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Maxbialystock

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Everything posted by Maxbialystock

  1. Maxbialystock
    Guilty. I generally agree the outfield with Duran, Rafaela, and O'Neill is pretty good. Both Duran and Rafaela have made some good grabs. Nevertheless, those dropped flies by Duran and Rafaela have been costly.
  2. Maxbialystock
    Good beliefs, but unsupported by what we're seeing. Duran just brought in two unearned runs, and earlier Rafael also dropped an easy catch that led to 4 unearned runs. 3d base, 2d base, and 1st base have all made costly errors as well. Only SS, O'Neill, and the two catchers are clean. 11 games and 11 unearned runs so far.
  3. Maxbialystock
    So far, just 11 games, this is the best rotation in Sox history. The problems are entirely with the lineup, which can't field and can't hit.
  4. Maxbialystock
    Rafaela dropped an easy pop fly that led to 4 unearned runs. Duran did the same today. With this Sox defense, absolutely nothing is guaranteed. And let's not forget that the same guys making all the errors and giving up the unearned runs are the guys who can't hit a lick. Only the pitching has been good this season so far.
  5. Maxbialystock
    You're darn right. That song in West Side Story gets it right when the gals say it's great in America and the guys say it's great in Puerto Rico. Alex is as American as apple pie, and he's made us all all proud. I'd rather have had him than that goofy guy with the weird hair although I did like Sully.
  6. Maxbialystock
    I guess the two unearned runs today are also because Story isn't playing SS. Duran dropped a fly in LF, which Story would have grabbed easily from the SS position. Anyway, that's now 11 unearned runs out of 24 scored against the Sox.
  7. Maxbialystock
    I should take umbrage with that remark, but in fact I forgot about the ghost runner who scored.
  8. Maxbialystock
    Could be.
  9. Maxbialystock
    And none of the 9 unearned runs were the result of an error or misplay by the Sox SS, whether Story, Reyes, or Hammond. In the first LA game, the one in which Story was injured, the two key errors were the dropped pop fly by Rafaela (Mr. Casual), and the dropped throw to 2b by Valdez. Make those two catches and the grandslam never happens. But in fact it did for 4 unearned runs. If Story had stayed in the game, he could not have prevented those two terrible errors or the 4 unearned runs.
  10. Maxbialystock
    It was just as terrible when Story was SS. He was great, but Rafaela, Valdez, Casas, Abreu, Devers, etc made sure that 9 of the 22 runs given up on the West Coast trip were unearned.
  11. Maxbialystock
    31 years in the Army and before that an Army brat--and I agree with you. What veterans, especially those returning from combat, want from MLB is what happens right after the home plate umpire says, "play ball."
  12. Maxbialystock
    Actual talent is pricey and, sadly, all too fragile. In the past JH has spent lavishly on starters only to see them go on the IL. The rotation this year has been nothing less than miraculous. The Sox currently have the lowest ERA and WHIP in MLB. When was the last time that happened? And the rotation of Bello, Pivetta, Crawford, Whitlock, and Houck is being paid $14M, compared to $16M for closer Jansen, $22 M for Story who is probably not returning this season, $18M for Yoshida who still isn't hitting and can't field.
  13. Maxbialystock
    Meh. I agree losing Pivetta is bad news, but he was just one of 5 starters and none of the 8 relievers.
  14. Maxbialystock
    One more time. This team is 7-3 after a West Coast trip--contrasted with 3-8 after the loaded and very expensive 2019 Heels started with West Coast trip--for one reason only. The pitching has been great, period. The hitting has been middling--ranked 15th in team OPS. In 4 of the 10 games, the Sox were held to 1 or fewer runs in regulation. I hasten to add that Story's OPS is .617. Last year for the Sox it was .566. In 2022 it was .737. So allow me to say that it is doubtful the Sox are going to miss Story's bat. No question his defense will be missed. However, his great glove/arm could not prevent the grim reality that 9 of the 22 runs scored against the Sox were unearned--thanks to egregious errors by Rafaela, Abreu, Valdez, Devers, Casas, et al. Therefore to me it makes sense that Cora would want to go righty/lefty at SS and at 2B. It's already worked well at catcher. Because pitching is the only thing this team does well, it makes more sense to improve the hitting than the defense.
  15. Maxbialystock
    Probably. He's at AA Portland and has said out loud he needs to be there.
  16. Maxbialystock
    Mookie was never, ever going to be a bargain. I think the Sox got Bogey's best years, but there can be no question--20-20 hindsight--keeping him was a better idea than bringing in Trevor Story, who's a better fielder, a worse hitter, and mostly on the IL.
  17. Maxbialystock
    Hmmmm.
  18. Maxbialystock
    See my other post on Sox Prospects take on Rafaela. He's much, much better in CF than at SS. Plus don't forget what happened when Kike was moved to SS. We absolutely, positively know Rafaela can plays centerfield because we've freaking seen him do it. And, by the way, what is your definition of someone in the minors who is ready? If you are talking about a bat, it's always a gamble because MLB pitching is so, so tough. But, if its a glove and an arm, what's great in Worcester or even Portland is probably going to be pretty good in Boston. Assuming Hamilton is temporary, keep him around until Mayer has some games and shows the good defense ("very fluid actions, soft hands, solid footwork, plenty of range, confident defender, plus defender at SS"), then give him a shot.
  19. Maxbialystock
    Good OP. Timely. Good discussion.
  20. Maxbialystock
    Be careful. Most of the time I don't even agree with me. If we kept track of recantations, I would be the leader in the clubhouse.
  21. Maxbialystock
    Meh. By the time anyone gets to MLB, most of the skills are there but need additional refinement. MLB has the longest apprenticeship of any professional sport, given that they can turn professional at age 18. If you make it to the Majors by age 23, you are ahead of your year group. And this. John Henry has never shown any reluctance to fire a manager. After the great 2018 season and with pretty much the same team in 2019, the Sox didn't even make the playoffs. If your accusation has any validity, that was all Cora's fault. To make matters worse, MLB banned Cora from managing or anything for a year. After that year was up, JH hired Cora back for 2021, 2022, 2023, and now 2024.
  22. Maxbialystock
    Go read Sox Prospects, which says Rafaela can be an elite centerfielder. Plus we've seen him do just that this season--that dropped pop fly notwithstanding. Yes, he played in field in 2018 and 2019, but has been primarily outfield in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. Does the name Kike Hernandez ring a bell? You guys all wanted to hang him, draw and quarter him, and send him to his room without dinner--what year was that? And what caused the uproar?
  23. Maxbialystock
    Wow. That sounds pretty smart to me.
  24. Maxbialystock
    Hamilton had 2 hits yesterday. He gets at least one more game, maybe two. After that, I would prefer to find a good defensive infielder in the minors or elsewhere, regardless of his bat. Because I like an outfield of Duran, Rafaela, and O'Neill. Rafaela infuriated me with that dropped easy fly that led to 4 unearned runs, but he has also made some excellent plays.
  25. Maxbialystock
    Good. Despite my constant griping--what else is new?--the defense is better this year and that has to be encouraging to the pitchers. Right now, I'm fine with Devers at 3b, where he's been for several seasons, and Casas at 1b. Casas's reach comes in handy on those throws to first, and I guess we'll just have to live with his lousy work on grounders. If memory serves, his throws to 2b have been good. So the problem is in the middle infield and here's my thought. Go for the D. If, for example, Mayer is ready on D, bring him up (after he's played some games in the minors this year). Same goes for anyone else who really is good with the glove and the arm. And live with two lousy hitters because the other 7--Devers, Casas, O'Neill, Duran, Wong/McGuire, Rafaela, and Yoshida--just might be enough. Indeed, Alex Cora has even used McGuire as a DH, which worked pretty well.
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