10/24 World Series Game 2 vs Cardinals

[mvp 78]

Breslow cannot walk Descalso there. A LH hitting #9 hitter, Breslow HAS TO get that out. That was the key to the whole inning.

 

Just a bad performance by Breslow. Who has been great for months.

 

Yup. Can't really fault Farrell as Lackey had been going strong and was still under 100 pitches. With Breslow's recent track record, you hand the ball over to him without question.

 

Salty needs to catch that s*** though. Jesus Christ, man...

[Brennan]

Time to watch John Lackey show Wacha Wacha how it's done.

 

I agree with the folks that said Koji should've been brought in to face Descalso. Tying and go ahead run on base in the seventh inning is as high leverage as it gets, so why not use your best reliever? And it makes even more sense you when consider that he'll get to face Beltran and Holliday in the eighth. Then turn it over to the Tazawa/Breslow combo in the ninth against the bottom half of the order.

 

At the same time I wouldn't hold this against Farrell, because no manager would make this move -- just not how things are done.

 

 

 

Bingo! It's the second game of the World Series and he left Lackey in one batter too long. You have to go with your best at that point no matter how "unconventional" it is for some people. Closers should never be asked to go three innings" guess what? Koji is not your typical closer. Dude, you always have a good view of the overall picture, a very welcome point of view.

[mvp 78]

It was the bottom of the order. The set up man needs to get the job done there. If it was Beltran or Craig, you'd have a point.

[a700hitter]

It will be interesting to see the lineup tomorrow. I think that there is a good chance that Salty might be sitting. I am all in favor of that. Boegarts might be on the bench in favor of Middlebrooks. I don't think there is a lot to be gained there. Farrell said that Ortiz will play game 3. It will be interesting to see who hits behind him to protect him. There aren't a lot of choices-- maybe Nava. There's not a lot to chose from. I don't expect Ortiz to get a lot to hit unless there are runners all over the bases when he bats. We need Pedroia to get white hot. Also, really need Drew to break out of his funk right now.

[Bellhorn04]

Nava will be starting Game 3.

[Brennan]

I know I get stupid when we lose a game, still growing as a person at 46 years old now. It's a game. No reason for anyone on the team to hang their heads in shame, they are all part of a historic baseball season. Schilling on the other hand, my boy met him at a dog show on the cape this summer with my wife (she's a professional dog handler) my son took a picture with him. I've always admired Curt and respected his right of speech and his sometimes unorthodox views but bro? This could end 4-1 in St. Louis? The guy that is an icon to the Fenway faithful losing his faith? Your better than that Curt especially if you just went along with the hype for ratings. This series will come to an end and nobody really knows how it will end but I think we all know that losing 4-1 to the Cards is a highly improbable scenario for this team.

[SoxSport]

Farrell should have sent Koji in that high leverage situation in the 7th and likely shut this game down. But was too much too ask. Hopefully Peavy put his s*** together and Buch is healthy enough to give us at least 6 decent innings.

 

Could be the key right there. Every game has huge importance. The 2-3-2 scheduling sucks. It removes a lot of the home field advantage. The NBA has just gone back to 2-2-1-1-1.

 

Farrell has confidence in Breslow in high leverage situations. But that was the spot for Koji.

[SoxSport]

By the way, did any "minor leaguer" check Wacha's glove for green resin? You have to wonder who fabricated that story.

Can't trust the media these days. The players have to block all this crap out. Stay away from the media.

[mvp 78]

Could be the key right there. Every game has huge importance. The 2-3-2 scheduling sucks. It removes a lot of the home field advantage. The NBA has just gone back to 2-2-1-1-1.

 

Farrell has confidence in Breslow in high leverage situations. But that was the spot for Koji.

 

The NBA Finals also lasts 3 weeks. With the 2-3-2, the WS is done in 9 days.

[mvp 78]

Brennan, there's a reason I always trade Schill when I start a new MVP 04 season.

[sk7326]

Could be the key right there. Every game has huge importance. The 2-3-2 scheduling sucks. It removes a lot of the home field advantage. The NBA has just gone back to 2-2-1-1-1.

 

Farrell has confidence in Breslow in high leverage situations. But that was the spot for Koji.

 

Home field in baseball means squat ... look at the number of years the home team has swept or whatever ... very small. I mean the Sox and Cards were dominant at home, but they had winning road records too - they are good teams, period. The home advantage is ok, but it's a lot smaller than it is in basketball.

 

Farrell's mistake was being caught in between last night - either go to Breslow after the walk ... OR let Lackey (who was still throwing well) work his way through the jam. Yes, bringing in Koji for the highest leverage situation is the right move - but almost zero managers in 2013 would do it (even Maddon, Melvin would act conventionally here - Francona going to Keith Foulke in that spot is rare, and it took the Red Sox being against the wall to do so). And Breslow has been marvelous. What I question is the slavish lefty-on-lefty thing here. Breslow is not really a matchup guy - his swing and miss stuff (the change) is better against righties. I did not think it was an automatic decision - I would have stuck with Lackey, but Farrell's instincts here were not wrong.

[jung]

It was the bottom of the order and Farrell came with a set up man that has just done his job of late. I said pages ago as Bres was warming on the mound that I thought Farrell left Lackey one batter too long and I then explained why I thought so. I still think that is the case. Bres would have come into a far less pressure packed situation with one out and one on and likely would have had a much better shot at getting the job done against the bottom of the order LH bats. I even said I understood Farrell going the one last batter with Lackey because its Farrell but I will never think it makes sense in that situation. If the chances are 100% that you are going to remove the starter if that last batter gets on, then what the hell are you doing letting him pitch to him. Although Bres does not have the greatest of lefty to lefty stuff, he has gotten his lefties out of late as well, almost breezing through them and these guys were bottom of the order lefties.

 

Still and all, it took a convergence of some of the weakest aspects of the Sox defense to set that whole mess in motion. Salty should have nailed the runner stealing 3rd but bobbled the ball. Gomes did not set himself well enough to make an accurate throw and he didn't. Salty had no reason to hold the plate as once the throw was off line the play was dead but he did. Bres did have a play on the guy running to 3rd but not by the time he had crow hopped around Salty and pitchers throwing to bases is such a known issues that even Cadaver was on top of it.

 

As for all the post game praise for Wacha, the Cards won so I guess it should be expected but he really left a ton of those change ups in very bad locations, awful locations and if you are ready for the change and it comes in a bad location, it is frankly about the easiest ML pitch to hit. It is not like his use of the change in those situations was surprising. Even with that when he throws it in a good pitcher's location it is a very tough pitch. But he left many of them in horrid locations and we did nothing with them except for Ortiz. When a guy has as few pitches in his arsenal as Wacha has your chances of guessing right are much better. Not sure what some of our guys were doing but I would have gone with WMB instead of XB for one as Wacha has no slider. However as I said as Wacha went later into the game I was really worried about the arms the Cards have in the pen and they just shut the Sox down.

Edited October 25, 2013 by jung

[sk7326]

It was the bottom of the order and Farrell came with a set up man that has just done his job of late. I said pages ago and about 20 seconds after it happened that I thought Farrell left Lackey one batter too long and I then explained why I thought so. I still think that is the case. Bres would have come into a far less pressure packed situation with one out and one on and likely would have had a much better shot at getting the job done against the bottom of the order LH bats. I even said I understood Farrell going the one last batter with Lackey because its Farrell but I will never think it makes sense in that situation.

 

As for all the post game praise for Wacha, the Cards won so I guess it should be expected but he really left a ton of those change ups in very bad locations, awful locations and if you are ready for the change and it comes in a bad location, it is frankly about the easiest ML pitch to hit. It is not like his use of the change in those situations was surprising. Even with that when he throws it in a good pitcher's location it is a very tough pitch. But he left many of them in horrid locations and we did nothing with them except for Ortiz. When a guy has as few pitches in his arsenal as Wacha has your chances of guessing right are much better. Not sure what some of our guys were doing but I would have gone with WMB instead of XB for one as Wacha has no slider.

 

For all the fellating the announcers gave Wacha - if you ask me, Martinez' stuff is much more exciting and "future Cy" caliber. Wacha - without any sort of 3rd pitch he has faith in, is more of an elite #3/good #2 sort of ceiling ... he's had an amazing month, no more, no less.

Edited October 25, 2013 by sk7326

[Brennan]

You really have to pay attention there. If you watched Breslows last three outings each one got trickier but ended with the desired result. In the end, if Breslow executed he would be a hero today and not a goat and Farrell would be the best manager in the World Series. Didn't happen... So I still like our chances and f*** the media sideways. Go Sox!

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

I sure as hell hope the team isn't subscribing to this "aw, we'll get em tomorrow!" goober ********. I don't care who's coming up in the Cardinals rotation, there is zero room for cockiness. Zero.

[sk7326]

I sure as hell hope the team isn't subscribing to this "aw, we'll get em tomorrow!" goober ********. I don't care who's coming up in the Cardinals rotation, there is zero room for cockiness. Zero.

 

Only way to approach it. Can't marinate in the defeat. It's 1-1, Sox need 3 wins ... last night was not a disaster, just a loss.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

They just blew home field. Every game is now an elimination game. If they just strut into Busch Stadium assuming that they'll beat Lance Lynn and whoever else, they'll be flying back to Boston alone and very unhappy.

[Bellhorn04]

They just blew home field. Every game is now an elimination game. If they just strut into Busch Stadium assuming that they'll beat Lance Lynn and whoever else, they'll be flying back to Boston alone and very unhappy.

 

They were in the identical situation in the ALCS. These guys know what the deal is.

[sk7326]

They just blew home field. Every game is now an elimination game. If they just strut into Busch Stadium assuming that they'll beat Lance Lynn and whoever else, they'll be flying back to Boston alone and very unhappy.

 

I don't worry about their state of mind. I don't worry about losing home field advantage - this isn't the NFL or NBA - the loss just means that the series is even.

[a700hitter]

Nava will be starting Game 3.

But will he be batting behing Ortiz?

[Station 13]

But will he be batting behing Ortiz?

 

He is only the team's 2nd or 3rd best hitter.

[mvp 78]

I'd go:

Ells

Pedey

Nava

Ortiz

Xander

Victorino

WMB

Ross

Peavy

 

I would not start Drew as Peavy is a flyball pitcher and his defense may be less valuable. Also, giving him a game off may let him clear his head. Salty isn't helping anyone right now and Ross could help calm Peavy down (something Salty failed to do last go around).

[iortiz]

I'd go:

Ells

Pedey

Nava

OrtizO

Xander

Victorino

WMB

Ross

Peavy

 

I would not start Drew as Peavy is a flyball pitcher and his defense may be less valuable. Also, giving him a game off may let him clear his head. Salty isn't helping anyone right now and Ross could help calm Peavy down (something Salty failed to do last go around).

 

This should be the Lup.

 

I would have gone with this Lup last Night as well, of course with Napoli there.

[Palodios]

Who has the gamethread tonight? YOTN and J_E have had pretty good seasons.

[VA Sox Fan]

Who has the gamethread tonight? YOTN and J_E have had pretty good seasons.

 

The game is tomorrow night.

[a700hitter]

This should be the Lup.

 

I would have gone with this Lup last Night as well, of course with Napoli there.

I can't see the kid batting behind Ortiz. I'd probably go with Nava. Either way, Ortiz is seeing nothing to hit unless the pitcher is in a big jam. One option might be Victorino behind Ortiz. He likes the challenge of the big spot. He'd be coming up with men on base if Ortiz is in front of him. That could work. It might also work if they bat Ortiz 3rd and Pedroia as the clean up hitter.

[mvp 78]

Who has the gamethread tonight? YOTN and J_E have had pretty good seasons.

 

It's BTR's turn.

[User Name]

I'd go:

Ells

Pedey

Nava

Ortiz

Xander

Victorino

WMB

Ross

Peavy

 

I would not start Drew as Peavy is a flyball pitcher and his defense may be less valuable. Also, giving him a game off may let him clear his head. Salty isn't helping anyone right now and Ross could help calm Peavy down (something Salty failed to do last go around).

 

Joe Kelly's slider/curveball breaking ball combo does not bode well for a WMB start. I would keep Drew in the lineup at SS and Bogaerts at 3B.

 

Ellsbury

Victorino

Pedroia

Ortiz

Nava

Xander

Drew

Ross

Pitcher

 

Xander has been hitting the ball right on the nose and providing quality AB after quality AB. I would start this lineup, with Napoli at the ready to PH for Drew if a lefty so much as sniffs the BP.

[mvp 78]

You keep Victorino batting 2nd?

 

I move him down to give the top of the order a little more punch since the pitcher will have to hit once or twice.

[kapsis21]

Drew needs to be benched.. for 1 game. Salty just doesnt deserve anything ..his defense is so atrocious. .it is pathetic. Get middkebrooks in there aatleast pinch hit him somewhere