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Maxbialystock

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Everything posted by Maxbialystock

  1. Maxbialystock
    I agree, but the risk is only for one game, after which they bring up another catcher. Plus, if McGuire plays 1b, there is no risk.
  2. Maxbialystock
    Whatever happened to the idea that Kluber needs to be replaced in the rotation? He's killing us, absolutely killing us. Houck, Whitlock, Sale, Crawford, and Pivetta are all clearly better. And Bello probably is.
  3. Maxbialystock
    Wong has a significantly higher DWAR than McGuire, so to me that makes him a better catcher. But I agree the Sox need to get McGuire's bat into the lineup. He can play 1b on days he isn't catching, or he can DH with Turner playing 1b. Casas has the lowest WAR on the team at -0.5. Wong and McGuire currently have the same overall WAR: +0.3. Those WAR's are tied for 4th best on this Sox team, so it makes sense to play both of them. FWIW (and that's not much), the Sox are 8-5 in games in which Wong has played (but not necessarily started). When McGuire has played in a game, the Sox so far are 4-7.
  4. Maxbialystock
    I'm going to go back to my OP and suggest that part of the Rays attendance problem is that they don't pay the big bucks for the big names. I do think the Trop (which I have never been inside of) is the worst ballpark in MLB. But this year the product on the field is absolutely superb, the very best in MLB. I've been to Camden Yards several times. It's terrific. But the product on the field, combined with the Washington Nationals (and their new park) proving to be a good draw just 38 miles away, has seen attendance go steadily down. The Orioles product right now is pretty good and the Nationals stink. So far the Nats average 21,285 and the Orioles 21,181. When the Nats were the Expos in Montreal, the Orioles attendance was 34,344 in 2004. They went 78-84 that season.
  5. Maxbialystock
    The Sox have never liked good fielding SS's, except on a temporary basis. They dumped Gonzalez once and Iglesias twice. When they decided good hitting Bogaerts was going to be unaffordable, they took the plunge on Story. At SS their rule is, "bat first, glove second." In the John Henry era that has resulted in 4 WS wins.
  6. Maxbialystock
    The Rays have yet to lose at the Trop this season.
  7. Maxbialystock
    Fair enough. I did say "a glimmer of hope."
  8. Maxbialystock
    Team ERA is ranked 25th in MLB, the hitting is sporadic (but ranked 9th in rbi's), the defense is suspect, and so is the baserunning. So 10-10 is borderline fantastic. Must be the manager. The Sox beat the Orioles (now 11-7) in the first series, were swept by the Pirates (now 12-7) in the second, swept Detroit in the third, were swept at the Trop by the red hot Rays in the fourth, took 2/3 from the Angels in the fifth, and just took 2 of 3 from the Twins (now 11-8 and atop the AL Central) in the sixth series. Story still out, as is Duvall, but most of the pitching is present for duty. I see no reason for despair and even a glimmer of hope for the rest of the season. Let's not forget this team is very different from last year's and 2021's. San Diego spent big and are currently 9-11. Dodgers too and are 9-11. Phillies too and are 8-11.
  9. Maxbialystock
    Could be. He leads in appearances, 11 (or 12) and an equal number of innings.
  10. Maxbialystock
    And nice play by the Sox, for a change.
  11. Maxbialystock
    What a treat to see Vazquez back at Fenway--playing for the other team. Some players are a tad bitter toward their former team (s), but in this series it's clear he bears no ill will and in fact wants to help
  12. Maxbialystock
    Terrific rally, but I'm more impressed with Tanner Houck, another guy I wrote off last year or the year before. I had him pegged as a decent long reliever. Fourth start, and he has yet to have a bad one.
  13. Maxbialystock
    Maeda, 0-2, ERA 4.09 is a righty, so 5 lefty bats. Houck has started 3 games, all with Wong catching.
  14. Maxbialystock
    He fumbled and drew an error on an easy grounder. And he demanded a pop fly, waving everyone else off, and didn't even get a glove on it. He was not the problem last night, Kluber was. So letting him play to see how he handled himself at Fenway didn't cost anything.
  15. Maxbialystock
    2-1, ERA 6.06, WAR -0.2 for the Padres. 16.1 IP's. Kluber is 0-4, ERA 8.50, WAR -0.4, 18 IP's.
  16. Maxbialystock
    Agree. I think CERA is relevant, but A Red Sox fan named Hugh has a point. Last night was on Kluber, not McGuire. And Sale's great outing the night before was the result of his practice sessions, not Wong. Of course, the instant analysis guys might not be serious and really are being sarcastic. Also, there have definitely been instances in the past when a given pitcher insisted on a particular catcher.
  17. Maxbialystock
    Agree. Also, my claim of 55 years of pain is kind of phony because from 1940 (when I as born in Boston) to 1999 I lived all over the States and overseas and rarely saw a Sox game on TV. I did listen to Curt Gowdy call games on the radio, 1953-54, which sealed my fandom. And uncle of mine lived through all 86 years of the curse--in the Boston suburbs--and rarely missed a game on radio or TV. He suffered, but he kept watching/listening.
  18. Maxbialystock
    Nicely said, Jad.
  19. Maxbialystock
    As I said a few pages back, the Sox have eight pitchers--Crawford, Kluber, Sale, Winckowski, Pivetta, Houck, Whitlock, and Bello--with either significant innings or starter potential or both. Winckowski hasn't started, but he's pitched 14 innings and several times gone 3 innings. Bello only has 2.2 lousy innings (5 ER's), but has shown starter potential. The other six have all started at least two games. My point now is that it would make sense to move Kluber, who so far has 4 losses and an ERA of 8.50, to the bullpen or to "6th starter," either or which would limit his starts. Cora would still have six viable starters (assuming Bello is viable): Crawford, Pivetta, Houck, Sale, Whitlock, and Bello. No other Sox pitcher (besides Kluber) has more than one loss. Too bad Kluber is being paid $10M, but last year the Sox paid Sale even more than that and for fewer innings (and less damage to the Sox). The real point is that a starter can lose a game before the hitters have a chance to hit or the bullpen has a chance to save a game. And the Sox have six other starters plus Paxton trying to make his way back.
  20. Maxbialystock
    Right now I'm OK with McGuire catching against righty starters and Wong against lefties. I'm also fine if Cora changes that because he thinks Wong might be needed for a specific pitcher--like possibly Sale. While I like the theory of CERA, I don't McGuire was the problem tonight. kluber throw an 88 mph four seamer and doesn't have any particularly good breaking stuff. His command stinks. I'm not positive, but I think his changeup is effective, so of course he rarely throws that. The problem with using Wong more is that McGuire right now has one of the team's best bats. Going into tonight's game, Wong and McGuire had exactly the same WAR, +0.3.
  21. Maxbialystock
    Tomorrow Houck vs. Maeda. Pretty evenly matched--for a change. Maeda is a righty, so expect the lefty bats.
  22. Maxbialystock
    Rizzo just took a HBP, by which I mean he did not step back, but turned around so it would hit him in the back. Loaded the bases, and a sac fly got the win for the Yankees. Sox players rarely take an HBP and prefer to throw themselves down, up, back, or wherever to avoid a deadly HBP.
  23. Maxbialystock
    Bottom of the 9th, 2-2, 2 outs, and the Yankees just stole 2b. Yanks are pinch-hitting for Franchy Cordero. Haven't I heard that name before? The hitter's name is Isiah Kiner-Falefa who was born in Hawaii and just K'd. Wikipedia says he is of Samoan, Hawaiian, Japanese, and Caucasian descent.
  24. Maxbialystock
    We definitely need Kimmi. I do remember those days. On the other hand, I'm hugely grateful I lived long enough for all of the John Henry era. Put it this way. If you've experienced 55 years of the 86 year curse, what we are "enduring" now is a walk in the park.
  25. Maxbialystock
    I pretty much wrote him off, but he got another chance and is making the most of it. These Sox definitely have openings and opportunities for someone who can actually hit the freaking ball. With two out and two on, Trout just struck out on a checked swing and a very outside pitch. Game tied 2-2.
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