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Maxbialystock

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Everything posted by Maxbialystock

  1. Maxbialystock
    It's a cartoon, probably from the New Yorker, showing two Brits with tropical helmets, one of whom is saying, "Quicksand or not, Barclay, I've half a mind to struggle."
  2. Maxbialystock
    It sure looks as thought the complaints about the brutal road trip out West were ill-founded. So far at home the Sox are 3-3, which is an improvement, but against the dregs of the AL East, the Jay and the Orioles. The latter came to town with an 0-4 road record and split with the Sox. Something happened over the winter or in spring training, which at this point I think is undeniable. I happen to think the hitting can turn around any day and be pretty darn good as it was last year. But the pitching more and more seems to be an intractable problem. Yesterday Price and bullpen pitched a shutout, but today's 8 run debacle will ensure the Sox will continue to have the 28th best ERA in MLB. Today was actually a repeat of a game the Sox had a week or so ago when Velazquez started in Arizona and the Sox won 1-0 without using the rotation. Only today the all-bullpen juggernaut got trampled with those 8 runs. So now the bullpen is as suspect as the rotation and just maybe because of the rotation.
  3. Maxbialystock
    Cora is blameworthy, but I hesitate to base that on the lineup. The telling truths are-- 1. He has the same high-priced rotation he had last year but without Pom, who bombed. So far they are pretty awful. 2. He also has pretty much the same lineup less Kinsler, who didn't hit much, and plus Pedey, who still might be able to hit (and field). They are about half as good as last year. 3. He has most of the same bullpen less Kelly, who looks awful so far in LA, and Kimbrel, who can't help this bullpen because he only pitches the 9th, preferably with no one on and a 3 run lead. The bullpen is less and less effective, but I blame some of that on how much Cora has to use them when his starters can't go 5 innings, let alone 6 or 7. 4. He has the same defense minus gold glover Kinsler at 2B. 5. He also still has the highest payroll in MLB.
  4. Maxbialystock
    Looks like the Sox may now have a full house of issues--rotation, hitting, defense, and bullpen. Blaming all of the above on Pedroia is kind of silly. Much as I like Cora--and I do--I do have to repeat what I have said about every manager. Each must be evaluated on wins and losses vs. the expectations of the GM and/or owner. Nothing else counts. In this case the wins and losses look pretty awful, but we are still in April and only halfway through at that.
  5. Maxbialystock
    Sox have 0 hits in 3 innings, but do have an error. And Velazquez had 4 walks in 3 innings, but miraculously only 1 run. Sox have 7 righty bats vs. righty starter Straily.
  6. Maxbialystock
    Porcello is pathetic.
  7. Maxbialystock
    Somewhere back in this thread I said something negative and intemperate about Mookie Betts, which I now regret. I am unhappy with a couple of his plays in the outfield and that one baserunning gaffe and with all those K's (which he used to not get), but I still believe in the guy if not his rapacious agent.
  8. Maxbialystock
    OK. My mistake. Plus I was just mad at the rotation.
  9. Maxbialystock
    Impressive, thanks. Also the thoughts on Devers.
  10. Maxbialystock
    Who cares about those numbers when the pitching and defense are so miserably bad?
  11. Maxbialystock
    This miserable team is not worth rooting for. I am serious. Highest payroll in MLB. Mookie especially is playing as though he has instructions from his agent--no doubt Scott Boras--not to take chances in the field and to swing for the fences, not worry about K's and really not worry about winning games. And all this because his agent has convinced Mookie that $20M a year is chicken feed. The times are out of joint.
  12. Maxbialystock
    Interesting. Sounds like Cora. Thanks. Agree it's all about the pitching, but must remind the Sox OPS is 21st best in MLB. Last year it was #1. And our defense hasn't been all that great either.
  13. Maxbialystock
    I'm not positive, but believe so far the Sox have the 28th best ERA, the 20th best OPS and are in the top 10 in errors. But most of us believe the rotation is the big problem.
  14. Maxbialystock
    I'm 78 and wish I did as well as you on here. As for Vazquez, I think the early attraction was his arm and quick release. Thus his caught stealing percentage was 52% in 2014, but 37% last year. His fielding % has stayed around .993 and .994. His OWAR was 1.0 in 2014 and -.4 last year, so his hitting has clearly dropped off. His overall WAR in 2014 was 1.0 and last year was -0.8. So you are basically correct although I don't know how good or bad he is with the pitchers (his CERA).
  15. Maxbialystock
    Too true. No way I can disagree with small sample size and especially the notion of players finding their stride, especially in MLB. We have seen that happen so many times. It is almost certainly going to happen to these Sox, just maybe not in time or in a way that gets them to the playoffs.
  16. Maxbialystock
    #1 is not false. Vazquez was in fact the primary catcher. #5 You are absolutely right, but the pass throughs occur because that player's salary makes him not worth picking up, which is still my point. If Sandy Leon is so good he transforms a pitching staff, than $2.5M is a small price to pay. Or consider that the BoSox are currently paying him $2.5M not to play for them. There is no way, no how putting Leon on waivers shows how great a catcher he is. I like Sandy Leon, and I think he is a good catcher. But management--Cora, the pitching coach, DD, et al--don't like him that much and they are paid to make good judgments on players. And last year, just as you say, they saw him start 87 games for the Sox.
  17. Maxbialystock
    Marathon is a terrible metaphor for baseball. Marathoners are merely joggers who endure and have none of the finely honed skills of a MLB player. Baseball players actually do sprint and for the most part avoid jogging. And you better believe they live all the highs and lows of every single inning and game. And it's the same for us fans. We should be up and down based on what happens each inning, game, week, month, and season. Any fan who goes through the season with the mentality of a marathoner is cheating himself. I mean, why even bother watching if your perspective is it's just one more of 162 games? Better to quote Yogi (or someone): it ain't over 'til it's over.
  18. Maxbialystock
    Of course it does. How could anyone rationally use the West Coast trip as a viable explanation for horrible pitching?
  19. Maxbialystock
    I honestly don't like Vazquez that much, but I seriously doubt he is the problem with the rotation. For these reasons-- 1. He was the primary catcher last year, and the staff did fine. 2. This year the bullpen hasn't had the same problem as the rotation. In fact, far from it. 3. Indeed, by far the best pitched game this season was the only game in which none of the five starters threw a single pitch. 4. DD, Cora, and the pitching coach must have all agreed to retain Vasquez as the primary catcher even though it means paying Leon $2.5M to be in Pawtucket (after first putting him on waivers). 5. Speaking of which, why didn't any of the other 29 MLB teams pick up the greatest catcher in Sox history, Sandy Leon? Maybe because he really ain't that great--or ain't worth that $2.5M salary.
  20. Maxbialystock
    Committed Statistical Analyst. They both reviewed over 100 Sox seasons--then thousands of other MLB teams seasons-- and concluded 3-8 was actually the best the Sox could do under the circumstances of 11 games away from Fenway, right after ST, and near or west of the Rocky Mountains. They have recommended to John Henry that he file a claim against MLB schedulers for the loss of revenue that is almost certain to occur as a result.
  21. Maxbialystock
    Today I learned that two former CSA's are blaming this on the lengthy West Coast road trip.
  22. Maxbialystock
    Ah, the "the Sox are playing with house money" argument. A good point, but most of the rest of us prefer to be spoiled with another run for the roses, especially when the core of last year's team is back and have the highest payroll in MLB. Besides, we seem to enjoy griping even more that singing the Sox praises. We just don't seem to like basking in the sunshine of 2018.
  23. Maxbialystock
    A lot of negativity--albeit deserved--on this thread. But I would still like to thank Kimmi for starting this one and the one before. We seem to like venting more than cheering, but that's fine.
  24. Maxbialystock
    Sox now have their 4th reliever in the game. But yesterday was an off day and so is tomorrow. So why not?
  25. Maxbialystock
    You have a kind heart.
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