moonslav59

From SP's: Player of the Day: Gerardo Rodriguez isn't ranked in the SoxProspects Top 60. With more performances like today, that might change. His 5-for-5 night with four runs scored raised his batting average to .370, with a .952 OPS. Never heard of him? Don't worry, you've got time -- he's only 17 years old. Signed as an international free agent in January, Rodriguez is showing flashes that he might be a force to be reckoned with. Keep an eye on this young rising catcher.

I doubt Cora could give any excuse that would satisfy me, on this one. It seems to be so wrong on at least 2 levels.

I don’t disagree, but I do think Duran has turned the corner on D and is now a plus on D in CF. It still surprises me they play Duvall inCF and Duran in LF, when they both play, so maybe I am wrong. I’d love to see Rafaela in CF.

I’m assuming you mean his own acquisition, as Betts, Bogey and Nate could have all been better deadline chips, had he and JH chosen to trade them at that time.

Injury Update: Schreiber will likely be activated before tomorrow's game (Garza demoted, but who gets DFA'd or traded as he comes off the 60 day IL? My vote is always Ort.) Reyes will see his rehab expiration, soon. He is out of options. I'd rather have him on the 26 and 40 than Kike. (I might even prefer we trade Duvall for something useful to make room for Reyes.) Any choice we make will be further complicated by the next guy's return. Story was supposed to DH today after playing SS Friday, but he did not. I'm guessing he will be back in mid August. McGuire may not be back, at all. (He would replace Alfaro, who would likely be traded or DFA'd to open a slot for Story or Sale coming off the 60 day IL.) Otherwise, we may put McGuire on the 60, instead. Houck is unknown. I had hopes he might be back by now, but he hasn't even started pitching on rehab, yet. When he comes back, I expect Jacques to be demoted. Whitlock is about the same as Houck. When the second one comes back, I'm not sure who gets demoted. Sale might stay "Freakin' Chris Sale or comeback and be Chris Freakin' Sale, again. I'm not counting on anything more from him. Been there: done that. Kluber probably should not be counted out, but I'm not expecting squat.

ERA Leaders SP 3.46 Paxton 3.60 Bello 4.58 Sale 5.05 Houck 5.23 Whitlock 7.04 Kluber Long RP 2.96 Winckowski 3.74 Crawford 4.38 Pivetta Short RP 1.52 Martin 2.27 Bernardino 3.06 Jansen 10-25 IP 1.69 Murphy 2.12 Schreiber 3.29 Walter 5.57 Bleier 5.79 Jacques 7.36 Garza

Updated Sox OPS leaders: (a new leader!) .883 Duran .882 Yoshida .848 Duvall .845 Devers .832 Turner .814 Casas (over .800!!!) .780 Dugo .740 Refsnyder .709 Wongz .702 Reyes (rehab ends soon: choice to be made)

Big win tonight. It still looks uncertain about us being buyers, sellers, both or neither.

The M's scored 5 in the 7th to beat the Jays. The Dodgers killed the Rangers 16-3. The Yanks beat KCR 5-2. TBR beat the O's 6-5. The Astros lost to the A's. The WC standings: +5.5 TBR +1.0 HOU (3 GB TEX for 1st in ALW) + 0.0 TOR -2.0 BOS -2.0 NYY -3.5 LAA -3.5 SEA -4.5 CLE Games before deadline: BOS: 1 NYM 2 ATL 3 @SFG 2 @SEA NYY 1 KCR 2 NYM 3 @BAL 2 TBR TOR 1 @SEA 3 @LAD 3 LAA 2 BAL HOU 1 @OAK 3 TEX 3 TBR 2 CLE TEX 1 LAD 3 @HOU 3 @SDP 2 CWS

GRE lost 5-3 Bonaci 3-5 Decker 1-4 w HR Anthony 1-4 w 2B and BB (1.199 OPS) SAL won 5-1. Paez 5IP, 3H, 1ER, 0BB, 7K (4.13 ERA) Coffey 3-4 (up to .696) FCL won Yuten 2-3 Jimenez 2-3 DSL Teams split de los Santos 2-6 Cespedes 1-4 w 3B and BB Salazar 3 run 2B (1-3) GRodriguez 5-5 w HR & 2B Noria 4-5 w 3B, 2B Linarez 3-5 w 2B

I have Scheiber in my 13. He's supposed to be called up for tomorrow's game. Sale, Houck and Whitlock should be back, too, but maybe not until August 10-20th, and then we don't know how good they will be. Schreiber should send Garza to AAA. The next guy back sends Jacques down. The next 1-2 send down a decent pitcher like Murphy or Bernardino, or we trade or DFA Joely or Bleier.

I'm not so sure he isn't Freakin' Chris Sale's twin. We could also trade Paxton then re-sign him, but that is a rare bird.

Paxton's injury history makes Nate look like an iron man. Nate missed the 2017 season, but pitched 585 innings in the previous 4 seasons. He pitched in 479 in the previous 3 seasons. Even if you factor in 0 IP for 2017, he pitched: 111 IP previous 2 years 236 IP previous 3 years 390 IP previous 4 years 590 IP previous 5 years (2013-2018 before the extension) 696 IP previous 6 years Paxton missed last year, just like Nate missed 2017 before the 2019 season. His previous IP: 1.1 IP previous 2 years 22 IP previous 3 years 172 IP previous 4 years 332 IP previous 5 years 468 IP previous 6 years It's apples to oranges.

I did not say I wanted that trade. I just the only way we get a pitcher by trading Paxton is if the pitcher is a prospect. The only teams wanting Paxton are contenders not willing to give up a ML SP'er. I'm not for trading Paxton. I gave up on last year's team and wanted a fire sale, but not this year. Besides, we only have Paxton to trade, this year, for anything useful. If we go on a losing streak, maybe my mind will change by AUG 1st, but I'm still all in on this team.

We've used 28 pitchers, including 21 with 8 or more IP. We have 13 capable pitchers and no scrubs would be needed, but too many concurrent injuries have forced too many Grazas and Jacques to be used in these type of situations. We've been using depth pitchers for our depth pitchers. We've been going with 2-3 starters for a while, now and counting on 2 pen games every 5 days. I'm kind of amazed we are still in it working with smoke and mirrors on our staff. My hope is some, not likely all, of our injured pitchers will come back and stay healthy, and we no longer see these guys again, this year. Ideal 13 Man staff: SP: Bello, Paxton, Sale, Crawford, Houck Middle RP: Pivetta, Whitlock, Winckowski Short RP: Jansen, Martin, Schreiber, Joely, Bernardino Pitchers I would prefer over Garza, Jacques, Gudino, Ort and maybe a couple others: Murphy Walter Bleier Maybe even Kluber (Kelly will not be back.)

That was some scary s***!

I expected we might be, this year. I hope we don't sell, this deadline. If we do, I'll be hoping for 2024. Maybe the reset gets JH to think the same way and spend large, this winter.

Remember, we traded Vaz, then traded for McGuire. Could they do something like that again for a SP'er? Hard to know. My guess is playing it both ways (sellers and buyers) might be the leading strategy, right now, among those who decide.

A prospect starter, maybe.

Woo won 10-2. 2-2 w HR, 2B, BB Kavadas 1-2 w 2BBs Abreu 1-5 w 2B Rafaela 1-3 w 2BBs Sogard Rafaela homered in the completion game loss. POR won their completion game as Dobbins was bashed. Kluber went 2 IP with 1H, 0ER, oBB and 1K. They lost the full game 6-4, but Gambrell pitched well: 6IP, 6H, 2ER, 2BB, 9K Hickey (2-4) HR'd Binelas (2-4) homered Meidroth 2-4 Mayer 1-3 w 2B Rosier 1-3 w 3B

I’m all for trading Paulino, Drohan, Mata and Jordan for 2 rentals like Stroman and Giolito, unless we lose 6 out of 8 before the deadline. I’m not for trading away top prospects for a long shot chance.

No offense taken.

So, like 25 other teams' fans can scream this, too, right?

Why is this on the Bloom thread? Should he fire Cora?

And what the players do on the field may adversely affect what the FO does at the deadline.