greg775

I'm not worried about Madrigal yet. Quite frankly, I don't have my "hate" radar focused on any Sox player yet. Usually it comes out and strikes me hard the moment I start to dislike a player. The experts say the Sox are here to stay so I'm just going to try to enjoy the ride. Frankly with Eloy and Anderson out, the team is not going to have many winning road trips. As far as when to demote Madrigal, it would only be if his defense stinks through June 1. If he's a lousy defender that's not acceptable at 2B. I think the team will improve soon. 3-4 isn't that bad. Let's see how the team fares in division play. Obviously team won't win it if the injuries pile up. I see in the future steady improvement in the pitching and hoping on the hitting.

Bad at bat. I thought Vaughn had one cookie for sure and that last pitch was not one to take. Just my opinion.

Rutherford, baby!

Time for Soxtalk to get behind Collins 100 percent. The guy passes the eye test. The guy belongs, baby. Let him stink some nights just as a stud like Grandal will stink some nights. Zack is home grown and ready, baby.

I love Zack Collins. That.Is.All.

I think most can agree the Sox deserve a D for that first series, considering all the things mentioned in this thread. Moving forward, I hope the Sox can split the 4-game road series and still win 2 of 3 in three-game series in which they play especially bad baseball. That first series was rotten; see if improvement comes in Series No. 2.

Hubert Davis should be the choice. He's only 50. He's been a UNC assistant a long time. He's a part of the Carolina "family" and their AD would be crazy to go outside the family when that's been the Carolina way for so long. Unless Few wants it (no way, he's a legend already with the Zags, especially if he wins tonight) or Brad Stevens (is Brad Stevens that great?) it has to go to UNC family member Davis. ... I will say if Few went anywhere else it'd be UNC I bet. He and Roy Williams are very close.

Not pushing the panic button but I think I jinxed the team by predicting Sox pitching staff might really be the surprise of baseball. I know baseball has changed (oh, has it changed, lift and pull and K and BB) but it wasn't TOO long ago a baseball cliche was that the pitching was way ahead of the hitting early in the season. Not being overly negative, but I think we can agree the Sox pitching deserved a D at best for the opening series. Looking for improvement once the Sox get home. Yes, for some weird reason, the road continues to bother the Sox even without a ton of fans. Sox could have won 3 of those games easily but squandered them away. I'm not despondent, just a bit sad the Sox got smoked, losing 3 of 4.

Five hits is insane. Wonder what Sox player last went 5 for 5. Nice win. Angels are pretty good.

I like the top 7 in this lineup. Let's score some runs. Are we gonna win tonight? I'm sick of teams that struggle winning on the road. Also I didn't watch closely last night. How did Tony do in his first game in a while? Close game so there had to be some strategy involved. Was he masterful or was he the same as RR?

Some fans don't like their baseball mixed with politics. For instance I know NOTHING about the issue at hand here. I'm sick of politics and trying to ignore all politics for a while. Too bad for Atlanta. Move the game to Chicago, the greatest city in the world.

Great post. Fans are who they are. That's why I like the Randy Quaid character in Major League so much. I do wish we had Eloy's bat in the lineup. We are noticeably weaker without his lumber.

I got a bad feeling late in that game and was tired and turned it off and went to bed. Thought we were in good shape when Eaton homered

Sorry to hear this, Dick Allen. Best wishes for your wife. ... This all just sucks. If we get COVID we could be screwed. The vaccine obviously is risky as well. I haven't gotten my shots yet cause Kansas must be hopeless. I'm all signed up everywhere in Lawrence and no vaccines yet. I sure hope for the best for everybody but I would be lying if I said I wasn't concerned.

1.) Zack Collins proves worthy of being a No. 10 overall pick. (It sure would be nice if he got off to a nice start. I'm rooting for him. Glad he made the team). 2.) Sox pitching staff actually fares very well and Tony masterfully figures roles in the bullpen quickly. 3.) Jose Abreu shows slight decline from last year but still produces well. Should be at the stage of his career he's the veteran face of the franchise and people forgive a slight decline. 4.) Anderson/Moncada/Robert carry the team hitting-wise. 5.) Loss of Eloy which really saddens me actually improves Sox defense considerably. As much as I hate to say it, he's a mess out in left field. This last injury proves when he comes back he either moves to first base or is DH forever. If he won't DH it may require a trade of either Eloy or my fave, Abreu. I don't think Jose wants to DH either.

Interesting take on bad trades in Sox lore. The Rutherford deal doesn't get talked about much. .... This isn't about trades but I'm intrigued by the guy I've blasted on here in the past, Jake Burger. I assume he's headed to Double A to start this season.

That about sums it up. I tried to sign up today and there are no spots in Lawrence. Weird how they have the shot in Topeka in full supply but not Lawrence. I want to get the shots here. I will get the shots. I will say this. Out of all the people I know, except for crazy family types, nobody has had any hesitancy at all. I'm the only one. And I haven't really expressed concern to anybody I talk to in real life.

I thought of Beckham today when Carson Fulmer and Nicky Delmonico entered the game for the Reds. Baseball is one, cruel game. It ain't easy to play the game of baseball on the MLB level. Can't believe Beckham's career wound up being so blah. At least he made some good money and gets the pension.

Not taking a pot shot at Eloy. It's a true pleasure to watch him hit. But I don't know if I've ever seen a taller, bigger injury-waiting-to-happen than Eloy out there in the field. This could be construed as one of those "stuff happens" moments in him trying to jump so high and put his arm in a weird spot in spring training game. Or it could be an error by our coaching staff not having some sitdowns with Eloy discussing outfield play. It's very disappointing news that he's out so long. I know Sox and Sox fans want to get another year out of Vaughn, but I'd make sure his bat is in the opening day lineup now that Eloy is gone. I will conclude by saying I'm not mad at Eloy for trying to make the catch, just sad that he's out this long. Stoney had an interesting call on the play.

You make good points. I figure as much time as these guys have on their hands in the offseason they could learn to beat the shift in the offseason with half swings and bunts. But it isn't meant to be. Some people are OK with everything that naturally happens to the great game of baseball. I guess the shifts don't bother the vast majority of fans, 80 percent or more, but I don't like them. So far the things I hate about baseball haven't made me want to give up my fandom or anything.

The shift is effective because hitters won't try to beat it. Probably not macho. Can't flip down a bunt to the left side when there's one guy stationed at the traditional SS position. It's either not macho or against the unwritten rules to beat the shift with a bunt. Or maybe even the organization's manager and advanced stat people don't wanna see that bunt. I realize most managers/stat analysts for teams prefer the all (HR) or nothing (K) method of hitting. Once in a while somebody like Moustakas will beat the shift with a bunt, but he's about it. Of course the shift is an effective defense. Players are always hitting right into the extra defender. I'm just saying for me personally it's ruining baseball. A lefty power hitter plops a bunt or half swing in the direction of third base, far enuf away from the pitcher, guess what ... it's a hit every time. Problems "for me" in the game of baseball: a.) the shift. b.) umps still won't call a belt high fastball a strike. c.) players stepping out of the box to do the Konerko velcro flip of the batting glove. d.) Not letting starters work 6 2/3 innings minimum. e.) playing the lefty/righty reliever matchup game as early as the fifth inning. f.) games that last over 3 hours. You might tell me I just don't like baseball and go away. I do like baseball. I don't like the things mentioned. Anything baseball can do to speed up the game, give the umps less power and not anger me by having one infielder on the left side with lefty hitters making no attempt to get a hit that way (flip flop it for righty hitters), would please me. I realize I could be in the deep minority, just saying what I don't like about baseball today. I'm sure 90 percent of fans disagree with me.

Also makes sense. Thanks. Glad you didn't even have a sore arm.

Makes sense. Thanks.

I'm just against lift and pull and this would be a way to combat it. ... I know a lot of things in sports and politics both don't make a lot of sense to me but it drives me insane that 'most' hitters wont bunt or just tap a grounder the other way to beat the shift. To me it's elementary. You get on base anyway you can and if you are a lefty hitter and there's one guy on the left side of the infield standing on shortstop, you bunt to the left side and reach base with a single. Instead most hitters either hit the home run to right or ground out to rightfield or strike out. It's one of the things ruining baseball for me personally.

I am going to get my shot as soon as they accept me. How are your symptoms? I am very nervous about the shots. Any advice on what medications I should have ready as the vaccine takes over the body? Thank u. No lie. I'm nervous about what I've read including the fact 1,200 have died or some similar number. I think some people won't get the vaccine because they think it's an ominous plot of the government. There are others like me who don't like the idea of purposely putting something in the body that could lay me out for 3 days and may cause lasting symptoms. I sure hope I don't mess up body organs or have hair all fall out in six months. Forgive me. This is a big boy message board and some people in America are scared. Nothing more ominous than that. Just fear.