4/13/23 Thursday the 13th- What Could Go Wrong vs Rays ?

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

This current team could lose 100 games(or more) this season.

[vegasbob]

Imagine a master modern manager like Cash batting his two best players 3-4 in the order.

 

Look at the OPS for Rays and it would be hard to get that lineup wrong no matter how you positioned them.

[jung]

OB and YouK desperately trying to sell the idea of how LUCKY the Rays are. Think again OB.

 

The Rays are not as good as 12-0 might suggest. But they are a damned good club that has been constructed to be what they are which is also what we have grown to expect to be a Rays type of team.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Look at the OPS for Rays and it would be hard to get that lineup wrong no matter how you positioned them.

 

Even our forum might score some runs if we batted against the last-place message boards every single game.

[oldtimer]

Kluber got screwed on a miscall and numerous weak hits after the score is 8 to 3 and the Sox won't come back. Ouch.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

For a split second during this game I thought the SOX might win. I'll try to avoid those split seconds in the future.

[jad]

OB and YouK desperately trying to sell the idea of how LUCKY the Rays are. Think again OB.

 

The Rays are not as good as 12-0 might suggest. But they are a damned good club that has been constructed to be what they are which is also what we have grown to expect to be a Rays type of team.

 

Yeah, it's really not fair!! How come the Rays get to play nothing but teams who are worse than they are, whereas the Red Sox have to play teams that are better than they are? (Can't blame Bloom or Henry for that!!)

[vegasbob]

Thank goodness we are going home to Fenway where we are, let's see 2-4?? Enough with the Rays, hope they win about 120 games

[illinoisredsox]

OB and YouK desperately trying to sell the idea of how LUCKY the Rays are. Think again OB.

 

The Rays are not as good as 12-0 might suggest. But they are a damned good club that has been constructed to be what they are which is also what we have grown to expect to be a Rays type of team.

 

They are lucky but they force their own luck. Put the ball in play, run the bases well.

 

They are totally relaxed no matter who takes the mound or comes to the plate; if player A doesn’t get it done, they know the next guy will. No pressure.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Fortunately the SOX got to play the Tigers early this season or the SOX record would be even worse.

Tigers and A's may be the only AL teams worse than the SOX.

[jung]

Kluber got screwed on a miscall and numerous weak hits after the score is 8 to 3 and the Sox won't come back. Ouch.

 

I think this is the best performance by a Sox starting pitcher of the year so far. Did Penata have one that was close to this?

 

When Kluber gets tired his breaking stuff flattens out and it looks so hittable coming up there. I think that is in part why the Rays have been able to get wood to pitches outside the strike zone. They start out there and stay out there when Kluber is tired and that is like playing pickle for these guys.

Edited April 13, 2023 by jung

[illinoisredsox]

Odds on McGuire surviving the next close pitch from a Sox pitcher?

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Yeah, it's really not fair!! How come the Rays get to play nothing but teams who are worse than they are, whereas the Red Sox have to play teams that are better than they are? (Can't blame Bloom or Henry for that!!)

 

Except for the Tigers. Hopefully, the SOX play the A's soon.

[notin]

Before the season, I was worried and Kluber and Sale getting injured. Now I think the Sox need them to…

[d-money]

I didn’t miss much i see. Curious to see how the ball park looks late june. Sox fans still show up to the ball park.

[illinoisredsox]

I think this is the best performance by a Sox starting pitcher of the year so far. Did Penata have one that was close to this?

 

When Kluber gets tired his breaking stuff flattens out and it looks so hittable coming up there. I think that is in part why the Rays have been able to get wood to pitches outside the strike zone. They start out there and stay out there when Kluber is tired and that is like playing pickle for these guys.

 

The first game of this series was 1-0 on a Rays homer in the 8th. I’d say effort by that surpasses this one.

[iortiz]

This team is a joke, starting with Cora in this game. Why in the hell did he take Kluber out of the game?

[moonslav59]

Imagine a master modern manager like Cash batting his two best players 3-4 in the order.

 

Actually, it is kinda hard to imagine, because he rarely does it. (Actually, 4th is an important slot.)

 

2021 Best OPS+

140 BLowe

136 Zunino

129 Aroz.

127 Franco

115 Meadows

114 Choi

110 Diaz

14th NCruz at 101

 

PAs 3rd

148 Cruz

135 Meadows

124 Franco

72 Aroz

54 Diaz

51 Choi

 

4th

233 Meadows

171 Diaz

96 BLowe

65 Aroz

47 Margot

 

2022 OPS+:

144 Diaz

125 Aroz

120 HRam

118 Franco

115 Choi

115 Paredas

106 Margot

103 B Lowe

 

 

3rd

206 Aroz

122 HRam

87 Franco

81 Choi

79 Diaz

 

4th

187 Choi

171 Aroz

144 HRam

45 Peralta

 

[vegasbob]

For all our joking and criticizing as fantasy GM's , Bloom and Cora have the real world problem of dealing with a poor April start ( again) and reshaping a roster that includes Dalbec as a utility infielder, matching up with Yu Chang and Christian Arroyo, so $10MM Kike can patrol CF since the one guy Bloom brought in as a RH bat broke his wrist diving on a short fly. Good luck to 2 guys who need to salvage their careers over the next 5 months. Edited April 13, 2023 by vegasbob

[jacksonianmarch]

I have a feeling Bloom is going to be fired midway through the year

[vegasbob]

Before the season, I was worried and Kluber and Sale getting injured. Now I think the Sox need them to…

 

That's rare stuff from you.

[jung]

The first game of this series was 1-0 on a Rays homer in the 8th. I’d say effort by that surpasses this one.

 

Yeah that was the Piveta game...well pitched by Nick.

[vegasbob]

I have a feeling Bloom is going to be fired midway through the year

 

Boone is still around, so there's hope for Chaim.

[illinoisredsox]

This team is a joke, starting with Cora in this game. Why in the hell did he take Kluber out of the game?

 

Bleier did okay for his first 3 hitter; two ground ball singles and a bunt. The wheels came off after that.

[vegasbob]

Yu Chang's slump buster is a walk

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

I've got no problem blaming Bloom and/or Cora, but the real blame should be directed at JH. He's the one who controls the money and he's the one who decided to transform the SOX into a small market team. Hiring Bloom should have been the 1st hint. Edited April 13, 2023 by SPLENDIDSPLINTER

[vegasbob]

Bleier did okay for his first 3 hitter; two ground ball singles and a bunt. The wheels came off after that.

 

I can't be sure but the analytic guys may want to look at the 2Bman positioning on those 2 ground balls, especially the second

[moonslav59]

I think this is the best performance by a Sox starting pitcher of the year so far. Did Penata have one that was close to this?

 

When Kluber gets tired his breaking stuff flattens out and it looks so hittable coming up there. I think that is in part why the Rays have been able to get wood to pitches outside the strike zone. They start out there and stay out there when Kluber is tired and that is like playing pickle for these guys.

 

Pivetta went 5 with no ERs and only 3 hits & 2 BB vs these Rays.

The game before that, Crawford went 5 IP with 1 ER (5H & 0BB) v DET.

The game before that: Houck 5 IP 2 ER, 3H and 2 BB v DET

 

Kluber's last start was nice: 5 IP, 1 ER, 3H & 1 BB

 

Pivetta had another game with 5 IP and 1 ER (3H & 1 BB)

 

[jung]

As meh as our starting pitching has been, our hitting has been MEH squared. Do they have a way to protect Rafi in this batting order when he is actually in the lineup? If they have a way to protect him they better break it out pronto.

[vegasbob]

Chang on 2nd must be regarded as foreign territory