soxfaninfl

You are making this argument when we have Sheets out there? I am not suggesting a permanent, long-term fix. Obviously, this roster still needs work but I just think it’s the best option for now. I still have hopes for Colas after all but this all highlights the limitations created with the Benny signing and suspect draft choices.

Play him. Robert has had injury issues that have had nothing to do with Eloy and they did play together in the shortened 2020 season. And put me in the camp that Eloy is just as important to the team as Robert. Not defensively but definitely with the bat.

Sorry, I just don’t see a dilemma. Put Eloy in right. We need his bat as much if not more than anyone else and he wants to play the field. Fine, go be an all-star then, will ya? Tired of the kid-glove treatment of Eloy. Let him play and let’s see what we got. Burger as primary DH. Sheets will fill in for days off between Burger, Eloy, and Vaughn or if someone goes cold. Plus, Sheets would be a nice have in close games as a PH but all will get significant playing time. With how this season is going, what could you possibly lose?

The whole team overthinks.

This is just such a wait and see for me. Eloy may not be back for almost a month, still, and I am really interested in how Burger handles the 4-hole today. All I can say is if one of Burger/Eloy/Sheets could play effective defense, this would be a nice problem to have.

Baines had the most beautiful swing I have ever seen. Bonds too, if I am honest. Of the Sox players today, Luis and Eloy. Still have hopes they can get hot at the same time.

Another nothing story about someone supposedly saying something. I am not going to pile on the players. They are not playing well and the frustration is apparent. TA has always worn his emotions and I am not about to bash that now. Bottom line: Hahn and Grifol need to go. The franchise has to prioritize winning and send the message that the current situation is unacceptable. This cannibalism between the front office, players, and fans is only going to get worse. Any other club would have done so already. Once they are gone and the message has been sent, then determine which players respond before we start jettison the whole thing to space.

Don't be so quick to praise the Rays. They have enjoyed one advantage most of the league has struggled with this season - relative health. The stars play virtually every game but the storm clouds are brewing. Brandon Lowe is gone for the season and the Rays are starting to experience pitching problems. Since their 13-0 start, they have lost series to the Yankees, Orioles, Jays, and Astros. If Franco and/or Arozarena miss any significant time, that sparkling 30-11 record likely will take a serious hit. Of course, the Rays are better coached and managed so they would still be competitive. As for the Pirates and Orioles, both teams were gawd-awful for over a decade. Eventually you do find cheap talent with decent depth... unless you are Rick Hahn and the Sox. Still, not sure the Sox have the marketability to withstand a decade of losing but, alas, here we are.

At least you have the Rays. Over here, it's the Marlins but I am not without ties to Chicago. Both my daughters live in or around the city and I will be moving back to at least Madison after my appointment here is over. But, if you are old enough, you should remember how the prospect of the Sox moving felt and I can only relate to my feelings at the time. It felt like betrayal. It was betrayal, the team did not deserve the devotion and fandom I had shown for years prior. I dislike the Cubs but, honestly, that is more about competition and bragging rights. I am a born and raised Chicagoan. I may have lived in Madison most of my adult life but my identity is Chicago. I will root for the Chicago team regardless of how difficult that would be. It's baseball and, hey, we all love the Bears and Blackhawks and I cannot follow a team that betrays its fanbase. The last two years have been hard enough, honestly.

Losing begets losing and you see it all over the faces of the players. It's a mindset, a team resigned to its fate. Much easier to lose and start pointing fingers than actually win. Bothers me a lot that Grifol publicly says what even a casual observer can discern but I am beyond complaining about our illustrious manager. He just needs to go. The problem with the Sox is how do you even begin to evaluate anything? The environment surrounding this team is so toxic and bad how would you ever be able to rebuild or even retool? It's a fool's errand until some major management changes are made. Simply, the situation and culture is so bad, how can you tell what is good? The roster is bad. Management is bad. I don't think every player on this team is, though. Honestly, the only answer is to clean house, try to infuse a different outlook, hopefully play better, and then decide on a direction. Right now, everything looks awful and hopeless from the big league club through the minors. Being a Sox fan, I can take losing but not like this. I am just so tired of the scapegoating on every level and watching the team sleepwalk through a game too often.

I wouldn’t trade any controllable contract until someone cleans house. The culture is bad and a bunch of trades are not going to cure the fact this team does not have the will to win.

Not going to pick on Katz particularly and there have been some improvements. Gio and Yaz looking much better than last year (really not saying much in Yaz’ case). Burger (for a while), Sheets has been decent at the plate and, yes, Santos and Middleton have contributed nicely. However, every other player has regressed. And what does every player listed above have in common outside of Gio and Yaz? All are trying to stay at the MLB level. Why are the Sox here? This team plays too tight, thinks too much, and mostly plays joyless. Is it the players or management? Sure, losing can take the joy out of anything but this team plays scared. Again, why?

This team hopes to win, doesn’t expect to win. They play entirely too tight and become unraveled quickly.

Sometimes I swear this team is just cursed, like someone made a deal for 2005… Get better Eloy.

Now make an all-time great team. Bet that would be much more difficult.

I agree but that plays into my second thought regarding Elvis’ veteran presence. I wish I had different thoughts but I am coming to the conclusion Pedro is in over his head and needs help.

Elvis has played every day for a lot of reasons but chiefly because of this roster. Who was going to play SS when TA was hurt? But I also think Grifol, a rookie manager, likes and prefers the veteran presence of Elvis on the field. As for our rookie manager (and I take no delight in taking him down all the time), I am still baffled as to why Haseley was taken out of the game in the 8th. Righty on the mound, lefty coming up, and the Sox PH with a righty with another righty to follow. If anything, TA should have hit for Alberto if Haseley did not come through. Might have made a difference in the 10th as well. Please make it make sense.

I really cannot get there but I do see some positives. TA being back will be a help and Eloy is, hopefully, showing signs of breaking out of a season-long slump to this point. Liam will be a big boost to morale but who knows what he can really do at this point? The negatives still weigh on the optimism. The bullpen and bench are simply awful and health will always be a ‘wait and see’ proposition with this team. And the jury is still out on the manager but, um, yikes. I am not one to root for losing just so the Sox can clear out some offices even if I believe that is in the best interest of the team, however. I see .500 ball over the remainder of the season more likely if we can stay relatively healthy, but this hole is probably just too deep.

Finally something good in 2023.

I don't know and I am not trying to jump to conclusions but something is very wrong here. Nearly the entire team is playing below their ability and I do view the incident yesterday as a management error. Just should not have been the story it became. You want to make a statement to the team? Fine, then make it to the team. Saying something publicly is such a CYA move and will not play well in the long run. Makes me wonder how this team is run. I'm sorry but every day, I become less and less impressed with Grifol. Maybe it's just the losing and, perhaps, the return of some players will help. Just been an awful start for the manager but I actually blame the FO as much or more. This just wasn't the right place for Grifol.

But wouldn’t it be more of a possibility considering how poorly the team is playing as a whole?

Nothing good comes from embarrassing anyone publicly.

And why do I think this may be a holdover from Jose? Think he always informed management when he didn’t feel 100%? The mistake here was releasing the statement that Robert was pulled as a managerial decision. Throwing a player under the proverbial bus - publicly - almost always turns out badly especially on a team playing as poorly as the Sox. Say he was pulled as a precaution and deal with the issue in the clubhouse.

Someone said dysfunctional. Complete and total. Said a week ago, the Sox cannot let losing fester, that the damage will only get worse. Doubt we have hit the bottom of this well of dysfunction.

Both. The fact he is here is a testament to the rot in the front office thinking a rookie manager would overcome the toxicity of 2022 and, now, a 9-game losing streak and a 7-20 record. The Sox are a flawed team in many respects but following TLR, regardless of how you felt about him, is a tough chore especially for a rookie manager thinking he needs to change things. Grifol is a deer in headlights. Somewhat innocent but shouldn't be where he is.