caulfield12

Well, at least we're not fans of the Mariners, Marlins or Padres. Actually, the M's have a decent chance to make the post-season this year, at least 50/50. Then we would have the 3rd longest streak without a playoff appearance.

Two weeks ago, even a week ago, heck yesterday...the Red Sox getting ahead of the Indians would have been exciting. Now it doesn't even feel like it matters. 3-0 Boston. Well, at least we can hold 1st until the DHer on Monday and Erik Johnson BP Day.

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ May 21, 2016 -> 02:53 PM) Soria had an era around 4 coming into the day. He was terrible earlier in the year, to the point where Hochevar basically took over the 7th.

I can see that Rollins could steal a base, but Sands has been hitting really well that last couple of games. He's much more likely to homer there than Rollins (unless he's hitting RH against a LHP). Don't understand why he's PHing there at all. And why he wasn't starting against a LHP, but Saladino's been holding his own offensively.

Rollins swung at ball four, sigh. Got a gift call at 3-0 as well. You want to say things can't get any worse than this, but...

QUOTE (fathom @ May 21, 2016 -> 02:45 PM) Yeah right, they'll have a scapegoat like the bullpen catcher. With that said, this is almost entirely on the players. This team has no prayer if Abreu is one of the worst players in baseball. He needs to be an all-star caliber player for this team to contend. Man-Soo Lee will fix things. Or Don Wakamatsu.

Herrera again...can't remember who threw more pitches yesterday, him or Hochevar? 98% likely to be Herrera. Dial it up for the high 90's heat and forget about hitting a slider.

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ May 21, 2016 -> 02:34 PM) Soria isn't coming set. Hence, the 3 balks already this season...

Rollins PHing for Sands against a tough righty? Weird decision by Ventura. Does he read the splits?

Gee, that wasn't predictable. 8 double plays on the season now, no RBI obviously. Change-up got in on his hands. I guess it could have been worse...home to first DP with no run scoring, lol.

Well, here we go with the dreaded bases loaded situation. Soria coming on. Not sure I can watch to see what Abreu will do. 3 balks for Soria already. That might be Jose's best shot, lol...

PR Sanchez for Navarro? Avi's also available. Saladino definitely earning some extended playing time here now with his hot streak.

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ May 21, 2016 -> 02:21 PM) Saladino is so good with the glove If he could just consistently put up a 650-675 OPS, 20 steals, 20 doubles, 10-12 homers...we'd really have something. But you can say that about Avi and Lawrie and....the list goes on and on. Actually, that's a line you're likely to get out of Tim Anderson (eventually). Maybe fewer homers in the beginning and more triples. (

QUOTE (fathom @ May 21, 2016 -> 02:18 PM) Boston has some awesome prospects/young MLB players Can't imagine Sale/Price in the same rotation...but I'm sure Dombrowski can. Good job there by Navarro and Saladino to stay aware of the situation.

Jennings on now. Wonder why Dyson hasn't been more active on the basepaths. A bit unusual for him to be conservative when they have a chance to go for the jugular.

QUOTE (Alexeihyeess @ May 21, 2016 -> 02:15 PM) Then take all of their position prospects. I don't even know what Boston has but a 3rd team could always be brought in to sweeten the pot. The problem is you'd have an awesome outfield with Bradley OR Betts and Eaton...but then not enough starting pitching because you just dealt Sale/Quintana and Rodon's having growing pains.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ May 21, 2016 -> 02:11 PM) I would prefer for this to be a season where we finish in first place and do well in the playoffs but I can't help but think about the kind of talent we could get back in an overhaul. The floors of any Quintana and Sale deal would be the Hamels and Miller deals. But they of course should command more. The biggest problem I have with not rebuilding is we're going to be doing it after 2017 anyway...there's an absolutely awful/horrific free agent class after this year, and we don't have any excess talent at the minor league level to make a significant acquisition. The one thing you can't do is trade Anderson/Fulmer/Adams and end up with nothing to show for it in terms of a playoff appearance. So Hahn's still stuck and has to watch the division lead evaporate because there won't be a trade market for another 2-3 weeks.

Yeah, Benitendi, Moncada, Rodriguez, Swihart and Owens/Rodriguez, lol. Done. And it STILL would probably end up being a bad trade...not being able to get Betts or Bradley, Jr. The Boston Globe reported KC and the Tigers were all over Bradley but they refused to part with him, waiting for a rebound.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ May 21, 2016 -> 02:04 PM) Only if the rumors are for terrible pieces that the Boston media tries to push. Unfortunately, too late to get Bradley or Betts. You can't make someone like Eddie Rodriguez a centerpiece for the likes of Chris Sale. Or Swihart/Owens. Cabrera probably should have been at 3rd base. It's the little things...although if he gets cut down there, it's even more demoralizing to the offense.

That KC/METS/Detroit road trip coming up starting next Thursday is even scarier than what's going on right now. The Dark Knight could probably shut down the Sox offense right now with a lifeless 90-92 MPH fastball.

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ May 21, 2016 -> 02:00 PM) We have two of the top home run hitters the past two years in our line up but we could use a 20 home run guy That's why we gave that money to Cabrera...15-18 homers at least. And Lawrie has that potential, but obviously hasn't sustained his early success. Won't get started on AVI and his 30 homer "potential/promise." The problem is you can't RELY on anyone...we had a shot at a lot of guys like Trumbo, Pedro Alvarez, Chris Carter...that LaRoche thing really messed things up because it happened one month too late to react and bring in another hitter.

QUOTE (Alexeihyeess @ May 21, 2016 -> 01:57 PM) The pitching finally stopped the bleeding and then the hitters went and died. It sucks, I wanted this be a fun year and instead the Sox are gonna collapse before they could even get started. Meanwhile TT and Semien haunt us. Who would you be playing at 3rd base? It's hard for me to buy that without Frazier and TT playing CF that our overall record would be any better...and probably a couple of games worse.

I would say the match-up with Rodon vs. all their LH hitters looks encouraging but it doesn't matter what things APPEAR to be on paper at this point in the slump... Clearly, nobody's getting traded anytime soon. But they have to do SOMETHING to shake things up. What's crazy is Ventura has gone from surefire AL Manager of the Year to being a bit in the hot seat again with no contract for next season and Renteria's presence on the bench as manager in waiting. Meanwhile, 8 K's for Gonzalez...who has solidified his hold on the 5th spot for now. Erik Johnson vs. that red-hot Indians' line-up is a disaster waiting to happen. Seems Johnson can't catch a break with match-ups every time he's given an opportunity.

If I trusted Hahn to evaluate talent, they could get a BOATLOAD of young talent for Eaton/Quintana/Sale/Frazier/Robertson. Obviously, it's incredible to even think that way after the high of Frazier's GS in extras and STILL being in 1st place by 1 1/2 games near the end of May. It was still less than 2 weeks ago we had a surefire playoff team. Cain homer, high change-up? Sigh. Guess it was a running fastball that Cain leaned back on it and got extended.

Hopefully Joe Kelly lowers his current 9.35 ERA against the Indians. He did pitch well in his last AAA start, but the Cleveland offense has been on fire every since they started their gift "rivalry" series with the Reds. LOL. I'm not sure if Abreu has any trade value right now...this is getting ridiculous. Other than Konerko, I can't think of a single hitter who had sustained excellence for three consecutive years, and he threw in a couple of clunkers in the middle of his prime...but that was mostly due to nagging injuries he tried to play through.