cp176

Good one - Up here summer doesn't come until July 4th and ends after Labor Day! lol

Just have to add that it is a feeling that most of us have had.

Don't beat me up over this too much but I would like to still see Mookie batting in a position where he might knock in a few more runs as in third. Have to admit though that I would probably bat him where he wants to bat but if the bottom of the order continues to look pathetic, I'm pulling the old school traditionalist card. Lets go JBJ - give Betts a chance.

Pretty sure the Cavs will be back but it did look like they have some serious matchup problems with this Celtics edition. As they mature, it is becoming obvious that Brown, Tatum, and Rozier are pretty tough to contain when they are playing fast and hard. For most of the game, they looked like they were playing at a different speed than Cleveland.

I couldn't agree with you more.

I see what other people are seeing with Devers also but I do still think that the primary problem is with the throwing and actually kind of looks like where he releases the ball from to me. Color me stupid but I'm still willing to bet on this kid being our third baseman for a very long time if he stays fit which I think he will. I get frustrated with the errors too but yup I like his footwork and I like his overall quickness but hey I have always liked a third baseman who resembles a good sized tree stump. No brainer for me and his hitting - I believe he will hit just fine.

You really shouldn't give that article another thought. What ever you saw or heard i'm pretty sure that you saw or heard! You aren't the kind of poster who is going to make something up just to get this crowd going. Forget about it! I don't think that there is one person on this forum who isn't damn happy these days that JD Martinez is playing for us regardless of how he feels about that little outfield dance.

Don't get upset with me I'm not really questioning you honesty here. If you find the article though I would like to see it. I guess it wouldn't really surprise much if quite a few of our guys felt that the little outfield dance had just run its course.

Isn't this pretty much how all rumors get blown out of proportion? Maybe I'm wrong but I guess I would have to actually see the article before I came to this conclusion.

I agree with an awful lot of what you have said here. I am one of those though who really does believe that your up the middle defense is incredibly important to your team's success. Maybe that is because I was for the most part an all glove and not much bat second baseman - lol. Even considering my feelings about the importance of defense, it really is hard to justify playing a centerfielder who is hitting less than .170 at this point in the season. The Red Sox current record I think like you gives the team the luxury of playing JBJ and hoping that the slump ultimately ends.

Really? You read that JD Martinez was responsible for this little celebration in the outfield ending? Guess I must have missed that one. I was hoping that maybe it was joint team decision. I actually think that it probably was.

I wonder what Jackie is actually looking at when the ball is in the air these days.

If JBJ is going to actually play and not be relegated to a late inning defensive replacement type, he is going to have to hit just a little bit. He has been hitting a lot less than a little bit. I would never suggest that Martinez replace him in the outfield. We all know how that goes over here. but if JBJ plays and continues to struggle, Cora will have to explore other possibilities to replace him in the outfield even if it is on a part time basis. I like the rotation concept being used if JBJ hits (at all). I'm sorry but I don't care how well he fields his position, if he continues to be an automatic out then he represents a liability for this team going forward. I like JBJ as much as anyone here. I've followed his career since he arrived in Portland but really?

An average of just 5.1 innings per start just amazes me. If that trend continues, Kind of looks like a team could use a couple of so called starting pitchers per game and have no real need for a 9th inning only closer. Maybe it is the labelling thing that is being oversold but there looks like a trend is really developing.

I think that much of what you say here probably is an accurate way to look at things. I'm just wondering what the next change with respect to pitching will be. As "starters" are held to pitch counts and really are pitching fewer innings, doesn't it kind of make common sense that having one guy to pitch the 7th inning, one for the 8th, and a closer isn't where the trend is heading. It brings into play a lot of questions for me. I think that if the current trend continues more and more teams are going to be looking for very good pitchers who can throw multiple innings in relief - not just the old mop up duty.

Must watch tv tonight once again.

Is another starting pitcher who might give you 5 possibly 6 innings even as important as a relief pitcher who can give you 2 or 3 a little more often? I wonder how long it will be before a lot of pretty good starters start throwing in relief? There are starting pitchers out there now who pitch just about as much as a good quality middle reliever. Is the whole concept of starters and closers over rated?

When starters now who can go 6 solid innings are pretty special, does that change perspectives about how bullpens should be put together. Used to be a lot of pretty good aging starters became potential bullpen arms. Guys who just could not get it done as starters were converted to relief pitchers. It seems now that with 5 man rotations and pitchers being limited to right around 100 pitches somewhat changes the landscape. I love Kimbrel but if he is only going to be used in the ninth, is the whole concept of having a closer a little overrated? Is there too much specialization? How about a couple of really good arms out there who could give you 2 or maybe even 3 solid innings every 4th day lets say. (maybe even every 3rd day). For the record though, it still is really hard for me to buy into the theory that Kimbrel has a problem coming in to the 8th and getting 4 or 5 outs. He is one of the best relief pitchers who has ever played. Most guys like him don't have any problems approaching any situation from a mental perspective. Are we just dealing with too much specialization these days?

It's always looked to me like it is a kind of an accident when he hits the ball. I've never been exactly sure if he is seeing the ball or not. Contrast his head location at contact most of the time with Martinez's. It just looks to me that he comes out of most pitches before any kind of contact. I like him and here's hoping for the best for him!

Hang in there. There aren't many here who come across as absolute a-holes. Most of us can be sacastic and maybe even a little insensitive from time to time but this is still a great place to get some very good insight with respect to the Sox.

Tough game tough night for a tough guy. I don't think that Kimbrel gets to the level he has gotten to by lacking confidence in anything that he does with a baseball in his hands. If for some reason management felt that the only time that he could be used was in a clean 9th inning, I would sure hope that they would not over pay for him going forward. I don't believe that that is the case though. I'm a big Kimbrel fan.

This was a Celtics throwback game for me. A working class team. They are a perfect match with our greater Boston community. They are of course much more talented than they look but there are times when it really looks like there is no way that they can do what they just do. When the ball is loose and rolling around out there who would you put your $ on the Celtics or anybody else? I'll give credit to Philly for playing hard and I have to say that a healthy Embid is an absolute force.

Never trust those eyes! You know better than that. Your tv could be tilted.

couldn't help myself - lol

I just tried to answer your question Slasher and see what I did. I poked the "defend all things statistical crowd".