8/25 Dodgers @ SOX 7:10PM ET

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Lynn vs TBD

 

This game, unfortunately, will be televised on Apple+ exclusively. And when it's a case of money vs fans, money will always win. In fact, money always wins no matter what or who the competition may be. Greedy A-holes.

 

 

Go SOX!

[vegasbob]

6 more games to go in this 10 game Astros-Dodger exclusive. Knotted at 2-2 after 4 somewhat weird games at Houston which displayed the up-down of game to game comparisons for the Sox this year. Back at Fenway, the boys need to find a way to get 2 of 3 .

 

Still in search of a legit starting pitcher it seems.

[mvp 78]

Is this an Opener and Pivetta game?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Is this an Opener and Pivetta game?

 

Crawdad

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

It's been said a team can't have too much pitching. A luxury the SOX seldom found themselves in. However, can a team have too much outfielders? I'm sure Cora will have to do some fancy juggling between now and the end of the season to determine which outfielders will start. Imho, Abreu has to start until he cools off, which I hope doesn't happen for quite a while.

Duran won't return until after Sept 1st, at which point the SOX will be allowed 2 extra players on the bench. I don't see the SOX optioning Abreu back to WOO. SOX outfield after Duran returns: Duvall, Masa, Dugo, Duran, Ref, and Abreu.

Edited August 25, 2023 by SPLENDIDSPLINTER

[Maxbialystock]

6 more games to go in this 10 game Astros-Dodger exclusive. Knotted at 2-2 after 4 somewhat weird games at Houston which displayed the up-down of game to game comparisons for the Sox this year. Back at Fenway, the boys need to find a way to get 2 of 3 .

 

Still in search of a legit starting pitcher it seems.

 

Seriously? Are you unaware that Bello is currently the 9th best starter in MLB (according to his WAR rating of +3.5)?

[moonslav59]

1. Dugo

2. Devers

3. Turner

4. Yoshida

5. Duvall

6. Casas

7. Story

8. McGuire

9. Reyes

 

SP: Crawford

[Maxbialystock]

It's been said a team can't have too much pitching. A luxury the SOX seldom found themselves in. However, can a team have too much outfielders? I'm sure Cora will have to do some fancy juggling between now and the end of the season to determine which outfielders will start. Imho, Abreu has to start until he cools off, which I hope doesn't happen for quite a while.

Duran won't return until after Sept 1st, at which point the SOX will be allowed 2 extra players on the bench. I don't see the SOX optioning Abreu back to WOO. SOX outfield after Duran returns: Duvall, Masa, Dugo, Duran, Ref, and Abreu.

 

That's actually a perfectly reasonable scenario, especially given that Duran's sore foot coincides with his slump. Abreu looked awful a couple of games ago in RF, and since then his hitting has been great and is defense OK. I do agree 6 outfielders in September would make sense.

 

But here's one I just can't figure out--Garza. He's been on the roster a long time, but he has not in fact thrown a single pitch in a game in over a month!!!!!! His last pitch was in that debacle vs. the Mets on July 22 when he gave up 3 ER's in 0.2 innings. And remember, that is with a manager who will send anybody out to the mound if for no other reason than to confirm his inability to pitch at the MLB level. Thus Garza's outing on July 22.

 

So why oh why is Garza still on the 26 man roster??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mvp 78]

Seriously? Are you unaware that Bello is currently the 9th best starter in MLB (according to his WAR rating of +3.5)?

 

59th according to FanGraphs.

[mvp 78]

So why oh why is Garza still on the 26 man roster??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

He's not on the active roster. He's in AAA. He pitched on Tuesday for WOO. He's been there since the end of July.

[mvp 78]

https://www.milb.com/player/justin-garza-621057?stats=gamelogs-r-pitching-mlb&year=2023

[Old Red]

Is this an Opener and Pivetta game?

 

Crawford’s day to pitch.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

1. Dugo

2. Devers

3. Turner

4. Yoshida

5. Duvall

6. Casas

7. Story

8. McGuire

9. Reyes

 

SP: Crawford

 

No Abreu in the line-up. Is this a Cora scheduled day of rest? Seriously, how is he not in the line-up? Is it because Masa is making millions and Abreu is at league minimum?

Edited August 25, 2023 by SPLENDIDSPLINTER

[Old Red]

No Abreu in the line-up. Is this a Cora scheduled day of rest? Seriously, how is he not in the line-up? Is it because Masa is making millions and Abreu is at league minimum?

If Abreu were to play it would come down to Masa, or Casas sitting to me.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

No Abreu in the line-up. Is this a Cora scheduled day of rest? Seriously, how is he not in the line-up? Is it because Masa is making millions and Abreu is at league minimum?

 

I posted yesterday that common sense says play the hitter who's hot. I guess common sense isn't that common.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

If Abreu were to play it would come down to Masa, or Casas sitting to me.

 

Masa has been cold of late. Abreu has been hot. Not rocket science.

[Old Red]

Masa has been cold of late. Abreu has been hot. Not rocket science.

 

Cora likes to keep all involved.

[moonslav59]

No Abreu in the line-up. Is this a Cora scheduled day of rest? Seriously, how is he not in the line-up? Is it because Masa is making millions and Abreu is at league minimum?

 

I'm sure Cora has some reason, but I'm sure I would not agree.

[Old Red]

I'm sure Cora has some reason, but I'm sure I would not agree.

 

I brought this up yesterday about the lineup going forward, and who was going to sit. Cora was rotating before with Duran, and I said at the time I didn’t think it was doing anybody any good. Duvall has gotten hot since, and Dugy has been better since back in the leadoff spot. Masa, and Casas has not been hot, but Cora will play everyone.

[Maxbialystock]

59th according to FanGraphs.

 

Let's see now. Fangraphs claims to use FIP, "fielding independent pitching," in their fWAR ratings for pitchers. It somehow manages to exclude the unfairly poor fielding of the team a given pitcher belongs to (and suffers from)

 

And everyone on Talksox agrees the Sox fielding this year is execrable and therefore unfairly drags Bello and other Sox pitchers down.

 

So how is it possible that plain old WAR, which unfairly includes the effects of terrible Sox fielding, ranks Bello as the 9th best starter in MLB, and fWAR, which claims to exclude the effects of bad fielding, ranks Bello 59th?

[Maxbialystock]

Masa has been cold of late. Abreu has been hot. Not rocket science.

 

I can think of 2 reasons for Yoshida over Abreu. First one is the green monster, which Abreu has never had to contend with before on defense and Yoshida has. The other one is that Yoshida has faced Lynn before, 2 months ago at Fenway when the White Sox came to town. He was hitless, but he has seen Lynn before.

[moonslav59]

I brought this up yesterday about the lineup going forward, and who was going to sit. Cora was rotating before with Duran, and I said at the time I didn’t think it was doing anybody any good. Duvall has gotten hot since, and Dugy has been better since back in the leadoff spot. Masa, and Casas has not been hot, but Cora will play everyone.

 

It was also brought up by someone else that sitting Abreu v the lefty on Saturday seemed like the probable plan.

 

"Everyone plays" should involve playing the guy who has hardly played, at all- the hottest one-- ABREU!!!

 

This is a major head-scratcher.

 

Masas better do well!

[Maxbialystock]

Lynn vs TBD

 

This game, unfortunately, will be televised on Apple+ exclusively. And when it's a case of money vs fans, money will always win. In fact, money always wins no matter what or who the competition may be. Greedy A-holes.

 

 

Go SOX!

 

I do get apple+, but I also agree with you completely.

 

Unfortunately, you've reminded me of something. The standard line from baseball writers and commentators is that those gargantuan salaries for players are completely affordable because the owners are all billionaires and can afford big salaries.

 

My take is that, while some billionaires may choose that route (see the Mets ownership), others, like John Henry, actually want their teams to show a profit. So, when the salaries go up, and the average MLB salary does increase every freaking year, MLB owners and MLB headquarters feel compelled to increase the cost of watching a game via ticket prices, concessions, parking, and, oh, yes, those people who've already paid for their season tickets via mlb.com/tv. So they just resell a few of those games to Apple and those other guys who took a game--which I couldn't get--a week or two ago.

 

So, don't kid yourself. When the big guys throw the big money around, us little guys get the bill.

[Old Red]

It was also brought up by someone else that sitting Abreu v the lefty on Saturday seemed like the probable plan.

 

"Everyone plays" should involve playing the guy who has hardly played, at all- the hottest one-- ABREU!!!

 

This is a major head-scratcher.

 

Masas better do well!

 

Or Casas.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Freeman is just a great hitter. Maybe the best LH hitter in MLB.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Dugo goes deep!

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

This game is like a family reunion.

[moonslav59]

Or Casas.

 

I'd prefer sitting the colder one.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

In 1996 Brady Anderson hit lead-off HR's in 4 games in a row, which is the MLB record.

[vegasbob]

Seriously? Are you unaware that Bello is currently the 9th best starter in MLB (according to his WAR rating of +3.5)?

 

The intent of the comment was that we still needed ANOTHER starting pitcher, no mention of the quality/ability of the ones we have. Notice that TBD was listed as today's starter until fairly late. Seriously ??