4/23 @ Guars

[mvp 78]

Houck vs Lively

 

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Guar

 

Only 3 active Sox have more than 2 AB's vs Lively (Devers, Duran and Valdez). Devers is projected to be back for this one.

[vegasbob]

Nice streak of wins, MVP. Hope it goes 3 more this week.

[mvp 78]

Nice streak of wins, MVP. Hope it goes 3 more this week.

 

Went 1-3 at home against them. Would be nice to get those 3 losses back.

[Maxbialystock]

Cleveland right now is tough--good hitting and good pitching. Their +52 run differential is easily the highest in the AL.

 

However, while no one can say the Sox also have good hitting or that they have even adequate defense, they do have good pitching. Plus, of the 3 losses to Cleveland at the Fens, 2 were highly contested. Sox run differential is +18.

 

Both Devers and O'Neill are expected to play tomorrow in Cleveland.

 

Starters Pivetta (flexor strain in right elbow) and Whitlock (left oblique strain) are due back in May.

Edited April 22, 2024 by Maxbialystock

[moonslav59]

Playing a team when they are on fire is worrisome, but they have to cool down, at some point. Might as well be now.

[redsoxrules]

Never saw this coming to be 10-3 on the road to start the season

[moonslav59]

3 @ CLE

3 v CHC

3 v SFG

3 @ MIN

Day off

2 @ ATL

Day off

3 v WSH

 

Then, the real hard part comes (not in order):

7 w Rays

3 w BAL

2 w ATL

3 w MIL

4 w DET

3 w STL

 

 

 

May 13 to June 5th will be very telling. No easy teams in the bunch.

Edited April 22, 2024 by moonslav59

[vegasbob]

Devers and O'Neill may take a few games to get back up to speed. The lineup on paper will certainly look better . Fortunate timing on the Pirate series with them on a major slump after a nice start.

 

Casas sounds like he is out for a long time (30-60 days) . Can Pivetta's elbow get him through his contract year ? Bet not. Can Whitlock endure a full season ? Bet not.

[moonslav59]

Devers and O'Neill may take a few games to get back up to speed. The lineup on paper will certainly look better . Fortunate timing on the Pirate series with them on a major slump after a nice start.

 

Casas sounds like he is out for a long time (30-60 days) . Can Pivetta's elbow get him through his contract year ? Bet not. Can Whitlock endure a full season ? Bet not.

 

A bundle of optimism.

[Old Red]

A bundle of optimism.

 

A bundle of reality.🙈🤭

[Maxbialystock]

Devers and O'Neill may take a few games to get back up to speed. The lineup on paper will certainly look better . Fortunate timing on the Pirate series with them on a major slump after a nice start.

 

Casas sounds like he is out for a long time (30-60 days) . Can Pivetta's elbow get him through his contract year ? Bet not. Can Whitlock endure a full season ? Bet not.

 

All true. That said, this team so far has been nothing less than astonishing despite the awful defense, the absence of the big bats, the occasional idiocy on the basepaths, the occasional bullpen lapses--and both Pivetta and Whitlock on the IL.

 

No way, no how should the Sox have swept the Pirates in Pittsburgh with what amounted to a pick-up team.

 

No way, no how should a rotation (Bello, Pivetta, Crawford, Whitlock, and Houck) costing $14M in salaries enable the Sox to go 7-3 on a West Coast trip when 5 years ago a much, much better Sox team--who won 108 games the season before and went 11-3 in the postseason--went 3-8 on the West Coast.

 

I am by no means defending JH, but I am unabashedly enjoying this season to date.

Edited April 23, 2024 by Maxbialystock

[moonslav59]

All true. That said, this team so far has been nothing less than astonishing despite the awful defense, the absence of the big bats, the occasional idiocy on the basepaths, the occasional bullpen lapses--and both Pivetta and Whitlock on the IL.

 

No way, no how should the Sox have swept the Pirates in Pittsburgh with what amounted to a pick-up team.

 

No way, no how should a rotation (Bello, Pivetta, Crawford, Whitlock, and Houck) costing $14M in salaries enable the Sox to go 7-3 on a West Coast trip when 5 years ago a much, much better Sox team--who won 108 games the season before and went 11-3 in the postseason--went 3-8 on the West Coast.

 

I am by no means defending JH, but I am unabashedly enjoying this season to date.

 

60% of the rotation on the IL.

The entire infield on the shelf (Not for all of the season) Devers, Casas, Story, Grissom

Our best batter out of the gates on the IL (O'Neill)

That's 5 of 9 everyday players out for some time.

13-10

Not sure how a "weak bench" pulls this off.

[vegasbob]

60% of the rotation on the IL.

The entire infield on the shelf (Not for all of the season) Devers, Casas, Story, Grissom

Our best batter out of the gates on the IL (O'Neill)

That's 5 of 9 everyday players out for some time.

13-10

Not sure how a "weak bench" pulls this off.

 

It's clear that exceptional pitching, primarily starters led by Houck, have kept the rest of the patchwork quilt lineups in the games , leading to this amazing outcome in latter part of April. A few guys have stepped up and contributed key hits when needed, Wong, even Valdez and Abreu.

 

The bench in terms of MLB ability is questionable ( Dalbec, Hamilton, Reyes ). Our catching duo of Wong/McGuire is the 4th bench role and both have been good. With Refsnyder back in the game, Devers and O'Neill able to play , the active roster looks better immediately. Someone needs to go, and it likely is Bobby D.

 

I do think the past couple weeks with starting players dropping like flies ( now Casas) that Alex Cora has kept the guys focused and playing well. He has done his job and held it together.

 

The challenge now is to take the early cumulative success and translate it into wins vs legit playoff grade teams, and especially the AL East rivals

Edited April 23, 2024 by vegasbob

[moonslav59]

It's clear that exceptional pitching, primarily starters led by Houck, have kept the rest of the patchwork quilt lineups in the games , leading to this amazing outcome in latter part of April. A few guys have stepped up and contributed key hits when needed, Wong, even Valdez and Abreu.

 

The bench in terms of MLB ability is questionable ( Dalbec, Hamilton, Reyes ). Our catching duo of Wong/McGuire is the 4th bench role and both have been good. With Refsnyder back in the game, Devers and O'Neill able to play , the active roster looks better immediately. Someone needs to go, and it likely is Bobby D.

 

I do think the past couple weeks with starting players dropping like flies ( now Casas) that Alex Cora has kept the guys focused and playing well. He has done his job and held it together.

 

The challenge now is to take the early cumulative success and translate it into wins vs legit playoff grade teams, and especially the AL East rivals

 

Well said.

 

It's been a group effort, and despite some really bad numbers on O and D by much of our bench, many have found ways to get key hits or make key plays, when needed.

 

I'm not a big fan of using RBIs ads a stat of choice, but after 23 games, we can see that this team has spread the wealth in that area, and some of our leaders are surprising:

 

10 McGuire, Yoshida, Casas

9 Valdez & Duran

8 Wong, Rafaela (.494 OPS) & O'Neill

7 Abreu

 

(with Devers 5, Story 4)

 

Remember the old stat RBI +Runs- HRs?

23 Duran

19 Rafaela

17 Yoshida

16 Casas

15 Abreu

15 O'Neill

14 Valdez

12 McGuire

10 Wong

8 Devers

6 Ref in just 16 PAs)

[notin]

60% of the rotation on the IL.

The entire infield on the shelf (Not for all of the season) Devers, Casas, Story, Grissom

Our best batter out of the gates on the IL (O'Neill)

That's 5 of 9 everyday players out for some time.

13-10

Not sure how a "weak bench" pulls this off.

 

That weak bench doesn't have to score mch, thanks to the pitching. The Sox are 9-2 if they score 5 runs or more. They've only topped 8 runs in a game twice...

[Oscars]

Devers and O'Neill may take a few games to get back up to speed. The lineup on paper will certainly look better . Fortunate timing on the Pirate series with them on a major slump after a nice start.

 

Casas sounds like he is out for a long time (30-60 days) . Can Pivetta's elbow get him through his contract year ? Bet not. Can Whitlock endure a full season ? Bet not.

 

Devers is not in todays lineup

[moonslav59]

That weak bench doesn't have to score mch, thanks to the pitching. The Sox are 9-2 if they score 5 runs or more. They've only topped 8 runs in a game twice...

 

True, but 5 runs still needed to be scored a few times, and the pitching staff "bench" has done well.

[mvp 78]

1. Ceddanne Rafaela SS

2. Jarren Duran CF

3. Tyler O’Neill DH

4. Wilyer Abreu LF

5. Rob Refsnyder RF

6. Enmanuel Valdez 2B

7. Connor Wong C

8. Bobby Dalbec 1B

9. Pablo Reyes 3B

 

No Devers. Masa still sitting in detention.

[Old Red]

1. Ceddanne Rafaela SS

2. Jarren Duran CF

3. Tyler O’Neill DH

4. Wilyer Abreu LF

5. Rob Refsnyder RF

6. Enmanuel Valdez 2B

7. Connor Wong C

8. Bobby Dalbec 1B

9. Pablo Reyes 3B

 

No Devers. Masa still sitting in detention.

 

Noshida was Goshida Saturday with 3 hits, and hasn’t played since. Kind of expensive DH to now being a platoon DH.

[Bellhorn04]

Noshida was Goshida Saturday with 3 hits, and hasn’t played since. Kind of expensive DH to now being a platoon DH.

 

Cora is easing him into it, trying to get his confidence back up.

[Old Red]

Cora is easing him into it, trying to get his confidence back up.

 

🙈🤭🤮!

[gojohn99]

A lineup full of "household" names...maybe in their own households.

 

1. Ceddanne Rafaela SS

2. Jarren Duran CF

3. Tyler O’Neill DH

4. Wilyer Abreu LF

5. Rob Refsnyder RF

6. Enmanuel Valdez 2B

7. Connor Wong C

8. Bobby Dalbec 1B

9. Pablo Reyes 3B

 

No Devers. Masa still sitting in detention.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Go SOX!

[vegasbob]

Devers is not in todays lineup

 

I kept wondering why he wasn't IL'ed for 10 days. Then learned that Heineman was the last position player on the 40 and was already called up. No need to IL Raffy, unless you want to give another pitcher a short stint with the big club. And who needs pitching with this staff, lol?

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Devers and O'Neill may take a few games to get back up to speed. The lineup on paper will certainly look better . Fortunate timing on the Pirate series with them on a major slump after a nice start.

 

Casas sounds like he is out for a long time (30-60 days) . Can Pivetta's elbow get him through his contract year ? Bet not. Can Whitlock endure a full season ? Bet not.

 

As far as I know there were no new injuries to the team yesterday.

[vegasbob]

Noshida was Goshida Saturday with 3 hits, and hasn’t played since. Kind of expensive DH to now being a platoon DH.

 

Well, you know Cora likes the RH hitters vs LH'ers , so Yoshi sits, ..... ......wait Lively is a RH pitcher

 

In reality, Cora needs to get O'Neill back into game speed , and who were you going to sit to let Yoshi play. Why can't Masataka learn first base ? Let's say he is vertically challenged

Edited April 23, 2024 by vegasbob

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Both Casas and Devers have self-inflicted injuries from over-swinging. Only on the SOX would this seem not strange.

[Old Red]

Well, you know Cora likes the RH hitters vs LH'ers , so Yoshi sits, ..... ......wait Lively is a RH pitcher

 

In reality, Cora needs to get O'Neill back into game speed , and you were you going to sit to let Yoshi play. Why can't Masataka learn first base ? Let's say he is vertically challenged

 

I’m not saying NOshida should play, but he’s an expensive DH/platoon guy.

[vegasbob]

Both Casas and Devers have self-inflicted injuries from over-swinging. Only on the SOX would this seem not strange.

 

Notice how Dalbec is rarely if ever injured. It comes from not swinging too often or too hard. It was sad the other day to see Bobby get a rocket shot off but go straight to the 3Bman . Should have been a 2 rbi'er.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Based on O'Neil's history of frailty, DH isn't the worst place for him. I guess Cora could platoon Masa and Refsnyder in the OF.