9/9 @ Toronto, Porcello vs. Estrada, for the AL East Championship (this week, anyway)

[a700hitter]

Yeah, you had to bring THAT up.

 

Now I feel obligated to say that I never in my wildest dreams expected this to happen. I saw him as being a liability at 1b, refusing to bend over or stretch, and to be so "HR Happy" that he was going to excel Mike Napoli's K #'s. During the winter i was all for dumping Hanley for whatever we could get and having The Fat Man at 3B.

 

Could I have possibly been more WRONG??

Just learn to trust my Spring Training assessments on these things. Last year, I predicted that he had no clue in the OF, and this year Imy concerns were popips and throwing. He has had a few problems with popups, but not too many and he sucks at throwing. Overall, he has been adequate.

[Hugh2]

Porcello will be high in the final voting. Unless he falls apart, he is in the top 3.

 

If the voting were held today, I think theres a strong chance that's right where he'd land. #3.

 

Somewhere......Ben C. is smiling. Or crying.

[d-money]

Kluber and sale ahead of porcello? Based on what? That's ridiculous. Kluber has 9 losses. Porcello has a 1.02 whip. If he closes strong here then porcello will be your cy young winner.

[d-money]

I wanna know why kluber's getting all this love. Because he has more strikeouts then porcello?

[Hugh2]

W/L are often over-rated when it comes to Cy-Young voting. Exhibit A. Felix Hernandez.

[Kimmi]

If the voting were held today, I think theres a strong chance that's right where he'd land. #3.

 

Somewhere......Ben C. is smiling. Or crying.

 

Ben should have been given some more time to see his long term vision come to fruition.

[Kimmi]

We need to start this series off on the right foot with a win tonight.

 

Go Sox!!!

[Hugh2]

Kluber and sale ahead of porcello? Based on what? That's ridiculous. Kluber has 9 losses. Porcello has a 1.02 whip. If he closes strong here then porcello will be your cy young winner.

 

So Kluber has a 1.04 Whip which is pretty much identical. If that's the game you want to play then Kluber has more complete games, more shut outs, a lower ERA, more innings pitched, a lower H/9, less HR's, less HBP, more K's, lower FIP(x), and a higher ERA+

 

To be fair with the exception of strike outs he's only marginally better than Porcello who has shown better control with less BB/9, lower whip and more wins. Looking at it closer, I feel my opinion may have shifted. Porcello definitely closes the gap but it's not like it was a ridiculous statement to put Kluber ahead of Rick...actually if I had to vote for one right now (taking my Sox biases out of the voting) I'd still put Kluber ahead of him. Also, the Guardians are in 1st place with a more commanding lead for what it's worth.

 

Anyways.....go Sox!!!

[dustcover]

That's been Bogaerts problem right along, pitch selection. 3 and 2 count and he swings at two pitches outside the strike zone.The six pitch in the sequence was high and wide, and a walk would have created runners on 1st & 2nd with no outs with Ortiz due up.

[d-money]

Need to do better with the bases loaded.

[d-money]

Hope porcello can get more run support

[TylerD]

Come on Pedroia!!!

[TylerD]

Well another run. Should be worse for the Jays but I'll take it.

[TylerD]

Porcello made that look so pretty

[TylerD]

Another nice inning from Porcello. Let's go offense!

[SoxHop]

Porcello's not fooling around....

[d-money]

I won't feel comfortable until it's 5-0 or 6-0

[SoxHop]

I won't feel comfortable until it's 5-0 or 6-0

 

I'm right there with you.

[dustcover]

Nothing like burning the opponent's bullpen in the 3rd inning of the opener of a three game series. GO SOX!

[Navafan29]

There's been other games where the standings are in a similar situation, but now there's less games remaining, so this game is higher stakes. In my opinion, this is the most important game of the year so far. And we're up 4-0! Couldn't be more satisfied. For some reason, the errors make it feel more like a pennant race game, like because it adds controversy and frustration to it I guess.

[d-money]

Well porcello has to do his job now. Let's go big dick rick porcello

[d-money]

Porcello has to throw strikes. Ridiculous.

[d-money]

Porcello falling apart. No excuses. Pathetic against the bottom of the lineup.

[TylerD]

Damn so much for a shut out

[dustcover]

Nothing like burning the opponent's bullpen in the 3rd inning of the opener of a three game series. GO SOX!

[Navafan29]

Anyone else experiencing NESN technical difficulties?

[dustcover]

Porcello falling apart. No excuses. Pathetic against the bottom of the lineup.

 

Yup pathetic! K's Donaldson on three pitches and then induces a ground ball double play!

[SoxHop]

Yup pathetic! K's Donaldson on three pitches and then induces a ground ball double play!

 

Well said....

[Navafan29]

Great now it'll be 3 weeks before we see another steal attempt.

[d-money]

Need porcello to go 7 at least and he's around 50 pitches already.