5GoldGlovesOF,75

The Red Sox are a bunch of whiffers. They might not be quite the K Kings like Seattle, but Boston is a solid second in the AL in striking out... (the M's have better pitching and defense, which combines for the lowest runs-allowed in baseball). The Sox have fanned at least 13 times in 27 games, when their record is 8-19. When they've scored 3 runs or less, they are 8 and 50... and in games when they combine striking out 13 times while scoring 3 runs or less, the record is stark: 1 W, 15 Ls. In contrast, the 2018 Red Sox scored 3 runs or less 4 times in their first 7 games -- and won all 4. They also whiffed 13 times or more in only 8 games that season -- and won half of those. In Worcester, Chase Meidroth is a .300 hitter with 102 walks and only 66 strikeouts. So what if he doesn't hit the ball as hard as a million all-or-nothing swingers -- can the MLB Whiff Sox use an infielder with a good glove, good OBP, and a 12.4% K-rate?

Standings can't be the deciding factor -- not in the total absolute dichotomy of the John Henry ownership. Francona was lucky to manage Boston when times really were full throttle. Cora has already been in charge for more years of half-full bottle. Both won it all with great clubs -- and proved they could finish the deal in dramatic postseasons -- but Cora has also gone far in the playoffs with an underdog group, and kept several last-place rosters in contention a lot longer than expected. Plus, it's arguable that the 2007 Red Sox were even more talented than the '18 Sox (yes, '07, not '04), and had an overall stronger team, position-by-position. The '07s put themselves in a hole in the LCS, but otherwise dominated that postseason. The '18s had tougher competition and faced stress in every round -- when Cora did some serious managing: regularly using the rotation to fortify the bullpen, pinch-hitting three different guys to win the World Series, and finding the right game to let a utility man hit for the cycle.

... there's gotta be at least one in every Little League game -- where you can always hear a coach yelling: "Ben Yerneez!"

Imagine the incompetence of all those big leaguers who threw pitches off his bat to knock in 70 runs.

Complaints about acquisitions are easy after the fact, after they fail. But the fact is -- since the Dombrowski trade deadlines half a decade ago -- the Red Sox just haven't been in the business of acquiring talent for significant stretch-run upgrades. Dombro dealt for guys like World Series MVP Steve Pearce and Nate Eovaldi, the best postseason pitcher. He also added Eduardo Nunez, who smacked a big pinch-hit World Series home run, after hitting .321/.892 for Boston the year before. Drew Pomeranz wasn't a hero, but an All-Star when acquired -- so at least DD aimed high, unafraid to part with a top prospect... Chaim Bloom did swap for Kyle Schwarber, but didn't resign him. Instead, Schwarber has hit 144 HRs for another team the past three years, including a new record for leadoff homers he just set last night. The Vasquez dump was a future winner, but not geared to improve the Sox' chances that year. Bottom line: Pitching help has been annually abysmal, pieces of token mediocrity or rehabbing retreads doomed to breakdown. Nothing to put them over the top... or even closer to October.

The M's may have to go for Casas to offset the new beast of the west, Nikko Kavadas, and his 5.3% HR rate. Though Tris is only at 4.6% in this broken season.

Before the season started, most of us would have been satisfied that any games in September would matter. When it's all over and we sit back and review 2024, it will be hard for anyone not named Sam to hang a label of "underachievers" on a roster full of one- or two-tool players.

Baltimore leads the majors in slugging. Crawford and Pivetta lead the majors in slugging pitches off sweet spots on bat barrels. What could go right? (A: left-handed pulled longballs, right-handed pop-ups to Pesky Pole).

... to the lights at the bottom of the Green Monster! That line drive that got stuck in the strike light two feet off the ground last year was something fans never saw before, but maybe one of the reasons is that big league outfielders usually catch balls at thigh-high levels -- or don't let balls hit the wall that low behind them. Granted, it was a slicing liner off a lefty bat -- a tough play for any leftfielder -- but if you watch the replay, Yoshi actually jumped for the ball and missed it, before it smashed the low light. Definitely a rarity in the majors... but maybe the coaching staff thought the same about Yoshida -- and, yikes.

This isn't to defend young millionaires, but to hammer pro sports organizations like Boston's, who somehow can't teach employees that the media is an integral part of their industry. Reporters should not be considered the enemy, but can be a player's best friends -- and might even help some get set for life.

And didn't sign the best one he already had in his best trade.

(Thought I already posted this): The sad state of the AL LEAST is that -- as of today -- since July 1, only the Yankees have played .500 ball: at exactly .500. All the other ALE clubs have losing records. All the Red Sox had to do was win more than they lost. But they didn't... ... been saying ALE is overrated since last winter; it's one of the reasons I mostly drink PILSNER.

Both WHIP (the Hits, anyway) and ERA can be inflated by defenses with no range. Of course, it's also a hit sometimes when a pitcher gives up a rocket right at a defender, who barely ducks in time to save his own skin. My only problem with ERA is that it's not affected by pitcher errors. I understand runs that result from Es are not "earned" against the pitcher, but playing defense is also part of the pitcher "position" -- he's got to make the pitches and the plays to earn his stats.

A 4 ERA on the Yankees isn't that bad. They may be a playoff team, but only because they have two star sluggers and slightly better pitching than Boston (NY's staff WHIP is 1.252, Red Sox' is 1.256. The Yanks also give up less home runs -- averaging only 1.1 per game, which is one-tenth of a dinger better than the Sox). If we're talking defense, though, we all know the BoSox lead the AL in errors. In fact, they're the only club in the league that has made more than the Bronx Bumblers. Of course, in bbref's category Total Zone Total Fielding Runs Above Average -- abbrev. Rtot -- the Red Sox have 19... the Stanks have ZERO. When defenders can't make any above-average plays, a 4 ERA doesn't suck.

Old scouting report (we'll call him CBO): "fastball tops out at 90 mph, but generally sits in high-80s. Also possess an above-average curveball and an average straight change-up. Excellent control with good strikeout numbers." Here's another guy (a future pitching coach): "in his rookie-of-the-year season, threw 47% four-seam fastballs, and struck out 28% of batters. Then his elbow acted up. The next season he checked in at 69% and 22%. Last year he checked in at 75% and 24%... he's still been good the last couple years, but he hasn't been what he was as a rookie." You can see why Breslow and Bailey might always be on the same screen when looking to add to their pitching staff...

Raffy's main problem is that his words are just not repeatable, especially under the tense scrutiny of postgame media hounds. According to millimetrics, his rate of RTR (replies to reporters) will always be lower than his RTNH (replies to NESN homies). He's really just goofing on all of them, eschewing a mixture of English and Spanish amidst garbled responses of bubblegum, sunflower seeds, and a clever translator in on the act...

Don't worry, Red. The Sox don't have any more pitchers good enough to trade away this winter who they will pay to be superstars for other teams next season... ... especially to a place where Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park is equidistant between the new ballpark and the pitcher's hometown.

Roman Anthony find a fearsome righty bat to hit behind him for the next decade, and watch the Roman candle fireworksKyle Teel athletic catcher > athlete converting to catcherKristian Campbell 3 may be too lowFranklin Arias fast-tracking at the most vital non-battery position that no one is saying he may have to move fromMarcelo Mayer Already injured every yearJhostynxon Garcia more HRs than Anthony this season... and bats rightyChase Meidroth proved himself at the highest minor league level all summerMiguel Bleis developingYoeilin Cespedes needs a primary positionLuis Perales Of the Red Sox' top 27 pitching prospects, the only guy rated with a ceiling as high as "mid-rotation starter"Braden Montgomery can't put a guy in the Top 10 until he plays in the pros David SandlinRichard FittsWikelman GonzalezPayton TolleMikey RomeroElmer Rodriguez-CruzNazzan ZanetelloAllan CastroConrad Cason

Most AL contenders have the same basic flaw: lights-ON bullpens. No one trusts Kimbrel or Holmes in Baltimore or New York. Minny and KC have nothing special at the back end, either. Houston has Hader, but he's allowed 10 homers in 60 IP. Watch out for Cleveland, though, in the playoffs: three relievers with sub-1 WHIPs, another at 1.006... and then there's closer Clase and his ERA -- 0.70.

With seven opponents left, the Red Sox have a decent chance to win one game in each series. They might have to beat the White Sox twice, though, to reach the annual goal of 78 Ws... ... so this series this weekend is crucial! The White socks with holes in their toes vs. the Red socks with holes in their soles.

It would certainly help if they could find or develop a few pitchers whose ceilings are higher than the floor of a barn. And if any can do more than hit the side of a barn -- and become horses -- don't let them leave the barn... except in barnburners.

... from throwing BP to Little Leaguers... or from being attached to worn-out bodies like Paxton's... or Garcia's... or Sim's... or any other brilliant recruits for the stretch-dive. In Boston, the front office is so smart, half the Asst. VPs were once pre-med. So when they plan every July around the deadline, they keep confusing it with flatline. This explains why the club flatlines every August and September.

The Boston Red Flags

70 wins, 70 losses, 22 left... and the most difficult math: To finish .500, the Red Sox will have to win as many games as they lose the rest of the way. (again) "they have to win as many games as they lose..." For that to actually happen the Sox need to score more runs than an opponent 11 times over 9 innings (minimum, weather-permitting).

The best part of this game isn't this game... but in Rochester tonight, Priester threw 6 scoreless with 8 Ks and 0 BBs.