Maxbialystock

He currently has the highest WAR (wins over replacement), 3.8, among the 13 Sox lineup players. He is 3d in total bases, 2d in runs scored, 3d in SB's, 4th in dingers, 5th in rbi's, and tied with Bregman for fewest K's per AB's (which is 1 every 5 at bats).

You could be right about farm assets. I'm less sure that dumping Duran would have brought back anyone better than Cease. As you have pointed out, no one wants Abreu and the Sox wisely won't cough up Rafaela or Anthony. And Cora has been able to play all 4 outfielders almost any time he wants to because Rafaela can go to 2b or Anthony to DH. Aren't you the one who has said the best deals are in the offseason and not in July?

The past is the past. Breslow has reshaped this Sox team to make it better even after sending Devers to the Giants. ESPN is the same outfit that said Devers to SF was great for SF and a disaster for the Sox. They and all other so-called analysts never, ever like any form of standing pat because it isn't news.

I'm sure you're right about the other contenders improving more than the Sox and that the reliever and starter coming to the Sox will make a small difference, if any. I completely disagree that going "all out" would have accomplished much. Thus do I cite San Diego's insistence that the Sox needed to cough up Duran to get Cease. You are also the one who calls game outcomes early to underscore how hopeless this current Sox team is. That's of course your right, but mine is to say this team is already competitive. Their first 3 starters are the best since the 2018 Sox. And Buehler was pretty decent in July. The incoming guy might be an adequate 5th starter and the lefty might help in the bullpen. The lineup looks pretty darn good to me--scoring and defending. The Sox are 4th in MLB in scoring and 5th in OPS. The 2021 Sox were 5th in runs scored and 3d in team OPS. And the Sox defense this year is way better than the 2018 defense in terms of DWAR's of individual players. Rafaela>>JBJ; Duran> Benintendi; Narvaez>>Vazquez; Bregman/Mayer>Holt/??: Story>>Bogaerts; Gonzalez/Rafaela/Hamilton>Nunez. However, Betts>Abreu; and Moreland>Toro/Gonzalez. The above is why the Sox have won 10 of their last 16 games against the Rays, @ Cubs, @ Phillies, Dodgers, and @ Twins. Of those 5 teams, 3 (Cubs, Phillies, Dodgers) have 63, 61, and 64 wins, the Rays are 3.5 games out of the AL wild card, and the Twins have a winning record, 30-24, at home. I cannot at all predict how this season will turn out, but I like how the Sox are playing right now.

I emphatically disagree with "these bums." The pitching has come around and is the best since 2018. The hitting is ranked 4th in MLB in runs scored and 5th in team OPS. The fielding is actually better than all previous Sox teams back through at least 2018. That terrific team overall had these DWAR's: Moreland -0.5, Benintendi -0.6, Bogaerts -1.0, and Nunez -1.5. JBJ's was 0.4, not even within shouting difference of Rafaela's 2.0 this year. Leon .9 and Vazquez .2 not even close to Narvaez 1.9 and Wong .3. Betts 1.8 in RF definitely better than Abreu .8, but not overwhelmingly so.

No doubt. I'm pretty worn myself. But right now I trust Breslow's judgment, no doubt supported by Cora's--a lot more than yours.

Not a miser, but also not the big spender he was, 2002-2018/19. In case you've forgotten, Breslow was allowed to spend big bucks on Crochet, Bregman, and Chapman. How did that work out? The Sale thing was awful, but Giolito has actually been decent this year even though the Sox are paying $40M for one semi-good season. Plus don't forget that John Henry is still overpaying for Yoshida and Story--although I do think Story has been invaluable this year. And right now letting Devers go to the Giants looks like genius. They've gotten worse with him. And the Sox hitting has improved without Devers. Meanwhile the Sox are using a lot of less seasoned, inexpensive players: Duran, Rafaela, Abreu, Anthony, Narvaez, Gonzalez, Mayer. The first five have all been excellent. Campbell still might be. Ditto Mayer. Plus I really like that Bregman, Crochet, and Chapman are all earning their big salaries. I think, like you, I would prefer that the Sox spend freely, but right now I kind of like the product they are putting on the field. Did you know they are 5 games back of the Jays, who have the best W-L record in MLB?

Sorry, everyone, but I've been fine with Toro/Gonzalez all along. I'd prefer Mayer at 2d base, but am not unhappy with Gonzalez/Hamilton.

Not passe. You cannot find a manager anywhere who doesn't load his lineup with lefty bats against a righty starter and righty bats against a lefty starter. When you look at the splits for the Sox, you find the righty bats do better against lefties and the lefty bats against righties. You might think it's insane for Cora to start Rafaela at 2b against a righty starter so he can then have 3 lefty bats in the outfield, but I don't.

I'm with you, Thunder. The Sox have just been through a gauntlet--4 vs Rays, 3 @ Cubs, 3 @ Phillies, 3 vs Dodgers, and 3 @ Twins--and were 10-6. And they did that with what everyone seems to think are "too many outfielders," which is horsehockey.

No doubt. I'm less inclined to criticize Breslow for 3 reasons-- 1. To get Cease from San Diego, he was going to have to cough up Duran. That's how insane the market is in July. 2. The second is that the Sox right now do not have any big weaknesses. Sox pitching, in terms of team ERA, now ranked 10th in MLB, is its best since 2018. Defense is solid, despite all the whining about errors. Sox hitting is 4th in MLB in terms of runs scored and 5th in terms of team OPS. Baserunning is good. 3. And guess what? We've seen what Breslow can do in the offseason because last winter he brought in Crochet, Chapman, Bregman, and Narvaez--all 4 of whom have been have been freaking invaluable. Does anyone on this board think Breslow would have done remotely as well this month? If so, you are nuts.

Your judgment, but certainly not mine. Right now the Sox defense is an asset, especially in the outfield, at catcher, at 3b, at SS, and even at 2b when Hamilton or Rafaela is there. 1b is the only problem, and even there I'm not sure it is. Seriously. When I watch the games, I regularly see our first basemen make good plays, and all are better than Casas. Yesterday Gonzalez started a nifty double play when the fielded a grounder, ran to first, and then made a perfect throw to Story, who tagged the runner out. I think you under-rate Story at SS. To me he has been reliable on throws to 1b when going to his right,on charging in on slow rollers, going back on popups, and turning double plays. Cora has started Story in 106 games, 2d most on the team. And he did that despite Story's struggles at the plate which hopefully are over. Thus does Story leads MLB shortstops in total chances, assists, and double plays. He is 2d in putouts.

The lousy, stinking, no good Boston Red Sox are 5 games behind the Jays, who have the most wins, 64, in MLB while playing in the toughest Division (as do the Sox). And the Sox have played the tougher schedule. We are definitely contenders with no compelling needs although good arms, starters or relievers, will always help. The problem is that the owners of those good arms expect a king's ransom in return. Thus did the Padres expect Duran for Cease.

They absolutely are. They are tied with the Tigers and the Brewers with most wins, 64, but their run differential is just +23. Plus the AL East Division remains the toughest of the six. And the Sox are just 5 games back of the Jays despite playing a tougher schedule. I think this is the best Sox team in years. The offense is ranked 4th in runs scored and 5th in team OPS. The pitching is ranked 10th in team ERA and 4th in quality starts. And I'm saying now that the dipsticks focused on total errors have failed to see that the Sox defense is actually pretty good, especially at catcher, CF, RF, LF, 3b, SS, and even 2b. The talksox fixation on total errors is foolish. Even the baserunning is pretty decent. Another starter would be great, but they are mighty expensive--like the Padres expecting Duran for Cease. What a joke. Same goes for good bullpen arms--go after them but don't give away the farm. I see no compelling need for a first baseman or, for that matter, a catcher.

Interesting. That's been done by many clubs in the past.

Good grief. Then I apologize. You guys were/are good choices as mods.

That's been topic 1 for at least a month, and the reasoning was that the Sox have too many outfielders--kind of like the Austrian Emperor telling Mozart his opera had too many notes. When the Sox refused to exchange Duran for Cease, Breslow was criticized right here on talksox. Mr Golito's latest article claims Cease is better than Bello, which would make him a fair exchange for Duran (despite the facetious "lock Duran up" claim). Cease's WAR, 0.5, is 12th best among Padres pitchers. I would be dishonest if I didn't admit I too was ready to dump Duran, but I said so because I thought the Sox would get good value in return. However, right now, today, we're being told yet again how great Cease is. Duran's WAR, +3.0, is 3d best among lineup players on the Sox.

Of course it was luck. It's important never to say anything good about him.

Heck, last time I looked he led MLB in IP. So of course I'm for it.

Bello 7 IP, 1 ER. I think he's been pretty good, but I also think the defense behind him has been excellent. So a shout out to moonslav who has always argued that a good defense can make a real difference. My retort has been that I'd rather have good hitting. Well, just maybe these 2025 Sox have both.

Hopefully, the Sox can dump Duran. I hear the Padres are offering their 12th best pitcher for him. Let's snap that up.

The mods are right. We need to dump Duran ASAP.

Slick double play.

Wong's OPS last year was .758 in 126 games. In fact I think he played 1b a couple of times because of his bat. Reportedly, his framing has improved this year.

Yoshida comes thru big time. Clean single for 2 rbi's.