8/19 vs. Yankees

[jacksonianmarch]

That was f***ing brutal! Now they left it up to porcello to win the series!

 

Against Gray. We should have won last night too.

[Station 13]

Holt is so useless. What the f*** makes him worth keeping around anymore.

[BstHcpr]

Meh. I think the odds were against scoring Holt from 1b even though I would not have sent him. Perfect throw beat him.

 

Meh. Brock Holt sucks at everything.

[BstHcpr]

Against Gray. We should have won last night too.

 

Well, we should have won G1 of the last series, so there! And you got lucky against Sale!

[Jasonbay44]

Meh. I think the odds were against scoring Holt from 1b even though I would not have sent him. Perfect throw beat him.

 

There's even lower odds of him scoring while sitting in dugout

[Maxbialystock]

Hell, after our ace gives up the early 3 run dinger and later a solo shot, this game was going to be hard to win. As it was, the first 2 runs were scratched out of 3 bare singles and aggressive baserunning.

 

The big opportunity to tie was in the 8th and Bogaerts K'd on 3 pitches--abysmal. And Sale gave up 4 runs--not so good.

[oldtimer]

Meh. I think the odds were against scoring Holt from 1b even though I would not have sent him. Perfect throw beat him.

 

How many times down one with one out in the ninth do you send a runner? I think it is rare and in my opinion dumb. Holt is not a burner, which makes the decision even more questionable.

[Maxbialystock]

Meh. Brock Holt sucks at everything.

 

Not really. He is one of the most versatile players in the AL. He actually does run the bases well although not much of a threat to steal. I am not a Holt fan because of his hitting, but his versatility has kept him employed.

[oldtimer]

Generally, Xander looked very uncomfortable handling sliders on the outside of the plate, which has been a problem for him. Don't know how he deals with that as it appears he doesn't see the ball well.

 

Young again was not a plus as a DH. Maybe we need to try something else. The DH should at least have some hard hit balls in play.

 

Beni went back to kind of an inside out swing in this game. When he does that, he hits a lot of weak ground balls and pop ups to the third base side. I know Sabbathia is not easy, but Beni is a lot more effective and has more power whe he can pull the ball.

[SoxHop]

Generally, Xander looked very uncomfortable handling sliders on the outside of the plate, which has been a problem for him. Don't know how he deals with that as it appears he doesn't see the ball well.

 

Young again was not a plus as a DH. Maybe we need to try something else. The DH should at least have some hard hit balls in play.

 

Beni went back to kind of an inside out swing in this game. When he does that, he hits a lot of weak ground balls and pop ups to the third base side. I know Sabbathia is not easy, but Beni is a lot more effective and has more power whe he can pull the ball.

 

He was slapping outside sliders the other way for the first half of the season. Now....... nothing.......... what gives?????????

[moonslav59]

Young again was not a plus as a DH. Maybe we need to try something else. The DH should at least have some hard hit balls in play.

 

Young had a .611 SLG% in August before tonight's game (.975 OPS).

 

Let's find someone else to pick on.

 

 

Note: the killer Bs are all under .600 over the last 28 days!

[moonslav59]

Not really. He is one of the most versatile players in the AL. He actually does run the bases well although not much of a threat to steal. I am not a Holt fan because of his hitting, but his versatility has kept him employed.

 

He is a good base runner, yes, but being able to play 7 positions all below average defensively is not as valuable as some think it is.

 

The sub .500 OPS cancels out his "flexibility".

[Spudboy]

He can't recognize the slider and always chases them out of the zone.

 

He used to poke some of those into right for a single.

[Bellhorn04]

Against Gray. We should have won last night too.

 

Yeah, you should have won a game in which you gave up 9 runs.

[Bellhorn04]

He is a good base runner, yes, but being able to play 7 positions all below average defensively is not as valuable as some think it is.

 

The sub .500 OPS cancels out his "flexibility".

 

Everybody picks on somebody. With some it's Young, with you it's Holt.

[Maxbialystock]

How many times down one with one out in the ninth do you send a runner? I think it is rare and in my opinion dumb. Holt is not a burner, which makes the decision even more questionable.

 

The count was 2-0. How do we know the hit and run wasn't on?

[OH FOY]

Don't matter now, stinkin Yanks keep hanging around.

[Maxbialystock]

He is a good base runner, yes, but being able to play 7 positions all below average defensively is not as valuable as some think it is.

 

The sub .500 OPS cancels out his "flexibility".

 

Actually, I agree. I cite the 7 positions as evidence of why the Sox have kept him, despite the fact that his a jack of all trades and master of none. Right now, for example, Farrell is going with 13 pitchers, including 8 relievers--sadly, with some justification. That leaves 3 guys on the bench, one of whom is a catcher and normally not usable as a pinch hitter, etc. The Sox are officially carrying just 4 infielders--Devers, Nunez, Bogaerts, and Moreland. Holt is the only backup for 2b, SS, and 3b.

 

Last night the three benchers were Vazquez, Moreland, and Holt (largely, as you say, because of his abysmal OPS). Of those three, Holt was also the best choice to pinch run, which he did after Leon got to first on a wild pitch third strike.

 

FWIW, I'm beginning to think that last night's caught stealing was partly the result of a missed hit and run sign (or Holt read hit and run and it wasn't on). I say this because it was a 2-0 count, which definitely favors the hitter. Plus Betances, even with that 3-0 count to JBJ, was throwing strikes--9 of 14 for the game.

 

Interestingly, on a 2-0 count with Betances more than capable of throwing a strike, that third pitch was outside, perfect to set Sanchez up for an accurate throw to 2b.

[OH FOY]

4 games in the loss column is not a lot, stinkin Met series kept them in it.

[Kimmi]

The eternal mysteries of major league baseball.

 

I like to call them enigmas.

[Bellhorn04]

4 games in the loss column is not a lot, stinkin Met series kept them in it.

 

And we've got a 4 gamer in Cleveland starting tomorrow night. Need today's game badly.

[Bellhorn04]

I like to call them enigmas.

 

I like conundrums as well.

[OH FOY]

They don't play tomorrow too. Sure they have make to catch up, but it could be 2 games by tomorrow. Give them more life. It is an important game today.

[Kimmi]

I thought it was an obvious choice to walk Moreland and pitch to Bogaerts, but I didn't expect him to look quite that bad.

 

Despite the homerun the other night, I sadly have no confidence in Bogaerts to get any big hit right now.

[jad]

How many times down one with one out in the ninth do you send a runner? I think it is rare and in my opinion dumb. Holt is not a burner, which makes the decision even more questionable.

 

What was the count on Dave Roberts a few years back?

[Station 13]

He was slapping outside sliders the other way for the first half of the season. Now....... nothing.......... what gives?????????

 

Was he? He was doing it with fastballs, bad habits formed and how he can't hit an offspeed pitch because of it? Granted, many of those offspeed he waves at is close to the dirt.

[OH FOY]

Thing with about Bogaerts is 13 HRS in Fenway last 2 years. Right handed batter in that Park with his hands is crazy. He was playing in KC or real big park, I understand it. Not Fenway.

He is becoming very close as to an Overrated Player to me.

Edited August 20, 2017 by OH FOY!

[OH FOY]

Didn't know Mookie has a .375 average against Betances, with 1 HR. Only 8 at bats, but with that said, it was really stupid now, to send Holt. You took Betts out of the equation. Only 1 thing hurts you a DP, even if Holt made it and JBJ did nothing it would have been interesting if Girardi would have walked Betts, and put the winning run on 1st. Edited August 20, 2017 by OH FOY!

[Bellhorn04]

Didn't know Mookie has a .375 average against Betances, with 1 HR. Only 8 at bats, but with that said, it was really stupid now, to send Holt. You took Betts out of the equation. Only 1 thing hurts you a DP, even if Holt made it and JBJ did nothing it would have been interesting if Girardi would have walked Betts, and put the winning run on 1st.

 

Bradley 9

Nunez 1

Betts 2

 

If Bradley and Nunez make outs Mookie does not come to the plate.

[Station 13]

Batances was on the verge of walking Bradley, wasn't it 3-0 when Brock bolt?