08/11 Tigers @ Red Sox

[redsoxrules]

The good bullpen arms probably not available tonight so this should be interesting

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Bear claw stinks

 

Not the ones you get at the bakery.

[Maxbialystock]

Barraclough is worthless.

[FredLynn]

We are going to need more than four runs because the available pen tonight is awful

[FredLynn]

Where’s Blier when we need him?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Mi Casas, su Triston

[moonslav59]

Good to see Story looking like he's finding his mojo.

[redsoxrules]

This ump is brutal

[moonslav59]

How did Murphy turn things around, like this?

 

He was awful the second half of 2022 in AAA, and didn't look all that good, this spring there, either.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Thanks chUMP.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Reyes has definitely added life to this SOX team. He's been an energizer.

[wyo-sox]

I know it is the tigers... but good all around game by the Red Sox.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Very good job by Sale and Murphy tonight. Bear Claw was pretty good, also. That hit he gave up wasn't exactly bashed.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Casas' 3-run dinger was the difference.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

I believe the Tigers have a very good pitcher in Skubal. He's got good stuff.

[Duran Is The Man]

14 Ks and just two hits allowed by the pitching staff tonite. very nice.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

How did Murphy turn things around, like this?

 

He was awful the second half of 2022 in AAA, and didn't look all that good, this spring there, either.

 

He had an epiphany.

[moonslav59]

Big cheer to our long relievers, this year!

 

After moving Whitlock and Houck to the rotation, one big worry was how to backfill their very capable long men slots. Well, HOT-DAMN!

 

This role has become one of our biggest and most consistent plusses of our team!

 

First, Crawford and Wink carried the pen early in the year.

Next, Pivetta's demotion from the rotation allowed Wink to become more of a short reliever, and Pivetta flourished in the role, until he and Crawford were moved to the rotation.

Now, Murphy has stepped into the void. I don't want to hear "smokescreen" talk. The kid has done very well!

Maybe Walter has been smoke and mirrors, but he's only pitched in 6 games.

 

Kudos long men!

 

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

BTW, Jays lost to Cubs.

[Randy Red Sox]

Will the Mother who left her 9 children at Comerica Park come by and pick them up immediately. They are leading the Tigers 4-0 in the 7th. Tigers are an embarrassment to MLB just like the KC Royals were. This HAS to be a Red Sox SWEEP !!

14 Ks and just two hits allowed by the pitching staff tonite. very nice.

[Maxbialystock]

Will the Mother who left her 9 children at Comerica Park come by and pick them up immediately. They are leading the Tigers 4-0 in the 7th. Tigers are an embarrassment to MLB just like the KC Royals were. This HAS to be a Red Sox SWEEP !!

 

Meh. The Tigers win 45% of the time and are far from an embarrassment. The Sox win 53% of the time and statistically are not a good bet to sweep this series.

 

That 3 run dinger by rookie Casas made a huge difference because the other 8 Sox hits were singles and they were just 2 for 9 with RISP.

 

Sale was just freaking unbelievable in his first start after 2+ months on the IL. That is huge because in fact he is the fifth starter everyone on talksox was screaming at Bloom to make a trade for. If they can stay healthy, Sale, Bello, Paxton, Crawford, and Pivetta are the best rotation the Sox have had since 2019 when they still had Sale, Price, Eovaldi, ERod, and Porcello. And the bullpen, soon to be joined by Whitlock and Houck, ain't looking too shabby either.

 

The lineup, despite having a bunch of .800 or better OPS bats, has had trouble scoring. Over the last 13 games, including the 5 runs tonight, they've scored an averaged of 3.38 runs per game. Of the 61 games the Sox have won this season, just 13 of them occurred when the Sox scored fewer than 5 runs.

[moonslav59]

Meh. The Tigers win 45% of the time and are far from an embarrassment. The Sox win 53% of the time and statistically are not a good bet to sweep this series.

 

That 3 run dinger by rookie Casas made a huge difference because the other 8 Sox hits were singles and they were just 2 for 9 with RISP.

 

Sale was just freaking unbelievable in his first start after 2+ months on the IL. That is huge because in fact he is the fifth starter everyone on talksox was screaming at Bloom to make a trade for. If they can stay healthy, Sale, Bello, Paxton, Crawford, and Pivetta are the best rotation the Sox have had since 2019 when they still had Sale, Price, Eovaldi, ERod, and Porcello. And the bullpen, soon to be joined by Whitlock and Houck, ain't looking too shabby either.

 

The lineup, despite having a bunch of .800 or better OPS bats, has had trouble scoring. Over the last 13 games, including the 5 runs tonight, they've scored an averaged of 3.38 runs per game. Of the 61 games the Sox have won this season, just 13 of them occurred when the Sox scored fewer than 5 runs.

 

Great summary, but I think Murphy deserved a mention.

 

3 no hit innings.

[Oscars]

Sale was brilliant and Murphy did a great job.

Very encouraging.

[Old Red]

A little more life to the bats last night, and Story Land even looked better too. Of course the 3 run bomb by Casas helped.

[Old Red]

Meh. The Tigers win 45% of the time and are far from an embarrassment. The Sox win 53% of the time and statistically are not a good bet to sweep this series.

 

That 3 run dinger by rookie Casas made a huge difference because the other 8 Sox hits were singles and they were just 2 for 9 with RISP.

 

Sale was just freaking unbelievable in his first start after 2+ months on the IL. That is huge because in fact he is the fifth starter everyone on talksox was screaming at Bloom to make a trade for. If they can stay healthy, Sale, Bello, Paxton, Crawford, and Pivetta are the best rotation the Sox have had since 2019 when they still had Sale, Price, Eovaldi, ERod, and Porcello. And the bullpen, soon to be joined by Whitlock and Houck, ain't looking too shabby either.

 

The lineup, despite having a bunch of .800 or better OPS bats, has had trouble scoring. Over the last 13 games, including the 5 runs tonight, they've scored an averaged of 3.38 runs per game. Of the 61 games the Sox have won this season, just 13 of them occurred when the Sox scored fewer than 5 runs.

Max everyone was screaming at Bloom to add a 5th starter, because they had needed one for weeks. I’ll repeat for weeks. If Sale is healthy he’s good, but you can’t count on him to stay healthy for long though. Looked good last night.

Edited August 12, 2023 by Old Red

[Maxbialystock]

Great summary, but I think Murphy deserved a mention.

 

3 no hit innings.

 

Agree. Weeks ago you listed short relievers and long relievers and that scheme is now coming into view with Murphy as a long reliever, soon to be joined by Whitlock on Sunday and Houck 2 days later. Of course, the pitching staff will then lose Garza and Llovera. That alone should lead to dancing in the streets among the faithful. Given the 48 games (started 4 August) with just 3 days off, the return of Good Sale, Whitlock, and Houck could not have been better timed.

 

On the other hand, the hitting has headed south.

 

Duran's August OPS is .634, Refsnyder is 0 for 6, Duvall OPS .638, Wong .579, Story .517, Devers .731, Turner injured + OPS .400, Yoshida .660, etc. I've heard rumors those guys met with Cora and asked him to stop playing Reyes and Casas because both of them are red hot and making everyone else look bad.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I've heard rumors those guys met with Cora and asked him to stop playing Reyes and Casas because both of them are red hot and making everyone else look bad.

 

Damn, Max -- you solved the latest restgate! And also reinforced why Cora is such a players' manager. What a guy.

 

re. Turner: hate to say it, but he could be toast -- at least as the repeatable clutch-hitting hero of this season. Bad heels don't heal quickly on mere mortals, not to mention wheel-abusing 38-year old pro athletes.

[Randy Red Sox]

Alex Manoah was brilliant in his first start back vs the mighty Tigers too and look where he is now. Just saying...

Sale was brilliant and Murphy did a great job.

Very encouraging.

[Maxbialystock]

Max everyone was screaming at Bloom to add a 5th starter, because they had needed one for weeks. I’ll repeat for weeks. If Sale is healthy he’s good, but you can’t count on him to stay healthy for long though. Looked good last night.

 

I was one of screamers--well, whisperers--myself. I too wanted the 5th starter.

 

But here's how I rationalized not getting one. First and foremost, we know for fact John Henry was not going to stand for or pay for a really good starter. Second, even a middling starter was going to cost prospects at the very time the Sox are trying to build, not trade away their prospect pool. Third, the Sox already had/have three freaking starters--Sale, Houck, and Whitlock--due back soon. Sale returned last night, Whitlock should be back tomorrow, and Houck 2 days later, August 15. All three have started multiple games this year. And this year for the first time since freaking 2019 we saw Good Sale, the same guy we saw last freaking night. As for Houck and Whitlock, both can be solid long relievers and therefore invaluable.

 

So, given the above, I have to ask, why all the freaking screaming for what now looks to have been a very bad bargain?

 

Back to you.

[Old Red]

I was one of screamers--well, whisperers--myself. I too wanted the 5th starter.

 

But here's how I rationalized not getting one. First and foremost, we know for fact John Henry was not going to stand for or pay for a really good starter. Second, even a middling starter was going to cost prospects at the very time the Sox are trying to build, not trade away their prospect pool. Third, the Sox already had/have three freaking starters--Sale, Houck, and Whitlock--due back soon. Sale returned last night, Whitlock should be back tomorrow, and Houck 2 days later, August 15. All three have started multiple games this year. And this year for the first time since freaking 2019 we saw Good Sale, the same guy we saw last freaking night. As for Houck and Whitlock, both can be solid long relievers and therefore invaluable.

 

So, given the above, I have to ask, why all the freaking screaming for what now looks to have been a very bad bargain?

 

Back to you.

Having to use two openers against Toronto was just wrong to me. You’ve been a Red Sox fan longer than me, so I’ll concede you know more than I do.