oldtimer

Hits, walks and baserunners and only one run driven in by Beni. Meanwhile our SP has trouble giving up runs. Bad combination. When they finally admit this season is irredeemable, then they should bring up some hopefuls and see what they can do.

There are those here who say stats don't support that batting order doesn't make much difference, but with Beni 1st and Betts 2nd, the team wasn't getting a lot of base runners early. Was it because of bad starts by these players? Only when Betts batted first, Devers 2nd and Bogaerts third did the lineup start to look impressive. Betts is still having a good but not great year and it has taken Beni a long while to show the talent many of us think he possesses. The question on how batting order is structured may be one that Cora needs to look at in 2020. Load up with your best bats first (we have 6 sollid ones) and don't be shy about getting rid of the dead wood (again, no pun intended). Maybe some of our inability to score with RISP will improve.

He's not the guy I want to see included in our 25 man for 2021 and onward.

The what ifs are fun to talk about, but I am more interested in what we do going forward. I don't blame DD for not making the moves and anticipating our weaknesses. What I do question is whether he is the right GM to lead a team that needs to reset and do some rebuilding. Certainly the Detroit example is not one that gives me any confidence. Some tough choices coming up as your outline did a reasonable job of outlining.

I expect him t stay. His health is a question mark but he should be viable for us at DH for the next couple.

It builds upon my long standing perception of him. Throw him out there again this year. It doesn't matter that much and see if he is viable. Personnaly, I don't think he is.

I went to bed last night wondering the same thing and then realized he was talking about D Hernandez. I certainly agree that he is our besst hope for getting a starter from our prospect list. Just needs to be more consistent with location. If he was with the Astros, he would already be better, they have a knack with their pitchers .

The problem is between the ears. Not good under any pressure this year.

Not impressed wth Johnson. What did he give up last out. 8 hits in 3 inning.

I tend to agree that Barnes needs to be traded. He has been horrible of late and blew some saves early.

Do you really think Betts season will justify and arb raise of 7 million? You cut Holt out presumably because he's tradeable and will be on the decline by 2021. I would replace both Johnson and Velazquez and bring D. Hernandez up and possibly he could be a 5th or 6th starter in 2021. Wright probably should go as well and Barnes and Hembree are hard throwers and may be tradeable but aren't guys I see as helping us going forward. Weber looks like a 25 man roster pitcher. I'm then missing two relief pitchers who need to be picked up unless some of our 40 man can suppy them. I like Chatham over Lin long term for utility, Hernandez at second and Chavis at 1st. I can see the need for Travis for utility 1st and outfield but would give Duran a look to see if he can play at the ML level in 2020. Another CF candidate with great speed might be a help. If he fit, then Dalbec vs Travis might be worth a look.

Nice Workman like job to close this one. Last thing to do is walk a man and give them a chance to tie or go ahead. None of that from Workman. Barnes needs a rest. He just doesn't do well of late.

Barnes up to his tricks. Three run homer. He wants to give this game up.

My view: Like Moon, I’m in favor of resetting the Sox team and payroll in 2020 with an eye on building toward a fully competitive team toward 2021 and beyond. Saying that, I still know we have to field a team in 2020 and we need to make that team as competitive as possible without losing the idea of resetting the payroll. I am for the idea of keeping those who should be able to help us along the path toward competitiveness, yet I know certain contracts are beyond our control and those people maybe with us unless we can trade them or they opt out. My keepers are as follows, all other all trade bait or gone: Starting pitchers: Nathan Eovaldi Darwinzon Hernandez (good arm, young, inexpensive and may develop) David Price (Don’t expect we can trade him) Chris Sale (Probable he will return to useful form) Eduardo Rodriguez Relief Pitchers: (Generally inexpensive) (Would trade for right offer) Matt Barnes Colten Brewer Josh Taylor Marcus Walden Ryan Weber Brandon Workman Catcher: Christian Vazquez Field Players: Raphael Devers Xander Bogaerts Michael Chavis Marco Hernandez Brock Holt (possible trade bait) Outfielders: Andrew Benintendi Mookie Betts (If he can be signed to a contract representative to his true value) Designated Hitter: J.D Martinez (He is locked in unless he opts out. If he does, we can find a decent DH for less money) GM: (replace) David Dombrowski (Don’t think he is suited to lead a team through rebuilding) Look to fill in the holes from the minors, trades and FA pickups

One thing to do is pay him his $32 mil for a couple more years. Too bad they don't sell performance insurance so that if the ERA gets above a certain amount the insurance company would have to take on the contract.

Weber had nice movement on his FB and he located it well. Maybe he deserves a longer look than Hembree.

It's hard to know with aging pitchers. John Lester was a keeper we let slip away. He is 35 now but still has an ERA under 4. Yes, its in the National League where they face one less solid hitter, but still he is viable. Price seems to be slipping but his velocity is still okay (not great), Sale shows flashes of greatness,

Kimmi You are taking the optimistic view, but nothing points in the direction of the rotation improving in performance going forward. I hope Sale can at least come part way back to his dominance of the past. I don't see Cashner, Porcello or Price doing the job for us going forwad. Price will be with us in 2020.

Its not just Price that has been awful during this stretch. Porcello, Sale, Johnson, Cashner all have been very hittable and E-Rod is forever the nibbler. Good stuff but he gets himself into trouble. With a rotation of very experienced and noted pitchers how do we suddenly completely implode? Are people stealing our signs? Is the wear and tear of so many seasons catching up with the staff all at once? Whatever is going on, we really have no flexability. No farm arms that would help and other than Porcello and Cashner, no ability to replace pitching staff after this season. The team is tired and no doubt are feeling almost helpless. It has to impact the field players as well. It is good that JH didn't spend money and take us over the 2nd tier of the competitive balance tax. It would have just been wasted due to our starting rotation and we would have paid in draft positions. DD's approach has been to deplete the farm system, take the payroll to the absolute limit, take on very expensive, long term contracts for noted starters. We got three good finishes from it including a WS. Now we pay the piper.

Betts 2 for 15 for the series. Is he worth $30mil? Of course, if he had hit against our starters he probably would have gone 6 for 15 with 3 homers.

Fitting that JBJ would strike out (for the 3rd time) to end the game and the series.

Our starters, other than e-rod can't go 5.

Price was even worse tonight going on 2 2/3 and throwing the game away (no punn intended).

Neither Velazquez or Johnson are starter quality.

True, but using the pen hard when our starter often don't go 5 innings and need 4 relievers nightly puts a heck of a wear factor on our best and is probably not sustainable over the long season. Having starters who often can go 7 innings can help the BP demonstrate sustained good performance.