ALDS Game 2 @ Indians

[bosoxmal]

Price got by with a 97 mph fastball for several years, That, and his comman of it. He's now throwin 92-93 AND with not very good command, It was good to see Barnes come and throw a few breaking balls for a change/

 

In general, the team was tight as a string. But that's no excuse for taking middle-of-the-plate fastballs each at bat. I have a feeling (and hoep) that JBJ will ride the bench for the rest of the series unless he comes in as a defensive replacement. Evern that needs work, His throws the past two weeks have been terrible. He needs tempering (and tutoring) in many areas.

[jad]

Price got by with a 97 mph fastball for several years, That, and his comman of it. He's now throwin 92-93 AND with not very good command, It was good to see Barnes come and throw a few breaking balls for a change/

 

In general, the team was tight as a string. But that's no excuse for taking middle-of-the-plate fastballs each at bat. I have a feeling (and hoep) that JBJ will ride the bench for the rest of the series unless he comes in as a defensive replacement. Evern that needs work, His throws the past two weeks have been terrible. He needs tempering (and tutoring) in many areas.

 

4-39 to close out the season, i.e., Steven Drew numbers. But it doesn't look as if he'll be riding the bench for long if it's only for the rest of the season.

[Maxbialystock]

Me, I definitely wanted the home field advantage--on general principles if nothing else. I wanted the Sox to have the best W-L record in the AL.

 

That said, I'm somewhat amazed how everything is now being blamed on having to play in Cleveland. So far in these playoff games, the two wild card games were split--Toronto won at home, but it was a tough win, 11 innings, helped by the Orioles not using their ace reliever Britton. The Giants won in Mets Stadium. Both wild card wins were the clearly result of excellent pitching, not the ballpark. In the other ALDS, Toronto has now won both games on the road at Texas, and tonight the Dodgers just beat the Nationals in Nationals ballpark. And, FWIW, overall the Sox were semi-tied with the Cubs for the best road record in MLB.

 

To me it still boils down to pitching, not location/ballpark. Our starting pitching stunk in the first two games, and Cleveland's was OK in the first and excellent in the second.

[Maxbialystock]

I expect Buch to come up big on Sunday and our bats to come alive. I expect that Porcello will come back on 3 days rest on Monday. He is a natural sinkerballer so as long as he doesn't try to get k's high in the zone, I feel confident that he can prevail. Game 5 we can roll the dice with Price against Kluber.

 

Bravo. We disagree on a lot, but that's definitely the right attitude and it's a plausible scenario.

[d-money]

Me, I definitely wanted the home field advantage--on general principles if nothing else. I wanted the Sox to have the best W-L record in the AL.

 

That said, I'm somewhat amazed how everything is now being blamed on having to play in Cleveland. So far in these playo

ff games, the two wild card games were split--Toronto won at home, but it was a tough win, 11 innings, helped by the Orioles not using their ace reliever Britton. The Giants won in Mets Stadium. Both wild card wins were the clearly result of excellent pitching, not the ballpark. In the other ALDS, Toronto has now won both games on the road at Texas, and tonight the Dodgers just beat the Nationals in Nationals ballpark. And, FWIW, overall the Sox were semi-tied with the Cubs for the best road record in MLB.

 

To me it still boils down to pitching, not location/ballpark. Our starting pitching stunk in the first two games, and Cleveland's was OK in the first and excellent in the second.

 

Go look at their road record. They play very well at home.

[Spudboy]

Bravo. We disagree on a lot, but that's definitely the right attitude and it's a plausible scenario.

 

Sure we disagree on stuff. We are all our own people.

 

But us OG Sox fans have learned to not give up hope.

 

It takes years of disappointment and failure to acquire this trait.

[SoxHop]

Go look at their road record. They play very well at home.

 

Where are you from? You must have been a Sox fan for a while.

[d-money]

Where are you from? You must have been a Sox fan for a while.

 

1 win in their last 8 games. Did you see that coming? I surely didn't. This team need's a kick in the arse lol

[a700hitter]

I would so much rather have Lester than Price.

[d-money]

I would so much rather have Lester than Price.

 

What a big mistake that was. Lester should have retired in a sox uniform.

[illinoisredsox]

A very apt and even commendable defense of Price.

 

However, I must point out two additional, compelling facts. First and foremost, Price only lasted 3.1 innings. If Farrell believed his starter just had a little bad luck, he would have left him in. Fact two, in the two games thus far in the ALDS, the starting pitchers have given up 10 earned runs and the bullpen--which has pitched more innings--has given up 1 unearned run.

 

Yes, the hittting was piss poor today, but Kluber is a bonafide candidate for the Cy Young and today we could all see why. He has really good stuff. Not a lot of K's, but very unhittable. Last night the hitting brought in 4 runs, and it simply wasn't enough because our starter in just 4.1 innings gave up 3 dingers and 5 runs.

 

The story of this ALDS so far is starting pitching, pure and simple. The Guardians have it--despite their injuries--and so far we very clearly have not had it.

 

Don't get me wrong, Price did not pitch that well. He was off on location all day. But as has happened a lot this year, he gave up hits in bunches, cheap as a few of them were, followed by one big one. Still, had he been perfect, he gets a no decision due to the Sox offense and the defense was terrible.

 

And Porcello was awful (I blame lack of his lucky hat). Far worse than Price IMO.

[Northern Star]

What a big mistake that was. Lester should have retired in a sox uniform.

 

So much for Henry's rule about pitcher contracts when they ended up practically forced to pony up for an inferior product.

[d-money]

So much for Henry's rule about pitcher contracts when they ended up practically forced to pony up for an inferior product.

 

Yup. Jon already had his postseason resume to show for it.

[TylerD]

Well... at the very least, this is the perfect chance for Buchholz to fully get his confidence back. A chance to erase every bad thing he's done this season and start fresh where it really matters. There's no way we're getting swept by Cleveland, and if we win next game, the series will be 2-1, which is as close as a series can possibly be after 3 games played. I don't buy that David Ortiz's swan song will be getting swept in 3 games by the Guardians. I don't buy that we'd lose at Fenway in Game 4 after making it 2-1. If you forced me to make an accurate prediction on this series at this point, I'd say that we lose it in Game 5. But I think we have a better chance to win this series than most teams who went down the dreaded 2-0.

 

If I was Clay I would be throwing up knowin it's up to me lol. #goodluckclay

[SoxHop]

I expect Buch to come up big on Sunday and our bats to come alive. I expect that Porcello will come back on 3 days rest on Monday. He is a natural sinkerballer so as long as he doesn't try to get k's high in the zone, I feel confident that he can prevail. Game 5 we can roll the dice with Price against Kluber.

 

My favorite post of the day.

 

Win the next two at home....... then see what happens.

 

Hopefully we got the post season play jitters out of our system.

[TylerD]

Is anyone els seeing how beautiful Lester is tonight. I miss him so damn much

[SoxHop]

CAN WE STOP TALKING ABOUT LESTER!!!!!!!!!!! He's gone.

[User Name]

50 million, 23 outs, 10 earned runs. Money well spent!

 

Doom and gloom aside, this stinks.

[jacksonianmarch]

You'd better not be down after five on Sunday.

[Fan_since_Boggs]

Is anyone els seeing how beautiful Lester is tonight. I miss him so damn much

 

Not only did David Price stink up the joint today, but then Lester throws a gem. PAINFUL!

[Emp9]

I think getting back to Fenway will indeed help. They just have to take it one game at a time. I'm not expecting or demanding any miracles. I don't think the feat in question is "miracle" worthy. Cleveland won their games at home, and the Sox have to do the same, simple as that.

[Spudboy]

I think getting back to Fenway will indeed help. They just have to take it one game at a time. I'm not expecting or demanding any miracles. I don't think the feat in question is "miracle" worthy. Cleveland won their games at home, and the Sox have to do the same, simple as that.

 

Yeah dropping two to start a series is not a big deal when it's best of 7.

 

Oh wait....

[Bellhorn04]

Not only did David Price stink up the joint today, but then Lester throws a gem. PAINFUL!

 

Letting Lester go the way they did is the biggest mistake this front office has made with regard to on-field talent.

[greenwell]

I expect Buch to come up big on Sunday and our bats to come alive. I expect that Porcello will come back on 3 days rest on Monday. He is a natural sinkerballer so as long as he doesn't try to get k's high in the zone, I feel confident that he can prevail. Game 5 we can roll the dice with Price against Kluber.

 

I think Buch will come up big too, but I don't think they should pitch Porcello on Monday. I have way more confidence in ERod then I do in Price so it makes more sense to not send Porcello out on short rest. I know his numbers are better at home, but not by much.

[jad]

I think Buch will come up big too, but I don't think they should pitch Porcello on Monday. I have way more confidence in ERod then I do in Price so it makes more sense to not send Porcello out on short rest. I know his numbers are better at home, but not by much.

 

MONDAY?? You talkin' about Monday? Are you kidding me? MONDAY????

[greenwell]

MONDAY?? You talkin' about Monday? Are you kidding me? MONDAY????

 

Not much to say about tomorrow. They have to win, Buch has to pitch well. They have to hit. The real question comes after that. Would you rather see Porcello or Price in a game 5 (that's right, I'm talking about game 5 now)

[S5Dewey]

I think Buch will come up big too, but I don't think they should pitch Porcello on Monday. I have way more confidence in ERod then I do in Price so it makes more sense to not send Porcello out on short rest. I know his numbers are better at home, but not by much.

 

The more I think about it there's a lot to be said for that. Buch on Sunday, followed by ERod on Monday at home. I like ERod at home because regardless of what the past statistics show about HFA I'd want ERods first playoff game to be at home in front of the home crowd. I believe there's something to be said for crowd support and adrenaline. Then Porcillo for Game 5 in Cleveland.

 

Frankly, I don't have a lot of faith in Erod or Price so given the fact that I see them as a toss-up I'd put ERod out there for Game 4 and "save" Price for Game 1 of a seven game series. At least if Price botches that one the team has more time to make up for the loss. And if he becomes the David Price we thought we were getting we're up 1-0 over (probably) Toronto.

[User Name]

I would pitch Porcello on short rest in game 4. It's not really a possibility as much as it is an obligation considering the circumstances.

[a700hitter]

I would pitch Porcello on short rest in game 4. It's not really a possibility as much as it is an obligation considering the circumstances.

He only threw 72 pitches in game 1. He should take the ball in game 4.

[jad]

Not much to say about tomorrow. They have to win, Buch has to pitch well. They have to hit. The real question comes after that. Would you rather see Porcello or Price in a game 5 (that's right, I'm talking about game 5 now)

 

You mean game 5 in this series? Or in the WS when they're up 3-1?