5/04 Jays @ SOX 6:10PM ET

[Old Red]

I believe I discovered why the f'ing Rays are 26-6. They're #1 in hitting and #1 in pitching. The SOX are #3 in hitting and #24 in pitching.

 

That’s the big question going forward. How long can the offense sustain this pace to cover up the starting pitching?

[Hugh2]

I believe I discovered why the f'ing Rays are 26-6. They're #1 in hitting and #1 in pitching. The SOX are #3 in hitting and #24 in pitching.

 

Weren’t they like last a couple weeks ago?

 

Moving on up in the world!!

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Tomorrow's starters: Sale vs Wheeler.

 

It's good Sale is opening the road trip, but it may be even better that Wheeler is, wait for it, RH.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

That’s the big question going forward. How long can the offense sustain this pace to cover up the starting pitching?

 

 

If they're like the BRUINS, probably until the PO's. Still pissed.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Weren’t they like last a couple weeks ago?

 

Moving on up in the world!!

 

 

Actually, the Phils are 27th in pitching and 4th in hitting. Might be some serious runs scored in that series.

[a700hitter]

Yup, he's the Groucho Marx of relievers.

But I liked Groucho.

[moonslav59]

But I liked Groucho.

 

"I'd never belong to a club that had me as one of its members."

 

I guess that does not include the DFA Brasier Club.

[vegasbob]

Red Sox have played 20 of initial 33 at home , with a 13-7 record in sometimes typical crappy cold weather. 14 of next 22 are on the road, including the dreaded West Coast trip for the Angels and Padres, then D'backs. Check the record and various injury statuses at the end of May to see where this train is headed.

[moonslav59]

Red Sox have played 20 of initial 33 at home , with a 13-7 record in sometimes typical crappy cold weather. 14 of next 22 are on the road, including the dreaded West Coast trip for the Angels and Padres, then D'backs. Check the record and various injury statuses at the end of May to see where this train is headed.

 

That will be a test, for sure. It's not the typical west coast trip.

 

This next road trip could tell even more...

 

3 @ PHI

2 @ ATL

 

Then home for...

3 v STL

3 v SEA

 

Followed by...

3 @ SDP

3 @LAA

3 @ AZ

 

14 of 20 on the road.

 

I keep looking for an easy stretch to our schedule. Maybe these are them:

 

10 v KCR, DET, WSH mid August

9 v OAK, CHC, OAK mid July

9 v LAA, AZ, CIN end of May

6 v CWS/ MIA end of June

6 v STL/SEA mid May

 

 

 

[Maxbialystock]

That’s the big question going forward. How long can the offense sustain this pace to cover up the starting pitching?

 

Boy, are you missing the point.

 

First and foremost, never ever look a gift horse in the mouth. Given our expectations for this season, we should be dancing in the streets and the least of our worries should be why are we so lucky.

 

Second, there have been very few Sox teams, especially in the JH era, that did not rely heavily on hitting to win games. That doesn't mean anyone expected the hitting to be this good--no one did--but hitting is what Sox teams do. Indeed, the lousy pitching is pretty close to what was expected.

 

Third, the pitching is not hopeless, or at least not as hopeless as we expected. The bullpen actually looks pretty good. And the rotation just might be coming around. Chris Sale, for example, leads the Sox in earned runs given up, but right now he looks as though he has turned a corner because in 2 of his last 3 starts he pitched a total of 12.1 innings with just 2 ER's plus 16 K's and 2 walks. Kluber pitched a combined 11.1 innings in his two last starts with 4 ER's, 7 K's, and 2 BB's. Bello shows promise and went 5 innings tonight giving up 2 ER's. The start before against Cleveland, 5 innings, 1 ER, and another win. Pivetta and Houck ain't great, but they are gamers and lead the Sox in innings pitched. Both have positive WAR's of +0.2, which no other Sox starters have. Lurking in the background are Whitlock, Crawford, and Paxton, all of whom have started and can step up if Cora needs them.

[Oscars]

Im loving what Duran is doing with bat after 60ABs, hitting .417 and an OPS of 1.139, to go with 4 SBs.

Great to see him take off after his disappointing last season.

[Hugh2]

That’s the big question going forward. How long can the offense sustain this pace to cover up the starting pitching?

 

Well, if we believe the offense would regress back to the mean.

 

Why?

 

Would we not believe the pitching would do the same?

[moonslav59]

Well, if we believe the offense would regress back to the mean.

 

Why?

 

Would we not believe the pitching would do the same?

 

Maybe because he believes their "mean" is pretty low.

 

I think it is obvious that several Sox fans had very low expectations, this year, based on their beliefs about the quality of players we have and acquired.

 

When we talk about "regressing to the mean," in all fairness, it is pretty hard (and subjective) to determine just what was/is the "mean" for Sale, Kluber, Duvall, Turner, Duran, Yoshida. So much was hard to project, often due to injuries, age and inconsistent pasts.

 

It is possible our rotation does not improve. God, I hope I'm wrong about seeing a light at the end of that tunnel, but it would be entirely possible they keep sucking or just barely improve.

[Hugh2]

Maybe because he believes their "mean" is pretty low.

 

I think it is obvious that several Sox fans had very low expectations, this year, based on their beliefs about the quality of players we have and acquired.

 

When we talk about "regressing to the mean," in all fairness, it is pretty hard (and subjective) to determine just what was/is the "mean" for Sale, Kluber, Duvall, Turner, Duran, Yoshida. So much was hard to project, often due to injuries, age and inconsistent pasts.

 

It is possible our rotation does not improve. God, I hope I'm wrong about seeing a light at the end of that tunnel, but it would be entirely possible they keep sucking or just barely improve.

 

So what you're saying is some people think that the hitting can not be this could and will eventually come back down to earth and simultaneously believe the pitching is this bad and has no room for improvement?

 

That just sounds like pessimism to me.

[mvp 78]

That’s the big question going forward. How long can the offense sustain this pace to cover up the starting pitching?

 

Not very long, but you take the wins when you get them. If you forecast the team as a .500 team overall, this sweep and the current play is where you get a few extra wins and closer to a playoff spot in the long run.

[mvp 78]

Well, if we believe the offense would regress back to the mean.

 

Why?

 

Would we not believe the pitching would do the same?

 

Some people also just don't want to live in the moment and ENJOY A f***ING SWEEP OF THE GODDAMN TORONTO BLUE JAYS AS THE BOSTON f***ING RED SOX ARE NOW IN THIRD f***ING PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Old Red]

Some people also just don't want to live in the moment and ENJOY A f***ING SWEEP OF THE GODDAMN TORONTO BLUE JAYS AS THE BOSTON f***ING RED SOX ARE NOW IN THIRD f***ING PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The moment for me is that The C’s are in Philly tonight for game three of a playoff series that is tied 1-1. Is anything else going on?

[moonslav59]

So what you're saying is some people think that the hitting can not be this could and will eventually come back down to earth and simultaneously believe the pitching is this bad and has no room for improvement?

 

That just sounds like pessimism to me.

 

Most of us knew our hitting would not be the problem. Few thought it would be this good, and it could easily "regress" some.

 

On the pitching, I had wished we'd have focused more resources on the rotation, and not just this past winter, either. My expectations were not high, but I think they were higher or much higher than several posters, here. I knew we were light at the top, but I liked the idea of having 6 promising starters (Sale, Whitlock, Kluber, Bello, Pivetta, Paxton) and other promising depth (Houck, Crawford, Wink, Mata, Walter and Murphy.) I figured it might take a while to settle on the right 5 and hoped we wouldn't be 10 games behind before that happened, but I did expect us to be around the 10th to 15th best rotation in MLB- not so much out of glowing expectations, but out of knowing other teams are like us or worse but with less depth.

 

I'm not pessimistic about the gloom and doomers: they are what they are. They will always find something to complain about.

 

(I guess one could say I'm finding them to complain about and am no different.)

 

[mvp 78]

The moment for me is that The C’s are in Philly tonight for game three of a playoff series that is tied 1-1. Is anything else going on?

 

The Sox are also in Philly for a 3 game series. Which team is more likely to win the series against PHI: C's or Sox?

 

Everyone in Boston should just be driving to PHI and taking over South Street or wherever.

[moonslav59]

Some people also just don't want to live in the moment and ENJOY A f***ING SWEEP OF THE GODDAMN TORONTO BLUE JAYS AS THE BOSTON f***ING RED SOX ARE NOW IN THIRD f***ING PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The doom and gloomers seem to really "live in the moment," when things are going poorly. They jump to judge over small or tiny sample sizes, but when things go well, they start talking about "regressing to the mean," or focusing on how weak the league must be for this to be happening.

[Old Red]

The Sox are also in Philly for a 3 game series. Which team is more likely to win the series against PHI: C's or Sox?

 

Everyone in Boston should just be driving to PHI and taking over South Street or wherever.

 

I would say I’m more confident that the Red Sox would win more than the C’s.

[Old Red]

The doom and gloomers seem to really "live in the moment," when things are going poorly. They jump to judge over small or tiny sample sizes, but when things go well, they start talking about "regressing to the mean," or focusing on how weak the league must be for this to be happening.

 

Would you say so far this season the Red Sox have won, because they have played so good, or is it , because teams they are playing have played so bad?A dropped fly ball to end the game, 3 C interference calls in one game, and numerous errors, dropped, and misplayed fly balls

not withstanding along the way. The Red Sox yes have played winning teams, but team that have been playing the kind of ball like the Red Sox did last year for many times that looked more like little leaguers than major leaguers.

[Bellhorn04]

Would you say so far this season the Red Sox have won, because they have played so good, or is it , because teams they are playing have played so bad?A dropped fly ball to end the game, 3 C interference calls in one game, and numerous errors, dropped, and misplayed fly balls

not withstanding along the way. The Red Sox yes have played winning teams, but team that have been playing the kind of ball like the Red Sox did last year for many times that looked more like little leaguers than major leaguers.

 

Yeah, we need more wins against teams that play great even when they lose.

[moonslav59]

Would you say so far this season the Red Sox have won, because they have played so good, or is it , because teams they are playing have played so bad?A dropped fly ball to end the game, 3 C interference calls in one game, and numerous errors, dropped, and misplayed fly balls

not withstanding along the way. The Red Sox yes have played winning teams, but team that have been playing the kind of ball like the Red Sox did last year for many times that looked more like little leaguers than major leaguers.

 

You see what you want to see.

 

We've handed as many games away as have been handed to us.

 

We are not as good as these last 5 games have shown.

We are not as bad as the .500 team before.

 

To me, we are an 87-90 win team.

 

You blast us for bringing up how strong our opponents and division is, but then fall back on how weak MLB is, now. What's the difference?

[Hugh2]

Some people also just don't want to live in the moment and ENJOY A f***ING SWEEP OF THE GODDAMN TORONTO BLUE JAYS AS THE BOSTON f***ING RED SOX ARE NOW IN THIRD f***ING PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

amen

[Hugh2]

The moment for me is that The C’s are in Philly tonight for game three of a playoff series that is tied 1-1. Is anything else going on?

 

I'm driving up for the Celtics game tonight.....staying for the Sox game tomorrow.

 

I hope you're all Jelly

[jad]

Some people also just don't want to live in the moment and ENJOY A f***ING SWEEP OF THE GODDAMN TORONTO BLUE JAYS AS THE BOSTON f***ING RED SOX ARE NOW IN THIRD f***ING PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

WE'RE NO. 3!!! WE'RE NO. 3!!! WE'RE NO. 3!!! ... (like that?)

[Hugh2]

The Red Sox would also be in 3rd place in the N.L. West .5 games out of 2nd behind Pitt/Mil who they both beat.

 

They would be 1st or 2nd in every other division in baseball. They are now a top 10 team in baseball.

[Old Red]

You see what you want to see.

 

We've handed as many games away as have been handed to us.

 

We are not as good as these last 5 games have shown.

We are not as bad as the .500 team before.

 

To me, we are an 87-90 win team.

 

You blast us for bringing up how strong our opponents and division is, but then fall back on how weak MLB is, now. What's the difference?

 

We’ve handed away as many games as has been handed to us? I don’t believe that is anywhere close to being true, so your eye test must be a lot different from mine. You keep saying we’ve beaten winning teams, and I agree with that, but we disagree how how good those winning teams are. Yes in my opinion ML baseball is weak just like I think all professional leagues are watered down, and high school up through college too.

[Old Red]

Yeah, we need more wins against teams that play great even when they lose.

 

It’s amazing on here that in the game thread yesterday I said it was a great sweep, and a good home stand, and the only question was is if the offense could keep the pace up to offset the starting pitching. Some took it from there, and said it wasn’t in the moment, and negative. Wow! I’m not as giddy as some on May 5th I guess with more important stuff going on like the C’s at the moment, and Bruins, and the NFL draft before that I’m just not ordering any postseason tickets just yet.