GAME #121 - THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 2023 - BOSTON RED SOX @ WASHINGTON NATIONALS

[MongoLikeSox]

It is totally Cora's fault for the way the team plays defense which affects the pitching.  It is also totally Cora's fault on the way he uses the bullpen.  IMO Cora's over managing the lineup juggling playing position and his and the coaching staffs failure.to address.the players poor mental performance are more the ample grounds to fire the lot.

Defense? Agreed to a large degree. He's not the one who traded for Valdez at 2B, but I'm sure he was absolutely on board for the Catalyst of it all to play SS this season.

Lineup - I hesitate only because of the times. If you believe Managers like Joe Maddon, the starting lineup - including batting order - is a collective, leaving Managers to have to answer to whiz kids.

Poor Mental performance - Agreed and always have when it comes to Cora. It's his job to help shield the players from the mess that is a Bloom led Roster.

Bullpen - I Disagree in terms of totality. There is simply no way that pitching 2 BP games a week is not an organizational decision. The traditional way would have been to run 2 of the Pivetta-Murphy-Walter trio out there, using that odd man out for long relief or the less traditional "piggy-back". Far too few over 3-inning appearances by those guys. Two of them were not being stretched out as Starters any more. They also could have tried Barraclough. The lot of them are probably 5+ ERA starts ATM, so I get their decision. The cost? The rest of the pen got nailed. Then again, who's to say Cora wouldn't have killed the pen with a traditional approach. Would not be the last time.

Speaking of pitching injuries, the "Tampa Way" is finally being looked at for it's huge amounts of injuries every year. Can't blame that one on Kevin Cash. BUT, perhaps this "Tampa Way" isn't all that it's cracked up to be?

[elktonnick]

Cora is part of the organization If he had any balls he would have told Bloom in no uncertain terms that this approach to pitching isn't working. He can not shake responsibility for the mess.  Shit can the lot. 

[longgame]

None of these issues are hidden or have come on suddenly.  These are the same issues they had last year - lack of enough starting pitching, a bullpen that is overtaxed as a direct result of that and poor performance.  Remember how long it took this year for a starter to go 6 IP in a game?  Defense hasn't been a strong suit, and when Story did nothing and the solution was sub-Mendoza line Yu Chang because he hit a HR in the WBC, they were already a foot in the hole.  Not having a second baseman was of course another problem and the first base defense was horrid for months until Casas finally became comfortable with the MLB level.  Add to that frying pan glove Devers without his mentor, you've got trouble.  Also, I don't think they have a plus defender in the outfield either.

The team is poorly built last year and again this year. There's no reason to think that will change next year unless they clean house, which I find unlikely.

[SeaBeachFred]

None of these issues are hidden or have come on suddenly.  These are the same issues they had last year - lack of enough starting pitching, a bullpen that is overtaxed as a direct result of that and poor performance.  Remember how long it took this year for a starter to go 6 IP in a game?  Defense hasn't been a strong suit, and when Story did nothing and the solution was sub-Mendoza line Yu Chang because he hit a HR in the WBC, they were already a foot in the hole.  Not having a second baseman was of course another problem and the first base defense was horrid for months until Casas finally became comfortable with the MLB level.  Add to that frying pan glove Devers without his mentor, you've got trouble.  Also, I don't think they have a plus defender in the outfield either.

The team is poorly built last year and again this year. There's no reason to think that will change next year unless they clean house, which I find unlikely.

I believe it was you and either Mongo or Sea Dog who said if things didn't change over the winter we would be talking the same crap about our team in 2023.  Guess what? More of the same miserable play and leadership we all predicted would happen if these two bums were returned to control of the team and real changes weren't made.  Are we ready to talk about the same thing next season.  Elk certainly seems to think nothing will change.  Can owner John Henry be so thick behind the years or so blind that he cannot see the catastrophe he started in the summer of 2019 when he refused to sign Mookie Betts long term, then compounded his misdemeanor with a Class 1 felony by hiring Bloom and t aking that filthy rotten cheater back as manager.

Well some relief is in sight for my dear friends on this board.  Linda and I will be leaving Sunday morning for an eight day trip on a Mississippi River boat, and you won't have to hear any rants from me for awhile.  If we don't right the ship by the time we return I many not have any desire or energy to waste my time talking about what seems to be an impossible dream for our beloved team.