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Maxbialystock

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Everything posted by Maxbialystock

  1. Maxbialystock
    And that's the difference between the Rays system and the Sox system. The Rays make sure their pitchers have command.
  2. Maxbialystock
    Bello lacks command of his pitches. It's that simple.
  3. Maxbialystock
    It's a blog site. What's the point of always agreeing? I picked the Sox to be below .500 this season and now have real hope I was wrong.
  4. Maxbialystock
    Bello stinks--unless you believe in one game at a time, which I do believe in. Despite the lack of star power and relying on a lot of no names, these Sox can be fun to watch. Duvall and Story are out. Kluber stinks. Arroyo has forgotten how to hit. Kike can't play SS like we thought. Chang might be OK at SS. Casas remains the worst of the worst at 1b--when will this long national nightmare end? Yoshida is the great mystery and underperformer from the Far East. But they are nevertheless competitive.
  5. Maxbialystock
    While I genuinely enjoy disagreeing with you, I do think your optimism has merit. I too have hopes for the rotation, and the bullpen is already an asset. On paper the lineup looks terrible, but they score freaking runs and against good pitching too. Most of all, as you say, they have played a tough schedule, are in far and away the toughest division, and are holding their own. I voted for the Sox having a losing record this season and hope to be proven dead wrong.
  6. Maxbialystock
    By all means defend McGuire. He's on our team, the Red Sox, for crying out loud. I'm just being a pissant because not catching that third strike--in the strike zone, yet--really torqued me. On the other hand, I'm happy to overlook catcher interference by Wong. You have rightfully pointed to 2b, SS, and CF as bigger problems than whether McGuire is as good as Wong. Actually, Kluber is the leader on my latest s__t list. A $10M wrecking machine. Interesting that Crawford remains in the bullpen. If nothing else, he could be a long reliever. Last night would likely have turned out better if Crawford pitched the 4th-6th innings or longer.
  7. Maxbialystock
    Meh. Before this series Milwaukee was 14-5, which was tied for the best record in the National freaking League. That said, yeah, we saw the not so great Whitlock tonight. On the other hand Milwaukee's team ERA is 3.07, 2d best in MLB, and the Sox scored 4 tonight and 5 last night. Also on the other hand, the bullpen pitched 4 scoreless innings. Also on the other hand, the Sox have played their 15th straight game tonight without a break.
  8. Maxbialystock
    Sox are now 11-10 after taking 2 of 3 vs the Twins, who lead the AL Central, and last night beating the Brewers, who lead the NL Central with a 14-6 record. When you look at the Sox lineup these days, there is cause for concern. Like Dalbec at SS. But they are scoring runs and not screwing up the defense too often. Dugo is hitting, but so is Duran of all people. Yoshida might be getting ready to. Devers is still Devers. In fact, the Sox are now tied for 2d in MLB in runs scored with 116 (helped by having played 21 games). How about them apples? And, true to moonslav's prediction, not only is the rotation starting to come around (excluding Kluber plus jury still out on Bello), but the bullpen already looks pretty decent.
  9. Maxbialystock
    Since this thread is about the rotation, I hereby declare Wong and McGuire together to be adequate to the task of catching our starters--and that I continue to believe Kluber should be the odd man out. I think I read that right now the Sox are going with a six man rotation and that that could/should change by the end of the month. So I'm guessing Kluber has one more shot at proving he isn't the odd man out. Of course, Cora and Bloom never consult me, so Kluber could get the go ahead to start a bunch more games if only because he's being paid $10M, plus he's won two Cy Young awards. And, who knows, maybe he's kind to strangers too.
  10. Maxbialystock
    You're right. But I like the sound of Padres better.
  11. Maxbialystock
    It's just 21 games, but it's also the only sample we have. This is a blog site, not the last judgment. Opinions based on scant evidence are the currency of the day.
  12. Maxbialystock
    I'm probably guilty as charged because those stats are new to me. All I know is what I've seen. McGuire's defense, especially mistakes that lead to runs by the other team, pisses me off. On the other hand, I would be nuts not to be happy that the Sox right now have two catchers with positive WAR's. And you are dead right: if McGuire is the backup, he ain't half bad.
  13. Maxbialystock
    I'm sure you're right about that. All the more amazing that really good catchers like Johnny Bench and Yogi Berra were also good hitters.
  14. Maxbialystock
    Yes, he was still a plus defender, statistically, in 2018. However, I thought Sandy Leon was better handling the pitchers. And yes, his bat now makes him a plus catcher. But I'm still happy with the two we've got. Both have positive WAR's: +0.3 for Wong and +0.2 for McGuire. Vazquez's is +0.5.
  15. Maxbialystock
    Muddling indeed. They also have the second best attendance in MLB with that losing record. Apparently, overpaid players still put butts in seats, and winning doesn't mean much.
  16. Maxbialystock
    I only know what I see on the field of play, and I couldn't be happier that Vaz is gone. In the Sox best season ever, 2018, Vaz's WAR was -0.8. Before and after that season he loved to run into outs on the base paths, and I do not think he was effective behind the plate. Right now Wong is clearly a better defensive catcher than Vaz and McGuire is a better hitter. Together, with Wong starting most of the games, they are competent and a freaking bargain.
  17. Maxbialystock
    OK, I sort of misunderstood you. But not completely. I vehemently disagree with your assertion that McGuire is not a bad catcher because he has demonstrated he is lousy behind the plate (but so far a pretty good hitter). Last night McGuire did his level best to let the Brewers back into the game. That's why Cora pinch hit for him in the 6th inning.
  18. Maxbialystock
    Completely agree with both points. Let McGuire be the backup catcher with Wong starting 3 or 4 out of every 5 games. McGuire starts the other game(s) and and pinch-hits for Wong in late and close games.
  19. Maxbialystock
    Fair enough. I'm not a GM or fantasy-player. I just don't like guys getting paid more than they are worth. And it's entirely possible I'm wrong and you're right. Maybe those big salaries bring fans to the games.
  20. Maxbialystock
    Ahem. Cough, cough. I think your use of zero sum is really dim sum. Wong is clearly the better catcher and should start most of the games. McGuire has repeatedly demonstrated his unfitness for duties behind the plate. McGuire should be the backup and available for pinch-hitting for Wong in the later innings. Right now McGuire seems to be the better hitter and in fact has the 3d highest OPS, .900, on the team. Rather than have him start most of the games because of his bat, it would make sense to let him DH (with Turner replacing Casas at 1b) or even play 1b.
  21. Maxbialystock
    I'm kind of obsessed too, and I like to back that up with specific mistakes McGuire makes in games. Like the bad throw to 2b last night when a good one would have nailed the runner, who promptly came home on a single. And the bad positioning on the excellent throw home by Verdugo. Good positioning would have nailed the runner because the throw beat the runner and was just up the 3d base line where it should have been.
  22. Maxbialystock
    Yep. With almost anyone else these Sox could easily be labeled "unmanageable." That said, it's still the players who score/drive in the runs and get opposing players out. All three Sox pitchers looked pretty good last night. Pivetta was not helped by McGuire's weak throw to 2b on the SB that led to a run for Milwaukee. Same goes for McGuire's incorrect positioning on that throw home by Verdugo and another run for Milwaukee.
  23. Maxbialystock
    Stop whining, watch the games, and maybe learn something.
  24. Maxbialystock
    Sox beat Brewers tonight. Pass the word because not many were watching. McGuire got pulled in the 6th, thank goodness. Now Cora needs to pull Kluber sooner--or not even start him.
  25. Maxbialystock
    Now that Cora has demonstrated unequivocally he knows how weak a catcher McGuire is, he needs to do the same for Kluber, hands down the biggest loser on this Sox team. Pure poison.
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