Maxbialystock

Actually, the Sox are closer to bottom third in payroll because, of the $182M they are currently paying in salaries, $22.5M is going to Story, who barely played this season, $17M to Sale, who is pitching for the Braves, $19M to Giolito, who is out for this season and questionable for next (but not his 2d $19M), $3.5M to Whitlock, who pitched 4 games and is also questionable for next year, $7.5M for Martin who is on the IL, and $6.7M for Turner, who last night was playing for Seattle. Plus I don't think the Sox are getting full value for the $16M going to Jansen or the $18.6M going to Yoshida, so let's halve their values and say the Sox are throwing away another $17.3M. If we subtract $92M from $182M, we see the real value of the Sox payroll this season, about $92M. That said, however, easily the highest WAR on the team, Duran's 6.1, only costs the Sox $760K. Rafaela, Bello, Criswell, Houck, Crawford, Wong, Abreu, and Gonzalez are also pretty good bargains. Maybe even Bernardino, Booser, Kelly, and Winck are too. Even the big money guy, Devers @ $29M, is worth his salary. So is O'Neill--healthy for a change--@ $5.85M. Pivetta @ $7.5M might over-priced, but not by too much. Back to Jansen and his $16M. To me he is the perfect example of overspending on a closer because he has actually been decent this year with 20 saves so far. The problem, especially recently, has been getting to the 9th inning with a lead. To me he has just not been worth that huge salary, which would have been better spent on 3 or 4 other bullpen arms.

A small point, but in fact the Sox win last night without the errors by Smith, Rafaela, and Wong. The Sox scored 6 runs, all earned. The Mariners scored 10 runs, 5 of which were unearned. The 2024 Sox hitting is about as good as it was in 2021, and the pitching is better. So right now the defense is once again the problem as it was earlier this season. It remains to be seen whether Breslow's acquisitions will help the Sox pitching. Last night Paxton went 4.1 IP while giving up 3 ER.

Ahem. Whoever built Sox teams before John Henry arrived and bought the Sox in 2002 is suspect--or does the 86 year drought mean nothing? And whoever built the Sox teams during the JH era brought in 4 WS's. They are demonstrably not idiots. What they mostly did was go out and buy established starters like Curt Schilling, Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, John Lackey, Rick Porcello, David Price, and Chris Sale. Thus did the Sox payroll stay among the top 3 in MLB. This year it's 11th, so a different approach is needed, at least for now.

I like Abreu at least as much as you do, despite his weakness against lefties. But I think you have the right idea. The problem, of course, is that these days MLB arms are high risk, and my bias against Breslow is that he can't seem to tell which arms are risky.

If you agree, why in the wide, wide world of sports are you dead set on getting a righty bat? I'd like one too, but with the Sox runs scored currently in 5th place, I think the total focus by Breslow must be on pitching. Thus I guess I agree that trading Yorke for Priester makes sense. Both are first round draft picks who are struggling, but Priester is an arm and York is a bat. Now Sims, so, including Paxton, that's 3 new arms.

True, but you miss two key points, the most important of which is that hitting is way more important than fielding. Consequently, when you move Devers to DH, you eliminate Yoshida, who right now has a hot bat and a season OPS of .752. Moreover, you throw away his rather large salary. Kaline and Soto and Bryce Harper and Ted Williams all come up early because they could hit. The second is that Sox primary problem is pitching, not hitting and, really, not even fielding.

Today, July 30, the Sox team ERA is 3.94, ranked 13th in MLB. Right before the ASG break it was 5th. The hitting, on the other hand, is now tied with the Phillies for 5th most runs scored. Before the ASG break, it was ranked 12th.

And I was the only one on talksox to provide 5 reasons why he should play. I was not predicting the future by any means, but at least I and I alone saw a glimmer of hope. He sure ain't no JDM or Big Papi and it's fair to say he is probably overpaid, but right now he's pretty useful.

And I agree with both of you. The crying need for this team is good bullpen pitchers, and Breslow has made deals for two so-so (at best) starters. Priester is almost the worst pitcher on the Pirates roster. Paxton might help and might not. And forget the righty bat for now. The hitting is better.

Second straight quality start by a Sox starter. Bullpen continues to be the #1 problem of the Sox. Hitting not bad, if you like 14 runs. Much needed win--thanks in part to SPLENDIDSPLINTER.

I agree with most of the negative comments on this thread. Last night was painful. The last 9 games have been painful, especially given how well the Sox were playing from June 12 (when they were 34-34) through July 14 (when they were 53-42). Very obviously, the pitching has collapsed as many--but definitely not me--predicted could happen because Pivetta is the only Sox starter who has started 30 or more games in a season and pitched 155 or more innings in a season. Plus injuries in the bullpen. On the other hand, we saw an excellent team right up to the ASG, and since then the hitting seems to have improved. For over half the season the Sox languished in 12th place in runs scored and are now 8th. Devers and O'Neill have OPS's over .900; Duran, Abreu, Wong, and Ref are over .800; and Hamilton, Gonzalez, and Yoshida are over .700--with Rafaela @ .692. And Casas could return in August it now appears. The big question has to be: is the pitching fixable with deals today or tomorrow? Relatedly, does Breslow have the desire and the JH backing to make deals?

Agree the errors were bad--and cost unearned runs--and seemed a throwback to earlier this season when they were a big problem. But I can't agree with the disinterested part. Instead, I see a team that was going great guns before the ASG and since then is 2-7 with the primary problem being pitching. Opposing teams scored 75 runs in those 9 games or 8.3 runs per game. And the biggest problem seems to have been with the bullpen. The lineup, on the other hand, scored 53 runs or 6 runs per game, which is actually pretty good. They also committed errors, but I don't think those had any effect on the three extra inning games, which were all losses and all the result of Sox pitching. No how, no way do I think any Sox pitcher was "disinterested" in any of the 9 games. The very nature of their job makes that unlikely on any team. I think it's possible that one or more lineup players may have been less attentive on one or more defensive plays. On the other hand, we also saw Abreu go into the right field stands, make the catch, and lose the ball because of his crash landing in the seats.

Now that's a reliever. Men on 1st and 3d and 1 out, and he gets 2 K's--both against lefty bats.

Houck gave the Sox a chance, but the lineup couldn't hit Rodon, O'Neill decided to go casual on the single to right, and Booser was worthless.

They have hit lefties, including Blach for 6 runs 5 days ago.

And no one is more aware of that than O'Neill, who clearly wants to leave Boston. The signs are, if anything, too obvious.

Rodon has pitched well. Good mix of pitches and pretty good command.

Agree completely. And guess what, sports fans? Houck has just pitched a quality start: 6 IP, 3 ER's.

I know. Shame on me when the Sox are desperate for good righty bats, which O'Neill in fact has. But that play on that double down the line sticks in my craw. He also quit completely on that shot off the green monster. And tonight he was pretty casual about that single to right field, which led to an unearned run. I just think there's a pattern--one that is unlike just about every other lineup player on the team.

I've always believed you are the most insightful poster on talksox, as well as one of the most loyal Sox fans.

The more I see of O'Neill lately, the more I think he's ready to move on. His misplays seem to me to be semi-intentional because above all he wants to avoid getting injured and will take extra precautions to do so. His 21 dingers and .919 OPS and age 29 say he is a hot prospect almost anyone would want. All he has to do is stay healthy and get 1-2 dingers per week.

I'm not sure what you mean by "faith in Grissom" because I see no way he can do as much for the Sox as Sale has already done for the Braves. So far Sale has 19 starts, 11 quality starts, 117 IP, an ERA of 2.68, and 13 wins. And, speaking of faith, it sure looks to me as though the Braves had far more faith in Sale than the Sox. And what does that tell us about the Sox ability to evaluate their own players?

I checked. You're right. Disappointing. The five best with RISP are Abreu, .328, Duran, .326, Yoshida, .314, Wong, .309, and Ref, .308. Then comes Rafaela, .267, and finally Devers, .238. Interestingly, O'Neill hits .224 with RISP.

It's in the rule book: a runner on 1b must score on any and all doubles off any and all walls. P. 572, para 123(f).

I'm not sure which is worse, Judge looking at 3 called strikes or Devers swinging at 3 straight changeups outside the strike zone.