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5GoldGlovesOF,75

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Everything posted by 5GoldGlovesOF,75

  1. That 2018 Red Sox team was a good if not excellent defensive team. The staff was loaded with fly ball pitchers, and that outfield -- strictly on D -- was the best I've ever seen... and I lived through the 1970s and loved Rice-Lynn-Evans. When Yaz played left, the unit was the best in the league with the gloves, but JBJ > Lynn, Betts > Evans, and 2016-2018 Benintendi was a better fielder than Rice (bb-ref has Beni as a positive DWAR in '18). Moreland, Kinsler and Leon were all above-average with the leather when they were in there.
  2. Long ago, my father told me the adage, "You make your own luck"... ... and while it's not Sale's fault or Devers' fault the Rays dribbled five bleeders 20 feet, the Sox did make Tampa's luck by playing like crap. Putting Motter at second instead of Jack Lopez is an example of Boston making its own luck. Motter hit 24 home runs in Triple A and got cut; bet it wasn't because of his offense. The question for MLB is: can the Rays keep this string of forcing inferior teams to hand them games all the way through the postseason?
  3. He's had some good showings in no decisions, but the road ERA is relevant because if the Sox scrape into the WC game, it will most likely be on the road. But I'll take Nathan in Yankee Stadium over Sale any day.
  4. I tried to explain to my son that we're rooting for the laundry this month, but he still ripped his Verdugo baseball card into pieces.
  5. Whitlock -- the Sox' ERA leader -- has shown cracks lately of wearing down and/or being a rookie under pennant race pressure. All other relievers have been inconsistent, at best (except Richards, who had a horrible first half starting). As for the rotation, we knew contributions from both Sale and ERod would be spotty this year while they healed from lost seasons. Eovaldi, Boston's top player this season according to WAR, has an unreliable 4.87 road ERA and 1-3 second half record. However, I still favor Nate and his five-pitch arsenal to start a possible Wild Card game. He's the best bet to complete a serviceable six innings before turning the ball over to two rookies out of necessity: Houck and Whitlock.
  6. There's not a single pitcher on this staff that I trust in a big spot, like in any inning of a do-or-die Wild Card game. Not a starter, not a closer, not an in-betweener.
  7. The simple fact is that the Rays are just better in every facet of the game. The Red Sox have five All-Stars, but when they play each other, Tampa has better players at every position, including the starting pitchers and the bullpen.
  8. 20 to nothing in the 10th.
  9. The player with the most home runs for either team is batting now.
  10. The player closest to the Hall of Fame just drove in the go-ahead run.
  11. The best player in the game leads off extras for Tampa. The fastest player is in scoring position.
  12. Tampa is so good that they hit five dribblers into no man's land between home and third today. Cash is such a genius; he has his batters practice hitting one stitch of the baseball at night with the lights off in the dark dome. They can't be stopped.
  13. I just want him to practice getting jumps on fly balls every day (I heard he's so fast he can steal first base if he can make contact and hit down on the ball).
  14. Hey! Boston is not Tampa, FLA. Bloom's tenure in this big market northeastern city is not and will not be a reflection of his Rays days. The purse strings are off, back up the Brinks truck!
  15. Me neither; I was just speculating on current management's views. Rare is the star slugger these days who anchors an order as a DH. I hope I'm still around for the Niko Kavadas Era.
  16. For those who say Duran's bat isn't ready for the big leagues, isn't this the same issue they'd have in demoting him?
  17. This post isn't to revive the JD discussion, but more the concept of Designated Hitter and what that means going forward to Bloom and Cora. They value versatility, a bench that contributes, and resting regulars, so maybe the Sox won't pursue a new DH, per say. Management could very well look forward to optimizing the "position" as a revolving door that keeps more players involved and others fresh.
  18. I'm going to watch the last Red Sox-Yankee series closely before naming my starting pitcher for a possible Wild Card at Yankee Stadium... Sale has to show a little more gradual durability before I give him the ball, because Boston will probably need an effective starter to go seven innings to win a one-and-done elimination game on the road. I just might prefer Eovaldi vs. righties Judge/Stanton/DJ, who are all better than lefties Gallo/Rizzo/Odor. Sale and Eovaldi are both prone to give up a couple longballs either way.
  19. I'm one of those radicals who say why not? If the Rays can win with "13 closers" who all throw 96 mph, why can't other clubs try the revolving door of fresh arms. Relieving is basically a constant audition anyway (it's not like bringing up a 20-year wunderkind and playing him at shortstop while batting in the heart of the order for the next six years until they have to trade him). Tampa sets new industry standards in a lot of ways these days. Remember when half the teams tried openers of their own? I have Red Sox and Yankees friends who both marvel at how the Rays can hit .220 and still lead the bigs in runs scored. "They always get the clutch hit," they say. My response -- based on deep analysis on a talksox board -- is Always? Aren't they due for a clutch/choke market correction?
  20. Of course he won't accept the QO, but the penalties make a mid-30s DH a lot less attractive to other clubs. He'll have more offers in June than January. If you're the Red Sox and really want to get out of the JD contract, you let him walk.
  21. It definitely will. JD won't want to sit around until June to sign and play, like Kimbrel had to when clubs were waiting out the penalty window. And knowing that, Bloom might not offer the QO, especially if the Sox want to use JD's money elsewhere.
  22. Yup, first thing I thought, too, when he came in. The question may be, who -- if anyone -- is just as effective the second day in a row? Closers all throw as hard as they can -- except Valdez on last-place Baltimore; human muscle tissue just needs time to heal and rebuild. This is one of the reasons teams need to carry 14-man staffs.
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