oldtimer

It helps to have guys who are at least a threat. Too many guys didn't do a thing at the plate. The guys that hit the ball hard but come up empty are at least a threat. We got a win with great pitching and timely hitting. On we go and could have won the 3 games with a little more care of the RP. What a turn around for the Sox.

They got Frazier as well and we didn't. Smart on our part.

We are talking about a 4th outfielder who isn't that bad defensively. At times he can still hit but he is in a role where he only gets up infrequently so has to adjust on the fly. It will be time to replace him next year but for now he is our backup. Maybe some of the first string could pick it up a bit and Young wouldn't be in the game.

We all know Bogey is not going well now so JF needs to treat him accordingly. Move him down or rest him. When right , Bogey can help this team, in the meanwhile JF needs to consider alternatives.

Sometimes there are critical junctures in a game that involve hitting or lack thereof. Last night with the bases loaded for the Sox and one ouf up came Young. His job was to put the ball in play, hopefully to the outfield. Two cases for worst case were ground into a double play or the next worse was to strike out. He did that without putting a bat on the ball. Then bogey grounded out weakly to the pitcher. The Sox still should have won but gave it away in the ninth. Maybe Bogey needs a rest, while we have to count on Young as a fill-in against lefties.

Pedey is the exception. Price on the other hand is the rule.

Even one win would be okay. Sale will get his shot.

Whether you like him or not, Hanley is our guy again next year unless we trade him and swallow money. Lets just hope he can be healthier. Would love to sign Nunezz but he will be expensive. I am still high on Lin as a utility infielder and possibly he could fill in as a backup outfielder. Hernandez would also need a look if he can get back. Neither are power hitters so we need an infusion there. To get Mostakas, of at all available we might need to give up one of our so called killer bees. Would it be Bogey who is young and would be interesting to many teams? Duda would be a `1st baseman with power?

I'd be happy with a split

A logical adjustment to my approach. Hard to sit Beni when he has been hot. If you rest Bogey and play Devers it is a pretty effective lineup.

Back to hitting. So with the Yankees coming with a lefty and players on hot/cold streaks, who plays and in what batting order? 1. Nunez (3rd) 2. Beni (LF) 3. Pedey (2nd) 4. Betts (RF) 5. Hanley (1st) 6. Bogey SS) 7. Vaz © 8. JBJ (CF) 9. Young (DH) Beni has been hitting so well he is tough to sit. Devers is also hard to sit but I see it as he or Young. If Devers plays he is at third and Nunez is DH. Lots of other possibilities to keep our defense intact while putting our best hitting lineup against lefties in the game.

I have been a fan since right after the 2nd world war and the 1949 club was one of my favorites if not the top favorite ever. I think that this site is a place where we can express opinions both positive and negative. Some would criticize those that don't always see the positive side. We are winning now, so what is there to criticize? We have been riding Nunez and Devers who both have made an impact at the plate. In addition, Pedey was going well until having to deal with the knee and I believe he will be back among the stalwarts. Maybe some of the Price situation also rubbed off on him, who knows. Beni got to sit and consider what he was doing at the plate and has also come through of late. Vaz also had a hot spell, Otherwise, the expectations we set for some of last years heros have not been consistently met. Mookie just is having trouble hitting the slider down and away. Moreland started to come around but seems not to have adjusted fully. Hitting too many weak grounders to the left side or up the middle. Bogey has been struggling since the all star break and Hanley is not feared as our DH. Holt picked up to add an experienced pro has also underperformed. I keep hoping that one or two more will heat up while our effective hitters will not cool down. JF appears to be resting some players who are either tired or nursing injuries. He has some Minor leaguers to consider as alternatives to those that are underperforming. It might not be smart to wait for September call-ups to do that.

Tonight the first step. Great Sox pitching and 12 hits but spread out. Having these aligned differently should produce more runs. The trick is to know who will hit and who won't. Not an easy thing. Pedroia will get back to himself but probably needs a few games. The yankees lost tonight so the two key teams dropped another game to the Sox. All good.

I think your typification of Porcello stinking this year is unfair to him as he has gotten no where near the run support this year and has done an average job on the mound. I still prefer him on the mound to some of our lesser starters.

Who will be available vs Tampa Bay. We have had Pedey on the DL and Hanly sitting? Bogey still could use more rest. Will Leon be catching Sale? Interested in the lineup in the first game against TB. They are a team with good pitching and decent hitting so we need the best we can put on the field.

Young just homered again along with a double.I think Kimmi and I preached forebearance with him as a good fielder and a decent hitter for a ultility outfielder. He certainly is coming through today. Fister has gone 5 and we have a 3 run lead. Hope JF will take Fister out at the first sign of weakness.

We have cutting edge base running. Young is hitting well today but got caught trying to stretch a double into a triple. To me, in scoring position with 2 outs is almost as good as being on third with two outs and miles better than being the third out.

Ryon Healy is the A's 1st baseman. He is a 25 year old and a big guy with power potential and I would expect fairly cheap. Why wouldn't he be in consideration?

No one has mentioned Ryon Healy of the Oakland A's, who is second on the depth chart behind Alonso, is a 1st baseman/DH prospect and a big guy with good home run power and reasonable OPS. He might be available for a reasonable price and is a 25 year old.

When Beni pulls the ball he is much more effective. He had one ground rule double into the pen in right center last night. His bat is important so lets hope he gains confidence after the great night and it carries forward.

Thanks. Upon reading it, I get the impression that a fielder could grab the top of the wall (Out of play), pull himself another couple of feet higher, catch the ball and it would be legal so long as his feet remained in or over the field of play. Not a likely play but possible. Even a fan could reach over and help pull the fielder higher, although that might be fan interference. The right field and at Fenway is low enough to allow for that and several parks have that possibility.

At this point in time it looks like the FO may have cost the team games by taking such a cautious approach with bringing him up. Whats done is done and he may well run into a cold spell. Hard to tell a great deal after a week. That siad, I am glad he is up.

So a player can make a legal catch so long as he is not touched down in the out of bounds area. If a player leaps, but has not as yet alit, even though he may have his body out of bounds he may make a legal catch? This begs the question I would think about whether the tops of the walls are out of bounds areas. For instance, if a ball hits the top of the wall in the outfield it is considered a HR. Now if a player jumps up and hits the top with his body or arm before catching the ball it seems to be called an out. Beni did it once when he caught the ball and fell into a table. I guess i would have to read the rule in total to understand the distinction.

Interesting story on WEEI which says the Sox management forbade DD from trading any of the top prospects (Groome, Chavis, Devers, Travis) to pick up players are the trade deadline. It is one of the constraints he was under, probably also with financial considerations such as not exceeding the Luxury Tax limits this year. DD did well with those limits imposed on him.