Maxbialystock

Both are idiots with nary an insight between them.

Nobody has a bullpen remotely as bad ours. The signature game of this season is having to score 12 runs to squeak in a 12-10 win over the Orioles. There is almost no lead the bullpen can't/won't give away.

Prophetic. Simple fact is, Houck stinks today. I stand by my statement that a loss today pretty much ends this season for the Sox. And there's nothing particularly insightful about that. The bullpen stinks, period.

I unfailingly mention Barry's PED's and Pete's gambling, which he did while managing a MLB team. However, I believe I'm correct in saying that on MLB.com you can see advertisements for betting on MLB games. It's still forbidden for players, managers, coaches, etc, so to me it's just wrong for MLB to be pushing gambling on games.

Excellent OP by moonslav, whose analysis of the Sox current situation is spot on. The Diamondbacks, as reported in the Friday night game thread, came in hot as hot can be. They have terrific hitting and lead MLB by a bunch in runs scored--35 more than the #2 Yankees. And to my eyes their pitching in both games looked pretty good even though their team ERA is ranked a really lousy 25th. Good pitching usually trumps good hitting and the Diamondbacks just stomped the Sox into the ground in both games. I honestly don't think being at Fenway had anything to do with those two decisive wins. moonslav is dead right that the Sox need to make a stand--now. And, as optimistic as I've tried to be this season, largely because I think these players deserve our support, it's overwhelmingly apparent the bullpen is the Sox achilles heel. To me the signature game was actually a win, 12-10 in Baltimore. What could have been more revealing of how weak the bullpen is? Today is going to one more good test because Houck is our best starter and the Diamondbacks' Kelly doesn't look like much. If the Diamondbacks win, I think the Sox season ends today.

The Sox could no more afford Bogaerts--and you are dead wrong he would take less money in Boston than in San Diego--than they could Mookie. Also, who the heck cares? Bogey couldn't save this team, even in his best years, because eh can't pitch. Without Bogey and without Mookie and without JDM (in his good years), this Sox team is ranked 5th in MLB in runs scored. \This 2024 Sox team can hit and score runs. They just can't pitch.

Before yesterday's game, several people commented that the Diamondbacks are hot--and tough. I wasn't so sure. I was wrong.

It's so refreshing to read commentary by someone with real standards. Thank goodness--because some of us were getting to like one or two of these Sox players. You would have been so great commenting on Ted Williams and just hammering him for his lackluster play in LF. But standards are standards, and, if you ain't a 5-tool player, well, you're just a tool.

You are basing that, of course, on a rectangle we see but nobody on the field sees. Nor can we be sure it's accurate.

Two straight games the Sox haven't hit spit. Today I was impressed with Crawford's 5 innings and 2 ER's, but the bullpen is now in there to pad Arizona's lead. I keep missing key innings, so haven't really watched Garcia much. I like that sinker of his.

Bernardino chokes big time. He walks two to bring in one run and then throws a WP to bring in another. 23 pitches, 12 for strikes. Sims threw 15 pitches, 5 for strikes. I guess it's slightly miraculous the Diamondbacks only scored 2 runs.

Bernardino gets the K! Lefty vs righty, too. Need one more.

That GIDP's on Devers, not Ref, because Devers should have stolen 2b. Boy, is this fun, discovering creative ways to blame Devers for any games the Sox lose. Last night I learned from the master, who singled Devers out in a 12-2 loss. That's Devers, whose OPS is ranked 6th in MLB and who whose total bases are ranked 10th. Plus he leads the Sox in rbi's, dingers, BB's, and OPS and is second in total bases, doubles, triples, and runs scored. That's the guy who's the big problem. I disagreed, of course, but was hammered for defending him.

Back to back changeups by Kelly. Not as much break as Gallen's,but they got the groundout.

Abreu has joined the "show me" club. 5 pitches, zero swings--but two were strikes. Finally, Abreu swings--at a pitch miles underneath the strike zone. And he K's on an unchecked swing. Gallen has 8 K's in 5 IP. Sox have 1 hit, a single by Wong, and 4 BB's. They are 0/2 with RISP. Credit where it's due. Crawford has single-handedly kept the Sox in this game.

2 on, 2 out in the 5th with Abreu coming to the plate.

Gallen seems to work those edges pretty well. That plus a good repertoire is tough. Rafaela also K's, but he likes to do it swinging, regardless of where the pitch is thrown.

Cute moustache Gasper is sporting. He's a real looker: 3 straight called strikes. 2 K's in 2 AB's. Hmmm.

Game time temp 83 degrees. Last night's Fenway crowd, 32K, average for this season.

That 86 mph cutter was headed for deep, deep right field. And fearless Crawford gets a K on four straight cutters!!!! 5 innings, 2 runs. Pretty good. But so far nowhere near as good as Gallen.

Sox look completely befuddled by the knuckle curves and the changeups. Too bad so few Sox pitchers have knuckle curves and/or changeups.

Sox are hitless and scoreless after 4. Thanks to last night's game thread, we know why. Devers is still in the lineup. Without him, the Sox could have scored 13 runs, easy-peasy, last night and won that game. When will Cora wise up? Crawford showing some heart today. Too bad about the double in the 4th. Very nice pick off throw by Wong. You want a throw into right field, dial up Jansen.

Is 2024 not the hottest summer on record and is the catcher position not the most strenuous to play by a wide margin--except for starting pitchers (who don't go to bat)?

Whoa, Nellie. Allow me to point out that Devers--complete failure though he no doubt is with RISP--has actually played in games. Lots of games. Meanwhile, there's a pretty good list of pricey Sox starters--Beckett, Lackey, Price, Sale, Giolito--who sat out entire seasons because of injuries. And that's important because the Sox over the years have been lousy at developing good starters in their minor league system. So they have had to go out and buy them. And that actually worked pretty well during the first 16 or so seasons of the JH era--well enough to secure 4 WS wins after 86 years of frustration. However, in 2019 the Sox had the highest payroll in MLB, but couldn't make the playoffs because the pitching, which included some well paid guys like Price, Sale, Porcello, and Eovaldi--whose combined salaries added up to $84M--was ranked freaking 19th in team ERA. In fact, it was 4.70. This year's bargain basement pitching staff--except for Sale and Giolito, neither of whom is pitching for the Sox-- is ranked 21st in team ERA, which is 4.19. Back to 2019. By the end of that season, the world's greatest CBO, David Dombrowski, had to tell owner John Henry that he needed a whole bunch more money than the highest payroll in MLB because he needed to outbid the Dodgers for Mookie Betts and he needed to replace Price and Sale while still paying their big salaries. I completely agree with you that the Sox--and JH--need to invest in pitching. I also think the team payroll needs to get back up to maybe the top 5 in MLB--or whatever number you think is workable. On the other hand, I also believe Devers has been a good investment if only because he actually shows up for work and this year has an OPS of .947, 6th best in MLB, and is tied for 10th most total bases in MLB. The Sox are paying him $29M for that. They are paying Sale and Giolito $17M + $19M = $36M. And neither one has pitched a single inning for the Sox. See the difference?

Some good news, however. I just read there is a new category--"les incompetents"--within the injured list for players who consistently fail to deliver with RISP. Alex Cora has had the wisdom to place Devers on the IL for that very reason. That'll fix him. And maybe his shoulder too (but we never believed he had a bad shoulder). Thank goodness Romy Gonzalez is available to play 3b.