5/18 vs Astros

[moonslav59]

Last nights game is forgotten already. Except for Evol maybe.

Last night: 13 hits and 4 runs, including 2 HRs

Tonight: 5 hits and 5 runs, including 1 HR.

[mvp 78]

When Pivetta is going like tonight, you have to stick with him. He has been in a good groove his last 2 starts. The third time through the order means nothing when he is in that zone. When he wheels come off, he starts to walk people and he loses his release point. That’s when Cora has to take things batter to batter with him.

 

And since every arm pitched yesterday, let Pivetta go as long as possible.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Over his last 5 starts:

31 IP

19 H

7 ER (2.03 ERA)

6 BB

31 K

0.806 WHIP

 

Our new/current "ACE."

 

 

 

Michael Wacha, who was the SOX "ACE" before his injury, may make a start this weekend against Seattle.

[moonslav59]

Michael Wacha, who was the SOX "ACE" before his injury, may make a start this weekend against Seattle.

 

Don't forget Hill:

 

Last 4 starts:

19 IP

13 H

2 ER (0.95 ERA)

4 BB

15 K

.482 OPS Against

 

Whodathunk we'd be talking about Pivetta, Wacha and Hill being our best starters and not Big Nate, Sale or Paxton. Okay, not Paxton, but still...

 

[a700hitter]

Ole 700 has been known to jump on the Pivetta bashing bandwagon a few times. Usually, he does well after he does.

That hasn’t held true recently. I was complimentary of his last start and he had an even better start this time without any criticism from me. Let’s hope that he has found what he had in 2021 and that it continues.

[moonslav59]

That hasn’t held true recently. I was complimentary of his last start and he had an even better start this time without any criticism from me. Let’s hope that he has found what he had in 2021 and that it continues.

 

It only works when you bash him, which was quite often over the last 2 seasons.

[mvp 78]

It only works when you bash him, which was quite often over the last 2 seasons.

 

In defense of A700, not that he needs it, Nick Pivetta was in post prospect status coming out of Philadelphia. We all assumed he was a throw in for the Hembree/Workman deal. Nobody on here was clamoring for Pivetta. Not you, that's for sure.

 

Last year, he pitched well, but had interesting splits. Third time through the order, he was horrible with a 1011 OPSa and 9.24 ERA. At Fenway, he gave up 17 HR, had a 5.40 ERA, and an 839 OPSa. Not great. Of his 6 worst starts last season, 5 were at home. If you are someone like A700 who goes to a lot of games, I can see how you could have a negative reaction to that.

 

His first 3 starts this season were bad. No doubt about it. Is some of that due to a truncated Spring Training? Is some of it due to him just being a 4/5 guy? He's a fine back of the rotation guy who shows flashes from time to time. He always had promise of a mid rotation starter, but just never put it together.

 

Instead of trying to shove A700's face in it, just do that to a real troll like JDavis, please.

[Bellhorn04]

In defense of A700, not that he needs it, Nick Pivetta was in post prospect status coming out of Philadelphia. We all assumed he was a throw in for the Hembree/Workman deal. Nobody on here was clamoring for Pivetta. Not you, that's for sure.

 

Last year, he pitched well, but had interesting splits. Third time through the order, he was horrible with a 1011 OPSa and 9.24 ERA. At Fenway, he gave up 17 HR, had a 5.40 ERA, and an 839 OPSa. Not great. Of his 6 worst starts last season, 5 were at home. If you are someone like A700 who goes to a lot of games, I can see how you could have a negative reaction to that.

 

His first 3 starts this season were bad. No doubt about it. Is some of that due to a truncated Spring Training? Is some of it due to him just being a 4/5 guy? He's a fine back of the rotation guy who shows flashes from time to time. He always had promise of a mid rotation starter, but just never put it together.

 

Instead of trying to shove A700's face in it, just do that to a real troll like JDavis, please.

 

Exactly.

[moonslav59]

In defense of A700, not that he needs it, Nick Pivetta was in post prospect status coming out of Philadelphia. We all assumed he was a throw in for the Hembree/Workman deal. Nobody on here was clamoring for Pivetta. Not you, that's for sure.

 

Last year, he pitched well, but had interesting splits. Third time through the order, he was horrible with a 1011 OPSa and 9.24 ERA. At Fenway, he gave up 17 HR, had a 5.40 ERA, and an 839 OPSa. Not great. Of his 6 worst starts last season, 5 were at home. If you are someone like A700 who goes to a lot of games, I can see how you could have a negative reaction to that.

 

His first 3 starts this season were bad. No doubt about it. Is some of that due to a truncated Spring Training? Is some of it due to him just being a 4/5 guy? He's a fine back of the rotation guy who shows flashes from time to time. He always had promise of a mid rotation starter, but just never put it together.

 

Instead of trying to shove A700's face in it, just do that to a real troll like JDavis, please.

 

700 went beyond just criticism. When I responded to his "bashing" of Pivetta, he never denied it. Most of the time, we talked about him, when he was pitching poorly, and yes, when he was doing well, I brought it up with him, and he seemed to take my jibes in stride.

 

No doubt, Pivetta has pitched poorly at times, since we got him, and it's fine to criticize that and him, but in my opinion, 700 took it to an extreme level. He even joked about how Pivetta usually did well after his worst critiques. I don't think I'm trolling, or whatever you want to call it, 700 anymore than what he does to other posters, including myself.

[moonslav59]

Exactly.

 

Not exactly.

[vegasbob]

What if Barnes eventually turns it around, highly unlikely, then can I be nominated as his chief basher, a mantle I will gladly accept.

[moonslav59]

What if Barnes eventually turns it around, highly unlikely, then can I be nominated as his chief basher, a mantle I will gladly accept.

 

You have a lot of competition.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

The SOX starting pitching taken as a whole so far this season has been much better than I expected. And I'm quite sure many here feel the same way. The BP, however, except for a few arms, has been, for lack of a better word, disappointing.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Don't forget Hill:

 

Last 4 starts:

19 IP

13 H

2 ER (0.95 ERA)

4 BB

15 K

.482 OPS Against

 

Whodathunk we'd be talking about Pivetta, Wacha and Hill being our best starters and not Big Nate, Sale or Paxton. Okay, not Paxton, but still...

 

 

That Hill has made 78 consecutive starts w/o giving up more than 3 runs is simply amazing.

[moonslav59]

The SOX starting pitching taken as a whole so far this season has been much better than I expected. And I'm quite sure many here feel the same way. The BP, however, except for a few arms, has been, for lack of a better word, disappointing.

 

The pen did better than the starters for a long while in April, and my expectations have not been very high on any of our pens over the last few years, but until this year, they have seemed to exceed expectations. Maybe, they still will.

 

Havings a 10 man pen allowed for some crappy pitchers to get more innings than normal, and if we can not have to use them all that much going forward, we do have a few RP'ers that are doing well or "good enough."

 

Pen OPS Against: Interesting to note: OPSA as starters is .662: as relievers .679.

 

.378 Schreiber (27 PAs)

.384 Whitlock 35

.413 Strahm 48

.556 Valdez 45

.579 Sawamura 47

.592 Robles .592

 

.704 Houck (.675 last 28 days)

.705 Davis (.515 las 28 days)

 

Assuming Whitlock stays a starter, these could be 7 of our 8 man pen, going forward. (Barnes and his salary keeps him at #8, for a while. Diekman probably keeps Valdez on the farm.)

 

[moonslav59]

That Hill has made 78 consecutive starts w/o giving up more than 3 runs is simply amazing.

 

Mind-boggling.

 

Let the man pitch! (Before he gets hurt!)

[moonslav59]

Take away Crawford (8.44 ERA), Barnes 7.11, Brasier 6.08 and Danish 5.25, and our staff looks pretty solid- ERA-wise, anway.

 

OPS Against:

.962 Brasier

.908 Crawford

.834 Eovaldi (not going anywhere, for now)

.797 Barnes

.793 Diekman

.741 Danish

 

All others are under .680!

 

Some of our best OPSA pitchers are not pitching many innings or are in AAA (Valdez):

OPS Against and team ranking in PAS against

.378 Schreiber 17

.413 Strahm 14

.467 Wacha 6 (on IL)

.556 Valdez 16 (in AAA)

.562 Whitlock 3

.579 Sawamura 15

 

Only Whitlock and Wacha are in the top 14.

 

Should this change over the rest of the season? Will it?

[TylerD]

Back to back series wins. Keep it going.

[moonslav59]

Back to back series wins. Keep it going.

 

Winning 4 out of 6 and 4 out of 8 sure changes the mood around here.

 

Over the last 8 games...

 

1.486 Devers Forevers

1.132 Slow Bat JD

.917 Bogey we hardly knew thee

.826 Writing a new Story

.804 Bobby Dee the benchee

.678 Senior Cordero

.586 Vazectomy

.523 Ickee Plawecki

.514 Kiki Smeekee

.501 Dugo Smoo-go

.345 Head scratcher

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Take away Crawford (8.44 ERA), Barnes 7.11, Brasier 6.08 and Danish 5.25, and our staff looks pretty solid- ERA-wise, anway.

 

OPS Against:

.962 Brasier

.908 Crawford

.834 Eovaldi (not going anywhere, for now)

.797 Barnes

.793 Diekman

.741 Danish

 

All others are under .680!

 

Some of our best OPSA pitchers are not pitching many innings or are in AAA (Valdez):

OPS Against and team ranking in PAS against

.378 Schreiber 17

.413 Strahm 14

.467 Wacha 6 (on IL)

.556 Valdez 16 (in AAA)

.562 Whitlock 3

.579 Sawamura 15

 

Only Whitlock and Wacha are in the top 14.

 

Should this change over the rest of the season? Will it?

 

I actually think OPS is a better metric when gauging pitchers, since it's their job not to allow walks or hits, especially long ones.

 

Walks for batters just aren't worth as much like in the days of Youk, when the approach was long at bats to drive up starters' pitch counts to get into inferior bullpens. Nowadays, there are relievers ready to throw 99 mph waiting around every corner, and even the analytics guys tell us constantly it's a plus when an offense gets to see a pitcher the third time through the order!

[moonslav59]

I actually think OPS is a better metric when gauging pitchers, since it's their job not to allow walks or hits, especially long ones.

 

Walks for batters just aren't worth as much like in the days of Youk, when the approach was long at bats to drive up starters' pitch counts to get into inferior bullpens. Nowadays, there are relievers ready to throw 99 mph waiting around every corner, and even the analytics guys tell us constantly it's a plus when an offense gets to see a pitcher the third time through the order!

 

I like OPS, despite its double counting some stats, so it makes sense that it be used to judge pitching, too.

 

A poorly placed HR, like a granny, can really skew an ERA.

[Bellhorn04]

I like OPS, despite its double counting some stats, so it makes sense that it be used to judge pitching, too.

 

A poorly placed HR, like a granny, can really skew an ERA.

 

Not telling you anything you don't already know, but that granny only counts for 4 ER if the pitcher who gave it up also loaded the bases...

[JDavis76]

Noted Pivetta hater gets it shoved up his ass.

 

Never said I hated pivetta, I said he sucks. And him stringing together a few good starts doesn't change that.

 

As far as having things shoved up one's ass, please do not project your sexual preferences on me, thanks.

[mvp 78]

Anything that is meant to feel good is fine with me. You, you seem to be a foul pain pig. Begone.

[JDavis76]

Clown

[Bellhorn04]

Never said I hated pivetta, I said he sucks. And him stringing together a few good starts doesn't change that.

 

Sucks? He has a career ERA+ of 106 with the Red Sox.

 

Shows how much you know about baseball.

[moonslav59]

Sucks? He has a career ERA+ of 106 with the Red Sox.

 

Shows how much you know about baseball.

 

Which is now nearly 2 full years and not just a few starts strung together.

[JDavis76]

Sucks? He has a career ERA+ of 106 with the Red Sox.

 

Shows how much you know about baseball.

 

Cherry pick all you like, the fact is his career ERA+ is 86 with a WHIP of 1.377

[Bellhorn04]

Cherry pick all you like, the fact is his career ERA+ is 86 with a WHIP of 1.377

 

So he's getting better. It happens.

 

If you knew baseball, you'd know that.

[moonslav59]

So he's getting better. It happens.

 

If you knew baseball, you'd know that.

 

Too many posters assume a player is doomed to repeat his past. Nobody gets better or worse. It's obvious they don't know jack.

 

Like Papi never got better than the Minnesota Papi.