moonslav59

Yes, more likely he plays OF or something over DH, but he might hit well enough to DH, IMO.

With our excellent long relief crew, we no longer have to worry about yanking Houck after 18 batters faced.

He has adjusted well. He still needs to walk more, but his D can carry him by itself.

I could see us thinking about selling high on Walter or Murphy. Selling low on Mata might be a mistake, but he could be a throw in. I think we will trade Duvall, even if we are mostly buyers. BTV accepted: To BOS: Stroman To SFG: Duvall & Walter To CHC: Perales & Simon

Fixed that for you.

True, but I would not say we should count on nothing. I'm hoping on Story, but I would not trade for a SS with Reyes and Chang healthy. I would not trade for a catcher while waiting on McGuire. I'm fine with Alfaro. The pitching mix is a harder call, and I'd add 2 SP'ers, as a result. When and if some pitchers comeback, I'd try to move Houck and Whitlock to the pen, and f Sale returns, Crawford, too. We might be okay, that way, if none return, except one from Houck, Whitlock, Sale or Schreiber.

I agree. In terms of counting on returning players, I see it tis way: I'm counting on Schreiber and Reyes, because both are looking good in rehab. I'm not sure how we squeeze Reyes into the 26 with Chang, Kike and Arroyo already in the MI mix and maybe Story coming back in mid August. Maybe I'm overly optimistic on a Story return and positive contribution. Maybe by Sept 1st? I'm not counting on anything from Sale. Been there- done that, too many times. I will only add that before my hopes were two-fold with him: 1) He can come back and pitch for a longer stretch. 2) He can regain most of his previous form. I do think part 2 was answered in May. Out of Houck and Whitlock, I'm counting on one to come back and do well. I'd love to see both come back to the pen, but we'd need to add a couple starters. (I do worry that they might come back and linger around 4.50-5.50 or worse.) I'm okay with Alfaro, so the McGuire return is not essential. If we feel like we should be buyers, and right now, I think we should be , but without trading top prospects. Acquire 2 decent SP'ers with hopes the pen gets a big boost from returning pitchers. It is hard to imagine a pen "boost," right now, because our pen has been near perfect, of late. I could see us dumping Kike or trading Duvall. Maybe a three way trade with Duvall, where we add a prospect (Walter?), the third team adds a prospect and the other team sends us a decent and reliable SP'er. We may have to trade Paulino and Mata for another decent SP, but more like a 5th starter type.

By the time Yorke and Mayer are both ML fulltimers, assuming that happens, we should be able to work it out. Maybe trade one or DH Yorke, until Story's contract expires.

They are waiting for one more loss. They've been fooled before.

Yo, tambien.

Lots of Bloom bashers have stopped coming around as much.

Woo won big. 3-5 Rafaela w 4 rbi (up to .916) 1-3 DHam w 2BB 2-4 Scott w BB (up to .900) POR won 4-0 Coffey 5IP, 4H, 0ER, 1BB, 10K (3.09 ERA) Schreiber scoreless inning Hickey 2-4 w HR & 2B (.887 OPS) Mayer 2-4 w 2B Rosier 2-4 (.859) GRE won 7-2 Blalock pitched well Anthony 0-2 w 3BB SAL won 6-4 Asigen homered (1st) AHern 2-4 w HR

The A's tried to hand it back to us, but we refused the offer.

I had hopes that Houck or Whitlock would be back earlier, but this could work out well. When you look at how well this team is playing, and you figure we have 4 of our original SPers and 3rd best RPer returning, plus your best defensive infielder who might also be our 3rd or 4th best hitter all returning in maybe 2-4 weeks, there seems to be reason for raising expectations.

Injury Updates: Big news: Story is scheduled to play 5 innings at SS on Friday, DH on Saturday and SS on Sunday. The rehab stint may last about 20 days (Aug 10th?) Cora says they will not rush him. Schreiber is scheduled to pitch back to back rehab games July 19-20 and may return between July 23-25. Cora said he may get called up before those back-to-back games. Sale felt good after mound throwing session, yesterday. It's unknown when he starts a game in the minors or returns. My guess is AUG 10-15, at the earliest. Reyes is lighting up the minors while rehabbing. He could be called up at any moment. He's out of options, so who goes? (Duvall or Kike trade?) Houck started throwing July 11th. He is expected to throw from the mound on July 25th. Cora says he "feels good." I'm guessing early to mid AUG. Whitlock has started playing catch. His return in unknown. McGuire is supposed to start rehabbing around July 25th, so it could be mid AUG for him. Kluber? I barely care, but who knows? Maybe he has something left in the tank. I'm not counting on anything from Mondesi, Kelly or Mills.

I think the choice is: SS Story and 2B Arroyo (Kike v LHPs) SS Chang and 2B Story (trade Duvall, Kike or Arroyo, because I'd still want Chang on the 26.)

When I moved to Mexico in 2004, I loaded up my Accord with my stuff, my dog and a whole loaf of bread made up with alternating PB sandwiches with PB & J sandwiches. If I had to live off just one food, it would be peanut butter. (I'd choose smooth. Kroger brand.)

The Rays started Zack Littell, today. 3.1 IP 1 ER (5H & 0 BB) Why can't Bloom find guys like him, instead of Jacques?

I agree. I'd stick with Chang at SS. Maybe they try Story at SS and Turner at 2B.

It would have had to have been Nate or Kluber + Duvall (or Martin). It was more like Wacha v Kluber or Eflin v Kluber.

He is rehabbing. Cora said they wanted him to go back to back nights, but they might call him up before doing that.

Some numbers to ponder: Turner: .290 14 58 (.831 OPS) JD M: .256 23 66 (.863 OPS) Bogey: .255 11 36 (.737) On pace for less RBIs than '22's 73. Wong .709 Sox Catchers: .692 Vazquez: .568 (.575 since trade to HOU in 323 PAS) McGuire since trade: .768 in 224 PAs (Plawecki is in the minors.) Sox OF 2023: .821 OPS M Betts: .963 OPS (.895 since trade) Renfroe: .741 (.780 after trade) Benintendi: .737 (.761 after trade) Winckowski: 3.14 ERA (4.72 career) Gambrell: showing signs of promise in the minors Eovaldi: 11-3 2.69 (leads league in IP) Wacha: 8-2 2.84 (15 GS) R Hill: 7-9 4.76 (4.40 FIP in 19 GS) Strahm: 6-3 3.75 in 9 GS and 19 relief games (58 IP) Bello 7-5 3.14 Paxton 5-2 3.51 Crawford 4-4 3.74 C Sale 5-2 4.59 (2.84 in last 8 starts) 2022 Sox Pen: 57% Save rate, 40% Inherited Runners Scored 2023 Sox Pen: 77% Save rate, 30% IRS 2022 Pen: 4.59 ERA (.298 BAbip) 2023 Pen: 3.86 ERA (.299 BAbip)

Some tend to value never finishing in last place more than rings. We see that with Sox fans, too. No losing record in umteen years is one feather- maybe the only one remaining.

He's done great, and deserves a shout out, but the sample size is small, and he's never been known for having "great stuff." I'm not sure it's sustainable, but I'm all for letting him keep pitching. I think he has passed Walter. They both have passed Faria and Scott, and maybe even Jacquez. When pitchers start coming back from the IL, we should know more, but as of now, I'd put them both in front of Bleier, too, but Bleier has no options. (Nor does Joely.)

It's a 13 man staff, and I'm not so sure Murphy is for real, just yet. The guy sucked, second half of '22 and did nothing to impress on the farm in '23. I was surprised he was even called up, but when you use 28 pitchers in a half a season, you are bound to use almost all on the original 40 man roster.