5/13 Cards @ SOX 4:10PM ET

[Old Red]

Of course. We're fans, not philosophers. I haven't forgotten the 8 game winning streak or the fact that the Sox are still over .500. But, man oh man am I pissed off about those two losses Friday and Saturday.

To be honest, Friday just happened. Good start by Paxton--great news!--then Winck doesn't have it. On that point I agree with you--it was bound to happen. And then Jansen was, if anything, much worse than Winck--3 runs and no outs. But one can argue it was inevitable.

Saturday, however, was very different. Saturday was a masterpiece of pitching by Chris Sale--8 innings, 1 run. And Cora send freaking Jansen back out to save what should have been a magnificent 3-1 win. Stupid, stupid, stupid Cora. Jansen was just as bad as the night before.

Now Kluber with his slow stuff today--backed up by a bullpen completely in shock and a manager who has know idea what to do with them.

I’ll say again. Relax, and have a Gansett.

[Maxbialystock]

He's been the most consistently good closer since Mo. It's been over a decade.

I'm sure he's had other back-to-back meltdowns, before.

It's funny that...

Some think Cora should have foreseen it.

One thought after 11 years in the NL, they had him figured out more than AL hitters and should not have been used.

I'll stop, there.

Excuse me?

Have you completely forgotten about the rotation? Friday night, Paxton's first start in half century or so, and he gives up that 2 run dinger, then settles down with good stuff and finishes with 5 innings and 2 runs. The lineup backs him up with 6 runs. But Winck gives up 3 and Jansen and another 3 (Jansen got nobody out) for a very painful 8-6 loss. At Fenway with a good crowd.

Saturday Sale pitches an absolutely gem. Maybe the neatest thing was the 3 K's immediately after the solo dinger. Anyway, 8 innings, 1 run, and 3-1 lead with just the 9th inning to get a save and a win.

So Cora sends Jansen right back out there as if Friday night never happened and as if nobody else in that entire bullpen was capable of getting through the 9th without giving up 2 or more runs.

So to me the Cora--with his bad decision yesterday--and his bullpen are sending this message to the rotation: don't give it your best shot because, once you leave the mound, we're giving it all back. Oh, and when we do, we're going to blame it all on Kike for making a bad throw.

This is no doubt unfair, but I have to also mention the loss to the Phillies on May 7. Houck was pitching his buns off, so much so that Cora let him pitch to the Phillies batting order a third time--which he did successfully. That is, he got a popup, ground out, and K while giving up a single to the first four batters in the Phillies lineup. Cora decided, "enough is enough," and pulled Houck and sent in Bleier, who promptly gave up the 2 run dinger to Schwarber.

[Old Red]

Excuse me?

Have you completely forgotten about the rotation? Friday night, Paxton's first start in half century or so, and he gives up that 2 run dinger, then settles down with good stuff and finishes with 5 innings and 2 runs. The lineup backs him up with 6 runs. But Winck gives up 3 and Jansen and another 3 (Jansen got nobody out) for a very painful 8-6 loss. At Fenway with a good crowd.

Saturday Sale pitches an absolutely gem. Maybe the neatest thing was the 3 K's immediately after the solo dinger. Anyway, 8 innings, 1 run, and 3-1 lead with just the 9th inning to get a save and a win.

So Cora sends Jansen right back out there as if Friday night never happened and as if nobody else in that entire bullpen was capable of getting through the 9th without giving up 2 or more runs.

So to me the Cora--with his bad decision yesterday--and his bullpen are sending this message to the rotation: don't give it your best shot because, once you leave the mound, we're giving it all back. Oh, and when we do, we're going to blame it all on Kike for making a bad throw.

You called Kike an Idiot last week, and Cora is stupid, stupid, and more stupid. It’s pretty amazing the Sox have won any games this year.

[Bellhorn04]

You called Kike an Idiot last week, and Cora is stupid, stupid, and more stupid. It’s pretty amazing the Sox have won any games this year.

Max is on a rampage.

[Old Red]

Max is on a rampage.

He has been since Houck last week.

[5GoldGloves:OF,75]

Picking on the wrong guy. That was a really tough play to get two, so Kike threw before he was ready. In retrospect, he should not have thrown to 1b, but doing so was understandable because in fact the GIDP would have saved the win for Sale.

The fault lies with Cora first and Jansen second. The wrong freaking guy was on the mound for the 9th inning save--and Cora was stupid for bringing him back after Friday night's debacle.

And your comment about Kike getting pinch hit for is just silly when we know Cora also pinch hit for Wong, and Reyes--and probably should have pinch hit for Duran.

The right guy to pick on is the one in charge who can't seem to supply a club that's "all-in absolutely" (according to the team president) with an actual MLB shortstop.

Chang was the closet thing; he got hurt -- it happens -- so replace him.

My post wasn't a reflection on one game and questionable pitching decisions. It's all about fielding a team with big leaguers who legitimately play the positions they're assigned. If the defense -- and shortstop specifically -- doesn't improve, then there will be plenty more deflating defeats marred by inconsistency.

[dgalehouse]

The Sox were off Thursday. Jansen threw 22 pitches on Friday. Assuming he was healthy, there was no good reason not to use him yesterday. The Monday morning quarterbacks always have a high completion percentage. Now if Cora were to use him again tonight, there would very valid criticism. But I very much doubt he would use him tonight. In fact , he may rest him a couple or three games. I am not the biggest Cora fan , but I can't fault him here. It was the standard book move.