The Official 2021 ALDS Thread

[Maxbialystock]

It's a no-brainer. This is the game the SOX have to win, and this is the game you want your best pitcher starting.

 

Every game is important now. Today/tonight is big primarily because the Sox actually have a good starter. ERod and Sale combined for 2.2 innings and 7 runs. If we didn't know better, I'd say they were both saboteurs.

[Fan_since_Boggs]

Tomorrow is tricky. ERod and Pivetta will both be on 4, not 5 days rest.

 

And so maybe they are saving E-rod for gave 5 (if there is a game 5). Maybe they prefer Pievetta on short rest or perhaps feel more confident going with E-Rod in game 5 than Pivetta.

 

I thought they would go with E-Rod in game 4 and Sale in game 5 but maybe they don't trust Sale right now.

 

The key is to win with Eavoldi, take your chances with Pivetta and the bullpen in game 4, and trust E-Rod to have a big game 5 (if it goes that far).

[Larry Cook]

The key for me is to not fall behind early and try to make them play from behind,

[moonslav59]

I stand corrected. The Rays pitching stats--individual WAR's--say McHugh is the Rays 3d best pitcher, period. Wisler, not so much. Wacha actually has a WAR of -.7, so why would Cash insert him when the Rays were only down 8-6?

 

For the same reason many posters get all gah-gah over any pitcher that has done well, recently.

 

The recency bias, which for pitchers holds a lot more weight.

 

Wacha's previous 4 games:

 

5.0 IP 1H 0ER 1BB 2K

5.0 IP 0H 0ER 2BB 6K

3.0 IP 3H 1ER 0BB 4K

 

That's 1 hit and 0 ER in his last 10 IP. It's like bashing Cora for brining in Houck.

 

[jad]

The key for me is to score more runs than they do.

[oldtimer]

Cora's pitching moves will be discussed after this game, whatever happens.

[YastrzemskI]

we got some Magic tonight… Fenway Park, Nate, the pen, Hunter and Vazquez…. What an amazing win!

[MADSTORK]

Just think Pink Hats, "What if you had Scherzer" ?

[Maxbialystock]

Cora's pitching moves will be discussed after this game, whatever happens.

 

I think they are very defensible and challenge anyone to refute that statement. The big complaint was sending out Robles for the 8th, but Robles had gone 15 straight scoreless appearances, including 2 in the postseason. Leaving Whitlock in for more than 1.1 inning is now moot because Pivetta was so great plus Whitlock can now pitch tomorrow. So can Brasier. So can Taylor.

 

That said, the Sox still have to win another game and now can't use Eovaldi. ERod starts tomorrow on 4 days rest. I'm guessing if the Sox are still leading in, say, the 5th inning, we will see Houck. If behind and the Sox lose, Houck will start against McClanahan.

 

It's also tough for Cash because he may decide to start McClanahan tomorrow on 4 days rest.

[Larry Cook]

That was an incredible game 3! I am amazed at this team’s ability to keep fighting back, to never say die.

 

One more win!

[Maxbialystock]

Just think Pink Hats, "What if you had Scherzer" ?

 

Not worth the money, plus I like the guys we got.

[iortiz]

we got some Magic tonight… Fenway Park, Nate, the pen, Hunter and Vazquez…. What an amazing win!

 

Yeah all of them were amazing but IMO Pivetta is the man.

[Larry Cook]

Houck should be available tomorrow.

[Maxbialystock]

Houck should be available tomorrow.

 

With a 2-1 lead in games, I think Cora doesn't use Houck tomorrow unless the Sox have a lead in, say, the 5th or 6th inning. Houck is easily the best choice to start Wednesday especially if McClanahan doesn't start for the Rays tomorrow.

Edited October 11, 2021 by Maxbialystock

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Just think Pink Hats, "What if you had Scherzer" ?

 

Yup, the SOX would be up 2 games to one. Oh, wait.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Houck should be available tomorrow.

 

2 days rest after pitching 5 innings, but depending on the circumstances tomorrow, I could possibly see him pitch one inning. SOX having a slim lead after 7, Houck pitches the 8th to set up Whitlock.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

With a 2-1 lead in games, I think Cora doesn't use Houck tomorrow unless the Sox have a lead in, say, the 5th or 6th inning. Houck is easily the best choice to start Friday, especially if McClanahan doesn't start for the Rays tomorrow.

 

That's pretty much how I see it. I believe you meant Wednesday.

[Maxbialystock]

That's pretty much how I see it. I believe you meant Wednesday.

 

Hard to know what I meant. Is today Tuesday?

[Maxbialystock]

2 days rest after pitching 5 innings, but depending on the circumstances tomorrow, I could possibly see him pitch one inning. SOX having a slim lead after 7, Houck pitches the 8th to set up Whitlock.

 

Yup. If game 4 is winnable--the Sox have a late lead--then go for it.

[moonslav59]

Updated after tonight...

 

 

As of right now, with the recency bias playing a big role in our confidence levels, here is how I line up our staff:

 

Very High confidence:

Eovaldi

Houck

Brasier up

 

High confidence:

Whitlock

Pivetta up

 

Moderate confidence:

Robles down

Taylor

Davis (almost dropped down)

 

Low confidence:

Ottavino

ERod

Sale

 

Very Low confidence:

Barnes

Perez

 

Inactive:

Richards

Sawamura

DHern

Valdez

 

[oldtimer]

I think they are very defensible and challenge anyone to refute that statement. The big complaint was sending out Robles for the 8th, but Robles had gone 15 straight scoreless appearances, including 2 in the postseason. Leaving Whitlock in for more than 1.1 inning is now moot because Pivetta was so great plus Whitlock can now pitch tomorrow. So can Brasier. So can Taylor.

 

That said, the Sox still have to win another game and now can't use Eovaldi. ERod starts tomorrow on 4 days rest. I'm guessing if the Sox are still leading in, say, the 5th inning, we will see Houck. If behind and the Sox lose, Houck will start against McClanahan.

 

It's also tough for Cash because he may decide to start McClanahan tomorrow on 4 days rest.

 

The idea of taking a hot Brasier out in the 7th to put in Davis, a poor reliever, was one I wouldn't have made. He promptly walked the first batter letting the tying run come to the plate. The use of Robles again was defensible but Whitlock was fully rested and our best reliever. Two innings for him made more sense to him. Robles came in and immediately played macho man, overthrowing his first three and then cut back on his velocity to find the plate. A home run and double and an out later were all Robles needed to throw. No, Cora stayed with him to give up the tying run and then had to go to Whitlock anyway. My view is Cora's moves were badly thought through and wound up causing the Sox to use up their pitching staff and took a real chance of losing the game that was not necessary.

[jacksonianmarch]

Tremendously entertaining series. Sox showing a lot of grit and balls out there. Surprising to see their once dormant offense return to club the team with the best ERA in the AL. Shows what you can do when you’re not a 3 true outcome offense (Cashman, take notice!). I know Cora was painted into a corner with ERod, but I’m really skeptical he’s gonna do anything useful. The Rays stack the deck vs lefties and typically launch off them as evidenced by Sale and ERod’s performance in games 1 and 2. Sox need to jump on the Rays “starter” early to have a chance today. I’m expecting a high scoring dog fight

[Bellhorn04]

Tremendously entertaining series. Sox showing a lot of grit and balls out there. Surprising to see their once dormant offense return to club the team with the best ERA in the AL. Shows what you can do when you’re not a 3 true outcome offense (Cashman, take notice!). I know Cora was painted into a corner with ERod, but I’m really skeptical he’s gonna do anything useful. The Rays stack the deck vs lefties and typically launch off them as evidenced by Sale and ERod’s performance in games 1 and 2. Sox need to jump on the Rays “starter” early to have a chance today. I’m expecting a high scoring dog fight

 

Rays had a .753 OPS against RHP and .743 against LHP this year.

[Fan_since_Boggs]

The idea of taking a hot Brasier out in the 7th to put in Davis, a poor reliever, was one I wouldn't have made. He promptly walked the first batter letting the tying run come to the plate. The use of Robles again was defensible but Whitlock was fully rested and our best reliever. Two innings for him made more sense to him. Robles came in and immediately played macho man, overthrowing his first three and then cut back on his velocity to find the plate. A home run and double and an out later were all Robles needed to throw. No, Cora stayed with him to give up the tying run and then had to go to Whitlock anyway. My view is Cora's moves were badly thought through and wound up causing the Sox to use up their pitching staff and took a real chance of losing the game that was not necessary.

 

Good points. Some managers over-think situations and take out an effective reliever (that is, a reliever who is in the game and getting outs) too soon. Cora does have this tendency IMO.

[Bellhorn04]

Good points. Some managers over-think situations and take out an effective reliever (that is, a reliever who is in the game and getting outs) too soon. Cora does have this tendency IMO.

 

It's not over-thinking, I'd say it's the exact opposite, it's sticking with a game plan. Brasier has been a 1-inning pitcher and they've decided that's how he's most effective. Pushing him to more than inning would be deviating from the plan.

 

I don't always like this stuff either, but it's the way managers manage now.

[Old Red]

Good points. Some managers over-think situations and take out an effective reliever (that is, a reliever who is in the game and getting outs) too soon. Cora does have this tendency IMO.

 

That’s the way the game is played today, where a manager has to put a different pitcher in every inning regardless how anyone is doing.

[Yaz Fan Since 67]

Put me in the camp that was pretty appalled that Cora went to Davis at such a critical moment. I kept thinking In Cora I Trust but that scared the crap out of me.

 

So much fun and tension last night. I love sitting on the edge of my seat, then celebrating when our pitcher gets through a late inning. Good times, thought that damned thing would never end.

[Maxbialystock]

Tremendously entertaining series. Sox showing a lot of grit and balls out there. Surprising to see their once dormant offense return to club the team with the best ERA in the AL. Shows what you can do when you’re not a 3 true outcome offense (Cashman, take notice!). I know Cora was painted into a corner with ERod, but I’m really skeptical he’s gonna do anything useful. The Rays stack the deck vs lefties and typically launch off them as evidenced by Sale and ERod’s performance in games 1 and 2. Sox need to jump on the Rays “starter” early to have a chance today. I’m expecting a high scoring dog fight

 

Kind of the way I see it. The ALDS is a long way from over. Bellhorn04 has a good point, but he ignores the rule of recency.

 

I do think ERod simply choked last Thursday and could do better tonight. Sale, on the other hand, appears to have lost his changeup and his upper 90's fastball and has become quite hittable. He was lousy vs. both the Nats and the Rays.

[moonslav59]

I think some fans overthink certain situations, too.

 

Cora has solid reasons for every move he makes. We probably don't see or know many of them.

 

Is Cora flawless? Hell no. Does he know more than we do? Hell yes.

 

I still trust Cora more than any other manager in MLB, so what more can I ask for?

 

He's earned my trust so many times over, no one mistake is going to change my trust level.

 

Yes, I have disagreed with many of his moves, but in the back of my mind, I'm thinking, "I bet this works out," and it almost always does.

[notin]

Does [Cora] know more than we do? Hell yes.

 

 

This can’t be true. Are you counting those is of who use the Internet?!?!