Maxbialystock

His contract, $147M for 8 seasons, was a bargain, "Manny being Manny" notwithstanding. Definitely a big deal in 2004, less so in 2007. The 2004 team led MLB in scoring, but the pitching was 8th in ERA. In 2007, however, the team scoring was 3d in MLG and the Sox team ERA was 2d. Indeed, of the four WS-winning seasons (2004, 2007, 2013, and 2018), the 2007 team had the best pitching. Last time I checked, Manny Ramirez didn't throw a single pitch in the entire 2007 season and postseason. Plus 2007 was a down year for Manny in the regular season. The Sox hitting stars were David Ortiz and Mike Lowell. In the postseason Manny hit the game-winning dinger in game 2 vs. the Angels, but the Sox pitching held the Angels to 4 runs in 3 games. In the 8 wins against the Guardians and and Rockies, Manny's hitting wasn't a factor either because the winning margins were huge or because Manny didn't contribute in the two close games, 2-1 and 4-3, against Colorado. As for 2004, Ortiz had the big bat in the postseason, especially in the crucial extra-inning games 4 and 5 vs the Yankees in the historic come from behind ALCS. Plus don't forget the bloody sock guy.

Yes--that shmuck with the Phillies, Bryce Harper. Attendance jumped when he came on the scene.

But an enduring truth behind it. Winning in baseball takes a couple of squads more than a superstar. The very best starter only pitches 1 in 5 games--and these days rarely averages 7 innings per game--the best reliever 1 of 9 innings, the best hitter 1 of 9 positions in the batting order. And that's why spending a quarter of a billion dollars or more for one player, no matter how good, makes no sense to me.

Good discussion on the pitching, which to me has been better than expected. But, as you all seem to agree, can it hold up, especially the rotation? Meanwhile the bullpen is leaking runs almost every game. Every year, or almost every year, the hitting seems to be good, the pitching less so--and this year more than ever. Hitting is #1 in MLB and pitching is #14.

Ah, youth. You had to be born in 1984 or sooner. 1983 is the 5th losing season pre-JH, counting back. During JH, the Sox have had 4 (2020, 2015, 2014, and 2012), which also happens to be the same number of years the Sox won the WS. 1959-1966, the Sox had 8 straight losing seasons.

Blaaaaaa! Bradley was/is a superb centerfielder. Dalbec so far is a liability on defense while playing the easiest position. If he can hit 40 dingers, he will play, but right now his overall WAR of -1.0 is actually hurting the Sox. That said, he did have that much-needed 3 run dinger to beat the Orioles, and he has shown potential last year with the Sox and in prior years in college and the minors.

You're the Coliseum, the Louver Museum, a melody from a symphony by Strauss, a Bendel bonnet, a Shakespeare's sonnet, Mickey Mouse, the Nile, the Tower of Pisa, the smile on the Mona Lisa

I figured this season would be sub-.500. I remember the years when the June swoon was normale, but not since JH took over.

Brice had a decent April (8 games, ERA 3.52) and a disastrous May (2 appearances. ERA 27). If memory serves, earlier this year the White Sox put a position player on the mound late in a game they had no hope of winning. That is Brice's niche.

A brilliant innovation, and by that I mean T-ball. It's a godsend for pre-Little League, but hitters of all ages can benefit from it. And it's so, so simple.

Any time a pitcher is replaced, it's useful to consider the offensive side of things. Last night the Sox were legitimately held to 1 run, so my thought is that, if not Perez, then certainly someone from the bullpen was going to cough up the 2d and winning run for the Orioles. All managers take to the high wire when deciding to keep or replace the pitcher on the mound. I have my own prejudices about when or whether--and will sound off when they are violated--but I agree Cora has done a good job and no manager can be right every time. And this rant, once again. The software programs in those computers are slowly but surely eating away at a manager's self-confidence and/or, depending on his boss, willingness to make a tough call on a given pitcher or pitchers. I cite the recent (2019?) postseason example of the manager who pulled his starter, who was pitching brilliantly, the game of a lifetime, after 6 innings because the computer and he decided before the game started that 6 innings was that pitcher's limit. GIGO and MEGO. That team lost the game when the bullpen was called in.

Thanks, moonslav, for the nice 4 game run which was much needed. Tonight the better pitching won, simple as that. A's and Angels at Fenway likely to be tough, but that's OK. You only get to stay in first place the old-fashioned way. You earn it.

Given my expectations that Eovaldi is due for a burnout or something, that ERod just got thru an entire missed season thanks heart problems from COVID 19, etc, I'm ecstatic about the rotation--except for the pressure their shortish starts put on the bullpen.

Who gave you right, the privilege, to inject some cautionary notes? I know the title of the thread is "a realistic view," but that's just moonslav's standard discussion ploy and not to be taken seriously when the Sox are on a winning streak. Think spring, the darling buds of May, everything's coming up roses, and career years for some of our guys.

I have never understood the value of "power rankings" when we have the won-lost percentages and the standings. I'm serious. At the end of the season and two teams are tied for spot in the playoffs, MLB doesn't go to power rankings for the tiebreaker. They go by W-L records between the teams, within their division or league, etc. Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing, and power rankings are silly.

Gotta go with Perez and the win because this year I think he is better than Lopez, who got hammered by the Sox a month ago. He has been better since then, but with a tight rein. He's gone 5 innings in 1 of 6 starts. Thanks mostly to Sox hitting, the Sox have the best record in MLB and the best road record, 12-4. It also helps that key players--the rotation, Barnes, and the Sox "big five" (JDM, Bogie, Rafi, Elena's grandson, and Vazquez)--have stayed healthy. Hernandez and Arroyo are on the IL, but neither absence is calamitous. Agree with moonslav that June and July will be tough. All that said, this has so far been one heckuva season. Credit to the players, of course, but also Chaim and Alex. What was that Kenny Rogers song? You gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, and know when to run. Also know when to mix your metaphors.

You've said this before, but this time recognized that any standard, while somewhat arbitrary, is better than none. Your sliding scale makes sense, but requires memorizing the 5 parts. Plus I think one of the key measures of a "quality" start should be 6 innings. The Sox have played just 21.6% of the season, and commentators are talking about overuse of the bullpen even though the Sox have 9 bullpen pitchers because their rotation averages 5 innings per start. If 4 scoreless innings becomes the standard, the Sox should consider bringing back Swihart so they can go with 10 position players and 15 (or is it 16) pitchers.

Well worth the $35M he's getting this year. Smart investment by the Dodgers. Getting Mookie Betts pretty much guarantees them WS success for years to come.

As do we all, but right now I'm relishing the four while rooting for the Nationals, Astros, and A's.

The WEEI radio announcers are a tad flaky. I think it was in the 4th when they said Pivetta was pitching very efficiently, but then they noticed he had already thrown 64 pitches, so backed off. Neither said that both things were true. Pivetta needed 30+ pitches to get thru the first inning, but then got very efficient, which is why he could go 6 (and 103 pitches).

Another save for Barnes. Like clockwork. Nice 6 innings by Pivetta, a quality start by any measure. 4 straight for the Sox and moonslav59. Camden Yards again tomorrow night

Agree with moonslav59 and iortiz. Well said.

Not so much at my age.

JD likes playing in the outfield and has a good arm, but limited range. Before the DH, there were lots of guys like him.

Overall, I like keeping players, especially good ones like Mookie. But I broke that habit with Ellsbury, who was so great early on and even stole 3d and home on the same passed ball. But he kept missing games until 2011 when he had a career season, after which the Yankees gave him $140M+ for 7 years. Good riddance, I thought. I didn't like losing Manny, but also thought he wanted too much. Mookie was definitely a keeper until I saw the probable cost of keeping him. I also liked dumping Beckett and Adrian Gonzalez in 2012 and Price in 2019. I guess I just don't think any player is worth more than $25M a year although Harper might be. Not because he's that good because he isn't, but because he seems to have boosted the Phillies attendance significantly. Not so Mookie with the Dodgers or Trout with the Angels.