5GoldGlovesOF,75

Sox fans would all like to see more stability in the bullpen, but apparently the front office chooses not to invest money or prospects to improve that department... most likely since they survived a brutal April and are right back in the hunt for that extra wild card spot. Remember, Cora never lets the lack of relievers get in his way to go deep in the playoffs -- and management keeps telling us there are vets and young arms coming in the second half from within (to help with the autumn conversion of starters to rovers or closers). They also haven't replaced Schwarber's bat -- yet -- but they will. The Yankees, on the other hand, had two great months so far... but what were their major additions from last year, besides a shortstop who doesn't suck. With basically the same lineups (sans Gardner), NY and Boston are tied with most runs per game in the AL. Both offenses are middle of the pack in strikeouts, and take advantage of their home parks: Yanks lead in HRs, Sox in doubles. As usual it comes down to the pitching staffs. Boston's rebuilt rotation has been surprisingly solid. The Yanks return their same rotation, and the bullpen is missing maybe their top three injured relievers. So why are so many pinstriped pitchers having career years? Is it just because they're throwing to any other catcher not named Sanchez? Deep down inside, do Yankee fans really expect Cortes and Holmes to battle each other for the Cy Young and MVPs for the rest of this season, and their careers, and waltz into Cooperstown together, arm-in-arm, 15-20 years from now?

Quote Originally Posted by jacksonianmarch View Post This thread tickles me pink. I really want the sox to be buyers at the deadline, not sellers. Disagree with both... why would a Yankee fan want the Red Sox to improve this year? You know...Boston, the team that has eliminated New York the last three times they've faced each other in the postseason. And the point about an improved longterm outlook being tied to sellers over buyers is mere speculation. But since we're all about opinions here, mine is that there's a better chance of the Sox improving if they make moves to improve now, and maybe advance to another round or two this Fall. The excitement generated by winning in a city and throughout a fanbase (as opposed to the pain or at least mediocrity of a rebuild) certainly makes a location more attractive to prospective free agents. Now someone is going to argue that all pro athletes really care about is money.

I never said anything about scouts. I'm only basing my opinion of what I've actually seen of Duran in Red Sox or Worcester games. But I admit I'm old timey when it comes to using my eyes. Sometimes using the GPS, I'll look out the window and see the location; my wife gets really confused when I say we're already there, even when the computer voice on her phone tells her we're not. The inhumanity, the inanity...

Are you referring to going into 2021 or 2022? Let's put it this way: after the 2020 debacle, Marwin Gonzalez was the Red Sox '21 Opening Day leftfielder. And yet, there were some posters here who still predicted a 90 win club (but those being honest, was it because you thought Marwin -- not an outfielder, not a hitter -- was going to make the difference?). As for '22, Bloom even said publicly he needed a righty-swinging outfielder. He still does... though I'd keep Franchy as a 5th outfielder, PH/PR off the pine. But how hard is it to find an actual first baseman to play first base... and bullpen depth - not depth charges. Maybe they're waiting on making a move for when they go to Toronto at the end of the month -- when they'll have to, by Canadian law.

Devers wouldn't even DH yesterday; he insisted on playing third -- that's why the DH was Duran (who I still have not observed on actual plays as anything less than an average outfielder).

Agree with this post. Keep Bello and Mata because pure stuff with All-Star potential is rare. My other untouchable right now is the unstoppable Rafaela. When a guy is stampeding through an organization, just get out of the way and watch. He may not be another Mookie, but he's been proving people wrong his entire life. Don't bet against guys like that, and certainly don't give up on them too soon.

It's like falling back on trivia... Q: Which team has won the most titles? A: The one with this title -- The Only Team In Major League History To Choke A 3-Games-To-Zero Lead And Lose A Postseason Series.

Just wondering... for those who live in or near small market teams: do fans spend time speculating every year which prospects their GMs might be able to get in trades for all star players about to become eligible for free agency? Is it like an annual ritual, with posters consulting sites for Baseball Trade Values, Top 100 lists, and scouting reports? Or do they spend more time fantasizing on sites that rank amateurs in advance of the draft? Or do they just talk football or basketball or hockey or college football or basketball (but not soccer)?

... can no longer make the throw from deep in the hole? What if: Bogey -- who loves where he works and is already rich beyond his dreams -- pulls a JD (year after year after year) and decides at the last minute NOT to opt out. Boy, that would frost Bor's ass.

Fans and media react to what they see as evident and immediate. In real time, it's easier to judge a GM like Dombrowski, who constantly recruits viable big league reinforcements to help improve the current club... instead of a guy like Bloom, who is more public about the future, which compels him to cut corners (whether that's his style or an ownership edict/reason he was hired). Dombro in three years acquired guys like Kimbrel, Price, Sale, Nunez, Moreland, Pearce, Eovaldi and JD Martinez -- all of whom contributed to a title. But he also inherited heroes that were drafted or added by other GMs: Betts, Benintendi, Bradley, Bogaerts, Devers, Holt, Porcello, ERod, Kelly. Bloom was CBO when the Sox went to the ALCS. Some of his guys were key through the '21 postseason: Kike, Verdugo, Schwarber, Pivetta, Whitlock, Renfroe. But a lot of legacies also led the way (or were supposed to): Devers, Bogey, JD, Vazquez, ERod, Sale. When seasons don't work out, that's when GMs face the wrath. In 2019, Dombro brought in Andrew Cashner, Chris Owings and Gorkys Hernandez... and got fired. What will Chaim Bloom do to fortify the 2022 Sox?

Huge roadtrip, 10 games on the West coast. Three at Oakland, four at LA Angels, three in Seattle. The Red Sox begin just 2 1/2 games behind the Angels for the final wild card spot. This trip could define direction for the front office. None of these opponents are powerhouses, and it seems like Boston needs a winning record to not only make up some ground but to regain some momentum.

It's never been public record, so boards like these only reflect the usual assumptions and speculation. But giving too much blame or credit to one guy in charge, like Bloom or Dombrowski, is like saying there weren't already other significant and influential personnel in the front office or throughout the minor league developmental and scouting departments. Why not just blame and/or cheer Brian O'Halloran, the current General Manager, who's been employed by the Red Sox the entire century? Is it even feasible he has no say?

What, a bench of Arroyo and Shaw then Franchy isn't better than a bench of Marwin, Franchy and then Shaw? How about Kinsler, Pearce, Brandon Phillips (game-winning HR) and Tony Renda (game-winning run scored as a pinch-runner in his only appearance of 2018, his last MLB game)? Would you believe Pokey Reese, Dave Roberts and Doug Mientkiewicz? Uh... Bobby Kielty: one career World Series at bat -- and goes yard!

At least Bloom wasn't confused when he said his team still needed a right-handed hitting outfielder. When did he say that: March? April? I forget, but it wasn't last month.

Don't you fans ever listen? He lost it chopping peppers... with his left hand!

He's so short. Just wait until he's not tall anymore.

Reading between the Bloom lines today, at least one or two of 4, 7 and 28 will be up by the end of this summer. And if there is a full-scale rebuild, then expect about half of the 2024s to share coffee in the summer of '23. Management has to showcase the semblance of hope-for-the-future for the fans to keep watching.

I blame our bipolar society, and always on twoselves! ... and all the tripolars and quadpolars, who are into self-swapping.

If we weren't idle, we wouldn't have time to speculate!

This is what it comes down to. We've all seen how hapless the Red Sox are when their best players don't have great games... or even have bad games, like last night. The supporting cast just isn't... When the role players have big nights, they score 16 runs or hit pinch-hit triples or walk-off grand slams. But Franchy is not a first baseman, and can't cover up the fact that this roster is incomplete, and filled with mediocrity. It's June and we're 50 games in.

Then rename your Tear Down thread to Build Up (but don't assume it will be better, if forces in power with other agendas in the org refuse total approval).

Any big market ballclub would love to have the best young hitter in baseball leading its core of sustained contenders. Why pick on our CBO, just because his name rhymes with Prime Doom?

At least here we don't continually make crap up that viewers automatically believe as gospel -- mainly, because there are several stat checkers ready to immediately disprove any kind of false data-driven decisions. We're all allowed opinions regarding issues like the bullpen, but facts are facts, and no one really knows if Whitlock's best role is as closer. We do know that the Red Sox were a first-place team through the first half of 2021 with Whitlock as a set-up man and Barnes as an All-Star closer... In '21, Whitlock's ERA in the 8th inning was 0.56, while in the 9th it was 2.89. For OPS allowed: .544 in the 8th vs. .797 in the 9th. Then again, he was also better in the 6th inning than he was in the 7th (source: bb-ref splits). Moon's long post is right on about the Red Sox needing to recruit defined pen men for at least the 7th, 8th and 9th... which even pitching coach Dave Bush recently agreed was ideal (hint to roster-building CBOs).

My bad on the plural form. She is a rare optimist, but 10-15 minutes per week are probably a safe limit when all your star players strike out swinging at balls in the dirt on the same night against the worst team in the majors.

Some posters may dismiss this as irrational rantings, but all perspectives are fresh reminders of the rationality of grown men and women who choose to spend their free time typing opinions on a board called Talksox about professional athletes getting paid millions to play a kid's game ...