moonslav59

Many times Elway was a major reason they were behind. He had over 10 INTs every year and almost double the career INT% as Brady and Rodgers: INT% 3.1 Elway 1.8 Brady 1.4 Rodgers COMP% 65.3 Rodgers 64.3 Brady 56.9 Elway Yrds per Att 7.4 Brady 7.1 Elway 6.8 Rodgers I felt the same about Allen Iverson, who would shoot 11 for 34, but make the team's last 3 shots and be the comeback hero.

Arroyo over Kike? Just because of a 3 game hot streak? Or, because Kike has been sporadic and underperforming since 2021?

I am, too, but we aren't going to Bench or platoon Verdugo or Yoshida, so it means moving Yoshida to DH, which creates a logjam at 1B/DH. The theory was about what to do if Duran keeps mashing and Casas starts doing very well. There is no easy answer, but I did want to point out that making the decision on Duran in CF based on defense, just sends shivers down my spine, despite the fact that Duvall is no D whizz, either.

No, Yoshida should not be benched or platooned, unless something changes over a long period of time. Turner is a proven vet who almost always does better in the second half. He was one of MLB's best 2nd half hitters, last year. I would look to bench him, either. Duvall's start could certainly be a fluke, but he is not far removed from leading the league in RBIs. I could see him being partially platooned, if he comes back and struggles vs RHPs, but I don't expect that to happen. The most likely platoon bats might be Duran and Casas, but both are LHBs. Could Kike or Duvall be benched vs RHPs? I doubt it, but if Duran keeps hitting well, and Casas comes around, who knows. I will usually defer to the vets, if all things look equal. One can't just go by who is hottest over the last 3, 4, 5 or ___ weeks..

I'd like to add that when we saw the schedule, it looked like we had an easier April schedule than it turned out to be. Teams we thought were going to suck or be .500 look much better, and I'm talking about their record against teams not called the Red Sox. Maybe PIT will go back to sucking, but they look better than we thought in March.

Helps what? A great read is a book called "In the Zone" by Clyde Brolin that speaks of how champions think, especially in big moments, and you are right: they aren't thinking "I'm doing great in this clutch moment." If they do, they will quickly lose that mojo. In a way the player is "out of his mind" and is seeing things in slow motion, in one sense. Anticipating at a higher level. I've been in that zone a few times and was fortunate to have it happen in the biggest game of my life. It also happened in less meaningful games. If you think about it, it doesn't happen. I've had times where I think something like, "Man, I think I just made 8 straight shots," and sure enough, I missed the next one. I will disagree on it not "mattering." It matters, and after the fact, the player knows he rose to the occasion at a pivotal time. Being able to repeat that over and over is not something I see as a skill. I have no issue with others disagreeing with me on this, and it's just opinions. I have no evidence to support my view, but I was taking issue with the statement about everyone not agreeing clutch is a skill were not clutch. It's like saying only people who were good at baseball make good commentators.

Indeed, and many games Elway got his team in a hole, they never came back. That's why I'd like to see the numbers. What percent of games were Brady, Elway and Rodgers behind going into the 4th, and what percent did they turn it into a win? If Elway was behind 50% and brought the team back 25%, he'll have more come from behind wins than Brady who was behind 25% of his games and brought the team back 50% of those time.

I'm a Packer fan and do not think it is bad luck. I think coaching is part of it, but it's more about Rodgers not taking chances for interceptions no matter what the circumstances are. He just takes the sack or throws it away. Some QBs take a while to figure out defensive schemes and do better late. I remember cringing when people called Elway "clutch," when the main reason he had so many comeback wins, was because he sucked and put his team behind early, so often. I'd like to see how many game Denver was behind in, those years.

While Duran has looked improved on D, I'm not sure he's much better than Duval in CF. I do th9ink if Casas is hitting well, he may be forced to platoon at 1B with Turner, and yes, Turner will get some ABs at DH vs RHPs as Yoshida, Duvall, Duran, Verdugo and Devers get some rest. The problem is, they all should rest vs RHPs, and that is when Casas squeezes Turner.

I guess I misremembered. He did retire 7 of the last 9, but one hit was a 2 run HR. My bad.

I'm pretty convinced on Houck, but the sample size is still pretty small on the whole 3rd time through thingy. I'm not so sure on Whitlock. The health argument may have merit, but maybe not. His SP'er sample size is even smaller, but both seem to do very well the first time through- suggesting a 2-3 IP role is best, although late inning 1 IP roles would work, too. It would be interesting to see us try a pen with 4 guys that can go 2-4 IP: Houck, Whitlock, Wink and Crawford. We could use one every day with each pitching every 4 days. For that to happen, we'd need 5 reliable SP'ers: Sale Bello Kluber Paxton _____ (Mata, Walter, Murphy, Drohan? Or, trade for one?) (Even the first 4 are a bit shaky.)

I have to think Turner will not be benched. Even a 1B platoon with Casas might be a stretch, since he'd be on the short end. Maybe he plays 1B vs all lefties, and they rotate others to give Turner at least some PAs vs RHPs. Good problem to have to solve, though. I'm also not sure Duran will hit lefties good enough to stay FT in CF. Too bad Casas and Duran are both lefties.

Yes, my bad. It was 2 starts before he was okay, except for a solo shot.

When you look at the records of the teams we have played, being 18-14 looks a lot better than if we were 18-14 vs mostly losing teams. I'm not sure why some feel it doesn't matter much. Yes, we still need to beat the bad teams we will be playing more of than other teams, going forward, but I'd rather be 18-14 with an easier schedule ahead than a tougher one, and this might make all the difference in the world in a tight wild card race in Spetember.

It's a near certainty everyone will not be or stay hot all year- same with staying healthy. We may get Story and Duvall back and lose 2-3 others. Yes, if it happens, it's good problem to have, but it is nice to see so many players gelling at the same time. Sometimes sticking with struggling players works (Renfroe, Kike & Dalbec in 2021) and sometimes it doesn't (Dalbec and Duran 2022, to name just a few.)

Not sure what the first sentence is getting at, but one could wonder how someone knows everyone who does not believe in clutch as a skill can not have been clutch in their lifetime. Nobody disagrees about some players coming through in clutch moments vs many that don't. The issue is whether it is a skill or not, or maybe just random luck.

His last start really widened the gaps between 1st and 3rd time through the line-up. He did pretty good the start before. I totally agree, and have displayed these splits several times, before, but we should remember this: Sample Size 234 PAs 1st time through 217 2nd time 59 3rd time. 59 PAs is just about 2 complete games allowing just 5 baserunners.

Not so fast. If Duran and Casas are FT'ers, that leaves one of these guys making up that "elite bench:" Kike 2B/CF Turner DH (not 1B, if Casas da man) Yoshida LF/DH Duvall LF/DH (not CF, if Duran da man) Three positions (2B, LF, DH): 4 players. I'm sure Cora could up his "rest day for hot hitter" strategy and create a complex rotation plan with maybe a platoon, here and there. L: Casas, Duran, Valdez (kills RHPs) R: Turner, Kike, Arroyo, Refsnyder Catchers will settle into binky match-ups with SP'ers. Will be 100% FT: Devers, Duvall, Story, Verdugo, Yoshida

Now, go totally into la-la land. What if everyone is healthy, and Casas, Duran, Valdez, Arroyo, McGuire and Wong are all doing very well? Over the past few days, this actually looks like it's not total fantasy.

So, I must have been randomly lucky back in my day.

Calling all Clowns wanting Brasier DFA'd... errr....

What a difference one week can make. It's funny, because this team still has the same major flaws we have been picking apart for a long time, but suddenly it looks like just about every trade and signing Bloom has made- recent and now back to the Betts deal, is turning to gold before our eyes. I'm not claiming this is anything definitive, at all. It is NOT! I do think it is fine example of why we should not judge so harshly over small sample size- Good or bad. Incredible as it may seem, having Dugo and Wong makes everyone forget Downs. Still having Betts would be great, but things are looking much brighter, now, which is another example of why judging trades before the younger guys have matured is short-sighted. Where are all those "insiders" who cried "Gross overpay" on Yoshida? Not to put Vaz down, at all, but it was a lost season and he had 2 months left on the team: welcome Valdez! (Maybe Abreu amounts to something, too.) How about our new catching tandem? (Yes, it's only a month.) Imagine, if Duvall didn't get hurt. He could have been the best move Bloom made in a year. Turner, Jansen, Martin- "Over the hill," we heard. Duran "should never get another chance with the Sox." Hell, even Arroyo is turning it around. Maybe Casas, too. It looks like everyone is on a cloud, and I'm with you, but we will see struggles again, at some point. We still have major gaps. Some of these guys will cool off- maybe some I just pumped up. Maybe too many will, at the same time, and we will be back how were were, last week- lick-a-dee-split. I hope not, but the same holes are there. What encourages me is that other teams have major holes, too. We are seeing some, this series. As much as MLB seems to be moving towards parity, I look at our road to the playoffs, and it will not be easy. The teams we are ahead of are HOU, NYY, LAA, SEA and CLE. Those teams are not push-overs. If just one passes us, we'll be out, unless we can pass TOR or BAL. It's going to be a long season.

Crooked numbers, straight numbers- we find a way.

It's typical MLB. Plus, it's not like Bloom held off calling up a blue chip prospect who was eating up minor league pitching. Valdez was very likely thrilled he got the call this early in his career. He was hitting .645 and was like our 15th rated prospect.

I made that joke, last night.