CaliSoxFanViaSWside

Not Soul but " Are We Not Men ?'

Maybe Moncada needs white shoes.

Nah Yankee feed was all I could get on my computer. I'd go with the Sox broadcast if I could get it.

Twas a great game. Just enough offense and just enough pitching . Seeing how the offense performed hasn't made me stop wanting Burger in there. Can't consistently win on the road against tough competition without run support.

YES . Never a ...

OH boy.

It's been a great game so far. How can it feel like another deflating loss unless Liam isn't quite ready for prime time yet .

Piss poor effort there by Mocada running down the line.

Well that didn't happen. Let's see if Liam is in for the bottom of the 9th if the Sox have the lead.

Terrible defense to ruin the no no and shut out. But great throw by Frazier.

That 2nd pitch to IKF was a strike . Had the whole zone.

If Kelly can not give up any runs I'll feel better about the Sox chance of winning.

Hey Eloy any time you want to start hitting HR's instead of DP's is fine by me . 6 outs between the Eloy and Sheets DPs

Every chance Michael Kay has to mention IT . He does.

435 !

HAHA Seby can duplicate his 3 HR game with a HR to CF. If I recall that game his 3 HR's went to CF, LF and RF not necessarily in that order.

Hey at least the Sox score 1 before the 6th inning.

Shortest HR at Yankee Stadium this year. 320 ft.

SEby that was unexpected !

I'll guess 1/2 of it or slightly less than half. There's no way to quantify it.

So what's the excuse for not starting him then in only 2 of the last 6 Home games ?

So that's it, just a blanket statement ? Burger is arguably your best hitter. If he had 95 more AB, the same as Robert he might be their best hitter so because it's Yankee Stadium you can't get Burger and Sheets in the lineup together ? How many other guys in baseball do you think that have hitting stats similar to Burger haven't been in the starting lineup 4 of the last 6 games and guys as pitiful as Moncada getting so much time ahead of him . How many of these 18 road games is Burger going to sit when the Sox desperately need wins ? You are just going to have to play Burger and hope his road stats improve. If you want a 6-12 road trip and to essentially be in sell mode at the deadline keep him out of the lineup as much as you want , home and on the road. That's what Grifol has been doing anyway , starting him 1/3 of the time the last 6 games. Luckily his 1 AB of the game Grand Slam Sunday gave the Sox a win and his HBP the day before pushed the runner to 3rd base to allow the winning run to score on a wild pitch. Burger .9 fWAR , SHeets .1, Mocada .4, Vaughn .2 , Eloy .2 . Burger fWAR is the same as those other 4 players COMBINED !

Sheets was never considered part of the core. If they are looking for a miracle, Burger is the closest thing they have. Moncada is a sunk cost at this point. Grifol is the one making out the line up card. Money paid to the other position players besides Moncada isn't an issue.

Burger has the 2nd most position player fWAR on the Sox. Robert has 1.8 and Burger has 1.2 in 95 less AB. At some point the manager has to realize you don't platoon that guy . How many RHH with a season total of 12 HR and 147 OPS+ are platooned with guys who have far less WAR, and thus less of pretty much less of everything including speed ? I understand the home/ road splits are ugly but when you have been bad all season but playing the guys who got you to this point over the guy hitting better than just about everyone in the lineup isn't that difficult. The team has played 61 games. Burger has played in 43 of the 61 . Of the 43 games Burger has had 2 or less Plate Appearances 9 times thus lessening his chance to make major contributions to winning games with his hitting. That leaves only 34 of 61 games when he had 3 of more PA. At some point what else can the guy do to get more playing time at home and on the road ? Things aren't going to change for the better for the Sox until you give Burger more opportunities. Moncada has looked pitiful hitting and frankly in the field too the last couple of weeks. The Sox are very bad on the road and very bad against anyone but the AL Central. This road trip can essentially bury the Sox for the season . Even going .500 (9-9) they are still 9 games under .500 around July 4th with the trade deadline looming. Basically Burger is a better hitter than Moncada, Vaughn and Sheets .Why are they so accommodating to Moncada and Eloy? Instead of fooling around with Burger at 2nd base why not Moncada there ? He hits like a 2nd baseman now. Why not give Sheets a little more time at 1st base ? There's no reason at all for Burger to have started only 2 of the last 6 games including today. The lefties getting the playing time got it at home too recently. If Burger is the so called weak side of the platoon I will continue to be stumped as to why. Permanent DH . Do whatever with Sheets , Moncada , Vaughn and Eloy. Burgers hitting better than all of them easily.

No matter what the type of pitcher you have there are some things that you need to emphasize to both. No matter how fast your FB is learn to throw it for strikes 1st and then you learn where to throw it and when. Work as hard on your strengths as you do your weaknesses. Your strengths won't always be your strengths if you ignore them to work on your weaknesses. Do not take your talent for granted. It can change at any time. You are never a finished product . You can always gain knowledge to improve yourself physically and mentally. These are more life philosophies because coaches have to deal with egos also and player have to deal with coaches egos. The balance is always precarious especially dealing with kids from all over the US and foreign counties. Coaches should all start learning Spanish for sure. Once you are a professional getting paid in an organization if you have a coach trying to force his way on you then you must decide for yourself eventually your course of action for yourself. You aren't a kid any more who needs to be a sponge because of the vast amount of baseball knowledge out there. Good coaches should be able to recommend books on hitting or pitching. There are just so many different ways to skin a cat and so many different problems and possible solutions. Any way I could go on and on about general coaching philosophies about communication, mutual respect or collaboration as you said. Some players will be very life savvy , others so respectful of your authority that they are eager to please. Intelligence levels different. Technical and mechanical stuff is another thing , repeating your delivery, arm slot , pitch grips. So so many minute things that could have major impact.