Snopek

If I squint I can kind of see it as a "chicken or the egg" scenario. Are they disinterested because they are struggling and the team is losing or are they struggling because they are disinterested? I don't know how you could really know for sure. I don't think it's THAT farfetched to think that age might have caught up to some guys, while others were overvalued or just not very good in the first place. With all of that being said, I have no problem saying that TLR is the biggest problem of many that this team has. If there was one reasonable change to make that could potentially turn the team around, it's without a doubt replacing the manager.

I've mostly accepted that we are all sitting here wide-eyed, watching this thing crash and burn. But what my curious mind wants to know is: Is it the burning part that we're watching now? Or are we still watching a prolonged crash, only to be followed by the burning? Perhaps the crash was the TLR hire and everything since has been the burning? Important questions to ponder as I count down the minutes to avoiding yet another game of my favorite team during their contention window.

What makes you so sure of this?

I interpreted it as forget about Eloy, because anything we get out of him should be considered a bonus at this point.

Counterpoint: Once the weather warms, and we have zero injuries, and the other teams stop being good, and we all wish upon a star, the league is in trouble.

Grade 1.9?

Because in your hypothetical scenario, Robert probably had the only 4 hits of the game for the Sox as they lost 4-1 while committing 3 errors.

“Once we’re healthy”

Yep. I’ve often thought that the FO kind of operates like fans do. Let’s dream up the best case scenario and just roll with it.

Burger 3rd is kinda fun. Not like anyone else has doing anything to hit in that spot. Also, is Leury nursing an injury? Maybe Harrison is getting some final chances to show something?

I can’t do the “when they’re healthy” thing anymore. At this point, I fully expect that if/when Lynn and Eloy are back, other key contributors will take their place on the IL.

I like this post because I agree with all of it. I hate this post because holy shit that’s a long list. I know you said little of this will actually happen, but, for no real reason, here’s my order of likeliness that they do happen : 1. DFA Big Energy/Free Yogurt - These go hand in hand and the Keuchel and Eaton DFAs give me hope. 2. Replace Menechino - I’m in the camp that puts much more blame on the players than the hitting coach, but fine, whatever, do the scapegoat thing at this point. 3. Make Eloy a DH - I don’t trust them to do the right thing. 4. Demote Sheets - I can only expect them to own up to so many of their mistakes. Sheets sticks around in an attempt to prove a point/cover up for the failure to bring in a left-handed bat. 5. Fire Rick Hahn - I’ll be honest, I don’t even understand who gets to make this call. Is it JR? And if so, does he really even care enough to do it? (BTW If you were to tell me that TLR would be in JR’s ear trying to make this happen, I would buy it.) 6. Acquire Brian Reynolds - This is here by default because everything below it seems 1000000% unlikely. 7. Make KW Defacto GM - This here by default because everything below it seems 1000001% unlikely. 8. Fire Tony La Russa/Make Jirschele Manager - As the second most powerful person in the organization, TLR leaves on his own account. As for Jirschele, I have zero faith in them bringing in someone that makes sense at this point. Our next manager will be Will Perdue.

No. It’s feeling like there’s too much they need to overcome/go their way at this point.

Holy hell this team is boring.

This thread is amazing because pretty much every single post is making a different but equally valid point. It's just an endless list.

The whole “I have pride/I’m a competitor” thing is great for motivational posters and Nike commercials or whatever, but there’s a pretty fine line between that and being selfish. At what point are you putting yourself before the team?

Happy Friday!

I lol’d at that line too. Maybe the leeway is that he’s making a bajillion dollars. Or that once upon a time he won a cy young. You know, the stuff that really matters to a team that’s supposedly trying to win now.

I don’t believe you can narrow it down to a single turning point, as all of the above have contributed to it. That said, management/coaching and the failure to fill roster holes have without a doubt had the biggest impact IMO. But with THAT being said, I’m not quite ready to call the rebuild a failure just yet.

This dude may not have 10 IP by the all star break.

Ah, right, he has to earn his right to have a personality. It’s a shame he doesn’t have the demeanor of Yoan, which goes over so well on this board.

I suspect we're ultimately saying the same thing, but I'd say they did quite well leading the rebuild. It's the handling of any team that's not losing on purpose that they completely fail at.

This notion sounds simple enough on the surface, but it’s my understanding that many people of color have a lot of pride in their race and heritage. Skin color should be able to be celebrated, not ignored.

I could see Tim hitting a couple opposite field bombs this series.

TLR thread bout to blow up