4/21 vs Blue Jays

[Bellhorn04]

The Sox had a great chance to turn the game around when Bogey came up with the bases loaded. Phelps made a good pitch. That's where games are often decided-one pitch.

[TylerD]

The Sox had a great chance to turn the game around when Bogey came up with the bases loaded. Phelps made a good pitch. That's where games are often decided-one pitch.

 

One run game in the 8th. Definitely had our chances. Let’s hope we rebound today

[Maxbialystock]

I like the comments above from Bellhorn04 and TylerD. Despite Richards' 6 walks, 1 HBP, and 1 WP and Taylor's lousy 9th inning, it was a good game to watch.

[TylerD]

I like the comments above from Bellhorn04 and TylerD. Despite Richards' 6 walks, 1 HBP, and 1 WP and Taylor's lousy 9th inning, it was a good game to watch.

These games will happen. We are still tied for the best record in the American League. Good teams rebound, so let’s hope we do that today

[moonslav59]

The Sox had a great chance to turn the game around when Bogey came up with the bases loaded. Phelps made a good pitch. That's where games are often decided-one pitch.

 

Then, he hits the solo job, next time up.

 

Those are signs of a snake-bitten team, but it has not happened often enough to see that as being a trend.

 

Instead, we have come through more often than not. We've won more games that could have gone either way than lost them.

 

I'm glad we got off to a good start. It builds confidence and pulls the team together. Hopefully, we bounce back, today.

[moonslav59]

Couple things that I took away:

 

Richards: Overall, I've been really encouraged by what I've seen from him. It's like he needs the first couple innings to warm up. If he could pitch like his last 2 2/3 innings last night all the time, he would be a halfway decent pitcher for us.

 

Bullpen: Other than Taylor and sometimes Ottavino, our bullpen is much better than I anticipated, and much better than I think most people around the league realize and are giving us credit for. Sawamura and Valdez continue to impress. We had no business being in that game, but they kept us in it. At least until Taylor in the 9th.

 

The team in general: Boy do these guys fight hard. And because they do, we will never truly be out of a ballgame. If we think about it, the only game we lost in a blowout was Richards' first start against the O's. Since then, we've overcome poor starts from other pitchers besides Richards as well. Our last 4 losses were games that we really had no business being in, for various reasons (poor starting pitching last night, as well as last Thursday in MIN, and then great starting pitching by the White Sox in the two games on Sunday). But yet, we took them down to the 9th and made them earn it. We should be a gritty team, even when things don't go well. The only problem with that, however, is that it will usually leave some of us feeling that we could/should have won those games. Xander in the 5th, Dalbec in the 8th just last night. We were right there. We had no business winning that game, but there we were with multiple chances to take a lead. You just have to remember that we won't win every single one of those games. That's baseball. Even the best teams lose 60 games per year.

 

Great take.

 

I'd add Brice to the list with Taylor, but this team has shown a lot of guts and resilience.

[TylerD]

Great take.

 

I'd add Brice to the list with Taylor, but this team has shown a lot of guts and resilience.

 

Considering we have a top ten pitching staff when I thought we could potentially battle for last I’m happy with it. A better inning from Taylor and this could be a win (same goes for Richards) we also had many many chances to score a lot of runs. We had ten hits in the game. We just couldn’t capitalize. We still are tied for the best record in the American League. Let’s get a W tonight.

[Thunder]

Considering we have a top ten pitching staff when I thought we could potentially battle for last I’m happy with it. A better inning from Taylor and this could be a win (same goes for Richards) we also had many many chances to score a lot of runs. We had ten hits in the game. We just couldn’t capitalize. We still are tied for the best record in the American League. Let’s get a W tonight.

 

And it's only going to get better (presumably) when Sales comes back. Until then, I am a proponent of a 5.5 man rotation. Bring Houck up and swap him in with Perez or Pivetta. Like have them alternate turns in the rotation. You could even send Houck down in between starts if you wanted that extra bullpen arm on the active roster

[mvp 78]

And it's only going to get better (presumably) when Sales comes back. Until then, I am a proponent of a 5.5 man rotation. Bring Houck up and swap him in with Perez or Pivetta. Like have them alternate turns in the rotation. You could even send Houck down in between starts if you wanted that extra bullpen arm on the active roster

 

Perez and Pivetta have looked better than Richards. Maybe just move Richards into a relief role until his mechanics are figured out?

[TylerD]

Ya I think I would rather have Pivetta than Richards. Hard to say. Houck is too good though not to have him in the rotation right now.

[mvp 78]

Ya I think I would rather have Pivetta than Richards. Hard to say. Houck is too good though not to have him in the rotation right now.

 

After 10 starts last year, the Padres threw him to the pen. Sox may need to be more proactive than that.

[iortiz]

Didn't know Richards got 10 M. Wow!

[Thunder]

Perez and Pivetta have looked better than Richards. Maybe just move Richards into a relief role until his mechanics are figured out?

 

The reason I'm personally averse to that is because Richards runs into problems the first time through the order. If he started strong and then ran out of gas, he would be a better bullpen option IMO

[Bellhorn04]

After 10 starts last year, the Padres threw him to the pen. Sox may need to be more proactive than that.

 

Why did the Padres 'throw him to the pen', though?

 

It wasn't ineffectiveness.

 

Because in the 3 starts prior to moving him to the pen, he pitched 15 innings with a 2.40 ERA, .519 OPSa, 16 K's and 2 BB's.

 

Looks like they were preparing him to be a reliever in the playoffs.

Edited April 22, 2021 by Bellhorn04

[TylerD]

Why did the Padres 'throw him to the pen', though?

 

It wasn't ineffectiveness.

 

Because in the 3 starts prior to moving him to the pen, he pitched 15 innings with a 2.40 ERA, .519 OPSa, 16 K's and 2 BB's.

 

Looks like they were preparing him to be a reliever in the playoffs.

 

Well he’s been charged with 14 runs in 16 innings. Not even two full games. He’s been terrible for us.... how long are you willing to give him as a starter?

[Bellhorn04]

Well he’s been charged with 14 runs in 16 innings. Not even two full games. He’s been terrible for us.... how long are you willing to give him as a starter?

 

I don't know. I don't care much for those numbers either LOL

 

I'm guessing two more starts and if there's no improvement, they try Whitlock or Houck and move Richards to the pen.

 

Whitlock and Houck will both have their innings limited this year, so there are a bunch of things in play for Cora and management to figure out.

[mvp 78]

Why did the Padres 'throw him to the pen', though?

 

It wasn't ineffectiveness.

 

Because in the 3 starts prior to moving him to the pen, he pitched 15 innings with a 2.40 ERA, .519 OPSa, 16 K's and 2 BB's.

 

Looks like they were preparing him to be a reliever in the playoffs.

 

What about the 4th start? .2 Innings, 6 ER. Over his last 5 starts, only 1 went longer than 4.1.

[Bellhorn04]

What about the 4th start? .2 Innings, 6 ER. Over his last 5 starts, only 1 went longer than 4.1.

 

Yeah, his 2020 game logs are all over the place. Of course he hadn't pitched a full season since 2015.

[Thunder]

Somebody want to do the honors for tonight? We're slowly approaching first pitch here...

[moonslav59]

What about the 4th start? .2 Innings, 6 ER. Over his last 5 starts, only 1 went longer than 4.1.

 

 

Yes, his last 5 starts were not long, except 1:

 

IP ER

2.0 1

0.2 6

3.2 0

7.0 3

4.1 1

 

but only one was bad.

 

Remember, this guy has barely pitched since 2015, and didn't start pitching in 2020 until late July.

 

He's kind of a hard guy to figure out what he can do and for how long.

 

He was a very fine pitcher from 2014-2017, although he did not pitch much in '16 & '17 (3.06 ERA, 123 ERA+, 1.15 WHIP, 3.25 FIP)

 

We paid him $10M on the hopes he can return to that form. I think he's going to get a chance to show he can. It may not be 8 straight starts out of the gate, but unless he gets hurt, he's getting a longer look than 4 starts.

[TylerD]

I don't know. I don't care much for those numbers either LOL

 

I'm guessing two more starts and if there's no improvement, they try Whitlock or Houck and move Richards to the pen.

 

Whitlock and Houck will both have their innings limited this year, so there are a bunch of things in play for Cora and management to figure out.

Ya agreed. Let’s just hope the bats keep up, I think we will need it. Our pitching isn’t our strong spot right now. But if we score 5 runs w game it will definitely help.

 

Jays are 5th in ERA. Wtf.