7/7 at Kansas City Royals

[OH FOY]

For the Month of June KC as a team hit .193, and up to this point for July is hitting .228.

[oldtimer]

They have a nice second baseman

[OH FOY]

Last 30 days Price has a 5.18 era, but this is the killer, with 9 HRS. Opponents are hitting .287 against him.

For KC, they were glad to face him.

[jung]

So I simply could not hold out to the end of this game. There are times when even watching my beloved Sox I simply cannot tolerate the trash MLB calls MLB these days nor the idiots in the various broadcast booths. So I exited once it became obvious that the Royals would have to roll out its Frankenstein of a pen. There was simply no way for the Royals to keep up.

 

So I misses the Vaz injury. I have to guess it was another head first, hand first slide in a meaningless game vs another hideous AAA level opponent. Is that what happened?

 

We need Vaz and Sandy. We will certainly need both of them for October and likely need both healthy for at least some part of the regular season.

 

But when is this horse s*** head first slide crap going to end assuming that is what happened?

[Bellhorn04]

Last 30 days Price has a 5.18 era, but this is the killer, with 9 HRS. Opponents are hitting .287 against him.

For KC, they were glad to face him.

 

'Last 30 days' is not the right sample though. Price had a very good June. His last 2 starts, needless to say, have been off-the-charts horrific.

[Bellhorn04]

But when is this horse s*** head first slide crap going to end assuming that is what happened?

 

The rule should be that if you like sliding head first you have to wear hockey gloves on the bases.

[Maxbialystock]

Price seems to still have a decent fastball, but his other pitches don't break sharply and, worse, tend to be up in the zone because he does not have good control. He had three HBP's in the 5th before Cora pulled him. I am pretty sure that KC solo dinger was off of a changeup up in the zone.

 

Like everyone else, I get mad seeing a $30M salary wasted. On the other hand, I also think Price can still contribute if he will work on his command of pitches and especially not over-rely on the fastball. And keep the ball low, please?

 

And I say that because the hitting, which all of us except maybe moonslav have whined about for most of the season, is doing pretty good despite the following list of gripes. The bottom of the order is worthless. Beni is in a slump. We only have 4 good bats or 3 or 2 or whatever. Moreland will wear out. Sox can't hit lefties. Dump JBJ. Dump Vazquez and Leon with him. What's wrong with Nunez? Why can't Bogey hit more dingers? Why won't Cora use Swihart more now replaced by why is Swihart on the roster?

 

Right now the Sox lead MLB in runs by 12 (and the Astros have played one more game)--and have scored 38 more runs than the Yankees. Yes, the Yankees who have been playing mostly on home turf so far. The Sox also have the highest OPS, most hits, second most dingers, most doubles, and, believe it or not, the 3d most stolen bases. And don't forget Pearce--so far an absolutely brilliant acquisition.

 

The offense explains why Cora is willing to be patient about bringing Wright back and will certainly find ways to keep sending Price out there. Relatedly, during ERod's last start someone else commented that, when he is on, ERod is a pleasure to watch because he does have a good repertoire. Ditto Wright: when he is on, it's just that one pitch, but it is deadly. And Porcello this year is much closer to 2016 than to 2017, thank goodness. The point is this rotation can still be very good even if Price is the 3d or 4th or 5th best starter. And let's not forget Johnson and Velazquez, neither of whom has great stuff, but both of whom know how to pitch--and to start.

 

To me last night was a demonstration of the awesome potential of this team. Price struggled again, but this time wasn't killed, and the bullpen was terrific. Meanwhile the offense took apart a rookie starter who had been untouchable for about six weeks and then destroyed what was left of the Royals bullpen. Yes, I know the Royals are having a rotten season, but every team loves to be a spoiler, and last night was a great opportunity, especially when they drew first blood and took a 3-0 lead which actually lasted through 4 innings. Then came the deluge.

[Bellhorn04]

I always find baseball so interesting that certain guys will suck a majority of their career, then randomly break out, or be really good, suck a few seasons, then dominate. There is so much randomness always going on in this sport.

 

I think you'll like the thread I am going to start at the ASB on philosophical questions of baseball. Randomness is the #1 question.

[Slasher9]

'Last 30 days' is not the right sample though. Price had a very good June. His last 2 starts, needless to say, have been off-the-charts horrific.

 

When it comes to pitching I feel like it’s more relevant to look at smaller and more recent samples sizes.

1 game can be a blip. 2 games is worrisome....IMO

[Thunder]

I always find baseball so interesting that certain guys will suck a majority of their career, then randomly break out, or be really good, suck a few seasons, then dominate. There is so much randomness always going on in this sport.

 

Sandy Leon comes to mind as one of those.

[Bellhorn04]

Price seems to still have a decent fastball, but his other pitches don't break sharply and, worse, tend to be up in the zone because he does not have good control. He had three HBP's in the 5th before Cora pulled him. I am pretty sure that KC solo dinger was off of a changeup up in the zone.

 

Like everyone else, I get mad seeing a $30M salary wasted. On the other hand, I also think Price can still contribute if he will work on his command of pitches and especially not over-rely on the fastball. And keep the ball low, please?

 

Price is a major head case, I'm afraid. I'm sure that Yankee game did a number on his already fragile psyche.

[Slasher9]

FTR...price is $31MM....not 30...

[Thunder]

Price is a major head case, I'm afraid. I'm sure that Yankee game did a number on his already fragile psyche.

 

Well, we won the game. Yes, it was KC and they suck. But, for now, unless anything changes at the deadline, the Yankees are consistently losing games pitched by their weak link, while we've shown that we can still win some games with Price pitching.

[OH FOY]

His fastball after Sale got to look like Batting Practice. I don't like way rotation is set, with Left-Lefty like this. I would flip it. Price and then Sale, somehow. Or Porcello after Sale, and then Price. Give batters a different view, from changing different angle.

You got to be pretty set after facing a Lefty like Sale, and then Lefty Price as a batter.

Edited July 8, 2018 by OH FOY!

[Bellhorn04]

FTR...price is $31MM....not 30...

 

Yep. Little inaccuracies bug me too.

[Bellhorn04]

Well, we won the game. Yes, it was KC and they suck. But, for now, unless anything changes at the deadline, the Yankees are consistently losing games pitched by their weak link, while we've shown that we can still win some games with Price pitching.

 

We are playing great baseball. You wouldn't know it by reading through the game threads LOL

[Thunder]

We are playing great baseball. You wouldn't know it by reading through the game threads LOL

 

Amen to that!

[OH FOY]

Next 17 games we don't play a team over .500, so we should be doing a beatdown on these teams, no? Sox have a .678 winning %. Toronto is going to be the toughest at .466. Edited July 8, 2018 by OH FOY!

[jung]

Imagine how bad some of the winning percentages of these crap teams would be if they didn't get to play each other?

[Maxbialystock]

The rule should be that if you like sliding head first you have to wear hockey gloves on the bases.

 

Something, anyway. I like his enthusiasm, but in this case think it was at the wrong time--gratuitous, in fact. The Sox did not need that stolen base last night and they do need two reliable catchers. Mookie understands the value of mitigating the risk of head first slides.

[Maxbialystock]

We are playing great baseball. You wouldn't know it by reading through the game threads LOL

 

Thunder appears to include me in that group and he is dead wrong. The pessimistic OP's on now six straight game threads were intended as reverse mojo. I'm particularly proud of the latest one, 7/8, because it seems that the gloomier I get, the better the outcome. We'll see.

 

But you better believe I'm rooting for the Sox and overall very happy with both the team and the manager. In this very game thread I've even tried to be upbeat about Price because I think he does want to pitch well if only because he loves being on a winning team. Last night he praised the lineup for bailing him out.

[illinoisredsox]

Next 17 games we don't play a team over .500, so we should be doing a beatdown on these teams, no? Sox have a .678 winning %. Toronto is going to be the toughest at .466.

 

Define beat down.

[Maxbialystock]

The rule should be that if you like sliding head first you have to wear hockey gloves on the bases.

 

Something, anyway. I like his enthusiasm, but in this case think it was at the wrong time--gratuitous, in fact. The Sox did not need that stolen base last night and they do need two reliable catchers. Mookie understands the value of mitigating the risk of head first slides.

[a700hitter]

What did Price say after the game?

[Maxbialystock]

What did Price say after the game?

 

"To give up that lead the way I gave it up today, not to be able to get through five innings, that's tough. But my teammates really picked me up tonight, and that's huge."

[vegasbob]

Define beat down.

 

A swept series (3-0), with scores of 1-0, 2-1, and 15-4

[vegasbob]

So I simply could not hold out to the end of this game. There are times when even watching my beloved Sox I simply cannot tolerate the trash MLB calls MLB these days nor the idiots in the various broadcast booths. So I exited once it became obvious that the Royals would have to roll out its Frankenstein of a pen. There was simply no way for the Royals to keep up.

 

So I misses the Vaz injury. I have to guess it was another head first, hand first slide in a meaningless game vs another hideous AAA level opponent. Is that what happened?

 

We need Vaz and Sandy. We will certainly need both of them for October and likely need both healthy for at least some part of the regular season.

 

But when is this horse s*** head first slide crap going to end assuming that is what happened?

 

The odd part is that Vaz appears to have had the sliding mitt on his right hand. Still an unnecessary stolen base and a troublesome slide. Now we know why Swihart is still on the team. DD is so prescient

[a700hitter]

"To give up that lead the way I gave it up today, not to be able to get through five innings, that's tough. But my teammates really picked me up tonight, and that's huge."

That’s good. It’s the right thing to say. The douches on Talk Radio were killing him today.

[SoxHop]

That’s good. It’s the right thing to say. The douches on Talk Radio were killing him today.

 

Yeah. I was hoping for nothing stupid from him too. That pretty nails how you want to approach that.

 

Is he hurt is my question.

[a700hitter]

Yeah. I was hoping for nothing stupid from him too. That pretty nails how you want to approach that.

 

Is he hurt is my question.

We never know until we see a report.