moonslav59

Your words not mine. I would not blame Cora. I don't always have to put blame on one person or spread it out over others. I guess, with a gun to my head, I'd place the most "blame" (your word not mine) on Bloom for the bad timing and Bogeyy for not doing what was best for the team, but both of them have good reasons for doing what they did. It's about big picture and context, but it doesn't mean I can't point out some inconsistencies along the way at one particular part of the grand scheme of things. Cora is doing what he has to do, and what he and bloom decided to do. He is not perfect, but I don't this as his mistake, like Swihart is screaming about.

It's not anywhere near the same money. I'd rather we have ERod and Suzuki than Story- close to the same total money spent, but not lux tax numbers. Look, I'm thrilled we signed a very good defensive SS. I'm perplexed about Bloom choosing this one guy over all others. The timing is off a little. The bind it puts Bogey and Cora in is a bit perplexing, too. Maybe not to many posters and maybe not even to Bloom and Cora. They weighed everything up and decided pouncing now was the thing to do. We got our defensive SS for the future and he can hit, too. It's entirely possible to be perplexed and happy at the same time. The 2021 season was a fine exampleof just that!

It won't really be "fun," especially if we miss out on something great by a hair. I'm sure I'm not the only one who watches a play and thinks, "most MLB players make that play." I've been on the game threads to know it bothers me less than many others, but that doesn't mean it goes unnoticed.

Superb back peddling! You do respond to posters, not just me, not like you think what we saying are facts. You missed the point, as always. Try to keep up. You respond like you think WE THINK WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS FACT and not just an opinion, not that you think it is fact. And yes, stuff whizzes by your head, often. Like this right here.

Yes, and watch about 80 plays over the year where I say, "Story would have made that play." BTW, this was my first post on the Story signing. Think context, and stop taking just one piece out of everything I wrote. Disagree all you want, but don't act like I hated the signing just because it made things a bit complicated and perplexing. There is a lot of gray area between black & white: There is an opt out, where the Sox can choose to keep him at a higher rate. While Story certainly helps the team, I have to say this makes little sense to me. To choose this guy to go large and long on after going so long passing on better fits is a bit confounding. His Home -Away splits are frightening. The plan has been announced to use the much better defender at 2B and keep Bogey at SS. I'm sorry but this kills me, and it puts an enormous strain on Bogey. If he was "a true team player," he'd agree to play 2B. Why force this on him (and Cora?) Now, the bright side. We have a SS going forward. We can now play Kike in CF full time. Arroyo and Duran go to the bench FT, which greatly strengthens that area. One signing improved 2B, CF, the bench and our back-up SS situation. That being said, I had thought I'd rather have had Baez at the exact same money. He's a very good defensive SS, too, but he has better H-A splits, but when you look more closely, they are pretty close. Story's away numbers are just slightly worse than Baez's. The defense looks pretty even. Career comp: (Both almost the exact same ages) .264/.307/.477/.783 Baez (.777 Home/.789 Away & .752 v R/.882 v L) .272/.340/.523/.863 Story (.972 Home/.752 Away & .809 v R/1.002 v L) 2018-2021 .270/.311/.508/.819 Baez .281/.348/.532/.880 Story Defense: 3.5 UZR/150 Baez 69 DRS in 6305 innings 2.8 UZR/150 Story 49 DRS in 3650 innings 0.3 UZR/150 Bogey -47 DRS in 6847 innings Makes me wonder if trading Bogey, now or at the deadline, is being looked or and discussed internally.

You need clarification, as always. Saying something someone does is childish is not calling them childish. It's not name-calling. You and 700 have serious issues understanding that difference. It's about one thing you said or did, not their personality or nature, although I'm starting to wonder about that.

I seriously doubt Cora thinks Bogey is a better defensive SS than Story, but we'll never know. BTW, I wanted us to sign Baez, and I have brought up many points in favor of signing Story. What makes little sense to me, is to play the inferior defender at SS, but that is all based on my opinion, and I realize it's just an opinion. You keep acting like I think all my opinions are fact. I can't prove what Cora thinks about the issue any more than you can. I brought up the Kennedy thing to show that even if you get an answer from a head honcho, it doesn't always mean they were being 100% truthful, but that point whizzed right though your head, and you go off making crazy statements about me being happier you and Kennedy were wrong than us signing Story. Do you even listen to yourself? You twist and turn much of what others say then fall back on, "I never said you said that," or take quotes totally out of context. I'm excited we signed a very good defensive SS. Anyone who knows me and my positions on SS defense knows I'm happy he's on our roster. Was the timing right? Was what the signing did to Bogey & Cora something of beauty? Fine, you think Bogey is a good fielder and don't see any significant problems. Good for you. However, I would bet that if you disagreed, you'd say it and defend it. I'm not sure why you have to say crap like "Call Cora." On a parting note, I would like to know if you think Kennedy was lying or not, whether you care if he was or not. What's your opinion on that?

IMO, most of the old school defensive posters at least agree Bogey gets to less balls hit than the majority of SSs. I remember when RF9 became the shiny stat, and that's not a metric, either. Just for giggles... RF/9 4.32 Story 3.83 Bogey That's about a half a play more per game or 80 more over 162 games. How many more errors than Bogey does Story have to make to make up for those 80 outs he makes per 162? There, I went old school!

Okay, you had mentioned something about seeing a bunch of Red Sox SSs, so I wasn't sure you meant average among them or among all MLB SSs. Thanks for clarifying something that apparently never needed clarifying. BTW, this whole I called Bloom and why don't I ask Cora ranting is childish. What manager would ever say he thinks his player is below average, even if it was true? What would be the point of asking Cora? BTW, was Kennedy lying? Call him and ask.

I've never said it "needs to happen right now," either, and before you say "I never said you said it," I know you didn't. I don't think it will happen, either. It doesn't make me think any worse of Cora, because he has been placed in a difficult position. The good thing is that no matter what he chooses, we are better with Story than without him. I'm glad we signed a plus fielding SS. Maybe the timing was off a bit, but waiting for a better one might not ever work out. I'm glad Story has graciously accepted the move to 2B. Deep down, I had wished Bogey would have done that, but I don't blame him for wanting what's best for him and his family. I hold no grudges against Bogey for not wanting to switch. I totally understand his position. This doesn't mean I have to agree that Story at 2B and Bogey at SS is the better alignment.

You watch the other teams' SSs and think Bogey is average or better?

No MLB SS is horrible on D. Even the worst defensive SS in this century, Jeter, was better on D than 99% of anyone who ever played baseball. It's a comparative analysis, and to me, it shows even without any stats or metrics. I've seen too many opposing team SSs rob our hitters of hit after hit by making spectacular plays to notice if ours is doing the same or not. We've had SSs that do, and some that don't. Bogey makes the plays he gets to, and that helps a lot. Some of the better defensive SSs flub up more of those than he does, and maybe that's what some notice most. He's a deserving all star short stop. He's just not even average on defense, IMO. Others may disagree, and that's one thing this site is all about. I honestly don't mean to sound like someone always ragging on Bogey. The guy is a great player and very valuable to this team. I just happen to think he'd be more valuable at 2B. I know it won't happen, but it's my opinion, and I'm voicing it.

Indeed. They will likely start the season as the fave, but this is baseball. Nobody expected the Giants to win the NL West, last year.

It's the other way around for me. I notice other teams' SSs making more great plays than Bogey, then I look at the metrics and stats, and it confirmed the observations. No joke, I'm obsessed with watching the Sox. I have come very close to watching every possible play of every Sox game for over a decade. That does not make me an expert, and I'm not trying to sound like a know-it-all, but I love defense, especially up the middle and pay very close attention to it- both on our team and the teams we are playing. I have loved man of our players' defense, and I have no bias against Bogey that would make me see what is not there. I can understand the fact that others watch a lot of games, too and don't see what I see. It's just my opinion. The fact that most metrics and stats back up my opinion does make me feel more firmly entrenched in my position, but I do not think the fact that I am a stat freak makes me see things that are not there, delude myself into beliefs based on numbers or enjoy watching the game less than anyone who hates or could care less about metrics or stats. I can think of only one time it worked the other way around. I remember when Ellsbury first came up, I felt he was a plus defender, but the numbers showed otherwise, so I started watching more closely, and started seeing late breaks, bad routes and a sub par arm. I changed my opinion based on stats and further observations, but then over time, Ellsbury improved his defense, and my opinion changed, again. Maybe somebody might think I let the numbers bias me into seeing what I wanted to see, but with Ellsbury, it actually meant I had to admit I was wrong.

The Dodgers have 4 guys at $27M+ on the lux tax line and are over $291M, and they might not be done spending. The Mets have 2 guys making over $77M combined lux tax dollars! They are at about $278, now. The Yanks are at $247M, Philly $231M and the Sox at about $237 lux tax.

Some Sox Lefty-Righty Splits OPS Career/2021 vs RHPs .900 Devers .978 .856 JD M .889 .847 Verdugo .894 .809 Story .735 .799 Bogey .887 .763 Dalbec .730 .717 JBJ .490 .690 Kike .744 .683 Vaz .710 .680 Arroyo .685 .664 Plawecki .690 vs LHPs 1.002 Story .974 .953 JD M .826 .902 Dalbec .877 .851 Bogey .818 .826 Kike .850 .734 Devers .751 .714 Vaz .555 .701 Arroyo .885 .674 Verdugo .554 .674 JBJ .528 .673 Plawecki .794

Now that we're firmly over the first tax line, one has to wonder about future spending plans. Who else is out there as a difference maker? Could a trade be in the works?

As much as I love SS defense, Correa is just out hurt, too often and is very inconsistent at the plate. It's close, but I like Bogey more, too.

Word out of Houston is that although the owner "got involved," no new offer was ever made by the Astros.

Interesting and encouraging insights.

I'd think LF would have to be the first stepping stone.

So, I guess Kennedy was lying. LOL!

He had a hard time adjusting to 1B from 3B.

I'm not saying it can't work, but it still looks scary, to me. Let's see how he handles fly balls in LF, first.

That sounds even better. 1.Story 2. Devers 3. Bogey 4. JD 5. Kike 6. Verdugo 7. Dalbec 8. Vaz 9. JBJ According to modern theory, the 3 slot should not be one of your best 3-4 hitters. The 2 and 5 and 1 slots are most critical. The "theory" might go with... 1. Story 2. Devers 3. Kike 4. JD 5. Bogey