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Maxbialystock

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Everything posted by Maxbialystock

  1. Maxbialystock
    I could swear it was just last season when we all went round and round about whether Houck could ever get over the "3d time through the lineup" hump. As I recall, he did.
  2. Maxbialystock
    Based on what we've seen all over MLB, you are right to have doubts that those two--or even any of the other 3 starters--will make it to 150 innings. But, heck, it's early April. Cherry blossoms still bloom around the Tidal Basin in DC. The Sox could well arrive back at the Fens with decent spring weather. Five Sox starters had terrific first starts to the season. The June swoon might not happen.
  3. Maxbialystock
    Orioles have also had a long series of lousy teams--after the Earl Weaver era, of course--mostly because of owner Peter Angelos. But they still had/have that gorgeous park (Camden Yards), plus, until MLB brought a 3d team to DC (the current Nationals), a pretty good sized baseball fan population in the Nation's Capital. I was one of them and gladly drive the hour or so from N. Virginia. My guess is that David Rubenstein will be a better owner. He certainly is taking over at a good moment. Rubenstein is a no holds barred philanthropist.
  4. Maxbialystock
    Pretty good laydown except for #5. Rays, ranked 27th, have proven beyond any doubt that you can in fact do more with less even though their system has yet to produce a WS winner. The Pirates, ranked 29th, right now are undefeated. Their payroll is $83M vs the Rays $98M. The A's @ $62M are the one bonafide embarrassment. So much for Moneyball.
  5. Maxbialystock
    Meh. He did have Sale and Price pitch fewer innings in ST because of all the IP the season before. But what we learned that season is that Sale and Price were both sliding downhill. Both have been vastly overpaid since 2018. The real Porcello, the crappy one, also emerged and lasted just one more season (2020). Eovaldi wasn't much good despite the great 2d half of the 2018 season. ERod emerged as the new ace. And Kimbrel went to the Cubs in 2019--good riddance. 2019 was the season when, beyond any possible shadow of doubt, JH decided he'd had enough of paying the big bucks. So he fired DD and brought in Chaim Bloom of the Rays. However, JH still had to keep paying big bucks for Price, while he was playing for the Dodgers, and Sale, who went on the IL for several seasons.
  6. Maxbialystock
    Whitlock has a better repertoire, no question. But to me Houck is a battler. So I couldn't be happier that both are starting and that all 5 have done well in their first starts. As I keep reminding everyone--ad nauseum--the 2019 Sox, fresh off the best season in Sox history, also started the season on the West Coast and went 3-8--and basically never recovered, at least not enough to even make the postseason.
  7. Maxbialystock
    I think Wong is still the best all around, but I also think McGuire is good enough to rotate with Wong so both will be rested. I'm guessing Wright won't start against lefty pitchers.
  8. Maxbialystock
    Meh. I go both ways because I'm a freaking fan. This past week I've run the gamut--or the gauntlet, take your pick. Right now I'm up and looking forward to three in Oakland. A week ago I insisted the rotation was little more than relievers who were promoted because the good starters left town. Now I'm high on rotation, the bullpen, and the defense--and hopeful the offense will come around.
  9. Maxbialystock
    Absolutely true. But it's 100% of the season to date--and it's on the West Coast, which for past Sox teams was more daunting than Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery. In the Montana State House is Charles Russell's absolutely brilliant painting, "Lewis and Clark Meeting the Guardians at Ross' Hole." In the foreground are several Guardians on horseback-- ferocious and dominant and bigger than life. Off to the right, dismounted and looking downright lilliputian, are Lewis and Clark--talking and hoping for the best. Exactly the right strategy because they were in fact in INDIAN COUNTRY. Almost exactly 5 years ago the Sox had won the 2018 World Series the season before in probably their best season ever and returned their excellent rotation and even better lineup. They started with 11 games on the West Coast and limped back to Boston @ 3-8, from which they never really recovered and did not make it to the postseason.
  10. Maxbialystock
    I love watching great D too. Pitching and hitting are the heart of the game, but lack poetry. I mean, it's even cool when the first baseman grabs a short throw on the hop, when the catcher throws out a runner going to 2b or, better still, 3b. And double plays can run the gamut from routine to absolutely brilliant--but in every case they really make a difference. I hated when the Sox traded away Jose Iglesias in 2013, but they also won the WS after doing it--and beat Jose's new team, the Tigers, in the ALCS. This year-- 4 games--we just might be seeing the practical value of good D. I think you were right to emphasize the absence of good D last year.
  11. Maxbialystock
    Agree.
  12. Maxbialystock
    Ever the pessimist. But definitely provocative.
  13. Maxbialystock
    Joely is the only lefty on the staff--the other 12 are righties. I think that's why he is getting to the mound--3 times in 4 games. Cora wants to see what he can do. He no doubt also wants the front office to see.
  14. Maxbialystock
    I'm sure you're right and I suppose that's a great insight. But, frankly, I prefer to think of our current team as keepers, as in, we keep them because they are winning freaking games. You, on the other hand, seem to be planning for and maybe even hoping for failure. Wrong?
  15. Maxbialystock
    I completely disagreed with your obsession about defense last year. And I was wrong. These first 4 games have been revelatory for me. For all we know the improved defense has given the rotation a tad more confidence. Someone posted the following, which I just verified: the four starters so far have gone 22 innings while giving up 1 BB. Ain't that something?
  16. Maxbialystock
    There are tons of talksoxers who question almost everything Cora does. moonslav talked incessantly about the defense last year and basically said what you've just said. So far, I like the defense. The two errors last night were costly, but the good outweighs the bad so far.
  17. Maxbialystock
    Great win today, exactly what most of us weren't expecting. Whitlock went 5 when it looked like he'd be lucky to go 3--and gave up just the 1 run. Sox were competitive in all 4 games @ Seattle, largely because of the rotation. Credit to the pitchers of course, but also the manager, pitching coach, and both catchers. Actually, I'm impressed with the whole team--defense, baserunning, hitting (sort of), bullpen.
  18. Maxbialystock
    Sox now 2-2 after 4 @ Seattle. Not bad at all. Rotation was unbelievably good in all 4 games, especially because they are supposed to be the big weakness. All 4 games were winnable by Sox. 2019 Sox, fresh off the incredible 2018 season, also started on West Coast. They went 3-8 and never really recovered. They had Mookie, Xander, JDM, Beni, JBJ (OPS .783), Vazquez, Moreland, Chavis, and Holt. Rotation included Sale, Price, ERod, Porcello, and Eovaldi. I'm pretty sure they had the highest payroll in MLB and did not make the postseason.
  19. Maxbialystock
    Hmmmmm. Pretty lousy predictions. And I couldn't be happier!
  20. Maxbialystock
    The complaints about Cora so far have been stupid and unjustified--especially the caterwauling about how he refused to allow Jansen to close last night. I think Cora is just the right guy for this team, who could easily be 3-1 but for those two costly errors last night. Even better would have been Jansen without a stiff back. The real credit, of course, has to go to the rotation. Bello, Pivetta, Crawford, and even Whitlock were insanely good in their first starts. I think the defense is better than last year, also the baserunning. The hitting--not so good--but I agree with others it will get better.
  21. Maxbialystock
    Short game thread. I guess this game has been a bitter disappointment for the legion of Cora baiters who know so much more than he does. These first four games have astounded me--especially the contrast with the 2019 Sox who started that season 3-8 @ Seattle, @ Oakland, and @ Arizona. And they were coming off the best Sox season ever. The starting pitching has been ridiculously good and kept the Sox in all 4 games. One was lost because the hitters went scoreless, and another when Jansen was unavailable to close and Joely Rodriguez gave up 3 runs, 2 earned. The bullpen has actually been good in 2 of the 4 games (2d and 4th). The defense has been better than last year. The hitting has been a disappointment, but I expect it to get better. Oakland next, tomorrow @ 9:40. Houck starts.
  22. Maxbialystock
    Heck, I'm surprised the Sox are even playing the game with a lineup this bad. Time to dump that idiot Cora.
  23. Maxbialystock
    I believe you're being sarcastic, but in any case the lineup today--as horrible as it is and as ignorant as our manager is--seems to be working.
  24. Maxbialystock
    Another Cora critic bites the dust.
  25. Maxbialystock
    Some truly excellent insights into how truly stupid Cora is. It's just a doggone shame the Sox have scored 4 runs with the worst lineup imaginable.
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