Postseason Happenings 2016

[Slasher9]

Relax everyone. they will not lose 6 games in a row.

[mvp 78]

Relax everyone. they will not lose 6 games in a row.

 

They could play all their bench guys for the next five games and still win at least one of them.

[Kimmi]

Relax everyone. they will not lose 6 games in a row.

 

I am sure they will not lose 6 games in a row, and the Jays will not likely win 6 in a row, but I'd rather not wait until the 6th or even the 5th game to clinch. Take care of business tonight.

[oldtimer]

I am sure they will not lose 6 games in a row, and the Jays will not likely win 6 in a row, but I'd rather not wait until the 6th or even the 5th game to clinch. Take care of business tonight.

 

I totally agree but the Sox are not as yet hitting. Only one hit well into the game. Buchholz is doing his job so we need the lineup to produce.

[Maxbialystock]

What is this "relax" BS? Yes, I'm pretty sure the Sox will clinch the ALE, but what worries me is that the Sox now seem to be rediscovering losing baseball after winning 11 in a row. Last night it was our $30M starter giving up 3 dingers and 6 runs. Tonight it's a lineup that can't hit or score runs through 7 innings. Two singles, that's it. Fortunately, Buchholz looked great tonight, the polar opposite of Price last night, and Ziegler pitched a clean 7th.

[a700hitter]

What is this "relax" BS? Yes, I'm pretty sure the Sox will clinch the ALE, but what worries me is that the Sox now seem to be rediscovering losing baseball after winning 11 in a row. Last night it was our $30M starter giving up 3 dingers and 6 runs. Tonight it's a lineup that can't hit or score runs through 7 innings. Two singles, that's it. Fortunately, Buchholz looked great tonight, the polar opposite of Price last night, and Ziegler pitched a clean 7th.

Isn't Price easier to type than "our $30M starter"? His salary rally bothers you -- class envy?

[moonslav59]

What is this "relax" BS? Yes, I'm pretty sure the Sox will clinch the ALE, but what worries me is that the Sox now seem to be rediscovering losing baseball after winning 11 in a row. Last night it was our $30M starter giving up 3 dingers and 6 runs. Tonight it's a lineup that can't hit or score runs through 7 innings. Two singles, that's it. Fortunately, Buchholz looked great tonight, the polar opposite of Price last night, and Ziegler pitched a clean 7th.

 

Come on Max. We win 11 in a row and lose one, and you call it "rediscovering losing"?

 

Man, this is a harsh world.

[a700hitter]

Come on Max. We win 11 in a row and lose one, and you call it "rediscovering losing"?

 

Man, this is a harsh world.

Mad Max

[oldtimer]

Well, JF made all the right moves tonight but Kimbrel let the Sox down with total wildness and Kelly almost got us out of it but his 98 mph fastball got too much of the plate and was hit over the fence for a Grand Salami. We had a great chance to win the game and gain ground on other teams for home field advantage, but the it came down to Kimbrel being awful out there. Goodbye win so it won't feel much like a celebration with the Orioles winning.

[Examiner]

Look at the last two nights. Last night was a moderately lame eye roller, but tonight was inexcusable. You put your closer on the mound knowing three outs = a division chamionship, knowing the immense symbolism of slamming the door and celebrating an ALE crowning at Yankee stadium, and what does he do? Walks the first four batters he faces, followed by a star studded exhibition by the ex-Cardinal to finish it. Either the moment was too big for Kimbrell, or he got carried away with his emotions and was over-pumped. I do not trust this guy, nor do I trust David Price. I called Price a "chocker" (BDC posters will understand) in 2013, and I still feel that way, he has choked in big games before. Kimbrell is too wild, and tends to have let downs at exactly the wrong moment. Eleven straight wins was nice, but I still don't trust this team, I just don't, they are just as likely to lose 4-5 in a row now as they were to win 4-5.

[SoxHop]

Look at the last two nights. Last night was a moderately lame eye roller, but tonight was inexcusable. You put your closer on the mound knowing three outs = a division chamionship, knowing the immense symbolism of slamming the door and celebrating an ALE crowning at Yankee stadium, and what does he do? Walks the first four batters he faces, followed by a star studded exhibition by the ex-Cardinal to finish it. Either the moment was too big for Kimbrell, or he got carried away with his emotions and was over-pumped. I do not trust this guy, nor do I trust David Price. I called Price a "chocker" (BDC posters will understand) in 2013, and I still feel that way, he has choked in big games before. Kimbrell is too wild, and tends to have let downs at exactly the wrong moment. Eleven straight wins was nice, but I still don't trust this team, I just don't, they are just as likely to lose 4-5 in a row now as they were to win 4-5.

 

I really don't know the answer to this....... but please tell me his last blown save...

[S5Dewey]

I really don't know the answer to this....... but please tell me his last blown save...

 

His blown saves haven't concerned me as much as the tightrope he's been walking. When he's wild he stays wild and can't find the plate. I want my closer to be able to throw strikes. Period.

[S5Dewey]

He went through a stretch when he was getting the job done but was going to 3-ball counts on essentially every batter. I said at the time that this will come back to haunt him and tonight it did. The thing that scares me is the potential that it can happen again anytime.

[Examiner]

His blown saves haven't concerned me as much as the tightrope he's been walking. When he's wild he stays wild and can't find the plate. I want my closer to be able to throw strikes. Period.

 

EXACTLY! Bulls eye. I could not have said it better. I said in my OP that his wildness (meaning brinkmanship) is what I don't trust about him. Now it can be in his head. Has he had a bigger moment with this team? Clinching the ALE on the YS mound? No. That could not have been any worse of a red flag. If I was John Farrell, I'd have done what Belichick would have done, and gone into the clubhouse to rip them a new one. Put the bottles down til you accomplish something on the field. 2013 this ain't, just picture that team blowing this game in that situation.

[Examiner]

....and don't even get me started on Price, he's just as bad when the moment is big. He "chocked" in 2013, did it again a year or two later with Toronto, and I don't trust him now. He'll probably get shelled his first playoff game. No way I start him in game one, no way.

[SoxHop]

He went through a stretch when he was getting the job done but was going to 3-ball counts on essentially every batter. I said at the time that this will come back to haunt him and tonight it did. The thing that scares me is the potential that it can happen again anytime.

 

Look..... i hate it too...... I wish he was totally lights out.

 

But..... he finishes out his tight rope act better than many relievers....... he's lights out other than a blip EVERY GAME. It's ugly, but super effective.....

 

I'll take it.....

[moonslav59]

...and people are saying we don't need to build up the pen much this winter.

[Examiner]

Look..... i hate it too...... I wish he was totally lights out.

 

But..... he finishes out his tight rope act better than many relievers....... he's lights out other than a blip EVERY GAME. It's ugly, but super effective.....

 

I'll take it.....

 

I want the Sox to win as much as anyone, but brinkmanship in a closer ultimately never works. Eventually he'll blow a fatal game that he or the team never fully recovers from.

[Examiner]

The ONLY sliver of hope here for him lies in the fact (and I actually thought about this during that inning) that since the team already knew they had clinched, there might have been a sense of "let's get this game done so we can party" type thing that got in the way of his focus--like a closer pitching in a blowout because he needs work, and getting lit up. If we're lucky, that's all it was.

[SoxHop]

I want the Sox to win as much as anyone, but brinkmanship in a closer ultimately never works. Eventually he'll blow a fatal game that he or the team never fully recovers from.

 

ok......... what has shown you he blows more games than other very good closers?????? why would you think that? they do miss one once in a while........ glad Kibrel did it tonight and not in a clutch situation.....

[SoxHop]

The ONLY sliver of hope here for him lies in the fact (and I actually thought about this during that inning) that since the team already knew they had clinched, there might have been a sense of "let's get this game done so we can party" type thing that got in the way of his focus--like a closer pitching in a blowout because he needs work, and getting lit up. If we're lucky, that's all it was.

 

I'd like to chalk this up to that....... is wasn't a save situation and he doesn't do well in those situations........

 

I'd chalk it up to rain, and he didn't have it tonight.......... but that is far and few between most night for the guy.

 

I think we could argue who would be better in the high pressure situations between Koji and Kimbrel............. but either is a good bet and Kimbrel has been pretty much lights out....

[Examiner]

I'd like to chalk this up to that....... is wasn't a save situation and he doesn't do well in those situations........

 

I'd chalk it up to rain, and he didn't have it tonight.......... but that is far and few between most night for the guy.

 

I think we could argue who would be better in the high pressure situations between Koji and Kimbrel............. but either is a good bet and Kimbrel has been pretty much lights out....

 

This WAS a save situation, and he blew it. If it was just a run of the mill game I'd smh and move on. This was different. This was a moment they will NEVER get back again! Not ever--and he knew that when he left the bullpen tonight. They had the chance to clinch the 2016 ALE at Yankee stadium, to run on the field and pile on in front of their biggest rival, and it didn't happen because clunkhead couldn't get three outs. Not only did it not happen, they walked off and piled on in front of US! For a Red Sox pitcher, it doesn't get any worse than that. HUGE red flag, he choked in the biggest moment of his season.

Edited September 29, 2016 by Examiner

[a700hitter]

This WAS a save situation, and he blew it. If it was just a run of the mill game I'd smh and move on. This was different. This was a moment they will NEVER get back again! Not ever--and he knew that when he left the bullpen tonight. They had the chance to clinch the 2016 ALE at Yankee stadium, to run on the field and pile on in front of their biggest rival, and it didn't happen because clunkhead couldn't get three outs. Not only did it not happen, they walked off and piled on in front of US! For a Red Sox pitcher, it doesn't get any worse than that. HUGE red flag, he choked in the biggest moment of his season.

Yep. He certainly choked and robbed his team mates and fans of a great moment.

[Examiner]

Yep. He certainly choked and robbed his team mates and fans of a great moment.

 

Yip, and we will never get that moment back because he couldn't do his job at the one moment we most needed him to. I'm so angry about this I might not even watch the game tomorrow night. The weather is nice, I may get my fire pit out and say screw them. I have said from day one that this team is not to be trusted, they are too inconsistent, They score 13 one night, then score 3 combined in losing the next two, and the stats show they're outscoring their opponents 16-6. Every single time you think they've turned a corner and solidified, they do something stupid like the last two games. I would not be shocked at all if they lose again tomorrow, then lose 2/3 against Toronto.

[S5Dewey]

ok......... what has shown you he blows more games than other very good closers?????? why would you think that? they do miss one once in a while........ glad Kibrel did it tonight and not in a clutch situation.....

 

All closers lose games once in a while. I can live with that. Sometimes a closer gives up a few hits on days when he doesn't have it. What I can't live with is my closer giving up a hit and walking three batters to drive in a run. What "closer" does THAT??

 

And color me crazy if you like, but I think having the chance to clinch the ALE in Yankee Stadium IS a clutch situation. This is the time and place you want to win it... and he chocked.

[S5Dewey]

...and people are saying we don't need to build up the pen much this winter.

 

Starting with getting a real closer. One who knows where the plate is and can pitch to it.

[SoxHop]

This WAS a save situation, and he blew it. If it was just a run of the mill game I'd smh and move on. This was different. This was a moment they will NEVER get back again! Not ever--and he knew that when he left the bullpen tonight. They had the chance to clinch the 2016 ALE at Yankee stadium, to run on the field and pile on in front of their biggest rival, and it didn't happen because clunkhead couldn't get three outs. Not only did it not happen, they walked off and piled on in front of US! For a Red Sox pitcher, it doesn't get any worse than that. HUGE red flag, he choked in the biggest moment of his season.

 

Kind of like Pedro in the 8th vs NY...... I guess he was crap also....

 

This isn't football....... there is a 162 games....... you can't be magical every night......

 

I'm ending my night on this............................

 

s*** happens.........Kimbrel is ugly but effective.......... but I'd like to see him in a game like this every time and he will win better than many closers on other teams.......

 

who cares what happened tonight........... we just went from worst to first..... that is an amazing accomplishment........

 

screw anyone that wants to damper that.......... yea..... a few of our players had a crap game .............. we just got it done......

 

I'll take Kibrel to battle on our team in the playoffs any day of the week.........

[a700hitter]

All closers lose games once in a while. I can live with that. Sometimes a closer gives up a few hits on days when he doesn't have it. What I can't live with is my closer giving up a hit and walking three batters to drive in a run. What "closer" does THAT??

 

And color me crazy if you like, but I think having the chance to clinch the ALE in Yankee Stadium IS a clutch situation. This is the time and place you want to win it... and he chocked.

We have never clinched in the regular season at Yankee Stadium. It was a huge moment, a Kimbrel blew up the game. He was handed an easy save situation, and he just didn't show up at all --28 pitches, 4 base runners and no outs. That is not an off night. That is an implosion with a Calvin Schiraldi look.

[Examiner]

All closers lose games once in a while. I can live with that. Sometimes a closer gives up a few hits on days when he doesn't have it. What I can't live with is my closer giving up a hit and walking three batters to drive in a run. What "closer" does THAT??

 

And color me crazy if you like, but I think having the chance to clinch the ALE in Yankee Stadium IS a clutch situation. This is the time and place you want to win it... and he chocked.

 

For a Red Sox pitcher is was the clutch of clutches for a regular season game. Guys, I'm telling you, this is bad, it's very, very bad. It reminds me of a smaller version of when the Houston closer--whatshisname gave up the HR to Pujols in the 05 NLCS when they were one out from the WS. It didn't matter that they won at Stl next game. It took him 2-3 years to really get past that, the team and fans were robbed of celebrating at home, and other than 2008 he was never the same again.

[d-money]

I have more trust in buchholz in the playoffs in a start then price. That should tell you enough lol. This guy has the playoffs in front of him now to exercise some demons. If he chokes again then it will just leave another mark in his career.