Maxbialystock

Of course--with Alfaro as the backup. In fact, his OPS of .690 is even better than McGuire's .665. I just meant that Wong's forte is defense, but you are right to correct me.

He was 1/4 and struck out twice, which sure looked to me like a blind squirrel finding a nut. Last year he played for Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Tampa, and Boston.

Who says he stresses defense? Yes, Chang played SS yesterday, but Turner played 2b precisely because Cora wanted his best hitters in the lineup. The exceptions were of course Chang and Wong, but Casas and Turner were both in there at 1b and 2b, which allowed Cora to DH Yoshida so that Dugo, Duvall, and Duran could all play in the outfield. Sox are 41-37 with Kike in the lineup.

Me too.

Seriously? You think Bloom can spend heavily on some arms with John Henry as the owner? No way, Jose. Price and Sale cured JH of spending heavily on arms.

Check the 2016 Sox stats, where you will discover that Pedroia's WAR was 5.6 and HanRam's 2.8 (but his OPS was .866 with 30 dingers--he just stunk on defense). The 2016 Sox DD inherited led MLB in runs scored. I agree Pablo was useless, but that didn't seem to make much difference in results. Even the Sox pitching wasn't all that bad--team ERA was 9th.

As Bloom inherited Price ($16M), Pedroia ($12M), and Sale ($30M). Plus last year he paid JDM $20M.

Fascinating story, though. Maybe even definitive. In his 12 previous seasons, he never once had back to back seasons in which he started 32 or more games in both seasons. He has two such seasons out of 12: 2014 with Miami and 2021 with the Sox. 2021 with the Sox was easily his best season ever, but this season with Texas could be better.

Really? I completely agree with moonslav that Bloom's situation was and is completely different from any Sox GM/VP of the last quarter century if not longer. For evidence, I cite just one stat. For his last two years, 2018 and 2019, DD's payrolls were the highest in MLB. Today the Sox payroll is 15th in MLB.

Neat! I agree you can spend less and still build a "contender," maybe even one as good as Marlon Brando. I'm not sure the Orioles are the ideal model because I think John Henry is a very different owner from Peter Angelos.

Well said. I discount 2020 because of COVID--as well as the absence of Cora--but agree with your points. It also pisses me off that so many Bloom and Cora critics ignore the success of 2021. As I have already said too many times, the 2016 and 2017 teams had far more talent--Mookie, Bogey, Pedey, JBJ, HanRam, Ortiz, Leon/Vazquez, Price, Porcello (Cy Young), Wright, Buchholz, Kimbrel, Sale (2017, but not 2016),etc--than the 2021 Sox, but got killed in the ALDS both years.

Actually, I think the Sox pitching "system" de-emphasizes command and control. I didn't realize this until I noticed that young Rays pitchers seem to arrive with good command and control, almost as if their minor league coaches insisted upon it.

I love it. They could be wildly off/optimistic, but it's fun to consider. CBS are the only ones who've said anything about Whitlock. The Sox have said nothing. He dropped out after one inning, and has become MLB's best kept secret since. Someone else said this--maybe you--but it's true: getting Kluber, Whitlock, and Houck back doesn't guarantee much. All three struggled as starters.

All good. The MLB All-Star game is the only one--vs the NFL and NBA All-Star games--in which the players are really trying.

The rumor is silly. Stupid deal for Ohtani.

I think that's right because I think managers believe--I certainly do--that the 10th is something of a crapshoot.

Agree with buy and with going for pitching. And am utter clueless about specifics. You, moonslav, and practically all other talksoxers are less clueless than I. My only additional thought is that July 14-31, 17 days, will likely have an effect on buy vs. sell and how much of either.

I was being facetious. I love where the Sox are right now, but am semi-frantic about the 2d half with all those injuries still on the IL. We not only don't know how good they will be when the return, we don't even know when they'll be back. We can be pretty sure Sale and Houck won't be back until August--and maybe Whitlock too. Meanwhile, however, Pivetta is an option and Kluber--if you believe in that 30 pitch bullpen session--might be.

Got it. Trade with a contender who wants to win this year and get back Sears-like pitcher with potential and longevity. The Sox gave up Iglesias in 2013 to get back Jake Peavy who was 4-1 in the regular season (ERA 4.04) not too helpful in the postseason (ERA 7.11). Lester, Lackey, and Uehara were the stars in the 2013 postseason. Detroit quickly installed Iglesias at SS and he played against the Sox in the ALCS.

What is BTV?

I think you've oversimplified the problem with Duvall. First and foremost, the very hot 8 games at the beginning of the season were almost certainly an anomaly, which I think you and others continue to think was the real deal. Next you point to his 33 dingers in 2016, 31 in 2017, and 35 two years ago (for Miami and Atlanta). What you leave out is that is that, as has been the case this year, Duvall is injury prone. In 2018 he hit just 15 dingers and in 2019 10 and last year 12. He ain't no sure thing this year. But to me the bigger problem is that Duvall is an outfielder and therefore competing with three of the best bats--all lefties, granted--on the team: Yoshida (OPS .874); Duran (OPS .886); and Verdugo (OPS .817). Duvall's OPS, season to date, is actually a robust .850, but entirely dependent on those 8 games in April. In June his OPS in 18 games was .548 and in July so far (6 games) .617. That said, I'm fine with not trading for a righty bat unless one is available for low cost, especially in prospects. Keep Duvall, who still could turn things around. But don't tell Cora he must keep playing him every freaking day. I have defended Cora when he chose not to play Duran, and will do the same for whenever he doesn't play Duvall.

Excellent point because the A's should never trade Sears for an older and pricier pitcher.

You must be kidding--saying the other four look better than our Sox. I just checked, and we still have three viable starters and Connor Wong catching. We're in great shape.

All good stuff, but the real problem with this team is pitching and the fact that right now the Sox have just three starters--Bello, Paxton, and Crawford--and are unlikely to get back Sale, Houck, Whitlock, Kluber, or Pivetta before August. Pivetta is not on the IL, but Cora believes he is best used in long relief. Also, I don't see much difference between being in 3d place with Bogey or 5th place without him. I hope getting Story back--at SS or 2B--will help. That was the plan all along.

Since when did a team 5 games above .500 become a bunch of losers unworthy of fan support?