Jays vs Red Sox 10/1/16

[Bellhorn04]

Yeah, Kelly looked great serving up the GW grand slam to Teixeira

 

Very unfair. He was brought in with the bases loaded and made one bad pitch to a left-handed power hitter in a park built for left-handed power hitters. Other than that, he's has been doing a great job from the pen.

[S5Dewey]

I agree with letting Kimbrel pitch the 9th, even though a tie game but at home. I have no problem with it. On the road no go. Just look at the stats when he comes in when the game is tied. He is starting to be a concern. I don't care if he strikes out the side on Sunday. I don't know if it's mechanical or something. But it needs to be fixed. I don't expect him to be perfect but I'm not looking for that. I do think he will be fine..... Proceed with caution....

 

Proceeding with caution is something Farrell DID NOT do on Saturday night. To proceed with caution he would have had to have someone ready in case Kimbrel started walking people.

Now, I know this would be insulting to 'Allegedly Fragile Craig' but we are now at a point in the season when we can't afford to let him "work his way through it". If JF hasn't the guts to tell Kimbrel that he's been replaced as the closer he should at the minimum have his Plan B ready. If Kimbrel is offended by having someone warming up when he takes the mound, well, it's time Kimbrel put on his big boy pants and realize the HE is the reason it's happening.

[Bellhorn04]

Kimbrel is a big concern right now, he has to be. 6 walks in his last 3 outings, which is equal to the number of outs he recorded. That's scary business.

[S5Dewey]

Something else that concerned me about Saturday night - the post game interview:

 

Often times what a person says without knowing it tells a lot about the mindset.

 

IIRC Kimbrel never used the word "I" in his talking about what happened. It was always "we". "We" have to figure out what's happening, "WE" have to make changes. "WE" will be working to solve this.

Contrast that with what David Price said when he was going through his slump and was saying "I". "I" need to do better. "I" let my team down with what I did tonight. "I" need to figure this out.

 

Right now Kimbrel isn't taking personal responsibility for his bad pitching. It's the team's issue. Until he can admit that it's his issue he hasn't the ultimate responsibility to solve the problem. Until he can take responsibility for six walks in two games he will imply that it's everyone's problem, and if it's everyone's problem it's no one's problem. Not even his - in his eyes.

 

#Koji 4 Kloser

[Spudboy]

Very unfair. He was brought in with the bases loaded and made one bad pitch to a left-handed power hitter in a park built for left-handed power hitters. Other than that, he's has been doing a great job from the pen.

 

Kelly has looked pretty good since his call-up.

 

I have more confidence in him in the 9th than I have for Kimbrel at this point.

[S5Dewey]

Kelly has looked pretty good since his call-up.

 

I have more confidence in him in the 9th than I have for Kimbrel at this point.

 

As a point of comparison, I now have more faith in Buch as a starter than in Kimbrel as a closer.

[Kimmi]

The true loss today is Beni's hair...

 

Yup. What was the boy thinking?

[Spudboy]

As a point of comparison, I now have more faith in Buch as a starter than in Kimbrel as a closer.

 

Me too.

[Kimmi]

Proceeding with caution is something Farrell DID NOT do on Saturday night. To proceed with caution he would have had to have someone ready in case Kimbrel started walking people.

Now, I know this would be insulting to 'Allegedly Fragile Craig' but we are now at a point in the season when we can't afford to let him "work his way through it". If JF hasn't the guts to tell Kimbrel that he's been replaced as the closer he should at the minimum have his Plan B ready. If Kimbrel is offended by having someone warming up when he takes the mound, well, it's time Kimbrel put on his big boy pants and realize the HE is the reason it's happening.

 

I can almost guarantee you that in a playoff game, Farrell will have his Plan B warming up in the pen, just in case. Last night's game, despite what some think, did not have the urgency to it that required having another reliever ready in case Kimbrel faltered.

 

When asked about the possibility of flipping Kimbrel and Koji after last night's game, Farrell responded 'not yet'. To me, it sounds like Kimbrel will be on a very short leash in the ALDS.

 

I share your concerns about Kimbrel, though I think you're being a bit harsh on him. Thankfully, we do have Koji, who has been very good since returning from the DL and who has also been money in the postseason.

[S5Dewey]

I can almost guarantee you that in a playoff game, Farrell will have his Plan B warming up in the pen, just in case. Last night's game, despite what some think, did not have the urgency to it that required having another reliever ready in case Kimbrel faltered.

 

When asked about the possibility of flipping Kimbrel and Koji after last night's game, Farrell responded 'not yet'. To me, it sounds like Kimbrel will be on a very short leash in the ALDS.

 

I share your concerns about Kimbrel, though I think you're being a bit harsh on him. Thankfully, we do have Koji, who has been very good since returning from the DL and who has also been money in the postseason.

 

So...what are the thoughts on what Kimbrel's psyche might be knowing that there's someone warming when he takes the mound? Is it a motivator? Or does it lead him to a self-fulling prophecy that he may not be that good any more?

[Kimmi]

So...what are the thoughts on what Kimbrel's psyche might be knowing that there's someone warming when he takes the mound? Is it a motivator? Or does it lead him to a self-fulling prophecy that he may not be that good any more?

 

That's a good question, and that is something that Farrell is going to have to address. I read this morning that Kimbrel was working through some kind of mechanical adjustment. Not the best of times to be doing that, but whatever. Kimbrel doesn't seem to have lost any confidence in his ability.

 

His response to last night's outing was something along the lines of, a walk due to mechanical adjustments, cross up on signs, sac fly, not a bad outing.

 

It's good that he's not down on himself. OTOH, as you mentioned, is he taking any ownership of his poor outings?

 

In short, I don't know the answer to your question. This is why the managers get paid the big bucks.

[S5Dewey]

I'm not even sure that it's a good thing he's not down on himself. As you said, meh, a walk due to mechanical adjustments, cross up on signs, sac fly, not a bad outing.

 

Well, I have a flash for him. That WAS a bad outing, and the one before it was too, and until he realizes that (a la David Price) I'd be very hesitant to put him out there again in any inning.

 

Koji 4 Kloser

[Maxbialystock]

I don't want to come across as two-faced, but I would vastly prefer that Kimbrel contribute in the playoffs. The lesson of September--truly a great month for the Sox--is the emergence of the bullpen who time and again came in early and late to keep the Sox competitive. To me it was not one guy, but several. I pick on Kimbrel because he gets the big bucks and is THE CLOSER. And I do think Kelly, Uehara, or Ziegler could close. But I would really rather Kimbrel close--effectively--because he has the best stuff when hitters can't sit on his fast ball or just plain wait for him to walk them. I'm pissed off at Kimbrel, but, believe me, I am not rooting for to fail.

[S5Dewey]

I don't want to come across as two-faced, but I would vastly prefer that Kimbrel contribute in the playoffs. The lesson of September--truly a great month for the Sox--is the emergence of the bullpen who time and again came in early and late to keep the Sox competitive. To me it was not one guy, but several. I pick on Kimbrel because he gets the big bucks and is THE CLOSER. And I do think Kelly, Uehara, or Ziegler could close. But I would really rather Kimbrel close--effectively--because he has the best stuff when hitters can't sit on his fast ball or just plain wait for him to walk them. I'm pissed off at Kimbrel, but, believe me, I am not rooting for to fail.

 

Just to be clear, although I've been very vocal about my opinion regarding Kimbrel at the same time I'm not rooting for him to fail just so I can say I was right. I'd much rather see him succeed and have me be wrong.

[Youk Of The Nation]

Bump