8/26 vs Orioles

[Maxbialystock]

Splitters plus a 98 mph fast ball. ERod is totally outclassed today.

[Maxbialystock]

Wow. That changeup is really working. Three more easy outs, and the single was a poorly hit roller Nunez was slow to get to and throw.

[OH FOY]

Wasn't there a chick who used to be in the bleachers? What happened to her?

[Maxbialystock]

My memory of the great Josh Beckett is that he loved his fast ball in 2006 almost as much as AL hitters did. Part of the problem I think was that he had some weird skin condition that created blisters or something when he threw breaking balls. Finally a Sox doctor or a consultant got him taking some kind of medicine that cured that condition. When he was pretty sure he was good to go, he started out the first inning throwing breaking balls to satisfy himself he was cured.

 

The Sox need to do that with ERod. For the first two innings, only 1 in 3 or 1 in 4 fastballs. Reverse Nuc Laloosh's dictum of establishing the fastball. Instead, establish the breaking stuff, especially the changeup, which I'm beginning to think might be the best changeup on the Sox.

[MADSTORK]

Devers 2 for last 25 zero EBHits.. Time to take a few days there John?

[MADSTORK]

My memory of the great Josh Beckett is that he loved his fast ball in 2006 almost as much as AL hitters did. Part of the problem I think was that he had some weird skin condition that created blisters or something when he threw breaking balls. Finally a Sox doctor or a consultant got him taking some kind of medicine that cured that condition. When he was pretty sure he was good to go, he started out the first inning throwing breaking balls to satisfy himself he was cured.

 

The Sox need to do that with ERod. For the first two innings, only 1 in 3 or 1 in 4 fastballs. Reverse Nuc Laloosh's dictum of establishing the fastball. Instead, establish the breaking stuff, especially the changeup, which I'm beginning to think might be the best changeup on the Sox.

 

 

Pickle Juice

[Maxbialystock]

Pickle Juice

 

Good memory.

[Station 13]

Why has Bogaerts regress?? That was save by Moreland.

[Maxbialystock]

Read my first post on this thread, the one with the lineup. In there I say that Devers' least effective batting order position is 5th, season to date. Batting 5th his OPS is like 400 points below 6th, 7th, and 9th combined.

[Station 13]

The Rodriguez big inning needs to sort itself out.

[Maxbialystock]

Is anyone else watching this game? ERod gets clobbered in the 1st and 2d innings throwing an overabundance of fast balls and I think no changeups. He starts using changeups big time in the 3d inning and has now had 3 very effective innings.

 

What the heck is wrong with Farrell and the pitching coach that they allow ERod to do this?

[Maxbialystock]

I get it. It's players weekend. My question is when are the Boston players going to show up? In both games so far their pitching is terrible, but so are the fielding and hitting.

 

Young just hit a GIDP (but beat out the relay) on a 94 mph fastball in the heart of the strike zone.

[Maxbialystock]

Maybe players weekend means you get to play and not have to worry about the nasty grind of competing and trying to win.

[OH FOY]

That was a good at bat by Vazquez.

[Maxbialystock]

We just won 16 out of 20 games before dropping two games, and that shows "zero life"?

 

Wow. You guys are tough.

 

Make that three in a row, and don't forget to mention the how: terrible pitching, weak hitting, and so-so defense including 5 errors in the second game. ERod gave up 5 in the first 2 innings, but guess what? He has outpitched Sale and Porcello in this three game streak.

[OH FOY]

I like that by E-Rod, wants to go one more. Now were talking.

[OH FOY]

Lets go! Get some runs!!!

[Jasonbay44]

These last three games have been so horrible to watch. Not a single interesting thing about these games. Just getting our asses kicked.

[TylerD]

Two days in a row the offense looks f***ing flat.

[Maxbialystock]

Now four straight smooth innings, all because he finally started throwing changeups. It's his best pitch and he won't use it early in the game. Just as bad, his manager and pitching coach haven't tried to change that pattern.

 

ERod has given up 5 runs in 6 innings and totally outclassed Sale's last start and Porcello's last start. The world turned upside down. The lineup meanwhile has 2 weak singles in 6 innings and 0 runs.

[Jasonbay44]

This is pathetic. Kevin Gausman is shutting this team down...

[Maxbialystock]

ERod went 6.2 innings and threw 117 pitches. His arm seems fine. Maybe the pitching coach should use some of that arm strength to get a useful bullpen session before the game, including demonstrated command of his changeup so he can use it early and often and not wait until the game is out of hand.

 

I say again: killed in the first two innings when he threw almost all fastballs and no changeups; great success the next 4.2 innings when he finally throws changeups to set up his other pitches.

[oldtimer]

This is pathetic. Kevin Gausman is shutting this team down...

 

This feels similar to last years collapse at the end of the season. The team is flat and missing Pedey and JBJ is hurting. We need to have some decisions made to get this team out of the doldrums. Hitting is very poor .

[moonslav59]

Make that three in a row, and don't forget to mention the how: terrible pitching, weak hitting, and so-so defense including 5 errors in the second game. ERod gave up 5 in the first 2 innings, but guess what? He has outpitched Sale and Porcello in this three game streak.

 

Okay. Based on3 games, we suck and will always suck forever.

[Maxbialystock]

I should add that my impression of this Sox pitching staff is that overall they like to throw fast balls way more than pitches that break down although Pomeranz does like his knuckle curve. Not throwing more breaking balls somewhat negates the effect of those shifts the Sox and other teams employ so often.

[Maxbialystock]

Okay. Based on3 games, we suck and will always suck forever.

 

You're right of course. 3 games is a really small sample. But you can't ignore all the downsides in these three games, especially the rotation, nor the fact that Yankees have now made up a game and are 3.5 games out, nor that the Guardians are at home vs. the Royals, whom they beat last night and against whom they have the pitching edge tonight again. If they win, they will be .5 games back to get that home field advantage in the ALDS. Once again the Sox have a losing record against the Orioles, but fortunately I think we only play them 3 more times, including tomorrow.

 

This pennant race is getting tighter here in late August. It is note too early to indulge in a little worrying. Humor me.

Edited August 26, 2017 by Maxbialystock

[d-money]

This team's just napping at this point and getting horrible pitching! No excuses losing to the birds at home. Pathetic series!

[Maxbialystock]

My, my. 7-0. Bullpen is doing their share in this debacle of a weekend.

[Maxbialystock]

Okay. Based on3 games, we suck and will always suck forever.

 

Actually, you should be delighted with my commentary because I have hammered Farrell--your favorite whipping boy--repeatedly on two specific points.

 

He has allowed--not just today but throughout the season--ERod to stick to fastballs in the early innings and to stay away from his very effective changeup. I call that dumb because he could have fixed it earlier. The other, of which I'm less sure, is insisting on batting Devers 5th when that--in this very short season he has had--is clearly his worst slot. Before today his OPS batting fifth has been .718 in 56 at bats including today. All other at bats (batting 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th) total 42 and have a cumulative OPS north of 1.100.

[bosoxmal]

Not YET panic time. We'll see after the next Yankees series/