moonslav59

Well, we're also 11-13 when scoring 3-4 runs. (13-37 when scoring 4 or less and 22-41 when scoring 5 or less. What's killed us is we've scored 0-2 runs 26 times this year. Not surprisingly, we are 2-24 in those games.) That's on pace for something like 4-47. Last year we were 5-33 in games scoring 0-2 runs. We were 4-13 in games scoring 3 runs last year and 6-8 in 4-run games. This year we are 3-8 in 3-run games which is a better record than last year, and we have a winning record in 4 run games (8-5), which is way better than last year. A sign that our pitching is helping us win these "tweener" games.

Clearly, the 2-3-4-5-6 slots all get more RBI opportunities than lead-off. I'm okay with Betts up first. He gets more PAs. I'm not okay with keeping Moreland 4th.

Playing HRam FT at 1B risks losing one of our power bats due to injury. I think we need to look at 1B, unless Sox management has no plans to give Devers a shot this year, then I'd try 3B first.

I get down sometimes, too, Max. I just always tell myself, it's a long season. Our pitching and defense has been very good to great. That always gives us strong chance to win on a game by game or short series basis. No doubt, our bats have been disappointing. I knew losing Papi would hurt, but I still thought we'd be a top 3 to 5 offense, in terms of runs scored. I'm not a big proponent of line-up protection, so I do not think losing Papi is a major reason just about every batter is below expectations. I still have hope for our offense, but I'm not as optimistic as I was before the season started. I feel some minor adjustments might help, but I'm not against the idea of trying to upgrade our offense (without a major impact to our future). Here are a few possible ideas: A) Put Moreland on the DL. Maybe a long rest will help, even if the toe does not heal totally. Call up Devers or Travis. (I trust Sox management to know when Devers is ML ready.) Tweak the batting order. I'd like to see Betts up 3rd or 4th, but I'm okay with the philosophy of giving him more PAs from the lead-off slot. I think he will heat up soon. So, here's my line-ups with Moreland on the DL: vs RHPs 1. Betts 2. Pedey 3. Beni 4. HRam 5. JBJ 6. Bogey (until he breaks his slump) 7. Travis 8. Holt 9. Leon vs LHP 1. Betts 2. Bogey 3. Pedey 4. HRam 5. Young 6. JBJ 7. Beni 8. Vaz 9. Holt/Marrero C) Look to trade for a rental 3B or 1Bman at a low cost. I don't like the idea of trading for a DH and planning on HRam to play 1B FT. HRam has been playing hurt, and we need his bat. D) Keep the pressure off our offense by fortifying our pen at the deadline.

Boston media... Please, stop encouraging him!!!

If we decide 1B is the best position to add a big bat at the deadline, here's a list of top wRC+ 1Bmen on teams that are out of it or near out of it: 1. Votto 159 5. Smoak 145 7. Alonso 145 9. J Bour 134 11. Mancini 131 12. Hosmer 127 13. J Abreu 124 15. B Belt 118 18. Miggy 111 21. Wil Myers 109 22. Josh Bell 107 (24. Moreland 98) 3B 8. Gyorko 122 11. Gallo 110 12. Suarez 109 13. Harrison 108 14. Castellanos 108 15. Y Escobar 108 16. R Healy 106

Reminds me of 2012 and 2014. I'd say only Pedey, JBJ and Beni are close to being at expected levels of production among are hitters.

Well said. I hope for more, too. I guess I just get to wondering why some posters pick some of our so-so or strength areas as being in need of an upgrade. I've always been one to look at the weakest 2-3 links (weakest not necessarily weak) to try and upgrade for a push to a ring. We have a weird situation. Our weakest links all have some context involved: 3B: Clearly our weakness, but also an area with a lot of hope for the near and extended future with Devers. Trading for a rental makes sense, but overpaying for 2 months of a player makes little sense. 1B: Moreland is a big reason we are in 1st place right now. He carried the team in many a game. He's hurt now and still batting 4th vs RHPs despite a 5+ week slump. We have HRam and Travis who can play 1B, but HRam has been playing hurt and Travis might not be what we hoped he'd be. C: I think Vaz and Leon are very good defenders, and catching is a key defensive position. Together they have hit well until recently, but a mid to high .600s is good enough for me with their defense. I'm not a Lucroy fan, and any big bat catcher will be very very costly. So, if we truly need a big bat, and I'm still not sure we do, then 1B seems to be the best position, and sometimes the cheapest as well at the deadline.

One game sample sizes don't do it for me. I'm actually okay with Betts up 1 or 2, if we have the right guys up 3-4-5. (We need to move Moreland down or put him on the DL.)

I have suggested HRam, JBJ or Beni. I'd choose Betts, but he seems to be JF's lead-off darling, although I'm not sure why. Maybe HRam could bat 4th vs LHPs and 5th vs LHPs and JBJ or Beni could hit 4th vs RHPs. Here are the last 28 game numbers: HRam .889 (5 HRs in last 78 ABs) Perfect clean-up numbers! Beni .884 (3 HRs in 75) Pedey .868 Betts .846 (5 HRs in 97) JBJ .774 (3 HRs in 90) Team: .729 (Last 14 days: only Pedey is above HRam's .671 OPS.)

Weird how there's no DFA or platoon HRam posts today.

Yet, JF keeps batting him 4th vs all RH'd starters. I'm flabbergasted on that one.

I think Leon stays. I don't think Butler is the answer. Lucroy is hitting about the same or worse than our combined catchers. Nope. To me, if we want to acquire an impact bat, it almost has to be 1B. Beltre & Donaldson are under control for more than this year, so they would block Devers or force him to play 1B prematurely, and they'd both be too costly (probably costing us Devers and/or Groome). I hate to rag on Moreland, He's done great for us up to his toe injury, but his slump is widening.

Unless the 3Bman would be Beltre or Donaldson.

I've seen teams make trades for other positions then demote the current 4 or 5 hitter to the 5 and 6 slot, but not to trade for a replacement of your clean-up hitter all together as the way to boost your offensive productivity. The idea seems absurd. (Not trading for a 1Bman, but keeping Moreland up 4th while looking for someone to replace him all together.)

I'm not sure why you are so down on Young. He's not doing that much worse than his norm. He's hitting righties much better than recently, and if he starts hitting lefties like he has for many years, he could be a huge asset. What are you going to do with Moreland? DL? Trade him? Bench him?

If we really think our 1Bman and/or DH need to be replaced, why do we still have them batting 4th and 5th? I'm not against the idea of trading for a big bat 1Bman. I've been calling for Moreland's line-up demotion for weeks. I do not think demoting or platooning HRam makes too much sense (right now anyways).

Clippard going to the CWS as a salary off -set.

Nobody has been traded so far that I felt was a good fit for us.

I'm thrilled.

Since Henry took over, we've certainly struggled developing top pitchers: Drafted or Int'l signings: Lester Buchholz A Sanchez Papelbon Showed some success... H Okajima J Tazawa Dice-K Felix Doubront Daniel Bard Frank Montas Cla Meredeth Stephen Fife B Workman Matt Barnes Brian Johnson Austin Maddox Ben Taylor Alex Wilson

Oh, please God, NOoooooo!

We don't need a LF'er. We don't need a DH. I'd love to add a big bat, but adding one at one of those two positions doesn't make much sense to me. 3B, 1B and C are our three weakest offensive positions. I don't see a big bat catcher out there I'm willing to overpay for. I see Devers as our 3Bman of the future, so getting a rental might make sense, but what available, rental 3Bman is a high impact offensive threat? That leaves 1B. JF & DD aren't even willing to move Moreland out of the 4 slot, even though he has slumped for over a month and has been battling a toe injury. I'm not sure they are actively seeking an upgrade at 1B. I just don't see any type of big deal making sense to me. Those wanting a big bat might think trading for Beltre or Alonso is the answer, and while those two make more sense than trading for a LF'er, I think the cost will be too high. We'd need to deal Devers and/or Groome for Beltre, and I doubt we can get Alonso for Chavis, Ockimey, Lakins & Beeks.

I doubt Marrero has any trade value. Playing Holt might add some value to his stock. I do not want to trade Marco. I think Rutledge will be gone. I doubt we keep Holt & Marco, and I'm a big Marco fan, so I guess I'm suggesting we find a place to trade Holt this winter, unless we can't find a decent 4th OF'er. I'd like to see ... 1B: Acquisition & Travis/HRam (DH) 2B: Pedey 3B: Devers, Hernandez SS: Bogey, Lin Minors: Marrero, Holt, (Travis)

I think Swihart's bat is better than his recent minor numbers have shown. He's likely not going to ever be good enough to play 1B full time, and maybe even 3B FT, but I still think his best role might end up being a super utility guy: 2018 3rd string catcher (allows us to PH for our weak-hitting catchers more often) 3rd string 1B (behind Travis and HRam) 4th string 3B (behind 3 from Devers, Marco Hernandez, Rutledge, Holt, Lin & Marrero) 3rd string LF (behind Holt)