guys?  

Last night Martin, the presumptive 8th inning guy who sometimes closes, gave up 4 runs.  

 

Which we could all see with our own eyes. I suspect the Sox front office could see it as well.

If Cora is playing in game shenanigans which is what you are suggesting, that is not helpful.

As I said, if he wanted to pull this crap, he should have just moved on from the Red Sox. It would have been easy for him to do. Instead he took chump change to stay. I don't know why. But shenanigans from the dugout and taking chump change in a new contract don't jive.

Just now, vegasbob said:

You're right, Max, if not the one thing it's another.     Don't leave the game up to the umpires , give them a center cut and they will still miss it 3/4's of the time.

Wong did not help things. I have no idea what he thinks he is doing back there.

1 minute ago, vegasbob said:

It tells me there is no kid from Low A to Worcester who can throw wildly at 98mpoh and scare the crap out of the opponents .  Hill, to me, is the indictment of Breslow.  

 

AND ONCE AGAIN, CORA MAY BE MAKING A STATEMENT TO THE FO AND OWNERSHIP.

Cora might be but to me that is flat stupid and useless. We can all see. We all have eyes.

If Cora wanted to send a message to management he just should have moved on from here instead of taking their contract offer. He even capitulated for chump change compared to what he could have gotten.

And

If it gets around that he is trying to send this sort of "message" to management he may well have signed the highest paying contract he is ever going to sign going forward.

11 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

It’s been embarrassing since the ASB. Why on earth they weren’t sellers at the deadline-but instead went out to obtain three dumpster bums-is beyond me.

Full throttle!

That's true...but tonight represents a complete collapse by a ML team. They get paid too much for that s***. From the Manager on down, they have been s***.

The starter gave up 4 in the first and I guess figured the pressure was off after that. They manage to score 3 runs into the 9th which somehow seems like a triumph based on their usual summer hitting swoon. Then the Manager has to contribute to the show exhibits the puke bullpen which complies....NATURALLY

And the cherry on top, they will now be back to 500 after tonight......LA

As I said last night.....the NESN booth team caved last night. When you lose them, you know you're done.

They are done

This is now officially embarrassing.

Sox pen fails again.

Why in Gods name did Cora come with Hill. Hill is old, has already pitched too much.

Then again why come with your closer in the 8th and then bring Hill to bail him out.

The Sox were due for an iffy start from the rotation. But in truth, the pen is so bad that they are unable to handle any number of innings. As soon as one of the middle relievers come in bombs start to go off.

Batting Practice pitch from Martin goes where Batting Practice pitches go.