Countdown to the Playoffs - 2017 Edition

[Kimmi]

Figuring we have three versions of what actually happened on a bobbled ball by Holt here on this forum, a aggressiveness/bonehead play log here should be standard talksox zanniness at it's best.

 

Haha. Exactly.

[Kimmi]

Last 17 games Yanks play 14 at home and 3 on the road against Opponents with a .489 winning percentage.

Sox play 8 at home 9 on the road, against Opponents with a .487 winning percentage.

Yanks basically just played 3 at home too, against Tampa in NY. Tampa plays us tough in Tampa.

Keep an eye on this. I'm not counting my chickens just yet. Every game now huge.

 

You are right about not counting our chickens before they hatch. Until they are mathematically eliminated, the Yankees are still very much in this thing. That said, I feel pretty good about our team.

[moonslav59]

Well, I disagree. I didn't say that it's not a bonehead play (although in some cases I think that's a judgment call), just that I 100% believe that trying to do too much or trying to make something happen can lead to some bonehead plays.

 

I guess we will just have to disagree. I can't see how running to 3B with the play in front of you as "trying to make something happen"...other than making an out happen.

 

Why not just keep running all the bases on a single hoping they make 3 errors and "something happens". It's a 99.9% out.

 

I can see running with your head down and not noticing the guy in front of you has stopped could be viewed as that player wanting to "make something happen", but running with your head down is as bonehead as it gets regardless of the motives.

 

[moonslav59]

@pgammo

 

Andrew Miller reactivated. Guardians BP leads AL in ERA(2.80), Save%(78.05), K/BB(strikezone control-3.59)

 

Their pen is so freakin' deep, too!

[Carpin]

Their pen is so freakin' deep, too!

 

Amazing how the Guardians are even better now

[devildavid]

I guess we will just have to disagree. I can't see how running to 3B with the play in front of you as "trying to make something happen"...other than making an out happen.

 

Why not just keep running all the bases on a single hoping they make 3 errors and "something happens". It's a 99.9% out.

 

I can see running with your head down and not noticing the guy in front of you has stopped could be viewed as that player wanting to "make something happen", but running with your head down is as bonehead as it gets regardless of the motives.

 

 

And how many incidents of running with your head down have you tallied?

[devildavid]

You're standing on 2B and a ground ball is hit in front of you to the SS or 3Bman. Everyone who has ever played or studied baseball knows you don't run to 3B. You can say the reason the guy ran to 3B was because he was "trying to hard" or being "aggressive", but it is clearly a bonehead play, unless there's a shift on or something.

 

Trying to make something happen? Really? You're already on 2B. The only thing you could possibly be trying for is an out or a rare error.

 

Look, I get that a few plays are borderline bonehead-aggressive. I'm not talking about those, although maybe I may label more plays bonehead that you or others, but I know bonehead when i see it.

 

I think your bonehead meter is set too sensitive.

[moonslav59]

I think your bonehead meter is set too sensitive.

 

I think I'm actually being lenient.

 

I've never heard anyone who follows baseball that running to 3B on a ball hit in front of you is anything less than Bonehead. I've heard it called much worse- on this site even. Same with running into an occupied base. On that one, at least I can say, in that case, the motive could be to try and "make something happen," but how can anyone call it anything less than "bonehead". I think that's actually being kind.

 

[moonslav59]

And how many incidents of running with your head down have you tallied?

 

It doesn't even matter anyways, right?

[devildavid]

It doesn't even matter anyways, right?

 

It matters, but it also matters how frequently it has actually occured.

[devildavid]

I think I'm actually being lenient.

 

I've never heard anyone who follows baseball that running to 3B on a ball hit in front of you is anything less than Bonehead. I've heard it called much worse- on this site even. Same with running into an occupied base. On that one, at least I can say, in that case, the motive could be to try and "make something happen," but how can anyone call it anything less than "bonehead". I think that's actually being kind.

 

 

I have witnessed this happening with other Red Sox teams and all MLB teams. What matters is how frequently it happens. A player can hit 2 HR's one game and go 0 for 5 the next. Bonehead plays are just the same, only more subjective.

[a700hitter]

Guardians comeback and win # 22 in extra innings.

[moonslav59]

It matters, but it also matters how frequently it has actually occured.

 

Unfortunately, I haven't kept track.

 

I have never said the running with your head down was a big part of the number of bonehead plays. I even forgot about them, until someone else mentioned it a while back. I chose that as one example of a clear bonehead play, but I guess some disagree. Maybe it's just impossible for any of our players to ever do something stupid. Maybe this is just some weird contrarian TwilightZone episode in my nightmare.

 

[moonslav59]

Guardians comeback and win # 22 in extra innings.

 

Maybe last year's sweep was not as bad as it looked at the time.

 

That team got game!

[a700hitter]

Maybe last year's sweep was not as bad as it looked at the time.

 

That team got game!

Or maybe like the Dodgers, they will cool off and that could come at a very bad time for them.

[devildavid]

Unfortunately, I haven't kept track.

 

I have never said the running with your head down was a big part of the number of bonehead plays. I even forgot about them, until someone else mentioned it a while back. I chose that as one example of a clear bonehead play, but I guess some disagree. Maybe it's just impossible for any of our players to ever do something stupid. Maybe this is just some weird contrarian TwilightZone episode in my nightmare.

 

 

No, I have witnessed some dumb moves with this team. But I think the root cause of a lot of it is Farrell's philosophy of being aggressive on the bases. Farrell defended a bad base running move by Nunez, who is known to be a very aggressive base runner. This article from the Boston Globe quotes him on his philosophy which I strongly disagree with.

 

https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/redsox/2017/08/13/snotes/oWVxYg0IN7nSBGE8fqiPYN/story.html

[moonslav59]

Or maybe like the Dodgers, they will cool off and that could come at a very bad time for them.

 

In baseball, there's always hope.

[moonslav59]

No, I have witnessed some dumb moves with this team. But I think the root cause of a lot of it is Farrell's philosophy of being aggressive on the bases. Farrell defended a bad base running move by Nunez, who is known to be a very aggressive base runner. This article from the Boston Globe quotes him on his philosophy which I strongly disagree with.

 

https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/redsox/2017/08/13/snotes/oWVxYg0IN7nSBGE8fqiPYN/story.html

 

I love being aggressive and don't mind some over aggressiveness.

 

I'm okay with running into outs. I really feel I am being very discriminating. I'm not counting aggressiveness or slight aggressiveness when I am talking about excessive bonehead plays. I've seen more than I ever have with a Sox fan, which includes the Wendell "send 'em all" Kim era.

 

I realize I could be wrong.

I never kept a running tab.

I can't prove what I believe.

 

I will say, I think we've done much better in the last month or so. Maybe JF has knocked some sense into the team without the media catching on. Maybe the players smartened up by themselves.

 

I really hope we don't end up losing this season on a major blunder at the end.

 

[illinoisredsox]

Magic Numbers:

 

Division - 14

Wild Card - 11

[Bellhorn04]

I really hope we don't end up losing this season on a major blunder at the end.

 

Jeez, would you stop saying this?

[oldtimer]

Jeez, would you stop saying this?

 

I expect this to be a fight to the end. JF needs to treat each game as being critical. I would assume the Yankees will lose 4 or 5 along the way but no more. If I am right, the Sox will have to win 10 games, so have to play well to capture the pennant. Lets have the Yankees faced the Guardians.

[SoxnCycles]

Jeez, would you stop saying this?

 

Yup.

Because they're going to lose in the playoffs by 0-fer with runners in scoring position and 2 outs.

[S5Dewey]

 

I really hope we don't end up losing this season on a major blunder at the end.

 

I think that's a very fair concern, but at the same time if we lose this season by a game or two it may not be because of a major blunder at the end, it will be because of the major blunders throughout the season.

[moonslav59]

I think that's a very fair concern, but at the same time if we lose this season by a game or two it may not be because of a major blunder at the end, it will be because of the major blunders throughout the season.

 

I meant in an elimination playoff game.

[moonslav59]

Yup.

Because they're going to lose in the playoffs by 0-fer with runners in scoring position and 2 outs.

 

Jeez, would you stop saying this?

[Slasher9]

UPDATE.

16 GAMES TO GO.

83-63

 

Currently we are in 1st place in the division.

FanGraphs odds to win the division: 88.4%

 

3 Games ahead of MFY.

[moonslav59]

Last year, we were 82-64 after 146 games. One worse than this year, but were 1 game into an 11 game winning streak before going on to lose 5 of our next 6 (8 of 9 if you count the sweep by CLE).

 

Can we match last year's 11-5 finish?

[mvp 78]

I really hope we don't end up losing this season on a major blunder at the end.

 

 

Doesn't everyone? Is there any Sox fan that hopes our season ends on a major blunder?

[mvp 78]

Last year, we were 82-64 after 146 games. One worse than this year, but were 1 game into an 11 game winning streak before going on to lose 5 of our next 6 (8 of 9 if you count the sweep by CLE).

 

Can we match last year's 11-5 finish?

 

We're finishing this season with a 17 game winning streak.

[cp176]

Jeez, would you stop saying this?

 

With this team it could go either way - an unquestionably stupid gaff could cause us big time or the very same move could turn to gold big time. They are fairly unpridictable that way. Interesting team!