6/24 @ Rays

[Maxbialystock]

Pivetta vs. Wacha

 

Sox got this.

 

Chavis 2b

Verdugo LF

JDM DH

Bogey SS

Devers 3B

Renfroe RF

Rike Hernandez CF

Vazquez C

Dalbec 1B

[moonslav59]

Wow! We found our lead off hitter!

[TylerD]

We got this

[Maxbialystock]

Wow! We found our lead off hitter!

 

Nothing like a little sarcasm before the game starts. I'm starting to like Kimmi's lineup. Good hitters get to cut in line: Verdugo, Bogey, JDM, Devers, Renfroe, 2b, Hernandez, Vazquez, Dalbec.

[TylerD]

Let’s go Chavis!

[Maxbialystock]

WEEI guys: high fastball is Chavis's achilles heel.

[Maxbialystock]

A walk after an 0-2 count. Verdugo gets it, and Chavis could have.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Wow! We found our lead off hitter!

 

 

Lead off batter. Similar to calling a thrower a pitcher.

[Maxbialystock]

Sox get one BB and 3 K's in top of 1st. An inauspicious start. I thought Wacha did throw smart pitches. When he can throw his fastball and changeup low in the zone (or just below it), it can be tough on the hitters.

[TylerD]

Alright let’s go big dick. 7 shut out tonight.

[Maxbialystock]

Richards, take note of Pivetta's hard-breaking knuckle curve.

[Maxbialystock]

Pivetta looks better than Wacha and, really, better than Pivetta. Good command, excellent fastball, very good curve, and good slider.

[d-money]

Gotta hit wacha.

[d-money]

Pivetta looks better than Wacha and, really, better than Pivetta. Good command, excellent fastball, very good curve, and good slider. Richards, take note.

 

It’s 1 inning. Let’s not get ahead just yet.

[Maxbialystock]

Wacha is throwing a whole lot of fastballs with impunity.

[Maxbialystock]

WEEI guys reminding us they are calling this game from Fenway.

[Maxbialystock]

Devers leads off with worked-for BB.

[Maxbialystock]

Wacha's changeup is absolutely lethal because it looks like his fastball and has a sharp break for a changeup.

[jung]

Richards, take note of Pivetta's hard-breaking knuckle curve.

 

I suspect Richards can take note of it all he wants. I doubt it will matter. What noise is coming out of his mouth is all bad. I doubt Richards has thrown without some sort of stickem' for years. Its just that SpyderTac is that much more effective.

 

Really I blame MLB for this. You guys probably would guess that I would. A few years ago the PR was that hitters wanted pitchers to use something to improve their grip because it was so obvious that pitchers were struggling with their control inside. I knew then that MLB was going to simply ignore the sticky stuff. So now, its too sticky???? Now they gripe about it.

 

MLB should have stopped it when it started years ago instead of silently endorsing it and letting the national media let the story out regarding what the hitters wanted.

 

We are in this mess with pitchers because of expansion. Should have been obvious that we would not have enough pitchers to feed this many MLB teams and the minor league system that support them. Now we have teams carrying as many as 14 pitchers half of then that can't throw 20 ML pitches in a row. I don't mean strikes, I mean pitches! The consequence of that is teams no longer have any bench strength in everyday players and immediately fall into nose dive slumps when they have injury in their starting 9.

Edited June 24, 2021 by jung

[Maxbialystock]

Another K from that changeup.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

A plethora of teams and a scarcity of pitchers.

[Maxbialystock]

I suspect Richards can take note of it all he wants. I doubt it will matter. What noise is coming out of his mouth is all bad. I doubt Richards has thrown without some sort of stickem' for years. Its just that SpyderTac is that much more effective.

 

Really I blame MLB for this. You guys probably would guess that I would. A few years ago the PR was that hitters wanted pitchers to use something to improve their grip because it was so obvious that pitchers were struggling with their control inside. I knew then that MLB was going to simply ignore the sticky stuff. So now, its too sticky???? Now they gripe about it.

 

MLB should have stopped it when it started years ago instead of silently endorsing it and letting the national media let the story out regarding what the hitters wanted.

 

We are in this mess with pitchers because of expansion. Should have been obvious that we would not have enough pitchers to feed this many MLB teams and the minor league system that support them. Now we have teams carrying as many as 14 pitchers half of then that can't throw 20 ML pitches in a row. I don't mean strikes, I mean pitches! The consequence of that is teams no longer have any bench strength in everyday players and immediately fall into nose dive slumps when they have injury in their starting 9.

 

Meh. To me the good pitchers don't need sticky stuff to the degree Richards does. See Pivetta right now.

 

And it is BS to say 14 pitchers on a roster has any effect on lineup players. Duran isn't in the minors because of too many pitchers on the Boston roster. Same for any talented Sox position player at Worcester or wherever.

 

Ever heard of a guy named Santana? Do you really think the great, talented Santana ain't playing tonight because the Sox have too many pitchers on the roster?

[Maxbialystock]

Another K from Wacha's changeup. Sox lineup is being schooled.

[Maxbialystock]

First guy to make contact with Wacha's changeup--Chavis? The WEEI guys say bad call by the ump.

[Maxbialystock]

Chavis and Verdugo have both made real contact with that changeup. Wacha is still working on no-hitter, however. As is Pivetta (after just 2 innings).

[Maxbialystock]

MLB pitchers risk public shaming if they doctor the ball, the Sox scored 9 runs in game 1, the Rays 8 runs last night, and tonight we are watching a pitching duel.

[Maxbialystock]

Pivetta's knuckle curve looking very good, but so is his fast ball.

[d-money]

Is Wacha this good?

[TylerD]

Pivetta dealing tonight. Wow. Love this guy.

[Maxbialystock]

Who needs a changeup when the Sox can't hit a 93 mph fastball?