Maxbialystock

This first week is like a nightmare on bald mountain: it has exposed all the Sox weaknesses. Tonight it's both lousy hitting and an egregious passed ball on a pitch in the strike zone, swung on and missed for strike three, which then became a man on first with two outs, which then became a 2 run dinger--both runs unearned. Last night it was a missed pop fly--very catchable--by Devers which led to what are now called 3 earned runs because Devers's ineptitude was so gross he never even touched that pop up. Later, he almost missed another pop up--this one in foul territory. And both nights have also hinted that maybe the magic in the bats was short lived. Since that terrific 5 run first inning last night, the Sox have scored 2 runs in 15 freaking innings. Isn't that something? I just saw the Pirates SS make exactly the same popup--same spot and everything, that made Devers look like an idiot last night--look easy. Our first two starters in the rotation stunk in games 1 and 2. I mean awful. So was Crawford in game 4. And the two guys, Houck and Pivetta, I figured would get hit hard have each pitched 5 innings and given up 3 earned runs (by Houck) and 1 by Pivetta tonight. So those two, along with the bullpen, give us a smidgen of hope. But, frankly, this team so far seems hell bent on fulfilling our direst predictions. Definitely a weak defense, even without the game-costing misplays by Devers last night and McGuire tonight--absolutely no range and no arms in the outfield. Almost decent infield, but don't expect really good plays. Hitting that started out great but now looks ordinary. And a very suspect rotation.

Don’t forget Devers last night.

2 straight games in which the Sox defense gives away runs. Can no one on this team play this game?

Agree completely. I also think Klubar and especially Chris Sale have simply been unprofessional.

Since this is the "fire Bloom" thread, I will advance my theory one more time. The Sox payroll this season is 14th highest/biggest in MLB, which is unprecedented in the John Henry era. It's just silly not to believe that John Henry is the driver on what gets spent. He decided to keep Devers and let Bogey go. More than that, I think John Henry has decided to stop spending big on pitchers and wants Bloom to build a system for finding and developing good pitchers, which is what Bloom did at Tampa. To remind: as recently as last season John Henry was paying big bucks for David Price and Chris Sale, neither of whom did squat for the Sox. All that said, I also think Klubar, Sale, and Crawford simply failed to use spring training to prepare for the regular season. Specifically, Houck, who I think does not have a good repertoire for a starter, pitched 5 innings and gave up 3 runs--compared to Kluber's 3.1 innings and 5 runs, Sale's 3 innings and 7 runs, and Crawford's 4 innings and 7 runs. It gets worse. Ort has pitched 4 innings and given up 2 ER's, Kelly 3.2 innings and 1 ER, Martin 3 innings and 0 runs, Winckowski 3 innings and 0 runs, and Schreiber 2 innings and 0 runs. So my thought is you can't blame the catchers for the failures of Klubar, Sale, and Crawford. I think it is beyond question the starters wasted spring training--and the bullpen didn't. Irony of ironies is that Ryan Brasier, universally regarded as the absolutely pit in relief pitchers, has given up 3 runs in 2 innings. So his abysmal ERA of 13.50 is no worse than Kluber's 13.50 and better than Crawford's 15.75 and Sale's 21.00. Of course, we're just talking about 4 games in a 162 game season, but, still, those 4 games tend to confirm what we were afraid would happen.

Those new rules have definitely provided new challenges for catchers--so add that to simply learning what pitches work best with what pitchers.

Based on what the Astros did last fall and the Twins have done early this season, you have a point.

Good points.

To remind-- The Sox payroll (according to spotrac) is currently ranked 14th in MLB, which is unprecedented in the John Henry era. He kept Devers, but let Bogey go to the Padres. I think he is convinced he ain't buying no more "great pitchers" because his experience is that they don't last long--and Sale is just the latest example.

For once in my tenure on talksox, I disagree with you. I think Bloom needs to build a system for finding and developing good pitching and to stay off the trail of all previous Sox GM's, which was simply to go out and buy pitchers, some of them expensive ones. Bloom helped build the system that has done extremely well for the Rays, but you don't build it overnight. It takes more time than he's had, which includes the 2020 covid nonseason. I do agree this rotation stinks to high heaven. Brasier, whom everyone on talksox rightly despises, is pitching better than Kluber, Sale, and Crawford. I also think the rotation wasted spring training in terms of prepping for the regular season.

I thought he was bad--or at least not as good as the other catcher. Plus he was just stupid on the base paths. But a good bat continues to make him very hirable.

While I don't mind the digs against the CERA thesis--one which I basically agree with--right now I have my doubts that the catchers are the problem with the rotation. Why? Because the bullpen has actually pitched decently if not well. Ort and Crawford have each/both pitched 4 innings, but Ort has given up 2 ER's to Crawford's 7. Kelly has pitched 3.2 innings with 1 ER compared to Kouber's 3 innings and 5 ER and Sale's 3 innings and 7 ER. Martin and Winckowski have both pitched 3 innings with 0 ER. But maybe my fav is that disaster of relievers, Ryan Brasier, who has pitched 2 innings and given up 3 runs. He's right on par with Kluber, Sale, and Crawford. I think Klubar, Sale, and Crawford failed to prepare adequately for the regular season. I do not consider Houck to be good starter material, and he out-pitched all 3 of them. After, granted, less than a week, the Rays, who are known for their ability to develop pitchers--which Chaim Bloom had a big role in--have a team ERA of 1, and the Sox' ERA is 7.50. The rotation stinks, period. If I'm John Henry, I want Chaim to build a system for developing pitchers and to stay off the trail of all prior Sox GM's, which was simply to buy pitchers--in quantity and even expensive ones.

Agree rotations have stunk. Disagree that’s on Bloom. Sox have traditionally bought starters. See especially 2004, 2007, 2013, and 2018. Bloom needs time to develop starters/pitchers as he did in Tampa.

Possibly, but I wouldn't put it past this rotation to give up even more runs earlier. Kluber and especially Sale disgust me. And let's not forget that Devers error cost 3 unearned runs, which turned out to be the difference between winning and losing. He almost didn't catch an easy foul pop which he also badly misread.

Yes, I agree. I've always felt that pitchers get over on that unearned runs rule. But it is a fact that Devers's terrible misplay should have been an easy 3d out. On the other hand, the Sox have already tied it up on Yoshida's oppo field dinger.

Probably should have thrown that curve more often. Also, against all those lefty hitters, no changeup. Interesting factoids about these Sox. The first three starters didn't start for the Sox last year. And the 3, 4, and 5 hitters weren't on the Sox last year.

Agree.

3 unearned runs--so far.

Great point! Orioles lead MLB with 10 stolen bases. Next most is 4.

My son-in-law is an accountant and basically disappears during tax season, roughly from late Jan for individuals to July-August for businesses. But we'll see him for a week at the beach in June. I have to say that I do like accountants because the honest ones, who are very much in the majority, play an essential role in society. Thunder's trip to the ballpark today is beyond question medicinal.

Terrific! My NOAA map says it's clearing in Boston. That said, and thanks to those draconian MLB blackout rules, I can't get the game live (on mlb.tv or on cable) because I live 300 miles from Baltimore and am therefore part of the Orioles exclusive zone. Same goes for the Nationals in DC and the Braves in Atlanta.

My congrats to you who voted the Sox will have a winning record. Me, I'm gutless.

Sox already meeting expectations.

28 pitches, 14 strikes in the first. Plus the dinger of course. Can one stinking half inning set the pattern for whole season?

I think Kluber will throw a no-hitter; he's that good.