oldtimer

There is such a thing as accountability. I'm not sure that DD was not extended based on being blamed for the mess or based on the recognition a different talent will be needed to buiild the farm and to reset the salary structure. With DD out of the way, who is accountable for the miserable performance put in by the offense during the last 10 games? I don't recommend firing anyone more this year, but there are really only 3 places to look for the offensive struggles. 1. Cora with his player rest program and the instability of his lineups. Also possible the players not respoonding to him. 2. Hitting coach is not helping to correct bad habits and game plan appropriately 3. Players getting into a malaise and being disinterested and without energy Those are a few possibilities and the new GM may want to ask questions when he comes in. I think the Sox will go another year with the team, although some players will not be back and I suppose both the pitching and batting coaches will be looked at. I personally am at a loss to pinpoint any one area that could improve the situation.

I'm concerned that the same people will be back neck years sans DD and we are likely to repeat this lackluster year.

A lot of them are playing now and not just the pitching is weak but the offense is flat and the players look disinterested. I'll be interest to see which of your listed players returns for the 2020 season.

That has been my POV for some time. Maybe some of those would liven things up and show some promise. It can't hurt at this point.

Clearly the team is performing poorly but I'm not willing to ascribe it to Cora, the coaches or the players. I don't have enough information to really blame anyone in particular but something is definitely wrong and you can't blame those who are gone. It's got to originate with some of the above. Yes, the pitching has been poor with the exception of E-Rod who has done his job when called upon. The defense looks shaky at times. We have rested key players in games where we had a chance to win. We have mixed up lineups so there has been a lack of stability. Guys like Beni, who really looked like he had solved his slumping problems with a great performance for a while is now slumping again. Devers who you couldn't get a ball by now looks average. JDM isn't impressive. The only guy who really looked aggressive and on top of his game is Mookie, and he sat last night. These are symptoms but its difficult to identify a cause. Do we really think starting off next season with this same crew will be a prescription for success? Repeating the same actions over and over and exxpecting different results is madness. How many of these guys are going through the motions and how many are out there with the Refuse To Lose attitude? We need some fire or we need to fire.

What does the current hitting malaise say about how good our offense might be in 2020? Shutout by the Yankees, 3 runs last night against a so so pitching staff land tonight 2 hits in 8 innings with only Mookie missing from the lineup from the same so so staff. This is not the first time this team has gone cold and then gotten hot for stretches this season. Good pitching and bad luck can account for some of it, but is there some other issue with the Sox and if so, what is it? Coaching, hitters approach, we aren't as good as we considered we were? It looks like our offense is totally flat right now. Do we need to reevaluate players and coaches to find a more competitive group or approach? It is discouraging to watch.

One hit. The guys may not be as good as we thought they were

Not exactly tearing the cover off the ball tonight, are they?

Young players tend to be underpaid, especially when they turn out to be stars or near stars. Arbitration does boost their pay over time and we will see Mookie in his 4th year of arbitation get paid very well (Moon estimates $28 mil). Most businesses today have risk managers who would look the length of contract as a dollar value. Trying to understand risk as its long term effect on the team's success seems like a complex thing. Ten years could indeed leave the Sox in a tough position for multiple years. I tend to like shorter contracts but free agency is a competitive business. If he truly looks to take the highest paying and longest contract out there, it may well be more than he is worth to the Sox, considering the risk. I can see the dilemma of wanting to keep such a good young player while on the other hand not wanting to handcuff the team going forward. Guys like Devers will also be coming along and looks like he will also draw star contract levels. I have expressed in the past that the clubs should set up a structure of a percent of the budget (assuming $208Mil -$15 mil is the target budget) for each group (pitching and field players) and further budget withing those groups %tages for Ace through 5th starters and Closers through set up men and BP arms. Do the same for field players (up the middle, key positions, DH, etc). Once those %tages are in the plan, it would point out when the contract is too rich and also might point out how many younger players need to be on the roster. Do the Sox have such a plan now? Certainly didn't look that way under DD. Right now the Sox are messed up from a poorly structured set of contracts with 3 possible underperforming pitchers getting a big share and also Pedroia being sunken money. We also have Bogie, JDM and soon to be Betts big contracts along with JBJ's likely price. I would think the Sox should attempt to bring a planned salary structure in over a period of years and stick with it unless there are very strong reasons to deviate. The $208 million is by no means a small total budget and a good GM should be able to live within that number.

It's a dilemma with no correct answer. Whatever the new GM does, he will be criticized.

That has been Cora's mo all season and I believe a weak spot in his style. Of course its arguable that resting players at times may improve the overall results, I just hate to see us playing with a couple of weaker players and then lose by one. My main gripe is that many on the team lack that refuse to lose mentality and parade up to the plate and back. Are we not that good? Is there a lack of drive and desire? Is that coaching sub-standard. I don't know the answers to those questions, but we certainly look very weak as a team so something is wrong.

I don't think we can mess with GM candidates before the season ends for the teams and maybe not before the WS or we will be called for tampering. The sooner we can get our guy the better. We need a mover and shaker since this team seems to be too complacent and in a season long malaise. The manager, coaches and players need to show some fire. Tough on the guys who do as many of them have already packed it in.

We didn't put our best team on the field last night. Cora chose to rest a couple of players. Owings is not ml caliber, makes you wonder why the Sox got him. We are going to be a well rested team in October sitting on the couch and watching the playoffs. I do believe it is on the Mgr., coaches and players. I see little fire with maybe the exception of Mookie of late. A few young players who are out to make a splash would pick up this teams energy level if not talent. Our inability to score against so so pitching is equally hurting us. Our new GM has got to be a bit of a hard ass to get things stirred up a bit and players seeing the game as more than a pay check.

Cora is back to resting players, Bogaerts tonight, maybe Betts tomorrow. Thats Cora's style as he thinks that the turf in Toronto is tough on players. We are playing with less than a full deck and some of those are slumping. Bring in some young players. What difference does it make.

Yes, I knew that but I didn't know the statements about $257 Mil were usiing Castillo's cost until I saw it in the string.

Trades usually work with both parties getting something nearly equal in value which fits their parrticular needs. In this case we got very little and they got something pretty good. Bad result for us but that can and will happen. If it happens too often, the GM may pay the price.

It is confirmed that Cora will be back next year and he probably will have learned from what worked and what didn't this year. One wonders if there will be changes in any of the coaches though. Is it all on the players or are the coaches also held accountable when the results in their area of expertise are subpar? Thats up to the insiders on the team to answer as I doubt fans really have access to enough information to make an informed judgment. Whoever the new GM is, I hope he has the strength of will to get rid of those who underperform whether they be players, coaches or even the manager.

Some names to consider Mike Hazen Matt Arnold Michael Girsch Probably restricted from having conversations until after the WS.

Maybe that explains it. I was thinking it might have been one more reason for firing DD.

I didn't miss JDM, he is listed under possible Opt Out. I also have several who I don't see as detrius that are possible trades and/or DFAs. I certainly am not for blowing the team up. It probably won't be necessary to get below $208 mil for the reset. I did miss Duran though and he could make the team next season as an outfielder. The next GM will have some tough decisions and JDM and perhaps Mookie may make them for him.

An article today under Red Sox Rumors claims we are going to be at $257 mil this year so the draft may be impacted again/I wonder if that number got DD fired?

That's a lot of money, particularly when coupled into a long term contract. Injuries or declining performance are always a consideration. He is really a top of the line players so it is hard to assess what is fair but I would like us to stay strong 1 through 9 and also have good pitching. Will he accept a fair and equitable decision or will he just look for top dollar anywhere? Maybe paying top dollar for a DH is hampering us somewhat in making the Mookie decision. There are financial limits and in the not too distant future Devers will also command big money.

For 2020 the New GM will have his hands full with the roster. I expect him to think along the lines stated below: Core Keepers: Bogaerts, Vazquez, Rodriguez, Benintendi, Devers, D Hernandez, Walden and Taylor Those we will have on contract that we can't move: Price, Sale, Eovaldi, Pedroia (hope for the best) Those we expect to keep: Betts, Barnes, Workman, Holt, Chavis,Latkins, Maddox, Weber, Chacin, Smith Those possibly traded/dfaed: Leon,Hembree, Bradley,Johnson,M Hernandez,Travis, Lin, Poyner, Brewer, Shawayan, Kelley Opt out possible: Martinez Those Gone: Cashner, Moreland, Nunez**, Pearce, Owings, Wright, Hembree,Brasier, Velazquez, G Hernandez, Centeno, Renda Possible Added: Houck,Mata, Dalbec, Chatham, Okimey, Felton Other: Castillo Even this list leaves us possibly short on a backup catcher, starting pitching and also BP pitching. Good luck to our new decision maker. Will it be Mike Hazen?

We have a home grown candidate in Mike Hazen. I imagine he will get a look although due diligence has to be done and there are others out there who might fit. Assistants in the Cardinals or A's organization are mentioned as quality options.

Agreed. Most of us like to reason through what we see as deficiencies and of course we don't know the full story, yet it is interesting to do so and to hear what others are thinking. My view is the ownership will ask for a reset but will still be willing to spend up to the first tier of the competitive balance tax. That is certainly not cheap but does put us in a better place when 2021 comes around. I expect that the FO will try to keep most of the core of good young players while adding from the minors or low cost acquisitions to field a competitive team in 2020. They will also have to let some players go among whom may be one or two some would rather keep. I am looking for the ownership to hire a new GM with a history of farm system development and also one willing to collaborate in making the tough decisions that the current situation will make necessary