9/17 at Tampa Bay

[Maxbialystock]

Eduardo Rodriguez vs. righty Jake Odorizzi, advantage good guys.

 

1 Bogaerts SS

2 Pedroia DH

3 Benintendi LF

4 Betts RF

5 Moreland 1B

6 Vazquez C

7 Devers 3B

8 Holt 2B

9 Bradley CF

 

Last time out ERod went 6, giving up 1 run, and striking out 9 with 4 walks against the A's--his best start since returning from the DL.

 

Note that 3 of the first four in the lineup are those same killer B's who have been repeatedly chastised this season for not living up to their potential, being just plain awful, etc.

 

If you look at the Sox individual hitting stats (as I did), season to date, you find those three, but mostly Betts, leading in every single offenseive category--hits, runs, rbi's, HR's, doubles, triples, OBP, SLG, OPS, stolen bases, and total bases. It is no coincidence that all three lead the Sox in total at bats. If you throw in Bradley, who missed a bunch of games but is 4th on the team in OPS, the four killer B's have been pretty darn useful at the plate and in the field (Bogie not so much).

 

Now here we are in crunch time. The Yankees are playing great, 8-2 in their last 10, and intent on closing that 3 game gap to win (or tie for) the AL East. Heck, you can even say Farrell's job is on the line. So who does he have batting 1st, 2d, and 4th? His most reliables, of course.

Edited September 17, 2017 by Maxbialystock

[TylerD]

Get it done boys!!! Yankees are red hot and right behind us. Just have to keep winning and not worry about anything else

[SoxHop]

f*** the Yankees....

[Spudboy]

f*** the Yankees....

 

Yes, of course.

 

f*** the Yankees.

[SoxHop]

Yes, of course.

 

f*** the Yankees.

 

It's crazy both the Yanks and the Sox are 8-2 in the last 10...

[SoxHop]

grrrrrrr...........

[Maxbialystock]

Two errors in the first inning. Hmmm. Two errors and no hits by the Sox in the first.

[d-money]

Where does this team rank in fielding? It seems like they're terrible!

[SoxHop]

Real good job by Erod to get out of that with just one run.....

[Maxbialystock]

ERod just might have pitched the best inning of his life. Big game, first inning, historically his weakest. Defense completely deserts him and tries to give the Rays a big inning. Instead, one unearned run despite men on first and third, one run in, and no outs thanks to terrible defense.

[Maxbialystock]

Now three K's by our 5-7 hitters. So far ERod could sue for desertion.

[d-money]

Offense looks like s*** early.

[Maxbialystock]

ERod throwing a lot of fastballs, but gets the K with the cutter.

[SoxHop]

Offense looks like s*** early.

 

Lot's of hard hit balls that first inning didn't find the open field....

[Maxbialystock]

Still too many fastballs I think. Three straight led to that clean single.

[SoxHop]

Other than Eck and Remy...... Salti is my favorite announcer.....

[Station 13]

WTF is Holt playing for?

[Station 13]

Bogaerts has a swing for a single digit HR guy.

[oldtimer]

Where does this team rank in fielding? It seems like they're terrible!

 

At the start of today we had 96 errors. Cleveland has 69 and the Yankees and Houston 91. We are not horrible but middle of the road.

[Maxbialystock]

After 2.5 innings, the Sox have 0 hits, 4 K's, 0 runs, and 2 errors.

 

This looks like a letdown by six guys--Bogaerts, Beni, Betts, JBJ, Devers, and Moreland--who have now played 27 grinding innings in under 48 hours near the end of the longest season in professional sports.

[SoxHop]

E-Rod needs to go a full seven innings today, or he is going on my s*** list...

[Maxbialystock]

After 3, ERod is the only guy keeping the Sox in the game. Understandable in that he is also the most rested.

[Maxbialystock]

Pedey now 0 for 11 in this series.

[Maxbialystock]

Odorizzi pitching with a lot confidence. That splitter sure helps. So does our guys having maybe a letdown. Edited September 17, 2017 by Maxbialystock

[Station 13]

Pedey now 0 for 11 in this series.

 

With a game he left 13 on base. Ouch.

[Maxbialystock]

After 4, Sox still have 0 hits and 2 errors and a darn good pitcher on the mound with 1 unearned run.

[a700hitter]

Odorizzi pitching with a lot confidence. That splitter sure helps. So does our guys having maybe a letdown.

He is a home run pitcher pitching to elves that don't hit HRs. Of course he is confident.

[Maxbialystock]

E-Rod needs to go a full seven innings today, or he is going on my s*** list...

 

Really? No credit for those first four innings when his defense deserted him and he still only gave up one very unearned run?

Edited September 17, 2017 by Maxbialystock

[SoxHop]

Really? No credit for those first four innings when his dense deserted him and he still only gave up one very unearned run?

 

I'd tea bag you if I have the chance......... so try to ignore me.......

[Maxbialystock]

He is a home run pitcher pitching to elves that don't hit HRs. Of course he is confident.

 

Those self same elves are 8-2 coming down the stretch and who have shown a lot of grit. Or have I got that wrong?