Maxbialystock

He did.

The press loves it, the big bad Red Sox mistreating their talented and highly paid star. What a story! Some of it's true, but I like what Cora said: it's a trade; that's baseball; end of story. So far the Sox are not suffering from his departure nor the Giants gaining from it. But it's early. I don't doubt Raffy will help the Giants, but probably won't be as good without Bregman batting after him. Meanwhile, the Sox are 11-3 since they were 30-35 on June 6. Raffy contributed very little to that run and Bregman nothing at all. Last night was a riveting game because of all the background and especially because the 10-3 streak was thanks almost entirely to the Sox pitching. Would the Sox ever hit again? Would that even be possible without Raffy (and Bregman)? So the 7-5 win was special. Sox fans are or should be going ape. And that makes today's game as irresistible as last night's. We just might have ourselves a season.

Agree I'm zealous. I don't think he's the manager of the century or whatever, but I do think he's right for this team. He was great in 2021, which you and others forget. And he was managing impossible teams in the Chaim Bloom era and again last year. The hitting was ok, but the pitching wasn't. And that's as much JH's fault as CB's. This year Breslow brought in Bregman, Crochet, and Chapman--plus a big surprise, Narvaez. But for the most part the pitching still stunk until that 8-2 stretch. I haven't read any facts from you on Cora, just opinions--except for the errors, which are misleading. Plus--and I know this will come as a shock to you--Cora didn't commit any of those errors, the players did. They also have made a bunch of good plays this season, and he made none of those.

Well said.

We did. And the Giants didn't score.

Did he divorce you? Enough of that stuff. We disagree on Cora. I remember you on that other website when you consistently hammered Francona every time the Sox lost a game. This team is without Bregman and Devers. Tonight they started 3 rookies. Dobbins had a bad start. And the Sox are leading 6-5. Why are you so down on them and their manager?

Rafaela has gone completely ape. So has Hamilton. The world turned upside down.

For sure he's a whole lot smarter than you are.

Nice cover by Bernardino at 1b.

Just in time with Dobbins having a so-so game--3 ER in 4 IP and leaving with a man on base. To me Anthony's hard hit single was huge. And Rafaela is out of his freaking mind. But his June OPS is over .800. If he can keep hitting, no way, no how will the Sox take him out of centerfield. Better to deal Duran or Abreu. I think MVP 78 said Dobbins should walk Devers every time tonight, but so far he's 0-3 in a game in which SF has scored 5 runs. Great tag by Story and throw by Narvaez!!!

Heck, I thought Birdsong was going to do that to everyone tonight. But you're right.

You want to know what brilliant managing is? It's batting a rookie with a .416 OPS third and having him rip a single to drive in the Sox 4th run. 5-4 Sox. After the first two innings, I thought the Giants had already won. Man, do I love being wrong about stuff like that. Bad as he is, Dobbins has pitched 4 innings and given up "just" 3 ER's. So far, it's an OK start (in my opinion).

You're probably right. You're wrong about his defense, but his hitting stinks this season. Cora is the one guy not to blame for Raffy's departure. In fact, he managed to get Raffy to buy into DHing, and that turned out pretty doggone well. He has been managing 4 rookies. When was the last time a Sox manager did that? Campbell, the rookie 2d baseman, got off to a great start, but his fielding stinks and his hitting went south on him--so back to Worcester. Cora started with Bregman, Devers, and Abreu in the lineup, and right now it's just Abreu. Two fundamentals count way more than any others--hitting and pitching. The manager can't fix those, but he can manage them to their best effect via decisions on lineups, batting orders, pinch-hitting, and the ever popular decisions on when to bring in a relief pitcher. Don't get me wrong. I think the players should always get the lion's share of the credit when things go well. So of course it falls on the manager when they don't. In this case the front office and the owner know that Cora is perfect for this team, its rookies, and all the other challenges. The Sox are 2 games over .500 despite a pitching staff ranked 19th in team ERA. I think we can agree Cora can't get much credit for the fact that Rafaela's 3 rbi's so far tonight. Nor can we blamed him for the abysmal pitching by Dobbins with his 5 freaking walks.

One more time. The best team fielding percentage in MLB is 99%. The Sox fielding percentage is 98% Statistically, that difference is miniscule. You have to look at better measurements, play by player. When you do that you learn that Bregman/Mayer are solid at 3b, Narvaez at catcher, Rafaela in CF, and Abreu in RF. Story has actually been good--certainly above average--at SS. Duran is just OK in LF the problems are at 1b and 2b and tonight Hamilton was playing because he's our best defensive 2d baseman. The problems are at 2b and 1b, and Hamilton, the guy with the error, has a DWAR of +0.8, which is actually pretty good.

Good golly miss molly. The Sox 8th and 9th batters go double then dinger, and now Duran singles. And I'm the guy who said Birdsong had our guys mesmerized.

Oh, stuff it. The Sox defense is actually pretty good. Whoa!!! Dinger by Hamilton!!!

Dobbins gets a big break with the DP. Dobbins keep finding new ways to screw this game up. So far this is the kind of pitching moonslav warned us of. Dobbins can be good, but not very often.

Dobbins gets a big break with the DP. Dobbins keep finding new ways to screw this game up. So far this is the kind of pitching moonslav warned us of. Dobbins can't

Dobbins gets a big break with the DP. Dobbins keep finding new ways to screw this game up.

Not sure the Sox care that much, especially if they know Breslow screwed Raffy first by lying to him, then, after he became a big success at DH, telling him he had to play 1b. I think Devers days with the Sox were numbered the day Bregman was announced as the new 3d baseman. Raffy loved playing 3b and had done so for 8 years. That said, 1b does make sense for him when the Giants 3d baseman is this good. Plus he has to be happy to be away from Breslow. Sox look helpless against Birdsong's breaking stuff. Helpless. Dobbins, meanwhile is jacking around out there when he has an 0-2 count and throws 4 straight balls.

That's what I remember. Drove me nuts.

You have some awfully good insights.

He's thrown the 2d most innings on this team. His ERA, 3.49, is also 2d best among the starters. He has 5 quality starts, also 2d best in just 11 starts. But you're right. He has 28 BB's in 59 IP.

My goodness, I forgot they moved temporarily. Thanks.

I'm almost always on mute. On games I can't get because of blackouts, I like the NESN crew.