moonslav59

Nice post. He looks up to the challenge.

I do worry about Buehler's first inning numbers (OPSA over 1.000) and first 25 pitches (.900.) How will that translate to a pen role? That being said, I'm hopeful he can fill a role the Sox badly need: a 2-3+ inning RP'er. We've gotten by with 3-4 and sometimes 5 RP'ers doing well enough, but deepening the pen has been a high need area. The pen is ranked very high, but Chapman and Whitlock have been so great, the numbers hide how mediocre and poor the rest of the pen has been. Adding Matz has worked well. Let's hope adding Buehler will seal the deal. Who the 5th starter will be matters, too. He or they will likely get 5 starts. Being +4 in the WC race means those 5 starts could make or break our chances. If we reach the playoffs, normally 3 pitchers get att but 1-3 starts, depending on how deep the team goes. Our pen, today is: Chapman & Whitlock Weissert & Matz Wilson & Bernardino Buehler & Hicks (Fitts is on the 26, so maybe he will be the SP5.) Slaten may be ready, soon, so a tough choice will need to be made. The obvious two most struggling pitchers are Hicks and Wilson, but both have no options, and I'm pretty sure they want to keep Hicks in the 2026 plans. One going to the IL would bridge us to Sept roster expansion time, but I'm not sure that will happen. More likely, we will demote Fitts, then call up Harrison once a start is needed, but then who goes down, then? We have no days off, until past Sept 1st, and I do not see pitching our starters on 3 days rest as an option. Someone has to go. (Bernardino has been too good to demote, again, IMO, but that is what will probably happen, IMO.)

So many positive posts in the last 12 hours: I was beginning to wonder if I was at the wrong site. Ahhh, what a couple wins over the Yanks can do!

It's pretty easy to see the Yanks and other AL teams have some serious flaws, too.

Well, we passed the Yanks, again. Maybe we can hold on, this time. We still have a shot at the ALE and are 5 GB TOR. We play them in SEPT. The WC race is close: 70-59 BOS 69-59 NYY 69-60 SEA _____ 66-63 KCR -3.0 (-4 from BOS) 64-63 CLE -4.0

We've used 31 pitchers, including Toro and Eaton, and another 8 or 9 guys are either gone or out for the year with an injury. Here are the OPS Against numbers for those who may still pitch, this season for the Sox: .384 Chapman is an absurd number (.192 OBP and SLG) He's let up 5 XBHs in 182 PAs Against! .465 Slaten has been sorely missed. (3 XBHs allowed in 90 PAS) .479 Matz in just 31 PAs Against, but still... .530 Guerrero in 72- not sure if he'll be back. .556 Whitlock in 242 (most PAs Against by a RP) .558 Bernardino in 194- welcome back Brennan! .606 Crochet in 637- excellent for a SP'er! .614 Murphy in 89- still walking a ton of batters in AAA. .651 Weissert in 224- underappreciated season. .680 Bello in 539- nice improvement, this year. (.724 in '24) .711 Wilson- heading downwards. .714 Giolito in 466- not too bad! .721 D May (71)- nice get by Brez, so far. .787 Fitts (177)- gotta do better to stay around. .788 Kelly (103)- not sure he gets another '25 look. .797 Hicks (75)- thought it would be worse. .809 Criswell (80) .773 as a SP .823 Buehler (498)- may be losing his spot. .974 I Campbell- may be done for 2025. When Slaten returns, does Fitts get demoted?

I'd give him $13M/1 with option for 2nd year at $12M and $2M buy out. Essentially, it's $15M/1 or $25M/2.

That narrows the choices.

I'd like to see Criswell get a shot. He was a decent starter in '24, and did well his only start, this year. I'm not sure Fitts really deserves a start, but Harrison hasn't shown much, either. My guess is Harrison gets the call.

LOL. Maybe we could include Winckowski, too.

What we are witnessing with Chapman is legendary.

What a sweet win! Bello has become the best we could hope for. Gutsy game. These guys are for real.

Sandlin is imploding. Paez pitched a shutout 3 IP (1H, 0BB, 5K)

I kinda surprised myself. I'm not usually this close. I shoulda known Wong.

It will be interesting to see who the Sox send for winter workouts at 1B: Campbell and or Jh Garcia? Justin Gonzales? If we don't trade Duran, what about him? Maybe we can trade for that 1B whiz on San Fran! Dump Yoshida's salary for their $30M 1B/DH.

But, I did.

I almost nailed it! Wong over Narvaez- I shoulda known with Bello pitching. I had JG at 1B, which was a stab. Jh Garcia in CF over Duran is telling.

I was thinking they wanted Duran or Abreu plus Tolle. I'm not sure I'd go higher than Duran/Abreu and any 2 from Valera, Clarke, Early and Sandlin. I might give three, if not Valera. If they want DHam or Grissom,,, lol.

A few past prospects took steps back or failed to move forward, but that is expected. End Last Season/Start of season>>> 9 Cespedes> 16 15 Bleis>12 (by attrition) 21 D Reyes> 51 (Injured) 22 Castro>25 Tygart and Nunez fell, too. I agree, though- a nice season!

We've used 31 pitchers, including Toro and Eaton, and another 8 or 9 guys are either gone or out for the year with an injury. Here are the OPS Against numbers for those who may still pitch, this season for the Sox: .384 Chapman is an absurd number (.192 OBP and SLG) He's let up 5 XBHs in 182 PAs Against! .465 Slaten has been sorely missed. (3 XBHs allowed in 90 PAS) .479 Matz in just 31 PAs Against, but still... .530 Guerrero in 72- not sure if he'll be back. .556 Whitlock in 242 (most PAs Against by a RP) .558 Bernardino in 194- welcome back Brennan! .606 Crochet in 637- excellent for a SP'er! .614 Murphy in 89- still walking a ton of batters in AAA. .651 Weissert in 224- underappreciated season. .680 Bello in 539- nice improvement, this year. (.724 in '24) .711 Wilson- heading downwards. .714 Giolito in 466- not too bad! .721 D May (71)- nice get by Brez, so far. .787 Fitts (177)- gotta do better to stay around. .788 Kelly (103)- not sure he gets another '25 look. .797 Hicks (75)- thought it would be worse. .809 Criswell (80) .773 as a SP .823 Buehler (498)- may be losing his spot. .974 I Campbell- may be done for 2025. When Slaten returns, does Fitts get demoted? Could Fitts, Criswell or even harrison unseat Buehler?

Was Pumpsie on the old BDC site? Maybe he was from before my time, there (2005.) I remember hearing about him, all the time, but don't recall interacting with him. I joined BDC after I moved to Mexico in DEC 2004 and missed the day-to-day Sox banter I had with friends, family and co-workers. Little did I know what I got myself into.

softlaw was a real character. I recall, he was a big "Jake" hater. He called Theo supporters "pink hat fans." He said he was a lawyer, but I can't imagine seeing his logic used in a courtroom. There was a guy who later gave out my real life info and contact info and was banned for it. I'm not proud of everything I've ever done in the past. (Is anybody?) I go overboard. I don't give up. I'm a last-worder guy. Maybe being raised by a college English professor and with 5 out-spoken sisters, I was fated for this. My OCD doesn't help, but I'm not making excuses, I take full blame for my ill actions and words. I can't "let it go" way too often, but I don't need to tell you and others that. LOL!

The Sox DSL Blue team is now 2-0 in the new playoff format with a win, today (4-1.) Tolle pitches tonight for WOO. Rivera for POR. TBD for GRE. Travieso for SAL after they complete the suspended game.

AL Records since June 30th... Why 6/30? Because it looks good for the Sox: that's why! (And, the Yanks look bad, too!) 28-15 BOS 29-16 TOR 27-17 KCR 25-18 ATH (We still have 6 with them!) 25-20 SEA 24-20 CLE 23-21 BAL & DET 22-23 TEX 21-23 NYY 20-24 HOU 18-25 MIN 17-26 CWS 14-30 TBR How about since July 26th? (More cherry-picking) 16-8 DET 16-9 KCR 15-8 ATH 14-9 BOS 14-10 BAL 13-11 CLE, NYY, SEA 12-12 TOR 10-14 HOU Here is a bad one for some "balance:" Since 8/6 10-4 DET & KCR 9-4 NYY 9-5 ATH 8-5 BAL 7-6 TOR 7-7 SEA 6-7 CLE & LAA 6-8 HOU 5-8 BOS 5-9 MIN 5-8 TBR 3-11 TEX & CWS

What should the line-up be? Where will Jh Garcia bat? Where will he play? RF, LF, 1B? Lowe is MLB's worst batter vs LHPs, this year. Romy at 1B & Rafaela at 2B? Garcia at 1B and Romy at 2B? I might go with... 1. Romy 2B 2. Bregman 3B 3. Anthony RF 4. Story SS 5. Garcia 1B 6. Duran LF 7. Rafaela CF 8. Narvaez C 9. Eaton DH My guess: Cora will keep Yoshida at DH, until Brez removes him from the 26.