5GoldGlovesOF,75

It sure took him long enough to reach the majors! Still can't believe he missed that first flight to Texas from Florida back in March, and it took him over two months of searching Map Quest before he could finally find the Red Sox and rejoin them in Boston. Man, did his buddies Marcelo and Kristian -- who were already there waiting for him -- give him the business for wasting so much time in Worcester. The business... ... imagine how many more Ws the BoSox would have if Anthony, the best of them all, was in the line-up adjusting, a month or two sooner.

Romy was not built in a year. But these numbers are comparable: Roman A: PA 303, H 75, XBH 27, RBI 32, K 84, BA .292, OPS .859 Romy G: PA 299, H 87, XBH 33, RBI 49, K 72, BA .312, OPS .850 Granted, Gonzalez has batted mostly vs. lefties, but the holey Sox have no choice but to play anyone even tepid full time as they limp down the stretch...

7-6 minimum, which gives us 88 wins. I predicted 89 preseason, but even 88 right now seems a longshot. Even IF we win three of four vs. NY's Warren and the A's sluggers in Fenway, the last nine are in doubt. Hopefully, Tampa at George field won't care as much, and give us a couple. Otherwise... Toronto in Canada will be rocking towards a division crown and will be big trouble. It may come down to the last three at home vs. the Tigers, who will have already clinched a bye, which might be huge for Boston. I can see AJ Hinch setting up his playoff pitching, starting his aces, but only for a few innings each to get their work in. The Sox will need to feast off Detroit's bullpen to win that series. Old men fans like me will be relying less on pilsner and more on famotidine.

We could also really use Raffy's bat... but let Papi swing it.

We need Rico to come out of retirement: the perfect flyball pull Fenway swing. And tear down the sky boxes behind home plate! And don't build any on my lawn!

In my opinion the Sox offense is overrated, even by stats. They may have averaged scoring almost 5 runs per game, but the data shows in contests that weren't blowout wins that it's less than 4 runs per game. That's less than 4 runs in 87% of their season -- not an insignificant number. Compared to most MLB clubs, Boston may have one of the top rated offenses in some categories, but don't forget this may be the worst year for quality batting averages in big league history -- with currently only five players over .300 (1968 had six). Elite pitching can carve up any batting order, but the Sox didn't face aces in 130 games, either. Their 3.9 runs per game in those tilts is still higher than the Royals, the AL's worst offense at 3.8. When KC's 10 blowout wins by 6 runs or more are subtracted, they only average 3.4... but that's still only half a run worse than Boston's O in non-blow-out Ws. All this angst can really just be simplified with one fact: the Red Sox have exactly one guy who can pull Paul Skenes deep, and he's on the IL.

Posters may not like these breakdowns, but they explain some of the agita in watching the 2025 Red Sox: Boston has won 19 games by 6 or more runs this year, with a cumulative score of 220 runs vs. 45 runs against. In the other 130 games, the Sox have scored 510, and allowed 583. Run differentials: in the 19 blow-out wins, the Red Sox are +175; in all other 130 games -- that's 87% of the season -- the Sox are -73. Over a full weekly average -- for every 7 games -- we have watched the Sox win big once and then get outscored the rest of the week (87% of 7 = 6). All season.

500-30

On the bench, we still have... YoSHIDA!

40-30

down 4-2 late -- with this offense, does anyone else feel like it's 40-2?

Good stats, the platoon guys have been coming through (and that includes Narvaez, with two clutch pinch-hits late). The problem with your list is that Story is the only full-timer, though Romy has been getting more reps -- and better get more, now that defensive specialist Hammy made two more Es last night.

Yup, if the Sox do make the playoffs and have to go to Yankee Stadium for the entire Wild Card series, it's doubtful they'll get to suit up Papi, Manny or Damon. They won't even have the equivalent of Tek, Trot and Bell -- who combined for 5 HRs in the '04 ALCS... ... not to mention the knocks from Mueller, Millar and Orlando Cabrera -- who combined for 25 hits (it went 7 games, after all; the most the WC series can go is 3).

Bregman's from the Spring, Duran's from July, Lowe's from 2023, and Yoshida's from the WBC... ... and Abreu's, connected to Abreu.

It's really unbelievable that Cora can't just order all his talent to touch the freaking ball with a baserunner on third and less than two outs.

This team seems so unpredictable -- except to expect a 14-run blowout win sometime this week, in between a handful of losses where they score 2 runs or less. A weekend home series vs New York is more important because of what no one really wants to admit: if the Sox have to play a 3-game Wild Card set in the Bronx, it is very unlikely they'll win 2 before the Yankees do... ... unless a few hitters somehow get hot really soon and carry those bat adjustments into the postseason. Right now, Boston's offense just cannot be counted on to beat the quality pitching it will see in the playoffs. The top three active run-producers also lead the team in strikeouts, and then we have a clean-up man recently cut by a last place club, protected in the batting order by a designated hitter with the 17th best Slugging percentage on the roster. The Yankees have to be favored in any pitchers' duels because they have several men who can hit one out of the park. The Sox have warning track power.

Basically three failures to drive in runs in every four ABs is why we're all so stressed every game. And I don't care if other clubs struggle, too. I need the Red Sox to deliver... In my house, we're at the point when the Sox get a runner to third with less than two outs, we look at each other and say things like, "Well... we have a chance here..." Someone can probably find some stats, but it always felt like Boston was in the driver's seat in those situations in the not-too-distant past: 2018, 2007, 2003 -- when eight Red Sox had 85 RBI or more. Nowadays, we're in the rumble seat or (if you're not riding in a 1934 Cabriolet), the trunk.

I'm not homer happy, but a few HRs can swing a low-scoring game, especially in the postseason when most pitching is tough. It's probably our best bet, because we can't expect anyone in this line-up to suddenly look like a .300 hitter -- or even a .290 guy like Anthony.

Starting pitchers, backend of bullpen can hang with anyone, but could be doomed by the 7th inning drek. Sox need one guy to trust and bridge to Whitlock/Chapman. I don't care if it's a rookie, it's time to audition this weekend vs. the Yankees at home. On offense, someone needs go yard, a bat needs to get hot and find a power stroke like Ceddanne had before the All-Star break. Bregman or Abreu would seem most likely, except both will be playing hurt. It may seem folly to expect Lowe to suddenly swats 5 longballs in 15 games... but this is what it's come down to: the Red Sox are already trying to make the playoffs by batting a guy clean-up who was just cut a few weeks ago by a last place team.

I'm thinking even 7-8, because the other clubs get to knock each other around, too. It's unlikely anyone just goes off and wins out.

Texas has just as good as chance to oust Seattle, Houston or New York from the playoffs as Boston, who has more wins than all of them.

40 is the new 60. Every ache and pain is self-inflicted, whether you're in your 40s or 60s. Except injuries in my 40s were from diving in the outfield or sliding into bases. Injuries in my 60s are walking up or down stairs, lifting grocery bags, or sleeping.

Word is some other club wanted Early included in a package for a big leaguer at the deadline, and Brez refused. But I'm not sure what the word is: Minnesota? Pittsburgh? Cleveland? (sure looks like a small market word, though) Either or -- good job, Craig.

Poor A's hitters keep running into Red Sox shutout pitchers.

The last time the Sox promoted three rookies in one week was the game when they gave away t-shirts showing Campbell-Anthony-Mayer all holding up #1 fingers (added it up, it meant we're #3).