5GoldGlovesOF,75

Can't blame it on Barnesy -- they ILed him and his 5.48 ERA

And any team that was sincerely "all-in, trying to win the World Series absolutely" Sam Kennedy -- would look to use a few vaunted prospects to swing a trade or two for young, up-and-coming pitchers with actual upside. That's what clubs do when trying to legitimately contend and build for the future at the same time. You have to give up something of actual value to get something of actual value... You can't just keep putting bandaids on wounds that need stitches, because when bandaids inevitably get wet, they're going to just keep falling off.

The pattern hasn't changed with Bloom's rotation acquisitions: old, rehabbing, past-their-prime, liable-to-breakdown at-any-time starting pitchers. It was no surprise when Hill and Wacha spent time on the IL last year, or when Kluber and now Paxton are having issues this year. And not one single Red Sox fan expected Sale to stay healthy all season (ya, I know he was signed by DD, but Bloom chose to pretend he'd front the staff this year). We've beaten this path aplenty here, but this is the Fire Bloom thread - and I have no problem reposting and rehashing until we can mercifully close this thread once and for all... ... because it turns my stomach envisioning the next over-30 veteran starters that Bloom will sign next winter -- for just one year -- to slog through one more season in suckitude. Ya, Chaim, we "know what's coming."

A Showcase line-up (except for Raffy and Yoshida)... ...on the last Sunday in June!

What are the hopes that the Red Sox in the second half will break any of those themes? Defense - no; old pitchers suddenly healthy - no; consistent hitters - this has the most potential... Raffy can rebound with a better second half... his best career month with the lumber is July: .304, .963. However, his worst career month is August: .238, .756 (Aug is usually when Devers is dealing with some nagging injury; hopefully his limbs will heat up and stay loose with the weather this summer). If one or both of Casas and/or Duran continues to adjust to league adjustments to their adjustments... if Yoshida doesn't wear down... if -- after Duvall is dealt at the deadline -- Story can comeback and contribute, more on the bases as a new-rules weapon, than the all-or-nothing swinging he'll be replacing... Obviously, the young pitching has to remain consistent, and Houck has to prove he's doesn't turn into Herb Score... then the Sox just might hang in there around .500 and stave off wild card elimination until October...

They should've brought in Papelbon or Kimbrel in a tie game. On the road.

Duvall just needs to muscle a high fastball over an infielder...

Here comes a change-up

Single, please

Make-up call

No, it's not

Yoshida, go to left...

Turner, go to right...

Bloom asked for a bucket of BP balls, but got laughed at. All the other GMs said the cost of labor was too high, sending employees onto the Mass Pike and the banks of the Charles Rivers trying to retrieve HRs given up by CK. The best offer was a case of brand new Spauldings in the wrappers (not gamers, but the kind they use for autos).

Or ten times his amount of Hamiltons...

Sometimes you're right. But good pitching is obviously the best defense, and great pitching can nullify great hitting. And if good defense isn't always the key to winning, few can deny this: good defense is often the key to not losing.

... but in a city where you'd better follow the orders of your true bosses -- unless you want a tracheotomy with a ballpoint pen from Doctor Joe Pesci.

It's ok, the schedule balances out next year in Vegas, when the Stros, Rangers, Angels and Ms will waste energy staying up more nights gambling and being escorted into other depths of depravity (lucky dogs).

That would go against every fiber of Bloom's rebuild... unless, say a highly-touted youngster turns out to have questionable character on anti-social media.

You know better than to expect anything out of the ortinary.

First and third, no outs, and Cora knew the match-ups at the bottom of the order were so bad, that he sent Christian ArroySlow -- hoping that Vazquez would throw the Sox a run. Nada.

... unless they're trying to convert to a tallstop.

Ask Correa to check his invisible wrist watch... does anyone even wear an invisible watch these days? Hold on, I'll Google it on my fake phone..

Kike... official on-field E leader, but unofficial off-field clubhouse/dugout leader -- of a winning MLB team -- from bleached head to neon toes. Mondesi... all we are is dust in the wind.

He's writing his autobiography right now, which he hopes will go directly onto the syllabus at Yale's Classic Dept. Working title: The Godyssey... by Homer Donors