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danr
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Post by danr on Oct 16, 2018 12:50:34 GMT -5
Did Brock run over Cora's dog?
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Oct 14, 2018 22:45:35 GMT -5
Now maybe the Sox can win this thing if Brock is at 2b and Devers is at 3B. How much more evidence that this is the right combination is needed?
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Oct 13, 2018 23:44:46 GMT -5
The Sox had some stinker games during the season but I think this one topped them all. Everyone sucked. I hope they got it out of their systems.
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Oct 10, 2018 8:12:13 GMT -5
I'm on 75 mg metoprolol (beta-blocker) for a benign arrhythmia from excess SNS activation (relative to my baseline, still really low compared to normal). Didn't feel a twinge, and I did the last time I forgot a dose. So I've now confirmed it's the right dose both ways! Yes, I am on metaprolol - low dose - as well. It has kept things well controlled...just had a few blips tonight. I do lots of gardening talks around the country - I am fine now, but early on, the stress with that made it dance. Carpal tunnel surgery Friday...can't wait. Need typing on this laptop to stop hurting or feeling numb! I had a bad case of carpal tunnel a few years ago and the neurologists at Oregon Health and Science University wanted to do surgery. My primary care doctor was not in favor of the surgery. There was a woman doing an experimental program a OHSU using acupuncture for carpal tunnel. She was seeking volunteers and it paid $100. So I signed up. After several sessions, the carpal tunnel was gone. I have had no problem since. She got a permanent position at OHSU.
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Sept 19, 2018 6:05:13 GMT -5
Somehow the Sox managed to win the division and more than 100 games with these catchers. I don't see the necessity of making any changes there. If anything causes this express to crash it will be the bullpen.
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Sept 17, 2018 23:58:30 GMT -5
I am assuming that the Sox will make every effort to keep Kimbrel, but if they fail, could Eovaldi be his replacement? He throws as hard as Kimbrel. He seems to do well when facing batters for the first time but not so much the second and third times around. His market value may have diminished because of his recent poor performances as a starter.
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Sept 17, 2018 23:52:33 GMT -5
Echoing many statements above, but I think Workman and Poyner would be considered "locks" if the playoff roster had to be determined today Would have been nice if Pomeranz or Scott had shown any ability to get lefties out, as that's a clear obstacle when putting this bullpen together, but so be it. I think Hembree has the inside track over Kelly at the moment, though I certainly wouldn't be stunned if they stuck with Kelly purely based on what "could" be with him Let's see ...
Brian Johnson is good enough to be an MLB #3 starter, while Bobby Poyner has been a career minor league reliever who made it to AAA and a bit of MLB this year. As I just noted, Poyner had stretches of being completely awful in AAA that were longer than his excellent stretches. He's like Joe Kellly in capital letters; we just haven't seen the bad version up here.
Johnson could go multiple innings in a game while Poyner hasn't gone more than 2 IP in a game since June of last year.
Johnson has held MLB LHB to a career .214 / .279 / .357. Poyner allowed .253 / .298 / .405 this year to mostly AAA LHB. He's had a reverse platoon split his last three years.
Poyner was used just one once in high-leverage since his callup, when he was brought into the 8th against the Jays with a 3-1 lead (1.52 Leverage Index) to face two RHB and a switch-hitter. He gave up a solo homer to the second guy.
Johnson was surprisingly brought into a higher-leverage situation (1.81) in his very first relief outing since being moved back to the pen, on 6 days rest, against the Astros in the Moreland walk-off game. He was bad (BB, game-tying 2B), but the day after the Poyner outing just mentioned, he was brought in to clean up Scott's mess in the Mets opener and got out of a bases loaded, 1 out jam by inducing a GDP and went on to put up a 4.2 2 1 1 1 4 line.
Johnson's had some trouble adapting to his new relief role and wasn't good at all in his first 10 outings from the pen this year, but he's been excellent since then, with 10 good outings versus 3 rough ones. It's of some concern that his only two outings with 6+ days of rest are among the 3 bad ones, but they'll know that and will presumably tweak his side program to keep him sharper.
Right now, the last man in the pen decision is a very tough one between Johnson, who would be useful as both a LOOGY and long man (freeing both Wright and Eovaldi for strictly short stuff) and Hembree, who's mostly had excellent success in a very well-defined role of cleaning up dangerous innings. It would seem that Poyner has no chance.
I can't remember disagreeing with you in the past but I do about Poyner. First of all, he isn't a career minor leaguer. He raced through the system in three years and was dominant at every level. Second, he gets people out. He doesn't walk anyone. I believe he should be on the post season roster. However, I don't disagree with you about Johnson. I have been a fan of him for several years. I wish he could be on the post season roster for all the reasons you detail. I don't see it happening because the Sox don't need another long man for the playoffs, especially the first round. They have Eovaldi.
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Aug 31, 2018 4:53:16 GMT -5
Thank you for reminding me. I was a big fan of Geiger as well!
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Aug 25, 2018 16:26:29 GMT -5
I know - it is Eck's fault - during a game last week, then O'Brien mentioned the upcoming trip to Tampa, Eck said something akin to playing in "that dump" I've been to that dump and it is accurate. At least they seem to have lost the cowbells! I agree. I hate that venue. I know all sorts of retired guys down there that would love to go see the Sox, but avoid that place like the plague. They really need to move that franchise. The right choice would be Charlotte. However, I'm hoping they get it wrong and move it to Portland, OR - so I (and several other posters here) can see more games. There is a group here in Portland that is trying to get a franchise. So far there has been little political support. It isn't a hot issue here. Housing prices and traffic congestion are big issues. Counting the rapidly growing suburbs, Portland is about the size of Baltimore. We would have to have a domed stadium.
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Aug 24, 2018 18:22:30 GMT -5
What if Chavis keeps raking at Pawtucket, might he be a dark horse candidate for the post-season roster?
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Aug 23, 2018 17:32:16 GMT -5
Just a reminder that as of yesterday you thought Thornburg would be on the playoff roster over Eovaldi, lol Just to be clear, it's what I think the Sox will do NOT what I would do. If it was up to me Thornburg would still be in AAA working his way back. And I also said that I could see them going with Workman over Thornburg. So, lol all you want The Sox will not pick Thornburg over Eovaldi if they want to sign Eovaldi to a contract, which they should want to do. Thornburg just is not very impressive, not one of the team's better acquisitions.
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Aug 18, 2018 17:55:01 GMT -5
142 HRs in the Sox lineup. 74 in Tampa's.
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Aug 17, 2018 23:54:21 GMT -5
Flip side of this is players today have better medical care, training, equipment etc. I can’t imagine finishing a series and heading for the TRAIN for the next one... or staying in dives, or working in the off season etc. The Bambino wast facing bullpens full of 100 MPH flame throwers from the 6th inning on either. This is going to be fun. Keith Law is full of it. First Mike Trout's career stats to date, nearly 8 seasons and then another post WWII player's stats for his first 8 years, also a CF, and also won 2 MVPs in 1st 8 years and then another post WWII player's stats for his first 8 years. He also was a CF and won 1 MVP in that time. AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS 3771 774 1155 221 43 231 629 186 670 971 .306 .415 .571 .987 3937 890 1238 185 50 249 766 77 799 773 .314 .431 .576 1.007 4074 777 1291 204 79 250 709 179 505 435 .317 .391 .590 .981
Trout is a great player but so far he is not statistically better than Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays, and both of them also were sensational defensively.
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Aug 15, 2018 21:30:22 GMT -5
This should be the end of trying to get something out of Pomeranz. It's not going to happen this year.
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Aug 13, 2018 0:48:41 GMT -5
You fellows who don't want Kimbrel back in my opinion are out of your minds. He is one of the greatest closers of all time. Like every one of the others he has periods when he isn't so great, but the Sox would not be where they are without him. There is no one on the horizon to replace him. There are prospects with promise but they are far from being him. There are no RPs on the market the Sox could acquire who are his equal. The Sox need to resign him and they can afford to do it. IMHO they will pay a higher price if they do not.
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Aug 10, 2018 0:43:04 GMT -5
Dalbec is beginning to remind me of Travis Shaw. He appears to be getting better as he moves up. He has more power than Shaw and based on observations of others, he is a better fielder. It has been my observation of many years of watching the development of players that improving at higher levels is a very good sign for future performance. Of course, AA pitchers have no idea how to pitch him yet. It will be interesting to see how the season plays out. If he keeps this up, he is going to be an impact player.
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Aug 3, 2018 0:55:28 GMT -5
Six of the Sox top 20 prospects are injured. Ten of the top 40 are injured. I don't know if this is typical.
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Jul 25, 2018 15:52:47 GMT -5
It would make the most sense to put Pomeranz back on the DL.
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Jul 25, 2018 12:50:03 GMT -5
Dombrowski, destroyer of farm systems. God this team will be awful in 3 years.If that's actually true, that's all the more reason to go all in right now. What, you need Beeks around so you can win 79 games instead of 78 three years from now? This is the best Sox team in my memory - and my memory goes back to the 1950s - and it should be the World Series winner. However, in baseball "should" often doesn't happen, especially if the team hopes to get past a key weakness without taking any action. The Sox have two key weaknesses that might well cost them the WS or even getting to it: starting pitching and relief pitching. I am less concerned about the relief pitching unless there is something wrong with Kelly. He is going through a bad period, maybe due to overuse. If that is the case, then he might get fixed. It also is possible that the need might be addressed inside the organization. However, there is no organizational solution to the starting pitching problem. The odds seem fairly good that Wright and Rodriguez will not be back this year. Pomeranz may not be effective this year. I don't think it was a coincidence that the trade for Eovaldi occurred not long after last night's game. I have been a big fan of Beeks since I saw him pitch when a Pawtucket game was carried on NESN early in the season. I think he will be a successful major league pitcher but not a top of the rotation guy. With Tampa's history of developing pitchers, it will be a good trade for them. If Eovaldi helps the Sox to win the WS, it will be a good trade for the Sox. There also is the possibility that he could be signed to a multi-year contract, which would make it a big win. The farm system is not good now. The loss of Beeks will not make it substantially worse. However, in the lower minors there are a number of promising players. In three years the system will be stronger, not weaker, especially since there will be two more drafts and international signing periods. I think the major league team will continue to compete for the division lead for years to come. Because this is such a special year that might not be repeated for a generation, team management should do everything possible to ensure that specialness carries through the WS.
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danr
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Post by danr on Jul 25, 2018 10:32:51 GMT -5
Beeks to the Rays.
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danr
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Post by danr on Jul 25, 2018 7:38:53 GMT -5
I don't want any of those position players. If the Sox make a deal it should be for pitching.
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Jul 25, 2018 1:20:18 GMT -5
The Sox have pitching problems. It was obvious tonight. Something has happened to Kelly and he cannot be counted on, at least for a while. Pomeranz is not going to be in the rotation. We don't know about Rodriguez. The Yankees got a player they didn't need to keep him away from the Sox but they haven't gotten the player they really need, as do the Sox, a top-flight SP.
I am relieved the Sox did not get Britton because he would have cost too much and there is uncertainty about him. I continue to believe the Sox should make a play for a top-flight SP even if it depletes the farm system even more.
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Jul 24, 2018 16:39:35 GMT -5
Baseballs issue is the younger fans, they prefer Basketball and Football. So seniors playing baseball means nothing when talking about the decline of the sport. The shift in my lifetime has been huge and I'm not even that old. Take a look at the crowds at the Sox games, or the Cubs, or the Dodgers, or the Yankees. The crowds are full of young people. While MLB's TV ratings are going up, the NFL's declined. When it comes to playing a sport, baseball still offers more opportunities to more types of young people than any other. You don't have to weigh 350 lbs. or be 6-10. You don't even have to run fast. It does require a wider range of skills but it can be played at a wide range of levels from the back yard to Fenway. It is the greatest sport ever invented and will continue to be so until one is invented that hasn't been invented yet!
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danr
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Posts: 1,871
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Post by danr on Jul 24, 2018 16:31:53 GMT -5
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danr
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Post by danr on Jul 23, 2018 23:37:57 GMT -5
TheYankees, behind by one run, had runners on 2nd and 3rd in the 9th with no outs. Then after an intentional walk, a runner thrown out at home. I missed the last play that ended the game. I thought it was 1 out because it was 1st and 2nd nobody out and then Didi bunted them over before Stanton was intentionally walked. You are right. I forgot about the bunt. Then there was the intentional walk. The Yankees had scored their six runs in the two previous innings and it sure looked like they were going to pull another one out. That Tampa RP was throwing gas, 97 and 98+ MPH.
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