7/16 Sox @ Cubs

[Maxbialystock]

Crawford, righty, vs Steele, lefty

 

Big pitching edge for the Cubs: Steel's ERA is 2.56 and he is 9-2.

 

One presumes Cora will send out righty bats, but you never can tell. Yesterday he used righties Arroyo and Kike at 2b and SS against a righty starter. My guess is Refsnyder will get a start, but the real question is whether Duran (OPS vs. lefties now .742) and Casas (.719) will start.

 

I think Turner will again be at 2b with Casas at 1b, Yoshida DH. But that still leaves four outfielders (Ref, Dugo, Duran, and Duvall) for 3 positions. I'm guessing Duran sits despite his red hot July (OPS 1.513).

 

Game again starts at 2:20 east coast time.

[Jasonbay44]

Steele is very tough. Need a good outing from Kutter

[notin]

Crawford, righty, vs Steele, lefty

 

Big pitching edge for the Cubs: Steel's ERA is 2.56 and he is 9-2.

 

One presumes Cora will send out righty bats, but you never can tell. Yesterday he used righties Arroyo and Kike at 2b and SS against a righty starter. My guess is Refsnyder will get a start, but the real question is whether Duran (OPS vs. lefties now .742) and Casas (.719) will start.

 

I think Turner will again be at 2b with Casas at 1b, Yoshida DH. But that still leaves four outfielders (Ref, Dugo, Duran, and Duvall) for 3 positions. I'm guessing Duran sits despite his red hot July (OPS 1.513).

 

Game again starts at 2:20 east coast time.

 

I think we do not see Duran or Yoshida.

 

Refsnyder gets DH and Duvall in LF. Verdugo plays in RF as one of two lefties in the lineup. Casas sits with Turner at 1b. Around the rest of them infield we will see Arroyo, Chang and Devers (the other lefty, obviously). Plug Kike in at CF and Alfaro behind the plate and play ball…

[Jasonbay44]

1. Rob Refsnyder CF

2. Justin Turner 1B

3. Rafael Devers 3B

4. Adam Duvall RF

5. Masataka Yoshida LF

6. Jorge Alfaro DH

7. Christian Arroyo 2B

8. Connor Wong C

9. Yu Chang SS

P - Kutter Crawford

[Jasonbay44]

Jorge Alfaro at DH is a sick joke

[notin]

Jorge Alfaro at DH is a sick joke

 

As opposed to Refsnyder in CF?

[vegasbob]

Odd lineup for a semi-critical game. Either the Sox win the series or lose any sense of momentum on the chase for #3 WC. Cubs are a sub.500 team but rolling out a top line pitcher. How long was the team in a tiebreaker win over the Yankees for 4th ?

 

The true story of 2023 has been a couple of reasonable win streaks scattered around a .500 level up/down yo-yo. Why would an unbiased person expect that to change much ?

[vegasbob]

Jorge Alfaro at DH is a sick joke

 

Doesn't leave a lot of flexibility if Wong gets hurts . We lose the DH role .

[notin]

Doesn't leave a lot of flexibility if Wong gets hurts . We lose the DH role .

 

On the bright side, several Sox pitchers are probably better hitters than Alfaro…

[vegasbob]

Baserunning, somewhat of a fundamental

 

Why get a 2 run HR , when a solo is so much more exquisite

[Maxbialystock]

Not very smart by Refsnyder. Cost a run. That was one of those "I don't believe that went out" dingers by Devers. It was a defensive swing.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

DEVERS DEliVERS! Hope that ill advised steal attempt doesn't come back to haunt.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Not very smart by Refsnyder. Cost a run. That was one of those "I don't believe that went out" dingers by Devers. It was a defensive swing.

 

The steal sign comes from the bench.

[Maxbialystock]

According to some game graphics, Steele throws his 4 seamer over 60% of the time and this slider over 30%. A 2 repertoire that works for a starter.

[Maxbialystock]

The steal sign comes from the bench.

 

I believe you, especially in the case of Refsnyder.

 

Crawford looks like Paxton yesterday, but worse.

[Bellhorn04]

Refsnyder was 6 for 6 in steal attempts this year before that.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Good escape by Crawford.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Masa does kill a lot of worms. Hits ground balls 56% of his AB's. League average is 43%. Edited July 16, 2023 by SPLENDIDSPLINTER

[vegasbob]

The steal sign comes from the bench.

 

It was an 0-2 pitch to Raffy, so they may have thought it would be a low away slider, but Steele is a LH'er looking right at the runner. Trying to make something happen but backfired. Cora perhaps thought Duran was playing CF today.

[vegasbob]

Chang bang, 2B's

[d-money]

Offense looks MIA early.

[vegasbob]

2 walks and HBP by Crawford.

[d-money]

A leadoff walk. That’s not how you start an inning.

[vegasbob]

Wong can throw the ball very well. Hope to get the overturn

 

Hope is not a strategy. I hope Crawford can find the plate before the day is over

Edited July 16, 2023 by vegasbob

[d-money]

Crawford clowning right now asking for trouble.

[d-money]

Crawford needed that.

[d-money]

Nice escape by Crawford. Need offense.

[vegasbob]

Yoshida with a worthless AB

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Perfect throw will always kill slow.

[vegasbob]

probably won't matter but how does Duvall not get to 3rd seeing the throw to home in front of him ?