moonslav59

Betts career splits: .866 4th .852 8th .848 1st He has 4 PAs batting 4th this year, and that's what you are basing your position on? How about the split with him killing the ball with men on base?

Betts has barely batted 4th, so we can't make any assumptions about that split. Devers did great batting 3rd in the minors. I'd bat him or Betts 4th. When Pedey and JBJ were hot, they could have batted 4th. Even Beni is a better choice than HRam and Moreland. (Bogey should have batted 1st or 2nd hen he was hot.) vs RHPs 1. Nunez 2. Beni 3. Betts 4. Devers 5. Pedey 6. JBJ 7. Bogey 8. Moreland 9. Vaz/Leon vs LHPs 1. Nunez 2. Bogey 3. Pedey 4. Betts 5. HRam 6. Devers 7. Young 8. Beni 9. Vaz/Leon

Funny how just 4 losses makes it seems like everyone now agrees with me about JF.

We need Devers up 4th, so you can stop drilling HRam in the head.

All that said, I have to be honest. He's down from last year, but not way down. He didn't ask to bat cleanup, he got the job because Farrell can't find anyone better. There's about 2-4 guys better, 5-6 when Pedey and JBJ get back. One is Devers. One is Betts.

Yes, and a damn good pitching staff and defense have been carrying us. We've also had better timely hitting until 4 days ago. I will say, I do not think these bad 2nd half offensive numbers will continue. Even if it does, we can still win.... harder but possible.

I'm not saying HRam doesn't deserve some criticism. I'm just saying all I hear is Hram this and Hram that. How about wondering why HRam and Moreland keep being put up 4th, when so many other players have better numbers? HRam doesn't make out the line-up cards. FYI, HRam frustrates the hell out of me, too.

Maybe there is no cause. Maybe it's just happen stance. Players go up and down, and sometimes it happens all together. I'm hopeful for an upturn at the right time. No data. No root causes. We have a very very good team. We don't look like one right this second in time, but that doesn't change the fact that we still are a very very good team. At least that's how I look at it. I'm kind of wondering why every time we lose, the HRam boo-birds come out. I realize his numbers with men on base are down this year, but it hasn't always been like that, and I see no reason to think the "cause" is some deep seated negative personality trait he posses...or others on the team as well. Missing Papi has made a difference...IMO not so much because of lost "protection". We're on pace for scoring about the same as last year minus the differential between Papi and Moreland's run production. Just about the rest of the league have leap-frogged us on offense, but our pitching looks better in an era of massive offensive improvement, so that has to count for something. I've always felt games and championships are won largely on pitching.

With all due respect, your fixation with HRam is unhealthy.

That was one of the sickest losses I've ever seen.

That's one way to lessen the amount of men left on base.

Perfect response.

8 hits 7 walks 6+ innings 1 run

Ugghhhhhh- leeEEEEEEE!

Gotta come through on one of these bases loaded situations...

It kind of begs the question, is it better to pay $30M for Price or $15M for Peavy plus $13M for Dempster?

Had Devers batted in Young's slot, he'd have doubled with the bases loaded! LOL!

...da man!

Or... Buchholz Peavy ($14.5M in 2014) Dice-K (Not meant to be a #5, but...) Smoltz+ Penny ($10.5M combined)

LOL. It was just an estimate that sounded like something tracked.

I've followed the Sox very closely since the early 70's. We've had some slow runners. We've had some dumb runners. We've had bad fielders and dumb fielders. I honestly can say, I have never seen more mental mistakes on the base paths and on defense than this year. I'm not talking about a ground ball going between your legs. I'm talking about throwing to the wrong base, holding onto the ball too long, forgetting how many outs there are, and much more. When I see the manager looking like the absent minded professor, I'm thinking some of that must have rubbed off on his players. I don't think it's a stretch. People can content themselves with the winning record and say that is all that matters, but mark my words, if we lose a playoff series based on a bonehead play, I'm guaranteeing we'll here these words We can't keep "getting away" with mental mistakes and blunders and not have it eventually bite us in the ass.

Maybe 26?

No doubt, he has been "off" for quite a while. As well as the Sox have done, the whole team is batting 46 points lower than the first half (.759 to .713). Listed in order of 1st half PAs (170+) 1st half> 2nd half Betts .841> .652 (-189) Beni .803> .753 (-50) Bogey .806> .617 (-189) Morel .790> .747 (-43) Pedey .779> .807 (+28) HRam .794> .677 (-117) J B Jr. .853> .622 (-231) Vazq .660> .828 (+168) Young .725> .801 (+76) Leon .672> .650 (-22) No doubt, HRam has struggled, but Betts, Bogey & JBJ have declined by more than HRam, and they're on the upside of their careers.

Yes, my point has been he is playing hurt. Perhaps he's pushing himself, so he vests his option. Perhaps he has a better attitude than some give him credit for, and is playing while in pain. He has not started 25 of 129 games. Perhaps not.

...but we have no BLACK HOLES! No FT'er under .715. LOL