5GoldGlovesOF,75

Joe Kelly explains why he's still mad at the Astros -- and it has nothing to do with video or trash cans: https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/red-sox/joe-kelly-still-has-major-bone-pick-sign-stealing-astros-players Some choice quotes: "The people who took the fall for what happened is nonsense," Kelly told Stripling. "Yes, everyone is involved. But the way that [sign-stealing system] was run over there was not from coaching staff. ... They're not the head boss in charge of that thing. It's the players. ... When you taint someone's name to save your own name, this is one of the worst things that you could probably do. ... That really friggin' bugs me. I think I'll be irritated forever." "Maybe they have called [Cora] and said, 'Hey, I'm sorry,' " Kelly said. "... If they had said, 'Hey, I'm super-scared, I didn't know what to do, I didn't want to lose money, I had to rat.' ... Grow a pair of balls and say that." As a pitcher, especially of a team that lost in the postseason to the infamous '17 champs, you'd think Kelly would be more bitter about Houston's dastardly machinations. That he's not is perhaps a concession to pervading baseball culture. Despite what it says in Manfred's official report, it's becoming more apparent that the true "mastermind" in this whole "scandal" was Manfred, himself.

That was Kyle-breaking

That was Kyle-warming

Ara-ooooz

Pla!

Rookie hearing the no-birds

"but the turtles' dopey and casual attitude towards physical violence makes them poor kids' role models." Ok, I think I get the metaphor with the Red Sox' offense... (but what about rich kids' role models)

Can you throw a splitter?

I was definitely including the owners as part of the front office (if they're not sitting in it, then their Zoom faces are like Oz behind the curtain). It's all been a perfect storm for Red Sox rivals (especially NY, whose own "cheating" report disappeared...) Start with Sale's elbow a year ago, then losing Cora, which I think has had a bigger effect on some players than we may never know. Boston is now without its All-Star Game starting pitcher from '17 /'18, its other ace pitcher from '19, its two leaders in innings pitched from '16-19, its two fastest young relievers from '19, and its best all-around player from the past half century... We should give the Sox credit for actually winning 33% of their games so far. Ara-oooooooooooz!

The problem I worry about with #1 is that for guys who have won, sometimes they need a change of scenery to embrace new challenges. On the obverse, new players who haven't achieved a title goal often relish the chance to be part of a rebuild, hungering together for the ultimate payoff (pun intended). Good point on #2; as for #3... JD hasn't really changed -- his swing is the same, doing damage on balls in the zone, flailing at off-speed stuff down and away. The guys who look lost mentally are Devers and Beni, but both are young enough to mature their games and hone their skills.

I wouldn't see him as a traitor -- he's young, he's good and he's a winner. How could anyone blame him for wanting to play for a contender? He's already been candid about how "tough" it's been this summer, and they haven't even played 20 games yet. Look, no one could have predicted a virus (that according to talking heads doesn't affect strong athletic types) to rob their actual ace from '19 of his entire season, or take down their two best young relievers... But the Sox suck and the front office deserves it, because they asked for it this year.

I don't think any GM is allowed to trade a starting position player for a reliever unless he's the last piece in a title run... even trading minor league starting position players for bullpen help is too risky (cough, Gleybar Torres). There may even be an adage against trading for starting pitchers, since they're all one elbow tweak away from anchors you can't drop. I do think Cleveland will trade Lindor, though, as he becomes their own Betts' situation (hey, Boston: that's Cleveland, as in mid-market franchise...) Regarding Bogaerts, how would diehard Sox fans feel about him if he didn't want to opt out after a few more years in suckitude? Sure, he's already got two rings and he loves Boston, but as much as we love him, do we really want a leader who's complacent? Can we realistically expect anyone in his prime to have the fire to gut it out and fly the phoenix out the ashes?

That was just an example, but of a team on the verge of contention that could use a star shortstop to get them closer to the top. For a market like Cincy, a guy like Bogie, who is under contract at 20 mil per through 2026, may be more palatable than trying to sign soon-to-be-free agents Lindor, Corea or Story. You've got to give up something to get something. I'm surprised no one has consulted the trade site yet... (I thought about Cleveland, and how Clevinger and Pleasc may be suddenly available, since that organization doesn't tolerate nonsense)

Too many question marks to expect any semblance of respectability in '21. If Sale looks good a year from now, then we can have hopes that Bloom will make moves with an eye towards 2022. But I still think it will take something radical, like trading Bogaerts before he opts out in a package that nets someone like Luis Castillo (an All-Star pitcher under-30, controlled through '24). However, the only way for the Sox to deal their best player -- again -- and stay competitive in the standings and turnstiles, would be to compensate with a major free agent signing... like Lindor. Cora would love that move, too.

Devers looks nothing like the hitter who continually improved from the second half of 2018 through last season. Injuries or weight issues aside, he is swinging at way too many pitches out of the zone, while pulling his head and missing strikes. There is no more approach to stay on the ball and take it to left with authority, and he looks befuddled, as if he keeps guessing wrong. Even his focus on defense has been inconsistent again. Bottom line: Devers appears lost without Alex Cora. Reviving a young slugger who led the majors in extra bases is just another legitimate reason for the Sox to consider bringing back Cora. If they don't, don't be surprised if Devers is part of a blockbuster trade to revive the roster.

There is no rotation -- not on the mound, not on the ball...

Sox yield their quota of 8 runs by the 4th inning tonight... Godley gave up 6 on three home runs, but luckily Roenickie pulled him after the 7th run before it was too late.

The Sox need to shift their approach... start by pullng their heads out of their analytics.

True, but they were one of the few clubs that could afford to pay a great player about to enter his prime. And as soon as they got him, they bowled him over with a longterm extension to secure his superstar services for a long time. The move basically ensured their status as a contender for the length of his contract -- ...any of this sound familiar to current fans on opposite coasts?

In the recent past, the right deal was Pavano and Armas for Pedro Martinez, or Fossum, Lyons, DeLaRosa for Schilling, or Moncada and Kopech for Chris Sale. It's amazing how many borderline Hall of Fame pitchers the modern Red Sox acquired for prospects. But all those trades came when Boston was a contender, and rebuilding also-rans could no longer afford their star players. The Dodgers, looking for a push over the top, swung one of those steals last winter. The Sox are the rebuilding non-contender now. This time, they're going to have no choice but to give up quality for quantity. They already started the process moving Mookie; why stop now?

I just don't see any position player acquisitions, unless marketing feels the need for a splash signing (like maybe Springer). The only way the Red Sox can get back to respectability -- not even true contention -- but just 2019 mediocrity, is to restock the pitching staff with MLB talent. We can only hope ERod is ok, but how can anyone count on him when not even doctors or scientists know which end is up (is it Covid-19 or Covid-61)? Right now I have more confidence of contributions in '21 from DHern and Taylor than ERod. Even with Eovaldi and Perez back, Boston will need three viable big league starters. There's no way the suddenly frugal owners will let Bloom splurge on three free agent pitchers, so expect a winter blockbuster... Tampa during Chaim's time always adhered to the old Branch Rickey adage of trading players a year too soon rather a year too late. Everyone is on the block. Except maybe Arauz...

Good point -- and ironically revealing about this awfence... but I don't think even Wade Boggs would come up for his first cup of coffee and try to show he can be a big leaguer by working a base on balls (though the chicken man is so stubborn at the plate, he'd do it out of principle). We spoiled Sox fans want the toe-tapping, .400-hitting, A-ball Duran! I mean, Charlie Blackman's almost batting .500 in The Show... Post-script: Remember JBJ's MLB debut Opening Day 2013 when he walked three times (equaling Carl Crawford's entire 2012 Red Sox walk total)? Man, that Jackie was a selective hitter...

I don't know about easily -- Duran could tap as many weakly hit grounders, but with his speed he just may beat enough out to equal Beni's two hits...

Still skeptical about Blair's Lake effect velo. If this was winter, it'd be two feet of snow...

I'm a dinosaur, too, but I've come around to WAR -- where starters that eat innings are always more valuable than relievers because of one factor: outs recorded. Even if you have a good opener in a game, you still have to hope you have a good bulk guy the same day, then other multiple relievers who are also on or not too burned out from previous nights... as opposed to a good starter who can throw effectively three times through the order. Which is more reliable -- a starter who regularly goes six or Notin's Little League format of two guys who throw three frames each? Even if the latter combo is on a regular rotation together, like opener/bulker every five games, you're still relying on twice as many fickle, fluctuating human beings.