JoeC

“How to make a promotion to AAA feel like a disappointment for $200, Alex.”

Just listened to his call of Kopech’s immaculate inning. He should call it like that more. I enjoyed that delivery.

Yep. That describes way too many pitchers who haven’t made it as far as he has.

It’s outings like this (well, lesser outings) that give Kopech value. That glimmer of hope that he can be dominant consistently with the right coaching, mentoring, counseling, etc., is basically the extent of his trade value.

We weren’t gonna take that from him.

That is valid, though I'd even argue that the ship has sailed for that already. I'd also argue that in a case like this, it's not unreasonable for the player to advocate for himself, again, to try to build value. To act like your own medical staff is incompetent (and not changing the leadership / strategies in that area) might just be worse, somehow.

Even if it's 0.001%, it's got the same worst-case downside as letting him sit on the IL, as far as the Sox are concerned. If Moncada wants to pump the brakes so he can use the rest of 2024 to be 100% healthy and to build up his value for his upcoming free agency, that's his choice... but from the Sox perspective I see no reason not to try to rush him.

Whatever it is, it's higher than just letting him sit on the IL until after the deadline.

I will say, if this team were in a competitive window, it would be dumb to rush back Moncada, given his history. The goal for this season for guys like Moncada and Eloy is to try to somehow trade them for literally anything. Essentially they bring zero tangible value to the team beyond 2024, so you might as well grab a couple of scratch-off tickets or a George Kostanza bobblehead or something in return if you can.

NOT pushing him and having him come back after the trade deadline is the definition of not achieving anything. If you push him and he comes back successfully, you have SOMETHING you might be able to cash in. Likely case, you pay the most of the rest of his salary for peanuts of a return. Worst case, you're stuck with him for the rest of the year, and you pay a $5M buyout. Best case, you get something for him in a trade... like a lottery ticket prospect. If you don't push him to come back and play before the trade deadline, you're stuck with him for the rest of the year, and you pay a $5M buyout. I really don't see the downside here.

I think we just invented #soxtalkmath, y'all.

We as Sox fans just want something organic, real, and not manufactured. If you don’t understand that, you’re not qualified for the job.

HoF-worthy thread title.

See? They're a model organization. </sarc>

Get out of here with that pragmatism.

Todd Ritchie, anyone?

I for one thought he was cooked before this season.

I’ve been in the “limit him at 100 innings” camp. that said, at this point you monitor his biomechanics. If you see any hint of a breakdown in mechanics, or start to see evidence of dips in velocity or spin rates, you shut him down to rest.

Not to mention this would be his second time acquiring said old dude.

This is the kind of thing that would NOT have happened under Ricky. Say what you will about Renteria's tactical decisions, but the one thing he did do (seemingly) is to get the guys to show up and actually play baseball to the best of their abilities. These types of lazy plays would not have happened with him at the helm.

How is anyone on this team supposed to know that there's an injury risk associated with running the bases?

If you’re so beyond hope to make the throw, why even go after that ball when it’s hit? Just walk toward the dugout as soon as it’s apparent that you wouldn’t be able to keep the run from scoring. </sarc>

I can hear the silence from Hawk.

Was it the dive, or did he injure it fighting off the shade David Wells threw at him for not playing through pain?

I thought it was a tricep