moonslav59

I see the merits from both sides of the debate, and I share the concerns about a few players like Yoshida or older players. Certainly, I want catchers resting more often. However, I do think some players can and should play 156-159 games, a year, if they are... Young & healthy Don't have major issues vs LHPs or RHPs Are a big step up from their replacement Not slumping When the team has a guy like Refsnyder, who has killed LHPs for 2 years, I'm fine with rotating the LHB OF'ers rest days. When the team has a guy like Turner, I'm fine with resting Casas v LHPs, but why is he getting days off vs RHPs, and starting some vs LHPs? Because he was "scheduled" for the day off, day or weeks ahead of time? (I disagree.) Playing Turner at 1B, also allows Yoshida to "rest" by playing DH. Yoshida has DH'd 41 times, this year. I'm not sure he needs 16 rest days by mid August. I like this debate. Some good points are being made, all around, but so far, none have changed my mind. I also agree with Bell. Cora's opinion matters more than any poster's here, including mine. I respect his opinion more than any one else's, including mine. (This will drive Red nuts.)

SPs reports on the farm's playoff picture Playoff update The Triple-A season doesn't end until September 24, but the Red Sox are 24-14 in the second half, tied with Lehigh Valley for the second-half International League lead. The two squads are 1.5 games ahead of Durham, Jacksonville and St. Paul. Portland also has more than a month left in its season and trails the Northeast Division's first-half winner, Somerset, by 2.5 games, with a 19-20 record. Binghamton is between them at two games back and would earn the playoff spot if Somerset wins the division. Greenville, which has already clinched a playoff spot by virtue of winning the first half of the South Division, sits at 20-22. The Drive's season ends September 10, and the team will then face the second-half division winner. Salem's season will conclude September 10. The Red Sox are at 18-24, nine games back in the North Division. The FCL season ends August 22 and the Red Sox are in the thick of the playoff chase. They're two games back of the Pirates and are a half-game up on the Phillies in the wild card race. The Red Sox have seven games left, including Tuesday's contest. The DSL squads, Red and Blue, have been eliminated from the division, which has been clinched by Pirates Gold. They're also eliminated from the wild card race.

Also... GRE>POR: Bonaci SAL>GRE: C Coffey FCL>SAL: Alcantara

Yes, that shows it better, but my way shows how lefty batters tend to have bigger split swings.

We had plenty of times to "rest" Dugo, Duran and Yoshida by playing Refsnyder in every game a lefty started. We did not. My biggest beef has been Cora giving days off at the wrong time: 1. After a player went 4-5 the day before. 2. vs the wrong handed pitcher. 3. In the middle of a longer hot streak. 4. Near or right before of after a day off or AS break. Why is Casas starting 12 out of 33 games vs LHPs, but not all the games vs RHPs (80 out of 85)? .867 v R .696 v L I could go on and on. I would not be complaining about an excessive amount of days off as much, if Cora gave then out at better times, but I sill think he give too many. I'm fine with no 162 out of 162 or even no 160/162, but IMO, Cora gives out too many. I do think rest helps. I do think playing subs more prepares them for eventual high need longer playing times due to injuries. I don't think that trade-off is worth the loss of a top bat in games we need to win. It's not a slam dunk case from either side of this debate.

They don't? Red Sox Splits since 2004 L v L: .718 L v R: .801 73 differential R v R: .762 R v L: .806 44 differential This shows it should be more meaningful playing LHBs vs RHPs than RHBs v LHPs.

It's all part of the pussification of sports.

I think the idea of giving so many days off is a very debatable issue. It seems there is a wide variance in what some teams do vs others. The main argument for resting players, so much, seems to be to help them be better situated for the end of season grind. I would think looking at how well our players hold up during the dog days of summer and later is fair game to examine. I think that 2018 team was an awesome team. I'm not sure anyone can claim that days off, mostly for injury, helped them be that good or better. Why are the "numbers completely on "your side? One point against yours might be, if the players were so well-rested, why did they hurt, so much? A point you brought up, not me. I have a few minor issues with Cora. I'm not sure why you use 2018 as proof, but do not mention 2021 and 2022. We are 6-9 in our last 15 games in 2023. Does all the rest, this year, "completely convince you" your side is right? 2022: we completely collapsed after July 4th, despite all the rest. 2021: 50-31 APR-JUN 39-39 JUL-SEP If you want to use W-L records to prove resting works, then how do you explain 2021 and 2022 and the last 15 games of 2023? My position is, it is impossible to prove resting adds enough of a benefit to outweigh the losses that may occur due to resting key players, often. I happen to disagree with the strategy. I still love Cora and and am extremely happy he is our manager.

You brought up the resting worked point.

2018 overall OPS .792 1st half .801 2nd half .779 AUG .819 SEP .776

I once called Cora the GOAT Manger of the Sox, so lumping me with the "carpers" seems a bit harsh. You say resting players worked in 2018, but is that really why we won? Hell, playing them too much in the playoffs was largely blamed for restgate '19. The fact is, this team has faded in August too many times for me to think the resting worked. It's hard to prove one way or another. BTW, I'm not arguing they play everyday, although some who DH a lot might be able to. Mty beef was more about pre-selecting days off regardless of hot streaks, wrong pitcher to choose that day off, and things like giving days off very near the AS break (4 days off already) or key games vs key opponents. I'm okay with 1-3 days off, maybe more for fragile or older guys, or players playing demanding positions like catcher and maybe SS. I disagree with Cora on this point, but love him as our manager. I don't think expressing my very few disagreements should be viewed as "carping."

He is likely trying to set himself up to show he's healthy for the winter signing period. He'll have to do it on the farm. Good thing Josh Taylor is sucking with KCR, or that trade would be one more bash session to add to the many.

It's likely too early to know what outcome Abreu will have. He may bomb out. He may barely stick to a ML roster. He may be mostly a 4th OF'er. He may be a platoon OF'er. He may be a FT'er. He may be a star.

I agree: the "best roster" since 2019. The most healthy line-up that I can remember, once Houck returns.

If we are out of it at the deadline, he'd bring back a bigger haul as a rental.

It's not always that easy, anymore, as girls mature much earlier than years ago, and if the Mom says she's 18, I'm thinking, who can you trust? I'm not defending the guy, at all. Just saying...

Story is +0.2, today. fWAR

Sounds reasonable, even if he does not extend.

Unless they are Yankees.

Boone and Cashman are just what Boston has needed- YES, more and more years for both!

I also think bringing up McGuire;s past as being comparable is pushing bounadaries.

Both are pipe dreams, for sure. I do, however, see a lot of budget space, this coming winter, and to me, not many major holes to fill other than SPs, and we all know how rare it is for us to spend big on FA SP'ers/, except for Price. (I think the Price signing was viewed as a mistake by Sox brass.) I guess we could spend on middle IF, but other than SP, a big splash OF signing could be on the radar. Getting Soto makes going light at 2B more acceptable, and the need for 2 SP'ers might be reduced to one, My dream? Trade for a controllable SP'er we think will be an ace or near an ace for 3+ years. If we did that, we could afford Soto, and I'd be fine with just those two moves, plus some low cost depth signings.

That would probably shut up the Tampa Bay North talk.

Agree, but we do need to win those "extra" 2 games, just to stay 2 GB.

Updated standing with TBR & BAL games pending: 68-52 HOU WC2 66-54 TOR WC3 63-55 SEA -2.0 62-56 BOS -3.0 60-59 NYY -5.5 (1 game from .500) Sox are... -1.0 SEA -3.0 TOR (2 in loss column) -5.0 HOU -8.0 TBR (game pending) -8.5 TEX -11.0 BAL (game pending)