5/27 @ Orioles

[Maxbialystock]

Sox just can't beat good teams

 

Actually, they can. Today it's a slaughter because Criswell is off and the Sox simply can't hit with men in scoring position.

[notin]

With the bases loaded, the Sox K twice. With the bases loaded, the Orioles double.

 

It's that simple.

 

Smith’s K was a huge gift to Baltimore. I don’t blame him for taking that pitch. Easily 6 inches off the plate…

[a700hitter]

Criswell is getting rocked

It would be foolishness for us to hope that he would continue performing anywhere close to his stats. He is very run of the mill.

[jad]

Robo-umps NOW!

[Maxbialystock]

Smith’s K was a huge gift to Baltimore. I don’t blame him for taking that pitch. Easily 6 inches off the plate…

 

Meh. 1 stinking run. Today's Sox are useless: lousy pitching, lousy hitting, and lousy fielding.

[d-money]

This series will be ugly against a very good orioles squad. Crazy how this franchise has gone down the dumps and i don’t trust them in building a farm system.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Smith’s K was a huge gift to Baltimore. I don’t blame him for taking that pitch. Easily 6 inches off the plate…

 

Raffy's third strike was also way outside. All batters hope the ump is consistent, but it's against to rules to hit a pitch while stepping on home plate -- which is what the Sox will have to do to have a chance to make contact...

 

Batters called automatically out for stepping on the plate go into the official scorebook as... you guessed it, a strikeout.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Atlanta FO still laughing about that Sale/Grissom deal.

[Thunder]

I sold my ticket and decided not to go today. I haven’t been in the greatest mental space lately. At least my win streak lives on!

[redsoxrules]

Actually, they can. Today it's a slaughter because Criswell is off and the Sox simply can't hit with men in scoring position.

 

They are 9-18 vs teams with a winning record

[d-money]

This division is terrible this year. Only two good teams on top.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

They are 9-18 vs teams with a winning record

 

Which equates to 18-9 against teams with a losing record. That seriously defines mediocre.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

This division is terrible this year. Only two good teams on top.

 

Yup. The previous two seasons there were 4 good teams in the AL East.

[vegasbob]

Is there or isn't there a 10 run rule ? Nuboy Keller reached his level of incompetency in the 7th

[jad]

Which equates to 18-9 against teams with a losing record. That seriously defines mediocre.

 

Or is having the best player in the league and getting rid of him as a cost-cutting measure the definition of that term?

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Is there or isn't there a 10 run rule ? Nuboy Keller reached his level of incompetency in the 7th

 

In ping pong 11-0 ends the game.

[Maxbialystock]

Raffy's third strike was also way outside. All batters hope the ump is consistent, but it's against to rules to hit a pitch while stepping on home plate -- which is what the Sox will have to do to have a chance to make contact...

 

Batters called automatically out for stepping on the plate go into the official scorebook as... you guessed it, a strikeout.

 

Very good point. The Sox are losing, 11-0, because of the home plate ump. I sure hope Cora, the brain trust, and JH take this very serious issue to the Commissioner--who probably hasn't had a good laugh recently.

[Old Red]

Very good point. The Sox are losing, 11-0, because of the home plate ump. I sure hope Cora, the brain trust, and JH take this very serious issue to the Commissioner--who probably hasn't had a good laugh recently.

 

🙈🤭🤫.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

The SOX pitchers catch a break. The O's won't be batting in the bottom of the 9th.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Costello: "Who's on 1st?"

 

Abbott: "No. Cooper and Smith alternate there."

 

Costello: "You were better off with Who."

[Maxbialystock]

Or is having the best player in the league and getting rid of him as a cost-cutting measure the definition of that term?

 

In 2019 the Sox had the highest payroll in MLB and didn't make the playoffs with an 84-78 record. The year before, with basically the same players, they had the best season in Sox history, which was the 4th WS win in the John Henry era (2002-2024 and counting) after the 86 year WS drought.

 

So I think it's fair to say that JH understood the value of paying for talent. But 2019 was the perfect example of how expensive talent, especially pitching, doesn't necessarily deliver.

 

That's being repeated again this year. Top payroll, $307M, belongs to the Mets, who are 22-30. 3d is the Astros, $249M, who are 24-29, and 5th are the Rangers, $233M, who are 25-29. The Sox @ $182 will be 27-27 when this game is over.

 

Meanwhile, worth noting are the Orioles, 26th biggest payroll, $100M, who will be 34-18 after this game, the Guardians 25th biggest payroll, $101M, with a 36-17 record, the Brewers 22d payroll, $107M, with a 30-22 record, and the Royals 20th payroll, $116M, with a 34-20 record.

 

Back to Mookie, whose Dodgers payroll is 7th, $229M. They are currently 33-22, , which would put them behind the Orioles and their 26th payroll, $100M, and also behind the Royals, 34-20, and their 20th payroll, $116M.

[jung]

This series will be ugly against a very good orioles squad. Crazy how this franchise has gone down the dumps and i don’t trust them in building a farm system.

 

Well though I am not the only fan to have figured this team out before the first regular season pitch was thrown, as predicted, the hitting is inconsistent, the pitching is well on the way to being exposed and while the actual error count has tapered off to something reasonable, they still make too many fundamental fielding mistakes that cost runs but don't show up in the error count. They are exactly where most of us thought they would be, a 500 team bumping along a game or two over with the potential to be a game or two under.

 

I do wish the NESN broadcast crew would stop trying to pump them as if they are headed to post season glory. They are fun to watch. That should be enough for us this year considering Henry's apparent disinterest.

 

Martin's incoherent comment about bunting was a disappointment. Interesting that a guy sporting grey hair is still a child. A lotta' that going around these days.

 

That said, the Sox are not a boring team. They have interesting players that are fun to watch. They are fun to watch independently and as a team. That is more than I had hoped for. I thought they could well be boring while being mediocre in a league full of absolute stiffs for teams. That at least IMO has not happened.

[jung]

This series will be ugly against a very good orioles squad. Crazy how this franchise has gone down the dumps and i don’t trust them in building a farm system.

 

Well though I am not the only fan to have figured this team out before the first regular season pitch was thrown, as predicted, the hitting is inconsistent, the pitching is well on the way to being exposed and while the actual error count has tapered off to something reasonable, they still make too many fundamental fielding mistakes that cost runs but don't show up in the error count. They are exactly where most of us thought they would be, a 500 team bumping along a game or two over with the potential to be a game or two under.

 

I do wish the NESN broadcast crew would stop trying to pump them as if they are headed to post season glory. They are fun to watch. That should be enough for us this year considering Henry's apparent disinterest.

 

That said, the Sox are not a boring team. They have interesting players that are fun to watch. They are fun to watch independently and as a team. That is more than I had hoped for. I thought they could well be boring while being mediocre in a league full of absolute stiffs for teams. That at least IMO has not happened.

 

Martin's incoherent comment about bunting was a disappointment. Interesting that a guy sporting grey hair is still a child. A lotta' that going around these days.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Costello: "What's on 2nd?"

 

Abbott: "No. Grissom's playing 2nd."

 

Costello: "WTF!"

[vegasbob]

Although very unlikely to mount a comeback in O town, twice the Red Sox have runners in scoring position, with 1 out, and quickly K the next two lineup slugs . Overall they continue to show not much situational hitting/contact . Not much swing discipline, and a wandering umpire

[Old Red]

Well though I am not the only fan to have figured this team out before the first regular season pitch was thrown, as predicted, the hitting is inconsistent, the pitching is well on the way to being exposed and while the actual error count has tapered off to something reasonable, they still make too many fundamental fielding mistakes that cost runs but don't show up in the error count. They are exactly where most of us thought they would be, a 500 team bumping along a game or two over with the potential to be a game or two under.

 

I do wish the NESN broadcast crew would stop trying to pump them as if they are headed to post season glory. They are fun to watch. That should be enough for us this year considering Henry's apparent disinterest.

 

That said, the Sox are not a boring team. They have interesting players that are fun to watch. They are fun to watch independently and as a team. That is more than I had hoped for. I thought they could well be boring while being mediocre in a league full of absolute stiffs for teams. That at least IMO has not happened.

 

Martin's incoherent comment about bunting was a disappointment. Interesting that a guy sporting grey hair is still a child. A lotta' that going around these days.

The guys in the NESN both is nothing, but a bunch of YUCKERS.

[Maxbialystock]

Orioles walk the bases full, after which Gonzalez miraculously triples to bring all 3 home. But, with no one out, the next batters can't bring Gonzalez home. Rafaela and Duran both K.

 

A thought about starting/playing both Cooper and Smith today. Both stink, but that's the point. Cora plays them so his GM/CBO can see how bad these guys are.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Orioles walk the bases full, after which Gonzalez miraculously triples to bring all 3 home. But, with no one out, the next batters can't bring Gonzalez home. Rafaela and Duran both K.

 

A thought about starting/playing both Cooper and Smith today. Both stink, but that's the point. Cora plays them so his GM/CBO can see how bad these guys are.

 

Ya get what you didn't trade for. Oops, the FO did trade for Grissom.

[moonslav59]

That was no fun watching, at all.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

That was no fun watching, at all.

 

We won't be 'memorializing' this game.