5GoldGlovesOF,75

In concept, I was surprised Bloom extended Barnes mid-season, but in context for an All-Star closer, it was a team-friendly deal. As for the Tampa MO, I could still see Bloom trading Barnes and not signing a big-money reliever. It's more likely the Sox convert a homegrown prospect in the hopes of finding a Papelbon. The Rays always develop their back-end bullpens by stockpiling young power arms making league minimums. Bloom did acquire the relatively expensive Ottavino, but thought it was worth it to get German. The big expenditures will be for starting pitching or for a star infielder to replace someone traded for a starter... and maybe to sign Schwarber.

The Sox should've known because Pedey was so short!!! If Machado had stabbed a sharp metal implement into 6'4 DJ LeMahieu's knee ligaments, the mad spiker would've bounced all the way back to the dugout. Well... maybe just first base, since Machado is 6'3.

This is the gist of the choke post and how outside and inside pressure builds (cue signs and jeers of "1918!") and can affect performance. Most here must admit the feasibility of this concept vs. say the opposite of the "cool, calm, clutch" guys...

The thing is -- no matter how optimistic we can be about batters breaking out or pitchers hitting spots or baserunners making better decisions -- bad defense is seldom due to "slumps." Bad defenders can improve, if say, Dalbec practices hundreds of scoops per day or JD catches hundreds of flies. But, at this point in a pennant race, the quickest way to improve team defense is to use different players... and we know that's not happening before October.

Rodon will still be a better recruit than Richards ANY DIGIT.O...

Carlos Rodon, 28, would be a good target. Will Bloom outbid Cashman?

Defense. If quality D doesn't always win titles, bad D definitely loses them. Anyone who plays, coaches or watches Little League knows that. We know all players are human and will have bad days. They can also be below-average at their level, but not for very long or they'll be gone. This second fact is what needs to be addressed -- certainly, this offseason -- but it's too late this year for any more fixes. For the rest of '21, we've no choice but to live with the left side of the infield where All-Star hitters are stationed (but does a complete overhaul depend on Bloom trading either Devers or Bogaerts?). JD should never play outfield; his swing and miss bat doesn't make up for weakening an already shaky D. Kike's a better outfielder than second baseman, but at least he hustles. Dalbec isn't good at first, though the front office has made sure there's no one better on this year's roster. Maybe Bloom will splurge on Freeman and trade Casas for a top pitching prospect. ERod never covers first on a grounder to the right side. Vazquez has regressed behind the plate -- catching, throwing, even tagging. There's no reason to expect either to improve as they age. So many holes that need to be filled...

Good point; a lot of people are making last minute hurricane preparation plans today, but rescheduling Sunday to Monday might be even more unlikely for fans to be able attend if they're dealing with clean-up and power outages.

Absolutely. The other consideration is if he wasn't sidelined at the deadline, if other contenders with their wealth of better, more-valued prospects would've outbid us...

Nothing personal, but if Arroyo is playing first base in the minors, it's an organizational move. Cora doesn't manage Wooostah, and he definitely doesn't general manage there, either. He may have a voice, but doubt he has that much influence. The news that Arroyo's there again shows that the desperation comes from an office a little higher than next door to the clubhouse.

It's improbable the '21 collapse was due to players feeling abandoned by their chief baseball officer at the deadline. It's even more unlikely the Sox doubted their own abilities. But it is feasible they looked around at all the big names who joined other contenders and thought: "Rut-roh..."

Yup, Sox have played like crap for so long, it won't matter who they face until they can improve 4 or 5 tools.

2013 Buchholz was better than 2013 Lackey (just not in the postseason). The original premise said "in the year", but was it implied in October? In that case, the '18 Sox had Eovaldi and Price. Hurst was definitely the ace in the '86 postseason, better than Clemens. Hurst was at his best in September and October, but before that was arguably Boston's #3 starter, behind Oil Can Boyd, whose first-half had him in the discussion of making the AL All-Stars (though maybe he was doing most of the discussing).

Or several throws flipped past hot hitters by a pitcher so completely in command that day that he can shut down a club that scored 20 runs just the day before...

You may like this: after reading all these posts, I'm starting to change my mind; maybe players who perform below level in pressure situations are more apt to... exhibit somewhat of a pattern (neutral phrase?)... than the guys famous for exceeding the average (or their own average) level? My rationale: fans and media, especially in the past 40 years of so of mass communication. What's more vivid and memorable from TV: some celebratory pile-up on the mound after the last out of the World Series (which we see every single year) or that one image of a poor skiier bouncing off a mountain slope in a broken heap as "THE AGONY OF DEFEAT" Baseball is a game of failure, but when a player or team fails in an important game, and gets reminded of it over and over and over again, the pressures mount for them to fail again and again...

Don't forget Torrez (wish I could). He was the Sox' big free agent signing for '78, the World Series hero for New York... but no Sox fans were too excited, just for that reason, with our rational hatred for anything pinstriped.

Hopefully, Duran can learn to adjust like Verdugo, taking different swings in at bats, depending on the count and location. I know Bellinger was an MVP, but to me, with that wild uppercut, he's always been an all-or-nothing sort (and has regressed this year to rookie K rates). '21 K rate: Verdugo 14.7% (career 15.4%), Belly 27.8% (career 26.6%)... Duran 38.1% (yow).

For the modern fastball, if you don't start early enough, you're doomed. This is why there are millions of check-swings, coming in the last fraction of a second when guys with the best hand-eye coordination detect direction moving out of the zone. It's also why I can't see a guy like Duran sticking in the big leagues unless he changes his stance. His hands are too low; by the time he brings them up to swing, it's too late. I know he made it to the majors with this stance, but there are just too many pitchers throwing 100 mph at the top level. It just may be a skill guessing when to take, anticipating the junk, and having the discipline to leave the bat on your shoulder. But guessing wrong and watching one right down the middle can make a guy look foolish -- and actually more "fooled" than flailing at breaking balls (as described by announcers who never had to face pro pitching).

MLB hitters have some of the best hand-eye coordination in existence, but at what point does 100+ mph pitch velocity force human beings to just guess? How else to explain All-Stars like JD constantly whiffing at dirtballs and missing by feet, not inches? Maybe chase rates are more a product of that, than in past decades with more contact. Nowadays, it is a skill not to swing (but a major bore with constant appeals for umps to check the "check"). A decade ago, 95 mph was fast; 30 years ago anything over 90 was heat, and when Williams and DiMaggio played, they didn't have to face fresh arms coming out of the bullpen... or Negro Leagues. Age is certainly a factor, as well. When a batter in his 30s is said to be losing bat speed, it's probably less because of waning strength, and more due to vision issues -- like mere mortals who need reading glasses. In his mid-30s, Jim Rice couldn't turn on fastballs like he did in his 20s, but could still drive a golf ball over 300 yards (shhh... he's about to tee off... and the ball's not moving). Schwarber at 29 may just have better eyesight than Martinez at 34, and thus be a better investment for the Red Sox rebuilders.

Good point. But Merloni blames Bloom directly for not supporting this team. Maybe that's a tangible concept, but the face-plant is still on the current players. It's certainly not because of Alex Cora, who many in the industry were awarding AL Manager of the Year after the first half. Cora didn't suddenly change his personality or skipper strategies the past month; he's doing the best with what the front office gave him.

I'm not much on the blame game, but aren't all the posts about Bloom's fiscal handcuffs total conjecture? All we know for sure are what he refers to as his own imposed fiscal restraint, with an aim at sustaining the future. People can debate whether Merloni is a bitter ex-jock or a rational ex-jock, but is it so hard to believe him when he says Sox players on the current roster could care even less about future Boston teams than old fans who aren't so sure they'll still be around to cheer or jeer?

Getting one good reliever that Cora could actually trust in high leverage could've made a difference. The rest of the bullpen would've been fortified, and thus better rested. Barnes wouldn't be used on back-to-back days, which we all know is never a good idea. The Sox could very well have a few more victories today and be in a stronger position to make the playoffs. It wouldn't have made Boston the WS favorite, but certainly more favored to qualify for the crapshoot... The cost would've been better prospects than what was exchanged for Robles and Davis, but would it have really ruined the future of the franchise?

The thing is, few of us here, at least, have ever said the Sox were that good to begin with. The Yankees, on the other hand, were heavy favorites -- and though they improved one area that was overrated (Bronx bombing) -- they still have Sanchez behind the plate, and either a minor leaguer or Torres (when he returns) at shortstop. It's obvious NY will sign a big-time shortstop this winter, and that's the reason they didn't part with prospects for one this summer... but it's also why they won't win this season.

Have faith in the guy. At least he didn't spend money on a good dinner, opting to save it for another meal in the next few years when his family is really hungry...

Then there was the time Manny hit a one-hopper to the pitcher, did an immediate about-face and escorted his bat back to the dugout. Maybe Youk remembered that one.