5GoldGlovesOF,75

Agreed -- I hate the box. It is imperfect, misleading, obtrusive, manipulative, and a crutch that all networks think they should follow suit with, to impose upon viewers. Relying on a fake outline is like a business that requires male employees to wear neckties to contrive importance... because, you know, someone somewhere once thought it was a good idea -- even though ties ensure no respect whatsoever, and look ridiculous flapping on a windy day or dangling in a bowl of soup.

For that, we need Sale to be Stretched-Out Sale before his second Covid quarantine.

Alright: who has predictions for final victory totals for this stretch run? I got Boston at 8-6 and New York 9-7 for 91 wins each, and the Jays at 12-4 for 94. I want the Sox to win more, and expect them to win more, but with the erratic way they've been playing -- including pulling out some dramatic Ws -- maybe an 8-6 finish is a realistic goal that could qualify them to play at least one more game...

I would do it, but would Bloom? If the Sox move X to another position, would he opt out?

Good point. But for me as a spectator, a quick grounder seems less painful than three flailing swings and misses at sliders breaking down and away to the same exact spot out of the strike zone. It's my own issue: as a kid I once struck out a lot, then worked for decades at attaining discipline in the box, and it's an approach we now coach to all young hitters.

Since my post was to caution some fans -- and agree with others -- who maybe aren't fond (like myself) of watching whiffers... to be careful what you wish for. Great stats, btw.

Thanks for the math lesson. I'll make sure I bold-face just might be enough, could be, and may have to next time.

I know you're joking, but would even Joe Kerrigan start that first trio with a postseason berth on the line? Tell notin that Bobby V is holding an online contest to see which talksox posters will be those outfielders' late-inning defensive replacements in Washington. Bottom line: Cora will want to keep at least one big bat on the pine for late-inning pinch-hitting heroics. Who fans prefer will be irrelevant, since the Nats' starting pitcher will determine whether JD or Schwarber is in the original line-up.

Improving the D, as has been said, could also weaken the O... for those of us who can't handle the truth of three true outcomes: Baez, Correa and Story all strike out more than Bogaerts. Baez even leads the majors in Ks this year.

Boston's season all comes down to Baltimore. The Red Sox have 14 games left, six with the Orioles. The Sox have to go 4-2 vs. the O's, and just break even in the remaining eight vs. the Mets, Yanks and Nats... that will give them 91 wins -- which just might be enough to win the second Wild Card berth. Ninety-One Ws could be a best-case scenario for New York, who'd have to go 9-7 the rest of the way. The Yankees play their last nine vs. the Red Sox, Blue Jays and Rays. Even if NY has a winning record in that final grind, don't be surprised to see weary pinstripes crushed in a one-and-done -- probably by Toronto, which could win 95 and have domefield advantage. Of course, the Sox-Yanks may have to play one more if they tie, to see who'll qualify for the WC game. How will Kevin Cash manage those last three in the Bronx: rest regulars or go all out to win? Who would Tampa rather face in a best-of-five ALDS? Maybe a better question is: who do the Rays think has a better chance to beat the Jays on the road -- Boston or New York?

We'll have at least three DHs on the bench... where they'll become PHs (in swimming pool parlance, the latter is often associated with "shock" interventions).

The problem with parsing words in the debate about late-inning defensive posts is not that most contenders go out and acquire a specialist at the deadline, but that most good teams already have good fielders in their lineups or on the bench that they can use accordingly. This Boston roster is full of bad D -- and a lot of us knew it before the season even started, when we campaigned for better gloves.

And as you and others have alluded to, the cause-and-effect of bad D can't be totally quantified when it comes to extra outs, excessive pitches and arm stress on the mound staff. Look how much harder Eovaldi had to work to limit the damage in his final inning last night.

Without looking at the free agent list for this winter, there will probably be at least some guys available that signed one-year contracts last winter. However, I can't imagine JBJ, due another $11 mil for '22, would be considered by Bloom unless the Brewers attached a legit prospect to a salary dump. But what if? Btw, I don't think Bradley is all washed up as a MLB player, even with his horrid '21 numbers. The first year adjusting to a new league, seeing a majority of pitchers for the first time, is tough for anyone. JBJ may not bat .283 again like he did last summer, but if he lands back in the AL, maybe he won't hit .165, either. He's always in shape, and I expect him to be a high quality fly chaser for another half decade (his dWAR this season is actually his highest in five years).

I know you did, but now that he made it through an entire All-Star season, would you give a potential Wild Card start to anyone else (especially now that two-time Covid Sale may not be ready for a regular turn in the rotation again until maybe the World Series) ?

But is it too much to ask that the 26-28 man roster just carry one late-inning defensive replacement for the outfield, like most contenders do?

We realized it soon enough -- in hindsight -- but few complained going into 2019 -- and I'm saying that remembering that the majority of posters here and elsewhere approved of the contracts "rewarded" to Red Sox champions that winter. Eovaldi was one of the most sought-after free agent pitchers in the bigs, and though most of us worried that Sale wasn't 100%, we still trusted that the GM and front office knew more than the fans. Bogaerts was a star, and has been ever since. Pearce was a postseason hero, but his salary was a fraction of the batters who hit around him in the heart of the order. Mookie unsigned for the longterm was the big concern. The most perplexing thing was the approach towards the bullpen. There was no uproar when the Sox let Kimbrel and Kelly walk, but maybe there should have been when they didn't replace either of them (Colten Brewer was never considered a viable substitute). Naturally, the rotation imploded, and what was left of the relief corps became seriously overworked. The rest is infamy. Now the '21 Red Sox are in a playoff run for their lives, but there's no guarantee they'll even win more games than the 84-78 2019 Red Sox...

... or cold... or just bad. It doesn't matter who you're playing if you don't play major league defense. A case could be made that an opponent with a losing record would be easier to beat since they probably have as many or more deficiencies... then again, they're all big league players. Question is: which side will be playing relaxed, with the notion of spoiler, and which roster -- depleted by health protocols and dulled by quarantined inaction -- will be playing under the pressures of stretch-run survival?

Sox are third in the AL in staff Ks, behind Chicago and NY. That means the D is even worse than we thought.

Boston also leads the AL in batters faced, but the extra games can't account for all the differences between, say, Chicago, which has faced 362 less batters.

Ya, but as much as I feel sorry for the pitchers, they're complicit, too. For example, Braiser should have been out of the inning when Schwarber booted a grounder. But was that one "last" pitch so damaging to his arm and psyche that he had nothing left in the physical nor mental tank, and then had to give up a single and then a home run? Is it Cora's fault for sticking with his pitcher every night and expecting him to pick up his teammates and pitch out of trouble?

Last in Fielding %, last in Defensive Efficiency, last in Total Zone Total Fielding Runs Above Average, last in Total Zone Total Fielding Runs Above Average per 1,200 Innings. https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/2021.shtml But first in Chances and first in Double Plays... which might mean more baserunners allowed, more extended innings, and more "extra outs" given to opponents.

There is too much status whoa projecting next year's lineup. It's ok if Bloom isn't going for it again, and it's ok if a club's best hitters strike out a lot (according to modern baseball). But it's never ok to regularly field a piss-poor defense. The easiest, cheapest way to improve a team -- and the first place to start a solid rebuild -- is to fill a roster with fundamentally sound ballplayers. The Red Sox surprise contending this year has fans expecting more in '22. If Bloom doesn't make positive changes, expect negative changes in the ratings. Fans will still go to Fenway, but not keep watching on NESN every night.

Red Sox should listen to the first shortstop who says it's not about the money, but "it's all about respect" -- and run from him. Baez could very well thrive in Boston; he's already hated in New York.

And JD doesn't fit in left, nor does Verdugo in center or Kike at second... and Renfroe, despite his arm, leads all big league outfielders in errors. Ten Es in rightfield is the most in the AL in 15 years. Devers -- as much as we love his bat -- has led the majors in errors at third base each of the past four seasons. At least Dalbec looks like he's improving at first base.