August 12, 2021: Red Sox (Houck) vs Rays (Rasmusen)

[Maxbialystock]

DAMMIT. I jinxed it again. Aaaaah!!!!!!!!!!! Regardless Houck looked really good today till the end. The bats need to wake up. Won’t beat a good team like the Rays with one damn run. I knew they scored too many yesterday.

 

He looked absolutely great today and, frankly, got crappy support from the hitters and from Plawecki's error.

[jung]

Those two are tough and this was their third time seeing Houck.

 

Cora's dilemma is that recently the bullpen stinks, with no exceptions.

 

Even Kiermaier who looks like nothing has nothing for numbers will get a hit for the Rays when they need it most.

[jung]

Gotta' keep the Rays from scoring another here.

[jung]

Cash forces Cora to pull Taylor for Robles.

[Maxbialystock]

Gretel's bro out there to get the witch back in the oven.

[jung]

f***ing Cash, f***ing Kiermaier, Fucling Robles

[TylerD]

f***ing Cash, f***ing Kiermaier, Fucling Robles

 

what you said lol!

[oldtimer]

They stink, I agree. But I'm not so sure anyone better is available.

 

Munoz has been a hitting machine in Worcester. Why not try him, at least he puts the bat on the ball. It's like the Sox are indecisive here.

[TylerD]

2 hits today so far. Wow.

[TylerD]

He looked absolutely great today and, frankly, got crappy support from the hitters and from Plawecki's error.

 

Agreed. He went 6 today. That is rare for our starters. If the bats would wake the hell up this would be a game. 2 hits. Pathetic.

[Maxbialystock]

Duran made to look really stupid. A slider in the heart of the zone, he looks at. A slider way below the strike zone, he swings at and missed. And he has the edge--righty hitter vs. lefty pitcher.

 

That said, McHugh's slider is nasty.

[jung]

And here we go again. Can't be behind the Rays at the 7th. Hopefully I just jinxed the s*** out of them.

[jung]

Cora pressing his luck sticking with Robles. HE SUCKS

[Maxbialystock]

FWIW, all four Rays runs, 3 earned, are charged to Houck.

 

He was absolutely killed by having to face the Rays batting order that third time. When he did so, two things happened. The first two hitters were able to foul off a bunch of pitches before getting a double and then the dinger. The second thing is that Houck wasn't as sharp as he was earlier in the game. Fastball not as fast, etc.

 

So right now I'm thinking just maybe Houck needs to be pulled the third time thru the order. I'm not saying Cora should have done that today.

[jung]

Robles got away with a nothing slider to Cruz.

[jung]

Oh look....its the boobsie twins. Davis follows Robles.

[Maxbialystock]

Cora pressing his luck sticking with Robles. HE SUCKS

 

I disagree. This game is basically over. Now is the time to give other arms a chance and continue to rest the bullpen, specifically Barnes, Whitlock, Sawamura, Ottavino, Valdez, et al.

[jung]

I disagree. This game is basically over. Now is the time to give other arms a chance and continue to rest the bullpen, specifically Barnes, Whitlock, Sawamura, Ottavino, Valdez, et al.

 

Well the Sox still have 9 outs to do something though the Rays are the grim reapers late in games and three of those 9 are the bottom of our order.

[Maxbialystock]

Well the Sox still have 9 outs to do something though the Rays are the grim reapers late in games and three of those 9 are the bottom of our order.

 

I love the 9 outs to work with, but not the way the Sox are hitting today/tonight.

[Maxbialystock]

Ball girl in right acquitting herself well.

 

Devers lines out. Of course.

 

JDM flies out. Of course.

[jung]

Mother of God

 

.......WHO ARE THESE GUYS.......

[moonslav59]

28 hits and walks, yesterday.

 

4 today.

 

Reminds me of the pre-Theo Sox.

 

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Those of you who predicted the SOX would get nothing for Chavis were correct.

[jung]

Those of you who predicted the SOX would get nothing for Chavis were correct.

 

Splinter's perfect timing sends me off to the liquor cabinet....like I needed encouragement. The doors of the thing scream for mercy most baseball seasons as it is.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Getting lambasted by the SOX yesterday definitely has affected the Rays. It did drop them from the #1 to #5 in team pitching, but they'll probably move up a notch or two after this game.

[TylerD]

Probably all she wrote for us lmao. We still suck.

[jung]

Deadly situational hitting

[Maxbialystock]

That's our bullpen. Ain't they great? In this game they have certainly taken some of the heat off of the lineup.

[jung]

That was a statement 9th inning by the Rays last night and they have followed that up with a statement game today.

[moonslav59]

The Rays are so tough.

 

They are no fluke. To those who thought last year’s short season success was not sustainable, think again.