Maxbialystock

You're the pathetic one. Devers, with all his faults, leads the team in OPS (.958, highest of his career), dingers, rbi's, and BB's--and he is second in total bases. His 4.3 WAR is 2d highest on the team.

You got me, dead to rights. I did say sabotage, and it does mean what you say it means. And it's just wrong. I was exaggerating, but failed to make it clear I was. The rest of that long post is pretty close to what I think. I'm not a Breslow fan, but I also think he took on an impossible job because John Henry and the Sox seem to be in some kind of weird transition phase. And I quote moonslav because I think he's got it about right. The lineup this year and next looks pretty good, and Breslow could be the right guy to fix the pitching (rotation and bullpen), but he can't without the monetary support of owner John Henry. And the weird part about that is that for his first 18 or so seasons of Sox ownership, JH supported a big payroll, usually among the top 3 in MLB. In 2018 and 2019, the Sox had the top payrolls in MLB. Since then, a steady progression downward to 11th this year.

I never said or implied Breslow "threw a season." In fact, I've repeatedly praised him for insisting on a new pitching coach and bringing in Bailey. I think the Sale and Giolito deals were stupid, but agree with moonslav that last winter they almost made sense. Certainly his intent was to improve the rotation and not destroy it. Once DD was fired in 2019, which was just 5 years ago, I think the Sox entered something akin to what Rod Serling called the Twilight Zone. Big bucks for big starters were out and overall the Sox payroll went from #1 in MLB in 2018 and 2019 to 11th this year. Chaim Bloom was hired, I think, to replicate the low cost success of the Rays, and that simply did not happen. Not even close. Instead, CB hired short term starters and was allowed to give Devers the big extension--but not Mookie-- and 5/6 year contracts to Story and then Yoshida. moonslav has pointed out that this upcoming offseason is a great opportunity to fix the rotation and the bullpen because the Sox can offer some (not all) of their best prospects and at the same time pay good money for quality starters because they can spend $90M more and still avoid the surtax or whatever it's called. But moonslav also says we have no idea whether JH will go for that. The irony of that is that right now this year's lineup--the 1/2 of the team that scores the runs and now and then plays defense--is hitting up a storm and most will return next season along with Story and 1 or more of the hot prospects now at Worcester. The bats look pretty good, and, if Story and Mayer are both viable, the defense should be too. I'm not a big Breslow fan, but I also think he was given a near impossible task. In fact, right now I doubt that John Henry or anyone else even defined what that task was. But now he's about a year into the job and can see clearly what needs to be done. Thanks to that core of Devers, Duran, Abreu, Rafaela, Ref, Casas, and Wong--along with Story, Mayer, et all in the wings--Breslow can focus on the pitching. But, as moonslav insists, he must have JH's support in getting that pitching.

Why would any fan want to spend his money/time watching pitchers, catchers, and hitters challenge balls and strikes?

Old news. No one on talksox has argued Breslow did much for the pitching before this season or during it. He tried to sabotage the rotation by giving away Sale (and paying his $17M salary) and hiring Giolito--for $38M--to recover from elbow surgery.

I'm confused. If they use robo-umps, why allow challenges? Or are the robo-umps used only for challenges?

Disappointing. The Astros had the 5 errors (including the called 3d strike for an illegal batter timeout), but they also had 13 hits to the Sox 7. Sox led 4-3 after 7, but reliever Sims gave up 1 run in the 8th and Jansen 1 run in the 9th. All too typical of this season's Sox.

Ball game. Too bad.

Nope. I take it they use roboumps.

Not sure Casas is ready for this level. Three K's tonight and no hits. Plus the missed popup, which is a reminder that, while I think he's pretty good grabbing throws to 1b, he seems indifferent toward grounders and popups.

The Astros have made 5 errors, including the hitter who took a disallowed timeout for strike three. But they have tied this game thanks to the error by Jansen and the lousy 8th inning--2 hits and 2 walks--by Sims.

Sims has thrown 10 strikes and 11 balls. But he could still get lucky and hold this to 1 run.

Tie game because of the crappiest bullpen in MLB.

Another fantastic play by Romy, necessitated by a horrible toss by Rafaela.

Just a reminder, which I provide every season. No one, I repeat, no one on the field of play can see that silly rectangle superimposed on our screens. Not the pitchers, hitters, umpires (including homeplate), coaches, et al. Furthermore, we can't even be sure it's the right dimensions because players have different dimensions. Then there's the problem that the strike zone may or not be 3-dimensional. Does only the front edge of the plate count or does the whole plate? On top of all of that, I sometimes wonder if MLB doesn't tell umpires to call strikes tight or loose. If the former, it favors the hitters. If the latter, the pitchers. And of course on top of that is that extra rectangle just outside the one we see. That's the one I get on my gameday graphic sent to me by none other than Major League Baseball.

I believe we can safely call that the Astros 5th error. Just stupid. I also suspect the home plate umpire discovered he made a couple of bad calls against Houck in the 6th--and is now making up for it by lavishly calling strikes in favor of Martin.

All that does is transfer funds. It has no effect on the umps. I prefer that umps call balls and strikes, even if imperfectly. What I don't like is what has happened tonight with the ump's calls favoring one team, the Astros.

Top of the order coming up for Houston here in the 7th. Devers bounced it and that was costly.

Funny how no one on this thread has mentioned that the Sox two worst outfielders, both with negative DWAR's, are playing tonight--Ref and O'Neill.

I just saw Kelsey Jansen lumber by in front of the dugout camera. One man bullpen--although Martin has been looking pretty decent. Another quality start for Houck.

I think Houck has pitched a heckuva game, especially given the home plate ump and the throw by Jansen. However, Jansen also made a great tag for the out and Romy made a heckuva play from behind 2b for a key 3d out.

He absolutely screwed Houck to the wall on those two calls. And there is absolutely nothing Cora can do about it.

Then why oh why do you bother to watch them if they offend your sensibility so much? Indeed. I would go one step further and tell you that the Sox this season are providing impressive evidence that defense is freaking over-rated. And this game is a perfect example. The Sox are not, repeat not, winning because the Astros defense stinks tonight, but because the Sox are hitting the dickens out of the baseball this season.

Janice Joplin is an acquired taste--and certainly not to mine. Not much of a Taylor Swift fan either. Give me Ella or Eydie or Barbra or Patsy.

Meanwhile the semi-perfect Astros just committed their 4th error.