The Official 2021 ALCS Thread

[Maxbialystock]

Three straight fastballs, the third one right down the middle. What did you expect, Pivetta? For that matter, Pivetta has thrown all fastballs in the 1st inning--until the slider for the pop fly to RF. So Vazquez gets some share of the blame.

 

A stupid start to the game.

 

Correction. Pivetta threw 9 fastballs and 2 sliders in the 1st.

Edited October 20, 2021 by Maxbialystock

[Maxbialystock]

Greinke throwing fastballs, 4 seamers, slow ones, right down the middle to Schwarber and Kike--and getting them out easily.

[Maxbialystock]

All right!! Interestingly, it was Greinke's first slider, and it was a little up in the zone and in the middle.

 

2-1 Sox, courtesy of our solid-fielding SS who gets a hit now and then.

[Maxbialystock]

Astros are error-prone. Must be the bone-chilling air temp of 59 degrees.

[sk7326]

The Braves went 40-20 down the stretch. Seems like everyone is clueless.

 

And still finishe 18 games behind the Dodgers. The playoffs are a crapshoot.

[YastrzemskI]

And still finishe 18 games behind the Dodgers. The playoffs are a crapshoot.

 

So we should eliminate them and just crown the team with the most reg season wins as champs?

[jgar658]

Cora inserted a batting practice pitcher in the 9th inning.

So far 9-2 Astros

I am going to sleep.

[YastrzemskI]

Cora inserted a batting practice pitcher in the 9th inning.

So far 9-2 Astros

I am going to sleep.

 

The trash umpiring didn’t help. Multiple bad calls in key spots. If this continues then what’s the point? A pitch to JD low and outside and he gets rung up. Nate throws paint.. absolute paint on the outside corner… ball two. No one holds these pricks accountable for obvious blown calls so..

[a700hitter]

We can whine all we like, but we had the lead going into the 8th inning. The pen coughed up the lead and gave up 8 runs over the last 2 innings.

[d-money]

We can whine all we like, but we had the lead going into the 8th inning. The pen coughed up the lead and gave up 8 runs over the last 2 innings.

 

You and i knew the pen wasn’t gonna hold on to the lead. Sox needed a couple of extra runs. They got burned in the end and now the stros have all the momentum. Crazy how a series can turn in an instant. Sox are gonna need something special tomorrow from sale and hope that the bats can wake up again.

[d-money]

The trash umpiring didn’t help. Multiple bad calls in key spots. If this continues then what’s the point? A pitch to JD low and outside and he gets rung up. Nate throws paint.. absolute paint on the outside corner… ball two. No one holds these pricks accountable for obvious blown calls so..

 

How do you bring in perez in a 3-2 game? Cora has not brung in the guy in during a situation like that. I wanna know his reason for it. That move is basically telling your team we have no shot anymore.

[YastrzemskI]

How do you bring in perez in a 3-2 game? Cora has not brung in the guy in during a situation like that. I wanna know his reason for it. That move is basically telling your team we have no shot anymore.

 

I can’t answer that. He’s a throw away arm on the roster. The only thing I can say is that he thought that bringing in a quality arm in that situation would not bode well for tomorrow but again.. a one run lead is not insurmountable.

 

I’m still pretty heated about the umpiring tonight.. as everyone knows by now since I’ve been ranting for what seems like hours. It’s just difficult to stomach blown calls in key spots. It’s got drive the players crazy but you just have to move on and come ready to play tomorrow. These pricks want a series? Let’s give ‘em a series.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

The Red Sox bullpen -- or lack of it -- has already blown two games in the series for the pennant, while the Astros' pen has won two.

 

Bloom has made a lot of good moves to rebuild Boston, and Cora has done more than expected with the roster he was given. But the bottom line is that Houston went for it at the trade deadline by getting three good relievers, while the Sox did not.

 

The Astros' relievers acquired at the deadline played significant roles in each of their wins: Garcia and Maton in Game 1, Maton and Graveman in Game 4. Robles blew Game 1 for Boston, so Cora felt compelled to use his ace starter to try to close Game 4.

[jacksonianmarch]

We can whine all we like, but we had the lead going into the 8th inning. The pen coughed up the lead and gave up 8 runs over the last 2 innings.

 

Really strange game. And for once, Cora didn’t pull the right string.

 

Houck has been a reliable pen arm since converting in September, why wasn’t he up?

 

Also, a700 and I made the comments on the game thread that Whitlock was not sharp in his first inning. Pivetta showed the game plan today. Fastballs at or above the top of the zone and they’ll chase. They did it for each of his innings. Pivetta comes out early (65 pitches?). Cora pieces together the 6th. Whitlock comes on. He was benefited by the first two hitters chasing and getting two fast outs. But the AB to McCormack and Castro were really telling of future issues. Vaz has the targets up for both and Whitlock kept throwing down. He’s lucky Castro’s missile went into the glove of Schwarber. Cora extends Whitlock for a second inning and first pitch is a dead center fastball that ties the game. He then gives up another rocket single, misses location down to Bergman and gets lucky with a DP and recovers vs Alvarez with good location up. Whitlock did not command his stuff today.

 

As for Eovaldi, the knock on him for years was his FB doesn’t play up. It’s 100mph, but doesn’t look like a 100 mph fastball (ie, not a spin rate master). Eovaldi became a great pitcher when he added a reliable curve and cutter and became a hard throwing crafty righty. The sequence to Correa was strange because he sped his bat up the entire ab and never deviated from the FB. He then leaves one out over the plate and gets burned. Say what you want about the missed strike, it was a ball but Diaz was giving 6 inches off the plate all game. The killer was Castro’s AB where again Eovaldi got cute in the bottom of the zone vs a lefty and got burned.

 

Overall, I thought Whitlock was f***ed entering his second inning and he’s lucky he only gave up one run. I don’t know what’s going on with Houck, but going to Eovaldi should only be a last ditch thing or a save situation, not a tie game situation. He also threw 25+ pitches, not a quick inning, which could jeopardize game 6.

[moonslav59]

Really strange game. And for once, Cora didn’t pull the right string.

 

Houck has been a reliable pen arm since converting in September, why wasn’t he up?

 

Also, a700 and I made the comments on the game thread that Whitlock was not sharp in his first inning. Pivetta showed the game plan today. Fastballs at or above the top of the zone and they’ll chase. They did it for each of his innings. Pivetta comes out early (65 pitches?). Cora pieces together the 6th. Whitlock comes on. He was benefited by the first two hitters chasing and getting two fast outs. But the AB to McCormack and Castro were really telling of future issues. Vaz has the targets up for both and Whitlock kept throwing down. He’s lucky Castro’s missile went into the glove of Schwarber. Cora extends Whitlock for a second inning and first pitch is a dead center fastball that ties the game. He then gives up another rocket single, misses location down to Bergman and gets lucky with a DP and recovers vs Alvarez with good location up. Whitlock did not command his stuff today.

 

As for Eovaldi, the knock on him for years was his FB doesn’t play up. It’s 100mph, but doesn’t look like a 100 mph fastball (ie, not a spin rate master). Eovaldi became a great pitcher when he added a reliable curve and cutter and became a hard throwing crafty righty. The sequence to Correa was strange because he sped his bat up the entire ab and never deviated from the FB. He then leaves one out over the plate and gets burned. Say what you want about the missed strike, it was a ball but Diaz was giving 6 inches off the plate all game. The killer was Castro’s AB where again Eovaldi got cute in the bottom of the zone vs a lefty and got burned.

 

Overall, I thought Whitlock was f***ed entering his second inning and he’s lucky he only gave up one run. I don’t know what’s going on with Houck, but going to Eovaldi should only be a last ditch thing or a save situation, not a tie game situation. He also threw 25+ pitches, not a quick inning, which could jeopardize game 6.

 

It was the plan all along. Use Eovaldi on his throwing day.

 

That's not what lost the game.

 

If we have to throw blame at Cora, and that seems like a ritual after every loss, and even after many wins, it was yanking Pivetta too early and bringing in Perez. Even just having Perez on the roster was pointless, unless you use him in 8 run games.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

It was the plan all along. Use Eovaldi on his throwing day.

 

That's not what lost the game.

 

If we have to throw blame at Cora, and that seems like a ritual after every loss, and even after many wins, it was yanking Pivetta too early and bringing in Perez. Even just having Perez on the roster was pointless, unless you use him in 8 run games.

 

Once Eovaldi gave up the lead, Cora got him out of there to preserve his Game 6 starter. He brought in Perez because Brantley is a lefty and hit .219 vs. southpaws this year. It was either Martin or Darwinzon, because Taylor was burnt. But when Brantley cleared the bases on the first-pitch meatball, that was all she wrote -- no need to use any other relievers, who might help win the next game.

 

The reason Cora didn't use Houck is obvious; Sale is starting Game 5, which means Houck is the long man. If Sale can keep the Sox in the ballgame for three innings or even into the fourth, then the season just may hinge on hoping Houck is on and unhittable the rest of the game.

[jacksonianmarch]

Saving a bullet in a game you're winning in the 8th is never a good plan. The bird in hand is far better than two in the bush. Also, yeah, Houck is ready today, but what happens if by the time Houck is called on, the sox are down 5? Or heck, what happens if Sale turns back the clock and is just mowing the Stros down?

[Bellhorn04]

Once Eovaldi gave up the lead, Cora got him out of there to preserve his Game 6 starter. He brought in Perez because Brantley is a lefty and hit .219 vs. southpaws this year. It was either Martin or Darwinzon, because Taylor was burnt. But when Brantley cleared the bases on the first-pitch meatball, that was all she wrote -- no need to use any other relievers, who might help win the next game.

 

Yep, you explained it perfectly.

[Bellhorn04]

Saving a bullet in a game you're winning in the 8th is never a good plan. The bird in hand is far better than two in the bush. Also, yeah, Houck is ready today, but what happens if by the time Houck is called on, the sox are down 5? Or heck, what happens if Sale turns back the clock and is just mowing the Stros down?

 

It was our best reliever, maybe best pitcher period, Whitlock, who gave up the tying run in the 8th. Not really sure what you're saying.

[jacksonianmarch]

It was our best reliever, maybe best pitcher period, Whitlock, who gave up the tying run in the 8th. Not really sure what you're saying.

 

He showed signs of bad command in his first inning. If Houck was available, you wonder if he would have been called upon for the 8th

[mvp 78]

The Red Sox bullpen -- or lack of it -- has already blown two games in the series for the pennant, while the Astros' pen has won two.

 

Bloom has made a lot of good moves to rebuild Boston, and Cora has done more than expected with the roster he was given. But the bottom line is that Houston went for it at the trade deadline by getting three good relievers, while the Sox did not.

 

The Astros' relievers acquired at the deadline played significant roles in each of their wins: Garcia and Maton in Game 1, Maton and Graveman in Game 4. Robles blew Game 1 for Boston, so Cora felt compelled to use his ace starter to try to close Game 4.

 

Davis and Robles weren't good enough acquisitions at the deadline?

[Yaz Fan Since 67]

Well one loss and I see fans have already turned on Bloom. I was fine with their deadline decisions and how it sure looked smarter than what the Yankee did. Until last night.

 

It was a very disappointing loss for sure but they lost the game by failing to cash in with so many runners on base. It was pretty clear that 2 runs was not going to hold up. They had their chances, they will get another opportunity tonight to take back control of the series.

 

I'm nervous as Hell. And so should the Atlanta Braves be. They had the WS on their racket and they let the Dodgers back in the series and now have momentum.

Edited October 20, 2021 by Yaz Fan Since '67

[mvp 78]

Well one loss and I see fans have already turned on Bloom. I was fine with their deadline decisions and how it sure looked smarter than what the Yankee did. Until last night.

 

It was a very disappointing loss for sure but they lost the game by failing to cash in with so many runners on base. It was pretty clear that 2 runs was not going to hold up. They had their chances, they will get another opportunity tonight to take back control of the series.

 

I'm nervous as Hell. And so should the Atlanta Braves be. They had the WS on their racket and they let the Dodgers back in the series and now have momentum.

 

Bloom has been fine. We don't know the reasons why he couldn't go over the cap this year. I don't see how anyone could disagree that the pitching staff needs work.

[moonslav59]

Bloom has been fine. We don't know the reasons why he couldn't go over the cap this year. I don't see how anyone could disagree that the pitching staff needs work.

 

Bloom got just about everyone on one year deals. If they were worried about the new CBA, they could have just added more short term deals or deadline deals, but maybe he wanted to start off in 2022 with a clean slate and a baseline tax.

[Bellhorn04]

He showed signs of bad command in his first inning. If Houck was available, you wonder if he would have been called upon for the 8th

 

Whitlock has been better than Houck. Houck gave up the tying 2-run homer in Game 1 of this series. Whitlock was the correct choice.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Well one loss and I see fans have already turned on Bloom. I was fine with their deadline decisions and how it sure looked smarter than what the Yankee did. Until last night.

 

It was a very disappointing loss for sure but they lost the game by failing to cash in with so many runners on base. It was pretty clear that 2 runs was not going to hold up. They had their chances, they will get another opportunity tonight to take back control of the series.

 

I'm nervous as Hell. And so should the Atlanta Braves be. They had the WS on their racket and they let the Dodgers back in the series and now have momentum.

 

No one's turning on Bloom. We disagree a lot here, but we all knew the bullpen needed help, and what Bloom added at the deadline was weak compared to what Houston got: Miami's closer, Seattle's closer, and a decent set-up man from Cleveland. The Astros also gave up a lot more in prospects, perhaps dealing from stronger depth, but also maybe sensing their window of stars (Springer already gone, Correa's last hurrah) is closing.

 

Both the Sox and Stros can rake, and their starting pitching is thin. But the main reason Houston had to be favored -- and certainly is now, with the series tied, is the bullpen.

[mvp 78]

Bloom got just about everyone on one year deals. If they were worried about the new CBA, they could have just added more short term deals or deadline deals, but maybe he wanted to start off in 2022 with a clean slate and a baseline tax.

 

So he punted on a year they were in first place at the deadline and now find themselves in the ALCS. Odd time to punt IMO.

[moonslav59]

No one's turning on Bloom. We disagree a lot here, but we all knew the bullpen needed help, and what Bloom added at the deadline was weak compared to what Houston got: Miami's closer, Seattle's closer, and a decent set-up man from Cleveland. The Astros also gave up a lot more in prospects, perhaps dealing from stronger depth, but also maybe sensing their window of stars (Springer already gone, Correa's last hurrah) is closing.

 

Both the Sox and Stros can rake, and their starting pitching is thin. But the main reason Houston had to be favored -- and certainly is now, with the series tied, is the bullpen.

 

I'm certainly not turning on Bloom.

 

I'm patting him on the back and thinking GM of the year award.

[mvp 78]

Good news: Austin Davis has a 0.00 ERA this postseason!

 

Bad news: He's only faced two batters and walked one of them.

[moonslav59]

Good news: Austin Davis has a 0.00 ERA this postseason!

 

Bad news: He's only faced two batters and walked one of them.

 

Worst News: He's not on the ALCS roster.