5GoldGlovesOF,75

I think we'd both deal Jimenez before Duran. I suspect the former's potential has been a bit more overrated by the franchise trying to build him up as trade bait (and not a Cordero clone).

Maybe your experience playing every position on the diamond has informed your opinion. But you also know that first basemen do have twice as much responsibility than third basemen... with a baserunner in scoring position: on a hit to leftfield, the cutoff man is the third sacker; on a hit to centerfield and on a hit to rightfield, the cutoff is the first sacker. Potentially, guys playing first are called upon to make twice as many throws to try to prevent runs or cut down other runners from advancing.

I hope this season has convinced some observers that not just anyone -- even pros -- can play first base efficiently. And that a good first baseman can make the difference in saving an infield, and thus a pitching staff... and account for a lot more outs than a good third baseman.

But guys like us won't let history reconstruct the '21 Sox' self-destruction based on some virus. At least they don't boo the fans like the Mets' players. Baez is a bust and Lindor has struggled all summer -- and his 10-year contract doesn't begin until next year. Great line by Bob Nightengale: "Only the Mets would miss the days of 2020 when no fans were permitted into the ballpark during the COVID-19 pandemic, preventing anyone from booing them."

You're right, I saw the nickname but it just didn't faze me. Maybe it's because we're a board of nicknames, and I'm more disturbed by watching a Sox team featuring 5 Mold Gloves.

The last two posters mentioned vaccines and masks, which are being used worldwide -- but not always in the Red Sox clubhouse or dugout. Trying to prevent the spread of a deadly pandemic has nothing to do with politics.

Goose Gossage just said you can pitch a tent on his lawn.

After last night -- if the Red Sox don't address their defense -- they will definitely lose fans right now. As more players test positive for the virus and the Sox sink into oblivion, casual fans will stop watching. Diehards, however, can face reality and would like to keep watching -- to get a glimpse of hope for the future. I'm not advocating calling up teenage prospects, but Boston should at least put its best possible defensive team on the field so September is not a total joke. Dropped pop-ups, grounders and throws that increasingly clang off gloves, missed cutoffs and a catcher who won't move to block balls is unacceptable. Move Devers to shortstop until he gets quarantined. Go ahead and blast the idea, but he already plays short every night on lefty shifts, has the arm, and just might relish the challenge to take charge and at least stay interested. Rafie is a big league infielder; Arauz and Munoz are not. Dalbec can try third; first base is just not working out. Jack Lopez played solid defense at multi-positions in the Olympics -- he can platoon at third or second until Kike or Arroyo return. Play Schwarber at first and Duran in centerfield every game the rest of the season; the Sox need to see if they are viable, regular options there for '22. JD is the DH except in NL parks, period. Catcher is a problem -- do the Sox even have a better defensive backstop than Vazquez in their system? Wong, Hernandez, whoever -- someone who is quick and can throw needs to split the rest of the games back there, because Vaz needs a serious rest.

The GM said last week if they don't make the postseason, it's on the front office. They'll fire themselves...

The clock has stopped on guys like Peecock who are bad and deady.

80 to 2.

The game speeds up fast on minor leaguers playing in the majors.

Listening on the radio, the announcer said nine Boston players are Covid positive, and he counted seven more in the dugout not wearing masks. How much longer can a company in any industry continue to operate under such conditions during a pandemic?

Hey Red Sox: Remember two months ago on twitter when you ragged on fans who were skeptical? WE DO...

Cora is a good players' manager, but just like with Francona, it seems that eventually certain guys can get too comfortable and I hate to say... complacent. These aren't chicken and beer Sox, but when the catcher doesn't move his legs to body-block a dirtball and instead just tries (and misses) a backhand pick, it looks lazy. Perhaps there is an injury preventing him from moving? Or is it lack of accountability?

If you're really building the team around pitching, then you're really building around defense -- like Tampa. I've only seen their games against Boston, but the perfect contrast in the two clubs is at third base, where Joey Wendle is just plain superior to Devers. The Sox boast an all-star slugger at the hot corner, but the consistently solid if not spectacular Wendle D wins the Rays' way.

I bought tickets this month on the Red Sox website based on a binoculars icon that supposedly shows the view from the actual seats you are purchasing. The picture sure looked good, showing the whole field from behind the dugout. When we got to the park our seats were behind a freaking pole and no one could see home plate.

Will Bloom really trade another face of the franchise so soon in his tenure? Will families still spend hundreds of dollars to pack Fenway to watch any level of big league baseball? It worked this summer because people had cabin fever from a year of Covid lockdowns (and the Red Sox unexpected first-place first half). Next year won't be as unforgiving.

I'm not ready to give up on Duran so soon. He hasn't looked lost in centerfield, and super speed outruns a lot of bad jumps while learning the position. His hitting, though... at least you gotta like his willingness to make adjustments -- getting a hit in the majors with a split grip shows some serious athleticism.

This is good work. I'd demand Lucas Sims, too. He's not having a great year, but at 27 can still be a useful bullpen piece. And we always need those. I'd also take Lopez or Sanchez from Miami -- and I bet Bloom would, too...

I've just always thought -- if the Sox were entering the superstar shortstop sweepstakes (which I'll believe it when I see) -- that Correa is the most likely target because of the Cora connection. But I'm unconvinced Bloom will be spending big on any one or two studs in '22. We may just see X get dealt for prospects before his opt out, then the same thing with Devers a year later... while Sox Nation waits patiently for the development of Duran, Casas, Mayer and Juan Chacon!

It's true and depressing. Big bucks would be in play -- including signing Devers to a longterm first, to ease the devastation of seeing his best bud leave (and to make sure Rafie stays), and then to sign a more expensive shortstop. But X would have to bring back a top quality starter... right?

For fans, it's always easier to blame those guys, since they make strategic decisions using their heads (and not bodies). We all like to think we can do that too... because most of us know we can't perform on the field at any level close to the actual big leaguers. Ultimately, it's always on the players -- wins and losses, clutch and choke... even Pedro in the 8th inning of Game 7 in the '03 ALCS.

No doubt Adames has made the pitchers better, but it starts with strike throwers. If the Sox really want to spend for a facelift this winter, they'd move Bogie to second base and sign Carlos Correa, who can hit with X and is just a better defensive shortstop (tied for AL in dWAR). It's not going to change the D culture by merely adding defensive replacements like Andrelton Simmons or any of the half dozen leathermen for centerfield we all craved last offseason -- remember? c'mon, Chaim, just sign one guy for a measly $1 mil...

There is no evidence that Bloom was not "allowed" by ownership to actually improve the pitching staff during this season. Cora was given the roster. Like any other manager, he is not a wizard that can magically make bad pitchers good.