5/20 Orioles at Fenway

[Jasonbay44]

That play right there is why I get torqued anytime someone complains about Mookie's base running. He hit that ball to deep center and was full prepared to take 3b if it wasn't smoothly fielded--and then hustled back to 2b when it was. He gambles sometimes because he's so darn good, but he is not foolhardy.

 

When does literally anyone complain about Mookie's base running? I don't think I've literally ever seen that. Beni, Nunez, Hanley, Vazquez, 3B coach? sure, but Mookie? No.

[Maxbialystock]

They both can throw. I'm a bit glad we don't have a catchers that people feel like they are safe on the path. I know it's a small thing. But catchers that runners feel like you can do whatever and not be caught are super frustrating.

 

Last year those two had the second best caught stealing %, 39%, in MLB.

[jung]

Beni should be carving this guy up. Moreland should have too.

[OH FOY]

I don't see any great base stealers these days.

[Maxbialystock]

Where in the world did Mr. .900 OPS Moreland go? Shmuck.

[Maxbialystock]

Beni should be carving this guy up. Moreland should have too.

 

I don't know. Whatever he is throwing seems to work against our guys. 1 run in 3 innings and that was on that Pesky pole cheap dinger by JD.

[SoxHop]

I don't know. Whatever he is throwing seems to work against our guys. 1 run in 3 innings and that was on that Pesky pole cheap dinger by JD.

 

Cheap dinger??

[FredLynn]

Where in the world did Mr. .900 OPS Moreland go? Shmuck.

 

Moreland is a career .764 OPS guy. He is not a .900 OPS guy, and his fall is expected. Its one of the reasons we cannot afford to have Bradley in the lineup any more.

[jung]

I don't see any great base stealers these days.

 

They don't work at stealing bases even if they have the speed to steal bases. No matter how good a baseball player you might be or how good an athlete you might be, you do well what you study and practice. They don't steal bases well, they don't bunt, some of them have bat control but not that many. The everyday players now hit for power and some of them field and thats it.

[Maxbialystock]

When does literally anyone complain about Mookie's base running? I don't think I've literally ever seen that. Beni, Nunez, Hanley, Vazquez, 3B coach? sure, but Mookie? No.

 

I think it was game 1 in this series when he hit the double and Shoop made a great play in doubling him off 2B. I watched the replay several times and am convinced it was just a very nice defensive play. Yes, Mookie took a lead, but not a big one, and was moving toward 2B before the ball was caught.

[OH FOY]

Sox have 4 Lefty Starters, a lot harder to get good jump off Lefty. That helps the Catcher.

[Jasonbay44]

Cheap dinger??

 

Sure, you can say its a "cheap dinger", but he also got lucky Mookie's didn't leave the yard, so it evens out.

[TylerD]

Beni should be carving this guy up. Moreland should have too.

 

They will shine in the 7th

[SoxHop]

Sure, you can say its a "cheap dinger", but he also got lucky Mookie's didn't leave the yard, so it evens out.

 

That's what JD is going to do all year. That's his swing and he'll get a ton of them. Nothing cheap about that.

[Maxbialystock]

They don't work at stealing bases even if they have the speed to steal bases. No matter how good a baseball player you might be or how good an athlete you might be, you do well what you study and practice. They don't steal bases well, they don't bunt, some of them have bat control but not that many. The everyday players now hit for power and some of them field and thats it.

 

Blame Bill James who continues to be a Red Sox consultant I believe. He says stealing bases and bunting are dumb.

[jad]

They don't work at stealing bases even if they have the speed to steal bases. No matter how good a baseball player you might be or how good an athlete you might be, you do well what you study and practice. They don't steal bases well, they don't bunt, some of them have bat control but not that many. The everyday players now hit for power and some of them field and thats it.

 

Thank god they don't bunt!

[FredLynn]

No way thats a hit. Devers is very weak defensively...he better start producing with the bat soon or he will find himself on the bench next to Bradley.

[Maxbialystock]

Good analysis by Orioles announcers (I don't listen, but sometimes read the close captions) on that error. They said he had the right idea to go in to get the short hop, but was little late getting there.

[Jasonbay44]

I think it was game 1 in this series when he hit the double and Shoop made a great play in doubling him off 2B. I watched the replay several times and am convinced it was just a very nice defensive play. Yes, Mookie took a lead, but not a big one, and was moving toward 2B before the ball was caught.

 

There was minimal complaining, and the ones were complaining were the same obvious complainers, I'm sure you know who I'm talking about. The Sox are up, so they aren't here yet, but if anything goes bad, don't worry, they will be.

[Maxbialystock]

No way thats a hit. Devers is very weak defensively...he better start producing with the bat soon or he will find himself on the bench next to Bradley.

 

Completely disagree. JBJ should be on the bench but isn't. Devers is too good a hitter not to continue to be an every day player. And his defense will improve according to soxprospects. He's 21 in case you've forgotten, and JBJ is 28.

[OH FOY]

Error didn't hurt.

[Jasonbay44]

I don't see any great base stealers these days.

Dee Gordon, Billy Hamilton, Trea Turner, Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, Jarrod Dyson, Byron Buxton, etc. There is a lot of them.

[SoxHop]

That's crazy. E-Rod is 28 and 3 when going 6 innings...

[jung]

Thank god they don't bunt!

 

Most of them shouldn't bunt. They should all be able to bunt a little and some of them should be downright good at it. That damage is done before they get here as is the damage to Devers fielding for example.

 

Everybody tries to hit for power now including guys that can't hit more than 15 HR's a year if God came down from the heavens and was picking balls off their bats and carrying them over the wall. Those are the guys that should learn how to be good bat handlers and be able to bunt and if they have the speed should actually know how to steal.

[OH FOY]

Errors hurt when Runs are scored, and innings are continued by giving extra outs away. Other day on Radio JBJ they said JBJ missed cut-off man, both runners advanced, DP taken out, and both Runs scored. No Error.

[Maxbialystock]

There was minimal complaining, and the ones were complaining were the same obvious complainers, I'm sure you know who I'm talking about. The Sox are up, so they aren't here yet, but if anything goes bad, don't worry, they will be.

 

Target hit, jasonbay44. I just have a hard time letting that stuff go. This year I've discovered a pattern: I don't mind dumping on our pitchers, but generally defend position players except JBJ, and in his case I remember saying when the was brought up in 2015--why not? We ain't going anywhere and maybe he's changed. I loved that that year and in 2016 and almost in 2017 he was a better overall centerfielder than Jacoby Ellsbury. This year I've soured, but am fine with any decision Cora makes.

[Maxbialystock]

Error didn't hurt.

 

Of course it hurt. Several on talksox are deeply offended when Devers commits an error. And the effect on the score is completely irrelevant.

[Jasonbay44]

Target hit, jasonbay44. I just have a hard time letting that stuff go. This year I've discovered a pattern: I don't mind dumping on our pitchers, but generally defend position players except JBJ, and in his case I remember saying when the was brought up in 2015--why not? We ain't going anywhere and maybe he's changed. I loved that that year and in 2016 and almost in 2017 he was a better overall centerfielder than Jacoby Ellsbury. This year I've soured, but am fine with any decision Cora makes.

I've always been a big JBJ fan and supporter, but he's been absolutely pathetic this season. He definitely needs to get better, I can't even find positives about him at the plate right now. He just looks bad, isn't making contact often, and when he does, its weak contact. I don't know whats up with him, but something needs to be fixed.

[jung]

Dee Gordon, Billy Hamilton, Trea Turner, Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, Jarrod Dyson, Byron Buxton, etc. There is a lot of them.

 

Talented baseball players, not good base stealers. Good base stealers study pitchers religiously. Nobody does that any longer. They depend on coaches reports and if a guy is a total slug pitching the ball to home plate, they will steal off of him. Guys used to have starting pitcher's moves to first down pat. Of course now that starting pitchers only stay in the game for an average of 6 innings meaning some are only going to be around for 5, there is simply not as much incentive to put in that work. MLB has purposely pursued turning MLB into a power game, power hitting and power pitching. No real telling how it will work out. But there is no question that is what they are trying to do.

[SoxHop]

E-Rod geting some generous calls.

 

Keep the pitch cound down you idiot.