greg775

Sometimes these really tall pitchers have command problems. Randy Johnson to the rescue? For advice?

Not really stupid. So the players know it's a total rebuild, fine. When you are down 4-0 in the first and 8-0 after two, and lose 8 of every 10 games, you might lose focus and/or loaf. I stand by my statement. Why work the count if you are Avi? What does it matter if he walks? We're still losing by six or more most nights. So hack away and pop up or ground out. Just tell me you agree this is 'possible.' Thank u.

My heart breaks over the Farquar situation. If that's why we suck, I can understand it.

Hmmm. I know you guys despise Greg, but at least recognize my take is possibly true. You know, when a team is this bad, it "could" affect some players' desire to a.) hustle. b.) play proper baseball. For instance, I won't make excuses for Avi, but why draw a walk when it doesn't matter a bit?? Just hack away (and begin sucking as Avi has sucked all season). Meanwhile, a young stud like Moncada .... it takes a special Pete Rose type attitude about baseball to hustle all the time. Can you blame some young studs for either not hustling or totally losing focus (some of Anderson's errors)? My point is when you tank THIS BADLY, you better expect some shit to happen, like young guys being yanked from games for not hustling, guys never taking a walk, etc. Cause it's a team game and if the team is losing 8 of 10 games, what the frick difference does playing the game the right way make? Call me when we're good, and then I'll bust ass every minute of every game, Moncada could tell Ricky.

No offense to Engel, but it doesn't take a Tony LaRussa or Jim Leyland or Tom Lasorda to tell you Mr. Engel cannot hit. More Trayce; less Engel please!

Frankly I thought after winning the WS in 05 we'd dominate the division for a long time. The division sucks and is full of teams that don't spend money (though Detroit did for a while). I thought now that we reached the top of the game we could continue through free agency and trades when needed we could pull a Braves and make the playoffs every year for a long while. It's not my fault we had one of the worst managers in baseball history to replace Oz and the moves the team made via free agency were not good. There are more ways to win divisions/titles than to play the tank game.

Are you happy being out of the race with a week left in April?

Several of you could be the architects of a rebuild in the tank era. We had a couple superstar pieces we could deal in Sale and Q (many of you could have made similarly great trades). Meanwhile, all of us could build a team SO BAD that we get high high high draft picks for 5 years. And we look at the lists of the prospects and take a stab at picking the best available player. Meanwhile we acquire totally horseshit players to make sure we continue to get top draft picks. It's not that hard to construct a tank job rebuild. It's harder to do it the other way, have an organization of sustained excellence. Tell me you disagree that a few fans on here could not construct a rebuild this way?? We had a couple superstars to get the best possible haul for and you lose and lose and try to make the right draft picks. If you fail in that regard, who cares? You keep rebuilding as tank job/rebuilds are quite the popular rage.

My point is it didn't have to be this bad and you could still be rebuilding. This is insulting to any baseball fan. I can only hope the fans start booing and booing long and hard.

That's why Verlander should have thought of something wry or funny to say. He got the last laugh picking him off. He didn't need to explain the whole thing IMO, although I don't think he was that out of line in his explanation of why Timmy pissed him off.

Not a bad post. The unwritten rules ... there are so many of 'em to keep track of. If Verlander hits Tim with a pitch if/when the teams meet again ... immediate fight will ensue probably.

I haven't heard that. I trust you it's happening, but the games I've listened to he hasn't been that bad a houseman. Home Game One is the one I can't get out of my mind when Hawk about started crying in joy at how great a team the Sox have this year. Then they blew the game of course, him putting the ultimate hex on the 2018 squad (kidding). I can't imagine Stoney praising Shields that much but if he is, that's not good. Although Big James may be helping in the leadership department even though he personally sucks. That is possible. James may be trying to help some of these guys who are allegedly pitchers.

Cause he's a Sox fan. He might not be 100 percent in line with the "leader of our team." It doesn't make him any less of a Sox fan.

Guess what? This is an excellent take. How can any of the rebuilding lovers disagree? This is my take that you so beautifully worded. I beg Hahn lovers to re-read it please. Great take.

As long as Hahn and Jerry can deal with the crowds of 10,000 in June, July and August during the week and maybe 20,000 on weekends. They have no right to expect anybody to show up to watch this disgrace of a pitching staff. You'd need your head examined to go to one of those awful matchups against equally bad Central Division teams this season unless the ticket is free or you just have to have a Sox corned beef sandwich (yum).

I hope Danny is OK. Considering the circumstances I won't comment on this team. Be OK, Danny. This is scary.

Nice post. I'd play him every fricking day. Please Trayce, hit the ball and run! We need you.

I thought I'd never say this, but now that we got Trayce back, I'd sign Melky too. He isn't holding anybody back and I am not in the mood for a 40- to 45-win season. This team blows and at this point I welcome the Melk-ster back. Sign some of these guys who didn't get signed as stop-gaps. We could use 3-4 pitchers off the scrap heap as well. Somebody send Hahn an email asking for the Melkster!

They will lose more than 106 games. How can they not? The record is theirs for the taking for sure. Logic says when you have pitching this bad and defense this bad, you lose.

Somebody will take a flier on Hawkins. Guys like that get one final chance. Best wishes to him. I bet KC picks him up. They have figuratively no talent in the minors.

Man I can't believe Sox lost that game. I thought that one might be safe. LOL at Shields losing. Of course. You know, this could really be embarrassing this season. If our starting pitching remains as bad as it looks, with this bullpen, I can't see winning more than 39 games. I guess KC and Detroit are so bad we 'could' dominate those teams. But this certainly has to be the worst starting rotation in Sox history. You've got nobody except Lopez who could 'possibly' throw more than 7 innings. Unless Giolito pulls his head out and excels. I mean Shields, Gonzalez and Fulmer are horrendous. And our bullpen has maybe one good reliever in Nate. It's not been a habit of the Sox to outslug many teams. I can't see us winning many of those 12-11, 12-9 games. Maybe my 39 wins is outlandish, but we're certainly not winning more than 50 and I cannot see 50 wins. No way. I'm hoping our hitters stay interested and put in the work on their individual games, which frankly has to be difficult to do. I mean if you are at the plate starting the second week of may and the team is 12 games out, I'd imagine it'd be pretty tough to move runners, work on your own game. s***, the natural thing would be to try to homer every at bat. Good luck, Sox. I know you weren't planning on winning this season, but barring an amazing turnaround, this team's starting pitching, bullpen, defense and weak links in the lineup signal a brutal 39-win season. Like Fathom said, we do have good team speed, which frankly won't translate into wins.

Good job by Moncada. Even the few loud naysayers on here will now join us in liking him.

We should sign some independent league pitchers and get rid of some of these arms. Phil Humber is still only 35.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 18, 2018 -> 05:25 AM) You're right, they're going to have like a 50 million dollar payroll next year Any spending they do will be offseason and have nothing to do with attendance. Yes I want them to suffer embarrassment of low crowds if they are going to put this product on the big league field.