2022 Bullpen Thread

[Kimmi]

I'm with you.

 

But Shaughnessy and the people who commented on his article are really laying it on the unvaccinated.

 

It was a devastating loss last night, exactly the type of loss that we really didn't need to see under that circumstances.

 

Shaughnessy and others are having a field day with this today.

[Larry Cook]

German in, Robles out. Done.

 

I do not think German is ready. He command and control is spotty. When his fastball sails, he resorts to aiming and then he gets lit up like a Christmas tree!

[JDavis76]

It was a devastating loss last night, exactly the type of loss that we really didn't need to see under that circumstances.

 

Shaughnessy and others are having a field day with this today.

 

As moon would say, this is the type of loss that can send a team reeling.

[Kimmi]

The question is whether they leave Whitlock in the rotation for now, which could move Hill to the pen.

 

They could move Whitlock to the pen later, depending on his innings target for the year.

 

A lot depends on who gets healthy and when they return. I have a feeling that if everyone gets healthy, Whitlock will return to the pen. While I think he could eventually be more valuable as a starter, he was so effective out of the pen last year that I think Cora would put him there over Hill. We need bullpen reinforcements more than we need SP reinforcements.

[Kimmi]

We fight and fight and take the lead in the eight and then comes the bullpen to implode!

 

How is Cora not a raging alcoholic!

 

It takes a lot of inner strength to follow baseball daily. LOL

 

Games like last night's are the worst in terms of emotions. However, as I've said many times, it's really a far better sign for a team to lose a game like last night's game than it is to lose one like Monday's game. One run losses are a coin flip. Five run losses are not.

[Kimmi]

I could go either way on this, but am inclined to agree with Hill staying as a starter. Whitlock has good potential as a starter, but we know he can be terrific in the bullpen. I think Whitlock, Schreiber, and Houck could handle almost all of the 8th and 9th inning stuff in close games. Alternatively, Whitlock has been very good as a long reliever.

 

I am in agreement. Also, as has been pointed out, we may need to limit Whitlock's innings.

[Kimmi]

As moon would say, this is the type of loss that can send a team reeling.

 

It could, but it won't send the Red Sox reeling. Cora is too good for that to happen.

 

The Sox have lost a series. It was bound to happen. It was against a good team on the road. I'm not concerned. Heartbroken over last night's loss, but not concerned.

[JDavis76]

It takes a lot of inner strength to follow baseball daily. LOL

 

Games like last night's are the worst in terms of emotions. However, as I've said many times, it's really a far better sign for a team to lose a game like last night's game than it is to lose one like Monday's game. One run losses are a coin flip. Five run losses are not.

 

I disagree, the seizing of defeat from the jaws of victory can sometimes have a more negative effect on the team's psyche. But in the end all losses count the same.

[JDavis76]

It could, but it won't send the Red Sox reeling. Cora is too good for that to happen.

 

The Sox have lost a series. It was bound to happen. It was against a good team on the road. I'm not concerned. Heartbroken over last night's loss, but not concerned.

 

So was cora not "too good" to prevent it in the beginning of the season?

[Larry Cook]

So was cora not "too good" to prevent it in the beginning of the season?

 

Last I looked, Cora did not sign any of the substandard arms in our bullpen.

[JDavis76]

Last I looked, Cora did not sign any of the substandard arms in our bullpen.

 

And, last I checked, he didn't sign any of the present bullpen arms at the beginning of the season either. Bottom line, if he's "too good" to prevent it now, was he not "too good" to prevent it early on?

[Kimmi]

I disagree, the seizing of defeat from the jaws of victory can sometimes have a more negative effect on the team's psyche. But in the end all losses count the same.

 

Yes, it could. But it won't with the Red Sox.

[Kimmi]

So was cora not "too good" to prevent it in the beginning of the season?

 

Cora was good enough then too. That's why the Sox are back in contention.

[JDavis76]

Cora was good enough then too. That's why the Sox are back in contention.

 

No, he didn't prevent them from reeling then.

[Old Red]

Cora was good enough then too. That's why the Sox are back in contention.

 

I think the Red Sox got back in contention more so by playing for the most part against the bad losing teams in the league for over a month than Cora being good enough. Let’s see how the next month goes against the better Div teams.

[JDavis76]

I think the Red Sox got back in contention more so by playing for the most part against the bad losing teams in the league for over a month than Cora being good enough. Let’s see how the next month goes against the better Div teams.

 

That very well may be the case. Only time will tell.

[Bellhorn04]

Well, bellhop, since you like "if's" so much, buster olney tweeted "If the playoffs started today, the red sox would face the blue jays. In toronto."

 

Yeah, "if the season ended today" is a pretty commonly used expression, Jaded. Sorry the word "if" gets on your nerves like that.

[JDavis76]

Yeah, "if the season ended today" is a pretty commonly used expression, Jaded. Sorry the word "if" gets on your nerves like that.

 

Only because it holds zero weight.

[JDavis76]

Yeah, "if the season ended today" is a pretty commonly used expression, Jaded. Sorry the word "if" gets on your nerves like that.

 

Would you like the sox odds playing a 1st round series against the bluebirds starting in toronto?

[Bellhorn04]

Only because it holds zero weight.

 

Everything we say here holds zero weight. What's your point?

[Bellhorn04]

Would you like the sox odds playing a 1st round series against the bluebirds starting in toronto?

 

I thought you see no point in speculating about things that may not happen, Jaded.

[JDavis76]

I thought you see no point in speculating about things that may not happen, Jaded.

 

Never said that. Nice way to dodge the question though.....

[Bellhorn04]

Never said that. Nice way to dodge the question though.....

 

You have a habit of contradicting yourself. You keep spouting about how much you hate the word "if" and then you want to talk about "if the Sox play the Jays in the playoffs".

[Maxbialystock]

I think the Red Sox got back in contention more so by playing for the most part against the bad losing teams in the league for over a month than Cora being good enough. Let’s see how the next month goes against the better Div teams.

 

Ahem. Forget the past month and just look at the last 2 weeks--during which the Sox took 2 of 3 from the Cardinals (who were then leading the NL Central Division) and 3 of 3 from Cleveland, who were then leading the AL Central Division.

 

And about those bottom feeders. The very worst team in MLB, the A's, wins 1 out of every 3 games, but the Sox took 5 of 6. Detroit wins 4 of 10, but the Sox swept 3 of 3. The Angels win 5 of 10 (46.8%), and the Sox took 3 of 4. Seattle, almost as good at 46.1%, lost 2 of 3 to the Sox.

 

What I will agree with is that the Sox so far have struggled against all four of the other AL East Division teams. Not just the Yankees, Rays, and Jays, but also the Orioles, who have taken 4 of 7 games so far. And, as you imply, this could well doom the Sox, but I'm not yet ready to go there.

 

As for the Jays, let's not forget that playing in Toronto has removed our newly crowned closer, Houck, who has the Sox 5 most recent saves. Ya think Cora could have used Houck last night? Plus Duran, for whatever that's worth. And Sale, if he ever returns.

 

About Cora last night. Does he get no credit for sticking with Wacha after that disastrous 1st inning? I ask because, while Wacha didn't have his best stuff, he battled thru the 2d thru 5th innings, giving up just 1 more run. I say, "well done, Alex." Also Wacha of course.

 

Then Cora sent in Brasier, Schreiber, and Danish to hold the line for innings 6-8--which they in fact did. Still no credit?

 

Finally, came the 9th, and not many good options, thanks to Houck's fear of a shot that billions of people have taken without negative side effects.

 

However, Danish wasn't a horrible choice for the 9th: he had just pitched a clean 8th: fly out, K, groundout.

 

Moreover--and no one but me has noticed this--so far this year Danish has pitched 27 innings in 23 games, which means this wouldn't have been his first time going more than 1 inning. I say that because a lot of talksoxers wanted Schreiber to go 2 innings even though he has pitched just 23.2 innings in 25 games.

 

Unfortunately, Danish panicked in the 9th by walking Springer after giving up the single to Kirk (a great hitter for the Jays this year).

 

So in came Robles, whom none of us like. That said, both game-winning singles by Bichette and Guerrero were seeing-eye grounders that got through the Sox computer-drive shift. So I would argue that Robles was not a horrible choice based on what happened and even though none of us like him this year.

[JDavis76]

You have a habit of contradicting yourself. You keep spouting about how much you hate the word "if" and then you want to talk about "if the Sox play the Jays in the playoffs".

 

I was simply appeasing you and your love of the "what if" scenarios. So, with that out of the way, how would you feel about the sox chances should they open the playoffs in toronto?

[Bellhorn04]

I was simply appeasing you and your love of the "what if" scenarios. So, with that out of the way, how would you feel about the sox chances should they open the playoffs in toronto?

 

About 50/50.

[JDavis76]

About 50/50.

 

Way to go out on a limb......

[Bellhorn04]

Way to go out on a limb......

 

How do you rate the Yankees' chances of winning it all this year?

[JDavis76]

How do you rate the Yankees' chances of winning it all this year?

 

25-30%

[Bellhorn04]

25-30%

 

OK, you're being fair then.

 

If the season ended today, I'd rate the Red Sox chances of beating the Jays at 35-40%. But needless to say I'm hoping things look differently by the actual playoffs.