Maxbialystock

Agree there does seem to be a pandemic of not recognizing pitches and/or showing little plate discipline--exemplified last night in Bogaerts 8th inning at bat when everything was in his favor. The bases were loaded, just one out, and a pitcher who couldn't throw strikes or who quickly realized he didn't need to throw strikes. Someone pointed out that Aaron Judge is simply good at taking advantage of pitching mistakes. I think that's apt and too often does not describe what Sox hitters are about when they come to the plate. As for Casas, you could be right that he is reflecting a weak Sox farm system, but MLB pitching is in fact better than AAA.

Probably.

Good point. He needs to follow Bogey's example of complete professionalism, clutch hitting, etc in the last 2 games. I am of course being unfair to Bogaerts, but that last at bat was pretty awful, given the bottom of the 8th, the Sox down by 1, the bases loaded, and just one out. If he had just shown a tiny bit of restraint or savvy or awareness or something. Swinging at five strait balls for a K was about as bad as it gets.

Xander Bogaerts signaling to the fans and Sox management that Fenway ain't the place he wants to be. 1-0 game, 8th inning, bases loaded, 1 out, and he strikes out by swinging at five pitches comfortably out of the strike zone. Unprofessional in the extreme. You don't make up for that by hustling to 2d base on a double. Then of course there was the error in Wednesday night's game that led to the Yankees getting 3 unearned runs. I guess the point of that was to show Bello the rookie starter he wasn't so hot after all.

And I'm not forgetting last night either when Bogaerts and Devers torpedoed a very promising 10th inning rally.

Of course it's overboard. Three freaking unearned runs, to say nothing of running up Bello's pitch count to 98. The veterans show the kid a thing or two about tanking, not just on the field, but at the plate too.

I take it all back because I just realized something. This horror show is not, repeat, not the fault of the Sox players. They are all dedicated professionals, but can't play at there optimum level without robo-umps calling the balls and strikes. I'm serious. I read it right here on talksox that the #1 issue for all pitchers and hitters--which is just about everyone--is accurate calls on balls and strikes. Without them, players are distracted into making errors, not being able to hit pitches, you name it. So, until we can get this major, major issue solved, we are going to have to settle for, well, less than optimal performance. It's a shame, but that's baseball.

A rookie pitcher doing his level best--and betrayed by a bunch of rotten, stinking veterans who claim they aren't paid enough. They can't hit and they sure as heck can't field the dang ball.

I didn't say to pat them on the back for this season. However, this is the 20th season of the John Henry era, the most successful in Sox history, and in those 20 seasons he has never shown any hesitation to fire managers or GM's. Word is both Bloom and Cora will be back next year. I can't claim to be an expert on managers, all of whom are hired to be fired, but have said repeatedly why I think Cora is a keeper. He managed the 2018 Sox to the best season in Sox history (122 seasons). In 2019, the expensive pitching DD went out and bought collapsed, but the Sox still had a winning record, just not a postseason berth. In 2020 he was justifiably banished from MLB, and without Cora the Sox had a losing season. But the very next season--just last year, in fact--with Cora back but Mookie, Beni, Sale, Price, and Kimbrel either gone or very subpar, the Sox won 92 games, beat the Yankees in the wild card and the 100 win Rays in the ALDS before losing to the Astros in the ALCS, 4 games to 2. And they did it without a closer and in fact never got a save in 11 games--and only had one blown save, by Houck in the 6th inning of a game Sale started and lasted just 2.2 innings. I'd call that a pretty good season for the manager. So here we are, as you say, in a losing season that has an outside chance of getting to .500 but not the postseason--and dead last in the AL East. Whose fault is that? As I've said too many times already, the pitching stinks. The Sox team ERA is 14th best of 15 AL teams. And part of that is because this year the Sox are still paying $63M for three pitchers--Sale, Price, and Eovaldi-- whom DD signed and whose total contribution to this year's team is a combined WAR of 1.0. The other part is a slew of injuries, including to both Sale and Eovaldi, but also Wacha, Hill, Whitlock, and Houck. I am not knowledgeable enough to evaluate Bloom, but do believe he was hired to make some fundamental changes in how the Sox scout, acquire, and develop players. And I don't think fundamental change happens quickly. That said, John Henry gets to decide when enough is enough. I am also aware that the fans have some say in how much time Bloom has because attendance and/or TV ratings can drop. Thus the dilemma about whether to give big contracts to Devers and Bogaerts, but fan favorites as well as good players (both started the All-Star Game this year). Moonslav discusses those two and a slew of other options way better than I could--and he isn't the only one who is better versed than I in player acquisition. I have read plenty of justified criticism of players Bloom acquired who haven't panned out.

Tie game in the 10th, where the Sox haven't been that good this year. So I might save Strahm for tomorrow night. Plus I notice you give no credit for using Brasier in the 6th when Cora pulled Pivetta with 2 on and 1 out--and Brasier got 2 outs without letting either of Pivetta's runners score. So, yeah, I think you just might have a double standard. If something works, good for the players. If they screw up, that's on the manager. And you're not alone because someone else nailed Cora for bringing in Whitlock. In fact, it was a double whammy because he also blamed Cora for having Whitlock pitch too many innings. It's fun times for three groups of Talksoxers: those who want to fire Cora, those who want to fire Bloom, and those who want to neuter home plate umpires.

I might agree if I didn't know that Familia was the 5th freaking reliever in the game and is part of the 2d worst worst bullpen in the American League.

The Babe was 25 in his first season with the Yankees when he hit 54 dingers with an OPS of 1.379. So, no, getting Judge at age 30 would not be remotely comparable. Actually, it could be comparable. The Sox were dumb to let go of Ruth in 1919, age 24, and would be almost as dumb to now pay huge amounts for Judge at age 30.

What we do not need from Pham is a GIDP.

That plus Familia was kind of just throwing the same pitch time after time. The one Torres nailed wasn't that bad, low in the zone with a little break, but that's what he was already looking for.

Well, it's for sure his agent would sneer at that, but I'm not so sure it wouldn't be a fair offer. That's over $35M/year.

For sure. $8M is a lot for a reliever. The flip side, however, is that it's remotely possible that his mojo is back--which I define as a combination of good pitches and confidence. What once was lost--which meant a lot of money down the drain, just might be found.

Raffy is the better hitter and four years younger. But I too don't see paying him 300M+.

1-2-3 for Barnes. Not too shabby. Where the heck did that changeup come from? That can be a very effective pitch, even righty vs. righty.

He's back to just knuckle curves and fastballs, which are his strength. Whoops. He just got a strike on a freaking changeup!!!!!

Better to say he has the 4th best WAR on a pitching staff with the 14th best ERA in the AL. So good point. 2d year is relevant because Bloom picked him up on rule 5, so he was kind of an unknown and to some degree still is. Closer? Longish reliever? Starter? 2d year is also relevant because no one knows for sure what his durability is. He's started 9 games, pitched in 30, with 77 innings total. Only four starters--Pivetta, Wacha, Hill, and Eovaldi--have pitched more innings. That said, 77 innings ain't that many if it includes 9 starts. Pivetta has thrown 160 innnings. All that said, he has one of best repertoires on the team--maybe the best. But, as we saw tonight, he can make mistakes.

Earlier this year, I would have disagreed. But two things have happened since then. Mostly, his hitting stroke is back. But in addition I think he's found a home in RF, as weird as that sounds/reads. He looks way better in RF than he ever did in LF. Another Sox line drive for an easy out.

Very good way to put it. The flip side is that good pitchers who don't make mistakes can get good hitters out.

Vehemently disagree. This is his 2d freaking season, and has the 4th best WAR on the pitching staff.

Yes he did. A slider down the middle with not much break.

Heckuva prediction.