moonslav59

Or, Dempster.

If it was the first time, I wouldn't think twice about it. It was not.

There have been many times during this season where the attitude of this board has mostly been very much skeptical about our championship chances. There have also been time, like just 4 days ago, that the board has been mostly optimistic. It never ceases to amaze me how so many posters seem to roller coaster back and forth between pessimism and optimism based on 2-3 game sample sizes. When any team loses, of course, they look awful, lackluster, and several other negative adjectives. When the worst teams in the league win 5 out of 6, they look real good. There's a reason baseball plays 162 games in a season, and it's not just about money. It takes 162 games to separate the good from the bad as well as giving team's time to make adjustments and additions to improve by playoff time. Despite all our injuries, I think we are better now than on opening day and as long as Pedey & JBJ return, we should be fine. I don't see that Astros or Guardians as having better odds than us at making the WS.

He's had shoulder, neck and more recently "oblique" issues that all forced missing games.

This is from June 2017 (long after the announcement about HRam being "only a DH"): HOUSTON — Even with only a few inches separating the muscle groups, Red Sox manager John Farrell said he does not believe Hanley Ramirez’ sore neck is related to his lingering shoulder problems, and he doesn’t believe it’s related to the trapezius injury that sidelined the slugger earlier this season. “This is a separate item,” Farrell said. Note the "lingering shoulder problems" statement.

I meant more about just one team transitioning into that plan. Their minor league system would have to ready their pitchers for the new system. I think it might start with a team using tandem starters for the 5 slot, then move to the 4 slot and so forth. I can see a benefit of using a Chris Sale type every 4 days, instead of 5 but with less innings each start.

There's no way Sox management wanted to play Moreland vs LHPs. When they decided to do that, I feel it was about HRam being injured- not a fear that he might get injured. Maybe saying "safe to say" was not the right choice of words, but I do feel he is playing hurt.

I totally get that argument. I've made it myself often. Certainly Stanton and/or Betts could flop, get injured or give us just 1-3 years of prodution and then be an albatross for 7-8 years, but my point here is that the risk is significantly less for Stanton and Betts. Stanton: $25M a year is less than the $31M Price got. Most of the biggest FA signings were 30-33 year olds. Price was 30-31 for his first season. He'll be 36-37 his last season. Stanton is 27. That's 3 years more in prime than Price, and his final year would be the same age as Price's final year (36). That is a dramatic shift in in-prime percentage of his deal. I know the risk is there for Stanton to decline, and that is a contributing factor in making a final decision, but to me,m the biggest downside of Stanton is not the risk of him falling short of lofty expectations, but the fact that he'd eat up $25M on the budget AND cost us the rest of our already depleted farm. Betts: Comparing a Betts extension to a 30-33 year old FA signing is apples to oranges. A better comp would be to extensions given by Tampa Bay to their young stars + 3 years. Betts is 24. Extending him 10 years would be from ages 25 to 34. To me, age 34 is NOT much post-prime. Sure, the risk of unmet expectations is real, but I've never seen a player like Betts in my life. The kid moved to the OF and became an instant GG defender in CF then RF. He's having a "down year", but he's still right up their in WAR. Kick the tires. Don't go way overboard, but both of these two are very very special players...much more "special" than Price was at the time- someone I said was "about the best FA SP'er to come on the open market in a decade".

It's not conjecture. Earlier this season, the team said he would be playing DH all season. Since then, he has played some 1B, but I think it's pretty safe to say, he is playing injured.

Maybe you guys are missing an easy out of the vesting option (see bolded below): 19:$22M vesting option, guaranteed if Ramirez has 1,050 plate appearances in 2017-18 and passes club physical after 2018 season

Technically, if he vests, it's adding $22M over him not vesting. If Pedey DH's a lot going forward, I think we will not sign a 1Bman, and we will play HRam at 1B FT. Maybe we'll keep Nunez to play 2B, when Pedey cannot. I doubt DD's plan is to rob HRam of PAs, but HRam could play himself into a benching. He's moving towards that way now, but I do not think he's quite there yet. Let's see how he finishes the season. Just one big heroic HR in the playoffs could change everything.

That's been my point all along on JF. He exudes an air of cluelessness and inattention to details (fundamentals). If you were a player, and a bumbling clown came up to you to tell you not to make mental mistakes anymore, what affect would that have on you? I know I just over simplified the situation, but I just don't see any perception of skilled, knowledgeable leadership in the dugout, and that is bound to rub off on the players.

I'm on the Sugar Land/Richmond/Katy line, which is southwest of Houston. Yesterday, we were lucky. The rain band was east of us (in Houston). Overnight, we got about 5 inches and our street is underwater now. Cars parked on the street have water up to their doors and a little higher. The water is coming up our driveway and is now touching the tires of our cars in the driveway. Earlier, I noticed water bubbling up out of the storm drain sewers and manhole covers. Yikes! No place for the water to go! They are forecasting 15+ more inches in the next 2-3 days and maybe continued rain afterwards. We need a long break in the rain at some point, but the tropical depression has stalled out in the same area to the west of us. We are caught on the wrong side of the swirl. The winds are bring air off the gulf into the Houston area. I'm now wondering, if we made the right choice to stay.

Yes, at least one of our strongest contenders must lose.

Money Some goofy people will want to buy one for their wardrobe.

lol

Maybe Sale can cut 'em all up!

We got 10 inches of rain today. We're lucky to still have power. We're projected to get 15 or more inches over the next 3-4 days. We don't live by a river or the ocean, but some isolated areas are supposed to get 40+ inches. That's just sick! We got plenty of food and water. and our three pets are freaking out.

We're a long way from the playoffs. Remember, last year, we won 11 in a row before losing 5 of the last 6. 1) Do you think we'd have beaten CLE had we finished the season going 11-0 AFTER losing 5 of 6? 2) Does this 3 games stretch have anything to do with how we will finish this regular season? 2A) If it does have anything to do with what state we are in 5 weeks from now, does that fact that we got swept last year after finishing poorly really a strong predictor of what will happen this year?

I didn't realize the O's are just 2 out of the WC. WOW!

I'm sure he's read about it, but I wonder sometimes, if he even knows the rules. I'm no expert, but I would be, if my job was to manage the Sox.

Devers batted very well in the 3 slot (.951) at AA and had the most PAs there (197 AB). He only batted 6th in AAA (35 ABs and 1.047). Betts career: .886 up 4th .852 up 8th (should we bat him 8th over 1st?) .848 up 1st .807 up 7th .773 up 3rd .772 up 2nd

Brian Johnson 7 IP 2 H 1 BB 2 ER Carson Smith 1 IP 0 H 0 BB 0 ER 0 K

The Indiand end with 6 at home vs MN and CWS, but their road is not easy before that: 7 vs DET (4A/3H) 5 vs KCR 4 @ CWS 3 @ NYY 3 @ LAA 3 @ SEA 3 vs BAL They play more vs contenders than we do. We face the Yanks once more and end with the Astros in BOS.

I wonder if JF even knows it happened.