9/10 vs Orioles

[moonslav59]

He's had some short-term/minor bingos. We need some long-term/major ones.

His few long term deals, so far, don't look great.

I'm not sure upper brass would have allowed more, so I'm not sure we can blame Bloom for so many 1 and 2 year deals, as we rebuilt.

I'm hoping we see 3-4 major signings, this winter, Anything less, to me, would be punting to 2025, and would not go over well.

[jung]

Wrong, in hindsight. Most of the SP'ers traded for at the deadline have not done what we would have needed to put us in the race, let alone into a WC driver's seat.

Yes, at the time, I do think we should have been buyers.

Adding Civale would have been a good move for this year and next.

Myself, never thought we should be buyers because this is what we were right from the start ....A BAD TEAM. at the least a very poorly constructed team
- Too many guys especially pitchers coming off the DL and that never goes well when you have so many. Rotation has been awful
- I cannot even judge the BP because those guys are gassed and pitching too many innings. No teams have studs pitching the in the 4th, 5th and 6th innings because those should be rare occasions. Staffs are not that deep. Your most questionable pitchers are going to pitch those innings and if you have to toss them out there too often you are toast.
- Too many players were going to be playing out of position as this whole shit show across baseball of playing everybody everywhere was going to blow up on its most ardent proponents. Count us as one. The end of the shift was going to expose this nonsense for what it was ....NONSENSE.
- Too much offense dependent on too few guys and a defense from hell

[moonslav59]

Sure he can! He cut salary, got cheap players (Verdugo/Story) for expensive ones (Betts/Bogaerts), put an entertaining product on the field (who doesn't love a game with two dozen runs?), and even got the team over .500. His boss made tons of money. What's the problem?

No problem for JH, unless and until, the product on the field leads to major losses in profits.

[moonslav59]

Myself, never thought we should be buyers because this is what we were right from the start ....A BAD TEAM.
- Too many guys especially pitchers coming off the DL and that never goes well when you have so many. Rotation has been awful
- I cannot even judge the BP because those guys are gassed and pitching too many innings. No teams have studs pitching the 5th and 6th innings because those should be rare occasions. Staffs are not that deep. Your most questionable pitchers are going to pitch those innings and if you have to toss them out there too often you are toast.
- Too many players were going to be playing out of position as this whole shit show across baseball of playing everybody everywhere was going to blow up on its most ardent proponents. Count us as one. The end of the shift was going to expose this nonsense for what it was ....NONSENSE.
- Too much offense dependent on too few guys and a defense from hell

I can't disagree with anything, except the shift rule change. Do we now need to put an asterisk next to Ted Williams, as he was hurt by the shift and newer guys cannot be?

[jung]

I can't disagree with anything, except the shift rule change. Do we now need to put an asterisk next to Ted Williams, as he was hurt by the shift and newer guys cannot be?

The shift protected lousy fielders. They didn't have to move to the baseball. Hence it became easy to rationalize playing players out of position.

The shift was deigned so that they would be where the ball was going to land. That also means they did not have to be fleet footed and nimble. It is also much easier to throw the ball if you did not have to run to catch it in the first place. That also allowed teams to bring up players that could hit but really could not field worth a crap. There are so many players right now that do not even exhibit basic fielding skills and are constantly caught chewing on their gloves......out of position and unable to even make a play that should have been made.

Under the circumstances, the Mookie Betts sort of player should be more prized even than he is.

[vegasbob]

Amazing how many 3-2 counts Casas can get into. He does work pitchers. With Abreu's plate discipline, is a hitting coach at WooSox making some dent in the swing away strategy of imports like Story and Duvall ?

[vegasbob]

The lug nuts are coming loose, watch out for wheels to come off shortly

Bello at 46 pitches running a pace for 4, maybe 5 innings. Keeping the 2023 starting pitching trend alive.

Paxton on IL? That's pretty much a season at this point. Why would you bother bringing him back at all this year?

[jung]

And Verdugo is one of our better fielders. Where was he going? The booth beside itself over the scoring. Who cares....play should have been made on the ball.

[Maxbialystock]

The shift protected lousy fielders. They didn't have to move to the baseball. Hence it became easy to rationalize playing players out of position.

The shift was deigned so that they would be where the ball was going to land. That also means they did not have to be fleet footed and nimble. It is also much easier to throw the ball if you did not have to run to catch it in the first place. That also allowed teams to bring up players that could hit but really could not field worth a crap. There are so many players right now that do not even exhibit basic fielding skills and are constantly caught chewing on their gloves......out of position and unable to even make a play that should have been made.

Under the circumstances, the Mookie Betts sort of player should be more prized even than he is.

Mookie Betts is primarily an outfielder, none of whom have been affected by ending the infield shifts.

[jung]

Except that "playing out of position" disease affects all of the fielding positions. Playing out of position was never as popular as it became during the shift era.

For example it became popular to think about Ofer's as just that Ofer's. Stick them anywhere out there. That could not be farther from the truth.

[vegasbob]

Turner scores from first on a routine groundball that Urias's brother should have fielded but now finally have a 3-2 game. BTW, Story hit the ball which opens up these kind of possibilities.

[vegasbob]

Rafi starting to chase Turner for the RBI lead comes through with a hit

[vegasbob]

Give Devers credit for a quick rebound off Abreu in left field and a great throw to 2nd to nail the runner.

[Maxbialystock]

Rafi starting to chase Turner for the RBI lead comes through with a hit

Meh. The real story is that McGuire and Urias got the first real hits for the Sox in this game and that Rafaela struck freaking out with a man on 3b.

[Maxbialystock]

I could be wrong, but I think most of the Orioles hits have come off Bello's fast ball.

That double, however, was off the changeup.