Maxbialystock

Hell, they infuriate me. I don’t even like long, lucrative ones for guys like Bryce Harper. I even hate when sports writers and commentators applaud those contracts as good investments. I was even against keeping Ellsbury and Kimbrel. All that said, I find it hard to complain about anything in the John Henry era—even the not smart contracts.

Meh. Last year the Sox went 11-7 without JBJ and he was usually replaced by JDM. This year JDM has been less available. as has Holt. Even worse is that, this year when JDM goes to the outfield, the Sox bench hitting has been so poor the DH doesn't help much--think Nunez, who has DH'd a fair amount. Also, I think it's hard to argue with using JDM last year and that the FO wanted to do it again this year because 2018 was a wildly successful season even with JBJ missing 18 games. This year the Sox have gone 3-5 without JBJ, which is hardly a disaster, especially when a cursory glance at the 5 losses makes it hard to argue that the Sox lost because JBJ didn't play. And don't forget the biggest problem with the defense this year ain't the outfield, but the pitching staff. Consequently, Cora has had to keep 13 pitchers (vice the MLB norm of 12) on the roster for the whole season. That allows Cora to have just 3 spares--a catcher and 2 infielders. Right now Holt is also a spare outfielder as he was last year, but don't forget he missed a big chunk this season.

Agree he's hard to replace, but you can't ignore that Cora has rested him extra games because of concerns about his hitting. For a good chunk of this season his WAR was negative, but it was precisely those games he sat out that showed he is hard to replace. By and large the 4th outfielder is JDM, who in fact replaced Mookie in RF as recently as last night.

Completely agree. It also goes without saying that John Henry has utterly failed to put the Sox in a winning position. Forgot that 86 year stretch. It’s todays Sox fans who have every reason to miserable. When oh when will the Sox FO office put together a good team?

Let’s see if I have this right. The Sox go 86 years without a WS win despite spending a fair amount on good players. Then John Henry takes over, the Sox are very profitable, do spend a lot on players, and win 4 WS in 15 years. And this pisses you off?

The most recent Price start was a reminder that for this Sox rotation nothing is certain. Still, I like both the lineup and Sale on the mound today. So of course I expect a win.

Good game by ERod. Even better game Thursday by the bullpen. wow.

It was drop dead gorgeous, and you should be proud. Yes, certainly, it took awhile for the lineup to get that 4th run. But I thought Porcello had a great start and that the bullpen--Workman and Barnes--were fine. The one glitch was that terrible, rotten, stinking throw by Vazquez that led to the unearned run that tied the game. But Vazquez also got that key 9th inning leadoff double, followed by JBJ's single, and Texas was clearly on the ropes. If you're a Rangers fan, you should be furious, not at those two hits, but at the walk given to Chavis, these days the world's easiest out who loves to swing and miss.

On the other hand, I thought Cora's handling of the bullpen was letter perfect. Workman to get the last out in the 7th, then pitch the 8th, then Barnes pitch the 9th.

Cora take notice. I am not forgetting that you brought in Nunez to hit for Holt and he did exactly what everyone expected--a weak ground out.

Oh, OK. I give him a break because this year DD definitely low-balled the bullpen. Their five best--Workman, Walden, Barnes, Brasier, and Hembree--get paid a total of $5.5M. That's less than half what the Cubs are paying Kimbrel this year.

Vazquez definitely redeemed himself. That was a huge hit, exactly what the Sox have needed too often and not gotten. Almost as big was JBJ's single. To me the walks to Chavis and Mookie were simply the result of a pitcher who lost his command. Both were hitless tonight, and Chavis is in a really bad slump. Definite tip of the cap to Thunder. And to moonslav for telling us to stay positive.

No, no, no. Don't you watch the games? When Barnes got nailed the other night and blew the lead, he threw nothing but fastballs, which Texas teed off on.

And you are dead wrong tonight. The bullpen has been fine, but the lineup sucks, especially that game-tying error by Vazquez in the 8th. Only two things wrong with our lineup--they can't field and they can't hit.

Cora is really screwing up. Nunez has sucked all season, and Holt has gotten some timely hits, especially in late innings. He tied the game night before llast in the bottom of the 9th after Devers hit into the DP.

the pitching, including Workman, was plenty good enough to win this game. The lineup once again stinks it up.

Completely disagree with bringing Nunez in for Holt.

4 K's by JDM--he hurt us far more than Workman.

That was an unearned run. Workman did his job and the defense screwed him.

What a crock. Workman was the right guy to have in there and got 4 outs with no earned runs. Vazquez screwed the pooch.

The Sox are 11-2 when Vazquez sits on the bench.

I'm not ready to say "that's how bad this team truly is," but I do agree that was a crushing loss. The bullpen stunk, of course. But Leon's PB and error let 1 unearned run in. And after Beni's 2 run dinger the in the 1st, the offense produced just 1 run in the next 10 innings.

those numbers again. Always with the numbers. But I agree with your point and in fact am encouraged by it. You and Mary Martin--cockeyed optimists--but she didn't know diddly about numbers.

A might not use the word madness, but fundamentally I agree with you.

I know, I know. You, especially, but also others have tried to make that point. But the operative word is "maybe." Maybe this was one of those games, which are pretty infrequent, when good fielding would have made the difference. But I think the Sox pitchers giving up 8 walks had nothing to do with the defense. Hernandez, who looked great in first inning, gave up 5 of them along with 3 hits and 4 runs (3 earned). And Poyner has an ERA of 15.75, I find it hard to believe he was screwed by the defense.