Maxbialystock

Ahem. My rejoinder is that the reinforcements are Sale, Houck, and Whitlock, none of whom requires a trade. Same goes for Story. As for all the beat writers, announcers, etc, etc, they are unreliable on this topic because every single one of them wants maximum exchange of players so they have something to talk or write about. They also want huge salaries to talk about.

I think you also said that before the road trip. I was more optimistic and would point out that 2 of the 3 losses were each by 1 run and lost in the 9th and 11th innings. The latter was egregious because the Sox didn't score in the 10th or 11th innings despite starting each with a man on 2b. Today it's righty Gilbert who has 11 quality starts out of 21 total and a WHIP of 1.06. His OPS against vs. lefties is .677 and righties .638, and Seattle won all 5 of his starts in July. Four of them were quality starts including a 9IP shutout July 4 vs the Giants. Sox are going with a "balanced" lineup (without Turner, who's hurt): Duran LF Dugo RF Yoshida DH Devers 3B Duvall RF Casas 1B Arroyo 2B Wong C Chang SS

Interesting. I agree completely that managers and CBO's are hired to be fired. In fact, I think Cora is John Henry's 5th manager and Bloom is his 5th CBO. That said, however, I do like Cora as a manager. In 2018 he managed the best Sox team ever (which also had lots of talent). In 2021 he managed a far less talented team to the ALCS--without a closer. And this year he sure seems to be doing a heckuva job. As for Bloom, I like that he came from the Rays system because they have repeatedly demonstrated they can field good teams without paying top dollar. I agree it remains to be seen whether he is the right guy for the Sox, but also believe that John Henry wants a sea change in the Sox approach to constructing the MLB roster. This year's Sox collective salaries are ranked 15th in MLB, the lowest in the John Henry era and probably the lowest in the last 40 years.

A fair point. My rebuttal begins by characterizing 2020 as a covid nonseason when Cora was also banned. It simply shouldn't count. So that gets us to 3 seasons, the first of which, 2021, was better than any of DD's seasons except 2018 because in 2021 the Sox made it to the ALCS. Let's also not forget that throughout his reign DD had more talent and a lot more money to spend. Since Chaim Bloom took the reins, John Henry has insisted on both a reduced budget and the avoidance of big contracts for starters, which were the hallmark off DD's tenure. 2022, agreed, was sorry, but let's not forget than last year the AL East was, like this year, a juggernaut, and last year the Sox played each of the other four AL East teams 19 times (76 games, almost half the season). As for the this year, I'm fine with standing on whatever happens even though this year's Sox salaries are 15th in MLB, the lowest ranking in the John Henry era and probably the lowest ranking in the last 40 years.

Agree. Between now and the Detroit series (Aug 11-13) when Sale should be available to start and maybe go 4 innings, the Sox-- Play 1 more in Seattle (Crawford starting tonight), Get tomorrow off, Play 3 (Aug 4-6) vs. the Jays with Paxton, Pivetta and the bullpen starting, Play 4 vs. the Royals (Aug 7-10) with Bello, Crawford, Paxton, and Pivetta starting, Play 3 vs. the Tigers (August 11-13) with Sale, Bello, and Crawford starting, Get a day off August 14, And then go 16 straight games/days, Aug 15-30, with a 5 man rotation, but with the possibility of mixing in bullpen starts, especially after Whitlock and Houck rejoin the team sometime between 21 and 30 August. 31 August and 7 September are days off.

Hah! I just now read this--after having said almost exactly the same thing on 2 other threads. I think Sale, who started yesterday at Worcester and went 40 pitches (0 runs, 1 hit, 2 BB's, 3 K's), will be back for the Seattle series, August 11-13, and that Whitlock and Houck will be back about 10 days after that. My conclusion, of course, is that the real reason for no big trades is that, with the returns of Story, Sale, Houck, and Whitlock, this is a pretty good Sox team. It's not as good as the 2018 and 2013 teams, both of which acquired starters (Eovaldi in 2018 and Peavy in 2013) for the stretch run, but good enough to compete and to get even better in 2024.

And they are absolutely right. This team is a complete shambles. Or maybe not. Consider-- 1. Story is due back this weekend, which means three good infield bats--Devers, Story, and Casas--every day. And a 4th, Turner at 2b, when Cora thinks he needs him there so Casas can play 1b and Yoshida can DH. And some combo of Reyes/Chang/Arroyo to help with the defense. 2. Four good bats--Yoshida, Duran, Duvall, and Dugo--in the outfield plus Refsnyder, who is really good vs lefties. Yoshida and Turner share the DH slot, depending on how Cora shapes his day to day lineups. Also, Duran has stolen 23 bases, been caught twice, and forced a bunch of errors that led to additional bases not counted as stolen. 3. Two good catchers, Wong and McGuire (who bats lefty and hit that dinger last night in his first game back). 4. When Sale returns, which could happen as soon as the Detroit series, August 11-13, a pretty good rotation--Paxton, Bello, Sale, Pivetta, and Crawford. If you go by quality starts, they are the best Sox rotation since 2018--barring further injuries, of course. 5. When Houck and Whitlock return 10-15 days after Sale and presumably go to the bullpen, a pretty good bullpen: Jansen, Whitlock, Houck, Martin, Bernardino, Schreiber, Winckowski, and TBD. 6. Of the above, Devers, Story, Casas, Duran, Yoshida, Wong, McGuire, Dugo, Bello, Crawford, Pivetta, Shreiber, Whitlock, Winckowski, and Houck are all age 30 or younger. Those 6 sniveling points notwithstanding, I'd say Chaim Bloom is the worst MLB GM since, I don't know, maybe Branch Rickey.

I know, I know. It's just crushing. How will life go on for Sox fans? Well, consider-- 1. Story is due back this weekend, which means three good infield bats--Devers, Story, and Casas--every day. And a 4th, Turner at 2b, when Cora thinks he needs him there so Casas can play 1b and Yoshida can DH. And some combo of Reyes/Chang/Arroyo to help with the defense. 2. Four good bats--Yoshida, Duran, Duvall, and Dugo--in the outfield plus Refsnyder, who is really good vs lefties. Yoshida and Turner share the DH slot, depending on how Cora shapes his day to day lineups. Also, Duran has stolen 23 bases, been caught twice, and forced a bunch of errors that led to additional bases not counted as stolen. 3. Two good catchers, Wong and McGuire (who bats lefty and hit that dinger last night in his first game back). 4. When Sale returns, which could happen as soon as the Detroit series, August 11-13, a pretty good rotation--Paxton, Bello, Sale, Pivetta, and Crawford. If you go by quality starts, they are the best Sox rotation since 2018--barring further injuries, of course (a pretty big if). 5. When Houck and Whitlock return 10-15 days after Sale and presumably go to the bullpen, a pretty good bullpen: Jansen, Whitlock, Houck, Martin, Bernardino, Schreiber, Winckowski, and TBD. 6. Of the above, Devers, Story, Casas, Duran, Yoshida, Wong, McGuire, Dugo, Bello, Crawford, Pivetta, Shreiber, Whitlock, Winckowski, and Houck are all age 30 or younger. So, yeah, it looks really, really grim for the future and Chaim Bloom is a nut case and should never have been hired.

Not luck. Toughness.

Bello now stands at 48 pitches (and 1 run) in 4 innings. Who woulda thunk that after inning #1? I'd say McGuire is good to have back. Plus the solid sac fly and an rbi.

Yoshida doubles, the idiot Seattle pitcher walks Devers and hits Duvall to load the bases, and Arroyo comes through big time as does McGuire. Bottom of the order knocks in all 3 runs!

Another bold prediction that crashes and burns.

Could not be happier than to eat those words. Great finish to the 1st, holding the Mariners to 1 run!

Bello and McGuire are really working well together. Who needs Wong?

Of course you're right. I did say, 2d time around, that Turner couldn't play 2b every day. Your points about his overall value and the dangers of getting injured at 2b only make that point stronger. On the other hand, I just think it's neat when he does (I think he plays 2B about 10% of the time) and even neater when he makes a great play like that glove flip toss recently.

Not going there. The WHIP and ERA are real and it doesn't matter whether or not he started, especially when we know: 1) he sort of started from the bullpen; 2) he improved dramatically after he went to the bullpen, which gave him time to work on his pitches; 3) he just started, went 7.1 innings, and gave up 3 runs for a QUALITY START.

I didn't know that. Thanks.

Can't disagree with any of that. 1. I've argued (mostly in support of moonslav) that the Sox badly need a starter because these bullpen games will be very expensive once we start playing 48 games with just 2 days off. That starts Friday, August 4. Cora will want/need Sale starting within a week to 10 days after that (if not sooner). But I'm defending Bloom because I suspect the "selling" teams are asking too much for even a so-so starter. In fact, I doubt that Bloom can get anyone as good as Bello, Paxton, Crawford, or Pivetta. 2. Agree. 3. Agree, but I'm still willing to give up some defense to get another good bat in the lineup. So is Cora. But just not most of the time.

I don't think he's worth $16M because he's past his prime, but I do like those 23 saves.

1. I've been saying September because Ian Browne (mlb.com) has said so, but now he says both start rehab assignments soon, so they should be back in August. And Sale should be back sooner. I expect Sale to be Good Sale when he returns, but with pitch limits, at least initially. I expect Houck and Whitlock to go to the bullpen. 2. Fine, trade Duvall because the Sox still have Yoshida, Duran, Dugo, and Ref. 3. Don't disagree about Turner's defense at 2b, but Cora has used him so that Casas can play 1b and Yoshida can DH. 5. As I said in 1, Houck and Whitlock should both go to the bullpen, but I'm fine with whatever Cora decides.

Depending on what Bloom gets back, I don't mind trading Duvall or Dugo or whoever.

Good point about Sunday--I forgot it was 11 innings, etc. When Story arrives, I dump Chang.

Time for a really dumb post (yet again) by yours truly. It sure looks like Bloom is standing pat, especially with regard to getting a decent starter. And I agree with him. Here's why-- 1. Rotation right now is pretty decent with Bello, Paxton, Crawford, and Pivetta--and one or more of Sale, Houck, or Whitlock due back this month. 2. Five pretty decent outfield bats in Yoshida, Duran, Duvall, Dugo, and Refsnyder--and only Yoshida is weak defensively. 3. When Story returns (shortly), Cora can field four good infield bats: Devers, Story, Turner, and Casas. Plus Reyes and Chang available for defense. 4. With McGuire also due back soon, pretty good catching (especially Wong) and above average hitting (for catchers). 5. A so-so bullpen, which earned "so-so" last night when Jacques was sent in, no doubt at Seattle's request, to sabotage a pretty darn good start by Pivetta. However, Whitlock and Houck could help in the bullpen provided they actually come off the IL.

Right now he's 4th best behind Bello, Paxton, and Crawford. When and if Houck and/or Whitlock return, I would put him ahead of both of them. If Good Sale returns, fine, Pivetta is 5th best. Some stats to back that up. Among Sox starters, Pivetta's WHIP is 2d best, 1.13 to Paxton's 1.09 and ahead of Sale's 1.19. Among Sox starters, his ERA of 4.08 is 4th best. Among Sox starters, his IP is/are 88.1, second to Bello's 96. I believe his breaking balls are sharper than earlier in the season and that he uses them more--to good effect. Thus his ERA of 4.08 is the best of his career--with the caveat that it's just 88 innings (vs. 133 in 2017, 164 in 2018, 155 in 2021, and 175 last year).

Pivetta was great. His manager, not so great.