5/21 SOX @ Rays 6:50PM ET

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Criswell vs Littell(RH)

 

Hopefully, another good starting performance and good defense gives the SOX a shot of another win tonight. Oh, and scoring some runs would be helpful, just like the previous two games.

 

Go SOX!

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Duran(LF)

Abreu

O'Neill(DH)

Devers

Smith

Hamilton(SS)

McGuire

Grissom

Rafaela

 

Imho, Hammy at 2nd, Rafaela at SS, Duran in CF, O'Neill in LF and Wong at DH, gives the SOX a better shot at winning.

Having posted this, Grissom will probably go 4-4.

Edited May 21, 2024 by SPLENDIDSPLINTER

[notin]

Two starting pitchers taking on their former teams…

[Maxbialystock]

Duran(LF)

Abreu

O'Neill(DH)

Devers

Smith

Hamilton(SS)

McGuire

Grissom

Rafaela

 

Imho, Hammy at 2nd, Rafaela at SS, Duran in CF, O'Neill in LF and Wong at DH, gives the SOX a better shot at winning.

Having posted this, Grissom will probably go 4-4.

 

Grissom 4 for 4. More likely than the Sox winning 20 straight, but not by much.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Grissom 4 for 4. More likely than the Sox winning 20 straight, but not by much.

 

Grissom is just another overhyped bust in his first full-time role: .135 in May.

 

Triston Casas hit .133 in the first month of his first full season in the majors.

 

Dustin Pedroia hit .182 in the first month of his first full year in Boston.

 

Then there was an ancient prospect in the late-1940s the Red Sox thought so overrated -- for some reason -- that they passed on him. Good thing, too, because the guy only hit .048 in his first May (1-for-21)... maybe he felt too much pressure batting in the month that sounds like it was almost named after him. He was also so young when he made the big leagues he read comic books, ate ice cream and played stickball in the street with other kids...

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Giving up a base hit with an 0-2 count is one of the most disgusting things in a baseball game.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Grissom is just another overhyped bust in his first full-time role: .135 in May.

 

Triston Casas hit .133 in the first month of his first full season in the majors.

 

Dustin Pedroia hit .182 in the first month of his first full year in Boston.

 

Then there was an ancient prospect in the late-1940s the Red Sox thought so overrated -- for some reason -- that they passed on him. Good thing, too, because the guy only hit .048 in his first May (1-for-21)... maybe he felt too much pressure batting in the month that sounds like it was almost named after him. He was also so young when he made the big leagues he read comic books, ate ice cream and played stickball in the street with other kids...

 

The Yawkey SOX weren't signing any black ballplayers in the 40's. Hell, their first black player was Pumpsie Green and that was in 1959.

[vegasbob]

Grissom sets the stage for his 4 for 4 night by hitting a sharp single with MoB. And with 2 outs to boot. Nice hit. Rafaela regrettably chases with MoB tonight

[illinoisredsox]

Giving up a base hit with an 0-2 count is one of the most disgusting things in a baseball game.

 

To me, it depends on how it happens. Belt high fastball down the middle? Sure. Guy dunks one the opposite way on a pitch 4 inches off the outside corner? No, that’s not disgusting.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

The Yawkey SOX weren't signing any black ballplayers in the 40's. Hell, their first black player was Pumpsie Green and that was in 1959.

 

They didn't make the World Series again until 1967, when literally half their starting position players were African American or Latino. Think they got the message?

[illinoisredsox]

Smart play by Grissom not chasing Siri there.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

To me, it depends on how it happens. Belt high fastball down the middle? Sure. Guy dunks one the opposite way on a pitch 4 inches off the outside corner? No, that’s not disgusting.

 

True. Crisswell grooved a very hittable pitch.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

They didn't make the World Series again until 1967, when literally half their starting position players were African American or Latino. Think they got the message?

 

I wonder if Yawkey knew when he signed Ted Williams that Ted was half-Mexican? Yawkey was a disgrace as an owner and a human being.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Interesting that all 3 hitters to have hit HR's in 8 consecutive games were LH.

At this point Devers is the 14th player to hit HR's in 6 straight games.

Before Devers' 6 game streak there were a few SOX players who had a 5 game streak, including Ted Williams and Bobby Dalbec.

A rare instance where Ted Williams and Bobby Dalbec are mentioned in the same sentence.

Edited May 21, 2024 by SPLENDIDSPLINTER

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Criswell's pitch count after five is impressive. His grooved 0-2 pitch to Arozerano is the difference in this game.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Solo HR # 35.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

It was just mentioned on the Tampa feed that Duran has more triples at this point of the season than 23 teams.

[vegasbob]

Duran may be one of the best examples of a maturing player of medium talent but whose work and hustle have made him a regular on a 4 time-this century WS winning MLB team

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Solo HR # 35.

 

Considering how often this SOX team strikes out, it helps explain the large number of empty base HR's.

[moonslav59]

Glad we didn't trade Duran, this morning.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Before Devers' 6 game streak there were a few SOX players who had a 5 game streak, including Ted Williams and Bobby Dalbec.

A rare instance where Ted Williams and Bobby Dalbec are mentioned in the same sentence.

 

Williams urged the Hall of Fame to open its doors to Negro League stars, and Dalbec's walk-up song is actually by The Doors.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Duran may be one of the best examples of a maturing player of medium talent but whose work and hustle have made him a regular on a 4 time-this century WS winning MLB team

 

Medium talent? I believe he's got above average talent. Remember he did get drafted as a 2nd baseman.

[moonslav59]

Williams urged the Hall of Fame to open its doors to Negro League stars, and Dalbec's walk-up song is actually by The Doors.

 

Williams was great, but Dalbec sucks.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Another fine performance from a SOX starter. And a fine play by Devers.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Williams was great, but Dalbec sucks.

 

Williams hit 43 homers his last year in the minors, while Dalbec hit 33 HRs last year in the minors.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

I know there's a lot of season remaining, but long time SOX fans like myself have to be experiencing culture shock. I mean when has it ever been said that a SOX team will only go as far as their pitching takes them. I'm guessing never during my time as a fan.

[moonslav59]

Time for Grissom to hit a 2 run dinger.

[moonslav59]

I know there's a lot of season remaining, but long time SOX fans like myself have to be experiencing culture shock. I mean when has it ever been said that a SOX team will only go as far as their pitching takes them. I'm guessing never during my time as a fan.

 

It wasn't until Clemens that I really paid much attention.

[Maxbialystock]

Glad we didn't trade Duran, this morning.

 

That OP on that thread was just silly. Any player is tradeable, of course, but right now Duran ain't that guy.

 

This is one heckuva game. Criswell was horrible in the 1st, but bounced back beautifully and finished with 5.1 innings and 2 ER's.

 

As for the solo dinger, I love it when it ties the game at 2-2 when the Sox have a grand total of just 3 hits. Huge hit by Duran. Huge.

 

Gonzalez hits for Smith because Cora has been doing that a lot just to get the slight advantage of righty bat vs lefty pitcher (or vice versa) to get some much needed hitting.

 

Time to mention CERA again. Credit to Criswell for bouncing back after the 1st inning, but I think McGuire helped. Don't ask me how he helped because I don't know. And, remember, I like Wong a lot more than McGuire.

 

Whoops. Lefty vs lefty, McGuire singles in the 7th with 2 out.

[Maxbialystock]

Great single and rbi by Grissom in the 1st, followed by two K's in the 5th and 7th.

 

Score still tied, 2-2.

 

DH O'Neill is 0/3 with 2 K's.