Who should close going forward?

[Larry Cook]

Maybe we can give feltman a chance? His control has been better this past month.

[moonslav59]

Maybe we can give feltman a chance? His control has been better this past month.

 

He and Ort are the only 2 untried.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

He and Ort are the only 2 untried.

 

I'm one of those radicals who say why not? If the Rays can win with "13 closers" who all throw 96 mph, why can't other clubs try the revolving door of fresh arms. Relieving is basically a constant audition anyway (it's not like bringing up a 20-year wunderkind and playing him at shortstop while batting in the heart of the order for the next six years until they have to trade him).

 

Tampa sets new industry standards in a lot of ways these days. Remember when half the teams tried openers of their own? I have Red Sox and Yankees friends who both marvel at how the Rays can hit .220 and still lead the bigs in runs scored. "They always get the clutch hit," they say. My response -- based on deep analysis on a talksox board -- is Always? Aren't they due for a clutch/choke market correction?

[Bellhorn04]

I have Red Sox and Yankees friends who both marvel at how the Rays can hit .220 and still lead the bigs in runs scored. "They always get the clutch hit," they say. My response -- based on deep analysis on a talksox board -- is Always? Aren't they due for a clutch/choke market correction?

 

The Rays are actually hitting .240, not .220. But it's true that they are scoring more runs than their other numbers suggest they should. They hit into very few DP's, so that might be part of it.

 

Could be some correction coming too.

[notin]

People will still say pitching in the 9th is like pitching in the 7th lol

 

It’s funny how when the Sox gave a bad 9th inning, so many people speak up about how difficult the 9th clearly is.

 

Yet after a rough 7th or 8th and a clean 9th, not a peep..

[Bellhorn04]

It’s funny how when the Sox gave a bad 9th inning, so many people speak up about how difficult the 9th clearly is.

 

Yet after a rough 7th or 8th and a clean 9th, not a peep..

 

All one has to do is look through a few other box scores. Andrew Heaney blew the game in the 7th for the Yankees yesterday in spectacular fashion...

[jad]

Unfortunately, the question of who closes is likely to be determined by the opposing manager.

[Bellhorn04]

Unfortunately, the question of who closes is likely to be determined by the opposing manager.

 

There's one I haven't heard before.

[notin]

All one has to do is look through a few other box scores. Andrew Heaney blew the game in the 7th for the Yankees yesterday in spectacular fashion...

 

So the 7th inning is the toughest!!!

[Bellhorn04]

So the 7th inning is the toughest!!!

 

Every inning is tough.

[notin]

Every inning is tough.

 

 

Always been my point…

[moonslav59]

I can't even remember the last time we went into the 9th with a classic one run lead save opportunity.

 

It seems like maybe once in the last month.

[dgalehouse]

If you want to go by what we saw today , you could pretty much eliminate everybody from consideration.

[notin]

If you want to go by what we saw today , you could pretty much eliminate everybody from consideration.

 

Relief pitching ain’t easy…

[Hugh2]

At this point let’s just throw Bobby Dalbec there. The kid has a gun.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

There's not a single pitcher on this staff that I trust in a big spot, like in any inning of a do-or-die Wild Card game. Not a starter, not a closer, not an in-betweener.

[moonslav59]

There's not a single pitcher on this staff that I trust in a big spot, like in any inning of a do-or-die Wild Card game. Not a starter, not a closer, not an in-betweener.

 

With pitchers, you're only as good as your last game, it seems.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

With pitchers, you're only as good as your last game, it seems.

 

Whitlock -- the Sox' ERA leader -- has shown cracks lately of wearing down and/or being a rookie under pennant race pressure. All other relievers have been inconsistent, at best (except Richards, who had a horrible first half starting). As for the rotation, we knew contributions from both Sale and ERod would be spotty this year while they healed from lost seasons.

 

Eovaldi, Boston's top player this season according to WAR, has an unreliable 4.87 road ERA and 1-3 second half record. However, I still favor Nate and his five-pitch arsenal to start a possible Wild Card game. He's the best bet to complete a serviceable six innings before turning the ball over to two rookies out of necessity: Houck and Whitlock.

[Bellhorn04]

Eovaldi, Boston's top player this season according to WAR, has an unreliable 4.87 road ERA and 1-3 second half record. However, I still favor Nate and his five-pitch arsenal to start a possible Wild Card game. He's the best bet to complete a serviceable six innings before turning the ball over to two rookies out of necessity: Houck and Whitlock.

 

You had to do some digging and mixing/matching for those bad numbers on Eovaldi LOL

[notin]

Yesterday's game wasn't lost by the closer. It should have never been close enough for the closer to matter...

[mvp 78]

Yesterday's game wasn't lost by the closer. It should have never been close enough for the closer to matter...

 

Here's how the 9th should have gone:

 

Double off CF wall.

K

K

Ground out.

 

The loss wasn't Whitlock's fault.

[notin]

Here's how the 9th should have gone:

 

Double off CF wall.

K

K

Ground out.

 

The loss wasn't Whitlock's fault.

 

And the score should have been 9-4 to start the inning…

[iortiz]

Here's how the 9th should have gone:

 

Double off CF wall.

K

K

Ground out.

 

The loss wasn't Whitlock's fault.

 

That inside-the-park HR reflects everything of this game —and the season at D.

 

While the L isn't on Whitlock (not even close), it doesn't work that way. A man at 2nd and nobody out does not warranty the next outcomes that actually happened after the inside-the-park HR as you are suggesting. The approach of the pitcher and the next batters will not be likely the same in that situation.

 

We literally did all in our power to lose last game. Errors and lack of fundamentals cost us the game. There's a reason this team is the worst at D in majors. Today it was magnified.

[Kimmi]

The Rays are actually hitting .240, not .220. But it's true that they are scoring more runs than their other numbers suggest they should. They hit into very few DP's, so that might be part of it.

 

Could be some correction coming too.

 

As I said before, they have been very lucky in clustering their hits together.

 

And yes, it is luck.

[Kimmi]

Relief pitching ain’t easy…

 

The problem with the bullpen stems from having starters that don't go deep enough into games.

 

This was a problem in 2019 as well.

[notin]

The problem with the bullpen stems from having starters that don't go deep enough into games.

 

This was a problem in 2019 as well.

 

 

Some of that might fall on Cora…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

You had to do some digging and mixing/matching for those bad numbers on Eovaldi LOL

 

He's had some good showings in no decisions, but the road ERA is relevant because if the Sox scrape into the WC game, it will most likely be on the road. But I'll take Nathan in Yankee Stadium over Sale any day.

[mvp 78]

@alexspeier

Darwinzon Hernández is starting a rehab assignment with the Triple-A WooSox tonight. His absence as a LH relief option capable of high K rates for the Red Sox has been significant.

 

I'm not voting DHern for closer, but he'll help this pen a little.

[moonslav59]

Expecting a guy who walks 7 every 9 innings to be a big help is dreaming.

[mvp 78]

I'm not voting DHern for closer, but he'll help this pen a little.

 

Expecting a guy who walks 7 every 9 innings to be a big help is dreaming.

 

I don't know what your problem is right now.