Maxbialystock

Probably similar. I believe letting Mookie, Bogey, Price, and even JDM were all the right moves. But I also think big names, usually including big salaries, puts butts in seats. See the Phillies attendance the year after they picked up Bryce Harper.

Turner's WAR is currently +0.5 and JDM's is +0.9. So that looks like a bad bet. On the other hand, I do like Turner's versatility. He looked pretty good at 3b and is OK at 1b. Because of that, Cora can move Yoshida, who is the least good of our outfielders, to DH. Right now, 1/3 into the season, the Dodgers are ranked 3d in MLB in runs scored and the Sox--who got rid of Mookie, Bogey, JDM, Renfroe, et al--are ranked 4th. And that's with both Duvall and Story on the IL.

Interesting. I notice you and I came here together when the Globe site folded, but you have stayed away from talksox a lot. I think there's a lot of truth in that paragraph, but I also think you left out a key factor, John Henry. He fired DD in 2019--in my opinion because he was getting tired of spending big bucks, getting that one good year, 2018, and then seeing all that talent just collapse because the high-priced pitching collapsed. But, yeah, this team is, relative to the 2018 and 2019 Sox under DD, a bunch of no names. Mookie, Bogey, JDM, Price, Kimbrel, Eovaldi, and maybe now even Sale again--all gone. As I pointed out on today's game thread, attendance so far this year is the worst in the John Henry era. On the other hand, I like what moonslav has said about building a quality 40 man roster--as well as his belief that Bloom is about to spend (this year or this winter) more for the simple reason the franchise can afford to. And this. I really liked Mookie and am even fascinated that he is now playing SS and succeeding. But his price tag--on top of what the Sox were already paying for JDM, Price, Sale, and Bogey--was just too much. Mookie turns 31 in October and will still be owed $290M for 2024-2032. In his 5 1/3 seasons with the Sox Mookie's accumulated WAR was a little over 42 or an average WAR of freaking 8!!!!! No way, no how will he do anything remotely that good with the Dodgers and they will be paying him 10 times as much as the Sox paid him. As for JDM, I'm glad he's having a good year with the Dodgers because I like him. He made a huge difference to the Sox lineup in 2018. But I was fine with letting him go. Same goes for Eovaldi. Same goes for Bogey to the Padres, especially given the kid who was just promoted to AA Portland.

Agree on Old Red. My usual preference is to add a little emphasis to my commentary. I believe I was the first one who cited the three days off recently, but I had no idea about the numbers you produced. On Old Red's side is that Sale has been our best innings-eater with 59 in 11 starts (about 5 1/2 IP per start). Houck is next with 52.2 in 10 starts, then Pivetta--yes, Pivetta--with 50.1 in 8 starts and 5 reliefs, then Kluber with 41.2 in 9 starts, Bello 39.1 in 8 starts and Whitlock with 41 innings in 4 starts. So, going back to your point about 5.1 innings per start by the Sox so far, I think that is maintainable.

Seriously? I was the exact opposite. I thought the Rays completely outclassed the Sox on defense, at bat, pitching, and running the bases.

Average attendance at Fenway to date is 31,184, ranked 12th in MLB. Excluding 2020 and 2021, both of which were affected by covid (as they should have been), 31,184 and 12th are the worst Fenway attendance in the John Henry era, now in its 21st season.

I still think Pivetta starts tomorrow. As I said last night, he went 3 innings and 54 pitches last Sunday, then 13 pitches Wed night and 15 pitches last night. Even better is that overall those 5 innings were scoreless with 7 K's and 0 BB's and 0 hits. Why? I think because he's using his breaking stuff more and his fastball less. Also, on April 10 Pivetta went 5 innings and 0 runs in the Trop. Kluber, meanwhile, has shown us nothing since his last start. That said, I trust Cora to make the smart choice. He may decide Pivetta is best used as a long reliever in games the Sox have a chance of winning. If he starts Saturday, that will be his only game in this series.

There you go again, backing and filling. You said the bullpen was/is busted, exhausted, unable to continue. Moonslav provides solid evidence you're wrong. So now your tune is, "no, I meant sometime in the future when you will have forgotten what I said back in May." Also, I don't mind agreeing that at some point it's possible for the bullpen to in fact get tired. But you never said that. You said it's tired right now.

What's this "guys" crap? My OP is pretty level-headed, even optimistic despite the fact that the Rays have the best won-lost record in MLB and whipped the Sox 4 straight in April. However, I did leave out that early last night Devers hit a 99 mph fastball in the top of the strike zone (or above it) to deep center for a double, then later in the 8th hit a changeup in the bottom of the strike zone, also to deep center for a double. Old Red is the pessimist, naysayer, curmudgeon, doubter . . . I remember way back in 1941 when Williams hit .406 after playing a double-header on the last day of the season even though his manager said he would not play him in order to preserve .400 (Williams was hitting exactly .400). Williams went something like 6 for 8, after which Old Red commented, "why couldn't he have hit like that the whole season?"

Spoiled rotten. I could tell you such stories about 55 of the 86 years of the curse. Everything changed with the arrival of John Henry--with 4 WS wins and 2018 probably the best Sox season ever--so of course you expect more. Me, I'm just happy I lived long enough for those 4 WS, to say nothing of the unbelievable advent of satellite dishes and getting all the Sox games in Fairfax County. Now I get them online and not as many thanks to the blackout rule. But I can still watch any game if I wait 90 minutes after it ends. Curt Flood broke the reserve clause and changed MLB forever. Then the MLBPA came along and ensured that most contracts are guaranteed, so every big buy--a $250M or more contract--is a now a huge gamble. See Sale, Chris, who's about to get an MRI on his left shoulder. See too David Price, Trevor Story, and even Rafael Devers. Or how about the great Mookie Betts, the one who got away? His WAR is an excellent 2.3, so good for the Dodgers. But Verdugo's WAR is 1.9, so even better for the Sox. You want to spend the big bucks for massive contracts, and I absolutely do not.

Whitlock vs. Glasnow, both righties Big series, David (us) vs. Goliath (Rays)--but the Sox have a winning record at Fenway and the Rays are just 14-12 on the road. The Rays will be playing their last four games of 20 games in 19 days. They have a run differential of +119 to the Sox +15. Glasnow has started for the Rays for five years, but never more than 14 starts in a season--and just two starts last year and just one so far this year. So a bit of a mystery. Whitlock went 5 IP and gave up just 1 run vs Arizona last Saturday, so I'm hopeful even though the Rays beat up on him April 11 with 5 ER in 5 IP. Terrific 8th inning rally tonight plus good defense plus good pitching, especially the bullpen (1 run in 5.1 innings!).

Hard data. Reassuring. Thanks.

Next up, the Rays: 4 games in 3 days (Fri, Sat x 2, Sun). They're 6-4 in their last 10 and the Sox are 3-7. They're 14-12 on the road and the Sox are 16-13 at Fenway. Their run differential is +119 and ours is + 15. Three of the Sox starters will be Whitlock tomorrow, Houck Saturday, and Bello Sunday. I think Pivetta could get the nod as the 2d starter on Saturday. He threw 54 pitches last Sunday, 13 last night, and 15 tonight. Remember the Sox earlier playing 19 games in 19 days? Counting these four upcoming, the Rays will be playing 20 games in 19 days.

The Sox have had a surfeit of days off over the last 2 weeks--one before, one during, and one after the West Coast trip. Does that count for nothing? These days every time Jansen pitches he looks rusty--because he is. And please name me a team whose rotation averages 6 freaking innings per start. All that said, the Sox play four vs the Rays in the next 3 days, so all that relief pitching tonight, last night, and the night before has probably taken a toll. Nevertheless, when the Sox play two on Saturday my candidate to start the other game is Pivetta, who threw 54 pitches last Sunday (6 days back from this Saturday) 13 yesterday and 15 tonight. If Sale's shoulder puts him on the IL, Pivetta is the obvious choice to rejoin the rotation.

Devers drove in the go ahead (3-2 Sox) run off a changeup low in the zone which almost went into the stands at 420 feet.

Terrific win with a slightly misleading score but this was a dogfight for 7 1/2 innings before the Sox exploded in the 8th. A shout out to moonslav who insists late inning rallies are quite normal for the Sox. Coulda fooled me, but tonight he is right on. Excellent use of the bullpen by Cora despite my griping about not leaving Pivetta in for the 8th. Good defense. Sure hope Sale is OK.

Agree completely.

And he actually does get official credit for both--blown save and the win.

3 hits (and 2 runs) in the first 7 innings. Then 5 hits and 6 runs in the 8th inning. This is what moonslav likes to remind us of. Let's see how Jansen does with a 6 run lead in the 9th.

OK, 2-2. Bad start by Martin, but good finish. Very exciting ball game.

Completely agree they overpaid him at $10M.

Gidp!!

I could have, but I don't remember doing so. Maybe it was for an at bat.

Tie game, just like that.

Cora knows ten times as much as I do, but I would have stayed with Pivetta vice bringing in Martin. I wrote that before the double, but you don't have to believe me.