The Red Sox seem bedeviled by more than their fair share of injuries. Why? I have been a long time believer in the Mike Marshal School of pitching that the cutter and slider are bad pitches for most pitchers long term health. Since the advent of both pitches it seems a higher percentage of pitchers are out due to a wide variety of ailments affecting their pitching arms than in years ago.
Position players also seem more prone to injury now than then. Why?
I have long believed that the Red Sox have a fundamentally flawed approach to both hitting and pitching. Let me now add physical conditioning. Back in the day when my father coached baseball and teaching me the game he felt weight training and even swimming was antithetical to baseball conditioning. Coaches in his day, believed in flexibility. He thought muscle bound hitters may hit home runs but struck out too much and were prone to injury because their bodies were not aligned properly.
I haven't done much research on the subject but all I can say is two of my daughters are gymnastics coaches both in their forties, one is a tri athlete and none have suffered from hamstring injuries that have affected their ability to be physically active.
My overall point is that I believe there should be more discussion on the whole state of baseball's approach toward physical conditioning. And oh by the way ban the cutter!
elk, that’s a great analysis of questions the coaches need to be asking. Couple that with Bloom signing older pitchers like Hill, Wacha, extending Barnes, are perplexing. Sale should be serviceable in a different world, but he probably listens to nobody when it comes to staying in good shape/health.
Watch old films of Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams. Watch the way the walked and moved I do not think either ever lifted weights.
Quote from: elktonnick on July 25, 2022, 07:28:39 AM
Watch old films of Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams. Watch the way the walked and moved I do not think either ever lifted weights.
And Ted seemed to be able to twist his body like a corkscrew. Those guys were flexible and strong. Of course Williams also missed a ton of time due to illness because he wasn't in great shape. There's a middle ground of course.
I'm amazed that somehow JBJ, Franchy and Dalbec never seem to get hurt but all the guys who can at least get a hit to save their lives are injured all the time.
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on July 25, 2022, 07:17:26 AM
elk, that’s a great analysis of questions the coaches need to be asking. Couple that with Bloom signing older pitchers like Hill, Wacha, extending Barnes, are perplexing. Sale should be serviceable in a different world, but he probably listens to nobody when it comes to staying in good shape/health.
Its not really perplexing when taken in the context of Henry's stated objective to reign in expenses. I mean, he is only worth $3.5B dollars. Hard to imagine how someone could survive on so little.
LOL Pumpsie. He'll have to cut down on the caviar.
Quote from: Pumpsie Green on July 25, 2022, 12:44:11 PM
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on July 25, 2022, 07:17:26 AM
elk, that’s a great analysis of questions the coaches need to be asking. Couple that with Bloom signing older pitchers like Hill, Wacha, extending Barnes, are perplexing. Sale should be serviceable in a different world, but he probably listens to nobody when it comes to staying in good shape/health.
Its not really perplexing when taken in the context of Henry's stated objective to reign in expenses. I mean, he is only worth $3.5B dollars. Hard to imagine how someone could survive on so little.
His yacht doesn't fall into the Mega-Yacht category. He needs to fix that, so you have to save where you can. Priorities, you know.
On the fitness front, I'm afraid that's what it takes for many because of modern demands. Raw power. The whole games revolves around it. Power pitchers against power hitters. There is very little room for a .300 hitter that can only hit 6 HR anymore. No room for 90MPH cheese unless they can pitch like Greg Maddux or some devastating breaking ball for a relief pitcher. Still, with the latter, the harder they throw it, the better they are.
The fall out is what we get. Shortened careers like Nomar's and who knows hoe many more like his. Better than never getting to the show because you're only 5-10" or something. Beef up, make the show. Beef up more, hit 25 dingers, make money. Do it for 4 years and you make serious money. Hit 5 HRs 3 straight years and you're shining the pine or worse, getting your real estate license. I very much imagine if that sort of writing was on the wall that I might take the beef up approach. Would not have mattered for me, though. Ted Williams had 20-10 vision. I had coke bottle glasses.
Ted Williams and Willie Mays did not do any power lifting in those days because few athletes did. I have a friend who played college football in the ACC, early 1960s. They did not do any power stuff, maybe some arm curls. A lot of their training was stuff like pulling a towel against your foot.
I think Pedroia also had 20/ 10 vision. Most of the power hitters of the past Aaron, Mays etc were not bulked up by weight training. Proper mechanics and quick strong wrists were the key to Williams success as well as his exceptional eyesight.
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on July 26, 2022, 10:08:14 AM
Ted Williams and Willie Mays did not do any power lifting in those days because few athletes did. I have a friend who played college football in the ACC, early 1960s. They did not do any power stuff, maybe some arm curls. A lot of their training was stuff like pulling a towel against your foot.
One reasons they did not have the equipment was the prevailing wisdom in baseball was against being muscle bound.
Quote from: elktonnick on July 25, 2022, 06:59:03 AM
The Red Sox seem bedeviled by more than their fair share of injuries. Why? I have been a long time believer in the Mike Marshal School of pitching that the cutter and slider are bad pitches for most pitchers long term health. Since the advent of both pitches it seems a higher percentage of pitchers are out due to a wide variety of ailments affecting their pitching arms than in years ago.
Position players also seem more prone to injury now than then. Why?
I have long believed that the Red Sox have a fundamentally flawed approach to both hitting and pitching. Let me now add physical conditioning. Back in the day when my father coached baseball and teaching me the game he felt weight training and even swimming was antithetical to baseball conditioning. Coaches in his day, believed in flexibility. He thought muscle bound hitters may hit home runs but struck out too much and were prone to injury because their bodies were not aligned properly.
I haven't done much research on the subject but all I can say is two of my daughters are gymnastics coaches both in their forties, one is a tri athlete and none have suffered from hamstring injuries that have affected their ability to be physically active.
My overall point is that I believe there should be more discussion on the whole state of baseball's approach toward physical conditioning. And oh by the way ban the cutter!
Yes Elk, ban the cutter and try to go back to the day when weights were hardly used and if so only moderately by a player either on his own time or light weights that might be available. The heavy weight training builds tight taut muscles that lead to pulls, tears and long periods of inaction. Any of you ever heard of Mays, Aaron, F. Robinson, Kaline, or Howard getting hamstring injuries? I'll answer that for you......NO YOU DIDN'T BECAUSE THEY NEVER GOT THEM. Neither did Banks, Rose, Yaz, etc. I'm going to be 82 in October and I never use a weight over 40 pounds. I ride a stationary bike for between 1 to 2 hours. I have never gotten a hammie and haven't had a tear since 1972 and that was from trying to stretch to excess. Whatever the Red Sox are doing isn't working and we're headed for our fifth cellar finish in the last 11 years and that is disgusting and an indictment on the whole damn organization.
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on July 25, 2022, 07:17:26 AM
elk, that’s a great analysis of questions the coaches need to be asking. Couple that with Bloom signing older pitchers like Hill, Wacha, extending Barnes, are perplexing. Sale should be serviceable in a different world, but he probably listens to nobody when it comes to staying in good shape/health.
Bloom could be indicted for signing long in the tooth pitchers last Fall, but there is enough evidence to go around that cast a light on others who share the dock in the court of stupidity. Let's not let Prune Face off the hook. No matter how you slice it the guy has since the end of 2018 become a tight wad bastard with his money. In 2019 worrying about his payroll getting to heavy, he fired Dan Dombrowski because Dan thought with proper extensions the team composition from 2018 could be sustained with careful adding of pieces to keep the wheel moving. Nothing like that was done and yesterday we had a starter in the outfield who had been released by two or three teams and DFA'd by us. Rejected by all other 29 teams, he was not only kept but was brought up to stink up our team even more making us little more than a shit show.
Quote from: Pumpsie Green on July 25, 2022, 12:44:11 PM
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on July 25, 2022, 07:17:26 AM
elk, that’s a great analysis of questions the coaches need to be asking. Couple that with Bloom signing older pitchers like Hill, Wacha, extending Barnes, are perplexing. Sale should be serviceable in a different world, but he probably listens to nobody when it comes to staying in good shape/health.
Its not really perplexing when taken in the context of Henry's stated objective to reign in expenses. I mean, he is only worth $3.5B dollars. Hard to imagine how someone could survive on so little.
Not perplexing to me at all Pumpsie, but there seems to be a reluctance on the part of a couple of our colleagues to put any blame on Henry's parsimoniousness. The guy has become a cheap bastard and is hiring of Bloom to run BO and to bring pack that FRC as manager speaks volumes of his failings the past few years as an owner.
Fred I recently reviewed what Fenway Sports Group has been up to. In December Henry finalized the deal to buy controlling interest in the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Boston sports media that Henry has become heavily involved in efforts to get LeBron James an NBA franchise. All of this talk that Henry has told Kennedy and Bloom to cut expenses coincide with Henry's effort to buy NHL and NBA franchises and after his failed efforts to create a super league for European Soccer. Where has the money come from to buy NHL and NBA teams. I suspect that Henry is leveraging both the Red Sox and Liverpool to finance his expansion into these other sports. I suspect that is why he wants to cut expenses so he has a good looking balance sheet to get the funds needed to buy these other teams.
Quote from: elktonnick on July 27, 2022, 05:51:53 PM
Fred I recently reviewed what Fenway Sports Group has been up to. In December Henry finalized the deal to buy controlling interest in the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Boston sports media that Henry has become heavily involved in efforts to get LeBron James an NBA franchise. All of this talk that Henry has told Kennedy and Bloom to cut expenses coincide with Henry's effort to buy NHL and NBA franchises and after his failed efforts to create a super league for European Soccer. Where has the money come from to buy NHL and NBA teams. I suspect that Henry is leveraging both the Red Sox and Liverpool to finance his expansion into these other sports. I suspect that is why he wants to cut expenses so he has a good looking balance sheet to get the funds needed to buy these other teams.
Sounds plausible to me Elk, but it begs the question....why not sell the Red Sox, grab the cash and move on to his hockey and basketball ventures. The Red Sox no longer seem to be is main concern and for me that is a crime that is unforgiveable. The Boston Press, if they have any guts and courage left, should be hammering him the way we've been doing and, again, if this is true, run his ass out of town.
I no longer believe he will sell the team because the Red Sox form the cornerstone of his empire. It is the cash cow that allows him to wheel and deal into his other ventures
Quote from: elktonnick on July 28, 2022, 02:17:37 AM
I no longer believe he will sell the team because the Red Sox form the cornerstone of his empire. It is the cash cow that allows him to wheel and deal into his other ventures
Then God damn it Elk, people should show some guts and simply stop watching that shit show on TV and stop paying money to watch that crappy team play until they put money into their team, get the best coaches, manager and scouts and become a winner like they should always be.
Fred I think that is beginning to happen. I am seeing more and more empty seats. Unlike Orsillo and Remy.who.could make a bad game entertaining O'BRIEN is so dull it is hard to watch. I suspect NESN s ratings are tanking
I do believe OB's been talking our of both sides of his butt the past couple of nights. One night he's bestowing praise upon our on-base tactics of past great Red Sox teams. The next night he's bitchin' about JDM not hitting big power numbers, as he's done all year with about XB and JDM. Wakefield politely showed him the fallacy of his logic, discussing some of the ways good hitting is better than the inconsistent power game. I swear OB's response was whiny if anything else, nut I don't recall specifics.
I usually don't mind OB so much, but I'd really like to see lots more Youk in there splitting time with 'eck. The Jermais chemistry has been shaky and awkward at times. Not that I need some bimboleena with bouncy things in there, but I've liked the last few ladies we've had in there. (Heidi.....sigh!!!) I digress.
Wake was pretty dull last night too. Eck is always lively and OB just does his usual sucking up to him. I thought when they had Millar in there too it was fun. Youk is okay, he'll get the hang of it. I imagine it takes a while to master the job. I wish they'd put Rice in there as he'd have something to say about everything!
But we shouldn't have to be distracted by the announcers, we should have the team entertaining us with good ball. As for watching them, I stayed with it last night because it was close, but usually I watch while I read for a few innings and a few nights have had enough and switched to something else. It's not looking like it's going to get much better. Next month has 12 games in the division, 3 with each of the 4 teams, plus 3 with Houston, so that's 15 games against far superior competition. September sees 22 games in the division. So that's well more than half of the remaining games being basically unwinnable with this team.
Update on injuries. They are hopeful Devers will be back by Tuesday. Story is sill having discomfort so I'd say he's far away still. Arroyo has been playing at Portland.
More on the pitchers in there too.
https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2022/07/boston-red-sox-injury-updates-trevor-story-still-feeling-discomfort-in-hand-when-he-swings.html (https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2022/07/boston-red-sox-injury-updates-trevor-story-still-feeling-discomfort-in-hand-when-he-swings.html)
https://nesn.com/2022/07/red-sox-injury-updates-rich-hill-rafael-devers-trevor-story-others/ (https://nesn.com/2022/07/red-sox-injury-updates-rich-hill-rafael-devers-trevor-story-others/)
I don't know where this Bloom train is going, maybe off the tracks. But today he signed old standby Jose Peraza to play 2B in a minor league deal. Santana was just signed for OF/IF. There is some speculation that a multi-player trade is coming that would dispose of guys like JDM, Duran, Dalbec, the minor pieces would be needed to fill in the empty spots I guess.
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on July 29, 2022, 02:27:08 PM
I don't know where this Bloom train is going, maybe off the tracks. But today he signed old standby Jose Peraza to play 2B in a minor league deal. Santana was just signed for OF/IF. There is some speculation that a multi-player trade is coming that would dispose of guys like JDM, Duran, Dalbec, the minor pieces would be needed to fill in the empty spots I guess.
Maybe he figures if he dismantles the team sooner rather than later people will forget by next season.
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on July 29, 2022, 02:27:08 PM
I don't know where this Bloom train is going, maybe off the tracks. But today he signed old standby Jose Peraza to play 2B in a minor league deal. Santana was just signed for OF/IF. There is some speculation that a multi-player trade is coming that would dispose of guys like JDM, Duran, Dalbec, the minor pieces would be needed to fill in the empty spots I guess.
Peraza was shit for us in 2020 and was out of baseball, that's how crappy he was. And Santana was pathetic while he was with us in '21. Is this the kind of crap we can expect from Bloomer Boy? When we take back human baseball garbage like those two and couple it with bums like Cordero and Bradley, you know the team is in the pits. Now what is needed is a complete boycott of RedSox games by fans, no watching this shit show in TV and the press declaring full scale war on Prune Face and the front office. The team has become a total disgrace. If Bloom was a horse he's be shot.
Yeah, both of those guys stunk up the joint something fierce.
In a short term situation, it'd be easier to bring a couple guys up for emergencies whom you really don't care about when better players come back. Saves the promotion and subsequent DFA scenario of someone you might want. That aside, there is no value in those two, baseball wise.
I've given up on the wishful thinking thing. No more, "maybe they'll only use him/them for emergencies" thing. Not with Bloom, and not with buddies, chums and yes-man loving Cora.
As Ted suspected, they uncovered a worse diagnosis for Story today,
Trevor Story has a small hairline fracture near his wrist. He’s going to be shut down from swinging for 10-14 days, according to Cora. Second opinion with hand specialist revealed it.
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on July 30, 2022, 01:27:49 PM
As Ted suspected, they uncovered a worse diagnosis for Story today,
Trevor Story has a small hairline fracture near his wrist. He’s going to be shut down from swinging for 10-14 days, according to Cora. Second opinion with hand specialist revealed it.
This might be the final blow for the season. Not that we cannot win with Arroyo, but it's a lot of guys down.....
Radio guys were talking about how Atlanta last year was at a similar point and went out and got a whole new OF. Clearly the Sox would have to do something of the same magnitude - 2 OFs and a 1B. But they would still have no bullpen, assuming that the rotation which hasn’t won a game on over a month can somehow rebound.
It makes no sense to do too in terms of short term deals as there are just too many holes to plug and it’s hard to get a bargain on someone who may make an impact longer term at this time of year.
A deal with the Mets for a couple prospects might be a last gasp for Bloom. Two writers are hearing JDM and Vaz for AAA infielder Mark Vientos and catcher Thomas Nedo. Mets could throw in Dom Smith at 1B. Bloom inquired about Vientos in 2020.
That ain’t much, and sounds more like telling your boss â€" I tried my best.
Waiting, waiting. In the business world an exec. is rated on ability making a decision. I really wonder if Bloom is capable of decision making at this level. Maybe he’d be more comfortable at HomeDepot or Beds, Bath and Beyond. Either fish or cut bait , man. Help your team , at least provide something for 2023.
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on July 31, 2022, 01:00:45 PM
Waiting, waiting. In the business world an exec. is rated on ability making a decision. I really wonder if Bloom is capable of decision making at this level. Maybe he’d be more comfortable at HomeDepot or Beds, Bath and Beyond. Either fish or cut bait , man. Help your team , at least provide something for 2023.
Sea Dog. simply put, Bloom has proven to be incompetent. He likes to go the prospect route the way they did at Tampa Bay, but he wasn't in control there and the ones who were were competent. Bloom is an incompetent buffoon who can trade for prospects but doesn't how good they are. When you get guys like Cordero, Winchowski, trade back for Bradley, and then try to sell them off as legitimate your slip starts showing. However, to fire him and then send Cora packing at well since he is a rotten filthy cheater bringing filth and dirt to the team's reputation, it would cost Prune Face money to do that and he wants to hoard all the cash he has. The only answer is to boycott the games, not watch them on TV, and buy none of their products JUST AS I HAVE DONE. If hundreds of thousands of Red Sox fans would do that Henry would either put up or sell the team. It would also be a good idea for the gutless Red Sox writers on the Globe rip Henry to shreds but since he also owns the paper guys like Dan and the rest would rather cow in fear that show some guts and let the man have hit.
Has anyone heard anything about Tyler Danish? No update on the MLB site since 7/7.
Well Sale fell of his bike and broke his wrist so he's done for the season. No more TV smashing for this joke of an "athlete".
https://fansided.com/2022/08/09/red-sox-chris-sale-injury-bike-accident/ (https://fansided.com/2022/08/09/red-sox-chris-sale-injury-bike-accident/)
Sale missed his calling. He is a natural for the Allstate guy always showing up at disaster sites.
The guy is a joke of a team player. There are some folks thinking we bid for Verlander in the off season.
Man, oh, man. Every time I hear some Chris Sale setback news, I quickly remind myself that my train of thought had him at zero for the season. Anything we got would have been a bonus. Then I don't feel so let down when it actually happens. Already over it, though I do feel bad for him.
It's amazing how the Tyler Danish thing remains an issue of silence. He was one of our late inning guys for a week or so, and earned it via performance.
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on August 09, 2022, 10:46:06 AM
Sale missed his calling. He is a natural for the Allstate guy always showing up at disaster sites.
The guy is a joke of a team player. There are some folks thinking we bid for Verlander in the off season.
I was once a very big fan of Chris Sale. He was a total team player, tough competitor and knew how to play in Boston and liked it. But he has become a fragile MASH specimen and I think Cora's filthy rotten cheating reputation is rubbing off on our players like Chris and Trevor, Hill and Nathan, and God knows who is next.
Hey, we can also add Houck to the IL. WTH is going on? Sox signed reliever Jeurys Familia to a minor league deal today.
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on August 09, 2022, 06:34:24 PM
Hey, we can also add Houck to the IL. WTH is going on? Sox signed reliever Jeurys Familia to a minor league deal today.
I just saw that earlier. So even if we somehow get a lead we won't be able to close it out.
Why all of these injuries. The Sox seem to be suffering more injuries than the laws of probability would allow.
Quote from: elktonnick on August 11, 2022, 06:53:29 AM
Why all of these injuries. The Sox seem to be suffering more injuries than the laws of probability would allow.
The gods of fate really have it in for us right now. When you have a cheater as manager, an incompetent buffoon as head of baseball ops and an owner who has become AWOL in responsibility, it stands to reason that the sludge of filth and mud will engulf you. We can do little about it since none of us here have the power to alter things unless enough fans get enough starch in their personalities and simply stop watching the games or attending them. I can no longer trust the scribes writing for the Globe since Prune Face owns the paper and it wouldn't surprise me any if those writers started really hammering him their jobs might be jeopardy----I wouldn't put it past Henry to do that, the gutless bum. But where are the other bloggers or scribes or columnists in New England who are seeing the same shit show we are night after night. Do they think by staying comatose verbally things will magically get better? There must be a clarion call to get Cora, Bloom and most of the stinking roster we have out of Boston this coming off season. Hell, does a governor of a NE state have to start the procession? Good for Governor Sununu. Now let others get in line and start doing some hell raising or we will see this shit show continue unabated next season and the next and the next after that.
I hope the Red Sox install water softener in the lock rooms next year We do not want Sale getting a concussion because he showered in hard water.
Sale is so skinny he has to run around in a shower to get wet. More chance of him slipping and breaking some other bone.
... there once was a pitcher from Pawtucket,
he was so boney he could hardly chuck it,
then along came a bicycle named Rosemary,
and they both decided to go off and marry. sigh
Quote from: markj on August 11, 2022, 06:09:27 PM
Sale is so skinny he has to run around in a shower to get wet. More chance of him slipping and breaking some other bone.
Sale's wife had better start feeding him loads and loads of good old Italian pasta to put some meat on that boney body of his. The guy looks like a scarecrow and his inability to stay healthy and get the strangest and weirdest injuries simply astounds me. It is time for him to recalibrate his training methods, put some weight on, strengthen his body and come out in 2023 and 2024 and make up for the nothing he has given us since 2018. I know he is a competitor and his great pitching for us in 2017 and that magical year of 2018 bears that out, but he can't help himself or the team if he is in a MASH unit trying to get healthy. For Pete's Chris, get your head out and your muscles and tendons in.
Quote from: SeaBeachFred on August 11, 2022, 09:32:26 PM
Quote from: markj on August 11, 2022, 06:09:27 PM
Sale is so skinny he has to run around in a shower to get wet. More chance of him slipping and breaking some other bone.
Sale's wife had better start feeding him loads and loads of good old Italian pasta to put some meat on that boney body of his. The guy looks like a scarecrow and his inability to stay healthy and get the strangest and weirdest injuries simply astounds me. It is time for him to recalibrate his training methods, put some weight on, strengthen his body and come out in 2023 and 2024 and make up for the nothing he has given us since 2018. I know he is a competitor and his great pitching for us in 2017 and that magical year of 2018 bears that out, but he can't help himself or the team if he is in a MASH unit trying to get healthy. For Pete's Chris, get your head out and your muscles and tendons in.
I'll never understand that about Sale. It's no wonder he gets hurt with nothing to protect him on that body. You'd think the training staff would have him on some sort of diet, but they let fat guys play too, so go figure.
It's been said by the broadcast team that Sale is one dude that can famously put away some serious amounts of food. I think he's already adjusted his diet to lower the inflammation.
There are some in this world that are accident prone. We had a player on the 70's team who was always getting hurt doing every day things like closing a car door or using stairs. Things just happen to folks like that. My own Father had two things he should have never been allowed to do. Own a pickup truck as he's broken countless rear windows of pickup trucks. Second, no ladders or roofs. His fall count was impressive. My wife should never step backwards for falling, and could burn bread without an oven. I cannot order a steak in town. Nasty, gristly cuts. I could have friends order the same thing and get a perfect cut and cooked to perfection. I've also been too close and/or seen too many tornadoes. Most people don't even see one. Point is, it's uncanny how certain things happen to certain people with repetition. Chris Sale may be accident prone. We all saw him get nailed with a batted ball.
After hearing that Mongo I better watch where I walk, run and cycle on my favorite stationary bike. Today getting up to bring the dishes back into the kitchen after eating in the living room I simply fell and almost dropped all the dishes, glasses, fruit bowls and seasonings I was carrying. So I agree with everything you said.
Bad luck doesnt dwell on just the Sox. All Star Fernando Tatis of the Padres broke his wrist just before Spring training riding a motorcycle. He was on his rehab assignment, and was just caught today having used PED's. The league has suspended him another 80 games. That really hurts their title chances and a year less fully utilizing Soto with all the moving parts.
Well Bogaerts has made his annual late season statement that he's been hurt all year. Gee, how about going on the IL and getting better rather than play injured all season long? I'm just so sick of every twist and turn with this club. The manager and training staff should have been all over this and taken care of it. Utterly incompetent organization. Someone gets called up today to play IF and Bello pitches so there's really no reason to watch tonight.
https://nesn.com/2022/08/xander-bogaerts-reveals-hes-played-through-injury-most-of-this-season/ (https://nesn.com/2022/08/xander-bogaerts-reveals-hes-played-through-injury-most-of-this-season/)
I just wish he had stayed with the basic hitting swing he had used with success this year. If he lost power, move him ahead of the guy that still had it. Meaning give him the #1 or #2 spot and put the team's best base-runner get knocked in by the teams best RBI man. Sounds like an opportunity to manage to current strengths lost out.
And anyone else notice those near collisions have dropped off? Did it take disaster to wake them up, or was it assumed implied with the Manager's generic "play smart" rant?
I wonder if he was one of the ones targeted when our geniuses went to work on the guys with this hit more homers discussion at the start of this slide?