GAME #59 - SUNDAY, JUNE 4, 2023 - TAMPA BAY RAYS @ BOSTON RED SOX

[markj]

1:35PM Eastern

Red Sox

Tanner Houck (R)

1. Alex Verdugo (L) RF
2. Rafael Devers (L) DH
3. Justin Turner (R) 3B
4. Masataka Yoshida (L) LF
5. Jarren Duran (L) CF
6. Enrique Hernandez (R) SS
7. Triston Casas (L) 1B
8. Connor Wong (R) C
9. Enmanuel Valdez (L) 2B

Rays

Taj Bradley (R)

1. Yandy Diaz (R) DH
2. Brandon Lowe (L) 2B
3. Randy Arozarena (R) LF
4. Josh Lowe (L) RF
5. Isaac Paredes (R) 3B
6. Luke Raley (L) 1B
7. Jose Siri (R) CF
8. Taylor Walls (S) SS
9. Christian Bethancourt (R) C

Gametime Temp: 51°F
Chance of Precip: 24%

[longgame]

For some reason not on MLB's website.  I have it on TV but wanted to watch in my office so I could do some work. The way they're playing MLB may be doing me a favor.

[elktonnick]

The Red Sox defense today made errors that makes them the laughingstock of baseball.  Cora merely throws up his hands.  But he is ultimately responsible for their little league antics.  As I watched in spring training, I said to anyone and everyone that their defense was a joke.  Cora has done nothing to fix it.  It is now June.  They did not get into this mess overnight.  You have to work hard to be this bad. 

The whole organization is a mess.

[longgame]

The Red Sox defense today made errors that makes them the laughingstock of baseball.  Cora merely throws up his hands.  But he is ultimately responsible for their little league antics.  As I watched in spring training, I said to anyone and everyone that their defense was a joke.  Cora has done nothing to fix it.  It is now June.  They did not get into this mess overnight.  You have to work hard to be this bad. 

The whole organization is a mess.

Cora can only play the guys he has.  Bloom simply doesn't understand that there's a reason why guys play certain positions - because they are better at it!  We've had no middle infield, no production out of 1B and of course a totally incomplete pitching staff.

Pitching has annoyed me more than ever.  They have two old guys, one is hurt.  We have three young guys, two who have been yanked around the past two years between the bullpen and starting.  The team needs two guys in their prime.  Maybe you get lucky with Sale or Paxton, but you still need prime guys.  You need a regular sixth starter/long relief guy who can come in and pitch no doubleheader days, make up days, cover for a short term injury.  Don't have that.  Our bullpen is Jansen who is turning out to be pretty bad.  I feel like Martin gives up hits every time out there.  Not sure any of the rest of them are reliable.

The position players at least have some glimmers of hope.  Verdugo hangs around .300, Yoshida is a total pro.  Raffy needs to pick it up with his .750 OPS.  Tuner fills a role, but he's a defensive liability and wouldn't Duvall be a better DH candidate?  Wong seems to be the superior catcher but doesn't get enough playing time. The infield as we discussed is disastrous from a defensive perspective.

Fact is that we all thought that they'd get a SS when Story went down, but no.  Let's see what boneheaded moves the make when he comes back.

[elktonnick]

I certainly agree with everything you wrote that Bloom is responsible for the mess but Cora has done nothing to work with these guys on their defense.  He seems to be clueless on what to do.