moonslav59

How much longer can Gio's leash be? Man, what another horrible signing! Our three largest FA contracts given since JD's $110M/5 in 2018, not counting the Nate re-signing in 2019 at $68M/4: $140M/6 Story $90M/5 Yoshida (not counting posting fee) $39M/2 Giolito (The two signings, Jansen & Martin at about $70M, were better than all of these top 3 deals combined.) We all know how big contracts often fail to meet expectations, and these deals were not even close to the biggest deals in MLB over the last 6-7 years, but these 3 major strike outs are one of the main reasons we keep sucking.

Yes, I agreed with this at the time and still do. It was a bit surprising to hear he came close to trading Betts in 2019.

Counting this season, it's been 7 years since that magical 2018 season, actually, not so magical, when you consider all the planning and spending that went into constructing that team. 2021 seems like an outlier based on the remnants of the 2018 season along with the confluence of good seasons from just enough players. 1 in 7 years is not what Sox fans got used to, and when you look at the budget rankings of most of those teams it's hard to accept our placements in the years' standings. Without a doubt, the management and leadership had to be a major component in the lack of success, as was underperforming players, aging talent, too many key injuries and other factors. While the farm seemed worse than we thought back in 2018, it was the one area that did improve and seems to still be perhaps our biggest asset, right now. We appear to have some good, young talent under team control at relatively low cost, as well as some well paid vets that have talent. Sure, we have sunken costs that rival other top sunken cost teams with Story, Yoshida & Giolito holding over $60M in AAV, this year. Seven years is a long time to go with the farm still being our biggest pride area, next to maybe Crochet. I'm not optimistic about 2025, anymore. It's been one huge letdown, to put it mildly. There is still about 60% of the season to go, but there does not seem to be anything to feel hopeful about. I'm tired of "wait til next year." I'm tired of watching key injuries occur, then hoping against hope that returning players from the IL will somehow revive our team. It never happens. Sure, we all expected some regression from guys like Houck, Duran and maybe a few others, but this has been extreme. Hardly anyone is doing better than expected, and just a few are doing close to what we expected. We have too many key players on the IL or just off it and not looking in form. Our team can't hit, pitch or field, and even our baserunning has been stumbling and bumbling. I'm not sure there is a clear solution. We probably need at least 5-6 things to happen, and it's unrealistic to think they all will happen, together. I've not lost all hope, but I'm down to a thread.

Yes. The choice to cut spending was the main issue. DD was not the GM for the type of slashing JH had in mind. I doubt we'd have done much better with DD and the budgets JH provided. DD's departure was just a sidebar to the slash and burn philosophy enacted by JH. I'm not even sure DD would have agreed to stick around under the conditions imposed on Bloom.

How about 28 year old "prospect" Brian Van Belle? He went 7 innings of 5 hit, one run ball, walking none in this morning's game. His ERA is down to 2.29 and has a .687 OPS Against. Jordan homered and went 2-4. Hickey hit his 9th dinger, and Grissom homered as well. Jh Garcia doubled and kept his OPS above 1.000 with Woo. Anthony K'd 3 times in an oh for 4 morning.

It's interesting to see the difference between the AL and NL, one being... In the AL, there are two clear top teams (DET & NYY) and then 10 teams within 6 games of each other (-6 to -11.5 from DET at the top.) There are just 3 teams over 15 games behind DET (BAL, OAK and CWS.) In the NL, there are 5 pretty clear front runners bunched up by a 2.5 game differential. (CHC, NYM, PHI, LAD, SDP) There are 7 teams bunched in the middle and within 6 games of each other- led by the surprising Cards at 33-27. Like the AL, there are 3 teams pretty much out of it (MIA, PIT and COL.) 5 of the top 7 teams are in the NL. 10 of 17 middle of the pack teams are in the AL. Only 6 teams look dead in the water, and the Braves and Sox are the two teams closest to those 6. The Sox are 8 games behind the top tier or 7 teams and 4 games ahead of the bottom tier of 6.

You are still selling the Kool-Aid. Which is worse? (You must still think being contenders is "realistic.")

You blame me for getting fans hopes up.

I laugh when I here people say, "All the manager needs to do is sit down with ____ and tell him he needs to... go the other way with the pitch. take more pitches focus more not swing at balls in the dirt only swing at strikes..." Like it's that simple. That being said, managers can and do make a difference. They make many key decisions that are subjective and may not be made by most or some other managers, including who plays out of the 26 players he is given, where they play and bat in the line-up. They make in game choices that can make or break a game and a team, but many of the chocies are judged in hindsight, without the casual or even maniacal fan knowing all the information needed to make those chocies. It's hard to know if this team's issue is a lack of motivation. It's hard to know how much a manager can force his players to be more focused. Hard to know when the right time is to make a major change to a slot on the playing roster or line-up. We've seen countless times where fans are screaming, "Why do you keep playing this bum?" or "Why don't you demote Devers in the line-up?" Then, BAM! Ooooopsie... We like to assign blame. I guess that's natural.

Aren't you the guy talking people off the ledge, just a couple days ago?

I'm not sure I said under .500, but I did think they might miss the playoffs. I do think they will have a long bad stretch, at some point, but with the state of the rest of the AL, they look like a sure bet playoff team, now, as well as the division winner.

Not even close, IMO. For one, Masa is the biggest question mark on the team, and I suppose in hindsight, since most of the other lesser questions have been answered in the negative, so far, we can speculate that Masa might have been a positive answer, but the guy isn't even playing. I can't imagine a bigger speculative reach than hoping he would have done anything plus.

As Cora pointed out, too many chances were handed to the Angel's, last night, and not all of them were called "errors." It really looked like we improved the defense, over the winter and with Story still healthy in June, but it has not worked out, at all. With Bregman out, we lost the one sure improved position, although he made 3-4 more errors than I expected in less than 2 months of play. We can tinker with call-ups and position changes, but as of now, it doesn't seem like there are any in-house solutions that will make the difference needed to make a solid move towards making the playoffs. Game are not won on paper, and Brez is finding that out, firsthand. I liked most of his winter moves, so I kinda feel I'd be hypocritical, if I berated him up and down. I don't have any major issues with the way Cora runs the team, but it does seem like the minor ones are piling up, and his insistence on keeping established players at the positions they want to play or have played for a long time has moved into the major issue category, for me. I doubt firing or promoting him would make a difference. These guys need to play the game like they know how and like they have in the past. It's on them. Hardly anyone is rising to the occasion, and I'm not sure that's all on the "lack of leadership" or stewardship. To many of our players are regressing, and some in multiple areas of their game (like Story & Duran.)

The third guess is always the best and most rewarding.

It's like 3 pitchers being given the loss.

No doubt. I keep feeling like we are just about to make a move, then kaput.

There are have been several moments where we look like we have some fight, spark, or whatever we want to call it, but those moments have been all to fleeting, thus far. It's June: we simply have to put together a streak or stretch of consistent good play from all/most areas. If not, we will be saying good bye to some well known players.

It's kind of early to be selling off the 2025 Sox, but this team looks so hapless, they better start playing better, if they want to stick around.

Hey, the headline story is Trevor's .714 OPS over the last 2 games!

The Reds and CWS have 3 pitching prospects in the top 35. Not sure if either wants a Sox vet, but maybe they want Arias or Jh Garcia & Sandlin or Mullins.

Agreed, but some are more can't miss than others. That's why I said "too" can't miss- like on a spectrum of can't missness.

I'm fine with when Cora yanks the starters. I was just pointing out how many times it was at 4.2 IP. (It's rarely after 4.2 with the last guy making an out, I bet.)

Yup. 3 decent pitches that sometimes one rises to the level of an out pitch, but no clear "gotcha" pitch. The guy has had 77 MLB GS'd. He just turned 26, so he has a little room to improve as he enters prime, but how soon is now?

Yes, but when you let guys on base as much as Bello and the guys I listed, you reach the 3rd time through before you get to 4.2, and the 3rd time through is the top of the order.

MVP proposes a Catcher & pitching prospect. Catching prospects are too hit & miss for my liking. We need young and controllable good pitching. Someone more can't miss than Perales, Sandlin, Monegro, Wehunt and Mullins.