Countdown to Playoffs - 2019 edition

[notin]

The fact that we have to depend on Johnson in Yankee stadium is a scary thought!

 

Right. Porcello would be much more soothing...

[OH FOY]

Starting 4 Lefties against the Yanks. That has to be a first. Boone wont have to go to Computer to get his Line-up ready.

[Kimmi]

You're gonna have a hell of a time winning the division. We play you 4 times in 3 days and if you don't sweep those game, you aren't gonna sniff the division. We play 11 games in 10 gays vs the O's and Jays after the sox series. While we are literally dealing with near auto wins, you'll have the auto-win Royals then have to play the Angels and @CLE before killing the Orioles.

 

The sox lack a true long run of sucky opponents like we are about to jump into. We both go to the west coast at the same time then you come home to the Twins and Yanks for 7 games. We all know the history of the sox on the left coast. The you finish the year bookending some tough play with 3 at Toronto and 3 home vs Baltimore (auto wins), but inbetween you'll play at PHI, home vs SF, @TB and @TEX.

 

Once again, the Yankees haven't won anything yet.

[Kimmi]

Heart does. Head doesn’t..

 

I counted the Sox out after Game 3 of the 2004 ALCS. In my heart and head, there was no way they were coming back from that. I was just hoping to win at least one game and avoid the sweep.

 

Miracles do happen. Never give up hope.

[Kimmi]

Start a thread named "Countdown to Elimination."

 

Walk toward the light Moon, walk toward the light.

[moonslav59]

Walk toward the light Moon, walk toward the light.

 

Point me towards the light. All I see is darkness.

[dgalehouse]

Here's hoping that facing the Yankee's hapless rotation will be just what the doctor ordered to get this team back on track . Still too soon to give up .

[OH FOY]

Here's hoping that facing the Yankee's hapless rotation will be just what the doctor ordered to get this team back on track . Still too soon to give up .

 

Agree, if team can get their heads out of their Ass, this team can go on a run. Talent there, their brains are still in Neutral. 52 games still time.

Edited August 2, 2019 by OH FOY!

[OH FOY]

Just get into Play-offs, start with a 1 game winning streak, baby steps.

[dannycater]

Holt likes playing in YankMe Stadium. Let the lefty hitters get some at bats in that bandbox.

[FredLynn]

Last Wild Card spot always comes down to last week. Their is never 5 dominant teams, in either League. Giants are 55-54 and only 2.5 behind last Wild Card spot.

Sox need to get hot, and cannot lose series anymore. Need to take 3 from Yanks to stay in race. Split does nothing but take more games off schedule, and lose precious games now. Unless you get lucky and Tampa and Oakland lose too. Luck is starting to become involved a lot more, now. Less games, More Luck.

E-Rod, Sale, Johnson, and Price this weekend. Supposedly your 3 of your 5 best Starters go this weekend.

This series will tell you a lot. Do you have what it takes, or you don't.

 

It will likely come down to the last week with the Rays and A's vying for the berth. We will be at least five games out by the end of the Yankees series, more than likely. I am sure the Yankees would just love to drive the final nail into our coffins like we did to them last August when we swept the four game series at Fenway from them. Sure was fun, last year. This year....not so much.

[Maxbialystock]

Point me towards the light. All I see is darkness.

 

There's a reason why most teams carry 12 pitchers and this year the Sox have carried 13. Pitching is awfully important, and our pitching stinks.

 

We have a Yankee fan, a very good guy, here in our office and he's always complaining about their rotation, which I agree ain't so hot. But ours is just as bad and we don't have a quality bullpen--far from it, in fact--like the Yankees have.

 

Last weekend we took 3 of 4 against the Yankees only because our 12 angry men--also called our lineup players--scored 19, 10, and 9 runs for the 3 wins, but score an inadequate 6 runs in game 4 when the Yankees scored 9.

 

So moonslav, one of the eternal optimists, is entitled to his now gloomy outlook.

[moonslav59]

There's a reason why most teams carry 12 pitchers and this year the Sox have carried 13. Pitching is awfully important, and our pitching stinks.

 

We have a Yankee fan, a very good guy, here in our office and he's always complaining about their rotation, which I agree ain't so hot. But ours is just as bad and we don't have a quality bullpen--far from it, in fact--like the Yankees have.

 

Last weekend we took 3 of 4 against the Yankees only because our 12 angry men--also called our lineup players--scored 19, 10, and 9 runs for the 3 wins, but score an inadequate 6 runs in game 4 when the Yankees scored 9.

 

So moonslav, one of the eternal optimists, is entitled to his now gloomy outlook.

 

To me, there is no light shining anywhere. I suppose we can get back in this thing, but I see no indication that this team will pull together to do what needs to be done for any meaningful stretch of time.

 

We are flat. We bitch at the umps, and get no favors by doing so. We hit when we don't need it and don't hit when we should.

 

On paper, it looks like we should be good enough to compete, but on the field, we just plain suck.

[Bellhorn04]

We hit when we don't need it and don't hit when we should.

 

Disagree there. The offense is putting up plenty enough runs to win games. It's just that the pitching is so bad that even 5 or 6 runs may not be enough.

[dannycater]

No question this team is the worst at timing. Different team when it chases the score, which is often. Seem to be the first to crack almost every time, and especially at Fenway. They just fall behind immediately at Fenway. On the road, they seemed more relaxed, pitchers too.

[moonslav59]

Disagree there. The offense is putting up plenty enough runs to win games. It's just that the pitching is so bad that even 5 or 6 runs may not be enough.

 

We have scored a lot of runs, but still have our share of 1 to 2 run losses preceded or followed by blow out wins. That is what I meant by too much untimely hitting.

 

Certainly, the pitching has been the major reason for this anti universe from 2018 to 2019.

[Bellhorn04]

No doubt the combination of Fenway Park and the Manfred Missile is a frightening combo for our pitchers.

[Bellhorn04]

We have scored a lot of runs, but still have our share of 1 to 2 run losses preceded or followed by blow out wins. That is what I meant by too much untimely hitting.

 

Well, after the 19 run onslaught vs. the Yanks we scored 10 and then 9.

 

Then we scored 6, 5, 5 and 4 and lost them all. With decent pitching you should win 2 or 3 of those 4.

[dgalehouse]

Disagree there. The offense is putting up plenty enough runs to win games. It's just that the pitching is so bad that even 5 or 6 runs may not be enough.

 

Overall , the offense has done their part . One criticism might be that they don't seem to have a lot of comeback in them . When they are losing late , the game is pretty much over .

[Noles_1335]

I'm on the same page as Moon here... This team needs a good shot in the ass. There seems to be no fire or passion. I mean hell, Big Papa getting shot and almost dying couldn't lite a fire in their asses what can? If we lose 2-3 this weekend....lights out and the show is over.

[notin]

Here's hoping that facing the Yankee's hapless rotation will be just what the doctor ordered to get this team back on track . Still too soon to give up .

 

It’s not the offense anyone worries about.

[Maxbialystock]

We have scored a lot of runs, but still have our share of 1 to 2 run losses preceded or followed by blow out wins. That is what I meant by too much untimely hitting.

 

Certainly, the pitching has been the major reason for this anti universe from 2018 to 2019.

 

The offense is the only reason the Sox are above .500. The pitching is 20th best in MLB, and the offense is 1st in runs scored. The rotation, including Eovaldi who was signed to be a starter, is by far the highest paid segment on the roster, and they are killing us.

Edited August 2, 2019 by Maxbialystock

[YastrzemskI]

It’s not the offense anyone worries about.

 

What’s the use of scoring 10 runs if your pitching staff gives up 12.. freakin twilight zone of a staff this season.

[fxkatt]

Well, we can't say that this season is out of character for the Sox. We've always been known as a no-pitch, big bat team... They used to refer to the team as a "country club..." easy going, big hitters to impress, but not much in the way of seriousness.

[jung]

Well, we can't say that this season is out of character for the Sox. We've always been known as a no-pitch, big bat team... They used to refer to the team as a "country club..." easy going, big hitters to impress, but not much in the way of seriousness.

 

This is how old, decrepit and stuck in the mud DD is:

- On average, innings from starters is going in the tank. Has been for years. There are a few starters that can go 7 on occasion and thats it. Never mind the starters I grew up with went 7 regularly and completed 1/3rd to half their games. That appears to be done and will STAY DONE for at least 10 years even if approaches to pitching spins on its heels this very minute

- Now I don't like how this is going with starters and innings and I particularly don't like the reasons behind it. But if I were a Pres of Baseball Ops my business is not about what I like or don't like. Its about how to build a team that can succeed in the game as it is played in this period.

- What does DD do? Relies on his tried and true formula, spending big money on starters right in the face of a watershed shift in ML pitching approach. Worse than that, he had a stay of execution in that you could say that when he first took the job here, there was still time to work it out HIS way. But now that time is waaaaaayyyyy gone. What does he do? He extends struggling Sale to 2024. Leaves us with both Price and Sale in transition and even if their transition efforts succeed, will they be able to go 7 per start. Doesn't look like it.

 

So IMO, if I wanted to buy the argument that DD is learning from his 40 years of experience I would have to see DD enhancing his ability to build pens, something he has never done well and still can't do well and I would have to see him recognizing that he is standing right now in the middle of the road and the road grader is headed straight for him in the way he views starting pitchers as assets and relievers as assets. The road grader is about to make him part of the pavement but DD just keeps on keepin' on as if its 1991 and he is still in Florida with the Marlins.

[moonslav59]

The offense is the only reason the Sox are above .500. The pitching is 20th best in MLB, and the offense is 1st in runs scored. The rotation, including Eovaldi who was signed to be a starter, is by far the highest paid segment on the roster, and they are killing us.

 

I agree 100%, but the offense has not done what it took to win a few more games. That is not meant to lessen the blame on the staff.

[Bellhorn04]

I agree 100%, but the offense has not done what it took to win a few more games. That is not meant to lessen the blame on the staff.

 

If the offense puts up 5 or more runs they're doing their job. It's not their fault that they're still behind 7-5 going to the 9th and can't pull it out of the fire.

[moonslav59]

If the offense puts up 5 or more runs they're doing their job. It's not their fault that they're still behind 7-5 going to the 9th and can't pull it out of the fire.

 

Of course the pitching is the reason we are where we are, but it seems like our offense has done very well when needed the least and not too well when needed most.

Again, this is not meant to lessen the blame on the staff. Our pitching sucks.

[Bellhorn04]

Of course the pitching is the reason we are where we are, but it seems like our offense has done very well when needed the least and not too well when needed most.

 

I don't really know what that means.

 

Like I said earlier, in the last 4 games they scored 6, 5, 5 and 4. With decent pitching they should have won 2 or 3 of those games.

[moonslav59]

I don't really know what that means.

 

Like I said earlier, in the last 4 games they scored 6, 5, 5 and 4. With decent pitching they should have won 2 or 3 of those games.

 

Ok. The offense has done absolutely nothing wrong all year. It's 100% on the staff.