Where did everyone go?

[elktonnick]

The Sox Spring Training record has come down to earth.  Where have all the posters gone?

[elktonnick]

Sox won game.

[SeaBeachFred]

Sox won game.

Hey Elk, I had a helluva time logging on today and just got in.  The guys are still around but some of the "boys of summer" don't log on until the season is underway.  So far the team has performed pretty well.  We aren't as good as we showed in the first eight or nine games, nor as inept as the last four or five.  I'm waiting for our guys to get back from the WBC and get some of our wounded back to see where we really are.  Hope all is well with you and your ultra rabid better half.  If I was Chaim Bloom, though, I wouldn't be asking your wife for a kind word.

[elktonnick]

Lisa, my wife, sends her regards Fred.  Actually she is generally irritated with Cora as well as Bloom.   Like you she can not stand cheaters.
We are currently in Florida for spring training and golf.  We saw Sale pitch who looked good.  Excellent command and he looked effortless.  We have three more games.  I do not expect anything until the WBC is done
  Then they should get serious.
Kennedy says ticket sales are up over last year.  You can not prove that by us.  Other than the game against the Yankees there are plenty of empty seats at every game
  We sat behind home plate the other day.
 We never would have gotten those seats in the last 20 years.

[MongoLikeSox]

I'm in my normal ST mode, which is where I check in on the news once a day at the most. I did watch a couple innings of the 'Sox-PR game. It's my break before the season, which was sorely needed after the past season and off-season.

I've also been watching the Hurricanes and Celtics after a decades' hiatus from basketball and a 10-15 year break from Hockey.

[longgame]

I've had trouble logging in some times too but usually check in. 

Elk, I just mentioned on another thread that there look to be a lot of empty seats down there and I'm sure that will translate to Fenway.  I've caught a few innings here and there of WBC and watched most of the PR vs DR game last night.  I'm always partial to PR due to my late wife and time spent living there.

Devers didn't do much in the WBC but will be back with the team soon since they were eliminated. 

Mongo, the Canes have been great to watch this season, but that Svechnikov injury could be costly.

[SeaBeachFred]

Lisa, my wife, sends her regards Fred.  Actually she is generally irritated with Cora as well as Bloom.   Like you she can not stand cheaters.
We are currently in Florida for spring training and golf.  We saw Sale pitch who looked good.  Excellent command and he looked effortless.  We have three more games.  I do not expect anything until the WBC is done
  Then they should get serious.
Kennedy says ticket sales are up over last year.  You can not prove that by us.  Other than the game against the Yankees there are plenty of empty seats at every game
  We sat behind home plate the other day.
 We never would have gotten those seats in the last 20 years.

Well Elk (and Lisa), you folks have been at the games at Fort Myers and you have your own senses and eyes to give you an inkling of what we might expect this season.  Any thoughts from your end.  Do we even have a shot at catching lightning in a bottle and challenge for a WC this season?

[elktonnick]

Fred as my wife says "Even a blind squirrel gets an acorn now and then."

From what I have seen no team is playing its full rosters yet. So one gets no sense of what the team is capable of yet.  I do not think we will get any real inkling until the end of next week.

[MongoLikeSox]

We do get to see the pitchers progress a little bit, but I do that via the box scores. No radar guns in ST telecasts just add an extra incentive to not watch. 

........
Mongo, the Canes have been great to watch this season, but that Svechnikov injury could be costly.

Indeed! A major ouch.

[elktonnick]

Fred if today's game against the Braves is any indication, it is going to be a long frustrating summer in Boston.
My takeaways are: Dalbec's lack of range makes him anything but an emergency shortstop unlikely.  Casas may be cocky but I see nothing to suggest he is anything but a lefthanded hitting version of Bobby Dalbec.  Dalbec may be a better clubhouse fit personality wise.  Tapia has a cannon for an arm but is as inaccurate as my golf drives.  Reese McGuire does not have Christian Vazquez's arm behind the plate.
Kaleb Ort has no business on a major league roster.   Brasier is still Brasier.  80 wins is a likely 2023 win total.

[SeaBeachFred]

Fred if today's game against the Braves is any indication, it is going to be a long frustrating summer in Boston.
My takeaways are: Dalbec's lack of range makes him anything but an emergency shortstop unlikely.  Casas may be cocky but I see nothing to suggest he is anything but a lefthanded hitting version of Bobby Dalbec.  Dalbec may be a better clubhouse fit personality wise.  Tapia has a cannon for an arm but is as inaccurate as my golf drives.  Reese McGuire does not have Christian Vazquez's arm behind the plate.
Kaleb Ort has no business on a major league roster.   Brasier is still Brasier.  80 wins is a likely 2023 win total.

The Braves batting practice at our pitchers expense today with five homers and Ort and Brasier still can't make their pitches move except into hungry  enemy bats  We have to be patient with Casas though----at least in my opinion.  The guy does project as a solid power hitting prospect and since this will be a season of retooling what  have we got to lose Elk?  Tapia shows some promise and might be worth a look while Mcguire can hit ok and we do have a couple of catchers we might give a shot to.

[elktonnick]

We have no choice but to be patient with Casas.  But the kid needs a Don Baylor or David Ortiz type to keep him in line.  That being said I do not expect great things from Casas.

[elktonnick]

Wow what a great WBC game between Mexico and Japan.  Both Red Sox players Verdugo and Yoshida made huge contributions to their teams.

[longgame]

Wow what a great WBC game between Mexico and Japan.  Both Red Sox players Verdugo and Yoshida made huge contributions to their teams.

Yoshida has torn it up in the WBC, although I don't think Japan faced much competitition until yesterday.  But what a finish last night with a walk off HR!  I'm excited about tonight's game.

[Sea Dog 23]

Good for Yoshida ane he's shown he has some pop in his bat.  Also hope that Nootbar (Cards) and Ohtani make that a big game tonight.  Also good for the Sox that Yoshida is playing that game at Miami.  It's a short hop, skip and jump over to Fort Myers.