Aug 1: BOS (Pivetta) @ TBR (McClanahan)

[TylerD]

Renfroe, Kike, and Devers appear to give a s***.

Unfortunately it’s not enough. Management killed us by not getting us pitching. They don’t give a s*** about this season. Though tonight it was the offense. The wheels are just falling off at every corner.

 

Thank god I have the Colts coming up. Oh wait…. Wentz is hurt. Ugh I’m jinxed lol

[Maxbialystock]

Berrios, now a Jays starter, went 6 today vs. KC and gave up 0 runs.

 

The Sox have a 3 game lead over the A's for the top wild card slot, 5.5 over the Yankees for the second slot and 6.5 over the Jays for the second slot.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Can there be any doubt that the Rays are better than the Sox?

 

Was that a rhetorical question?

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Current JD is bearing a very strong resemblance to last year’s JD.

 

The videos don't appear to be working right now, nor does taking the deep breath. DalbeK is also employing the deep breath without much positve results.

[iortiz]

How many LOBs in this series vs Runs?

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

How many LOBs in this series vs Runs?

 

 

LOB is beating RUNS by a lot. I mean A LOT.

[iortiz]

LOB is beating RUNS by a lot. I mean A LOT.

 

JD owns a big chunk.

[illinoisredsox]

How many LOBs in this series vs Runs?

 

10 runs, 26 LOB (10 tonight)

 

3-18 with runners in scoring position (1-13 the last 2 games).

 

By contrast, the Rays:

 

19 runs, 14 LOB

 

6-20 with runners in scoring position (surprised it was that low).

[moonslav59]

Hitting in the clutch is not a skill or repeatable skill.

 

Neither is not hitting in the clutch.

[jung]

Even uber Rafi is still the best player on this team.

 

Unfortunately that is not saying very much at the moment. This extra frustration Rafi is expressing at the plate is likely his desire to put the team on his back. He is not that sort of player, not now and maybe not ever. Just have to see how he matures. At some point the harder he tries, the less he contributes which is actually not that unusual for a guy that is still young.

 

The closest the Sox come to a player that can put the team on his back is X and X is still nursing that wrist of his. The other is Sale and that really worries me. Will he come back all amped up to put the team on his back. Not sure that is a great place for Sale to be.

 

Also, I think comments made tonight about the Vaz workload are quite valid and worrisome.

[TylerD]

We are off today. Probably a good thing. This team needs a day to give their head a shake.

[moonslav59]

Unfortunately that is not saying very much at the moment. This extra frustration Rafi is expressing at the plate is likely his desire to put the team on his back. He is not that sort of player, not now and maybe not ever. Just have to see how he matures. At some point the harder he tries, the less he contributes which is actually not that unusual for a guy that is still young.

 

The closest the Sox come to a player that can put the team on his back is X and X is still nursing that wrist of his. The other is Sale and that really worries me. Will he come back all amped up to put the team on his back. Not sure that is a great place for Sale to be.

 

Also, I think comments made tonight about the Vaz workload are quite valid and worrisome.

 

I totally disagree.

 

Devers is a monster. He's fearless. He is a leader.

 

He has shown he can lead the team through very difficult times and key moments.

 

No slight on Bogey (or JD, as well.)

[moonslav59]

We are off today. Probably a good thing. This team needs a day to give their head a shake.

 

Bogey and Vaz look like they need a week off- maybe JD, too.

 

When Arroyo and Schwarber join the team, maybe they can get a few days off.

[mvp 78]

As I said before: returning to the mean in one run games.

[a700hitter]

As I said before: returning to the mean in one run games.

They caught a lot of breaks in the first 100 games. Can it continue without meaningful reinforcements?

[mvp 78]

They caught a lot of breaks in the first 100 games. Can it continue without meaningful reinforcements?

 

Duran hitting .100 is actually very meaningful, but not in a good way.

[a700hitter]

Duran hitting .100 is actually very meaningful, but not in a good way.

Will they keep him on the roster as a late inning defensive replacement for Schwarber sliding Verdugo over to LF and using him as a Pinch Runner. Not the best thing for his development, but they could start him twice a week.

[moonslav59]

Duran hitting .100 is actually very meaningful, but not in a good way.

 

The silence from the "see I was right about calling up Duran fan club" is deafening.

[mvp 78]

The silence from the "see I was right about calling up Duran fan club" is deafening.

 

I don't care about that crap. We ALL make bad predictions.

[Bellhorn04]

I don't care about that crap. We ALL make bad predictions.

 

Exactly.

[iortiz]

Hitting in the clutch is not a skill or repeatable skill.

 

Neither is not hitting in the clutch.

 

No matter how much you say it. It is lol

[Bellhorn04]

No matter how much you say it. It is lol

 

I have a new thread in mind about clutch/choke hitting you're going to like.

[iortiz]

I have a new thread in mind about clutch/choke hitting you're going to like.

 

LOL!

 

My point all along is that there is a fact.

 

Regardless the situation in life, including sports and of course baseball, some people handle better pressure situations than others. It's simple common sense and a fact. Clutch is related with pressure 100%, so clutch exists and it is a skill managed better from some people than other —100% mental, and baseball is a mental spot by definition which deals with a lot of pressure.

[Maxbialystock]

Hitting in the clutch is not a skill or repeatable skill.

 

Neither is not hitting in the clutch.

 

I'm inclined to agree with this for one simple reason: much depends on the pitcher on the mound and how well he is pitching in that game and against whichever hitters are at bat in clutch situations.

[jung]

I totally disagree.

 

Devers is a monster. He's fearless. He is a leader.

 

He has shown he can lead the team through very difficult times and key moments.

 

No slight on Bogey (or JD, as well.)

 

Most of playing good baseball is between the ears. Rafi has been going a bit off the deep end at the plate of late. He needs to calm down and get back to the normally over-amped Rafi which is amped up just about right it would appear. He is bouncing off the walls Uber Rafi lately and it is not helping his efforts or the teams purpose.

Edited August 2, 2021 by jung

[moonslav59]

No matter how much you say it. It is lol

 

Clutch hits are real. It’s just not a repeatable skill.

[iortiz]

 

Clutch hits are real. It’s just not a repeatable skill.

 

It is. Look at Montgomery.

[moonslav59]

It is. Look at Montgomery.

 

Nobody is saying some players end up with better clutch stats.

 

If you randomly distributed clutch hits, some players would end up with much better numbers than others.

 

How can you prove Montgomery doesn't just have random luck?

 

(Hint: you can't tell for sure- just as I can't prove it's not a skill.)

[iortiz]

Nobody is saying some players end up with better clutch stats.

 

If you randomly distributed clutch hits, some players would end up with much better numbers than others.

 

How can you prove Montgomery doesn't just have random luck?

 

(Hint: you can't tell for sure- just as I can't prove it's not a skill.)

Just looking at clutch moments some are better than others. Look at M. That’s the point. No rocket science.

[jad]

Which shirt you are wearing, whether the fans are optimistic or pessimistic , and whoever starts the game thread really has no effect whatsoever on the outcome of the game. And there is no such thing as magic or mojo. But it's always a good idea for the manager to call a team meeting before a game where you are more likely to win. I guess it works that way with games threads too.

 

What? Are you sure about that? You mean when I look at the scores in the morning, how I look at them (I have my special technique) DOESN'T affect the score???? Holy cr*p!!!! Who knew!