oldtimer

The Sox business plan going forward has to consider the likely competition they will face in Houston, Yankees, TB and Cleveland. If it looks unlikely we can compete in 2020 (it does), then it should be identified as the reset season and changes made should reflect that. A lot revolves around how well Sale, Price and Eovaldi can rebound from 2019. I view it as unlikely that all 3 can have fully competitive years in 2020 and there is a possibility all three could again have sub par years.

Again, if we want to reset in 2020 (depends on the Sox business plan), we will need to look for lower cost players from the farm. My view is Dalbec has the best chance with Duran nearly ready and we may well need a full time outfield replacement and Chatham who is capable of playing short and second and is a line drive type hitter. Others in the farm aren't ready at this point in my estimation. The reset, if it comes, may require JBJ to be traded, and the utility infield positions are not that strong so that C havis, Travis, Marco and Lin may find themselve competing with Dalbec and Chatham. I like Holt enough to keep him and hope that he can stand the wear and tear of a full season.

To reset in 2020 while remaining somewhat competitive we may well need to find low cost pitching since Price, Sale and Eovaldi will probably be with us but are a question maark going forward. Our three farm pitchers who might help are DHern, Houch and Mata. All three should get a look in spring training in the starter role. One or more of them might be better than Johnson for instance. I am not enamored of Barnes or Hembree. They do throw hard, but both had very inconsistent years. We may need to look elsewhere for BP help.

A group of boys named the Sox Were thought to be playoff locks But to all their chagrin Starting pitchers didn't win So the season became a small pox

We have 7 games coming up with the Yankees and Minnesota. No walk in the park and we haven't played well at home.

It isn't a prediction of how we will do in any one year. It is the setting of goals to direct our thinking going forward. If it is clear the best way to make 2020 competitive is to compromise 2021 forward, then it becomes a tradeoff. We need a front office who can make those tradeoffs so that improving the farm, keeping people in the seats and having a progressively stronger team without totally dismissing 2020 are weighed. I personally would set a pay scale guidelines covering all the positions on the team and try to stick to those guidelines in agreeing to contracts. Right now the contracts tend to be out of balance and we may need to wait some of those out to return to full competitiveness.

Once you believe the shiip has sailed, you no longer get worked up about a loss like this. The mathematics will catch up with us eventually, even though TB is struggling now and the A's aren't a powerful team. We still have to lose 7 less than them and Cleveland to qualify. Not likely so chill out.

Moon wanted to get more looks at Johnson before making a decision on keeping him in 2020. Another weak performance to add to his resume.

I believe the team needs to clarify it's thinkiing going forward by starting with a mission statement. These tend to be Captain Obvious, but actions flow from them. My view of a simple mission staqtemnt is: "Field a team that is competitive in 2020 and every year going forward and that has the ability to compete for championships" From that statement of goals, actions can be determined by first looking at where we will be at the 2019 seasons conclusion. From that dose of reality, the decision of to reset or not to reset flows. If we consider not just 2020 but the longer term that decision seems to be clarified based on where we are. It also identifies what kind of leadership we need going forward. If we want to reset and rebuilld the farm, it may take a different type of leadership. I tend to be wordy and have written my more detailed thoughts but doubt if people would want to read them so broke it down to the bare bones, from which decisions on JBJ, Betts, Holt, Leon, DD and others could be made rationally. If others think the mission statement should be changed, then it might flow into a different set of decisions.

A lot of what is paid needs to be based on the objectives of the team and its ability to pay based on meeting those objectives. It appears to me that an object of the team is to improve our farm which means we shouldn't keep spending about the limits. How we do that with existing contracts is the question. We may have to trade some of our players and replace them with younger and lower cost players since some of our ill advised and expensive contracts don't give us much leeway. JBJ is one of those players who may be traded.

JD could hit close to 40 this year if he remains hot. That with his rbi total and 300 avg might tempt him to opt out. Still, how many teams in thee American league are looking to add a $25+ mil DH to their roster.

I am one of those guys who believes we are cooked but I am willing to wait for the mathematics to say it emphatically. At that point there will be time enough to discuss going forward, although some of that has been done already. The Sox need a Mission Statement. What are the short term and long term goals, and what are the approaches that will allow the mmission to be achieved? Along with that, who should we have lead us? In a business, if the CEO screws things up the board replaces him. Not so different here.

In a way, but some players can do the job very well and the team still can have a bad record. An example would be Devers who has been terrific. So it was the play of some of the players and in particular the starters who for whatever reason didn;t get the job done while guys like Bogie and Devers did very well.

Given the probabilities of getting into the WC and based on the road we have to travel and with the pitching we can muster, I advocate starting to bring in pieces that might help the team now and also be a precursor for next years team. There aren't a lot of moves to make at this point but Chatham for Owings or Chavis returned instead of Owings would be one. The other is the status of our fourth ranked minor leaguer and pitcher Mata. The description of him sounds interesting and we are in desperate need of good pitching. Seems like an obvious move. It's now only 7 days from callups anyways, so I don't think waiting will make that much difference. I would have made the moves a little earlier.

We are on the road at the Padres, Rockies and Angels for a total of 8 games and 5 of those without a DH. We are able to use E-Rod, Porcello, Johnson and Eovaldi. We follow that up with 7 games at home against the division leaading Twins and Yankees. We need to win at a 70% chance and/or Oakland and TB need to lose more than half to stand any chance. Mathematically it is still possible, but realistically not so likely. Love to see them play but at some point we need to bring some future players in for a look. A good start would be to bring Chavis back in place of Owings. His 10 days are up tomorrow provided he has recovered from the shoulder strain.

That comment about Ortiz is untrue and sshould get you disqualified from the site. A-Rod was the big juicer and lair to boot.

I remember being in the sky boxes one day when both Yaz and Reggie Smith has a chance to tie or win the game with a single hit, even a fly ball would have helped. They were competitive with each other that day and both weren't cheated at bat with big swings, typical of JBJ sometimes. Both did nothing and I remember we lost the game. Yaz was a great player, but even the great ones let you down at times.

Didn't they trade Billy Hamilton? I don't know the rule, but I suppose they can bring a replacement player in for him. Happens so rarely that even us oldtimers don't know how it works.

God love him for what he has done and that he still has that interest. I'm approaching 80 and have shaky hands causing double stikes, so I can imagine how difficult it is for him. I hope he can hang in there and let someone help read to him and type his input. He has earned it/

Crap certainly does happens and it seems, mostly to us. What strikes me is the lack of fire shown. The team goes through the motions. Maybe Pedroia would have produced that fire but no such luck. The guys who seem to push a little are Devers and Vaz. Maybe Cora should go out and kick a little dirt on home plate or kick ass. The talent is there offensively, but it doesn't happen.

I hate to say it but I agree with this list.

The offense looked flat again and this time against a weak starter and the same pen they saw the night before. Looking down the order and it is hard to see any bright spots. Maybe its time to bring up some kids who will play with more enthusiasm. Hard to be much worse than what we saw in the last two.

Second night in a row scoring 2 runs and the offense being quiet after the 2nd inning. Baserunning has not been solid nor has hitting with runners in scoring position. Too many strikeouts and Cora having to substitute a weak hitter in Owings with two runners in scoring position. Our vaunted offense can and does go cold at times and could also use some beefing up in the off season.

Maybe it's just you!

The end of July convinced me. The only hope then and now is that both Oakland and TB collapse.