5GoldGlovesOF,75

I'm in total agreement with you. Relievers that are not unanimous Hall of Famers are the shooting stars of the big leagues: Did you SEE tha- poof... Some posters seem to think I'm advocating the opposite (even though I wrote today that Bloom will never sign a big money closer). As far as the bullpen, all I've pushed for is help -- last winter, and especially at the deadline this summer. I admire the RaysWay when it comes to pitchers, pumping them out of the gate like Minions. I don't think for a second our beloved CBO isn't constantly scouring the databases for next year's Rasmussen or Kittredge or Nick Anderson or Pagan, etc., etc.

Nah. I'm just duped by the Moneyball scene when John Henry approaches Billy Beane to say how much he wants that same approach to approach Boston, Massachusetts, East of Worcester, USofA. And posters are right, the RaysWay narrative about exactly why Henry approached Chaim Bloom needs to go away -- and will, as soon as Bloom signs a closer like Liam Hendricks for $54 million. Dollars.

I'm not so sure Cash won't try to eliminate New York if he gets a chance. If you were Tampa, wouldn't you rather face the opportunity to play Boston in a best-of-five? Plus, the Rays really don't have an A Team, but have more like two B+ Teams, so they'll all probably get a match-up at bat and a few frames on the field (except maybe Nellie Cruz Control).

I wanted to say, "And more whiffs..." but MLB stats show the Sox have struckout less than all but four AL teams. BTW, the two best contact clubs, by far, are Toronto and Houston. And for those who think the last three games in Washington should be easy wins, consider: the Nationals' batters have the least amount of Ks in the NL. If that translates to more balls in play... vs. Boston's D... ulp.

There's no way Bloom spends big bucks on "proven" relievers. The Rays never do; instead, they constantly deal for young power arms to stockpile and develop -- and as soon as one becomes established and possibly expensive, they trade him while he's still good, but always for two more pitchers. Bloom had a chance to sign plenty of "proven" relievers last winter and refused, while they landed instead all over the MLB map. He finally caved and extended Barnes this summer... and got burned. Expect our CBO to turnover the bullpen, but via trades and promotions.

Yep, and "rest" had nothing to do with the past weekend. Every single "reliever" was well-rested and ready: Sawamura, Perez, Robles, Houck, Hernandez, Richards, Ottavino, Barnes, and Braiser. The latter was the only one who did his job -- and that includes Barnes, whose job was supposed to be closer or at least late-inning high-leverage guy. The other EIGHT penmen totally gagged, by either walking batters, throwing wild pitches or getting ripped. Sure, one can say the Yankee stars are awesome power hitters, but at least Ottavino admitted what we saw: "bad pitches" (as in meatballs). Throw any MLBer a meatball and he'll hit it; it may not go 450 feet, but almost always will be barreled. And though NY leads the majors in free passes, no game plan ever starts off with, "Pitch around Gio and Gardy..."

I dunno... while any of us could take the mound and bounce a ball to the backstop on our first pitch to let a run score in a close game, how many could throw it as hard as Robles -- so that the ball bounces even faster and further away from home plate?

The glaring issue is 8-21 against teams with winning records since the trade deadline. Boston has bounced back all year, but we all know the D and the current pitching guarantees nothing this week against Baltimore and Washington -- two bad teams, but still big league teams. The Sox should hit, though, because even though they whiff a lot vs. good pitching, they also make hard contact. How many rockets were ripped right at Yankees all weekend -- those liners are due to find some gaps. But: how many runs will make the end of these next six games safe???

And yet, how many times in the second half of the season in supposed big games against teams we're fighting to reach the postseason have we witnessed "the worst loss of the year"? I said over a month ago there's not a single pitcher on the staff that can be trusted in a big moment (and I wanted that guy to be Eovaldi, and he still might be our best hope)...

TV viewers were forced to watch last night's game on the Yankees Channel called ESPN. It featured a whole special in-game feature on Judge and commercials by Judge and Stanton. Luckily, they didn't show the Bucky Dent pop-up until the 3rd inning... I must've missed the clips when they showed the biggest choke in baseball history, when NY gagged four straight games to Boston facing elimination in 2004 -- something that happened this century, 26 years AFTER 1978.

The thing is, Boston was such a better club in most of those victories when Barnes was an All-Star closer and Whitlock was the best set-up man in the league.

I do think the Dead Sox can bounce back and win as many as they lose in these last six games. But it won't be as easy as most think, because the current bullpen will still have to pitch to the OMs: Mullins, Mountcastle, Mancini and MHayes -- who have no pressure -- and then the MLB's best hitter in Juan Soto (with JD or Schwarber in LF, and the other probably on the bench in the NL park; though it shouldn't take an analytics dept. to remember that Schwarber set HR records in Washington this season, and that he's a better bet than the rookie Dalbec). Yanks will go 4-2 minimum to lock up home field, but Jays will also go 4-2 (a lock to sweep the O's at home). If yellow-and-powder-blueless Boston can somehow manage to go 3-3, a playoff for a WC with Toronto looms...

Cora is taking a lot of heat for mishandling the bullpen last night. But 1) his "All-Star" reliever has been quivering jello since signing an extension; 2) his actual best reliever is on the IL; 3) Cora didn't throw a single pitch in that game.

If New York sweeps tonight I totally expect them to confidently win their last two series and host the Wild Card game. ERod is a decent pitcher, but never seems to step up big in moments like these. What's the more likely scenario: he is lights out for seven shutout innings, or goes to full counts on every batter, puts the Sox in an early 3-0 hole, and is gone before the 5th?

Some players and even owners actually grow up as baseball fans and understand the connection. Others are just successful businessmen or great athletes who know little about sports history, mainly because they were busy making money or playing every sport instead of watching them (or horrors, reading about them). Those guys -- who often have options about which sport to pursue as a career -- may be in it for more personal rewards...

Great post. What could be better drama: a final Sox-Yanks September series that could make or break either club. I just need to help you correct one line: "The Yankees, expected to be DOMINANT -- a 100+ win runaway pennant train this year -- were anything but..." Both NY and Boston sport competitive albeit flawed nines, so no doubt FOX is planning on showing Garrett Whitlock videos during every commercial to promote the series. Right now young Boston fans are practicing chants and making banners to mock New York: "RULE 5 DRAFT!" Hopefully, GW will be well-healed in time to star in the Wild Card game. What, you thought all the networks would just show replays of '04 ARod slapping the ball out of Bronson Arroyo's glove, then holding his arms up to the cameras like a Little Leaguer who got caught cheating? I know, that's all they ever show... along with Ortiz walkoffs, Roberts stealing, Schilling's bloody sock, Damon and Bellhorn homers, Tony Clark striking out, the grounder to Pokey Reese (last out of the ALCS), Mueller's single between Rivera's legs, and of course, Fenway's standing O for a smiling Mariano in '05.

And yet, this year at age 28, Mookie already passed Hall of Famer Jim Rice's career WAR. Is there any doubt that Betts -- just entering his prime -- has earned a "top of the market salary"?

The narrative changes, though, if you ignore actual numbers and just use "top of the market salary". Everyone -- including Mookie's mom -- knew Betts was a better all-around player than Harper or Machado, so why would anyone begrudge him for asking and expecting a better contract? Does Devers deserve to make as much as Arenado or Rendon going forward? Does Bogaerts deserve to be paid as much as Lindor; if not, X is certainly worth as much as Correa, Seager or Story sign for... isn't he?

Weighing in: I loved Sale in '17 and '18 -- how can you not -- but admit I was ambivalent when he signed the extension. I wondered why a guy who was so underpaid through 2018 would blow off his shot at free agency in his prime, but I also wanted to trust that Red Sox management knew his health concerns were minor enough to lock him up. I was all in on Eovaldi, and thought he was the perfect investment -- a guy with a world of potential putting it all together, and in the postseason, no less. I stressed that someone else would swoop in with more years and dollars, and we'd have to watch Nate win Cy Youngs for a rival. As for offers to Mookie, once I heard John Henry's words in an interview after 2019, I assumed Betts was as good as gone. When JH said, "Mookie has to decide whether he wants to play the rest of his career in Boston," I took it as face-value that he actually didn't... I didn't interpret Henry as bitter or giving ultimatums (for example: if Mookie really wants to stay in Boston, then he'd better take what we're willing to pay him).

I know some will blast this, but I think Bloom will trade one of Dalbec or Casas soon. Both may be future stars or future busts, but because of that there's also a chance at least one may never fetch more in return trade value this coming winter. I also don't see Bloom spending boatloads on free agents this offseason, so a big trade seems more likely.

Nothing personal, because I always like to see the stats you post, but the first thing I thought about when I saw Tampa and Toronto #2 and #3 in runs scored is that they get to bat against Boston pitchers 19 games each. The next thing I thought is they get to hit balls at Boston fielders 19 games each.

Still irksome. If the Sox are lucky enough to make it to the ALCS vs. Houston, and Marwin bats against them, Barnes better blow him away. ... having images of that Nazi with the knife at the end of Saving Private Ryan, the guy Tom Hanks released from execution...

None of the lasts were anywhere nearly as rock bottom as 2020. That "team" could've easily lost 100 games in a full season. Then again, if Mayer makes it big, maybe someday we'll consider it a mere three-month inconvenience that was ultimately worth it...

Marwin blasted a grand salami for Houston last night. Of course he already has more homers (3) in seven games for the Astros than he did in 77 games in Boston. He must hate baked beans.

Some fans still can't get over the playoffs of 1836, when the Texans looked so good dominating the Indian Territories, and then ran out of bullets in the do-or-die finals vs. Mexico.