moonslav59

Looks like Joely may be shut down for the season, but I doubt he could come back and do much better than Bernardino. That leaves Houck's pending return and demotion of Llovera to bring the club to the closest level of health than I can ever remember. We've had our share of injuries, over the season, and one could argue Kelly or Joely might have been a 26 man roster player, but they are borderline. I'm not trying to jinx the team, not that I believe in that anyway, but some felt we needed "everything to go right," and maybe we will see that happen over the next 7 weeks. I had a few moments, this season, where my hopes almost vanished, but unlike last year, I kept hope alive. We still need to see which Houck returns, or if Sale and Whitlock can return to the levels they have shown in the past and stay there for a couple months and if the recent struggles by Bello & Paxton are just blips. Our bats have cooled over the last week or two, but I have to think we snap out of this funk. Here's how I see the 26 man shaping up: 1. Duran .842 (.349 OBP & 23 SB) 2. Turner .842 (the MAN!) 3. Devers .847 (leads the tea in OPS) 4. Story .979 (small sample size) 5. Yoshida .824 (.347 OBP) 6. Casas .836 (.354 OBP) 7. Duvall .846 (2nd best SLG at .534)/Dugo .760 (.340 OBP)/Refsnyder .703 (.873 v L) 8. Reyes .759 (.355 OBP)/ Urias .526 (hopefully on the rise) 9. Wong .689/ McGuire .690 Rotation 3.36 Paxton (2.95 last 4 starts) 3.81 Bello (needs to turn it around) 4.52 Sale (2.43 last 7 starts/ 2.96 last 9) 4.16 Pivetta (2.67 since May 17th) 5.05 Houck (returns, soon) 3.80 Crawford (3.24 after first game) 5.03 Whitlock (hopefully healthy and in the groove) 2.94 Murphy (surprise of 2023's staff?) 2.97 Jansen (what we hoped for.) 1.37 Martin (more than what we hoped for) 2.86 Wink (Maybe a bigger surprise than Murphy and Craford) 2.77 Bernardino (The gem in the rough) 3.20 Schreiber (not sure he's fully back in form)

...and Braves. Let's put the Yanks way back in the rear view! Also, we can catch the shaken up Rays, too. Maybe we need to catch TEX not HOU.

Next 4 Days MON SEA @ KCR HOU @ MIA NYY @ ATL LAA @ TEX TBR @ SFG BAL @ SDP TUE BOS @ WSH SEA @ KCR PHI @ TOR HOU @ MIA NYY @ ATL LAA @ TEX TBR @ SFG BAL @ SDP WED BOS @ WSH SEA @ KCR PHI @ TOR HOU @ MIA NYY @ ATL LAA @ TEX TBR @ SFG BAL @ SDP THU BOS @ WSH SEA @ KCR Then, the fun begins!

Devers on D by the numbers... DRS -13 in 2021 (1300 innings) -6 in 2022 (1190 innings) -5 in 2023 in just 950 innings UZR/150 shows improvement -10.6 '20 -5.8 '21 -1.9 '22 +1.5 '23

I keep thinking Devers will improve on D, and he is better than a few years back, but maybe him at 1B, Casas at DH and Yoshi in LF is better than Yosshi at DH. Depending on who plays 3B, we might do better that way. Can Story play 3B with his arm issues? I guess, if he can play SS, then the arm must be okay. Urias at 3B? Sign or trade for one?

I think he meant Pivetta, Drohan, Hickey and Dugo for a better pitcher.

We do have about 5-6 pitchers who look great in long relief.

The whole mascot business is watered down.

Highly suspect! LOL

I think so. Dugo, Hickey and Drohan for a SP'er with 3+ years of control.

I agree but wonder why it is not happening, now. It makes me tink it won't happen, next year. I'm not convinced Duran will continue to hit lefties, okay, but he deserves a long look. Dugo has proven, over and over, he is not good vs lefties. Ref should never sit vs lefties. Maybe he should never start vs righties, unless injuries force him to. 2023: 31 GS v L out of 33 9 GS v R out of 85 2022: 15 v L out of 36 20 v R out of 126 Ref should be closer to 100% vs L and 0% v R. Dugo should never start over ref v L, including this year or going forward, this year.

Yes, but maybe his skillset is better suited for 1B/DH.

It was such a long term deal, I think the thought of him being a DH later in is career was a strong consideration. (They also knew they'd eventually trade him.)

Agreed, but I'm glad we seem to have everyone healthy, now than in April-May.

Except that is not happening. 85 games with RH's SP 74 GS Verdugo 9 GS Ref 33 games with LH'd SP'er 27 GS Verdugo 31 GS Refsnyder Shouldn't Ref have 32-33 starts when a lefty starts? Shouldn't Verdugo have 11 more starts vs RHPs and maybe the same or less vs LHPs? (Duran also has 9 GS vs LHPs.)

Try google.

Could happen.

Not having one makes it easier to bet it against Dipre.

What have I said that hints we don't have a chance. I have said several times, even lately, "I like our chances," despite fangraphs saying we have about a 15% chance of making the playoffs. We have done well vs good teams. Once Houck returns, we will be as healthy as we have been in a very long time. (knock on wood)

I'm thinking THern will look for the biggest and longest payday he can get. He won't be younger, in 2025.

We have a core of 4-5 players with OPS in the mid .800's for much of the year, and some of their replacements are 2not much lower, so your point is valid. PAs Player OPS 323 Kike .599 (needed SS, could have played 2B more) 206 Arroyo .638 (needed a 2Bman) 112 Chang (needed a defensive SS0 101 EValdez .684 (needed a 2Bman) 97 Tapia .701 is maybe one guy who played more than he should have, but he did okay. 34 HDHam .472 (were throwing anything at the SS wall.)

We've played 118 games. Unless a player has been hurt, I'd expect a few to have played 114-116 games. I'm not sure who has missed games due to injuries, but here are our leaders: 111 Devers 107 Turner (was hurt, but DH'd a lot.) 105 Casas (struggled hitting, early on) 105 Dugo (only 6 games off vs LH'd SP'ers. We faced 33 of them.) 104 Yoshida (DH'd some)

We agree, which makes me think I need to re-evaluate my position. LOL!

I'm okay with resting someone, who seems tired, is facing the wrong-handed pitcher or one he has a history of struggles against, but I agree- no more "scheduled days off." I'm curious, if the players like or want these days off.

DH'ing so much, helps. Maybe he comes back on an extension (not the option), as he realizes the DH role will prolong his career, and Fenway treats im right. .856 Home .826 Away Fenway career: .863 Overall: .833