The Kids Can Play

That's why they pay Frank the big bucks for those amazing hitting tips. Oh btw, Frank, you weren't the hitting coach in 2019 when he actually could hit. Oh that's right, you took over in 2020 when he went downhill.

I'm ok with a rebuild too and moving anyone, but add Cease and Kopech to that untouchable list of Vaughn, Robert and Anderson!. The bottom line is, we are not going to win with this assembled roster. The rebuild went horribly wrong six years and counting into it! As the old adage goes, if it's not broke, don't fix it! I'm here to tell you: it's totally broke and needs a major fix! Plus we need to unload all the deadweight players and restock our farm system with young future prospects, as it is broken too!

I am also wondering what they did. The problem is not whether they all did something as far as a workout goes, which they probably all worked out. The problem is, it doesn't mean their daily routine of working out was the correct workout. I would like to know if they were given a specific routine for the offseason. The bottom line is these guys make too much ridiculous money, not to hire top a an expert trainer to help and motivate them to stay in shape and come to spring training in the best possible shape.

Yep, in 12 games at Charlotte he has 8 hits in 42 AB's with ZERO HR's and doubles, with a slash line of: .190/.227/.190/.417! He can't stay healthy and now he can't even hit at Triple A!

Hence why this team needs to be sold to a younger and seriously richer billionaire who would give a damn. We will never have any success as long as Jerry still owns the team or runs it.

This is so true. I also addressed this in an earlier thread this season on how the players need to take more ownership. Case in point: I went to the game yesterday. I was there a little early and was watching some of the pre-game stretching routines. I was extremely impressed with the individual stretching routine that was done on Jose Abreu. One of the trainers was working directly one on one with Jose. This involved specific and precise use of stretches, as the trainer himself extensively stretched Jose in a series of complex stretches. These stretches involved the trainer controlling each stretch movement and not Jose doing his own stretching. Maybe I wasn't there early enough to see if this was done by the other players, but I didn't see any other player being stretched out to this extreme manner. The trainer put Jose through a rigorous routine and worked all parts of both legs and hips to make sure the hamstrings, quads, calves, groin, hip, etc. were all properly stretched. Oh yeah that's right, I can't remember the last time I saw Jose pull a groin or hamstring. Btw, Jose is one the few players who is always stretching before each at bat. Maybe the players should be paying attention to "Best Practices"! Even better yet, maybe TLR and staff should implement "Best Practices"! You are 100 percent right the players making millions should take the ownership. However even if this will never happen, maybe if the player's entire income wasn't guaranteed and they played for some incentive performance based results, they would probably take it more seriously.

I agree TLR needs to be fired, as well as his pathetic coaches. However even if we got a 1st or 2nd draft pick, it doesn't mean Hahn with his other FO losers and scouts, would know how to use those picks properly. Case in point; not only is this Sox team mediocre, but the entire farm system is mediocre and horrible as well. The unfortunate fact is the owner and VP also need to be gone, before this franchise has a chance of ever winning a world series again.

I was at the game yesterday and although the official attendance was 29,000, there were too many empty seats for such a beautiful Sunday game. If this team was winning and in first place and one the better teams in baseball...as they were projected to be, then Sox park yesterday would have been more packed and much louder. I've been a die hard and life long fan and this is the most upset and disappointed I've been in my life. I've always hated and disrespected Jerry for a long time and now I despise him even more. He has ruined this team and this rebuild! You are right on one fact, the energy has been completely taken away from the players. The basic fundamentals are just not there or being developed. It's not just his insane decision Jerry made in hiring TLR, but all his coaches are horrible too. Again the ultimate blame goes on the owner. I am pretty sure that most of the other 29 owners by now would have fired this pathetic demented manager, along with his coaching staff. I have always been a huge Rick Hahn advocate, but now I am joining the ones in here who think Hahn needs to be fired as well. Hahn has not only derailed this rebuild, but he has one of the worst farm systems in baseball. At some point if your team is underachieving, has way too many ongoing injuries and a horrible minor league farm system, then Hahn has to take that full blame as well. As I have stated in previous posts, until his obituary, this POS Reinsdorf will always make sure his Sox team is an underachieving and dysfunctional organization. That fact is so sad and totally not deserving for such a diehard and loyal Sox fanbase. If Jerry had any pride, or intelligence, which he has neither, he would let one of his other sons run the team, like he did when he let his son Michael run the Bulls.

Note to Eloy: Maybe take some pride, lose some weight and get in better shape!

Hell no! We have slugs already who can't hit. There was a reason he was DFA'd! The outfield is not our problem.

I do appreciate the sarcasm, but I guess not every player of the year makes it...but being on that list is pretty impressive!

My bad, Posey! haha

This is what the team seriously needed. Let's just hope we can carry this momentum to the Astros. If we can continue to crush the ball and maybe take 2 of 3 from Houston, then we may have something special brewing! Heaven forbid if we ever have a 100 percent healthy team!

That is truly amazing and exciting!

I've heard of Daniel Snyder. Agreed he is a despicable man. However I am not giving grades on their personality traits or how they interact with their employees. I am not condoning that type of poor ownership behavior. However that wasn't my rationale for why Jerry is the biggest loser owner in all of sports. My grade as worst owner is based on how one owner continues to make horrific management decisions on their players, coaches and GM's collectively over two pro sports' teams. Facts: No other owner would put up with allowing John Paxson to continue to destroy the Chicago Bulls for 17 years. The fact of the matter is, it took his son Michael when completely in charge and not Jerry...to get rid of Paxson and his loser GM Gar Forman. No other owner would have allowed Jerry Krause to fire Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan in 1999. There are documented statements and proof Jerry indeed thought it was a bad decision on Krause's part at the time! But of course, Jerry doesn't know when to step in and stop a major mistake being made. No owner back in 1986 would allow a weak and first time clueless GM Hawk Harrelson, to fire TLR at the time, when he had a career winning record with the Sox that first time around. If you recall, the firing was simply a huge personality clash between them. Go figure with the big ego Hawk had! No other owner would override his VP Hahn and hire the manager for him, especially when he is a old demented and two time DUI drunken manager as a statement...he could correct a mistake he regretted from 35 years ago. No owner even after making a colossal mistake of hiring TLR, after a horrendous 2022 start and disappointing 2021 finish, where the manager is clearly incapable and over the hill...wouldn't have by now fired and corrected his initial huge mistake. You cannot be a good owner when you constantly show weaknesses such as a lack of intelligence, common sense and lack of backbone. When at one moment, he can't step up and stop Hawk Harrelson from firing TLR in 1986 the first time or Phil Jackson in 1999. At the time Jerry knew it was a mistake to allow Hawk to fire TLR. He publicly mentioned numerous times how he regretted not stepping in, as it was one of the worst mistakes of his career he always regretted. Who are kidding...If Reinsdorf wasn't interested in hiring TLR in 2021, tell me one of major league owner who would have been desperate enough to hire TLR as a manager at 76 yrs old. Owners hire/fire VP's/GM's and VP's/GM's hire/fire managers/head coaches. Name me one other owner who made these absurd decisions with two separate teams!

I'm not surprised at all. Vaughn's celling is very high! Vaughn was an accomplished college baseball hitter who won the the Golden Spikes award as the top amateur baseball player in the country. He was the # 3 overall pick in the 2019 draft. I did expect big things from him. Former winners of this award: Kris Bryant Stephen Strasburg Trevor Bauer Bryce Harper Buster Olney David Price Tim Lincecum

I fully appreciate your point they crushed the division last year and didn't do as well outside it. To be positive, they have done well against the teams outside our division. However, everyone is assuming we will crush the central the rest of the year. I pray we do crush them. Yet right now, we are 8-13 against the central. I do agree with most here that if hypothetically we could ever be healthy for a long stretch, then yes we could win this division. Yet we haven't been able to do that for two seasons.

Agreed I am only about loyalty to a certain extent and don't value loyalty as much as the idiot Reinsdorf does. However at some point I want value back before the player becomes valueless and then you don't get anything back. I also agree with you this organization is blindly loyal and Abreu will stay as long as he wants.. That doesn't make it right or a smart management move. It just proves that the worst owner in all four sports owns the Sox.

Let's cool the jets on "if they keep winning". They took 2 out of 3 from the Tigers, the 30th ranked team in total runs scored! Prior to that, they lost 2 of 3 from the Rangers and 2 of 3 from the Dodgers. Plus the Sox still have a ton of injuries and there is no guarantee this team will ever be 100 percent healthy. Although we all hope and pray for that, the track record doesn't give us any hope! If this season gets uglier and we miss the playoffs, I assure you TLR does not return. Even the POS Reinsdorf won't be able to protect his buddy from the national and local screaming for his termination.

A team looking for a 1B/DH is a serious team in WS contention who off all of sudden loses their first starting first baseman...and needs a power hitter who plays a great defensive first. Or a contending team that has a first baseman hitting poorly. Baez might be good defensively, but he is nowhere near the hitting numbers of Abreu. Even Rizzo brought in two good prospects from the Yankees and Rizzo isn't close to Abreu's value. Again we have a first baseman in Vaughn. What the Sox need desperately now, is prospects to improve our horrific farm system...especially pitchers. Plus if we fall way out of the race by the deadline then becoming a seller is imperative.

Wow, another IL player stint! Something is seriously f'ing wrong with the training, strength and flexibility staff's philosophy and procedures in how to stay in shape and injury free. We've had way too many injuries' in the last two years to say it's bad luck, a jinx or an anomaly. It all starts at the top with the POS Reinsdorf to Hahn and goes right down the line in the organization.

It's free and all you need is an Apple ID which is free to sign up for. Having said that, Apple TV sucks! Even if you give me 3 months free, I would never use it. I hate streaming TV as it's slow and annoying and it can't be recorded. I also hate their broadcast team and the hassle I have to go through to watch this game. The good news is, it's the last Sox Apple TV game this season. Good riddance Apple TV!

I don't think I am underestimating the return value of a 35 year old at all. Go back and check the productivity of great players over 35 and compare their stats to when they were in their 20's or low 30's. There are a few exceptions but not many. Even though Jose has been a nice run lately, he is still below his lifetime averages for HR's, RBI's and BA. The other aspect you are neglecting is what are they going to do with Vaughn in the field? It's pretty clear at 24 yrs old, Vaughn is going to be a top all star for the Sox for many years to come. I think its insane to keep playing him out of position, when he is a first baseman. Now of course logically they could alternate Jose and Andrew between DH and 3B, but that probably won't happen, because Jose complains when he isn't playing first all the time. Plus he is a better defensive first baseman than Andrew. Although they haven't given Andrew any significant time at first, so we don't know how good he could be at first. Don't forget Jose's first few years at first, he was not a good defensively. He worked at and eventually got better. You are underestimating the value of what we would get for Jose. If Jose is crushing it like he is now at the trade deadline, we could get at least 3 prospects and maybe someone's top 100 MLB prospect, like the Cubs got last year for Baez and now they have a top 100 prospect. Again, it depends on the right team in contention. For example, if a Yankees team all of sudden started having major injury issues with Rizzo where he misses a lot games, then Abreu would be very appealing to Cashman.

Even if he did have that clout and it was true...it's not a good or sound baseball decision to not move Jose while the return could be huge! It doesn't make the Sox better going into the future for the next several years! The great winning organizations which we haven't found out how to be yet, don't wait until their top players wear down and lose value. The top teams proactively go get something for their stars while they have top value...in order to continue to build and maintain their greatness feeding their farm system. For example, look at what the Yankees GM Cashman did back in 2016 to the Cubs. He traded Chapman for four prospects, of which one of them was Gleyber Torres. Oh yeah, after a wink to Chapman and after the season when Chapman was a FA, Cashman resigned him back to the Yankees. Wow, novel idea! Oh that's right...maybe that's why the Yankees are year in and year out, one the best teams in baseball and we are still not in their league. Btw, just another example of if Hahn is that blind with tunnel vision on loyalty to aging players, then maybe now for sure, Hahn isn't the right man to get us to the World Series.

Oh, my bad, I didn't know Jose was the GM.