June 27, Miami at Boston

[Maxbialystock]

Alcantra (righty) vs. Whitlock (also righty)

 

Miami, like Tampa and Baltimore, is another success story. Despite team salaries ranked 22d in MLB, they are 2d in the NL East with a 45-34 record. They seem to be good at finding ways to win because their run differential is -15. The Sox are just 1 game over .500 with a run differential of +21, so it's fair to say we are prone to find ways to lose. We can only blame part of that on being in the AL East.

 

Duran LF

Turner DH

Verdugo RF

Devers 3B

Duvall CF

Casas 1B

Kike 2B

Hamilton SS

Wong C

 

5 lefty bats and one of those, Hamilton, may be great on the base paths, but struggles to get on base. In 2 games--a miniscule sample--his OBP and OPS are both 0. Hitting and especially scoring runs has been an issue lately with the Sox and the Marlins have decent pitching (12th best ERA in MLB).

 

Whitlock gave up 4 runs last time, but also went 7 innings in a 5-4 10 inning loss to the Twins.

 

Sox are back at Fenway, so I give the good guys the edge.

[d-money]

Another s***** start by this guy.

[d-money]

I feel like Whitlock should be better than what he abs showned. Dude has been rocked at times.

[d-money]

My goodness whitlock you stink!!!!!

[Duran Is The Man]

gawd.

[Maxbialystock]

Both hard hit balls were off changeups, which has been a good pitch for Whitlock--just not now.

[Maxbialystock]

Horrible 1/2 inning. Hitters need to hit.

[bmattioli]

Triple A stuff..

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Some will ask can Whit settle down and give up no more runs? The real question is can the SOX score 3 runs?

[illinoisredsox]

This may be one of those 8 starts Mussina talked about where a pitcher has nothing.

[illinoisredsox]

Some will ask can Whit settle down and give up no more runs? The real question is can the SOX score 3 runs?

 

Exactly. Alcantra won the NL Cy Young last year; he’s had a rough year so far, but he still can be nasty.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

During his time with the SOX, I believe Manny had 4 grandmothers who died.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

It's pretty obvious this isn't a contract year for Devers.

[d-money]

Some will ask can Whit settle down and give up no more runs? The real question is can the SOX score 3 runs?

 

Well alcantara has been hittable this year. Anything is possible. Can Whitlock put up zeros? Stay tuned.

[Maxbialystock]

Horrible 1/2 inning. Hitters need to hit.

 

OK. Two doubles, a run, and a hard hit 3d out by Duvall.

[d-money]

That 3rd pitch was a strike.

[illinoisredsox]

Duvall at least seems to be out of the miserable part of his slump. 3-4 hard hits balls the last couple games.

[d-money]

Whitlock is leaving the ball up.

[Maxbialystock]

That's two seeing eye singles up the middle.

[Maxbialystock]

Two bad throws by Hamilton in the same inning.

[illinoisredsox]

That's two seeing eye singles up the middle.

 

Per some here (not you), that’s a sure sign of lousy pitching. Three shots like Duvall’s is a sign of good pitching.

[d-money]

40 pitches through 2 innings for whitlock.

[Maxbialystock]

Arraez is flirting with the first .400 season in 82 years, and Whitlock got him out twice with a K and an easy grounder--so he can't be all bad.

[illinoisredsox]

Arraez is flirting with the first .400 season in 82 years, and Whitlock got him out twice with a K and an easy grounder--so he can't be all bad.

 

Carew couldn’t do it. Gwynn couldn’t do it. Brett couldn’t do.

 

Arraez won’t either.

[illinoisredsox]

Arraez is flirting with the first .400 season in 82 years, and Whitlock got him out twice with a K and an easy grounder--so he can't be all bad.

 

Baseball’s weird. Bob Uecker hit .429 against Sandy Koufax in over 50 ABs. He hit like .200 overall.

[Maxbialystock]

Per some here (not you), that’s a sure sign of lousy pitching. Three shots like Duvall’s is a sign of good pitching.

 

Really? A hard shot by Duvall is a sign of good pitching? I've already said the first inning was terrible by Whitlock, so please don't try to claim I said something different.

[illinoisredsox]

Really? A hard shot by Duvall is a sign of good pitching? I've already said the first inning was terrible by Whitlock, so please don't try to claim I said something different.

 

I specifically said not you; see the phrase inside the parentheses in my OP. You actually know baseball.

 

There are some posters here who think every bloop hit, infield chopper, etc. means the pitcher sucks. To those posters, JBJ pulling three balls back from over the fence means the pitcher is doing fine.

 

You most certainly are not one of the posters.

[bmattioli]

Cora out Tek in..

[illinoisredsox]

Cora out Tek in..

 

Why would Tek want the job?

[d-money]

Of course alcantara will look good against this lineup and this team after his last two crappy starts.