8/31 a vs scumbags

[a700hitter]

Strike 1 was BS.

[SoxHop]

Come on Ump!!!

[Station 13]

Betts is awful.

[moonslav59]

Damn it to hell!

 

Too many chances.

 

Too many blunders.

 

Broken record.

[oldtimer]

That was a very good AB by Benni......... the kid has serious batting skills..

 

You bet. He had 2 hits and 3 walks and most went to waste. I donn't know what JF can do, but he has to get our hitters into the lineup that can at least make hard contact and put the ball in play.

[Maxbialystock]

I was wrong about the hitting. Sox are fine. Great 9th inning rally that just fell short. 3 walks, 1 HBP, 1 K, 1 pop up, and 1 fly out. No hits of course. But 4 big singles in 9 innings is nothing to sneeze at.

 

We'll bbe fine. The pitching is the problem.

[SoxHop]

I'm starting to think our team of young bad ass hitters who can hit just about any 100 mph pitch, just can't deal with old guy Sabbathia's wisdom of how to pitch.....

[MADSTORK]

Still time to add Verlander

[a700hitter]

I'm starting to think our team of young bad ass hitters who can hit just about any 100 mph pitch, just can't deal with old guy Sabbathia's wisdom of how to pitch.....

It's a pop gun offense. We don't have single big offensive player -- not one player with an .800 OPS.

[Station 13]

Betts has serious issues with outside pitches where he can't even spoil to get another crack at it. He is late and harmlessly make weak contact.

[FredLynn]

It's a pop gun offense. We don't have single big offensive player -- not one player with an .800 OPS.

 

Devers is at .900. But I agree with you. Not enough offense to make a deep playoff run.

[SoxHop]

Betts has serious issues with outside pitches where he can't even spoil to get another crack at it. He is late and harmlessly make weak contact.

 

That's been known for two years......... why after halfway through this season it's effecting him so much the last few months.....?

[SoxHop]

We've played close to 162 games and have done better than most. I'd probably think our middle of the pack offense is a problem if we didn't have Sale and Pom and some other dude that hopefully could do well in a playoff game.......

 

What's our odds to win the whole thing compared to others in the Vegas line......?

 

feel free to dig the long ball........... the win-loss column is what got you to the playoffs..........you all saw it.....

[moonslav59]

That's been known for two years......... why after halfway through this season it's effecting him so much the last few months.....?

 

7/4 LAD

21/14 HOU

11/2 CLE

23/4 BOS

15/2 WSH

17/2 Cubs

14/1 NYY

28/1 AZ

33/1 COL

[a700hitter]

We've played close to 162 games and have done better than most. I'd probably think our middle of the pack offense is a problem if we didn't have Sale and Pom and some other dude that hopefully could do well in a playoff game.......

 

What's our odds to win the whole thing compared to others in the Vegas line......?

 

feel free to dig the long ball........... the win-loss column is what got you to the playoffs..........you all saw it.....

Home Runs or not, it is not a strong offense. It is not difficult for pitchers to shut us down.

[SoxHop]

Home Runs or not, it is not a strong offense. It is not difficult for pitchers to shut us down.

 

What if I just say..... ok then......

 

What if I asked......... what do you want as far as a win - loss record? Pitching has obviously carried us.

 

I get you. This team would be amazing with one more incedible batter. It would be over the top awesome if you could insert a whopper of a bat......

[moonslav59]

What if I just say..... ok then......

 

What if I asked......... what do you want as far as a win - loss record? Pitching has obviously carried us.

 

I get you. This team would be amazing with one more incedible batter. It would be over the top awesome if you could insert a whopper of a bat......

 

We added Nunez, Devers and Reed. That's quite a bit.

 

I still like our chances, but nobody ever said it was going to be easy.

 

Many teams have won without a good offense. It's hard for Sox fans to imagine it for us, but it could happen.

[a700hitter]

What if I just say..... ok then......

 

What if I asked......... what do you want as far as a win - loss record? Pitching has obviously carried us.

 

I get you. This team would be amazing with one more incedible batter. It would be over the top awesome if you could insert a whopper of a bat......

It has been a fun season, and I don't have a problem with our win-loss record, but I don't think that DD added the final pieces for this team to make a serious run. I think he dropped the ball building the offense. I don't sneeze at Division titles. It is great to watch winning baseball. There is nothing worse than watching a last place team. That being said, I am just noting that we don't have a blockbuster or high octane offense. I am not wringing my hands over it, just noting it as the team's weak spot.

[SoxHop]

We added Nunez, Devers and Reed. That's quite a bit.

 

I still like our chances, but nobody ever said it was going to be easy.

 

Many teams have won without a good offense. It's hard for Sox fans to imagine it for us, but it could happen.

 

We've had real good streaks and bad streaks over the last few weeks. Say we make it to the playoffs.......... I bet the Vegas line has us as the favorites.....

 

If we make it to the playoffs, and our Vegas line and not the "wacky as f***" game thread has us as favorites.......... I'm good with that...

[a700hitter]

Getting Pedey and Bradley back will be a big boost to our chances.

[SoxHop]

Getting Pedey and Bradley back will be a big boost to our chances.

 

We saw that big time tonight......... I think people don't miss defense....... until they see what they miss with bad defense.......

 

Xander should have also had a throw out tonight, but he bobbled it a bit......

[moonslav59]

We're still making too many dumb mistakes. I don't see us suddenly becoming good at fundamentals.

 

I'm hoping we don't end up losing a series on a bonehead play, but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

 

Sure, I'd love to have a better offense, but we'd be 10-15 up with just a few less mental blunders and dumb mistakes.

 

I realize every team makes mental mistakes, but we've reached an absurd level.

 

 

I still really like this team's make-up. To be where we are at without Price, half our pen and an off year from our Cy Young winner shows how much this team can and has overcome. Yeah, the Dodgers, Guardians and Astors look tough on paper as well, but I still like our chances as much as anyone else's.

 

 

 

[moonslav59]

Getting Pedey and Bradley back will be a big boost to our chances.

 

Yes, and our bench gets stronger as well.

[Maxbialystock]

In now 6 straight games against 3 different teams, the Sox have been held to 1 run by the other teams starter. That is a little scary to say on September 1. In one game, the final loss to the Orioles, we left 25 on base. Last night the Sox scratched out 4 measly singles in 9 innings.

 

As I said earlier, the utter ineptitude of the Jays bullpen masked our hitting flaws. This is sadly reinforced by watching the games.

 

Nunez and Devers gave our hitting a nice shot in the arm, which enabled that 16-4 streak that vaulted the Sox into a solid lead in the AL East. But the hitting collapse, if such it is, could just as quickly fritter it away.

 

6 years ago the Sox got Francona fired--after WS wins in 2004 and 2007-- by their September collapse.

 

Today maybe Pedroia and tomorrow maybe JBJ can provide a spark. Maybe the aggressive base running needs to be reined in, which is one of the very few realistic options--I have my doubts about lineup changes--left to Farrell to help the offense. September call ups? Dombrowski has already called up a zillion guys and exactly 1 good bat, Devers.

Edited September 1, 2017 by Maxbialystock

[jacksonianmarch]

And another out on the bases. We are saving CC's very fat ass tonight. We have been resurrecting his career this season.

 

I don't think you're resurrecting his career. I think he retires at seasons end regardless due to his chronic knee condition

[jacksonianmarch]

In now 6 straight games against 3 different teams, the Sox have been held to 1 run by the other teams starter. That is a little scary to say on September 1. In one game, the final loss to the Orioles, we left 25 on base. Last night the Sox scratched out 4 measly singles in 9 innings.

 

As I said earlier, the utter ineptitude of the Jays bullpen masked our hitting flaws. This is sadly reinforced by watching the games.

 

Nunez and Devers gave our hitting a nice shot in the arm, which enabled that 16-4 streak that vaulted the Sox into a solid lead in the AL East. But the hitting collapse, if such it is, could just as quickly fritter it away.

 

6 years ago the Sox got Francona fired--after WS wins in 2004 and 2007-- by their September collapse.

 

Today maybe Pedroia and tomorrow maybe JBJ can provide a spark. Maybe the aggressive base running needs to be reined in, which is one of the very few realistic options--I have my doubts about lineup changes--left to Farrell to help the offense. September call ups? Dombrowski has already called up a zillion guys and exactly 1 good bat, Devers.

 

You had a different team then and were being chased by a different team. That Rays team was good and was seasoned with their WS run 3 years prior. Your team in '11 had Lester and Buch, but nothing else really on the hill and your offense was the main catalyst. Your offense went cold, Buch was hurt and your pen dissolved. I don't see that happening. Your offense has been weak all year and you're still on pace for 92 wins. Your team is built on pitching, which is a more consistent way to win as the pitcher controls more of the game of baseball than any other player in any other sport (aside maybe from goalie in hockey). You are also being chased by a team that's a year too early. The Yankees have pitching but the offense is so hot and cold that I don't think we can consistent win in September enough to make up a 4 game loss column lead at this point. I know a lot of people look at old man CC and his victory last night and think the sky is falling, but it's not.

[BstHcpr]

You had a different team then and were being chased by a different team. That Rays team was good and was seasoned with their WS run 3 years prior. Your team in '11 had Lester and Buch, but nothing else really on the hill and your offense was the main catalyst. Your offense went cold, Buch was hurt and your pen dissolved. I don't see that happening. Your offense has been weak all year and you're still on pace for 92 wins. Your team is built on pitching, which is a more consistent way to win as the pitcher controls more of the game of baseball than any other player in any other sport (aside maybe from goalie in hockey). You are also being chased by a team that's a year too early. The Yankees have pitching but the offense is so hot and cold that I don't think we can consistent win in September enough to make up a 4 game loss column lead at this point. I know a lot of people look at old man CC and his victory last night and think the sky is falling, but it's not.

 

lol the Yankees fan is the most reasonable one here.

[Maxbialystock]

We're still making too many dumb mistakes. I don't see us suddenly becoming good at fundamentals.

 

I'm hoping we don't end up losing a series on a bonehead play, but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

 

Sure, I'd love to have a better offense, but we'd be 10-15 up with just a few less mental blunders and dumb mistakes.

 

I realize every team makes mental mistakes, but we've reached an absurd level.

 

 

I still really like this team's make-up. To be where we are at without Price, half our pen and an off year from our Cy Young winner shows how much this team can and has overcome. Yeah, the Dodgers, Guardians and Astors look tough on paper as well, but I still like our chances as much as anyone else's.

 

 

 

 

Honestly, I think that "10-15 up with just a few less mental blunders and dumb mistakes" is insupportable. Look at the standings. We're up 4.5 on the Yankees because we are 18 games above .500 and they are 9. For us to increase that lead to 12.5 games--the mean between 10 and 15 games up--we would have to be 34 games above .500, which would give us the best record in the AL and the 2d best record in MLB. All because we are too aggressive on the basepaths or JBJ forgets how many outs or whatever? Give me a break.

 

Besides, I think you are focusing on the wrong fundamentals. By far the two dominant fundamentals in baseball are hitting and pitching. After that, quite a way back in my opinion, comes fielding. Then maybe baserunning. Then maybe playing smart--hitting the cutoff man, covering 1b on grounders to the right, staying focus on the game situation (number of outs, what you should do on a grounder or fly, remembering who to backup if the other team hits a double or something).

 

Last night was a classic example of the fundamentals taking over. In the 2d inning many thought we blew the game when Beni tried for an extra base on a single and was out. This was was supposed to be our big inning, but he ruined it with his recklessness. Really? In the 1st we had the bases full with 1 out and Bogie, Devers, and HanRam quickly succumbed to Sabathia's mastery. Interestingly, if Beni has not run in the 2d, Betts would have come to the plate with men on 1st and 3d and no one out. Guess what? Betts and the next four guys in the lineup last night never got a single hit. In the 9th the Yankess bullpen gave up 3 walks and an HBP which scored 1 run for us, but we never got a hit.

 

We lost last night on the fundamentals, no question, but the fundamentals were hitting and pitching and not whether Beni was too aggressive.

 

We went 16-4 in the first part of August because we had good pitching and good hitting. We are struggling now because the hitting is unquestionably soft. The Nunez/Devers charge to the system has worn off. We took 3 straight from Toronto because they just might have the worst bullpen in the history of baseball (not really), but we got exactly 1 run per game off their three starters. That, sports fans, is ineptitude so great that worrying about aggressiveness on the base paths or not being alert about game situations or being unable to reliably go back on a pop up or whatever other "fundamental flaw" you want to name to me makes no sense. If we can't hit any better, that fundamental flaw will kill us this month--deservedly so.

 

I would like to amend the above by of course agreeing that pitching, the other dominant fundamental, was clearly key last night. Sabathia was way better than ERod even though ERod at least started OK. If Nunez hadn't missed that popup and Betts not allowed him to, ERod would have gone 5 while giving up 1, not bad. Come the 6th, however, the deluge.

Edited September 1, 2017 by Maxbialystock

[Bellhorn04]

I agree, Max.

[Behindenemylines]

The great C.C. Feels it is beneath him to have to leave the mound to field his position. Bunting has been part of the game forever and for the fat f$&@ to call out the Sox should be a motivation for the Sox to do it more often. The bunt threw him off as he walked the next two hitters. If the Sox would have tried to bunt with the bases loaded in the first I bet they would have scored. Not scoring changed the momentum and Sabathia seem to settle in. Let him throw at the Sox with his low 90s fastball. I would make him move around as much as possible. If you drag bunt on the first base side there is no way he can cover 1B.