The Official 2021 ALCS Thread

[d-money]

I really feel good about this team moving foward. I feel they can get to the World Series whoever they might face.

[d-money]

Agree. The 2021 Sox right now have a ferocious lineup that blew away an excellent Rays pitching staff. If jacksonianmarch had read the NY Times today, he would have seen an article saying the Sox overturned the adage, "good pitching beats good hitting." The Rays had the lowest ERA in the AL and before them the Yankees had a good team ERA and their ace Cole on the mound. Facing Schwarber, Kike, Devers, Bogey, Verdugo, JDM, Renfroe, Vazquez, and Arroyo these days is daunting. And the defense is adequate as long as Renfroe chooses his moments when unleashing that arm.

 

Target hit on this year's overall and on the field management, but especially Cora.

 

That said, the 2013 postseason Sox ERA was 2.59, and I don't see this team doing that. On the other hand, these Sox have the lowest postseason ERA in the American League and did it against the Rays (2d most runs scored in AL this year) after having to play the Yankees in the wild card game.

 

Come Friday, the pitching staff will be rested, and four Sox pitchers--Eovaldi, Houck, Pivetta, and ERod--have demonstrated in this postseason they can pitch 4 or 5 good innings against good hitting.

 

All they need is timely pitching with the bullpen executing. I feel they can get to the World Series this year. I really do. I feel like Sale has to step up.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Sale's elbow must be barking. It's hard to believe that he can't pitch or they won't use him -- in the postseason, for Sox sake -- because he can't "find" his change-up.

 

For a change-up to be effectively deceptive, it's supposed to be thrown with the same delivery and arm action as the fastball; the only difference is how it's gripped (which is what causes the drag in velo).

 

Posters-who-are-pitchers, help me out here... does a change-up put any additional stress on the elbow joints? Certainly, not like curves, sliders, gyros, etc.?

[Maxbialystock]

Without major additions you won’t be better next year. More likely you’ll be worse since it’s pretty rare to avoid major injury for the entire season and it’s also rare that you only see career years or on par years from nearly the whole team. There’s always some major performer that has a rough or injury plagued year, that’s how baseball goes. The Sox have been able to rely on their core for most of the season (Kike is the only one who had a protracted absence) while cobbling enough pitching together to win games. Cora is the master assembler here putting the right pieces in the game at the right time and Bloom pushed all the right buttons acquiring guys, but just as 2013 led to a crash, going into 22 with the same roster will do the same. Very rare to overachieve two years in a row

 

Major additions? We don't need no stinkin' major additions. You of all people should recognize that "major additions," as amply demonstrated by the Yankees, can be fool's gold. Meanwhile the Rays, who run away from "major additions," seem to stay competitive. Yes, we beat them, but they put up a heckuva fight, except in game 2 when they blew a 5-2 lead big time.

 

What has happened in the postseason is that the lineup has jelled. Fool that I am, I kind of like the idea of bringing back, in order, Schwarber, Kike, Devers, Bogey, Verdugo, JDM, Renfroe, Vazquez, and Iglesias/Arroyo. And, by the way, please identify those who had a "career year" at bat because I couldn't find any. Dever, Bogey, and JDM are all down from 2018. Vazquez is down from last year. Schwarber only played 1 1/2 months. Kike had a higher OPS in 2018 with the Dodgers. Renfroe's 2.4 WAR this year is identical to 2018 and 2019. Dalbec and Arroyo are newbies.

 

Eovaldi on the mound definitely is having a career year. But Sale? ERod? Pivetta? Richards? Perez? Houck and Whitlock have been great, but are newbies. Barnes, meanwhile, crapped out, as has Ottavino. Brasier was out most of the year.

 

Indeed, it can well be argued that the Sox pitching staff this year amply demonstrated the genius of Alex Cora. Rumor has it Bloom won't trade him.

Edited October 12, 2021 by Maxbialystock

[Maxbialystock]

All they need is timely pitching with the bullpen executing. I feel they can get to the World Series this year. I really do. I feel like Sale has to step up.

 

I'm with you, but must make it very clear I am late climbing on the bandwagon, which was started by Kimmi--yes, Kimmi, in the game 1 gamethread--and moonslav.

[Maxbialystock]

Sale's elbow must be barking. It's hard to believe that he can't pitch or they won't use him -- in the postseason, for Sox sake -- because he can't "find" his change-up.

 

For a change-up to be effectively deceptive, it's supposed to be thrown with the same delivery and arm action as the fastball; the only difference is how it's gripped (which is what causes the drag in velo).

 

Posters-who-are-pitchers, help me out here... does a change-up put any additional stress on the elbow joints? Certainly, not like curves, sliders, gyros, etc.?

 

Sale pitched 1 inning out of the 49 innings the Sox staff pitched against the Yankees and Rays last week and yesterday. Given the rest days every two games in the ALCS, I'm not sure he is needed that much.

 

That said, I would really love to see him back out on the mound this year because to me he is the consummate professional. Houck basically uses just a fastball and slider, both of which Sale has, so maybe he can be effective in the bullpen.

[moonslav59]

We spent about $20M on Richards, Perez, Marwin, Andriese and Santana.

 

We could replace all of these players from within the system, so anything we spend to fill one or more of their slots could represent a "major addition," especially if spent on just 1-2 FAs.

 

Replacing Schwarber, Ottavino, Iggy, Shaw and maybe ERod won't be as easy, but they weren't cheap, last year, either. There's no reason to think we can't at least break even on these 4-5 players.

[mvp 78]

We spent about $20M on Richards, Perez, Marwin, Andriese and Santana.

 

We could replace all of these players from within the system, so anything we spend to fill one or more of their slots could represent a "major addition," especially if spent on just 1-2 FAs.

 

Replacing Schwarber, Ottavino, Iggy, Shaw and maybe ERod won't be as easy, but they weren't cheap, last year, either. There's no reason to think we can't at least break even on these 4-5 players.

 

Iglesias' last deal: 2/6

Shaw's last deal: 1/1.5

Those two deals seem pretty cheap to me. I could see them re-signing Iggy to be the primary UTIL IF.

[YastrzemskI]

Major additions? We don't need no stinkin' major additions. You of all people should recognize that "major additions," as amply demonstrated by the Yankees, can be fool's gold. Meanwhile the Rays, who run away from "major additions," seem to stay competitive. Yes, we beat them, but they put up a heckuva fight, except in game (when they had a 5-2 lead after one inning).

 

What has happened in the postseason is that the lineup has jelled, but, fool that I am, I kind of like bringing back, in order, Schwarber, Kike, Devers, Bogey, Verdugo, JDM, Renfroe, Vazquez, and Iglesias/Arroyo. And, by the way, please identify those who had a "career year" at bat because I couldn't find any. Dever, Bogey, and JDM are all down from 2018. Vazquez is down from last year. Schwarber only played 1 1/2 months. Kike had a higher OPS in 2018 with the Dodgers.

 

Eovaldi on the mound definitely is having a career year. But Sale? ERod? Pivetta? Richards? Perez? Houck and Whitlock have been great, but are newbies. Barnes, meanwhile, crapped out, as has Ottavino. Brasier was out most of the year.

 

Indeed, it can well be argued that the Sox pitching staff amply demonstrated the genius of Alex Cora. Rumor has it he might return for 2022.

 

I don’t want anyone else managing this team. I can’t imagine anyone else managing this team and I do like Buck a lot. Alex hasn’t been here for forever and a day but he goes for the throat every single time in big spots and apparently, he knows how to motivate people when it counts. What is more important than that? When you really need it.. when the chips are down.. the Red Sox have proved many people wrong this year including me. I’m not going to shy away from it. I was wrong about this team. Shows how much I know.

 

What do I always say about the Red Sox, Bruins, the Polish National soccer team, the Pats… I don’t give a damn what player scores the winning goal, gets the assist, who scores the winning run, gets the game winning hit, strikeout…. Etc… it does not matter. It can be a different player every night. When some players are having a tough game, others have to be there to pick them up. And that is exactly what’s been happening. Hope everyone has been enjoying this run because it has been improbable and simply magical thus far. Gotta give Bloom some credit as well.

[moonslav59]

Iglesias' last deal: 2/6

Shaw's last deal: 1/1.5

Those two deals seem pretty cheap to me. I could see them re-signing Iggy to be the primary UTIL IF.

 

I'd love to see Iggy back on the cheap. With Arroyo's health status, he could play a lot.

 

I could see him being the only "major" non pitcher addition, this winter. We might lose Schwarber and not replace him.

 

The focus could be 95% on pitching.

[mvp 78]

I'd love to see Iggy back on the cheap. With Arroyo's health status, he could play a lot.

 

I could see him being the only "major" non pitcher addition, this winter. We might lose Schwarber and not replace him.

 

The focus could be 95% on pitching.

 

The only way Schwarber re-signs is if JD opts out.

[mvp 78]

Again, this is an ALCS thread, not a let's talk about the offseason thread.

[YastrzemskI]

I'd love to see Iggy back on the cheap. With Arroyo's health status, he could play a lot.

 

I could see him being the only "major" non pitcher addition, this winter. We might lose Schwarber and not replace him.

 

The focus could be 95% on pitching.

 

Schwarber is a fan favorite now. The fan base will be grumbling if he walks.

[notin]

Schwarber is a fan favorite now. The fan base will be grumbling if he walks.

 

They must grumble a lot, because he walks like twice a game…

[YastrzemskI]

They must grumble a lot, because he walks like twice a game…

 

I see what you did there.

[YastrzemskI]

All eyes on the White Sox vS H-Town.. game four starts in a little over an hour.

[moonslav59]

All eyes on the White Sox vS H-Town.. game four starts in a little over an hour.

 

They should have moved the time to 7 pm, once the Sox-Rays slot went away.

[mvp 78]

They should have moved the time to 7 pm, once the Sox-Rays slot went away.

 

I don't know why they got screwed with all of the day games anyway.

[moonslav59]

I don't know why they got screwed with all of the day games anyway.

 

The Houston area is very upset with the game times.

[dgalehouse]

I think the Stros would be a little tougher to beat than the Pale Hose , but I like the Carmines chances against either one of these teams. Next up : The official Fall Classic thread.

[mvp 78]

The Houston area is very upset with the game times.

 

They have every right to be. Just play the two ALDS games at the same time.

[oldtimer]

I hope the White Sox win today and take it to a 5 game series. That will give the Red Sox a much needed break to recover from an arduous series against the Ray. Give JDM a further chance to rehab his ankle and Devers a chance to recover from a sore forearm. Probably others with lingering aches and pains as well.

 

Our entire pitching staff could use a few days to reset. Does anyone know if there can be/will be any changes for the ALCS?

[YastrzemskI]

I hope the White Sox win today and take it to a 5 game series. That will give the Red Sox a much needed break to recover from an arduous series against the Ray. Give JDM a further chance to rehab his ankle and Devers a chance to recover from a sore forearm. Probably others with lingering aches and pains as well.

 

Our entire pitching staff could use a few days to reset. Does anyone know if there can be/will be any changes for the ALCS?

 

The ALCS begins on Friday no matter what happens today.

[mvp 78]

I hope the White Sox win today and take it to a 5 game series. That will give the Red Sox a much needed break to recover from an arduous series against the Ray. Give JDM a further chance to rehab his ankle and Devers a chance to recover from a sore forearm. Probably others with lingering aches and pains as well.

 

Our entire pitching staff could use a few days to reset. Does anyone know if there can be/will be any changes for the ALCS?

 

They can change their roster before the start of any new series.

[notin]

The ALCS begins on Friday no matter what happens today.

 

The scheduling doesn't change, but maybe if the Astros-Pale Hose series goes 5 then the surviving team will be using a bullpen a bit more worse for wear...

[d-money]

Looks like it will be the f***ing stros which would make it much sweeter.

[d-money]

The scheduling doesn't change, but maybe if the Astros-Pale Hose series goes 5 then the surviving team will be using a bullpen a bit more worse for wear...

 

Stros have other ideas today. White sox look terrible. Pitching is gonna have to be good against that lineup.

[Thunder]

They should have moved the time to 7 pm, once the Sox-Rays slot went away.

 

But neither AL series was originally scheduled to play today. Today was supposed to be an NL only day, with Brewers-Braves at 5, and Giants-Dodgers at 9. That's why this game is being played early. If it were to go to a game 5, I'm sure it would be in primetime

[moonslav59]

But neither AL series was originally scheduled to play today. Today was supposed to be an NL only day, with Brewers-Braves at 5, and Giants-Dodgers at 9. That's why this game is being played early. If it were to go to a game 5, I'm sure it would be in primetime

 

True, but it just seems like the Stros and CWS deserved a prime time game or two.

[Thunder]

True, but it just seems like the Stros and CWS deserved a prime time game or two.

 

They got one on Sunday. I don't disagree with the point you're making, but unless one series is on the west coast (i.e. the NLDS), the series that gets more primetime games will be the one that they deem to be "better TV"