Jump to content
Talk Sox
  • Create Account

Maxbialystock

Old-Timey Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    21,203

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    6

 Content Type 

Profiles

Boston Red Sox Videos

2026 Boston Red Sox Top Prospects Ranking

Boston Red Sox Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

Guides & Resources

2025 Boston Red Sox Draft Pick Tracker

News

2026 Boston Red Sox Draft Tracker: Picks & Bonuses

Forums

Blogs

Events

Store

Downloads

Gallery

Everything posted by Maxbialystock

  1. Maxbialystock
    Bello and McGuire are really working well together. Who needs Wong?
  2. Maxbialystock
    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.
  3. Maxbialystock
    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.
  4. Maxbialystock
    I didn't know that. Thanks.
  5. Maxbialystock
    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.
  6. Maxbialystock
    I don't think he's worth $16M because he's past his prime, but I do like those 23 saves.
  7. Maxbialystock
    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.
  8. Maxbialystock
    Depending on what Bloom gets back, I don't mind trading Duvall or Dugo or whoever.
  9. Maxbialystock
    Good point about Sunday--I forgot it was 11 innings, etc. When Story arrives, I dump Chang.
  10. Maxbialystock
    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.
  11. Maxbialystock
    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).
  12. Maxbialystock
    Pivetta was great. His manager, not so great.
  13. Maxbialystock
    Good analysis, especially on Houck and Whitlock. The guy (Ian Browne) for mlb.com now says Houck will return in August and that Whitlock is a possibility. Both can be long relievers, which would definitely help--as you have said. Also agree the Sox need another starter. I'm skeptical and hopeful about Sale for obvious reasons.
  14. Maxbialystock
    Well said. This team has in fact been fun to watch. Did I get pissed at losing games 2 and 3 in San Francisco? Of course I did. But they were competitive, exciting games. Plus--and I always say this--we know that John Henry has given Bloom some guidance on how much he can spend, especially on starters. DD and the 2019 collapse (after the tremendous 2018 season) poisoned that well.
  15. Maxbialystock
    You could be right, but I think Duvall could play RF, Duran CF, and Yoshida LF with Refsnyder in reserve. Right now the three best bats on the whole team belong to Duran (OPS .873), Duvall (.872), and Yoshida (.858). This year Dugo has been our best defensive outfielder and therefore valuable, but his bat is lagging, plus he has trade value.
  16. Maxbialystock
    Agree with both you and dgalehouse. Must bring that guy on 2b home, especially on road games. Also agree with those who say pitchers dominated hitters in this series.
  17. Maxbialystock
    Sox scoreless in 1st with this lineup-- Refsnyder LF Turner 1B Devers 3B Duvall CF Yoshida LF Arroyo 2B Dugo RF Reyes SS Alfaro C There's apparently a huge Reyes fan club on talksox, so I figure the Sox win this one easily. Even better, no Kike, who singlehandedly destroyed the Sox and is now about to do the same to the foolish Dodgers.
  18. Maxbialystock
    Already started . . . Bernardino (L) vs. Alexander (L)
  19. Maxbialystock
    I said it, but later I corrected myself because Kike was the starting SS at the beginning of the season. I believe he got the job because, with Story on the IL and Bogey gone, he figured Kike was the best bet because of his hitting. As for Reyes, I agree he's probably better than Kike--certainly his WAR is--but the Sox were 11-15 in games he played in May and June. Plus the injuries. Plus Chang is getting all the starts since Reyes returned. You and others insist Kike is a loser, pure and simple. But the Sox won more games than they lost with him in the lineup--and also won more games than they lost when he didn't play. Plus, if he is loser, why did the Dodgers, who once again are leading the NL West, sign him?
  20. Maxbialystock
    My brain hurts from thinking about all the options. But overall I agree: 1) this is a good Sox team that will get better, especially when/if Story and Sale return as their better selves; 2) they have a good shot at the postseason; 3) and starting pitching should be what Bloom goes after and not--in Paxton's case--trade away.
  21. Maxbialystock
    I keep hearing that number as though it proves something. Is it an overpay in terms of his less than stellar production? Absolutely. But it pales in comparison to what the Yankees paid Ellsbury and what he delivered and the Sox paid Sandoval and what he delivered. Kike stayed healthy the whole season and was ready to play baseball, errors and lousy OPS no extra charge. Furthermore, if Kike is such a freaking disaster, why are the AL West leading Dodgers taking over the remainder of his salary for the last two months?
  22. Maxbialystock
    OK. I guess I get it. The internet is different because we are incognito and can be as provocative and nasty as we want to be. I come from the perspective of John Milton's Areopagitica, written in 1644 to defend freedom of speech, open discussions, and exploration of all kinds of ideas. Talksox actually does manage to do just that most of the time--within the confines of Red Sox baseball, of course. But, as moonslav and others are suggesting, some contributors drop by just to toss out a few molotov cocktails. They come from the same school as those who spin endless conspiracy theories and other nonsense on the internet.
  23. Maxbialystock
    The Sox won more games than the lost (I think 44-41) with Kike in the lineup. July has been a great month for the Sox, and lousy, stinking, rotten Kike--the guy everyone wanted DFA'd months ago--played in 12 July games before departing--and the Sox won 8 of them. Plus, as soon as he joined the Dodgers, who are leading the NL West, they installed him in the middle infield, where he played for the Sox. I do not disagree that Kike was not nearly as good as expected this year. His overall WAR with the Sox was -0.7, mostly because of his rotten hitting (OPS .599). But he was playing out of position and moved to the infield only because the Sox were desperate. Story has been on the IL 3 months now, and Chang and Reyes were both on the IL for I'm guessing a month apiece: Chang has played in 33 games out of 104 and Reyes in 28 games.
  24. Maxbialystock
    You are dreaming if you are counting on Sale, Houck, and Whitlock. Sale, I grant you, looks like he is headed back, maybe even in early August. Plus before the shoulder went bad, he had like 8 solid starts out of 11. However, I think we need to count him has fragile until proven otherwise. Houck and Whitlock are now expected back in September, not August. Plus they both had ERA's over 5. Whitlock has never been a consistent starter and neither has Houck. In fact, our four best starters--by a wide margin--right now are Bello, Paxton, Crawford (yes, Crawford), and Pivetta (who starts in the 2d or 3d inning, which seems to work beautifully).
  25. Maxbialystock
    Great game despite outcome. Paxton's gutsy start--1 run in 5 IP--was overcome by Sox lousy bullpen and, until the incredible 9th inning rally around Duran's fantastic clutch double, and weak hitting. I do not believe Jansen can be good 2 nights in a row because this has happened before this season. He was terrific last night, but he relies too much on that fastball, which is what Davis was looking for. And a terrific 5 game winning streak!!! Get 'em tomorrow. Devers is 0 for 8 in San Francisco, but coming into tonight his OPS for July was 1.101.
×
×
  • Create New...