Maxbialystock

Here's a topic for someone to research. Is it true that Sox players traded away (or were simply offered a better contract) routinely play a lot better for other teams than they did for the Sox? The four most recent examples I can think of are Kike Hernandez, Wacha, Eovaldi, and JDM.

I'm glad you said that because I was definitely thinking it as we approached 1 August.

If you really believe that, you are just dead wrong. They both know a ton more than any of us, and it's sheer folly to claim otherwise. That does not, however, mean I don't enjoy the comments on talksox because I do. That especially includes moonslav because he does a lot of research before commenting. But I also don't put anyone on ignore so I usually read whatever you have to say--and sometimes agree with you.

Well-timed prediction, what with Story and Sale both back, Reyes suddenly hitting up a storm, McGuire back and looking very solid behind the plate, Whitlock due back Sunday, etc. Duran's slumping, Duvall and Story are below their career averages, etc, but this team clearly has potential for a run.

Clearly intentional. Cora has also stacked lefties--3 or 4 in a row--now and then. I like alternating them. This lineup is missing Duran and Turner.

60 pitches and 4 innings are the 2 targets.

Technically the correct call? No way. Explain yourself.

Great work by Paxton and the bullpen!!!! And pretty nifty catching by McGuire. Hitting, not so much. But enough to win.

Terrible call and really no excuse for it because he was standing on or near home plate and had a clear view of the runner going straight down the line without deviation, including when his foot touched 1b. Was that the same ump who gave Reyes the checked swing before he hit the dinger in game 1?

I was being facetious. Sticking to a plan is horsehockey if you can see it's not working.

Only two kinds of pitchers the Sox can't seem to hit these days. Righties and lefties. Or maybe it's just one kind. MLB pitchers.

No Turner.

I know, I know. It's so very important to stick to the plan no matter what.

Love that "not many teams have 8 hitters over .778 OPS." Unfortunately, however, OPS don't bring home the bacon. Right now the Sox are 9th in MLB in runs scored. Historically--feel free to go as far back as you want to--they need to be 5th or better in runs scored to have any hope of making the postseason.

Love that "feasting on mistake pitches" because that's exactly what the Royals did with/to Crawford night before last. When he threw good stuff, he was effective. When he threw a hanging curve or a fastball right down the middle, they blasted him. I could be wrong, but I think that's part of Duran's problem right now--they are hitting the corners against him. Was it last night that he took 3 straight strikes, all on the edges of the strike zone?

He was red hot in AA and AAA. He's been an All-Star and signed a contract commensurate with his presumed ability to hit the dang ball. Anything other than 3d in the lineup would have been insulting.

I think he could have played maybe one more game to get to 20 days, but you're basically right. Let's not forget he hasn't played in a year and he missed all of spring training. My expectations were high, however, because he blasted AA and AAA pitching with an OPS over 1.000.

This year's Sox are as boring as a roller coaster. Forget the hot and cold runs, I'm talking about individual games--like last night when the Sox come from behind and then Jansen gives up the dinger to get the margin down to 1 run before McGuire (with his presumed weak arm and slow release) nails the attempted theft of 2b. I think Sale, Whitlock and Houck will definitely help the pitching. But I'm nervous about the hitting. Duvall came back cold, and Story even colder (just 2 games, but also 6 K's). Dugo up and down, Devers the same. Duran red hot in July and ice cold so far in August. Turner hurt--and a big hole in the lineup. After the terrific 5 game winning streak in late July (22-28), the Sox have scored 2, 3, 2, 6, 3, 3, 4, 1, 6, 3, and 4 runs. That's 37 runs in 11 games, 3.36 runs per game. About a month ago I looked at game scores vs wins and determined the Sox basically needed to score 5 runs to have good chance of winning a game. They won 3 of those 11 most recent games when they scored 6, 6, and 4 runs.

Meh. Agree they are far from perfect, but they've carried a heavy load since Kluber, Sale, Houck, Whitlock, and Pivetta dropped out of the rotation. Pivetta is back in the rotation and before that he came in early after a reliever pitched the first inning or two, but his IP's over his last 20 games have been 5, 4, 7.1, 5, 1, 6, 5, 4, 3.1, 0.1, 3, 0.2, 1, 0.2, 0.2, 1, 1, 3, 3, and 2.1. Or put it this way. Bello leads the Sox in innings pitched with 108.2, which puts him tied for 74th place in MLB. Given the above--a decimated rotation--I think Cora has done a good job of not over using his best relievers (which has now and then caused consternation on talksox). In addition to Martin (WAR 2.2), I kind of like Winckowski (1.4), Bernardino (1.4), Jansen (1.1), and Schreiber (.6). Due back this weekend is Whitlock (.3) and soon thereafter Houck (.8), both of whom seem headed to the bullpen because Sale is due back tomorrow to fill the 5th starter slot. Throw in Murphy (.6) and that's a pretty decent bullpen and rotation (Bello 3.2, Crawford 1.9, Paxton 1.9, Pivetta 1.6, and Sale 1.0).

One absolutely miserable at bat by Duran, who swung at nothing and took 3 called strikes. And one lousy one by Youshida with the pop out to LF. Top four in the Sox order are hitless, which is getting to be a trend. KC starter did make some good pitches. So did Crawford. However, all the Royals hitters had to do was wait for him to throw that one awful pitch right down the pike and just kill it. Sometimes his fastball. Sometimes a flat curveball right in the middle.

You are probably right.

Bold Talk for a One-Eyed Fat Man.

The only positions he doesn't play well are catcher and 1B. I'd make him the 5th infielder of Devers, Story, Rafaela, Casas, and Reyes/Arroyo/Chang (keep one).

That's what I thought.

Ya got me. I foolishly thought a really hot AAA player who is also a defensive whiz in the outfield and infield would be useful--sooner rather than later. My 5 infielders would thus become: Devers, Story, Rafaela, Casas, and Reyes/Chang/Arroyo (pick one). I do not disagree that, even with all those great stats, Rafaela is a gamble. On the other hand, Chang and Arroyo are pretty much known quantities--weak hitting subs hoping to get to play.