4/15 vs Blue Jays

[SoxHop]

I just can't remember being excited for a Porcello start. And I can't remember being excited about a Porcello performance.

 

But that was exciting......

[Navafan29]

Wow. Great win, though wins are not nearly as important now as whether or not our starting pitchers can get going. It's much better to be something like 2-8 to start the season but with a great team than it is start 8-2 due to luck and have a bad team. We're still in the "figuring out if our starting pitching is good" stage of the season. Now, 2 out of 5 starters are confirmed good, 1 is probably good, and 2 are question marks. Tomorrow's game won't be that important because we already know Price is good. All tomorrow's game will effect is one game of the season. The next Buchholz game however, will be huge. Will we have a majority of our staff reliable, or will the holes be too great? Next Buchholz game will probably be an omen for the season.

 

Vazquez was great today. He was the epitome of himself. Hit the monster twice, framed like crazy, picked someone off... I love hearing him being compared to Yadier Molina.

[SoxHop]

Wow. Great win, though wins are not nearly as important now as whether or not our starting pitchers can get going. It's much better to be something like 2-8 to start the season but with a great team than it is start 8-2 due to luck and have a bad team. We're still in the "figuring out if our starting pitching is good" stage of the season. Now, 2 out of 5 starters are confirmed good, 1 is probably good, and 2 are question marks. Tomorrow's game won't be that important because we already know Price is good. All tomorrow's game will effect is one game of the season. The next Buchholz game however, will be huge. Will we have a majority of our staff reliable, or will the holes be too great? Next Buchholz game will probably be an omen for the season.

 

Vazquez was great today. He was the epitome of himself. Hit the monster twice, framed like crazy, picked someone off... I love hearing him being compared to Yadier Molina.

 

I'm going to need a few more good starts in a row out of Porcello before I call him anything but suspect.

[TylerD]

Thought porcello was good tonight.... still figuring out this rotation but still early in the season with a winning record now .... I'll take it

[SoxHop]

Have to ask again. How much of that was Vasquez? How much of that was the ump who likes strikes, how much of that was Porcello?

 

To me that looked a lot more like pitching, than just throwing. Especially working inside like that.

[jad]

Wow. Great win, though wins are not nearly as important now as whether or not our starting pitchers can get going. It's much better to be something like 2-8 to start the season but with a great team than it is start 8-2 due to luck and have a bad team. ...

 

.

 

Ha! As Lenin is said to have said: "Quantity has its own quality." I'll take 8-2 over 2-8 any day!

[Spudboy]

Personal catchers that can't hit a beach ball into the ocean don't count.

 

But you said defensive, not offensive, and you made no mention of full time or not

[TylerD]

Have to ask again. How much of that was Vasquez? How much of that was the ump who likes strikes, how much of that was Porcello?

 

To me that looked a lot more like pitching, than just throwing. Especially working inside like that.

 

Porcello for the most part looked pretty calm and collective. Looked full in control the first 5 innings. He definitely had a good night

[Dojji]

Have to ask again. How much of that was Vasquez? How much of that was the ump who likes strikes, how much of that was Porcello?

 

To me that looked a lot more like pitching, than just throwing. Especially working inside like that.

 

We're not going to know the answer to any of those questions until we have a lot more information.

[Bellhorn04]

Jus one game, but what a game for Vazquez.

[Kimmi]

Have to ask again. How much of that was Vasquez? How much of that was the ump who likes strikes, how much of that was Porcello?

 

To me that looked a lot more like pitching, than just throwing. Especially working inside like that.

 

Porcello ultimately has to make the pitches, but IMO, having a catcher that you trust and have confidence in makes all the difference in the world. Some of it will show up in the numbers, but much of it doesn't.

 

Trusting what your catcher is calling for and not having to overthink, having confidence in throwing breaking balls and knowing your catcher will block the ones in the dirt, knowing that you don't have to be "perfect" in hitting your location and still get a strike, and not having to worry much about holding runners on first all have to have a fairly positive impact on the pitcher.

[Kimmi]

Jus one game, but what a game for Vazquez.

 

That was a great game all around. Good starting pitching, the bullpen doing its thing, nice offense from Vazquez in addition to his typical stellar defense, and even a stolen base from Papi. It doesn't get much better.

[SoxnCycles]

Porcello ultimately has to make the pitches, but IMO, having a catcher that you trust and have confidence in makes all the difference in the world. Some of it will show up in the numbers, but much of it doesn't.

 

Trusting what your catcher is calling for and not having to overthink, having confidence in throwing breaking balls and knowing your catcher will block the ones in the dirt, knowing that you don't have to be "perfect" in hitting your location and still get a strike, and not having to worry much about holding runners on first all have to have a fairly positive impact on the pitcher.

 

Yup, after not having Vazquez for over a year, it's easy to forget just how good he is.

And if he's figured out how to hit a little, so much the better.

Hopefully, he doesn't have holes in his swing large enough for opposing pitchers to figure him out.

[Bellhorn04]

That was a great game all around. Good starting pitching, the bullpen doing its thing, nice offense from Vazquez in addition to his typical stellar defense, and even a stolen base from Papi. It doesn't get much better.

 

What was priceless about the stolen base by Papi was the crowd reaction. There was a roar that started up when he took off - like, 'holy crap, Papi's stealing!'

[Bellhorn04]

The team looks like there's some real hustle and energy there. Maybe I should lay off Farrell...when I see a team playing hard like that it usually reflects well on the manager. Early days, though, early days...

[Bellhorn04]

The at-bat by Hanley in the first was huge. Great to see that alertness and hustle by him. And then of course for Shaw to step up and cash in two runs from it. The things that win ballgames...

[Kimmi]

Yup, after not having Vazquez for over a year, it's easy to forget just how good he is.

And if he's figured out how to hit a little, so much the better.

Hopefully, he doesn't have holes in his swing large enough for opposing pitchers to figure him out.

 

The rest of the offense should be good enough to cover a weak bat in Vazquez. IMO, any offense from him is gravy.

[Kimmi]

What was priceless about the stolen base by Papi was the crowd reaction. There was a roar that started up when he took off - like, 'holy crap, Papi's stealing!'

 

The crowd reaction was great!

 

As far as Farrell goes, I have not been happy with him so far this season, but as with everyone else on the team, he gets a fair chance to do his job before calling for his head.

[a700hitter]

Porcello can put up wins giving up a couple of HRs a long as our offense averages 5+ runs a game.

[iortiz]

Porcello can put up wins giving up a couple of HRs a long as our offense averages 5+ runs a game.

 

That's the key for Porcello if he wants to succeed here.

[Spudboy]

That's the key for Porcello if he wants to succeed here.

 

Not exactly.

 

To phrase it a little better, "reduced expectations are the key to his success here".

[iortiz]

Not exactly.

 

To phrase it a little better, "reduced expectations are the key to his success here".

 

i.e. No. 2 to No. 4?

[SoxHop]

Not exactly.

 

To phrase it a little better, "reduced expectations are the key to his success here".

 

This.....

 

but his last start was, and this is with reduced expectations...................mind blowingly awesome..................

[Kimmi]

Not exactly.

 

To phrase it a little better, "reduced expectations are the key to his success here".

 

No reduced expectations here.

 

Porcello pitched very well regardless of anyone's expectations.