A Realistic View at 2022: Part III

[vegasbob]

We will all soon know the pending fate of the Red Sox for 2022. The next 14 games are home/away series exclusively against the Rays and Yankees leading into the All Star break . This should be a clear indication of whether the Sox can bury the Rays or compete with NYY.

[moonslav59]

We will all soon know the pending fate of the Red Sox for 2022. The next 14 games are home/away series exclusively against the Rays and Yankees leading into the All Star break . This should be a clear indication of whether the Sox can bury the Rays or compete with NYY.

 

These are big 14 games, but no 14 games decides anything. Did we not learn from what just happened, this year.

 

We were all but written off by many on this site, then in 3-4 weeks, we had the best WC record in the AL.

 

That can happen again, after these 14 games- in August- in September...

[Bellhorn04]

We will all soon know the pending fate of the Red Sox for 2022. The next 14 games are home/away series exclusively against the Rays and Yankees leading into the All Star break . This should be a clear indication of whether the Sox can bury the Rays or compete with NYY.

 

It's also quite possible the 14 games only tell us we "might" be able to compete.

 

Of course, if the Rays and Yankees pummel us, then the mood gets ugly and talk of selling off will run rampant!

[moonslav59]

It's also quite possible the 14 games only tell us we "might" be able to compete.

 

Of course, if the Rays and Yankees pummel us, then the mood gets ugly and talk of selling off will run rampant!

 

If we go 7-7 or 6-8, we will still b e firmly in the race.

 

A pummeling is possible, and yes, moods swing on a dime, here.

[Bellhorn04]

If we go 7-7 or 6-8, we will still b e firmly in the race.

 

A pummeling is possible, and yes, moods swing on a dime, here.

 

True that.

[JDavis76]

If we go 7-7 or 6-8, we will still b e firmly in the race.

 

A pummeling is possible, and yes, moods swing on a dime, here.

 

The sox would be quite fortunate to go 7-7 over that stretch.

[notin]

The sox would be quite fortunate to go 7-7 over that stretch.

 

Yeah yeah yeah.

 

And they were supposed to struggle on the West Coast, too…

[JDavis76]

Yeah yeah yeah.

 

And they were supposed to struggle on the West Coast, too…

 

The Yanks and the devil rays are far better teams than the angels, mariners and the athletics.

[Larry Cook]

The Yanks and the devil rays are far better teams than the angels, mariners and the athletics.

 

Aren’t they just the rays now?

[moonslav59]

Aren’t they just the rays now?

 

...and he bashes posters for mixing up player names.

[Maxbialystock]

The Yanks and the devil rays are far better teams than the angels, mariners and the athletics.

 

Normally, I would point to the standings and how the Rays .544 winning percentage puts them just 3.5 games ahead of Seattle.

 

But a couple of days ago I said that the entire AL East is tougher than all other MLB divisions, mostly because of the Yankees, but also because the Rays, Jays, and Sox all have winning records despite playing the Yankees a lot (Sox not yet, but soon).

[JDavis76]

...and he bashes posters for mixing up player names.

 

It wasn't a mix up, troll. I will always call them the devil rays just as I will always call the team in cleveland the Guardians. I don't care much for wokeism.

[notin]

Aren’t they just the rays now?

 

Only since 2007. He also probably refers to the Washington team the Senators…

[notin]

It wasn't a mix up, troll. I will always call them the devil rays just as I will always call the team in cleveland the Guardians. I don't care much for wokeism.

 

You really think that the Rays changed their name to avoid offending devils?

[Maxbialystock]

We will all soon know the pending fate of the Red Sox for 2022. The next 14 games are home/away series exclusively against the Rays and Yankees leading into the All Star break . This should be a clear indication of whether the Sox can bury the Rays or compete with NYY.

 

Ahem. Are you unaware that Sale, Eovaldi, Whitlock, Wacha, and Hill--five bonafide starters--are on the IL? Of the Sox original starters this season, only Pivetta is not on the IL.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Ahem. Are you unaware that Sale, Eovaldi, Whitlock, Wacha, and Hill--five bonafide starters--are on the IL? Of the Sox original starters this season, only Pivetta is not on the IL.

 

I'm 100% on board promoting Bello for a spot start (and who knows, maybe a regular turn if he fares well). I'm also in favor of Seabold and Wink, even as they work out the kinks. This is what contenders with solid minor league pitching do -- and have been doing for over a century... not bullpen games that risk even more wear on already overused relievers.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

You really think that the Rays changed their name to avoid offending devils?

 

They tried but it was too late; everybody knows the Trop is nowhere. Batters have been cursed with hitting long drives that disappear before they're ruled home runs, only to reappear as foul pop-ups in the vicinity of infield gloves. Meanwhile, defenders are haunted whenever they look up to see the grinning visage of Beelzebub on the ceiling, swallowing fly balls and spitting out stitches onto catwalks.

 

Rays' players know such eternal damnation also skews their individual stats. "WAR is Hell," said one player, recently traded for two minor league arms that each throw 97 with a change-up.

[JDavis76]

You really think that the Rays changed their name to avoid offending devils?

 

Yes, that was exactly what I was thinking. SMH.......

[Maxbialystock]

I'm 100% on board promoting Bello for a spot start (and who knows, maybe a regular turn if he fares well). I'm also in favor of Seabold and Wink, even as they work out the kinks. This is what contenders with solid minor league pitching do -- and have been doing for over a century... not bullpen games that risk even more wear on already overused relievers.

 

In the event, Davis pitched 2 innings yesterday, Crawford 5.1, and Schreiber 1.2 for a shutout and 4-0 win. Pivetta goes tonight, and Bello goes Wed night.

 

Given that going into yesterday's game the Sox were playing lousy ball (and were lucky to get the one win vs the lowly Cubs) and the Rays had taken 3 straight in Toronto, I kind of like what Cora patched together. And Bello still gets to start vs. the Rays.

 

In short, your criticism of Cora has proven to be dead wrong. Also, FWIW, both Winckowski and Seabold got hit hard in their first starts for Boston this year.

[notin]

Yes, that was exactly what I was thinking. SMH.......

 

Hey I’m not the brain cell that calls them the Devil Rays because of “wokeism”…

[moonslav59]

In the event, Davis pitched 2 innings yesterday, Crawford 5.1, and Schreiber 1.2 for a shutout and 4-0 win. Pivetta goes tonight, and Bello goes Wed night.

 

Given that going into yesterday's game the Sox were playing lousy ball (and were lucky to get the one win vs the lowly Cubs) and the Rays had taken 3 straight in Toronto, I kind of like what Cora patched together. And Bello still gets to start vs. the Rays.

 

In short, your criticism of Cora has proven to be dead wrong. Also, FWIW, both Winckowski and Seabold got hit hard in their first starts for Boston this year.

 

We were somewhat lucky to get that one win vs the Cubs, but we easily could have won 2.

[JDavis76]

Hey I’m not the brain cell that calls them the Devil Rays because of “wokeism”…

 

No, you're the half a brain cell that actually cares.....

[JDavis76]

I read an article earlier today that said that out of all of the "contenders", the sox have the toughest remaining schedule by far. Also, the astros are heading into a stretch where they play 26 out of 28 against teams with a sub .500 record.

[Maxbialystock]

We were somewhat lucky to get that one win vs the Cubs, but we easily could have won 2.

 

Meh. The Sox hitting sucked in Chicago. In three games, their one big rally, in the 2d inning of game 1, was the result of a single, a HBP, a BB, and JBJ's double. Three big runs, and just 1 for the next 7 innings. 1 run in game 2. And the 2 winning runs in the 11th were the result of a humungous throwing error by the Cubs pitcher.

 

Despite the absence of Sale, Eovaldi, Whitlock, and now Wacha and Hill, the Sox pitching has been surprisingly good. I'd like to give Cora a little credit, but apparently allowing Robles to pitch at all has consigned him to the trash heap of manager history.

[Maxbialystock]

I read an article earlier today that said that out of all of the "contenders", the sox have the toughest remaining schedule by far. Also, the astros are heading into a stretch where they play 26 out of 28 against teams with a sub .500 record.

 

I don't need to look those schedules up because I already have and can confirm you are right.

 

It does not help that right now, with Sale, Eovaldi, Whitlock, Wacha, and Hill all out, the Sox are in the midst of playing 17 games in 17 days vs. the Cubs (3 games), Rays (7), and Yankees (7). This puts a lot of pressure on the bullpen and also requires the call-ups of Winckowski, Seabold, and now Bello.

 

Thus, after the ignominious trip to Wrigley Field, yesterday's "bullpen" start and win was a nice surprise. That's baseball.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

In the event, Davis pitched 2 innings yesterday, Crawford 5.1, and Schreiber 1.2 for a shutout and 4-0 win. Pivetta goes tonight, and Bello goes Wed night.

 

Given that going into yesterday's game the Sox were playing lousy ball (and were lucky to get the one win vs the lowly Cubs) and the Rays had taken 3 straight in Toronto, I kind of like what Cora patched together. And Bello still gets to start vs. the Rays.

 

In short, your criticism of Cora has proven to be dead wrong. Also, FWIW, both Winckowski and Seabold got hit hard in their first starts for Boston this year.

 

You read me quiet and unclear. I've always defended Cora here, even in the most overblown "scandal" in the history of baseball (a strategy that has been part of the game since the invention of the game). I've never blamed him for using the roster the front office has assembled -- nor especially converting Whitlock to a starter, because I don't believe he did, since it goes against the goal of a manager: to win this year, and not build a guy up to be better in some future season when there might be a new skipper if you lose now.

 

What I have is a distaste for the opener, which was invented in Tampa, and has been adopted by most MLB teams since.

[moonslav59]

Meh. The Sox hitting sucked in Chicago. In three games, their one big rally, in the 2d inning of game 1, was the result of a single, a HBP, a BB, and JBJ's double. Three big runs, and just 1 for the next 7 innings. 1 run in game 2. And the 2 winning runs in the 11th were the result of a humungous throwing error by the Cubs pitcher.

 

 

We lost 6-5 and 3-1. We had chances to win both, just as the Cubs had chances to win the one they lost.

 

BTW, the Cubs scored some runs on errors, too, including in their 3-1 win in game 2.

 

We outhit the Cubs 11-6 in game one. I think we could say we could have won that one.

[moonslav59]

 

What I have is a distaste for the opener, which was invented in Tampa, and has been adopted by most MLB teams since.

 

I don't care for the "opener" strategy, either, but if you have to go with a pen game, it makes sense to line it up like Cora did, with the long man going second.

[Maxbialystock]

You read me quiet and unclear. I've always defended Cora here, even in the most overblown "scandal" in the history of baseball (a strategy that has been part of the game since the invention of the game). I've never blamed him for using the roster the front office has assembled -- nor especially converting Whitlock to a starter, because I don't believe he did, since it goes against the goal of a manager: to win this year, and not build a guy up to be better in some future season when there might be a new skipper if you lose now.

 

What I have is a distaste for the opener, which was invented in Tampa, and has been adopted by most MLB teams since.

 

I apologize for misreading you.

 

I like the bullpen start, especially the way the Rays use it. Sometimes that bullpen start is used to mask the real starter. Neat--when it works.

 

But I also like a good rotation, which the Sox have sort of had this year until all those injuries. As has been pointed out, one option is to bring guys up to get a spot start or more. Winckowski has worked out, and is way better than a series of bullpen starts. Seabold might be OK. And now comes Bello tomorrow night. Crawford, who was so great yesterday, is also a rookie who has started 3 games (1 last year, 2 this year) and did 5.1 in brilliant relief yesterday.

[notin]

I read an article earlier today that said that out of all of the "contenders", the sox have the toughest remaining schedule by far. Also, the astros are heading into a stretch where they play 26 out of 28 against teams with a sub .500 record.

 

That is probably helpful to the Sox given how they’ve played against the Orioles, Reds, and Cubs lately…