oldtimer

Wonder if Cora thinks he should keep players out with the sniffles. I come from a time when guys stayed in the lineup if they were in any shape at all to play. Cora's approach is a new way for me and I question it. Tingles, sniffles and boo boos are resulting in weaker teams on the field. When it gets down to crunch time in Sept., will the loss of a game here or there be what keeps us in the wild card? Maybe Cora's way will give us a healthier team, just a different approach than I would use. I wonder how the players feel about it?

He didn't face many 100 mph pitchers, rhe slider or 5 inning starters

Hard to come back with a weakened lineup in there. I know Bogaerts has a sprain and will be sidelined for a short while. I guess Mookie Betts felt a little off. Sometimes I wonder how decisions are made to give players rest. Not like the old days where players went out to play with some injuries. So we have a lineup with Beni, JDM and Moreland backed up by weak and weaker. Kind of cuts down on the run scoring potential. ERod is throwing his typical game. Good stuff but a high pitch count per inning and a difficult putting people away. Lots of nibbling. He would be a better pitcher if he increase his pace and got ahead of most batters. Lin's error didn't help the situation but only accounted for 1 of the 6 Mariner's runs.

Cora was willing to lose the game for whatever reason, but the players thought differently about it. Good for them, bad for Cora.

Cora was the substory to this plot. Why did he allow Wright to give up 10 earned runs in 3.1 innings? He was willing to give up the game but the Sox players had other idea.

The way I look at it, we are a very good team who may well get forced into a one time winner take all wild card game. What is troubling is that we have not taken steps to make improvements which might result in the Yankees getting to play in the wild card game. True, we don't have a lot of available resources, but why not use what we have to make improvements where we can? The sooner the better.

Hamilton's name came up because a Reds poster on their web site brought it up along with a couple of other trades I didn't even mention. I don't think any posters here were serious about that particular trade. On the other hand, JBJ's just snake bitten at the plate and continues his downward spiral. I see CF as our second weakest position at this point. How long can you keep a good fielder in the lineup that can't hit even 200? We probably have one move we can make. If Pedey is truly not able to make it back then we need to shore the position up. Hernandez is a possibility but probably not this year, otherwise, there are some candidates on the market. If JBJ continues his hitting funk into the ASG (1/2 season), we also have a problem to solve. Which area do we try to improve or do we stand pat? I think we make a move and get the best deal at one of those two positions.

Betts looks like he is getting back in the groove. Having been out for so long, he did need to get his stroke back and today it was evident that he got his stroke and confidence back.

Playing a couple of games in SC in the 98 deg heat is a draining experience and a reminder that even the young and strong guys go through a grueling schedule. One has to assume it wears on those that are in the lineup every day. When our best guys wear down a little and go through slumps, for any reason, even unlucky BBIP locations, with our lineup there is really a weak backup. We have known this from early in the season but we somehow have been saying one of two things. 1. We are winning now and have a good record, so there is no need to panic and make a move until later on (presumably after we start to falter, if we do) 2. Cherington backed us into a corner and we have very limited financial capability and a depleted minor league system, so we aren't flexible enough to try to solve the obvious weaknesses (DD's legacy to date). Live with it baby. So here we are, probably not in a panic situation, our pitching is still pretty good, except in BP depth maybe, but how long do we go before we shore up where we are weakest?

If need be and it does seem likely, I would move him to 1st base before trading him. The bat is likely to get better given more time so we need to find his best fit. Maybe we trade Moreland and then go for a 3rd baseman but I don't see Devers making the switch to first in season.

Any other explanation?

He leads all infielders with 15 errors. Several have 10 though, like Lindor. On the other hand Shaw has 6 as does the Moose.

Maybe the Twins has a plan against our hitters. They have been pathetic for a couple of days now.

I think Cora sent out guys who should have done better. That's all he can do. The players then are responsible for the results.

The time to strike is when the opportunity presents itself. Waiting until the last minute might mean the opportunity is lost and waiting for the perfect opportunity is a losers game as there never will be a perfect one. That said, the Reds are playing better of late and may feel their season is still viable.

I went over to the Cinncinnati Red Trade site to see what they are saying. They definitely don't think they are in the running this year and their posters have Gennett's name up there but not in conjunction with Boston except for a resource we wouldn't ant to part with. One poster there proposed Billy Hamilton for JBJ straight up or with another secondary Sox player. NOt much team control left on Hamilton though. Hamilton is a premier speed guy and can play center. Not the best of hitters though but an interesting thought that the Reds poster had.

I still view second base as our weakest position and don't believe Pedroia is coming back able to play more than token appearances. Nunez is a weak defender and Holt is our only other viable fill in player, but at many positions. If there is any chance to deal for a competitive full time second baseman, I think we should make that a priority. The Sox will not want to advertise this weakness and will put out positive statements about Pedroia, but that might just be a smokescreen to help them trade for a replacement. I believe DD is cagy enough to be pursuing this line of thinking about team improvement. Beltre as a 3rd base/DH sub is okay but not as needed right now as 2nd and we can get by with JBJ although he too is replaceable.

The Sox are wearing rose colored glasses if they really believe Pedey can come back and be an everyday player this year. The idea of aiming high for Gennette is a good one. Maybe young pitching and Chavis, our #1 listed prospect might do or throw in Travis. If something like that won't do it, back away.

Sale just unravelled when he hit Mauer with a man on first and the meat of the order following. Tough way to go when you just took the lead.

Devers gets an attaboy for that one. Looked like another low pitch inning for erios until that.

Sale has the same luck with the Sox. Need to get two guys to hit back to back to get something going. Minnesota pitcher is good for at least one inning.

More on the second baseman idea. I watched the Yankee/Washington game yesterday and noticed Daniel Murphy was hobbling around. It turns out he also has had microfracture surgery on his knee and is taking a long time to get back from the surgery. Looking at his play, you have to wonder if he will actually make it back to what he was. Pedroia and Murphy are close to the same age, both are second basemen and both are finding it difficult to make the return from this surgery.

Maybe he is rehabbinh his hurt pride.

If the Reds are wiling to let go of Scooter Gennett, I would pursue that possibility,especially if Pedroia can't make it back.

I wonder if the long term plan would be to move Devers to first after Moreland's contract runs out. That would be 2020 unless we do something in the trade market with Moreland. I have read that they expect Devers physique to become more solid even then now as he gets into his prime years. The Sox could pick up a talented 3rd baseman while retaining Devers. An infield of the future with Scooter Gennett at second and Chavez at third might just work better than what we have now.