June 4: Tampa Bay @ Boston

Petagine in a Bottle

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They seem pretty similar to last years team. The offense is largely fine; the pitching and defense are mediocre to terrible. That they have a winning record nearly sixty games in seems about right. They aren’t great but they are in that mushy middle; able to compete with most teams. If you are disappointed, you probably had unrealistic expectations.
 

E5 Yaz

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To his credit, Verdugo took responsibility for the beginning of the play. Said he didn't pick it up coming into the outfield and he just air mailed it.
Well, he threw it into the direction of second base, and Valdez threw it wide to the plate. Then, the Wong throw which, as was pointed out in the game thread, happened because he didn't take time to set himself.
Duran couldn't back up the Wong throw, because he had gone to right-center on the initial hit. Casas, meanwhile, just stood his ground, and easily could have cut the Valdez throw had he been in the cutoff spot
 

Ale Xander

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In this division that’s not garbage.
They have a worse record v the NL than v the ALE.
With the new schedule, division presence isn’t as important
They’ve only played 17 games against the ALE so far iirc

their record v the NLC is pure trash
 

E5 Yaz

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I think what Lose is getting at isn't so much head-to-head play, but the idea that the ALEast is so strong that the Red Sox can't afford these periods of poor play, regardless of who they play
 

Ale Xander

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I think what Lose is getting at isn't so much head-to-head play, but the idea that the ALEast is so strong that the Red Sox can't afford these periods of poor play, regardless of who they play
Oh agreed there
 

P'tucket rhymes with...

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The Coney Island of my mind
Well, he threw it into the direction of second base, and Valdez threw it wide to the plate. Then, the Wong throw which, as was pointed out in the game thread, happened because he didn't take time to set himself.
Duran couldn't back up the Wong throw, because he had gone to right-center on the initial hit. Casas, meanwhile, just stood his ground, and easily could have cut the Valdez throw had he been in the cutoff spot
I didn't watch the game, but if this is the case, this is the most troubling piece of the gestalt. We have guys whose lousy defense is a function of poor range, weak/inaccurate arms, etc. We have a bunch of those guys. But if guys like Casas aren't being taught fundamentals to the point that positioning isn't reflexive, and/or they don't pay the price for mental mistakes, it won't matter how much talent Bloom can bring into the organization. They'll quickly find that mediocrity is acceptable.
 

Just a bit outside

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Well, he threw it into the direction of second base, and Valdez threw it wide to the plate. Then, the Wong throw which, as was pointed out in the game thread, happened because he didn't take time to set himself.
Duran couldn't back up the Wong throw, because he had gone to right-center on the initial hit. Casas, meanwhile, just stood his ground, and easily could have cut the Valdez throw had he been in the cutoff spot
Valdez was throwing from the dirt. Casas is doubling back to cover first. I don’t think having a cutoff man on a throw from the dirt is going to happen.
 

Harry Hooper

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I didn't watch the game, but if this is the case, this is the most troubling piece of the gestalt. We have guys whose lousy defense is a function of poor range, weak/inaccurate arms, etc. We have a bunch of those guys. But if guys like Casas aren't being taught fundamentals to the point that positioning isn't reflexive, and/or they don't pay the price for mental mistakes, it won't matter how much talent Bloom can bring into the organization. They'll quickly find that mediocrity is acceptable.
Casas has multiple failures this year to get into proper cut-off position.
 

Lose Remerswaal

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With the more balanced schedule, does it matter which division you're in? 82 losses in the east is no different than 82 losses in the west, right?

Honest question. I hadn't put much thought into it.
The Sox play 52 games (I think) against the four good AL East teams. They play 32-35 against the weak Central (and West) teams. That puts them behind those other teams who play TB, NYY, BAL, and TOR less often than BOS does.

but with any schedule, 82 isn’t garbage, it’s average.
 

YTF

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Casas has multiple failures this year to get into proper cut-off position.
We know that the team has batting practice each and everyday, but how often do they work on fundamentals and defensive drills? Perhaps less time in the cage is in order for a period of time to devote more attention to other aspects of the game that the team struggles with. I suggested something similar last year when the Sox were an absolute embarrassment on the base paths. Cora has got to try to sort this all out. I'll stop short of calling him a spectator here because we truly don't know what happens behind the scenes, but I'd love to see a bit more passion (for lack of a better word) from him after games like this. Your team leads the league in errors at the SS position yet Cora keeps sending Hernandez out there. Kike has all but one of those errors while starting just 39 of 59 games there.
 
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Mueller's Twin Grannies

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If Duvall and Story can comeback. They might have wild card shot, but it seems to be slipping away.
Honestly? I'd rather have them finish dead last and get a good draft pick than play an additional couple of games and get a middling pick. This team, even with Duvall (who is probably going to take a month or so to readjust to Major League pitching and hitting every day) and Story (who I don't expect much from and will probably have people pining for Kiké at short before too long with his arm), is not going to beat a real contender. Even if they go get Iggy, which it sounds like they won't, the defense and bullpen are going to kill this team.
 

Ferm Sheller

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Honestly? I'd rather have them finish dead last and get a good draft pick than play an additional couple of games and get a middling pick. This team, even with Duvall (who is probably going to take a month or so to readjust to Major League pitching and hitting every day) and Story (who I don't expect much from and will probably have people pining for Kiké at short before too long with his arm), is not going to beat a real contender. Even if they go get Iggy, which it sounds like they won't, the defense and bullpen are going to kill this team.
They'd really have to fall apart to get a "good pick". Status quo and they're looking at picking no better than mid-teens, which is "middling".
 

Blizzard of 1978

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Honestly? I'd rather have them finish dead last and get a good draft pick than play an additional couple of games and get a middling pick. This team, even with Duvall (who is probably going to take a month or so to readjust to Major League pitching and hitting every day) and Story (who I don't expect much from and will probably have people pining for Kiké at short before too long with his arm), is not going to beat a real contender. Even if they go get Iggy, which it sounds like they won't, the defense and bullpen are going to kill this team.
Will know in a week or two. Yankees coming to town.
 

Blizzard of 1978

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Why would playing there Yankees be a bigger indicator of their strength than playing the best team in their division/league/MLB?
That's when their mediocre play will take noticed. A lot don't care about Tampa, but if they play like this against the Yankees the light bulb will go off. They are 5 out of wildcard and last place 11. If they don't right the ship we could be looking 8 out of the wildcard. I didn't expect them to win the division, but didn't think they be this many games out that quick by June 5th.
 

Lose Remerswaal

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That's when their mediocre play will take noticed. A lot don't care about Tampa, but if they play like this against the Yankees the light bulb will go off. They are 5 out of wildcard and last place 11. If they don't right the ship we could be looking 8 out of the wildcard. I didn't expect them to win the division, but didn't think they be this many games out that quick by June 5th.
And 2/3 of the season to go and their best hitter from April is returning to the lineup soon!
 

aksoxfan

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I couldn't see the game but on the Little League homer the other day, where was our 2nd baseman on the initial bouncer that started that fiasco?
 

YTF

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That's when their mediocre play will take noticed. A lot don't care about Tampa, but if they play like this against the Yankees the light bulb will go off. They are 5 out of wildcard and last place 11. If they don't right the ship we could be looking 8 out of the wildcard. I didn't expect them to win the division, but didn't think they be this many games out that quick by June 5th.
Seriously (not aimed solely at you) I'm so fucking sick of hearing about last place. What were the expectations for this team at the beginning of the season? There are a bunch of MLB teams that are not in last place who would gladly swap records. The team is riddled with injuries and not performing great yet they've managed to hover right around. 500 some 60 games into the season. Last place playing .500 ball, not 15-35 last place.
 

joe dokes

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I couldn't see the game but on the Little League homer the other day, where was our 2nd baseman on the initial bouncer that started that fiasco?
Covering 2nd. Hit and run. Batter hit a perfectly-placed 83-hopper through the vacated spot.