Maxbialystock

I was afraid you would say that. In the past, the Sox have always been inclined to add a starter in July when they think they are in the hunt. I think it was Jake Peavy in 2013 and Eovaldi in 2018.

Story not back next year? How? The Sox need him. Mayer makes me nervous because he is very injury prone. Agree on Casas. He's missed one full season because he swung a bat and then, this season, ran to 1b. My guess is Campbell gets that spot.

Played 10, so I think it's 9.

Right now the top 9 teams in MLB have won between 62 games and 66 games. That's a very tight shot group and means the Sox are very much in the hunt. After reading moonslav's listing of the weaknesses of some of those 9 teams, I think the Sox don't have any real weaknesses. Pitching is the best since 2018. Hitting 4th in MLB in runs. Defense with lots of plus defenders. And good baserunning. The claim is that team morale is pretty good, especially after the Sox didn't trade away anyone on the 26 man roster last week. A couple were sent back to Worcester, however.

Royals at the Fens for 3, then six road games @ San Diego and @ Houston.

Seriously? Because of Wong? If so, I'm delighted.

Really?

You are in the very unenviable position of whining about the "weaknesses" of a Sox team that doesn't really have any. Gonzalez is the "good RH to play 1b." Wong showed again today he is an effective backup catcher. The Sox pitching right now is better than the 2018 staff, the hitting is ranked 4th in MLB in runs scored, the defense is solid despite those errors, and the baserunning is pretty good. How good? The Sox have just played, post ASG, 12 games against 4 Division leaders and won 7 of them. They mashed the Dodgers and Astros at Fenway and went 2-4 @ Cubs and @ Phillies. The one concern now is injuries. I think Bregman, Story, Rafaela, Narvaez, Anthony, and Crochet are irreplaceable. Maybe Chapman is.

Berra had the same problem. And Devers has been known to golf those low pitches now and then. Anthony is the opposite, and his way works a lot better.

😄

Amen. Some great examples. And do I need to add that the Sox weak areas are greatly exaggerated here on talksox? I mean that thread on the presumed failure of Breslow to make a big move on July 31 is now at 15 freaking pages because a huge number of talk soxers are buying the media hype that Breslow failed miserably. They give him a D or and F. The talksox complaints are based on these false assumptions: 1) the Sox rotation stinks; 2) 1b is a disaster which will bring the Sox down quicker than that iceberg did the Titanic; 3) Wong is completely incompetent as the Sox backup catcher.; 4) the Sox have way too many good outfielders, whom Cora is unable to give enough starts/at bats to.

Bello had his his only complete game ever with Wong behind the plate. Now Giolito looks to go 8 while giving up 1 run. Is it even remotely possible Breslow and Cora had good reasons for not signing another backup catcher?

This was/is kind of a one inning game--the disastrous 4th for the Astros with one of their best starters on the mound. The Sox actually have a pretty deep lineup. Those six runs occurred with the Sox having just 1 double and no triples or dingers.

I presume you're being facetious.

The numbers don't say so. Do I need to repeat them?

He is so good. Great acquisition by Breslow.

We sure do. You're his problem, at least on talksox. Rafaela has been invaluable this season. He's a terrific centerfielder who can also play 2b so Cora can optimize his lefty bats against righty starters. He has the highest WAR among the lineup players, is 2d in games played, 3d in total bases, 2d in runs scored, and 4th in dingers. It's too early to be sure, but right now I'd rather have Rafaela than any other Sox centerfielder of the last 20 seasons. Ellsbury was a better hitter, but was way too injury prone.

I went to the mlb icon on my ipad and got it, no questions asked. Blind stupid luck because like you I have been screwed repetitively by mlb.com.

Bregman is the keeper.

By your reckoning Sale should not have received the CY Award last year because he either stunk or didn't much much for the previous 5 seasons--2019-2023. I have railed against Story as much as anyone, but that doesn't blind me to the fact that this year Story is a key part of this team's success--in the field and at bat. Think of it as redemption. Why dwell on past seasons?

You're right of course. But that foolishness is good for team morale. Plus, if you're in the bullpen, you're bored spitless sitting on your keester.

Last month Alcala gave up 2 ER in 10.2 IP. Nevertheless, watching him pitch for the Sox is not for the weak at heart.

Target. These days way too many "news sources/commentators" with way too little to write about. Sports commentators are like what Swift once described lawyers to be--"taught from an early age to say white is black or black is white depending on how they are paid."

While I believe morale is good, I don't think that's why a new 1b was not sought. Campbell has been practicin' and practicin' at Worcester, his hitting is getting better, he has an 8 year contract with the Sox, and the Sox are knee deep in good hitting/fielding outfielders. As far as I'm concerned, Breslow "fixed" the Sox hitting by signing Bregman, who is also a good third baseman. Of course, as we are seeing with the Giants, one guy can't really fix a lineup. So the improvements in Story and Rafaela have been humoungously useful. The addition of Anthony has been even more so. 2024 Duran seems to be sneaking back onto the stage. Abreu is still a good against righties. Gonzalez at 2b/1b solid, mostly against lefties. Losing Devers as the DH was a big loss even though, in the end, a necessary one. He was almost as good a DH as JDM in his prime when he lit up the 2018 Sox lineup. But all the other Sox hitters this year have been so good he really hasn't been missed that much even though he was better than Yoshida/Ref.