Maxbialystock
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Everything posted by Maxbialystock
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Again, I disagree. The Sox have DFA'd, released, dumped, whatever Smith and McGuire and both contributed to this year's Sox team. I love having great players on the Sox, but sometimes OK is good enough. Apparently, the wretched trainwreck named Nunez was OK in 2018. Now and then he got a key hit. And you Grissom advocates keep sidestepping the fact that he's who we got for Chris freaking Sale while also paying Sale's $17M salary this year. And that happened in a season/offseason when it was obvious the Sox biggest weakness was pitching, not 2b.
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Then we disagree. The 2018 team was the best Sox team ever with an absolutely dreadful second baseman. I thought of Nunez as a saboteur. The 2021 Sox made it to the ALCS--which makes them better than the 2016 and 2017 Sox teams everyone incorrectly raves about--and that year a cast of thousands tried out for the 2b job. Iglesias turned out to be the best, but only played 23 games.
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One heckuva win!!! Plus the series. Plus beating Verlander. Plus an outstanding pitching job by Criswell and the bullpen--supported by excellent Sox defense. Now back to the Fens and a day of rest.
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Devers OPS was .919 in May, 1.015 in June, 1.132 in July, and so far .808 in August. So whoever said maybe the shoulder is having an effect on him could be right. And of course I was wrong.
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I wouldn't label Rafaela "clutch," but am fine with "good and should get better." That play he made deep in the hole was fantastic. I would keep him at SS the rest of the season and Hamilton at 2b. If Story returns, I'd definitely play Story at 2b or SS, whatever Cora decides. Casas has surprised the heck out of me with his hitting and fielding. I regret calling him out for missing that popup near the stands. I say again for the umpteenth time, it's the no-names on this team who are making a difference. I get to call Duran "no-name" because that's what he was when the season started. So are Wong, Abreu, Rafaela, Hamilton O'Neill, Ref, Yoshida, Gonzalez, Jansen (catcher). Also Smith, whom you praised. Even McGuire, who was devastated when he was DFA'd. I cannot remember a Sox team or season with so many "no-names" contributing so much. Houck, Crawford, Pivetta, Bello, and Criswell are also well within the "no-names" circle.
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You could be right, but my view is that they built a pretty good team. The sign-stealing was terrible, but we also know the Sox did some of that too--led by Pedroia.
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Nice story. Good guy. His age and salary this season are astounding.
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How do we feel about swearing on the site?
Maxbialystock replied to Brock Beauchamp's topic in Talk Sox Issues & Suggestions
Also well said. -
How do we feel about swearing on the site?
Maxbialystock replied to Brock Beauchamp's topic in Talk Sox Issues & Suggestions
Sensible. -
I'm a doubter too. Too many folks over-rate the 2b position, which this year has been adequate, especially after Valdez went back to Worcester. The best Sox team ever, 2018, had freaking Nunez (WAR -1.4) at second base. In other words, Breslow gave up a great starter, Sale, in return for a worthless second baseman he didn't need in the first place--on a team whose fundamental shortfall/need is pitching, pitching, and more pitching. And, yes, I agree we could not be sure in 2023 that Sale would be good in 2024. Nevertheless, keeping him--especially since we're paying his salary anyway--was better than giving him away.
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How do we feel about swearing on the site?
Maxbialystock replied to Brock Beauchamp's topic in Talk Sox Issues & Suggestions
Honestly, I recall zero f-bombs from you. All I can remember are your insights. Of course, I've been saying f-bombs out loud for over 60 years, as has my wife. -
I think the specifics can always be debated, but your OP lays down what I think is a reasonable approach. Be willing to give up good prospects to get good pitching. And right now the Sox have pretty solid hitting overall and next year could have that plus decent infield defense and still trade away good prospects. Right now a blind man can see the Sox lineup is way more talented than the pitching staff. But both groups own 13 slots on the roster and therefore are equally important. The 2024 Sox are unbalanced and should be rebalanced, if doable, this offseason.
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How do we feel about swearing on the site?
Maxbialystock replied to Brock Beauchamp's topic in Talk Sox Issues & Suggestions
I use freaking a lot. But I don't mind foul language now and then. My suggestion is to wait another week or two to make your own assessment because you are far more expert in other MLB blog sites than any of us. I think we would follow your lead. -
Our perspectives differ for obvious reasons. Tomorrow is Criswell vs. some 41 years old guy named Verlander. Plus he's a righty. Sox by a touchdown.
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Your medical knowledge is far better than mine. But I'm pretty sure the Sox have access to enough medical expertise to make good decisions about whether to keep a player on the active roster. Right now I think they all want to play. McGuire is especially bitter because he got booted off. Smith probably feels that way too. But so do Devers, Duran, Abreu, Wong, Rafaela, Hamilton, Casas, O'Neill, Refsnyder, et al. Maybe not all the guys in the bullpen, however. For them, Madame Defarge is sittin' and knittin' right behind the Sox dugout. Because--my opinion--we Sox fans have been spoiled rotten by John Henry, we now have a powerful sense of entitlement. That means outbidding the far wealthier Dodgers for Mookie Betts. It means one of the top three payrolls in MLB. And it means regular excursions the Postseason and winning the WS about every 5th season.
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Nope. A great win. A much needed win in a very exciting game. Pivetta was pretty lousy, but he went 5 IP and left the game when it was a 5-5 ties. The bullpen, which I have excoriated repeatedly, was fantastic tonight. 4 IP, 0 runs. And right now you have the winning mojo, so feel free to start the next game thread anytime between now and 11 am tomorrow (your rule).
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He absolutely did. He struck out the first guy with that same junky stuff he threw tonight. Opposing managers should be reporting Jansen to the police for grand theft of ball games. And he's getting away with it with the umps checking his glove, his hands, and goodness knows what else. Kojii Uehara was much, much better in 2013, but the one thing both these guys had/have is absolutely no fear. The dinger last night was off the first pitch to the second Astros batter in the 9th. The mystery is why that doesn't happen half the freaking time. Credit to Cora and especially Breslow for keeping Jansen in Boston.
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I think bringing Casas back was dicey because his injury was from swinging a bat and he reported he is still feeling pain when he fouls pitches off. But can there be any freaking doubt doing so was the right move? I hasten to add that's the same reason for keeping Devers around. It is still too soon to start checking these Sox players pockets for loose change. I did, however, just get a text message from Devers, Rafaela, Hamilton, and Casas who jointly apologize for not making errors tonight so that all the talksox boobirds could whistle their favorite tune.
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It's his 24th and he threw the same stuff he threw last night. But last night was not for a save.
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If we could superimpose last night's Jansen's pitches with tonight's, I swear we would find he three the same exact mix and locations. But this time he gets the save, and the Sox get a much needed win.
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Jansen get his walk, and the Astros pitcher deserves some kind of booby prize even though they can still get out of this inning.
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You're darn right it doesn't. And tonight has been a perfect night/game in which to vent our frustration. If you will remember, it was 10-20 games ago when the the Sox came to bat in the bottom of the 10th inning with the score still tied--the Mariners had failed to score in the top of the 10th. The Mariners manager brought out a lefty reliever and pitched to Devers, who promptly tattooed the LF wall with the winning hit. The consensus on talksox, was naturally that the Mariners manager was an idiot for even thinking of pitching to THE GREAT ONE, RAFAEL DEVERS. And I said it was apparent the choice of a lefty reliever meant the manager wanted to pitch to Devers. If he got him out, he could always walk the next Sox hitter, a righty (Ref?), who would be followed by one or more lefty bats. I did point out that statistically Devers is not only weaker with RISP but also against lefties. No one agreed with me of course. Top of the 9th and Devers just crunched a screamer to RF.
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This year I think I've seen Bailey out there more often than any Sox pitching coach I can remember. I like it because I like him, but I have no idea if those mound visits are working.
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His freaking shoulder was hurting early in the season and ever since, and this is the best season he's ever had for the Sox. These days, thanks mostly to the MLBPA, players are pretty well protected from abuse. Plus, of course, Devers has a guaranteed contract. I think he is playing hurt because he wants to, Cora wants him to, and the doctors say it won't make his shoulder worse. I do share your frustration with his at bats tonight, but I haven't given up on this team in this game or for this season.
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Last night Astros committed 4 errors (plus the ump-called K on the batter for a false step at a critical point in the game) and gave up 3 unearned runs and 1 earned run. But they won because they outhit the Sox by a big margin, 13-7 and even though one of their runs was also unearned. Tonight Casas, Duran, and Abreu have been carrying the load with all 5 rbi's, 6 of the Sox 7 hits, etc. No errors by the Sox, plus Casas has looked pretty darn good at 1b. He uses his height better than anyone I can remember in stretching to get those throws to 1b. I could be wrong and often am, but I do think the starters overall would do better if they all had good changeup pitches. With Ref in LF and O'Neill in RF, the Sox have their weakest defensive outfield. Both are also hitless at the plate tonight.