April 10 Baltimore at Boston

[moonslav59]

LHP Irvin vs Crawford

 

Gotta win these divisional games. Let's start tonight!

[Thunder]

Well we have the edge in the pitching matchup. All we can really do is take it one game at a time at this point. We persevered through injuries last year, at least through July.

[moonslav59]

Well we have the edge in the pitching matchup. All we can really do is take it one game at a time at this point. We persevered through injuries last year, at least through July.

 

Our SP'ers are looking a bit more human, of late. They started out walking next to nobody, and now it's 2-3 a start, but te runs allowed has stayed very low. The pen has been doing rather well. Perhaps, that's smoke & mirrors, but I like what I've seen from some of the newbies:

 

OPS Against (PA: K:BB)

.111 Slaten (18: 6:0)

.458 Campbell (18: 4:1)

.465 Weissert (18: 5:2)

.598 Anderson ((24: 4:1) Perhaps the biggest surprise, so far.

 

Back again:

.294 Jansen (17: 6:5, no hits allowed)

.652 Martin (22: 7:0) Was our leader, last season in OPSA.

 

We've had a very solid top 6 in our pen.

 

Wink (.872) and Joely (.732) have struggled (59: 16:5 combined.)

 

Our SP'ers:

.346 Crawford (42: 12:4)

.437 Houck (45: 17:2)

.520 Pivetta (41: 13:1) On IL.

.543 Whitlock (39: 12:4)

 

.736 B Bello (65: 11:3) Only SP'er w 3 GS.

 

Edited April 10, 2024 by moonslav59

[Bellhorn04]

Our SP'ers are looking a bit more human, of late.

 

It gets late early around here.

[Thunder]

Anderson has also been a starter most of his career so I would figure he could fill in and at least do so competently

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

It gets late early around here.

 

Doesn't the "still early" mantra seem more appropriate when waiting for a team of good players to find its groove, shake off some rust and heat up with the weather? And with an organization that fans can have faith in to make legitimate moves to fortify the roster?

 

Are fans in other AL East cities saying it's still early, because they know who's coming to their town?

 

Ringling Brothers Breslow and Bailey Circus -- sold out -- by Boston's front office

[notin]

Doesn't the "still early" mantra seem more appropriate when waiting for a team of good players to find its groove, shake off some rust and heat up with the weather? And with an organization that fans can have faith in to make legitimate moves to fortify the roster?

 

Are fans in other AL East cities saying it's still early, because they know who's coming to their town?

 

Ringling Brothers Breslow and Bailey Circus -- sold out -- by Boston's front office

 

The Sox are still 7-4 despite losing yesterday. GRanted, 3 of those wins are against Oakland, a team that downed fellow wild card slot holder Detroit handily. But also the Sox went 2-1 at AL West leader LA of Anaheim. It's a better start than many expected...

[Bellhorn04]

The Sox are still 7-4 despite losing yesterday. GRanted, 3 of those wins are against Oakland, a team that downed fellow wild card slot holder Detroit handily. But also the Sox went 2-1 at AL West leader LA of Anaheim. It's a better start than many expected...

 

It is, but it means jack...

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

The Sox are still 7-4 despite losing yesterday. GRanted, 3 of those wins are against Oakland, a team that downed fellow wild card slot holder Detroit handily. But also the Sox went 2-1 at AL West leader LA of Anaheim. It's a better start than many expected...

 

Don't forget the rotation matched Seattle's, pitch for pitch, and broke even there. That, to me, was the most important springboard to a respectable start.

 

Sox fans probably didn't expect the M's to be even bigger whiffers than our boys, but maybe Bailey's Mudslide put their batters in a funk they can't pull out of...

[Maxbialystock]

Our SP'ers are looking a bit more human, of late. They started out walking next to nobody, and now it's 2-3 a start, but te runs allowed has stayed very low. The pen has been doing rather well. Perhaps, that's smoke & mirrors, but I like what I've seen from some of the newbies:

 

OPS Against (PA: K:BB)

.111 Slaten (18: 6:0)

.458 Campbell (18: 4:1)

.465 Weissert (18: 5:2)

.598 Anderson ((24: 4:1) Perhaps the biggest surprise, so far.

 

Back again:

.294 Jansen (17: 6:5, no hits allowed)

.652 Martin (22: 7:0) Was our leader, last season in OPSA.

 

We've had a very solid top 6 in our pen.

 

Wink (.872) and Joely (.732) have struggled (59: 16:5 combined.)

 

Our SP'ers:

.346 Crawford (42: 12:4)

.437 Houck (45: 17:2)

.520 Pivetta (41: 13:1) On IL.

.543 Whitlock (39: 12:4)

 

.736 B Bello (65: 11:3) Only SP'er w 3 GS.

 

 

Completely agree the pitching is very much worth defending--an excellent laydown.

 

Winck struggled yesterday, but in his 3 previous appearances who went 5 innings while giving up 0 earned runs.

 

After 11 games the Sox team ERA, 1.72, isn't just the best ERA in MLB. The second best, the Yankees, is 2.48. Yesterday against the Orioles Bello had his best start of the season, 5.1 innings, 1 ER.

 

The problems are with the lineup--weak hitting and lackluster fielding.

 

The total salaries of the rotation amount to $14M, which is less than Yoshida's $19M, Story's $22M, Devers' $29M, or Jansen's $18M.

 

Nevertheless, the Sox are 7-4, primarily because of the pitching--although the hitting has kicked in now and then and Rafaela, Duran, and O'Neill have all made good plays in the outfield.

Edited April 10, 2024 by Maxbialystock

[moonslav59]

Completely agree the pitching is very much worth defending--an excellent laydown.

 

Winck struggled yesterday, but in his 3 previous appearances who went 5 innings while giving up 0 earned runs.

 

After 11 games the Sox team ERA, 1.72, isn't just the best ERA in MLB. The second best, the Yankees, is 2.48. Yesterday against the Orioles Bello had his best start of the season, 5.1 innings, 1 ER.

 

The problems are with the lineup--weak hitting and lackluster fielding.

 

The total salaries of the rotation amount to $14M, which is less than Yoshida's $19M, Story's $22M, Devers' $29M, or Jansen's $18M.

 

Nevertheless, the Sox are 7-4, primarily because of the pitching--although the hitting has kicked in now and then and Rafaela, Duran, and O'Neill have all made good plays in the outfield.

 

I think the O will end up 8th to 12th.

Pitching 13th to 17th

Defense 20th to 24th

Running 6th to 10th.

[Bellhorn04]

I think the O will end up 8th to 12th.

 

I'll say 12th to 15th. We were hoping for a healthy and rebounding Story. Our RH hitting is paper thin now. Waiting on Grissom of course.

[Maxbialystock]

Well we have the edge in the pitching matchup. All we can really do is take it one game at a time at this point. We persevered through injuries last year, at least through July.

 

Well said.

[Maxbialystock]

I think the O will end up 8th to 12th.

Pitching 13th to 17th

Defense 20th to 24th

Running 6th to 10th.

 

Sounds like last year when--

 

Offense was 11th (and is currently 16th)

Pitching was 21st (so you see a slight improvement) (and is currently 1st)

Defense was 28th (also a slight improvement) (and is currently 28th)

Baserunning--stolen bases--was 17th (big improvement) (and is currently 8th)

 

But the only stat that counts is wins. Last year there were 78. Didn't you say 82 this year?

[Maxbialystock]

It gets late early around here.

 

Freaking brilliant. You and Bette Davis, "fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night."

[Bellhorn04]

Freaking brilliant. You and Bette Davis, "fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night."

 

I borrowed that from Yogi Berra of course. It's a beauty. It struck me funny when moon said "of late" referring to pitchers who have mostly had only 2 starts.

[dgalehouse]

The Orioles have called up Jackson Holliday for his MLB debut. The son of former MLB All Star Matt Holliday , Jackson is generally considered to be the number one prospect in baseball.

[moonslav59]

I'll say 12th to 15th. We were hoping for a healthy and rebounding Story. Our RH hitting is paper thin now. Waiting on Grissom of course.

 

I’m counting on expected age progression growth for most of our pre prime and early prime players, who are basically everybody but Refsnyder.

 

Devers, Casas, O’Neill, Yoshida, Duran, our catchers should get better. Grissom, Rafaela, Abreu are unknowns.

 

I look at other teams and see as many or more what ifs than us for all but 8-10 teams.

 

Do you think Soto will keep the Yanks ahead of us on O?

 

Remember, we lost some real bad O players over the winter. Too

[moonslav59]

I borrowed that from Yogi Berra of course. It's a beauty. It struck me funny when moon said "of late" referring to pitchers who have mostly had only 2 starts.

 

lol. Yes from their first to second start is of late!

[moonslav59]

The Orioles have called up Jackson Holliday for his MLB debut. The son of former MLB All Star Matt Holliday , Jackson is generally considered to be the number one prospect in baseball.

 

This is great news. It will really hurt the all important prospect rankings, soon!

 

Lol

[Maxbialystock]

I borrowed that from Yogi Berra of course. It's a beauty. It struck me funny when moon said "of late" referring to pitchers who have mostly had only 2 starts.

 

Sad to say, but I'm with moonslav on the pitching. Yes, absolutely, it's just 11 games.

 

But a year ago we didn't have a rotation. Bello led everyone with a paltry 157 IP. Our pros from Dover--Sale, Paxton, and Kluber--pitched 103, 96, and 55 innings. So Pivetta, Crawford and House--all of whom relieved last year as well as started--filled in with 143, 129, and 106 IP.

 

This year the rotation has been unbelievably good. The laggard is Bello, but yesterday he went 5.1 innings with just 1 ER. Yes, Pivetta dropped out, but it looks like for just 15 days and 3 starts. The other four still look good, as does the bullpen because the team ERA is still the lowest in MLB and the WHIP second lowest.

 

We should be shouting that from the rooftops, but instead we are predicting catastrophic failure.

 

Why do we know this rotation is going to fail miserably?

 

Because JH refused to spend $100M on it. In fact, the combined salaries of Bello, Pivetta, Crawford, Whitlock, and Houck add up to $14M, which is less than Jansen's $16M, Yoshida's $19M, etc.

[Bellhorn04]

Sad to say, but I'm with moonslav on the pitching. Yes, absolutely, it's just 11 games.

 

But a year ago we didn't have a rotation. Bello led everyone with a paltry 157 IP. Our pros from Dover--Sale, Paxton, and Kluber--pitched 103, 96, and 55 innings. So Pivetta, Crawford and House--all of whom relieved last year as well as started--filled in with 143, 129, and 106 IP.

 

This year the rotation has been unbelievably good. The laggard is Bello, but yesterday he went 5.1 innings with just 1 ER. Yes, Pivetta dropped out, but it looks like for just 15 days and 3 starts. The other four still look good, as does the bullpen because the team ERA is still the lowest in MLB and the WHIP second lowest.

 

We should be shouting that from the rooftops, but instead we are predicting catastrophic failure.

 

Why do we know this rotation is going to fail miserably?

 

Because JH refused to spend $100M on it. In fact, the combined salaries of Bello, Pivetta, Crawford, Whitlock, and Houck add up to $14M, which is less than Jansen's $16M, Yoshida's $19M, etc.

 

It's just way too early to say how these guys are going to hold up over a 162 game season. None of them have much of an MLB history to go on.

[Maxbialystock]

It's just way too early to say how these guys are going to hold up over a 162 game season. None of them have much of an MLB history to go on.

 

Completely agree. But virtually the entirely of the RSN--and certainly Talksox--has already decided that none of the them will do well. That's what I don't understand.

[mvp 78]

I’m counting on expected age progression growth for most of our pre prime and early prime players, who are basically everybody but Refsnyder.

 

Devers, Casas, O’Neill, Yoshida, Duran, our catchers should get better. Grissom, Rafaela, Abreu are unknowns.

 

I look at other teams and see as many or more what ifs than us for all but 8-10 teams.

 

Do you think Soto will keep the Yanks ahead of us on O?

 

Remember, we lost some real bad O players over the winter. Too

 

Duran will be 28 this year. O'Neill will be 29. Realistically, how much better could they get?

[mvp 78]

Sad to say, but I'm with moonslav on the pitching. Yes, absolutely, it's just 11 games.

 

But a year ago we didn't have a rotation. Bello led everyone with a paltry 157 IP. Our pros from Dover--Sale, Paxton, and Kluber--pitched 103, 96, and 55 innings. So Pivetta, Crawford and House--all of whom relieved last year as well as started--filled in with 143, 129, and 106 IP.

 

This year the rotation has been unbelievably good. The laggard is Bello, but yesterday he went 5.1 innings with just 1 ER. Yes, Pivetta dropped out, but it looks like for just 15 days and 3 starts. The other four still look good, as does the bullpen because the team ERA is still the lowest in MLB and the WHIP second lowest.

 

We should be shouting that from the rooftops, but instead we are predicting catastrophic failure.

 

Why do we know this rotation is going to fail miserably?

 

Because JH refused to spend $100M on it. In fact, the combined salaries of Bello, Pivetta, Crawford, Whitlock, and Houck add up to $14M, which is less than Jansen's $16M, Yoshida's $19M, etc.

 

In 3 starts, 5.1 innings was still his longest start. He needs to really start to pick it up.

[Old Red]

Completely agree. But virtually the entirely of the RSN--and certainly Talksox--has already decided that none of the them will do well. That's what I don't understand.

 

I think past history on the starting 5 did not leave anyone to get all that excited that they would be any top 10 starting staff who would last physically, and pitch well for a full season. On the other hand after just 1 time through the rotation all kinds of bells, and whistles were going off, and one poster called it the best rotation in RS history. Talk about a small SAMPLE size. Every game counts, but let’s see how the staff is holding up, and pitching on Memorial Day. 2 starters have had injuries already.🙈🤭

[Old Red]

In 3 starts, 5.1 innings was still his longest start. He needs to really start to pick it up.

 

The Kut Man, and Whit didn’t make 5 the last time out. The BP has had plenty of work already.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Boston's starting pitchers have been tops, but if they don't go five innings every night, it won't be because of inexperience.

 

It takes 15 outs to get through 5 frames -- with the support of an average defense... but if you're in the Red Sox rotation, you may need 18 "outs" or more (and that number may only include official errors).

 

For every new miscue, a pitcher may have to throw an extra 6 pitches or more to an another batter; suddenly, a 55-pitch outing becomes 70 pitches -- and the extra throws are always high stress with at least one more runner on base.

 

With errors torrential, pitch counts go exponential, with more injury potential -- new shortstop is essential

[moonslav59]

Boston's starting pitchers have been tops, but if they don't go five innings every night, it won't be because of inexperience.

 

It takes 15 outs to get through 5 frames -- with the support of an average defense... but if you're in the Red Sox rotation, you may need 18 "outs" or more (and that number may only include official errors).

 

For every new miscue, a pitcher may have to throw an extra 6 pitches or more to an another batter; suddenly, a 55-pitch outing becomes 70 pitches -- and the extra throws are always high stress with at least one more runner on base.

 

With errors torrential, pitch counts go exponential, with more injury potential -- new shortstop is essential

 

You said it better than I. To me, this is often overlooked as a reason pitcher numbers look worse than they should under just normal situations. Imagine having pitchers on your team that had a plus defense behind them, especially at SS!

[vegasbob]

Let's give Romy Gonzalez a chance to prove he can field and otherwise make plays at SS without costing the pitchers extra "outs". If after a week of games , he cannot show this board what he can do to secure a spot in the Nation annals , then I'm sure we will inform Breslow accordingly and changes will be made.then

 

It would also be a plus if he can hit .250 at the MLB level, or otherwise be an OBP star.