Maxbialystock

I see no compelling need for O'Neill right now and would rather have Abreu, Duran, and Rafaela in the OF and Refsnyder as the DH (and backup LF/RF). On paper, Orioles have the pitching edge tonight, but I like last night's lineup. Crawford does not have super stuff, but on good nights it's passable provided his command is sharp.

Apologize for the broken record. I see potential for both the offense and defense to improve, which is why I mention Hamilton, who is way, way, way better than Story simply because he's not on the IL. Plus his OPS, .742, is higher than Story's average OPS with the Sox and higher than Bogaerts (with the Padres) this year. And his salary is 1/32 of Story's.

I think overcoming that stutter circa age 28-30 unleashed a torrent he could not control and in fact relished. Some of it made sense, but most of it was drivel. Flip-flopping on pot--or anything except the Grateful Dead--was inevitable. Ralph Waldo Emerson: "a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."

He leads the Sox in rbi's with 28--batting 9th. He gets excellent reads in the outfield and has terrific speed--and he's a pretty fair SS. He's an everyday player, which is a rarity on the 2024 Sox. The Sox are ranked 10th in MLB in SB's with 45, and 25 of those are by Duran (11), Rafaela (7), and Abreu (7), the Sox outfield. His OPS, .602, is tepid, and he leads the Sox in errors with 8, but I believe he is an asset in the lineup and in the field.

That game absolutely blew me away.

Meh. moonslav indulged in hyperbole, but it's lovely hyperbole. And who gives a rat's ass about the Celtics and Bruins? Auerbach, Cousy, Russell, and Larry Bird are long gone, and hockey is strictly for white guys. Oh, and, last time I checked, this website is called Talksox. I didn't know what to expect this season, so I voted for 81-81, and that's where the Sox are (plus one) one third through the season. But this team is way more complex and interesting than 50-50. For starters, the Sox are paying Sale $17M, Story $22.5M, Giolito $18M, Yoshida $18.6M, Turner $6.7M, and Whitlock $3.5M--and none of them are playing for the Sox. That's over half the $182M payroll shot to hell. That's why the current rotation is being paid $15M total, $1M less than closer Jansen, who has pitched 17.2 innings to date--which is absolutely insane. And it's that rotation that enables the Sox to have the 3d best ERA in MLB--which is amazing for a team that rarely has excellent pitching. The current Sox lineup has exactly one experienced everyday MLB player, Devers, who is paid more, $29M, than the other 12 lineup players combined. How about that, sports fans? Thus are they inconsistent. That's why all the errors and unearned runs (plus, as moonslav points out, other "earned" runs that are really also unearned runs). That's why weak RISP hitting. On the other hand, sometimes these guys come through when you don't expect it--like sweeping Tampa @ Tampa a week ago. Plus we can already see good things in Abreu, Duran, and Rafaela in the outfield, Casas at 1b (actually, it's his bat, not glove). And don't forget Hamilton, the guy we wanted to kill last season. His total WAR is +0.7 for 30 games played. Last year Story's total WAR for 43 games was +0.8. So who needs freaking Story, who dove for a grounder and is out for the season? Plus I like Wong/McGuire behind the plate. So right now, honestly, just 2 real weak spots, 2b and 1b. But Casas could be back by June 21, and maybe Grissom is only mostly dead at 2b. This lineup just might be good enough if they believe in themselves. For confirmation, just look right above at moonslav's latest stats on lineup players, starters, and relievers. This team is actually better than .500. Who needs Yoshida when Ref is hitting so well? Who needs Story when Hamilton is outplaying him?

Indeed.

Nice try, but I'm here to inform you Rafaela just got caught by Devers for the team lead in rbi's. Both have 28.

OK. That's the first one, and now we need to win this series tomorrow with Crawford going against Burnes, a righty who was tough in Boston last month. However, in that game Cora started the wrong guys--O'Neill, Yoshida, McGuire, Valdez. Tonight instead we had Abreu, Ref, Wong, and the one and only Grissom (in for Valdez). Also shmuck Smith in for Casas.

Come on. Since 2019, we've seen lots worse Sox starters than Bello. He had a horrible 1st, but then 4 clean innings before needing help--great help by Bernardino who came in with 2 on and no one out--in the 5th.

Yoshida and Story both have lower OPS's than Hamilton--also lower than Ref and O'Neill. The thing about Casas is that, while his OPS is a terrific .857, his DWAR drags his overall WAR down to +0.2. But I could not agree more Casas is worlds better than those two shmucks, Smith and Cooper, whose WAR's are -0.4 and -0.5.

Sox go over .500 and get their first win vs the Orioles this season in 5 tries. It's just 1 game out of 162, but those 8 runs against a good pitching team are pretty sweet. The Sox hit Tampa well, but couldn't hit spit vs the Brewers, with their only win 2-1. Now 3 and 8 runs in the first two at Camden Yards. Nice recovery by Bello after an awful 1st. And an absolutely terrific 2 innings by Bernardino when they really counted.

Right now, yes. Wouldn't it be nice, however, if either Ref or O'Neill could play 1B? I ask because I kind of like Duran, Rafaela, and Abreu in the outfield. And the outfield is all Ref and O'Neill can play. If Ted Williams could play 1b, anyone could. Well, maybe not Marvelous Marv Throneberry.

Devers K's again. When will this vastly overpaid semi-third-baseman get his swing right?

Good call on the lineup, you lucky dog.

Not worth Betts, but I agree a terrific addition.

Indeed. The key to the pitching game, in fact. However, Bello was good after that disastrous 1st inning--3 runs and 29 pitches.

Our esteemed pitching coach and manager gave Bello the honor of opening the season. You know, what Chris Sale used to do when he was good.

I am (and have been) focused on the results. Simply stated, the rotation has been the best thing on a team that has no business being @ .500 1/3 into the season with its lack luster lineup, weak defense, and a so-so bullpen whose closer, Jansen, is overpaid. Story and Yoshida have been awful (and expensive) acquisitions while the Sox pay Chris Sale $17M to be the Braves best starter with, so far, 8 wins, 64 IP, an ERA of 2.12, and 78 K's. Oh, and we can't forget the genius move of paying Giolito $18M not to pitch for the Sox. These Sox are watchable because Cora and his pitching coach are working a small miracle--with almost no help from the FO.

Neither do I, but Bello isn't being paid anywhere near what an ace gets.

What about the Sox fielding? Could the grounder to Devers have been a GIDP? Could the grounder to Grissom have been an out?

3-2 Orioles.

With an 0-2 count, Bello hits the batter on a very WP. Bases loaded with a run in and 1 out.

Grounder to Grissom, no out. 1 run in.

Another unseen play, ground out, Devers throwing to 2b. Was a GIDP missed?