26th of May: Boston @ Arizona

[moonslav59]

Sale vs PFaadt

Time to turn things back around- one game at a time!

[Dipre]

We're missing Gallen this series, so it's as good as time as any to try and gain back some momentum.

[vegasbob]

Will the Sox rise like Phoenix from the ashes of the the Anaheim debacle ? If they do not score early and often off Pfaadt ( 7.65/1.55 WHIP), then Pfuck'em .

Seriously, the batters need to put their heads back on and work this guy . This goes from Devers through Dugo, Duran and Casas, basically the whole lineup. Relentless Red Sox hitting is needed to sweep this series against a D'backs team with a better record (29-21). Don't Pfail, boys.

[moonslav59]

We could have 7 lefties in the line-up, 8 if McGuire would catch Sale and Turner with a day off.

C McGuire
1B Casas
3B Valdez
SS Kike (R)
3B Devers
LF Tapia
CF Duran
RF Dugo
DH Yoshida

[Dipre]

Two third basemen? No wonder they're losing a bunch of games

[Bellhorn04]

We could have 7 lefties in the line-up, 8 if McGuire would catch Sale and Turner with a day off.

C McGuire
1B Casas
3B Valdez
SS Kike (R)
3B Devers
LF Tapia
CF Duran
RF Dugo
DH Yoshida


But of course we don't want McGuire to catch Sale.

[moonslav59]

Two third basemen? No wonder they're losing a bunch of games

Lol

Fat fingers

[Maxbialystock]

Tapia CF
Verdugo RF
Turner 3B
Yoshida DH
Refsnyder LF
Casas 1B
Kike Hernandez SS
Valdez 2B
Wong C

5 lefties, 4 righties, no Devers, no Duran

Season to date, righties have hit (OPS .958) Pfaadt almost as well as lefties (OPS 1.003)

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

I have complete phaith in Cora looking phorward to the PO's and making sure his players are phully rested.

[vegasbob]

A double day off for Devers ? There was 300 miles of travel involved.

More importantly, this an opportunity for Sale to extend his comeback in the role of a stopper. The pitcher who ends losing streaks . Of course he will need some run support , so there is that factor to consider. Hope Chris throws a 2 hit shutout.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

A double day off for Devers ? There was 300 miles of travel involved.

More importantly, this an opportunity for Sale to extend his comeback in the role of a stopper. The pitcher who ends losing streaks . Of course he will need some run support , so there is that factor to consider. Hope Chris throws a 2 hit shutout.

I hope so, too, but I also hope it doesn't go extra innings if he does.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

A double day off for Devers ? There was 300 miles of travel involved.

More importantly, this an opportunity for Sale to extend his comeback in the role of a stopper. The pitcher who ends losing streaks . Of course he will need some run support , so there is that factor to consider. Hope Chris throws a 2 hit shutout.

But it was all uphill. Similar to the rest of their season.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Fun Fact:

Tonight the Rays hit their 98th HR of the season. Last season the Rays didn't hit their 100th HR until August 12th.

[vegasbob]

Fun Fact:

Tonight the Rays hit their 98th HR of the season. Last season the Rays didn't hit their 100th HR until August 12th.

Sox with 59 are sort of middle of the MLB pack.

[5GoldGloves:OF,75]

Sox with 59 are sort of middle of the MLB pack.

... 4th from the bottom tonight, with no Raffy (resting up for the playoffs).

They could pinch-hit him late, but you don't wake sleeping Giants. Or Dbacks. Red Sox maybe...

[Maxbialystock]

Sale looks good, and the lineup continues to stink.

[Maxbialystock]

A double day off for Devers ? There was 300 miles of travel involved.

More importantly, this an opportunity for Sale to extend his comeback in the role of a stopper. The pitcher who ends losing streaks . Of course he will need some run support , so there is that factor to consider. Hope Chris throws a 2 hit shutout.

Devers has stunk the last 5 games. So has Duran. So Turner goes to 3b and gets a double. And Casas stays at 1b and also gets a double--and an rbi. Put Devers in today's lineup, and the Sox don't score in the 2d inning, period. Same goes for Duran.

When the whole freaking team stops hitting, it's not a bad managerial move to shake things up.

[Maxbialystock]

A double day off for Devers ? There was 300 miles of travel involved.

More importantly, this an opportunity for Sale to extend his comeback in the role of a stopper. The pitcher who ends losing streaks . Of course he will need some run support , so there is that factor to consider. Hope Chris throws a 2 hit shutout.

Whoops! Now 3 runs in the 2d inning without Devers or Duran.

Also, as I pointed out earlier, righties hit Pfaadt almost as well as lefties. Two of the three doubles thus far were by righty bats Turner and Wong.

Cora knows baseball.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

After being manhandled by the previous two rag arm starters, the SOX may have finally learned how to hit crap pitching.

[Maxbialystock]

After being manhandled by the previous two rag arm starters, the SOX may have finally learned how to hit crap pitching.

Agree. Not playing Duran and Devers helped.

[Maxbialystock]

Nice grab by Casas with his back to the hitter.

Sale is throwing like 90% fastballs and getting away with it.

[Maxbialystock]

2d inning, more sliders and changeups, but not yet the cut fastball.

[Maxbialystock]

Righty bat--Kike, of all people--gets the 2 run dinger! Duran and Devers are doing one terrific job cheering from the bench.

Cora knows baseball.

[Tedballgame]

Kike

Kike!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Pfaadt is Pfaading Pfaast.

[Maxbialystock]

Four runs total scored in the last four games with Duran and Devers in the lineup.

5 runs today without those two.

Note to vegasbob: Cora knows baseball.

[****THEYANKEES]

Righty bat--Kike, of all people--gets the 2 run dinger! Duran and Devers are doing one terrific job cheering from the bench.

Cora knows baseball.


i normally hate the way Cora rests his biggest bat -Devers. but sitting some guys whose bats have gone cold has turned out well tonite. good job Cora.

[moonslav59]

Man, if we could get the second half of 2021 Kike back, this year, it would be quite a boost!

(Big "IF," I know....)

June 27 to end of 2022

.271 14 40 (at 162 gsm: .271 31 89)
.374 OBP & .502 SLG
.876 OPS
(Then, the mammoth postseason.)

He had a 50 game stretch of .979 within that run.

The guy can get hot and stay hot for a pretty long period.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Pfaadt was not Phat tonight.

[Maxbialystock]

Terrific 4th by Sale after that rbi triple with no one out.

[Maxbialystock]

i normally hate the way Cora rests his biggest bat -Devers. but sitting some guys whose bats have gone cold has turned out well tonite. good job Cora.

You are in the vast majority in hating that. In this instance I thought it was pretty obvious Cora had to shake things up.

[vegasbob]

So Max, the question becomes, stick with what works tonight or return to the more typical Devers/Duran lineup tomorrow ? Actually glad that Cora shook it up tonight the prior 4 games were awful offensive performances.

[vegasbob]

On the other hand, "load management" dictates that Sale is done after 5 tonight ? They only have a 4 run lead. Yes, i understand Sale went 110+- in last 2 outings, but he is now the STOPPER. Don't blow it

[illinoisredsox]

On the other hand, "load management" dictates that Sale is done after 5 tonight ? They only have a 4 run lead. Yes, i understand Sale went 110+- in last 2 outings, but he is now the STOPPER. Don't blow it

Radio guys are saying he’s been sick all week; given that, a really good outing for him and the team.

[vegasbob]

Radio guys are saying he’s been sick all week; given that, a really good outing for him.

Given that fact, more understandable. Good for Sale to have pretty much shut down D'backs, and thankful he got support. Now the BP needs to show up big time.

[vegasbob]

Yoshida needs tomorrow night off , never saw 3Ks from him.

[moonslav59]

Radio guys are saying he’s been sick all week; given that, a really good outing for him and the team.

Yup.

Managers know more details than we do.

[vegasbob]

Winck reinforcing my opinion that relievers who use more than 20 pitches to get through an inning are not very effective. Winckowski just got 6 outs on 20 pitches . That's effective !

[Maxbialystock]

So Max, the question becomes, stick with what works tonight or return to the more typical Devers/Duran lineup tomorrow ? Actually glad that Cora shook it up tonight the prior 4 games were awful offensive performances.

I think he'll go back to Devers and Duran tomorrow.

[moonslav59]

Winck reinforcing my opinion that relievers who use more than 20 pitches to get through an inning are not very effective. Winckowski just got 6 outs on 20 pitches . That's effective !

In the long run, you are probably right.

Wink has be "da man!"

[Maxbialystock]

Given that fact, more understandable. Good for Sale to have pretty much shut down D'backs, and thankful he got support. Now the BP needs to show up big time.

Agree on both points. Sale was off tonight, throwing just 60% strikes. Plus you could see that 4th ball called via delay of game upset him.

All the rule changes seem to favor the offense. Bigger bases. Limit on seconds between pitches. Batter can step out and interrupt the pitcher however. Pitcher can only throw to 1b once.

[moonslav59]

I think he'll go back to Devers and Duran tomorrow.

Devers was sick.

It does seem odd to give Duran a day off vs a righty, but Cora did start 3 lefties in the OF, so not all that weird.

2 days off might be what Duran needed.

[moonslav59]

Agree on both points. Sale was off tonight, throwing just 60% strikes. Plus you could see that 4th ball called via delay of game upset him.

All the rule changes seem to favor the offense. Bigger bases. Limit on seconds between pitches. Batter can step out and interrupt the pitcher however. Pitcher can only throw to 1b once.

Good observation on Sale.

It's very encouraging to see Sale be "off" and still keep the game in control.

Great to see the bats waking up. Let's hope it rubs off and continues onward.

Lot's of hard outs, too.

[Nick]

That's the Casas we've been waiting for...looks like a rock star.

[moonslav59]

What player has the second best OPS on the Sox from 2022-2023 (250+ PAs?

1. Devers .860 (17th in MLB)
2. Refsnyder .853 (21st)
(39th in MLB w BOS & SDP: Bogey at .813)
(41st in MLB w BOS & LAD: JD at .811)
(81st: Turner .780 w LAD & BOS)
(99th: Duvall .767 w ATL & BOS)

Only PAs w Sox:
.860 Devers
.853 Refsnyder
.833 Bogaerts
.790 JD
.759 Vaz
.752 Dugo
.737 Story
.720 Arroyo
.716 Duran
.697 Dalbec
.634 Kike
.578 JBJ

[****THEYANKEES]

What player has the second best OPS on the Sox from 2022-2023 (250+ PAs?

1. Devers .860 (17th in MLB)
2. Refsnyder .853 (21st)
(39th in MLB w BOS & SDP: Bogey at .813)
(41st in MLB w BOS & LAD: JD at .811)
(81st: Turner .780 w LAD & BOS)
(99th: Duvall .767 w ATL & BOS)



yet for reasons i still don't understand, Cora seemed to favor Pham over Ref last year.

[vegasbob]

Bernardino is a marginal guy for the opposite reason that Winckowski will probably make good MLB money. Wink gets 9 outs on 34 pitches. Bernardino issues a 2 out walk with a 7-2 lead, goes 3-2 on the last batter , using 24 pitches to finish the 9th inning.

BUT Red Sox win again . This will likely be repeated about 60-65 more times this year

[Nick]

What player has the second best OPS on the Sox from 2022-2023 (250+ PAs?

1. Devers .860 (17th in MLB)
2. Refsnyder .853 (21st)
(39th in MLB w BOS & SDP: Bogey at .813)
(41st in MLB w BOS & LAD: JD at .811)
(81st: Turner .780 w LAD & BOS)
(99th: Duvall .767 w ATL & BOS)

Only PAs w Sox:
.860 Devers
.853 Refsnyder
.833 Bogaerts
.790 JD
.759 Vaz
.752 Dugo
.737 Story
.720 Arroyo
.716 Duran
.697 Dalbec
.634 Kike
.578 JBJ




I like having the option of Ref and Tapia in the outfield.

Tapia gives us athleticism that we lack. Speed kills.

[Bellhorn04]

yet for reasons i still don't understand, Cora seemed to favor Pham over Ref last year.

You sure about this? I think Ref was on the IL the first half of August looking at the game logs.

[****THEYANKEES]

You sure about this? I think Ref was on the IL the first half of August looking at the game logs.

well....after Pham was signed, he played in 53 of the Sox 58 games with 235 PA. During that time, Ref only had about 60 PA and started 10 games, despite a higher OPS than Pham. And many of those starts were at the very end of the season when they were well out of it. I don't know, maybe they felt Pham had a better glove.

[moonslav59]

well....after Pham was signed, he played in 53 of the Sox 58 games with 235 PA. During that time, Ref only had about 60 PA and started 10 games, despite a higher OPS than Pham. And many of those starts were at the very end of the season when they were well out of it. I don't know, maybe they felt Pham had a better glove.

Neither are known for their glove.

As much as Ref has been viewed as a platoon only player, and I think rightfully so up to now, he started 41 games vs RHPs (.771 in those games was not bad) and only 16 v LHPs (1.084!), last year.

The team faced 36 LH's SP'ers last year and Ref started in less than half of those.

This year, we have faced 18 and Ref has started all 18.