Maxbialystock

Oh mighty seer of seers, with hat in hand and head bowed I must inform you that you don't know squat. The Sox won this game, 7-3.

Worth a celebration.

Good points. And who woulda thunk that with a 3 man rotation? I disagree with Duvall getting CF, but Cora's managing is an undeniable team strength.

However, thanks for defending Duvall. I went too far.

What freaking groove??!! The 1.669 OPS in April was for 8 freaking games. Far more relevant are his 22 games in June (OPS .548) and July (OPS .348). Or how about his OPS of .677 last year in 86 games or his lifetime OPS of .757? His OPS vs. lefties this year is .896, so that might be his niche even though Refsnyder's is .932.

Meh. I know the A's are bottom feeders at 25-64 (.281), but they are 5-5 in their last 10 games as are the Sox. Plus we are going with two bullpen games/starters with Paxton starting the middle game. However, the A's are also dead last in MLB in runs scored and in team ERA. They can't hit or pitch. But they do have 5 fewer errors than the Sox.

I think of Yoshida as a defensive liability with a DWAR of -0.5. But I also think some of that is because of his DH time. However, in 47 games in the outfield he has 3 errors. Dugo has 1 error in 79 games, Refsnyder 0 in 43 games, Duran 0 in 67 games, and Duvall 0 in 26 games--so maybe Yoshida deserves the -0.5.

I think mathematical parity has been around forever, but I don't disagree that right now it's impressive that 10 of 15 teams in the AL are at .500 or better. In the NL it's just 8 of 15 teams. A footnote to the above is that Miami, Tampa, and Baltimore team salaries are ranked 22d, 28th, and 29th in MLB and all have solid winning records. Indeed, all three have better records than the top four MLB team salaries: Mets, Yankees, Padres, and Phillies.

Impressive.

You said the same thing I said, only you said it better.

Ahem. You need to understand the math of MLB. So let's start with .500, which you characterize as basically mediocre. Further, let's assume that a mediocre team team with 81 wins gets into the playoffs and plays a team that won 97 games with a winning percentage of .600 and finished a huge 16 games ahead of the mediocre team. Mathematically--that is, ignoring matchups, etc--the woebegone .500 team has almost as good a chance of winning a 1 game playoff, a 5 game playoff, or a 7 game playoff series as the .600 team. The simple fact is that, because a MLB season lasts a freaking 162 games (6 games a week for six months), we look at standings and games behind and all that stuff and don't realize that the winning percentages are actually pretty close.

All good comments, but especially being 2 games above .500 despite all those injuries and especially a decimated rotation. About the latter, let's not forget that Kluber and Pivetta were basically pulled out of the rotation because they were terrible. Pivetta has since them been very good as a long reliever. Kluber was a terrible reliever and was simply put on the IL in order to make room for a better arm. By my count the Sox began the season with 8 starters: Paxton (who was on the IL), Sale, Bello (who was in the minors), Kluber, Houck, Whitlock, Crawford, and Pivetta. Right now 3 are healthy, 3 are injured, 1 is a good reliever, and 1 is the twilight zone/IL. The injuries have also hurt the lineup: Story, Duvall, Chang, Reyes, et al. Duvall has been back for 20 games and has yet to recapture his incredible hitting in the first 8 games. However, the Sox now have a pretty good outfield--Dugo, Duran, Yoshida, and Refsnyder--without him. But the infield really misses Story (presumably) and Chang. Both are expected back this month.

I assume you're joking because the expanded WC are all about $$. Butts in seats and TV ratings.

I don't think we "have" to do that, especially with just one starter available. Plus the A's have won 4 of their last 6 games. But it sure would be neat to go into the ASG break at 48-43 and the knowledge that several good players will get off the IL before (Chang) or not long after the ASG break (Schreiber, Story, Houck, Whitlock). Sale not until August, but it could be early August.

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds.

I'm here and I saw. But you and I see things very differently. My assumption is that Cora has good reasons for every move he makes. In the case of Garza, as has been the case with other marginal Sox players this season, Cora believes in what I call the "dud liberation movement." When he can do so, Cora believes in playing everyone--most of them so they can show what they can do and contribute. And the rest to show what they can't do and thereby be liberated from the Sox roster.

Pretty good. All but Reyes.

With all the guys--Story, Sale, Chang, Whitlock, Houck, Schreiber, et al--on the IL, you could be right. I mean the Sox are about to play three vs. lowly Oakland, but have just one starter to send out, Paxton. But most of those guys should be back before August, and even Sale could be back by early August. Meanwhile, without any of them the Sox took 2 of 3 against Texas.

He definitely helped, but knowledgeable talksoxers know it was the thread starter who turned this team around. Back to back wins over Texas.

You are the most upbeat of all of us and why I'm climbing aboard once again. As I wrote elsewhere, we should be seeing the likes of Story, Chang, Whitlock, Houck, and Schreiber back by August--and just maybe Sale in August. We just need to get through July.

Also excellent. And I had forgotten Carl.

Don't do that. Just stop it. If ever there was a season and a month in which to relish each and every win, this season is it. That said, against the A's Cora has Paxton and two pitchers to be named later. My goodness was Winck great tonight!

Yep.

That absolutely worthless SS Kike makes a neat play and throw to end the game. Did I forget to mention that, coming into this game, his DWAR as a SS was/is +0.1? Yep--and it's the same as Bogey's. But nowhere near Wander Franco's 1.6.

Good point. And shame on me for picking on him. He's wearing our uniform.