5GoldGlovesOF,75

Let's see: Cy Young Award winner (voted to the best pitcher in the league), and the best-paid starter in history when he signed with NY... pitching to a guy he just named this week his number-one nemesis of all-time? Check. But hey, nobody's perfect...

Alright, I'll tell you: whatever punishment happens to Cora and Bello for throwing at Judge should be doubled for Boone and Cole for actually hitting Devers... and starting the whole thing.

A billion dollars -- it's AARON JUDGE!!!!!!! Even though Judge didn't get hit. Cora is only to blame for telling the truth. See if you can guess what I'm thinking right now - will I get punished for my thoughts?

Casas isn't a better hitter this year, and Sox fans have to legitimately worry if he'll be able to overcome his unique injury from swinging a bat. Of course, if not, we'd be selling low -- though someone may want to take a gamble on Tris regaining his '23 status. I like your faith in the prospects, but doubt the Red Sox will give that many a shot in '25 -- if their potential is drowned out by the mighty service-time clock that ticks loudly for mid-market clubs (or Henry imitations). What about leaving Story's proven MLB D at SS and trying Mayer at 3B, where he may move sooner or later? If Marcelo can stay healthy and rake, Arias may be ready to take over at short when Trevor's contract runs out.

Second base is the worst regular position on the Red Sox. They need to find a freaking big league second baseman for next year and let him play -- no more platoons, or match-ups, or conversions... According to bb-ref Position Performances by Wins Above Replacement, Boston's second basemen have the lowest WAR on the club -- NEGATIVE 2.6 -- which surprisingly is still better in the AL than the keystone-hands in Chicago and LA. It's not like the Red Sox don't suck at other places: -2.7 in the bullpen (ahead of only the White Sox and Jays) and -0.9 at first base (ahead of only the A's and the Yanks). BoSox catchers are barely above level, at 0.3. Red Sox shortstops -- at 0.2 -- are somehow middle of the pack: 16th out of 30. DH is 0.1. Third base is 0.9. The starting rotation, at 3.4, trails only KC, Chi and NY. In 2024 Boston, it was all about the outfielders -- second in baseball to the Judge-Soto pinstripers, 9.4 to 9.3.

Other teams trying to win either acquire better reinforcements for their bullpen at the trade deadline and/or cycle through fresh relievers from farm systems better at developing pitchers. We have noted this, pondered this, coveted this, and complained about this for years.

As an alternative, I'm not opposed to just signing Bregman, moving Devers to first base, and moving Casas to another team for an arm. Problems with that scenario: 1. Chapman's extension with San Fran probably makes Bregman more expensive -- and there's no evidence Henry will change course and spend good money, even if it adds a right-handed bat AND shores up the Defense; 2. Raffy as an experiment is no guarantee that first base D will be sufficient; and 3. Casas may be viewed as damaged goods, and not fetch anything of value in return from cautious clubs. There's got to be a reason he's been taking three strikes without swinging lately -- maybe it hurts too much to swing (maybe it always will)... now that the Sox are just about cooked, we'll see if they shut down Tris for the year.

They're going to stay sharp by hitting infield-outfield practice to Rich Hill's kid's team. No metal fungoes, either.

As most of the Red Sox' top prospects bat left-handed -- even if they trade one -- it's almost impossible not to have an unbalanced batting order again. Cora can still platoon bench-warmers in match-ups vs. southpaws, and with success still push the club towards a .500 record. But what Boston really needs is a good right-handed hitter who doesn't strike out to protect Devers, Duran and the coming core of Anthony-Mayer-Teel. A quick glance at the leading home run hitters in the majors shows almost all bordering on 100 strikeout seasons. There are very few righty sluggers who aren't regular whiffers. Here are a few who may be available, along with Ks and K-rate: Vlad Jr. 89-13.8%; Bregman 80-13.6%; Yandy Diaz 90-15.3%... Bregman will cost bucks and necessitate a major infield revamp, but the other two will only cost prospects -- which, we'd all better be honest, aren't going to be enough to get the Sox to the postseason, because: 1. it's doubtful all will become instant MLB All-Stars; and 2. NONE ARE PITCHERS. Assuming Casas is packaged in a deal for pitching, either first basemen Vlad or Yandy are the RHH contact-hitters with pop that Boston seriously needs ASAP. (another probably not available: LA's Marcus Betts 51 Ks, 59 WALKS).

I like Penrod in relief. His name isn't Rotationrod.

Why hammer Cole when he's down? Because we can! Not only is he a fraidy cat, but he and the Yankees' advance scouts are complete idiots -- or haven't they been watching the Red Sox lately, because we're so inconsequential... ... Devers and his two bum shoulders wouldn't even be playing if Boston was already mathematically eliminated. So going deep off Cole -- which is one of Raffy's favorite things to do in baseball -- is nearly impossible right now -- even if Gerrit and his bat-finder pitches can't avoid bouncing off his sweet spot. So the douche deserves to get rallied on, for intentionally putting Devers on base.

I always applaud promoting new talent that can provide a spark to the team! There will still be posters who lament the Brock Beauchamp upgrade so late in the season -- and starting his clock of control too soon... ... but emojis emote forever, and this place will be great if the Sox win it all and everyone gets free furniture.

Good points, but untimely. Rafaela -- a young talent who has "figured it out" at every level in his rise to The Show -- so far has done enough good things to contribute. Maybe his contract is more an indictment of a very worrisome organization... the same one that opened the season with guys like Reese McGuire and Bobby Dalbec on the big league roster. McGuire is batting .086, and last night Dalbec went 0-for-4 with 4 strikeouts... both in Triple A.

Never hated the guy; always hated what he represented -- IN BOSTON. However, can't feel sorry for Bloom. He got paid well for the job opportunity he fully accepted. Breslow seems more like he was a bit deceived by how much control he'd have -- or not have.

(there, I fixed it for you...) The Red Sox are just a sign of the times. In this land, in this century, there seems to be just one truth about lies: the more they're spewed, the more that dumb people will believe them. As long as NESN keeps hyping weekly FEEL GOOD stories about FEEL GOOD players, and Fenway keeps pumping daily "SO GOOD, SO GOOD!" into the mindless masses who keep repeating the refrain, we'll all just feel good about the Sox, no matter how bad they suck, each and every August and September.

As a longtime, ancient Red Sox fan, I won't defend Chaim Bloom for anything. I have hated the entire Bloom Era from the beginning -- orchestrated by ownership, defined by the worst trade in Red Sox history -- which continues to this day with the same CBO using an alternate name and degree from the same university.

But no one Feels as Good as the Feel Good Red Sox! The third richest franchise in baseball LOVES to hire castoffs who miss entire Covid seasons, and 30-year old construction workers, short-order cooks and Uber drivers. Boston tops the industry in providing equal-opportunities for career minor leaguers toiling for minimum wage... (provided they also play in the majors for minimum). The Sox will even let them pitch to MVP superstars making FORTY MILLION DOLLARS a year! As long as they don't underachieve.

The genius in cheapdom was JH convincing Breslow to give Giolito an opt-out -- which would presumably only be used if Lucas had a good year, worthy of a raise. That way, the Red Sox could benefit from the success that Gio helped generate, and then don't have to pay him adjusted market value. Instead they could make him a Qualifying Offer, and draft another Anthony when he leaves. Think of it this way: if you're running a business that can increase profits and have public interest carry over for at least another year -- check attendance records for the year after teams win -- why spend more?

You know exactly what JH is thinking: I filled the CBO slot with a guy that trades for minor league arms, so we don't have to add quality SPers.

Ectoplasm. The Fox graphic last night was worse: Story's career in Boston so far equals 150 games. If he plays in 12 of the 15 remaining games, he'll hit the equivalent of one full season -- in three years.

Yes -- and listen to your scouts about who NOT to trade... ... like the one who had to pull off the road crying, when he heard on the radio the 1990 Red Sox acquired a veteran middle reliever -- for Jeff Bagwell.

The Abreu trade was a good return for a rental. But it did nothing to bolster Cora's club in any push for the '22 postseason (McGuire was literally a replacement player). If Bloom was selling, he should've dealt all the pending free agents and added as many prospects as possible. The in-between, going nowhere in the moment is why he's no longer in Boston. All these factors are worth considering when reflecting on the Vazquez swap at the time.

How good are the 2024 Red Sox? In the American League, it's easy as 1-2-3: 1st in Errors, 2nd in Striking Out, 3rd in Runs Allowed. Those reflect serious flaws in fielding, batting and pitching. At least there's baserunning: 3rd in Stolen Bases; good... 4th in Caught Stealing; not so good.

Those three coming off the pine are not the problem. The problem is that those three have represented the heart of the batting order too much lately on what is supposedly an underachieving ballclub, according to the team president. And I'm with you on the lame, constant excuse of the org relying on and hyping comebacks of injured players. The only true difference makers are Hall of Famers, and there's no Ted Williams returning from the war, or Joe DiMaggio coming off the IL to make huge impacts, like they did in the 1940s.

Bench/Utility; a guy in the dugout who won't whiff 25% of the time, like Romy, Ref or Hamilton... ... sorry, I know Gonzalez and Refsnyder have been our regular heart-of-the-order batters in our powerhouse lineup.