8/12 Sox @ O's

[d-money]

Offense hasn’t been as great.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

That was a lackadaisical throw by Beckham.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Offense hasn’t been as great.

 

Tip your cap to Cobb.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Kelly's regression back to million dollar arm and 10 cent brain has really hurt the pen.

[d-money]

Johnson? Isn’t he pitching Tuesday?

[FredLynn]

I would not mind seeing Cora take it easy on the rotation from now till the end of the season because we have no pen. We are kidding ourselves. Its a jack in the box pen even more than pens are normally at least for a contending team. Cora has got to be able to depend on something...ANYTHING. What would you say he can depend on at this point? Has Brassier pitched enough so that you are just going to toss him into post season play. He is going to have to get more chances down the stretch and the rest of them are going to have to show some reason for Cora to have some expectations from them. If that costs us a few wins down the stretch FINE.....Setting some season record for regular season wins is not going to mean much if they get bounced out on their ears AGAIN.

 

That is factually inaccurate, as I noted above. We are fourth in ERA in the AL for RPs, just 0.35 RPG behind the leader. Although we are sixth in WHIP for RPs we are just 0.03 from being third. We are also fourth in OPSa.

 

No pen is going to do the job every game. The Yankees "dominant pen" didn't do so well against us last time out, did they. We have a decent pen, not a great one. We have a great offense and a very good rotation. This team has as good a chance as Houston and NY win a ring.

Edited August 12, 2018 by FredLynn

[jung]

That is factually inaccurate, as I noted above. We are fourth in ERA in the AL for RPs, just 0.35 RPG behind the leader. No pen is going to do the job every game. The Yankees "dominant pen" didn't do so well against us last time out, did they. We have a decent pen, not a great one. We have a great offense and a very good rotation. This team has as good a chance as Houston and NY win a ring.

 

That would mean something if anybody in this league could actually pitch!

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

I will credit Cora for keeping Holt at 2nd; he's done a damn good job there.

[jung]

Being 4th in THIS league is not going to help us very much in the post season when every game we play will be against a team pretty much like us. Those games will be between the only four teams in this league this year that are representative of MLB as we have known it.

[FredLynn]

Johnson? Isn’t he pitching Tuesday?

 

Not any more. I think Johnson is much more effective as a SP.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Nice job by Johnson. He's overachieved so far this year and has been important to the SOX success.

[Fan_since_Boggs]

Johnson? Isn’t he pitching Tuesday?

 

My guess is this: today was Johnson's throw day and the Red Sox told him to hold off and save his throw day for the game--they would need an inning out of him due to yesterday's double hitter.

 

So, I'm assuming he is still starting on Tuesday.

[FredLynn]

Being 4th in THIS league is not going to help us very much in the post season when every game we play will be against a team pretty much like us. Those games will be between the only four teams in this league this year that are representative of MLB as we have known it.

 

Our bullpen is going to be competitive in the playoffs. Don't forget: we have the best offense in the game, and the other guys are going to have to face our lineup. I don't see us dominating Houston or NY, but the reverse is also true. Whoever gets hot will be in the WS.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

JD's career slugging percentage against the O's is .780. That's the highest in history for an opposing hitter against the O's.

[FredLynn]

Moreland's swing is painful to watch....he can't stop bailing out.

[Tedballgame]

Time for Barnes. Does he walk the first guy or the second guy?

[Tedballgame]

slow to cover

[Tedballgame]

I can't watch Barnes.

[FredLynn]

Need a DP here

[a700hitter]

slow to cover

Mullins just outran Barnes.

[vegasbob]

I think the varying opinions on the BP stem from a lack of predictable consistency, and set roles among the relievers, except for Kimbrel. Stat-wise, they appear very good on paper, but can't pass the eye test. For example, Thornburg did not give up a run, actually improved his ERA but it was a terrible performance. Many references made recently to Uehara, who I believe was not perfect (close to it) but was very consistent.

 

They also use a lot of pitches to get the job done limiting their ability to throw on consecutive days. The trend towards 5 and 6 inning starters also pressures the pen into many more appearances. Price's shutout effort yesterday was only good for 18 outs.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

The importance of sweeping teams like the O's is because it gives the SOX some cushion when they have to play good teams. The Yankems' poor record against the O's is the main reason the SOX enjoy a big lead.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

I'm sorry, but unless things improve drastically, this is not a playoff BP.

[vegasbob]

There is no way I will ever acknowledge Barnes as an effective reliever. Take his stats with him to the off season.

[bmattioli]

Barnes is wild here goes the lead..

[d-money]

This bullpen always makes you sweat it out.

[iortiz]

Barnes is lost. Take his ass out of the mound.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Bring in Bra man. Oh, s***, nevermind.

[FredLynn]

Not a good day for the pen...no doubt about it.

[jung]

Our bullpen is going to be competitive in the playoffs. Don't forget: we have the best offense in the game, and the other guys are going to have to face our lineup. I don't see us dominating Houston or NY, but the reverse is also true. Whoever gets hot will be in the WS.

 

That said, with a 9.5 game lead playing in a league full of AAA+ teams, Cora would be nuts to go into the post season pulling names out of a bullpen hat. If he uses his head he will back off the rotation which is actually the most dependable part of this team most particularly for post season play. For one thing he will want his top three starters fit and strong going into the post season. He will also IMO STILL want to use Price where he can be most effective assuming he is one of those top 3.

 

The most dependable part of this team post season will not be the hitters and I suspect we will find that out when we are facing the pitching metal of this league every game with them all knowing the specific weaknesses of each of our hitters and with the talent to exploit them. These guys are not gods. Every one of them has a weakness that can be exploited by pitchers who can get pitches to those spots consistently.

 

If you as a team cannot exploit the weaknesses of the opponents hitters effectively in post season series, good luck to you. So if I were Cora I would protect my rotation going into the end of the season and I would give my pen guys chances to actually show something that can translate to post season performance. Not a single one of them has shown the sort of capability that can be an asset in the post season and that includes Kimbrel. He is likely the closest one to showing it with the rest way behind him.