9/4/23 Red Sox in St. Pete's Tropicana Field to compete with Tampa Bay Rays, 4:10

[vegasbob]

Bello vs Civalle , a good matchup of pitchers.

 

Boston gets to go visit the team that its ownership and front office wishes it played more like. Not this year.

 

Sox are winning at a .667 clip in September, much better than August's dive. Just stay ahead of NYY and keep winning series. Maybe a 18-10 month for the Sox.

[Bellhorn04]

Very much like the "compete with" in the thread title.

[Old Red]

Abreu in CF today, and Duvall in RF. Dugy must be still hurting.

[Maxbialystock]

Very much like the "compete with" in the thread title.

 

Good point. I agree.

[moonslav59]

1. Abreu CF

2. Devers 3B

3. Turner DH

4. Casas 1B

5. Duvall RF

6. Yoshida LF

7. Story 2B

8. McGuire C

9. Urias 2B

 

SP: Bello

 

 

[dgalehouse]

The Rays are still playing well, but they do seem vulnerable with Franco gone and several key pitchers on the I.L. Now is the best time to be facing them. Cautiously optimistic.

[Old Red]

Dugy probably won’t return to the lineup until at least Friday, so that should mean some playing time for Abreu, and Rafaela.

[d-money]

Gotta throw strikes.

[d-money]

What a crappy start by bello.

[Maxbialystock]

Single, walk, and double steal followed by a single, 2-0.

[vegasbob]

Bello with a rough start in the first. The Trop troubles continue

 

Based on O'B's comment the Sox are down to a 3% chance of beating Civalle, so this one may be over already.

Edited September 4, 2023 by vegasbob

[Maxbialystock]

Rays routinely score from 1b on a double. Sox rarely do.

[d-money]

Well gotta hope the offense can score today.

[jung]

What I have noticed this year is the number of uncompetitive innings we have played and this is another one.

 

Top of the batting order, almost could not have gone down more quietly. Rays come up .....3 runs. That was just another completely uncompetitive inning.

 

Now an inning does not make a game. But they are in a 3 run hole from jump street.

 

All that needed to make it perfect was an error in the middle of that mess.

[Maxbialystock]

Bello with a rough start in the first. The Trop troubles continue

 

Well, it's an unfair matchup. Rays do 4 things well the Sox don't do well: hit, pitch, field, and run the bases.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Pedro Martinez, Jr.? I'd bet against that. One reason is Bello's fingers aren't long enough.

[Maxbialystock]

The big difference in pitching is that the Rays pitchers can hit corners and the Sox pitchers usually cannot.

 

Also, I'm impressed that, while I think Rays hitters are fully prepared to swing at pitches in the strike zone, they are also good at not swinging at pitches outside the zone. The pitch that Casas grounded out on was right down the freaking middle.

 

And now Duvall wants to throw a tantrum over a pitch that was in fact a strike.

[illinoisredsox]

What a crappy start by bello.

 

3 ground ball hits, 2 of which were not particularly hard hit, just hit into good (or bad) spots.

 

There is a big difference between crappy pitching and bad results. You really should learn the difference.

[Maxbialystock]

Right now I'd have to say that the ump is giving more to Civale than to Bello. Of course Civale is much better at hitting the corners, so he got the benefit of the doubt on a couple.

[Maxbialystock]

What a crappy start by bello.[/3 ground ball hits, 2 of which were not hit particularly well, just in good (or bad) spots.

 

3 ground ball hits, 2 of which were not particularly hard it, just hit into good (or bad) spots.

 

There is a big difference between crappy pitching and bad results. You really should learn the difference.

 

Normally, usually, I'd agree 100%. But right now I think the Rays hitters are actually hitting toward the gaps. But I also agree the double was the only one hit really hard. On the other hand, let's not forget that Bello walked a guy on 4 pitches. It took Civale 19 pitches to get through the 1st inning, but he didn't walk anyone.

[illinoisredsox]

 

Normally, usually, I'd agree 100%. But right now I think the Rays hitters are actually hitting toward the gaps. But I also agree the double was the only one hit really hard. On the other hand, let's not forget that Bello walked a guy on 4 pitches. It took Civale 19 pitches to get through the 1st inning, but he didn't walk anyone.

 

I think he walked Arozarena semi on purpose. Which given the way that guy hits Sox pitching isn’t the worst idea.

Edited September 4, 2023 by illinoisredsox

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Fearless prediction:

I predict that Story will hit a homer today because I believe in the law of averages.

[notin]

 

Normally, usually, I'd agree 100%. But right now I think the Rays hitters are actually hitting toward the gaps. But I also agree the double was the only one hit really hard. On the other hand, let's not forget that Bello walked a guy on 4 pitches. It took Civale 19 pitches to get through the 1st inning, but he didn't walk anyone.

 

Still looking for examples of the need to upgrade the defense?

[Maxbialystock]

 

I think he walked Arozarena semi on purpose. Which given the way that guy hits Sox pitching isn’t the worst idea.

 

Good point. In fact, he didn't throw pitches way away from the plate--all four were close but no cigar.

 

On the other hand, the Rays are/were pretty good at exploiting that BB because they then pulled off a ridiculously easy double steal, followed by a single in the hole and a double down the line.

[vegasbob]

What I have noticed this year is the number of uncompetitive innings we have played and this is another one.

 

Top of the batting order, almost could not have gone down more quietly. Rays come up .....3 runs. That was just another completely uncompetitive inning.

 

Now an inning does not make a game. But they are in a 3 run hole from jump street.

 

All that needed to make it perfect was an error in the middle of that mess.

 

Maybe Devers tripping over the 3B bag on the double steal could be an error if it wasn't so funny

[illinoisredsox]

Civale is dealing; he’s going to be tough to do much with. Even the balls are looking like strikes until the last instance.

[illinoisredsox]

Maybe Devers tripping over the 3B bag on the double steal could be an error if it wasn't so funny

 

Did you see Xander’s adventure yesterday? Stole second, went to third on a bad throw, center fielder over threw 3rd, Xander broke for home, throw bounced off something behind 3rd straight to the catcher and Xander was a dead duck at home.

[Maxbialystock]

9 Sox up and 9 Sox down. I've said way too many times the Sox normally, usually need to score 5 runs if they want to win the game.

[Maxbialystock]

Civale is dealing; he’s going to be tough to do much with. Even the balls are looking like strikes until the last instance.

 

Great comment--"even the balls are looking like strikes until the last instance."

[Maxbialystock]

Maybe Devers tripping over the 3B bag on the double steal could be an error if it wasn't so funny

 

Devers tripped, but somehow--I think the ball hit the baserunner--got the ball back to prevent the baserunner from advancing (beyond 2d and 3d). If Devers catches the ball, the guy stealing 3b is still safe because the baserunner got a huge jump when he realized Bello was ignoring him.