Maxbialystock

Without being snotty--which I know very well I can be--I do think most if not all of Cora's moves make sense when you dig into them. Like Brasier. I think he was a candidate for the dud liberation movement, so Cora simply gave him opportunities to demonstrate why he needed to be freed. I also think Cora makes an effort to ensure that everyone on that 26 man roster gets opportunities to show what he can do--probably with Chaim Bloom's backing.

I believe you.

Actually, I think I'm the only "people" defending Cora regularly. And for me it's simple why I do. He managed the best Sox team in 123 seasons of their existence. He definitely had great players that season, 2018, but they also won a lot of 1 run games. Then MLB banned him from the 2020 season, and the Sox rehired him without batting any eye. I thought his managing in the 2021 postseason was terrific, especially with no closer. This season, as I've said, Cora is managing a team whose payroll is ranked 15th, which is the lowest ranking (by a wide margin) of the John Henry era and probably of the last 50 years. And I am not unaware that the best two AL East teams, Tampa and Baltimore, both have much smaller payrolls than the Sox. Nevertheless, what Cora is being asked to do is unprecedented for a Sox manager. The injuries to Duvall, Story, Sale, Houck, Schreiber, Chang, et al, only add to his burden.

I think you need to come clean and admit you think Cora is worse than Valentine. Or, if you don't think that, maybe you could rein in some of nasty oratory about Cora's in game decisions. So far this season, I think you have an unblemished record for giving Cora absolutely no credit for anything good this team has done.

Forget the discussion on Cora. This was one terrific win, and Cora didn't throw a single pitch, get any hits, or make any defensive plays. The players did it all. Well, most of it. mvp 78 did start the game thread. Agree with the comments on the good defense (for a change). And who was that guy going the last two innings, which were scoreless? Garza!

I do not, mostly because of his atrocious baserunning. And right now I like both Wong and McGuire a lot.

Actually, I'm pretty sure they did not send Pedey back to AAA. He had a horrible start, all right, but they were confident he would come around--which he did, I think in June. The very next year he was the AL MVP. I think Casas is getting a chance to prove himself because everyone else has been so bad at 1B and because they believe he can in fact hit.

You seriously believe Cora didn't recognize the problems with Kluber, Pivetta, and Kike? I like your posts a lot, but, if you believe that, you aren't nearly as smart as I thought you were. Kluber got his shot as any acquired starter would, especially one with his background--especially when he's being paid $10M. As for Pivetta, as recently as last year he had the 3d best WAR among Sox pitchers and the 2d best among Sox starters. He started 33 games and had 12 quality starts. You appear to think he was dog doodoo. This year, agreed, he got hammered as a starter, but in the last month has learned how to be an effective reliever. The point is, when Pivetta started this year, Cora didn't have a whole lot of choices. Finally, Kike. Another $10M player having a bad year. Two years ago as the Sox centerfielder his WAR was 4.9. This year he was moved to SS because Story and Chang are on the IL. That didn't work, but he also is 4th on the Sox in rbi's with 29. His WAR is a pretty bad -0.4, but it's still better than Schwarber's -0.6. Nevertheless the Talksox experts (like you) have branded him the world's biggest loser. This year the Sox total salaries are ranked 15th in MLB. I know that's the lowest ranking in the John Henry era and suspect it's the lowest ranking in 40 years. And you act as though Cora's job is so easy, despite the dearth of front line starters and the injuries to Story, Duvall (who still isn't the Duvall of the first 8 games), Houck, Sale, Schreiber, Chang, et al--to say nothing of Devers WAR sinking to roughly what it was in 2017, the year before official rookie year.

Let me be frank. I don't like Casas one bit. Too heavy and too slow. This just about guarantees he will be successful.

True, no one used the word idiot. But the insults were running rampant on Talksox. And, no, he hasn't made "tons of mistakes" this season. That you would say so suggests you think he is an idiot.

Cora right, you wrong.

Nope. But I love it when everyone jumps on him, declaring him to be an idiot--right before the Sox score 3 huge runs.

Yet again, Cora dead on right and the Talksoxers clueless.

Yet again-- Cora right, Talksoxers clueless. Thank goodness it was Dugo at bat and not Devers.

Pretty awful AB for Reyes--looked like Devers and Yoshida. Clueless.

Not the only mistake that inning. Don't forget the HBP when he had an 0-2 count.

Casas is heavy and slow.

Lopez has pretty much dominated the Sox lineup so far--except, thank goodness, for Duran.

Actually, Sale, Paxton, Houck, Whitlock, and Bello have been pretty good this season. Kluber and Pivetta, not so much. Same goes for Crawford.

Amazing how Paxton simply lost it in the 5th inning--and by that I mean control.

Devers is celebrating in the dugout: he grounded out!

I'm sure you're right. But the Sox aren't paying any of those guys. They are paying Devers a ton of money.

Lopez has thrown some pretty good pitches.

Devers looks worse tonight than when he came first came up. I mean completely lost at the plate. First pitch was right down the middle, which he disdained to swing at. Instead, for strike three he swung at a pitch that bounced in front of the plate.

Tough flight to Minneapolis-St Paul after last night's game--and then play another game tonight. Sox team ERA was 28th early in the season, lingered forever at 27th, 26th, 25th, and is now 19th. Pretty amazing. However, injuries to Sale and now Houck are likely to affect that even though yesterday's doubleheader said otherwise with the great Ort (from Mort) starting game one. Twins at 36-36 with the 3d best team ERA in MLB. On this homestand they beat the Brewers twice and then lost 3 of 4 to Detroit. Sox are going with Paxton, Crawford, Whitlock, and a ptbnl. Keep this up, 78, and we will rename you mvp 23.