8/15 @ Nationals

[Jasonbay44]

Nick Pivetta vs Josiah Gray.

 

A sweep would be ideal

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Nick Pivetta vs Josiah Gray.

 

A sweep would be ideal

 

... ideally, with the Red Sox on the winning side.

 

However, the Nats are the hottest club in the NL East, and you-know-who had the walk-off hit in their latest W (surname rhymes with Clowns)

[mvp 78]

Sox had the 10 game KC/DET/WSH stretch and most of us said they needed to go at least 7-3 because of how tough the remainder of the season is. Taking 2 out of 3 gets them to 7-3 over that stretch.

 

A sweep would be nice though. The Nats don't have a good roster.

[vegasbob]

The 13 after the Nats will be successful if the Sox go 7-6. Need a good game out of Pivetta to set up the Nat sweep possibility. Also the bats need to stay alive as on Sunday.

[Maxbialystock]

Sox had the 10 game KC/DET/WSH stretch and most of us said they needed to go at least 7-3 because of how tough the remainder of the season is. Taking 2 out of 3 gets them to 7-3 over that stretch.

 

A sweep would be nice though. The Nats don't have a good roster.

 

Given how close the two teams' winning percentages are--.525 for the Sox and .445 for the Nats--I think taking 2 of 3 is a reasonable expectation for the good guys.

 

Right now the Sox have their best active roster in a long time--

 

Five decent starters (Paxton, Sale, Bello, Pivetta, and Crawford) plus a sixth, Houck, o/a 21 August, and at least seven decent relievers (Martin, Winck, Bernardino, Jansen, Murphy, Schreiber, and Whitlock). Bello might be tired, but no one else should be. In fact, quite the opposite.

 

Also six decent lefty bats (Devers, Yoshida, Casas, Duran, Dugo, and Wright) and six decent righty bats (Turner, Duvall, Story, Refsnyder, Reyes, and Wong).

 

So to me it's simply a matter of which Sox team shows up tonight at Nats Ballpark (which has good sight lines) at 7:05 tonight--the guys who can hit and pitch and even play defense, or the weak-hitting stumblebums we've seen too much of lately.

Edited August 15, 2023 by Maxbialystock

[moonslav59]

Given how close the two teams' winning percentages are--.525 for the Sox and .445 for the Nats--I think taking 2 of 3 is a reasonable expectation for the good guys.

 

Right now the Sox have their best active roster in a long time--

 

Five decent starters (Paxton, Sale, Bello, Pivetta, and Crawford) plus a sixth, Houck, o/a 21 August, and at least seven decent relievers (Martin, Winck, Bernardino, Jansen, Murphy, Schreiber, and Whitlock). Bello might be tired, but no one else should be. In fact, quite the opposite.

 

Also six decent lefty bats (Devers, Yoshida, Casas, Duran, Dugo, and Wright) and six decent righty bats (Turner, Duvall, Story, Refsnyder, Reyes, and Wong).

 

So to me it's simple matter of which Sox team shows up tonight at Nats Ballpark (which has good sight lines) at 7:05 tonight--the guys who can hit and pitch and even play defense, or the weak-hitting stumblebums we've seen too much of lately.

 

I agree: the "best roster" since 2019.

 

The most healthy line-up that I can remember, once Houck returns.

[mvp 78]

1. Verdugo RF

2. Turner DH

3. Devers 3B

4. Story SS

5. Casas 1B

6. Duvall CF

7. Duran LF

8. Reyes 2B

9. McGuire C

[Maxbialystock]

1. Verdugo RF

2. Turner DH

3. Devers 3B

4. Story SS

5. Casas 1B

6. Duvall CF

7. Duran LF

8. Reyes 2B

9. McGuire C

 

Very interesting. Another left-right-left-right lineup, which I like.

[vegasbob]

I understand McGuire catching tonight as a LH hitter vs Gray, but Wong has sat out, except PH, for multiple games. Is he injured or just being ( necessarily) rested? Edited August 15, 2023 by vegasbob

[vegasbob]

Dugo likes leadoff

[moonslav59]

Dugo likes leadoff

 

Too bad some slots like him more.

 

2023:

.766 1st

1.467 3rd

.817 7th

 

Career:

.761 1st

1.025 3rd

.998 8th

.831 7th

.814 4th

[illinoisredsox]

I understand McGuire catching tonight as a LH hitter vs gray, but Wong has satout, except PH for multiple games. Is he injured or just being ( necessarily) rested?

 

Wong had an awfully heavy workload while McGuire was out. They are probably getting back to a more reasonable 6-4 or 7-3 split for them.

[illinoisredsox]

Too bad some slots like him more.

 

2023:

.766 1st

1.467 3rd

.817 7th

 

Career:

.761 1st

1.025 3rd

.998 8th

.831 7th

.814 4th

 

How many games in each of those spots though?

[vegasbob]

Making Gray throw a high number of pitches in the first: 31

 

Pivetta at 26 pitches is not real efficient yet, but he can field his position

Edited August 15, 2023 by vegasbob

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Nifty catch by Nick.

[moonslav59]

How many games in each of those spots though?

 

Caree PAs:

 

763 batting 2nd .743

 

429 batting 1st .761

352 batting 5th .732

330 batting 6th .723

 

207 batting 7th .831

167 batting 4th .814

 

80 batting 8th .998

48 batting 3rd 1.025

34 batting 9th .831

 

.761 batting 1st in 100 games (429 PAs)

.771 batting in other slots in 514 games (1981 PAs)

 

 

Edited August 15, 2023 by moonslav59

[vegasbob]

31 pitches in the first , 11 for 3 outs in the second. Gray finally warmed up.

[vegasbob]

Casas gets it done with 2 out hitting

[moonslav59]

Nice AB by Tristan.

[vegasbob]

Pivetta lacking control tonight. put the leadoff man on in each inning. It's a lay-up W, Nick if you can pitch a little

 

Doesn't look like you can tonight. Hitters will bail it out

Edited August 16, 2023 by vegasbob

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Reyes has been more than most of us expected.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

CSI=Catcher's Stupid Interference.

[Tedballgame]

Even if the challenge is successful, its Stupid baserunning to go on that!

[Tedballgame]

First base coach should be fired after that boneheaded move.

[Jasonbay44]

Mcguire is an idiot on the bases. Even if they call him safe thats not a smart play…

[Maxbialystock]

CSI=Catcher's Stupid Interference.

 

But then our catcher stupidly assumed the play was going home, tried to take 2b, and was thrown out. So instead of 2 on and 1 out, it's one on and two outs.

[Tedballgame]

Mcguire is an idiot on the bases. Even if they call him safe thats not a smart play…

 

Little Leaguers run the bases better than that idiot.

[Maxbialystock]

First base coach should be fired after that boneheaded move.

 

Good point--not firing him, but at least tearing him a new one.

[Tedballgame]

Is Angel Hernandez umping home plate? That was a horrendous call! Outside by a foot!

[vegasbob]

the umpire ball/strike calls get worse and worse.