4/11 vs Rays at the Thunderdome

[guinness22]

Holy F Kike you suck. .088. Comical.

[vegasbob]

We've played more RHPs than LHPs, up to now, and Wong has way more PAs.

 

What is obvious?

 

What is obvious to me is that McGuire is a better hitter than Wong, but probably inferior on defense. The O's base stealing seemed to be on the pitchers I think. At least Wong has stopped that to a large degree, or the pitchers introducing variability in pitch delivery timing

[guinness22]

Great play Rafi.

[vegasbob]

Was thinking for a minute that Whitlock was pitching ok, given his first start, getting into the 5th, but the HRs are intolerable

[guinness22]

Damn. 5 two out runs.

[a700hitter]

Whitlock’s spot is in the pen imo. He is a HR machine as a starter. Edited April 12, 2023 by a700hitter

[Maxbialystock]

The offense looks rather easy to shut down. Keep Dever from hurting you and the rest is easy.

 

Actually, it was the bottom of the order who got 2 on last night right before Devers came up with the bases loaded and looked at a called 3d strike well inside the strike zone.

 

Why is it so difficult on talksox to acknowledge that the Rays pitching is tough? Nobody on the Sox staff comes remotely close to the stuff McClanahan is throwing.

 

And our man Whitlock keeps throwing gopher balls. Talk about a guy who wasn't ready to pitch tonight.

[d-money]

Whitlock has made a mistake here or two. Not a good start at all.

[vegasbob]

Somehow, without genius Bloom, and without big bucks, TB Rays, once again have a very strong team on a big time roll. Some other team will eventually beat them

[d-money]

Somehow, without genius Bloom, and without big bucks, TB Rays, once again have a very strong team on a big time roll. Some other team will eventually beat them

 

I find them easier to root for than let’s say the Yankees. I hope they take the division but i still wonder if they can outhit the Yankees.

[vegasbob]

Damn. 5 two out runs.

 

That was an issue last year also. We have some 2 out pitchers who cannot get the 3rd. At the end of the 5th, Whitlock had nothing left .

[Maxbialystock]

Whitlock’s spot is in the pen imo. He is a JR machine as a starter.

 

I'm afraid that's true. He just doesn't have the strong repertoire--especially not that fast ball-- and especially the command to be a starter.

[wyo-sox]

Duvall would have struggled against this year's Rays pitching. That inflated OPS is against lousy pitching.

'

 

Sure- but I'll stand by the fact I like the line up better with him in it- and I don't like it at all now.

[vegasbob]

Yoshi has trouble hitting anything but bouncers.

[d-money]

Facing one of their best young prospects tomorrow. If they gonna salvage one win it’s tomorrow.

[Old Red]

Yoshi has trouble hitting anything but bouncers.

 

Noshida must have payed a lot of ping pong in Japan.

[guinness22]

TB pitching is superior….but Kike cannot lead off and Yoshida cannot bat cleanup. At least not right now.

[Maxbialystock]

Sure- but I'll stand by the fact I like the line up better with him in it- and I don't like it at all now.

 

Agree completely it's a better lineup with Duvall in it. I just think the dominant Rays pitching this year is hard to score on.

 

Tonight I thought we saw McClanahan throw great stuff and shut down the Sox for 5 innings despite the walks. Last night same deal.

 

Indeed, last night, our absolute best hitter, Devers, came up with the bases loaded and 2 outs and struck out looking at a fastball well inside the strike zone.

[jad]

Yes I agree... hard to feel optimistic when, outside of Devers, there is not one bat in the lineup giving me hope of something happening. Duval gone- just hardly feels like a major league lineup.

 

It's a roster built by a former Rays employee who obviously had no idea what those who made the real decisions in Tampa were thinking.

[wyo-sox]

Agree completely it's a better lineup with Duvall in it. I just think the dominant Rays pitching this year is hard to score on.

 

Tonight I thought we saw McClanahan throw great stuff and shut down the Sox for 5 innings despite the walks. Last night same deal.

 

Indeed, last night, our absolute best hitter, Devers, came up with the bases loaded and 2 outs and struck out looking at a fastball well inside the strike zone.

 

You are spot on- Rays have great pitching. Any team should struggle against it. It's just so hard to accept that a historic, big money, major market team like the Sox have put together a team that can't challenge it at all. Gonna' be a long year- hopefully I'm wrong. But I just can't get it- it's like Bloom was ordered to put together a failing team.

[illinoisredsox]

Whitlock has made a mistake here or two. Not a good start at all.

 

McClanahan has made some mistakes too; his stuff is good enough to get away with them more often than Whitlock can. He’s a perennial Cy Young candidate; Whitlock is not and probably never will be. Garrett’s value is as a reliever. He’s a #4-5 starter.

[Maxbialystock]

TB pitching is superior….but Kike cannot lead off and Yoshida cannot bat cleanup. At least not right now.

 

I agree they've been stinking it up, but I'm not sure the Sox have hitters who can do appreciably better. Raffie is hitless and absolutely stunk it up last night with the bases loaded. Move Dalbec up from 8th?

[Old Red]

Agree completely it's a better lineup with Duvall in it. I just think the dominant Rays pitching this year is hard to score on.

 

Tonight I thought we saw McClanahan throw great stuff and shut down the Sox for 5 innings despite the walks. Last night same deal.

 

Indeed, last night, our absolute best hitter, Devers, came up with the bases loaded and 2 outs and struck out looking at a fastball well inside the strike zone.

 

A lot of the Red Sox hitters wasn’t hitting before they got to Tampa, so it’s not just Tampa’s pitching.

[vegasbob]

The King of the Pops chart strikes again !!

[Tedballgame]

Just turned on the game. Not surprised at all by the score. The Sox cannot win in Tampa. They will get swept. They have a weak lineup, a bad pitching staff and a bad director of baseball operations.

[wyo-sox]

A healthy Duval, a healthy Story... would change things.... but that is too far off I'm afraid.

[illinoisredsox]

Rule #1. - If the Rays ask about one of your pitchers, better have you people take a second look to see what it is they see.

 

Rule #2. - If the Rays give up on a pitcher, pass. Tampa uses them up and spits them out; they never seem to be the same once they leave Tampa.

[guinness22]

I agree they've been stinking it up, but I'm not sure the Sox have hitters who can do appreciably better. Raffie is hitless and absolutely stunk it up last night with the bases loaded. Move Dalbec up from 8th?

 

Agree to a large extent. But was thinking Dugo sitting in 6th to have their RLRL etc. At some point you have to string some hits together. And Rafi said he likes hitting behind Dugo anyway. Leave Dugo at leadoff and quit this Kike crap.

[Tedballgame]

Whitlock’s spot is in the pen imo. He is a JR machine as a starter.

 

Whitlock is a really good reliever and a mediocre starter. Naturally, the Sox want him to start. Dumb.

[vegasbob]

A healthy Duval, a healthy Story... would change things.... but that is too far off I'm afraid.

 

That will be when it's no longer "early"