Maxbialystock

This is a neat table which I have routinely ignored. Thank you.

All very sensible. To me this Sox team has a very unusual dynamic compared to other Red Sox teams in the John Henry era. They have terrific pitching, ERA now ranked 3d in MLB, backed up with a defense that has caused just 27 unearned runs in 105 games despite a so-so middle infield. That is simply not Sox baseball. Funny thing, most Sox teams in the JH era have had at least one ace starter--like Crochet last season. Not so this season I think the pitching has Breslow written all over it. Less so the defense because he inherited the outfield. The lack of hitting is only partly on Breslow because he inherited Story and Yoshida--$40M/ year with little production--and correctly let Devers and then Bregman go. Contreras was a good addition, and this seson Rafaela and Abreu have both been pretty good. Durans OPS stinks except when men are in scoring position when it skyrockets to .913, which is why he has the second most rbi's on the team after Contreras. Last year the Sox best hitter was Anthony, who has been on the IL since April with no return date in sight. He's waiting for the pain to go away. I liked and still like Cora a ton, but there can be little doubt that replacing him with Tracy has helped a lot.

That was a GIDP ball that Seighler blew. Tonight Chapman was terrific.

Great, gutsy close by Chapman!!!!

Darn! Thanks for the info.

Any word on damage/injury to Mead?

Yes. Of course not. And I will be delighted with anything .600 or above. This road trip will give us another clue. 60% of the remaining 58 games puts the Sox at 89 wins.

Huge, huge dinger by Rafaela. Stupid decision by A's to pitch around Abreu, who is ice cold.

After 5, Tolle looks like the only Major Leaguer playing for the Sox.

No doubt. But so far tonight the Sox hitters are the pikers. They have yet to hit a ball hard. And we just saw Duran at his worst for out #14 without a hit. It does not matter where Perkins throws the ball because the Sox miss (or refuse to swing at) fat pitches and relish swinging at pitches outside the zone. End of 5, no hits. Our brand new bat struck out and got the HBP.

And the only Sox "hit" after 4 innings is an HBP. Moonslav is right that flying west makes the time zone difference a lot easier.

I honestly haven't seen a pitcher challenge, but maybe he signals the catcher who signals the umpire. I agree "calls that weren't challenged were off," but whose fault is that? if the batter, pitcher, and/or catcher can't tell a ball from a strike, it's on them. I think it's a good thing that 3 frequently challenged umps will retire this season, but I also vastly prefer that umps continue to call balls and strikes. If they can't call them, get rid of them and go with an automated system for all calls. You want "invisible umpires?" That's how you get them. I want highly visible umpires who, like the players, managers, and coaches, can't see that freaking rectangle.

"Let's hope" is the definition of this season with its astounding ups and downs. We all loved the 15 game winning streak, but can't be sure it's the real 2026 Sox. And, as you say, the question is whether the Sox can keep scoring runs. Well, they did score 6 yesterday to take 2/3 from the Jays, and now they go to California to play 4 vs the Athletics and 3 vs the Dodgers. In other words, July has been fantastic, but it ain't over yet--and August and September are still lurking out there. in that context Duran just might be the signature player (non-pitcher) on this team. His batting average is below the Mendoza line (.200) and his OPS is a miserable .602. But guess what it is with runners in scoring position? Try .923, 2d best among the regulars to Contreras's 1.059. Plus he's a good fit in the best defensive outfield in MLB. Plus he leads the Sox in SB's--as well as K's (by a big margin). The next 3 (OPS's with runners in scoring position) are Rafaela at .883, Durbin at . 827, and Abreu at .728. Yoshida's is .471 (!!!!!). Narvaez's is .310. Honestly, I give the lion's share of the credit for this season's turnaround to CBO Breslow and manager Tracy. Breslow completely broke Red Sox precedent by going after quality pitching ahead of hitting, so much so that the Sox now have the 3d best ERA in MLB and the 21st best team OPS. I also think Tracy has managed those pitchers well. As for the hitting, i'm guessing patience plus Breslow brought in Contreras and Durbin (and now Mead). Plus he kept Duran.

But humans play the game, watch the games, and call the games in a system that has worked well for over a century. As I keep insisting, no one on the field of play can see the freaking rectangle that defines the strike zone we see on our screens. I think the vast majority of Americans love technology, but I for one don't want it impinging excessively on the human nature of sports. Balls and strikes--of which there are normally 200-300 in every game--are the unique essence of baseball. And it is inhuman to want all of them called by a system of cameras and computers. You cannot name a sport whose essence relies solely on cameras and computers with zero involvement of human umpires/referees. Indeed, I think the current system of player challenges has skillfully insisted on a human solution to that devilish rectangle on our screens. The umpires are still in control of the game and extremely visible when they call balls and strikes, fair or foul, caught or not caught, safe or not safe, etc.

No doubt. Umps are human. And sports are uniquely human. Right now there are replays available--with the option of changing the call--in almost every aspect of the game. Funny thing, but we have no idea of how accurate those rectangles are that define the strike zone for each and every player. They are in fact arbitrary rectangles, presumably sized to fit each player, but even that's a sloppy business. Despite that the replays--caused by challenges--show a ball inside the strike zone by just 1/10 of an is still a strike. But our disagreement is more fundamental than that. I want human umpires, not automatons, and I am perfectly happy with a degree of imperfection. What we have discovered with this season's new use of challenges to ball and strike calls is that the umpires--with very few exceptions--are way better at calling balls and strikes than are the players, including catchers. The new larger bases (5 years ago?) make calls at 2d and 3d much harder because baserunners can sometimes avoid outs even when the throw and the tag are pretty good. Replays of calls at 1b show that 1/100th of a second is enough to make the umpire wrong.

We will never agree on this topic because I prefer the human element to the degree that it can be maintained. The umpires are part of the game. When they make a call, absolutely the last thing we should want them to be is invisible. Sports are a human endeavor which hopefully will stay that way. Because of those cameras and the countless replays available to the TV audience, MLB (and the NFL, NBA, and now even the World Cup) reviews/replayes had/have to be allowed--but with limits on how many. About those "no delays due to challenges." To make that happen would youwant fair and foul balls called by the computer? How about safe and out on the bases? Catch or no catch? Infield fly rule? Catcher interference? HBP or not? Baserunners interfering with fielders? Full swing vs part swing? Balks?

Anyone can tell the pitching is great via the team ERA. But I think I'm the only one who has pointed out how many unearned runs the Sox have given up this season. It they maintain the current rate of 27 per 102 games they will finish with roughly half of the unearned runs of last season. I'm also the only one who has praised Breslow for returning Duran this season. He sure has come in handy with Anthony out since April (and probably for the rest of the season). His fielding is excellent and after 102 games he is still ranked 2d on the team in rbi's--despite a lousy OPS (.602). Here's another one--a rave for Chad Tracy for leaving Gray in for 5 runs (all in the 3d inning) and 5 IP yesterday and then pulling Suarez after 0 runs and 4 IP today. Smart baseball.

Lots. Hitters and catchers both have direct views of the strike zone, but the umps have to position themselves behind the catcher, which makes it tough to get the low pitches right. I would remind you yet again that nobody on the field--not the umps or players or coaches--can see that rectangle we all worship from the comfort of our homes (or bars). And no other sport--and not yet MLB, thank goodness--automatically lets a computer/camera linkup make 200-300 calls a game. Somehow MLB came up with a brilliant solution. Let catchers and hitters immediately challenge a call with a limit of two bad challenges a game.

Horsehockey. The catchers and hitters are free to challenge and are frequently wrong, especially when not challenging a call that is wrong. That said I think three regurlarly challenges umps will retire at the end of this season.

Wow.

Meh. This was the best World Cup I can remember and the play was mostly brilliant. The offsides rule is what keeps the scores so low because it heavily favors the defense. Given that, the players are amazing, especially the passing. To come from behind (0-1 with less than 15 min to go) Argentina's Messi had to make two terrific passes leading to two goals. But nothing worked against Spain's excellent defense. Funny thing, but I also didn't hate today's game because I thought Cease was throwing great stuff. Meanwhile the Sox defense was terrific. I mention that because I've yet to read anyone else on Talksox agree that the defense has made a real difference this season.

I disagree. He is part of the best defensive outfield in MLB and is 2d on the team in rbi's and 4th in total bases despite his horrible OPS. Moreover, both managers have had abundant opportunities to put anyone else in LF and did not do so. I'm aware that almost everyone else on talksox agrees with you that Duran is a dud, a loser, etc.

My point is that Breslow foresaw that he just might need Duran as an option. That has paid off handsomely on defense and even at the plate.

Perhaps he could, but then how do you address the fact that neither manager chose to platoon him? I ain't no expert, but those two are. He's played 16 of 17 games in July and tied with Contreras for most rbis with 13 and with an OPS of .528. He missed on game in July, on the 1st, and the Sox lost 10-2 to the Nats.

.929 vs righties, so he could do some DH'ing too. Yoshida is .728 vs righties.