oldtimer
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Everything posted by oldtimer
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The time is past due for MLB to adopt technology assisted strike zone management. Too many bad calls in critical game situations when the technology exists to avoid the problems.
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Getting Turner back is a big boost for the Sox and if Story can be a solid hitter we can generate the runs that have been so hard to come by of late.
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08/12 Tigers at Fenway to Face the Red Hots
oldtimer replied to vegasbob's topic in Mike Grace Memorial Game Thread Forum
Difficult to win with an anemic offense. Good that Turner is back but we need mire from others. -
Bloom has acted like Mr. Dithers at the trade deadline two years in a row, neither buying or selling effectively. If we believed we wouldn't make the playoffs and would flame out quickly, we should have sold pieces we didn't plan on keeping for 2024 and brought up prospects that we do expect to make the roster in 2024. The halfway approach has not been effective and it is hard to see in gameplan in Bloom's doings.
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With Turner, Story and Reyes where will Chang get PT? Same with the OF with Duran, Yoshida, Verdugo and Duvall, where would Rafaela get PT? Sounds like some additional DFA's may be coming.
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The team was playing well until around the time of the trade deadline. The pitching held up fairly well until the 13 run pounding. The offense on the other hand has declined with 3 or fewer runs more the norm recently. What factors have caused that? 1. Facing better pitching 2. Frustration in the clubhouse over the lack of significant mores to improve the club 3. Verdugo and Cora's dust up 4. Issues with the lineup based on SS options and play 5. Loss of Hernandez or Arroyo 6. Wear and tear of so many games and so much travel recently Whatever the cause, it is getting late to expect a turnaround for 2023. Should management bring up players expected to play a role in 2024 and give them experience?
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Bloom tends to wait until the last moment.
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My view as early as May was that we weren't a playoff caliber team let alone a WS competitor. We were missing quality at too many positions and my thought was to trade away the players with value who wouldn't be around for 2024 on and by doing so make us competitive. It appears I was wrong in my assessment as Duran, Casas and Yoshida all exceeded expectations and the pitching, while short of starters due to injuries, held together. Now, with Story and 3 starters likely back in August, the team may be able to overtake at least a couple of teams and looks competitive. Getting rid of the underperforming Kike was a good idea but I would avoid letting go of others who are helping us despite the likelihood of them being gone next year. Trades of Dalbec or some of our mid quality prospects to get additional pitching would be agreeable to me. I have been pleasantly surprised by the Sox streak and hope it can continue.
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Did you mean Kike?
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It would be addition by subtraction to get rid of Kike and if we can save so salary against the cap, then we may be able to afford a starter who can help us. Picking up another Kluber would be a mistake. If we truly expect to make the playoffs, we desperately need starting pitching.
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Going on a losing streak before the trade deadline draws into question the wisdom of buying buyers. Will we have enough pitching to make the playoffs? It is a legitimate question to me at this point.
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You are correct. We picked up guys who have done nothing for us, so we won't miss them. We also have guys like Sale, Story and Kluber who represent a significant part of the payroll and who have done little or nothing for the team. It's somewhat remarkable that we are over 500 and not completely out of it. Bloom will have a tough call in the trade market, but I would certainly get rid or underperformers and non performers, who have no 2024 future. Kike is another tough call but replaceable and probably should be traded at any reasonable opportunity. Checking the All Star game and we had one guy involved and only pitching 1/3 of an inning. Shows how our personnel are perceived.
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I originally wanted to give Duran a chance because of his speed and his prospect ranking. At the time we needed help and he seemed ready. When he came up he was a disappointment. His hitting was below expectations and his defense was worse. This year things have changed for the better. He is essentially leading the club in BA and his speed plays well on the bases. His defense has also markedly improved so he can play CF fairly well. I don't understand why Cora doesn't put him in the lineup, especially against right hand pitching. I assume it is because of Duvall and perhaps doing it to showcase some trade bait. I like a lot of what Cora does but often wonders why he sets the lineups to rest players when games are on the line.
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The Sox are not a playoff team this year so I believe the best strategy is to accept that idea and start the process of building the best possible team for 2024. Trade guys with value that aren't expected to be there in 2024 anyway. Play the guys more consistently who are expected to be core players. Bring up Mayer in August and let him earn a spot as a FT SS for 2024. Who goes and who stays? Paxton, Duvall, Jansen and Dalbec may be tradeable. Kluber probably not but shouldn't be with the team. Could we move Sale for money owed? How about Story who doesn't figure to play consistently for us and is another underperforming big contract. With Mayer coming, his value to the team is more attuned to 2nd base. We have 3 young starters and perhaps could sign another one or two for the money tied up in Sale and Story. We have a first pass at am outfield and Devers, possibly Mayer, Arroyo and Casas as starters for the infield. Time for Bloom to act decisively..
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I expected the team to play .500 ball or slightly below this year. Our young starting pitching has been better than expected and Paxton is helping, however Sale is having yet another injury plagued year while getting Ace pay. This far into the season, I am hoping that Cora will stabilize the lineup as much as possible. Seems like we are putting a lot of sub-par lineups in and we go from a good run scoring team to one that has trouble getting the hit with runners on base. I question Cora's approach but admit to not knowing the circumstances. I still don't see us as a playoff team so recommend that Bloom take meaningful action to improve for the 2024 season.
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6/25 sox @ cws 2:10pm et
oldtimer replied to SPLENDIDSPLINTER's topic in Mike Grace Memorial Game Thread Forum
I wonder why Cora keeps changing the lineup. Would our hitting look better with more stability in the team we put on the field? I realize injuries and other factors are involved but too often our hitting seems subpar. -
My impression is that Kike has one of Cora's favorites. He did well in center field and had periods where he hit decently, but he came to us as a utility player and at $10 mil a year, I don't see where he is returning that much value to the team. It has been a problem for the Sox that high cost players such as Sale and also Story have also not returned anywhere near the their cost in Value whereas young players like Bello, Whitlock and Houck are solid value players have. It's time for Bloom to reassess his strategy in a decisive manner. I don't see the AL East as getting less competitive in 2024, we have to get much better.
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Here it is in early June and some would say we are already over the precipice as far as any chance of success in the post season playoffs. Clearly, the Sox have to continue to act as though they are striving for post season play, but in reality, that horse may have already left the barn. What then should Bloom be doing and thinking. I believe he should make bold moves with our existing players and look to improve the team, especially it's defense and pitching, with an eye on 2024 and beyond. Whether through trades, DFA's, promotions or acquisitions, no more bargain basement hunting and let go of those who obviously don't fit the plan.
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There will be a lot of decisions to be made in the very near future including the following players. Tapia, Durran, Duvall, Hernandez, Reyes, Valdez, Arroyo, Casas, Story and Chang. Management has to look at current performance and longer term benefits to the team. This is a very complicated situation for Bloom to handle. It impacts 1st, 2nd, SS, Utility, and at least one if not two outfield positions. Clearly, the contract situation for some make them nearly untouchable (Story) and the age of others favors competing now while injury history is a factor. The decisions may also impact DH with the current one possibly moving into 1st base while our LF possibly sliding into a DH role. I see it as a chance for Bloom to do a major realignment of the team to make it more competitive.
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They need pitching to return from the IL so they don't overuse Jansem.
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I really wanted to give Duran a chance when he was high on our prospect list, had the speed the team needed and was hitting well enough in the minors. Unfortunately, he really didn't hit in the majors and his defense was below replacement value. A new year and it looks like Duran has made significant adjustments with his hitting, his speed it still there so I am happy for him and hope he can keep helping the Sox. In this case, patience has paid off, at least to date.
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Bloom looked for the goose that laid the golden egg with Kluber (and more so with Paxton) and instead laid a goose egg instead.
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Our starting pitching has been a major weakness to date. We can only hope that some of our current staff will find their stride. With Sale pulling down so much, he will be untradable and either he can find his form or he will be a major drag on the team.
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Kluber got screwed on a miscall and numerous weak hits after the score is 8 to 3 and the Sox won't come back. Ouch.
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Don't think Dalbec has changed his pitch recognition despite his current average. Standing and watching a pitch down the middle for strike 3.