9/16 at Tamp Bay

[Maxbialystock]

I said on the first page I liked the Sox because Porcello wasn't half bad last time--6 days ago--against the Rays. He was excellent tonight, and Reed came in to finish the 8th and Kimbrel to close. And three runs was not only enough but 2 runs more than 6 days ago against Cobb and the Rays bullpen. I say again, this team has grit.

 

Yankees are now 8-2 in their last 10 games. But so are the Sox.

[Spudboy]

this offense won't stand a chance in the playoff

 

I don't think so either but we are told the playoffs are a crap shoot and anything can happen.

 

We will see.

[Spudboy]

He had a good game last night but we need him to be more consistent

 

Yeah what he really needs to do is hit more balls with his bat and not his arms.

 

He has been bad but I cut the kid some slack unlike that goldbricker Hanley of the Biceps.

[Spudboy]

So Salty sees ghosts?

 

I only caught a few words about that.

 

What gives?

[Spudboy]

How about that Benni steal?

 

I give him credit for finding the base.

 

Thankfully did not need to throw.

[a700hitter]

I only caught a few words about that.

 

What gives?

There is some hotel near the Tampa ballpark that is known for ghost sightings and Salty says that he has had 2 sightings at that hotel.

[Spudboy]

Boom Boom did not live up to his name tonight.

 

No he was every bit John Holmes tonight.

[TylerD]

Porcello was sick tonight. Another win boys.

[Larry Cook]

Nice win tonight! Porcello spun a great game. His pitches were sharp and tight!

[SoxHop]

Cobb really lost it after the balk call. Then the steal, then the bad ump call. Cobb had a melt down on the mound.....

 

Will NY just roll over and die already........

[Spudboy]

There is some hotel near the Tampa ballpark that is known for ghost sightings and Salty says that he has had 2 sightings at that hotel.

 

To bad he could not see curve balls as well as he sees ghosts.

[a700hitter]

To bad he could not see curve balls as well as he sees ghosts.

LOL!! He also couldn't see balls in the dirt when he was catching. I remember one game where the ball was under him and he was spinning like a top looking for it as the runners were running around the bases. LOL!!! I thought I was having a nightmare.

[Spudboy]

LOL!! He also couldn't see balls in the dirt when he was catching. I remember one game where the ball was under him and he was spinning like a top looking for it as the runners were running around the bases. LOL!!! I thought I was having a nightmare.

 

 

Lol. In fairness to him that happens to all catchers sometimes.

 

But I know what you are saying.

 

Still, I always liked the kid.

[Youk Of The Nation]

It's not often I say this, but I really empathize with the Rays over that call. I mean, that was pretty bad even by modern umpire standards. If I were the Rays fan, I would be pretty upset.

[SoxHop]

It's not often I say this, but I really empathize with the Rays over that call. I mean, that was pretty bad even by modern umpire standards. If I were the Rays fan, I would be pretty upset.

 

Are you talking about the strike called a ball? If so...... I'm going to have to call......s*** happens.......... and the catcher may have blocked the ump as he stood up quickly...

[a700hitter]

Are you talking about the strike called a ball? If so...... I'm going to have to call......s*** happens.......... and the catcher may have blocked the ump as he stood up quickly...

Everyone knows that one play cannot change the outcome of a game. Youk, watsamatta wityu?

[S5Dewey]

Everyone knows that one play cannot change the outcome of a game. Youk, watsamatta wityu?

 

That's one of the biggest pieces of hogwash ever perpetrated on an athlete. Of course one play can change the outcome of a game. It may be true in the global sense but try telling that to a player who makes an error allowing the tieing and winning runs to score in the bottom of the 9th.

 

This is something we tell kids in Little League so we don't damage their psyche, something I wholly support BTW. But at some point in everyone's career they recognize that everything they do has the potential to cause the team to lose so they focus a little more, try a little harder. It's called "Motivation".

 

"One play doesn't change the outcome of a game" works well for little kids. It's all a part of building their confidence. But giving professional athletes a pass on bad plays because someone else made a bad play only perpetrates the bad plays.

 

Fortunately the players see it. It's the "a trophy for everyone" fans who don't.

[Bellhorn04]

That's one of the biggest pieces of hogwash ever perpetrated on an athlete. Of course one play can change the outcome of a game. It may be true in the global sense but try telling that to a player who makes an error allowing the tieing and winning runs to score in the bottom of the 9th.

 

This is something we tell kids in Little League so we don't damage their psyche, something I wholly support BTW. But at some point in everyone's career they recognize that everything they do has the potential to cause the team to lose so they focus a little more, try a little harder. It's called "Motivation".

 

"One play doesn't change the outcome of a game" works well for little kids. It's all a part of building their confidence. But giving professional athletes a pass on bad plays because someone else made a bad play only perpetrates the bad plays.

 

Fortunately the players see it. It's the "a trophy for everyone" fans who don't.

 

I honestly don't think there's anyone who thinks 'a trophy for everyone' can ever be applied to professional sports.

[S5Dewey]

I honestly don't think there's anyone who thinks 'a trophy for everyone' can ever be applied to professional sports.

 

That comment may have been taken a bit too literally. My point was that there are those fans who believe in "a trophy for everyone' for kids and they then allow that attitude to somehow absolve professional players of any responsibility for their mistakes.

 

Why can't we just step up and say, "That ball he threw to the middle of the plate and got hit for the grand slam homer in the 3rd inning probably cost the team the game"? The player knows it. Deep down the fans know it. Why is it so verboten to speak of it? It's all a part of the attitude that "if it's everyone's fault it's nobody's fault" mentality that I find it hard to subscribe to.

[Bellhorn04]

Why can't we just step up and say, "That ball he threw to the middle of the plate and got hit for the grand slam homer in the 3rd inning probably cost the team the game"? The player knows it. Deep down the fans know it. Why is it so verboten to speak of it? It's all a part of the attitude that "if it's everyone's fault it's nobody's fault" mentality that I find it hard to subscribe to.

 

It's certainly not verboten for fans to say that. Most fans probably would. Some see things differently, that's really all there is to it.

[jad]

That's one of the biggest pieces of hogwash ever perpetrated on an athlete. Of course one play can change the outcome of a game. It may be true in the global sense but try telling that to a player who makes an error allowing the tieing and winning runs to score in the bottom of the 9th.

 

This is something we tell kids in Little League so we don't damage their psyche, something I wholly support BTW. But at some point in everyone's career they recognize that everything they do has the potential to cause the team to lose so they focus a little more, try a little harder. It's called "Motivation".

 

"One play doesn't change the outcome of a game" works well for little kids. It's all a part of building their confidence. But giving professional athletes a pass on bad plays because someone else made a bad play only perpetrates the bad plays.

 

Fortunately the players see it. It's the "a trophy for everyone" fans who don't.

 

Well, I suppose anyone can read a piece of gnomic wisdom any way they want. But I don't think everyone who disagrees is necessarily a bad person who is ruining sports as well as our kids' future. The reason I tend to accept this rule ('no game is decided by one play') is the same reason I hate replay. No coach or player draws up a game-plan that includes getting the favorable or correct call on a close play, whether that's a ball/strike call, or in football, a foot landing a millimeter inside or outside the line. All those plays (that is, every play that goes to replay, and yes every borderline pitch) is essentially a coin-flip as far as game tactics and relative skill is concerned. So to me (as far as replay is concerned), you may as well have them called on the field (for better or worse). And if you're a hitter, you better be swinging at anything close on a 2-strike pitch; as a pitcher, you better get more of the plate on a 3-x count (I don't think if a professional athlete does that, that means they're a "trophe for everyone" guy).

[Bellhorn04]

Well, I suppose anyone can read a piece of gnomic wisdom any way they want. But I don't think everyone who disagrees is necessarily a bad person who is ruining sports as well as our kids' future. The reason I tend to accept this rule ('no game is decided by one play') is the same reason I hate replay. No coach or player draws up a game-plan that includes getting the favorable or correct call on a close play, whether that's a ball/strike call, or in football, a foot landing a millimeter inside or outside the line. All those plays (that is, every play that goes to replay, and yes every borderline pitch) is essentially a coin-flip as far as game tactics and relative skill is concerned. So to me (as far as replay is concerned), you may as well have them called on the field (for better or worse). And if you're a hitter, you better be swinging at anything close on a 2-strike pitch; as a pitcher, you better get more of the plate on a 3-x count (I don't think if a professional athlete does that, that means they're a "trophe for everyone" guy).

 

I don't know what replay has to do with this. I guess you're saying bad calls by the ump that affect the outcome should be part of the deal - they should be one of the potential 'big plays'.

[Kimmi]

Don't want to jinx this but Porcello is looking damn good today.

 

It was nice to see Porcello pitch so well, giving most of the pen some rest in the process.

 

Here's some interesting tidbits on Porcello from my favorite tweeter:

 

Red Sox Stats‏ @redsoxstats 7h7 hours ago

 

Opponents have hit .320 with 6 homers and a .600 slugging off Porcello changeups this year.... he's dumped the pitch, 0 in his last 2 starts

 

Porcello's sinker had about 5" more drop tonight than in his last start, about 3" more than his average for this season.

[Kimmi]

How about that Benni steal?

 

Awesome. Aggressive baserunning at its finest.

 

Had he been caught, it would have been deemed the boneheaded play of the season.

[Kimmi]

Excellent win, especially considering the pitching matchup. Maybe they figured out something with Porcello, we can only hope.

 

Yes they figured something out - not to throw his changeup.

[OH FOY]

Interesting stat on Rick, when the Sox score 3 or more runs for him he's 10-0 with a 3.69 era, and the team is a perfect 13-0, in those games.

[SoxHop]

Awesome. Aggressive baserunning at its finest.

 

Had he been caught, it would have been deemed the boneheaded play of the season.

 

This is funny. Because I know for a fact, if he was caught I would have called it a boneheaded decision. I would have chalked it up as "Benni being Benni", as I almost think that is a thing now. And last night I almost posted something about that decision to run as being written down as a boneheaded decision.

 

If there ever was an example of the fine line between boneheaded and aggressive, that play was one of them.

[SoxHop]

It was nice to see Porcello pitch so well, giving most of the pen some rest in the process.

 

Here's some interesting tidbits on Porcello from my favorite tweeter:

 

Red Sox Stats‏ @redsoxstats 7h7 hours ago

 

Opponents have hit .320 with 6 homers and a .600 slugging off Porcello changeups this year.... he's dumped the pitch, 0 in his last 2 starts

 

Porcello's sinker had about 5" more drop tonight than in his last start, about 3" more than his average for this season.

 

ahahah....... I didn't know this...........

 

I wonder how that conversation went. hey Rick.......... you know that change up you throw............ well don't throw it anymore............. your changup is crap....

[S5Dewey]

This is funny. Because I know for a fact, if he was caught I would have called it a boneheaded decision. I would have chalked it up as "Benni being Benni", as I almost think that is a thing now. And last night I almost posted something about that decision to run as being written down as a boneheaded decision.

 

If there ever was an example of the fine line between boneheaded and aggressive, that play was one of them.

 

Watching it on television my first reaction was that it was a boneheaded thing to be even trying to do in spite of the fact that he was safe, but after watching it on the replay when I could see the whole field I changed my mind. Beni had a huge running lead and he really only had to go about 60' to be safe.

 

Anytime a player tries to steal a base it's a gamble but that one was a smart gamble. It's the dumb ones that bother me.

[SoxHop]

Watching it on television my first reaction was that it was a boneheaded thing to be even trying to do in spite of the fact that he was safe, but after watching it on the replay when I could see the whole field I changed my mind. Beni had a huge running lead and he really only had to go about 60' to be safe.

 

Anytime a player tries to steal a base it's a gamble but that one was a smart gamble. It's the dumb ones that bother me.

 

I just don't understand what took Cobb so long to figure out what was going on. He must have been in his own world. He didn't even react at all until Benny was about 3/4 the way down the path. maybe even longer.