July 2, 2023 Red Sox trying to Sweep Blue Jays 1:37PM EDT

[wyo-sox]

I make a motion KISS's "Deuce" be Duran's walk up music.

[vegasbob]

I'm pretty sure that's the best response a Vegas post ever got.

 

After starting a 3 game win streak, I'm getting a pass on disdaining Kike .

[vegasbob]

This one feels like they stole one.

 

Yes, much agreed. That one had all the earmarks of many earlier losses that were lost late or the result of missed opportunities.

[Duran Is The Man]

Clarification accepted. But I've got my eye on you vegasbob. The other is on Bloom. If tries to re-sign Kike, y'all just watch the news....

 

let me know if you need any help.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

After starting a 3 game win streak, I'm getting a pass on disdaining Kike .

 

In defense of Kike his failures haven't been caused from lack of effort.

[notin]

So the Sox are 7-0 against toronto this year. Very nice after last year’s debacle.

 

Last year almost 20% of the Sox losses were to the Blue Jays…

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Last year almost 20% of the Sox losses were to the Blue Jays…

 

 

The SOX have already won the season series against them.

[Tedballgame]

Left in the 6th and just got home. Wow. Another great win for the Sox. Jacques did great closing it out. There is hope again.

[redsoxrules]

Didn't catch today's game as I was driving to Boston ( catching a few games this week) but good to see they completed the sweep despite Whitlock only pitching 1 inning.

 

It's becoming more clear at this point he should have been left in the pen. Ever since they have put him as a starter he can't stay healthy.

[a700hitter]

Didn't catch today's game as I was driving to Boston ( catching a few games this week) but good to see they completed the sweep despite Whitlock only pitching 1 inning.

 

It's becoming more clear at this point he should have been left in the pen. Ever since they have put him as a starter he can't stay healthy.

I think it should be clear that Whitlock will never be a reliable piece of the pitching staff for a full season. The extension Bloom gave him will end up being a mistake.

[notin]

I think it should be clear that Whitlock will never be a reliable piece of the pitching staff for a full season. The extension Bloom gave him will end up being a mistake.

 

Extension = good

Repeatedly trying to keep him in the rotation = bad.

 

 

The definition of insanity might be applied here…

[notin]

No idea. I’ve always wondered why a lefty can throw that curve/slider that breaks from the left handed batters box across to the right handed batters box but you never see a righty throw it a similar pitch.

 

RHPs throw them all the time. But because of the position the centerfield camera it doesn’t look that way…

[notin]

Why do most LH batters have prettier swings than RH batters? Is it related to how the earth spins?

 

No. It’s related to the LHHs without pretty swings peaking in AAA..

 

If it was related to the spin of the Earth, we’d have never seen Gedman..

[moonslav59]

I think it should be clear that Whitlock will never be a reliable piece of the pitching staff for a full season. The extension Bloom gave him will end up being a mistake.

 

He's not getting paid all that much. As a long pen arm, he can easily earn his keep.

[Maxbialystock]

Extension = good

Repeatedly trying to keep him in the rotation = bad.

 

 

The definition of insanity might be applied here…

 

I certainly have thought this was the case. His best season after the Sox stole him from the Yankees via Rule 5 was his first and entirely in the bullpen.

 

However, three factors have militated against that. The first is that he definitely has the repertoire for a starter with fastball, cut fastball, slider, and changeup. The second is that he really wants to be a starter. And the third is the Sox shortage of starters this year, last year, and in 2021, Whitlock's first season.

 

All the same discussion applies to Houck although he is less injury-prone than Whitlock and doesn't have the repertoire.

 

Both have been exclusive starters this season because of the Sox shortage of adequate starters. Paxton and Sale have both spent lots of time on the IL. Kluber was/is a bust. Crawford was a bust but is back in the rotation. Bello was called up out of need and is now flourishing.

 

Right now, without Houck and Whitlock--both of whom talksoxers insist should be in the bullpen and not the rotation--the Sox have three starters: Paxton, Bello, and Crawford.

[moonslav59]

 

Right now, without Houck and Whitlock--both of whom talksoxers insist should be in the bullpen and not the rotation--the Sox have three starters: Paxton, Bello, and Crawford.

 

I think most of us prefer they were in the pen, but we realize the need in the rotation is stronger.

 

Both have wildly better numbers through their first 25 and 50 pitches than afterwards.

 

We appear to have 5 very nice long men, but we can't use them all that way.

 

Whitlock

Houck

Crawford

Pivetta

Winckowski

[a700hitter]

He's not getting paid all that much. As a long pen arm, he can easily earn his keep.

Can he stay healthy in any role? He had a hip problem after being solely a bullpen pitcher.

[moonslav59]

Can he stay healthy in any role? He had a hip problem after being solely a bullpen pitcher.

 

He may. He may not.

 

Nothing is "clear."

[notin]

I certainly have thought this was the case. His best season after the Sox stole him from the Yankees via Rule 5 was his first and entirely in the bullpen.

 

However, three factors have militated against that. The first is that he definitely has the repertoire for a starter with fastball, cut fastball, slider, and changeup. The second is that he really wants to be a starter. And the third is the Sox shortage of starters this year, last year, and in 2021, Whitlock's first season.

 

All the same discussion applies to Houck although he is less injury-prone than Whitlock and doesn't have the repertoire.

 

Both have been exclusive starters this season because of the Sox shortage of adequate starters. Paxton and Sale have both spent lots of time on the IL. Kluber was/is a bust. Crawford was a bust but is back in the rotation. Bello was called up out of need and is now flourishing.

 

Right now, without Houck and Whitlock--both of whom talksoxers insist should be in the bullpen and not the rotation--the Sox have three starters: Paxton, Bello, and Crawford.

 

 

I don’t think whether or not he wants to be a starter should be a factor. They ALL want to be starters (or closers). I am not much for sweeping generalizations, but I think it’s fair to say no one in MLB wants to be a backup or a middle reliever. Certainly plenty of them accept those roles, but they want to start. They know it. You know it. I know it.

 

The Sox need SP, but for the two years they have been trying to force fit Garrett Whitlock into that role, the results are ALWAYS the same. Desire and repertoire do absolutely no good from the inside of a sling…

[moonslav59]

I don’t think whether or not he wants to be a starter should be a factor. They ALL want to be starters (or closers). I am not much for sweeping generalizations, but I think it’s fair to say no one in MLB wants to be a backup or a middle reliever. Certainly plenty of them accept those roles, but they want to start. They know it. You know it. I know it.

 

The Sox need SP, but for the two years they have been trying to force fit Garrett Whitlock into that role, the results are ALWAYS the same. Desire and repertoire do absolutely no good from the inside of a sling…

 

I don't think giving Whitlock one more chance to see if he could stick as a starter was not such a bad idea.

 

I thought he was a better choice than Houck or Crawford, so with Paxton and Bello out to start the season, he seemed like the best choice, then.

 

Some context: Whitlock only started 9 games in 2022, so the sample size was small. Furthermore, his first few starts were not much different from long men out of the pen:

 

Game 1, 2, 3...

IP pitches

4.0 48

3.0 61

5.0 78

3.0 82

5.0 80

3.0 71

6.0 84

6.0 70

4.0 71

 

One 9 game stretch from late April to early June.

2 starts over 5 IP

4 starts over 3 IP

 

Hardly a sample size worthy of judging.