oldtimer

It's hard to ignore a horrendous loss to a so-so team. The relief pitching gave up 7 runs in 3 innings. Barnes has had his problems before as well. He has the physical capability to be effective and often is, but he also gets rattled and can completely lose it. We just don't have a reliable pen and I am all for at least one additional solid reliever. I don't see how we can get two, but two would be better.

Pretty clearly the BP gave the game away. HRs, walks , hit batsmen. A 5 run lead going into the 7th and bad performances by several relievers, including Barnes. I don't blame Cora for this, our pen just stunk it up and lost an opportunity to gain on the Rays.

A 170 hitter

The national league have far more players hitting for higer averages. The batting averages in the National league include pitchers batting every 9th time up when they don't get pinch hitters. That has to impact the overall team batting average.

I agree with your point. We already are the highest spending team in baseball. One would hope that management can avoid the unwise decisions that penalize the team. Panda's contract was an example. I felt Pedroia's and Rameriz's contracts were both unwise as well. We know these contracts all have risks and just hope we apply due diligence when taking players on. So far we have gotten great results because we made enough good moves to counter the bad and we also spent enough to counteract our miscues.

I would love to see some detail about when Eovaldi is coming back. We have a starter but just need to get him back into the rotation.

Any word on Devers? He has turned into one of our best hitters and we will miss his bat while the hamstring heals.

I know Mookie's BA is low this year, but I also notice that BA's in the American league are lower in general this year. If you look at the National League, theirs are higher. I don't know what causes the difference but it could just be the quality of the pitching. Anyone have a solid explanation?

When can Devers get back into the llineup?

He has taken a lot of inside fastballs that he would have crushed last year.

Been a problem for the Sox this year. Lack of hitting with RISP. We sure could use Devers and

Two of three against a division leader at their park is a very impressive series. While we did that, the Rays were getting blasted by the Yankees. We need Eovaldi back and healthy and help in the BP. Despite all of their hitting, the Yankees still have a weakness with their starting rotation. Certainly we are not in a doom and gloom situation.

Trying to inside out a ball on the inner third. Not thinking.

He has been taking fastballs on the inside part of the plate early in the count. Those are pitches he was crushing last year. He just needs to work through this period and start to raise his performance.

I will chock this series as a success provided we win tonight. We have played better of late but still need to get hitting with RISP.

We just had to go way deep into the pen last night. We jst needed more hitting with RISP. JDM went 0 for 8 as an example. Does anyone know why Price was taken out after 5?

Helps to be lucky!

1st pitch FB on the inside and he takes. Fouls off the second, higher and a little more inside, grounds into a double play on a tough slider inside and maybe not a strike. Poor AB. Two hits in the inning and no one beyond first base. Gotta show better with men on base.

Or the same or slightly more. Of course any idea of offering should be tempered by how he does for the remainder of the season.

I am hoping for a series win against the twins. Getting the first by going 2-0 was an excellent start. Win the series and they make up ground on either the Rays or the Yankees. Either would be welcome.

I agree. He keeps himself in shape to eat the innings. He is an important cog for the team but offering more than 3 years is not in keeping with the strategy of no long term contracts for older players. The offer can be slightly higher than the current contract as far as i'm concerned. If he takes that, we will have done well. Thinking about him, who would you rather have of the Yankee starters? I think it may be a ist of one.

You may be the oldest poster here. Probably someone could read the posts to you and type in your responses. Stay with us if you can.

Excellent 6 innings against a good club in their park and he only has 73 pitches.

The pen had a lot of work in the last few days and goes into the Twins series after being taxed. I hope our starters can go 6 or more in the next 3 games.

I presume your talking about the 2020 season and beyond. In that case, we need to think about who will be leaving the team for 2020. Will both Pearce and Moreland be gone or will we try to keep Moreland to have a solid lefthanded bat who can play a good first base and DH, but is a little fragile? I would guess Chavis becomes our first baseman with no plans to leave him at 2nd. Brock Holt remains our super utility guy and is needed to back up 2nd and short and in a pinch has real versatility. Can't count on him as a regular 2nd baseman though. Do we keep Nunez as a decent right handed bat with some versatility but a below average glove, or do we let him go. I think the latter is likely. That leaves Marco Hernandez. There is additional time this season to determine if he is good enough. Do we want to rely on him as the starting 2nd baseman or go into the market and find a young and solid guy for that role. It might cost us so it would be a tradeoff of where to spend the money. Yes, we need help in the BP. You could ask if some of that talent can come out of the minors. As far as a starter, so we keep Porcello or not? Will Eovaldi return to the startion rotation and hold up his end and do we keep E-Rod or work a trade using him? My point is this has to be looked at holistically and thats what I believe DD and the front office are doing.