6/2 @ Houston

[moonslav59]

If Arroyo gets a hit here, he should move to the 1 or 2 slot.

[illinoisredsox]

I guess to some an ace is only an ace, if they go 30-2.

 

Yeah. To me, bring an ace is both stuff and a mentality.

[moonslav59]

If Arroyo gets a hit here, he should move to the 1 or 2 slot.

 

He probably should anyway.

[iortiz]

Damn!

[illinoisredsox]

I would have line to have seen Renfroe try and steal 2nd. Try to manufacture something.

[TylerD]

We are a complete joke right now.

[iortiz]

GG but offense needs to wake up.

[SoxHop]

Dangit. Tough series.

 

It pains me the hitting isn't there and the pitching is. Exactly the opposite of the problem I thought this team would have.

[SoxHop]

I would have line to have seen Renfroe try and steal 2nd. Try to manufacture something.

 

I was thinking the same. It was Dave Roberts time. Not sure who would have played Roberts though.

[jung]

Heey jung, how are you doing man? Been a while since the last time I read you bud (maybe it’s just me because I do not post much as I used to). Anyways, nice to see you posting my friend.

 

Yeah, as always you are right or at least I see the thing the same as you do. Maybe ERod wasn’t/isnt completely ready to pitch at 100% of his abilities, or simply his rhythm/confidence will take a bit more (or way more, who knows) to regain his former form again.

 

I'm OK. Forced isolation for most of a year waiting for the vaccines. I am in that 1% of asthma sufferers for whom just the asthma can kill ya'. Has tried to kill me twice already with no help from anything else. COVID was taking 30 year olds with my kind of acute asthma. But made it this far. The isolation part hasn't been easy. Thank God my son has been living with me and we have had a good COVID plan and living arrangement. Probably saved my ass for what it is worth.

[illinoisredsox]

I’m getting close to giving up on game threads, again.

 

I don’t actually see his/her posts; I don’t see dmoney’s either. It makes the game thread more palatable.

 

Of course, every once in a while I forget to login and then their drivel is there in all its “glory”.

[Swiharts Ghost]

Reverse lock is broken ...tried guys.I don’t remember a funk l8ke this .its no ordinary fuuuuuuuuunk I don’t remember no Funk like this Noooooo Ordinary Funk .Man I love Sade .

[illinoisredsox]

I was thinking the same. It was Dave Roberts time. Not sure who would have played Roberts though.

 

Renfroe has some speed; don’t know if he’s a good base runner though. He is 12 out of 14 lifetime, and Astro’s closer looked like someone you could run on.

[moonslav59]

I don’t actually see his/her posts; I don’t see dmoney’s either. It makes the game thread more palatable.

 

Of course, every once in a while I forget to login and then their drivel is there in all its “glory”.

 

Maybe my view on what being a fan means is way different than many, here.

[Maxbialystock]

Pedro was an ace. Sale was an ace for 2 years with us. Lester was for more than one season.

 

BTW, ERod was better in 2018, except for IP.

 

Well, if IP's don't count, Buchholz was our best starter in the John Henry era with his 16 starts and 1.74 ERA in 2013.

 

As for Sale, I think he's the most professional pitcher I've seen in a Sox uniform, but the fact remains he stunk in the 2017 postseason, pitched a short 2018 season (27 starts, but a terrific 2.11 ERA), and had no quality starts in 3 postseason starts in 2018. Price, Eovaldi, and even Porcello all had better ERA's in the 2018 postseason.

 

Pedro was definitely an ace in 2003, first year of the JH era.

[TylerD]

Dangit. Tough series.

 

It pains me the hitting isn't there and the pitching is. Exactly the opposite of the problem I thought this team would have.

 

Right?? Two very good starts by Richards and Pivetta. Offense has been a total no show the last three games. Beyond frustrating

[Nick]

I think the lead-off hitter thing in baseball is yet another thing that has been utterly confused by this insistence on depending on stats that have driven teams to throw HR hitters at the top of their orders. So now teams are questioning whether their lead off hitter hits enough HR's??????????? In the same breath they are downgrading guys that can work counts, get on base from lead-off any way they can that have enough speed to steal a bag. They probably think Betts would be the ideal lead-off hitter. Well OK....how many Mookie's are there?

 

Possibly the return to baseballs that are not rocket ships to Mars will return some "normalcy" to the situation and less consternation about what actually makes a lead-off hitter.

 

I don't think Hernandez should be lead-off either. Maybe they should stick Verdugo there and stay with him come hell or high water because I don't really know who else I would put there day in and day out from this team.

 

I just can't believe OBP isn't a major factor for leadoff hitters. I've watched money ball one hundred times. Base hit, walk, it doesn't matter. Get on base.

[SoxHop]

Maybe my view on what being a fan means is way different than many, here.

 

That's a good way to put it. Personally we are in the hunt for 1st at this point in the season where I though we'd be so out of it by now, and this team is fun, and can PITCH. It's all gravy. That we are battling for first is amazing fun with this crew.

[TylerD]

Maybe my view on what being a fan means is way different than many, here.

 

My view is simple. When the team is performing I compliment them and am happy. When the team isn’t performing like the last three games and has worked their way out of first because we can’t even score two runs, they deserve major criticism. I get it, some people on here are positive little birdies no matter what happens. Good for them.

 

I can’t all the sudden start making mistakes at my job and have my boss go, “well just a tough week Tyler, you have done great things lately so hopefully you get back on track.” Hell no. Sox get criticism these last three games. They have f***ing stunk to s*** and been brutal to watch. If some posters on here are offended by that then fine.

 

Here’s hoping we get it together. This series reminds me of the first series of the season against Baltimore.

[d-money]

This team is looking like pretenders. Seriously this team could go 1-7 on this road trip right now. f***ing awful.

[SoxHop]

Well, if IP's don't count, Buchholz was our best starter in the John Henry era with his 16 starts and 1.74 ERA in 2013.

 

As for Sale, I think he's the most professional pitcher I've seen in a Sox uniform, but the fact remains he stunk in the 2017 postseason, pitched a short 2018 season (27 starts, but a terrific 2.11 ERA), and had no quality starts in 3 postseason starts in 2018. Price, Eovaldi, and even Porcello all had better ERA's in the 2018 postseason.

 

Pedro was definitely an ace in 2003, first year of the JH era.

 

That's the thing with this team. We don't have an ace. There is no shutdown 30 mil pitcher right now. But, we are below salary cap, we can get one soon.

 

Eddie is and only has been a number 3. That was what his projection was, and that is at best what he is. Add to the fact that covid and missing a season and so on....... he was never an ace, no one should think he is an ace, and we would be lucky for him to pitch an ace year.

 

What's real lucky or smart is the rest of the pitching squad, we have had gems by a lot of these misfits. Way better than expected.

[SoxHop]

This team is looking like pretenders.

 

It was a down year or didn't that sink though you brain?

[Maxbialystock]

Gutsy start by Pivetta who did not receive much hitting or defensive support--Dalbec should have at least stopped that grounder that got by through him for a double.

 

Sox have scored 4 runs in 3 games in Houston, which pretty much let's the Sox pitching off the hook. Our big four (Verdugo, JDM, Bogie, and Devers) had a total of 6 hits, all singles, in 3 games and 0 rbi's.

[jung]

If Arroyo gets a hit here, he should move to the 1 or 2 slot.

 

Hey Arroyo might be a good choice. But I don't think he would stay there very long. A bit inconsistent and he might be an all year injury waiting to happen.....in and out of the lineup.

 

I do not want to see them lose tomorrow. Does not matter who you are playing. Teams that can lose 4 straight games worry me.

[d-money]

It was a down year or didn't that sink though you brain?

 

Give me a break dude. A down year? They had one last year. They started off well. You can’t keep telling me it’s down year. How many down years will they have? This goes back also to our minor league system as well.

[d-money]

That's the thing with this team. We don't have an ace. There is no shutdown 30 mil pitcher right now. But, we are below salary cap, we can get one soon.

 

Eddie is and only has been a number 3. That was what his projection was, and that is at best what he is. Add to the fact that covid and missing a season and so on....... he was never an ace, no one should think he is an ace, and we would be lucky for him to pitch an ace year.

 

What's real lucky or smart is the rest of the pitching squad, we have had gems by a lot of these misfits. Way better than expected.

 

Pitching hasn’t been their issue here. It comes back to this offense that have the stros look great. I don’t think the stros are this good.

[Maxbialystock]

It was a down year or didn't that sink though you brain?

 

It was also supposed to be a down year for the Rays, who are in 1st place, so methinks it's not a down year until the players make it one.

 

These guys started the season with three straight losses to the Orioles, who are currently 19-37, but then bounced back with 9 in a row.

 

The lineup, despite these three games, has been pretty good even with the holes (leadoff, etc). The starting pitching, except for ERod, has been way better than I expected. The bullpen has also been better than I expected.

 

Having lost 3 in a row, the Sox are still just 2 games out of 1st place in the AL East and would be a wild card in the postseason if it started tomorrow. In short, so far they have over-performed, and I think they can keep it going despite all my whining.

[TylerD]

It was a down year or didn't that sink though you brain?

 

Oh holy s***. Forgive us for expecting bigger things with the season we have had so far and the 9 game winning streak. I’ll give you, I didn’t expect much this year before the season but being first place up till a week ago, and then pulling this s*** (0 offense). People have the right to be upset. He is calling the team out and saying they look like s*** and you’re insulting him saying “didn’t that sink into your brain” if you don’t like negative comments get off forums

 

I love the Oilers board. Hockey fans can take criticism. Baseball fans are sensitive as hell, Jesus.

[SoxHop]

No $30M/year aces, please. Not worth the money.

 

Plus this is the wrong time to whine about pitching when it's been the hitting--4 runs in 3 games--that has killed the Sox in Houston.

 

Am I lost or something. But aren't you the one non stop complaining about E-Rod?

[Maxbialystock]

I just can't believe OBP isn't a major factor for leadoff hitters. I've watched money ball one hundred times. Base hit, walk, it doesn't matter. Get on base.

 

I'm not saying OBP is irrelevant to the leadoff hitter, but would remind that in most games he only leads off an inning once. I believe Ellsbury led off in 2011 and had 105 rbi's, and let's not forget about Betts leading off and getting rbi's.